Hi everyone,
On Saturday, August 13, our club will be participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life walk in Capitol Hill. The walk will begin at 10am in Cal Anderson Park with the Survivor’s Lap and will end at 10pm with a Luminaria Ceremony to honor and remember cancer survivors and those we have lost to cancer. If you would like to join us for our walk or donate to the American Cancer Society, you can do so at this link. We look forward to seeing you all on Saturday!
At our July 28, 2016 meeting, in addition to the District Governor. his spouse and the Assistant District Governor, we were graced by a visit from Past UW Rotaract President, Julianne Sloane.
After graduating from UW, Julianne was involved in establishing an ex-im business in Brazil. Then she moved to London to join a startup called Splittable: www.splittable.co a financial services technology company. She seems to be truly enjoying exploring her career path. It was great of her to stop by while visiting family in our area. We wish her much success and hope to see her again, soon!
DG Bo Darling, of hydroplane fame, used boat racing to exemplify the teamwork ethic which he champions. This led into his discourse on fellowship, membership, and continuity.
As he spoke, it was evident that these three are interdependent.
Fellowship takes place when we do things together, whether at meetings or events such as fireside chats, projects, and activities. As we know, fellowship events do bring people together, either locally or at the district level. Inspired by last year’s successful outing, he declares an 8/28 district picnic on Mercer Island, 10AM-3PM. It will be child-friendly; full families are invited. As to continuity, he pointed to the rising number of Interact and Rotaract Clubs throughout the District.
This continuity is an imperative. Essential to the organization, youth must be heard and regarded. Rotary addresses it. In that regard, all in the District will come together on 9/19 to review rules and regulations. In particular, membership criteria are to be added. Attendance requirements have been relaxed and may be changed to adapt for an individual club.
To preview the District Conference in Portland, he displayed a vertiginous video of the Rose City. To be commemorated at that time will be the 100th anniversary of Rotary Foundation and 30 years of women in Rotary (and we’ve never been the same).
Officers
President – Jim Horrigan
Other Board Members
Tim Lenihan – Past President and Membership
Mike Madden – Past President and International Service
Hal Beals – Past President
Colleen White – Membership
Betsy Conklin – Community Service
Dave Mushen – Fellowship
Committee Chairs
Tom Ranken – Programs
Phill Briscoe – Public Relations and CTO
Club Service – Teri St Onge
International and Youth Service – Lee Raaen
Rotoract – Pam Mushen and Sarah Cave
Club Historian – Open
Matt George, the avid mussel-man
Is doing more than most men can,
Upon the margin of the sea
To earn a surefire PhD.
The principle he has in view
Is how the mussel forms its glue.
It binds with such tenacity,
It may have use in surgery.
In low pH and low Oh-two,
The process may slow down,’tis true–
Especially when by degrees,
These factors fall on future seas.
And since the mussel forms fine food,
We think starfishes more than rude:
“Tis shellfish of them, far from right,
To so indulge their appetite.
But mussels more than merely mate–
They wildly proliferate.
The net(?) result: they thus abound
To breed enough to go around.
Upon them, thus, the world shall dine
As other food fish fast decline. [Poem by Dr. Hal]
In Summary: We must hustle the bustle to harvest the mussel; The world stands prepared, the mussel to guzzle.
Whenever we receive a talk from Ed Bronsdon, all become reminded of the hope, accomplishments, and joie de vivre imparted by Outdoors for All. Those who would sink into depression and despair are simply not permitted to, once within the purview of this organization. OFA has several facets. This time, it was that of cycling which, if not precisely termed an art form, it is unquestionably a science. Moreover, it takes those who would be out of the mainstream and includes them in the fun and camaraderie.
The cycling program originated from downhill skiing, the nucleus of all that has evolved to date. Anecdotal vignettes included a skier who had lost the use of his legs; children with muscular dystrophy; a blind snowmobiler; a biker with a brain tumor, and several others. Veterans are particularly vulnerable, with PTSD plus or minus physical impairments. They are enabled to relate to the group, socialize, and connect with others. One of the transcendent events is the Seattle-to-Portland bike occurrence. Everyone gets there, no matter by what type of conveyance nor how long it takes. Recumbent trikes are now part of more than 120 in the fleet.
There are 700 volunteers and 18 full time staff. Activities, in addition to skiing and cycling, include kayaking and rock climbing. To date, 2438 have benefited. While much of the activity is in the Puget Sound area, the show often goes on the road to include others.
Observation: We get the impression that Ed and his retinue have not exhausted all the activities to be scheduled nor the apparatuses with which to do them. It will be no surprise to hear of them. Their motto that everyone counts and is important would do well to be part of global weltanschauung.
Although a Chinese Medicine practitioner has proposed a full body transplant, Jason Robertson’s immersion into this discipline has not embraced such a concept. His is a traditional form which he practices and teaches. He traces his pathway to dedication in both the language and the concepts to years spent in both of the Chinas and in San Francisco. His mentor, Wang Ju-Yi, has been both teacher and inspiration.
Although there is an herbal branch of Chinese Medicine, the preponderant technique is that of acupuncture. There are some 30,000 acupuncturists in the US, 1300 in the Seattle area, and three accredited local schools. The local society is named East Asian Medical Practitioners. The scope of the process includes: clinical history, acupuncture, advice, supplemental advice, and herbal therapies. Within this mix is the connection of signs and symptoms, clues, and patterns of disease.
The evolution of the art (actually a very old one) was expedited during the Cultural Revolution of the ’60s. Mao Tse-Tung approved of sending “barefoot doctors” into the hinterlands to administer to the masses. Subsequently, the techniques came to the larger cities, particularly Beijing. Wang was one of these.
The sequence of events, as practiced by Wang, is first to check the pulse, then to ask questions, laying on of hands to palpate acupuncture channels while running the thumb along limbs and torso, determining the effect on organs, and at times slapping the contralateral limb to direct attention away from the site of the acupuncture. The effect, it is postulated, is mediated by channels toward the target organ. It has been found that acupuncture increases the oxygen levels at the sites. A very narrow-gauge needle is used. 10-15 needle pricks are generally given per hour.
Observation: A student must keenly prick up his/her ears as the instructor makes his points, lest said student be needled by classmates at not having been too sharp, the motto being, “Get on the stick.”
Dan Newman is leaving in July and Pam Mushen and Sarah Cave are taking over as the Club’s new coordinators with the UW Health Sciences Rotaract Club.
Obstacles to success can be poor eyesight, poor hearing, poor reading skills, and poor nutrition. June 2nd we heard from those who help lighten these burdens. Janine Kennedy, of Teen Feed, informed us of another dimension in aiding the young and vulnerable. Teen Feed creates a family for those, age 13-25, who have been forced onto the streets.
And here are the facts:
Comment: Anyone who saves one life has done a heroic deed. Those who save many are truly blessed.
