News

SandPoint Block Party, and a good time was had by all.

The Block Party was anticipated and well-received by the neighborhood. There were treats and games for the kids, and a fire engine for them to swarm over.  Hamburgers and hot dogs abounded.

Rotarians scurried around, most clad in identifiable T-shirts provided by Tim Lenihan. The burgers (plain, cheese, and veggie) were turned out, over hot grills, by Dave Mushen and Ron. Our Nearest Star caused one and all to broil a bit. Tom and his musicians (Ranken File) provided totally audible entertainment.  

All who participated shared the feeling that it was a pleasure and privilege to serve. In fact, according to our motto, that is what it is all about. Photos!

Univerisity Sunrise Rotary Supports Enactus

Univerisity Sunrise Rotary supports Enactus, a student organization that brings together a diverse network of college students, academic professionals and industry leaders from around the world to focus on a shared mission of creating a better, more sustainable world through the positive power of entrepreneurship. Team members contribute their time and talent to projects that improve the lives of people around the globe. Each participant demonstrates that individuals who are armed with information, a passion for people and business know-how can be real agents for change.

Powerful life lessons are attained outside of the classroom because Enactus tackles projects that are tied to real targets with the help of real professionals. The outcome of each project can change the lives of Enactus students and the lives of the project’s beneficiaries in real and substantial ways.

Enactus is an international non-profit organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Enactus comprises of 1600 universities in 36 different countries with over 66,500 students that holds competitions awarding universities prizes for their social entrepreneurial project outcomes.

University Sunrise donated $500 to promote Enactus students developing a green energy stove. Our Green Energy Stove’s differentiating factor is in its clean stove power generators. The power generators in the stove generate electricity during cooking by converting wasted heat energy into electricity. This electricity will be used to charge and power up devices such as cell phones and lamps. Working with established partners, we want to pilot the Green Energy Center Gambia, Nigeria, Gabon, and Ethiopia with 700 units.

Melanie Barstow, Following the Boys in the Boat

*Onward like the swallow going
Flies the speed of oar and shell.
Oh the wild delight in knowing, ‘
Tis our pow’r that does the rowing…..


Captivated by the book ,”The Boys in the Boat”, Melanie Barstow has successfully volunteered to conduct tours of the University of Washington shell house and related historic spots. The response has been large.

 

 

 

In her talk, she reviews the book’s story, noting:

  • the Depression era
  • the fortitude of the rowers
  • the privations of the young men
  • the hard and dangerous jobs they had to take
  • the adversities, including the family’s abandonment of the principal character at his age of 15.

Altruism, self-sacrifice, and fortitude were the sine qua non that made possible the successive triumphs of this Husky crew, This culminated in their Olympic triumph in Berlin in 1936 as they represented the U.S. Specifically, the order of finish; USA/Italy/Germany. It is notable that the margin between winning and not winning is at times measured in hundredths of a second. In 1936, the times were 6:25.4, 6:26, and 6:26.4.

*All in unison of action, with the noble satisfaction….
…..Coolly every power invoke…
Onward, make her cut the water,
Onward make her cut the water—
And for fame of alma mater, stroke, stroke, stroke.

*Excerpts from the Cornell Rowing Song.

Julia Cosse’ of Cosse’ International

Julia Cossé, well immersed in the family securities business, Cossé International, spoke on the subject of “How to Pick Stocks that Go UP”.

An exhaustive study, identifying stocks that doubled within six months, found a certain commonality among them. From the results of this have evolved principles to guide one in choosing such companies.

To wit, look for:

  • Increase in earnings of the stock’s underlying company to have increased.
  • Moreover, the earnings’ increase has accelerated, preferably into double digits.
  • The accelerated increase should be due to something, i.e. a new product.
    Example: Microsoft’s periodic new devices to meet demand.
  • The industry that includes the company has been doing well as a group.
  • Volume. Institutional investors, as contrasted to individuals, create volume changes. Therefore, increased upside volume is a good indicator.
  • Medium-sized companies. These have good growth potential. Very large companies have already seen growth. Small companies’ stock may be hard to exit at the right time.
  • Pay attention to what kind of market we are in.

Comment: Be thus guided and you cannot lose. Maybe

Christy Goff is Sleeping in Seattle

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

If you, or anyone within earshot, does this at night, there may exist a case of sleep apnea. This is a condition in which an intermittent cessation of breathing temporarily starves the heart and brain of oxygen.
This is one of the points made by Christy Goff of Pacific Science Centers.
In case of the above, a night in the sleep lab would be a well-advised move. If such is the diagnosis, a number of treatments is available.

Other facts about sleep included in her talk:

  • Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep.
  • Cortisol and epinephrine are active in the waking process
  • Melatonin, building during waking hours, causes crepuscular drowsiness.
  • Serotonin acts to help a happy awakening.
  • There are 3-4 sleep cycles per night. Deep sleep comes first, followed by REM sleep. It is during REM that we dream.
  • Naps should be limited to about 20 minutes, lest a hormonal imbalance occur.
  • As we age. deep sleep time decreases. By age 85, 20% of the night is spent awake.
  • Insomnia risks include stress, anxiety, PTSD, and depression.A relation exists between obesity and sleep. Those who sleep less tend to gain weight. The appetite increases in such cases, entailing the hormones Ghelin (appetite enhancer) and Leptin (satiety indicator).

To enhance sleep:

  • Finish water intake an hour before retiring.
  • Exercise early in the day.
  • Get on a schedule for sleep, to balance hormones.
  • Restrict time in bed.
  • Arise at the same time each day regardless of energy level.
  • Do not get into bed until sleepy.
  • Don’t stay in bed if not sleepy.
  • Read. Do not  use TV or phone.
  • Turn off electrical devices 30-60 minutes before wishing to go to sleep.
  • Do not use caffeine at the end of  the day. It blocks the hormone, Adenosine, which causes drowsiness.
  • Keep it cave like–cool and dark. 65 degrees is the ideal temperature.

See a sleep specialist when–

  • There is snoring
  • There is a use of sleeping pills
  • It is difficult to fall asleep.
  • Tossing and turning occur.
  • Interruption in breathing occurs
  • There is frequent or early awakening.
  • Irritability or inability to concentrate during the day occur.
  • Tiredness or depressing happen on awakening.
  • There is a desire to take frequent naps.

Thursday’s speaker WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson

Bob Ferguson is Washington’s 18th Attorney General. As the state’s chief legal officer, he directs 500 attorneys and 600 professional staff providing legal services to state agencies, Governor and Legislature.

General Ferguson’s ongoing priorities are:

  • Protecting consumers and seniors against fraud by cracking down on powerful interests that don’t play by the rules;
  • Keeping communities safer by supporting law enforcement;
  • Protecting our environment; and
  • Standing up for our veterans by advocating for service men and women and their families.

Bob received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1995. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington, where he was student body president. Bob began his legal career in Spokane where he served as a law clerk for Chief Judge W. Fremming Nielsen of the Federal District Court for Eastern Washington. He then clerked for Judge Myron Bright of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in the Midwest. Ferguson returned to Seattle and joined Preston, Gates, and Ellis (now K&L Gates), one of Washington’s leading law firms.

In 2003, Bob was elected to the King County Council. In 2005, after the council was reduced from 13 to nine and Bob’s district was eliminated, he was re-elected. He was unopposed in 2009.

Bob is a fourth-generation Washingtonian. His family homesteaded on the beautiful Skagit River, which may explain why Bob is such an enthusiastic mountain climber, backpacker, and birder. He has hiked hundreds of miles of Washington trails and climbed many of the state’s highest peaks.

Bob is an internationally-rated chess master. His games have appeared in local, national and international chess publications. Bob has twice won the Washington State Chess Championship.

Bob, his wife Colleen and their 9-year-old twins, Jack and Katie, reside in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of North Seattle.

Credit: http://www.atg.wa.gov/about-bob-ferguson

Stephanie Pietras-Bailey-Boushay House

Pres. Jim and Stephanie

Stephanie Pietras has worked in healthcare with a specialty in HIV/Aids for 28 years. She is currently director of volunteer services for Bailey Boushay House, which is affiliated with Virginia Mason. Stephanie earned a B.S. from Marymount and an M.S from Loyola, and has lived in Seattle since 2007.   Stephanie gave a well-constructed presentation on the history of Bailey-Boushay House and the developments in treating HIV/Aids.

The following is a synopsis of the development of the HIV/Aids disease and treatment since the beginning in 1981.

  • 1981 The New York Times reports on a mysterious illness.
  • 1982 The illness was given the name acquired immune deficiency syndrome, AIDS.
  • 1984 A test for screening blood donations was developed and implemented in 1985, Rock Hudson died of Aids, R.I.P. Chimpanzees were used to develop the test. Poor Chimps…
  • 1987 The drug called AZT which was developed in mice was approved for treating AIDS. Poor mice…
  • 1988 The Surgeon General of the United States sent every household a letter detailing the known causes and precautions for Aids. 1990 It was estimated that 8 million people had AIDS.
  • 1990 Condoms became the preferred method of protection from AIDS. Buy stock in condom companies.
  • 1995 There was an increase in the disease in the women//children population, but infant infections started to fall due to AZT treatment.
  • 1996 Combination treatment of antiretroviral were developed, also known as the “cocktail”.
  • 1997 Aids related deaths in developing countries begin to drop, however 22 million people still have HIV.
  • 2007 33 million people have HIV.
  • 2010 Macaques and mice are once again used in testing for the drug called Truvada, which reveals positive results. Poor mice and Macaques.
  • 2011 Antiretroviral are shown to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV by 96%.
  • 2012 Most people worldwide eligible for antiretroviral are now receiving them.

Bailey-Boushay House continues to provide inpatient and outpatient hospice services for men living with HIV/AIDS. They have 172 volunteers working 13 hour shifts, and this is their 25th year in operation.

Yeah!

Food Drive for UNIVERSITY DISTRICT FOOD BANK: March 4th

University Sunrise Rotary helps support various local charities; one of those programs is the University District Food Bank.  Currently our focus is on donations for the “Packs for Kids” program. 

The importance of proper nutrition for a growing child is well documented. Hungry kids have decreased attention spans, increased behavioral problems, and more school absences due to sickness. Simply put, hungry kids can’t learn as well, and when they fall behind academically as young children, it is very hard to ever catch-up. Free meals in school certainly help, but they are not enough. After all, school is only Monday through Friday.

Through collaboration with eight local Seattle public schools, University District Food Bank provides meals and snacks to children who are at risk of going hungry on the weekend when free or reduced school meals are unavailable. These packs of food contain items that are age-appropriate, nutritious, simple to prepare, and easy to take home in a school bag.

Saturday, March 4th, 2017 we are hosting a food drive to support “Pack for Kids” at the Metropolitan Market, 2320 42nd Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116. Join us on March 4th and donate.

Here is a list of needed items:

Nut-free granola bars
Cereal bars
Fruit cups
Applesauce
Pop-top soup
Single-serve tuna packets
Easy mac
Trail mix packets
Oatmeal packets
Jif to-go

Emphasizing single serve options for this is important.

And to complement the specific Packs for Kids items you could offer a family focused list of items too if you want to provide more options for shoppers:

Cereal
Peanut butter and jelly
Pasta and sauce
Soups (veggie and meat options, protein rich)
Canned fruit
Graham crackers
Healthier crackers
Kid toiletries (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush)

See you March 4th!
Metropolitan Market
2320 42nd Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

University of Washington “Tent City”

In the February 16th production, University of Washington “Tent City”, the cast was comprised of Toni Sarge, thesis student; Ted Hunter, pro bono lawyer; and dedicated volunteers Jason Tavares, Scott Morrow, and Courtney O’Toole.

As homeless shelters go, this one complies with laws, screens its residents, embraces cleanliness, and disallows drunkenness and drug activity. Hospitality is extended to visitors, from whom contributions of food and clothing are welcomed. TC is one of a network of 11 similar self-help locations. These are necessary establishments, lest people lack the basics of life.

Only 2500 shelter beds exist. Efforts are made to keep couples together. The number of affordable family housing units remains limited. People come and go. For extreme weather, warm shelters are available. TCs are self-managed, with officers elected, an executive committee is in force. A security test must be passed for entry. There is a strict code of conduct. Two security people are present around the clock.
There is a large community tent for socialization, as well as a kitchen. Weekly camp meetings are held. Bus tickets are provided for those who must get to jobs.  In addition, the UW provides monthly dental care. A foot clinic, acupuncture, and alternate medicine options are available. Nursing care is also provided.

In short, not all homeless individuals are alike; a variety of factors has brought them to the shelters. The chief single factor that has made TCs necessary is the shortage of affordable housing. Until supply can meet demand, people must be sustained in this way, and by the selflessness of those who shepherd them

Relay for Life 2017

Relay for Life

This is an opportunity to gather with people in the community in order to raise funds and awareness. Globally, it is the largest fundraising event.  It is a way of celebrating the survivors and to remember those lost. It will take place at Cal Anderson Park on Saturday, 8/12, from 10AM to 6PM. The various competitions and awards have been described. Entertainment and speakers are scheduled. Last year, there were 21 teams, 119 participants, and $34,657.63 raised. This year there will be a Bark-for-Life event, honoring the canine caregivers.  Survivors will receive a shirt and a medal.