Board Greeter- Roving Mic - Stacey Ogle

Greeter - Roving Mic -  Geoff Oakley

Birthdays - George Pilant
Fine Counter - Cynthia Darland
Meeting Reporter for Gearshift - Sherrie Stanton

Meeting Sponsor - Bellarmine Alums; Comfort, Henderson, Pearson, Willis

AV Assistance -  Jeff Rounce/Chris Serface

 

 

 

 

 

March 29

8827 N. Harborview Dr

Gig Harbor

 

On a rainy gray day in Tacoma we met at the “Top of the Landmark” and President Mark Anderson rang the bell right on time welcoming everyone.  As always the crew at the Landmark made us a wonderful lunch with Salmon and a baked potato bar including all of the “bad for you toppings” with bacon.  According to a famous sign somewhere on the walls of a diner in the south, “Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as Bacon.”

Christina Turner, Multicare provided the invocation reminding us all of the power behind gratitude and the joy found in a spring day. Steve Smith led us in an “a cappella” version of our national anthem sung robustly with an enthusiastic recitation of the 4‑Way Test. Meeting sponsor Ali Criss, Financial Insights, opted not to do a presentation and graciously ceded her time allowing for a little more relaxed agenda.

We were honored to have three guests.  Corey Hjalseth introduced his niece Mckenna and his daughter Kate. Ed Pollin from the Puyallup South Hill Rotary club joined us as our only visiting Rotarian.

Geoff Oakley of Grit City Baking Company (one of our newest members,) valiantly tried to run the mics through the crowded room. President Mark introduced Missy Zenczak of the Geneva Foundation who introduced our guest speaker, Andra Watkins.

Andra Watkins is a New York Times bestselling author living in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband, Michael T. Maher. She’s still mad at her mother for refusing to let her major in musical theater, because her mom was convinced she’d end up starring in porn films.

She’s the author of four books and counting including To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis, Not Without My Father: One Woman’s 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace, and Hard to Die.   Ms. Watkins is a highly decorated and very generous Rotarian very involved in her local club and district. She is a past club president, past district communications chair, founding chair of Rotary Friendship and recipient of her district’s Distinguished Service Award. She graced us with an inspirational and very entertaining presentation. Waxing poetic about Stephen E. Ambrose’s acclaimed book Undaunted Courage, Ms. Watkins detailed how this biography of Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition inspired her first novel.  She connected this first novel to her decision to walk the 444 mile long Natchez Trail and her subsequent memoir about her relationship with her father and his support of her journey.  Ms. Watkins presentation was truly entertaining and inspiring. On the PowerPoint slides playing during her presentation was a snapshot of a fortune cookie fortune that read, “Struggle as hard as you can for what you believe in.”  This adage summed up the spirit of Ms. Watkins.  She regaled us with stories of her reluctant journey with her father and the challenge of walking 444 miles along a paved road in the rural south. Everyone laughed as we heard about the sexual adventures of Lewis and Clarke, the brutally honest loving description of Ms. Watkin’s father and the creative use of gatorade for personal hygiene.  Ms. Watkins reminded us to “…not forget to find the amazing thing in your day” and to cherish those things. She encouraged us to “…grab those people in our lives who are disappearing a little every day” and spend some time with them.   Ms. Watkins also reminded us that it is the memories that make the ones in our lives immortal.  As an author, Andra Watkins clearly understands the power of the written word and the joy that a simple story can bring to a room full of Rotarians.

President Mark recognized the anniversaries including Kelly Lane - 3 years, Connor McCarthy - 6  years, Carol Duris - 8 years  cumulative, Laurie Jinkins - 8 years, Shon Sylvia - 11 years, Jerry McLaughlin - 21  years and  Fred Matthaei - 37  years.  We had a special shout out and standing ovation for George Williams for his 66 years of support and membership in our club.

Past President Becky Fontaine of the American Red Cross celebrated birthdays and Kirsten Willis shared her inspirational Motto, “anything is possible.”  Missy Zenczak reminded us that it is “easier to be kind than to be mean” and encouraged us all “be silly, be brave, be honest and be kind.” Becky gave birthday celebrants a Red Cross personal safety kit.

Announcements commenced with Linda Kaye Briggs asking us to be a lunch hosts for a member of the Daffodil court. Missy Zenczak talked about the upcoming Business Expo, Brien Elvins talked about the District Conference and Carolyn Weyrick reminded us of the auction and highlighted some pretty amazing items. Michelle Roberts talked about the EFN Repack and solicited support for the Spring Lunch food baskets given to families with children on spring break and invited members to an upcoming social to be held at the home of Carlyn Roy. 

There were lots of interesting true confessions with our colleagues taking some wonderful vacations celebrating important moments in their lives. By sharing with our club we learn a bit more about our fellow Rotarians and strengthen the bonds of friendship that hold us all together.

The social on the 22^nd will be held at Fircrest Golf Club 1500 Regents Blvd Tacoma.

President Mark closed the meeting thanking everyone for their participation and presence and encouraging us all to join the meeting next week when our guest speaker will be US representative Derek Kilmer.  

This scribe wishes to extend a special thank you to the program committee and our erstwhile staff for putting together a very entertaining and inspiring Rotary 8 meeting.  It was the antidote for an otherwise gloomy day. Every presentation, speaker, conversation and shared moment seemed to embody what President Mark means when he closes every meeting with his tag line, “Now go out and Live Rotary!”