Luke Timmerman: Biographer of Lee Hood

Luke Timmerman w/ Pres. Jim

Our first speaker of the year was Luke Timmerman, biographer of Lee Hood. Many biographers have to rely on archives, old newspapers, relatives, and much more.  Others have the advantage of a living and compliant subject for firsthand information.  Luke Timmerman, in his biography of Lee Hood, entitled “Hood“, enjoyed the latter situation.

Hood’s evolution stemmed from an association with a high school teacher, a Caltech alumnus, who, seeing potential, steered the young man to that institution.  Hood soon made his name in Immunology and in genetics as applied to it. This entailed the DNA sequence and the shuffling of genes to evolve elements of the immune system. Thus arose the Biotech industry, investors therein, and AMGEN, the leading company in the field. Hood sat atop an empire. However, he clashed with the CalTech administration and his colleagues. CalTech discontinued genome research. Hood was ousted.

His next opportunity came at UW, to which he was recruited by Roger Perlmutter and financed by Bill Gates. In  the beginning, it was rosy. Hood brought CalTech recruits, $, prominence to UW. But ultimately he ran into difficulties. The issue was that of Systems Biology, a collaboration with other disciplines. UW did not go for this. He headed the Genome Department, but encountered managerial issues. He was again out on his own.

His contributions to biology are recognized worldwide. His many awards have not included the Nobel Prize. This, according to the author, is tragic.

12/29, No Meeting, but don’t forget…

Pres. Jim Horrigan

Fellow University Sunrise Rotarians,

A reminder that we are taking a break for the Holidays this week; there is no breakfast meeting on Thursday. Our regular meetings will resume in 2017 on January 5th. The January Board Meeting will be Wednesday January 11th (delayed a week) and we have our Club Fireside on Friday January 20th.

Debuts & Discoveries Early Bird Tickets
Just a few days left to get your Debuts & Discoveries tickets at the early bird price of $30.00. Visit usrotary.org and click on the Debuts & Discoveries link on the top right.

https://usrotary.org//debuts-and-discoveries/

Hope everyone is have a great Holiday week.

President Jim

City University Enactus Program

City U Enactus

City University of Seattle Enactus, an organization working to improve life conditions worldwide, brings together experts in appropriate disciplines. Their principle is to accomplish this via entrepreneurship. Distinguished faculty advisor Kathy Cox was with us to show a recent example of this type of endeavor. She introduced Nathan Patricia and Maheesa Anastasya who were altogether impressive with their description of a most promising device, The Green Energy Stove.

It is necessary first to review a condition that prevails throughout Africa, that of cooking over a wood fire. This generates the smoke that smites the eyes and lungs and impairs the atmosphere. Also, it takes up time that could better be spent caring for one’s family. Moreover, while it takes too much time and expense to walk to a cellphone-charging center, a source of electricity.

Enter the Green Energy Stove. What are its virtues?

–      It is smokeless.

–      It can use any vegetation for fuel, i.e., plentiful bamboo.

–      It operates by clean power generators.

–      No carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide is produced.

–      The burnt fuel can be used as fertilizer.

–      Deforestation is ameliorated, since wood is not required.

–      The heat energy is converted to electricity, powering lamps and cellphones.

–      A person can borrow the cost of a stove through a microloan and then pay off the loan with proceeds from sale of electricity.

–      The surface of the stove is not hot, precluding injury.

The device has been proven in Gabon and is now ready for distribution in Gambia, Ethiopia, Gabon, and Nigeria.

Comment: This stove promises to range far.

The Rotary Foundation – Magnificent!

One hundred years ago, RI President Arch Klumph proposed an endowment that would “do good in the world.” The Rotary Foundation was born! ~ So… how are we doing in that “doing good” business? In a word, magnificent!

A recent Global Grant Worldwide Report, lists 1,112 Global Grants (min. budget of $30,000) approved in the last 14 months… an average of 17 Global Grants per week, year after year, after year. Imagine what that means! Rotarians around the globe are working wonders every week! Clubs working together accomplish community- based, and sustainable humanitarian projects; assemble and dispatch Volunteer Training Teams and recruit Rotary Peace fellows every week, year after year. Add to that Rotarians’ District Grant projects and Polio Eradication efforts, and you’ve got a magnificent track record of doing good in the world – brought to you by The Rotary Foundation! Be proud of that!

Remember… Every Rotarian Every Year! Use “Rotary Direct” … consider $20/mo.

 

PDG Mike Montgomery

PDG Mike Montgomery, DRFC District 5030

Detective Anthony Stevenson-Sex Offender Registry

Detective Anthony Stevenson Our December 1st speaker was Detective Anthony Stevenson who oversees the of sex offenders in the area. Considering the numbers, he sets forth, it is at least a formidable assignment. His first point is that such as they have no distinguishing characteristics. They can be anyone. They pervade society, with 1,275 living in Seattle, plus those who are among the homeless. Stevenson also deals with those charged and convicted of kidnapping. Both types of offenders must register. This results from Megan’s Law, emanating from a case of kidnapping/rape/murder in New Jersey. The Law requires that such offenders must not only register, but also that the community be apprised of where they reside. The total registered in King County presently stands at 3,532.

Levels I, II, and III classification of offenders based on the severity and frequency of their crimes, III being the highest risk. Local police agency will notify of an offender’s address and where he is registered. The County Sheriff’s office tracks homeless SO’s via weekly sign-in sheets. If the requirement is violated, a criminal case is instituted.

Some characteristics: 

  • Level I–These have violated people they know, and are of least risk to the community.
  • Level II–This includes such as teachers, pedophiles, baby sitters. They generally have had more than one victim.
  • Level III–This type of predator is of greatest risk to the community. Their crimes are of the violent type. They generally do not know their victims. They must be checked in every 90 days. The media and public at large are informed of them. Schools and day care facilities are prepared when offenders live in the neighborhood. Washington laws do not restrict where they live. In extreme cases, court orders and the Department of Corrections may restrict where they can be located.

As to what to do: 

  • Educate children about the techniques of offenders.
  • Stay alert and report suspicious activity via 911 or to the offices whose phone numbers have been provided by the speaker.

Comment: It is grimly surprising as to how many engage in this type of behavior–no less surprising than, say, the incidence of domestic violence. These are scary times. Those who are trusting–and there are many–are fair game. Sadly, it is necessary to teach and practice suspicion.

Kwapi Vengesayi and the 5th Avenue Theater

kwapi-vengesayiOur  Speaker October 27th was Zimbabwe-born Kwapi Vengesayi and the 5th Avenue Theater encountered each other and neither has been the same since. He had been trained in architecture and then in sociology. He found his calling, however, as the theater’s Community Engagement Specialist. The showplace had been a venerable landmark. It is now undergoing renovation in modern facilities, acoustics, and space. At the same time, efforts are afoot to preserve much of its old charm.

Vengesayi’s mission is to immerse the community in performance culture.  Also, his aim is to reach out to under-served and under-represented areas of the community. He realized, upon arrival, how much musical theater is around us. Therefore, he works to engage the community in musical theater. Indeed, several of the musicals at the 5th have made it to Broadway.
The crux of the endeavor has been that of partnerships. In the process, high school students have at one time run the theater, under supervision. Variously, there have been served those with dementia, Thai dancers, kids who met the casts, and those of Tech Tuesday. This has catered to those who study all stages of production as to what foes into staging a show.  It is hoped that time and effort may be devoted to autism.

Other partners have included the UW Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, the Thai community, Alaska and Delta Airlines, US Bank, Bank of America, Renton Skyway Boys and Girls Club, and others either current or pending.

Meanwhile, the project goes on to make the theater more spacious and to have patrons interact in the large entrance area.

 

November Food Drive to benefit the UNIVERSITY DISTRICT FOOD BANK

Teresa St. OngeUNIVERSITY SUNRISE ROTARY – In-House “COLOR TEAM COMPETITION” Food Drive to benefit the UNIVERSITY DISTRICT FOOD BANK… 

UDFB has entered its busiest season and is distributing groceries to over 1,100 families, delivering food to 105 homebound adults, and providing weekend food to 500-plus middle, elementary and high school students through their Pack for Kids program.  They currently serve 11 schools! 

WHEN:      First three Thursdays in November
November 3rd, 10th and 17th 

WHAT DO YOU DO?  Donate items or Cash.  As a member of your team, by your giving, your team will add 10 points to their cumulative total-to-date.

We’ll announce at each Thursday’s meeting the team scores- it’s a win-win!

It’s also easy and fun!  PLEASE CONSIDER GIVING to an agency our Club is so proud to be a partner with…………

 Needed items:  In addition to the ‘always need’ canned good items that include fruit (highly desired!), canned chicken, canned tuna, canned salmon, canned soups, stews and chili’s, peanut and other nut butters (especially Crunchy), shelf stable milk and milk alternatives, cereal and cooking oil are most appreciated!

They would also really like to have hygiene items – soaps, toilet paper, lotions, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products and BABY PRODUCTS – formula and diapers, especially large size diapers for older babies.  

Make your check out to University District Food Bank if you desire to contribute funding.

Bring your items in each Thursday – we’ll make sure they get delivered.

Thank you for all you do!!!  UDFB appreciates Rotaries continuous support and love.

 

Teri St. Onge and your Community Service Club Committee Members

 

 

 

 

Classification Talk: Holly Henry

Holly HenryOn October 13, Holly Henry gave us a zip-fast tour through her early years and thence into the pharmaceutical interest that first asserted itself during her days as a WSU undergraduate. Throughout her life, there has also been an undercurrent (so to speak) of aquatic activity, i.e., swimming and boating.

Her first exposure to pharmacies came with a job at Pay & Save. This was followed by one doing seminars for the WA State Pharmaceutical Assn. With a partner, she bought her first pharmacy at View Ridge. Thus began a series of ownerships varying from one to a maximum of seven. The last store was sold in March.

Then began a happy occupancy, with husband Mike, of a houseboat in which they traversed the route encompassing waters north of Vancouver Island.

Her passion has been community pharmacies and politics. She has chaired The WA State Pharmaceutical Assn. as well as the national organization. Of the latter she was but the second female president in its long history. The National Community Pharmaceutical Association has pulled away from the parent organization due to the latter’s lack of political action. She has lobbied for pharmaceutical issues both in Olympia and DC. An act was passed in 1979 for the maintenance of patient profiles including all medicines being taken. This guards against allergies and interactions. A provision has the pharmacist counsel patients with new Rx’s. to ensure good outcomes. Often (but not always–ed.) the doctor writes a prescription and has little follow-up. The statistics regarding outcomes for hypertensive and cholesterol-lowering drugs are consequently not good, as examples. This has given rise to legislation allowing pharmacists to order lab tests, modify drug therapy, and to prescribe. Such is the case with vaccines, under “collaborative contract”. WA was the first state to pass such legislation.

The question of compensation for pharmacists has arisen. While this has been  a difficult area, it is now ordained that the payer must compensate another professional if his/her scope of practice is utilized. Drug pricing: There is “discriminatory pricing.” That is, different prices are assigned to a hospital pharmacy than, say a community one. While it appears that things are cheaper in Canada, our various prices average out to about the same. Much of the disproportionate pricing can be traced to two major  “Benefit Managers”. These middlemen control most of the pricing to the extent that, for doing little of the work, they derive most of the profit. This helps drive prices up to their current stratospheric levels.

Comment: In that some of her drugs are given by the intravenous route, it  can sometimes be a matter of The Holly and the IV.

Our October 20th speaker: State Senator Pramila Jayapal

Pramila Jayapal, community activis (Tyrone Turner / Tyrone Turner)
Pramila Jayapal, community activist

The October 20th US Rotary speaker will be Senator Pramila Jayapal. An Indian-American activist and politician. A Democrat, she has represented the 37th legislative district in the Washington State Senate since 2015. Before her election she was a Seattle-based civil rights activist, serving until 2012 as the founder and executive director of OneAmerica, a pro-immigration advocacy group.

In January 2016, Jayapal declared her candidacy for Congress in Washington’s 7th congressional district, after Congressman Jim McDermott announced his retirement.  She finished with 40% in the August 2 primary and advanced to the general election in November.

She was born in India and raised in Indonesia and Singapore. She came to the United States in 1982, at the age of 16, to attend college. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and an MBA from Northwestern University in Chicago.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/bernie-sanders-to-headline-pramila-jayapal-rally-saturday-in-seattle/