Meeting Notes, September 10

Guests:  Visiting Rotarians  Don Anderson (Tacoma 8), and Tony Bowie (Lakewood).  Tony is the manager of a DSHS community reentry and parole aftercare services to youth released from confinement, helping them integrate back into the community.  Program coordinator Tom McClellan saw the potential for a great future meeting program, and booked Tony to be our guest speaker on Dec. 3. 

Visitors included  Brent Champaco and Adam (asst. to City Manager) from the City of Lakewood, Hazel Billingsley, Tom Peterson from Lakewood's iconic House of Donuts, plus future CP Rotarians Rick Ring, Jim Hairston and Grant Blinn.

Secretary's Report:  Bonnie Boyle welcomed the new Rotarians, and asked them to complete the forms they will receive and turn in to her ASAP.  There is always paperwork.

Sunshine Report:  Marilee Johnson’s grandson is still ailing, and needs our prayers.  Warm welcome back to Bob Edington, AKA "Foundation Bob" from his years of service as our club's Foundation Chair.  Great to see you Bob!.

Theater Benefit:  Theater Benefit committee still has tickets for Rotarians to sell.  Bonnie Kern has asked each Rotarian to buy or sell 2 tickets to make a sellout of the event.  Starts at 6:15 outdoors under the tent.  Play starts at 7 PM.  And Then There Were None.  Still need donated wine.  [ed. note: the title refers to the action in the play, and not the donated wine bottles].

Alan Billingsley did Two Truths and A Lie.  He really has spent an overnight on top of Mt Rainier; he really has volunteered in every continent except for Antarctica and Australia.  But he did NOT get a Masters’ Degree from Harvard Business School (did so at UW).  That's Harvard's loss, obviously. 

We inducted 3 new Rotarians:

Jim Hairston, sponsored by Ed Trobaugh.   Jim (AKA "Tank") is a former CP Rotarian a couple of times.  A retired Army officer, he left the club in 2007 to spend some time serving alongside our soldiers as a civilian contractor first as a liaison officer in Iraq, and then as the director of a vehicle maintenance and repair facility in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  Jim says he is really glad to be back in the club.

Rick Ring, sponsored by Joyce Loveday, moved here from Mead, Colorado only 90 days ago, where he was a Rotarian for 2 years.  He is the Business Administrator for Clover Park School District.  He and his wife moved here to be close to his kids and to come to a place they have always enjoyed.

Grant Blinn, sponsored by Heidi Wachter, is the municipal court judge for the city of Lakewood as well as University Place, Steilacoom and soon to be DuPont.  Formerly he was a Deputy Prosecutor with Pierce County, head of the homicide division.  He has been a Rotarian at Tacoma Narrows, and is transferring to our club.  He and his wife Katie have been married 17 years and have 3 children.

Memorable fines and stories:  In honor of the extra time needed for the triple induction ceremony, Fun and Fines was suspended for this meeting.  But Ed Trobaugh promises to make up for lost time next week.

Today’s speaker:  Mayor Don Anderson is a Tacoma attorney and a member of the Tacoma 8 Rotary Club.  He has served on the City Council since January 2008.  He succeeded former mayor Doug Richardson in 2013.  Don gave an update on the progress, accomplishments, and remaining challenges for the city. 

Don celebrated the diversity of our city, which he attributed in part to the close proximity of Joint Base Lewis-McChord.  Several Lakewood residents, including more than a few in our club, first came to the area thanks to military service, and found out what a nice place it is to live. 

He also celebrated the many quality of live improvements over the 18 years that Lakewood has been an incorporated city.  The subject of incorporation was a controversial issue back in 1996, but that controversy has faded thanks to the hard work of many people, including our own Mayor Emeritus Bill Harrison.  And he thanked the members of the Rotary Club of Clover Park who serve the community as part of a long list of great partners who make our town better. 

Raffle:  John Munn drew the ace and won $824!!  Congratulations.