Program: University Sunrise Rotary Club Foundation: A Report, January 4, 2024

The program Thursday morning will feature the Board and leadership of our Club’s Foundation. We will report on some big shifts in the Club’s Foundation direction, the grants we have made recently, solicit the Club’s approval of several changes, and ask for your input for our future.

The Foundation’s Board includes:

  • Tom Ranken, Chair
  • Pam Mushen
  • Lincoln Ferris
  • Dave Mushen
  • Stuart Webber

Our Screening Committee, which reviews requests and makes recommendations, consists of:

  • Hal Beals
  • Nancy Bolin
  • Mike Madden

Jeff Mushen serves as our financial advisor and Paul Meehan participates in our discussions as Club President.

Find the PowerPoint slide presentation here.

Program: David Bobanick, Executive Director, Harvest Against Hunger, “Building Healthy Food Systems Across our Community,” Dec. 14, 2023

David Bobanick, Executive Director of Harvest Against Hunger (HAH), has nearly three decades of experience in non-profit executive management.  Since David joined in 2001, the organization has significantly expanded its impact at the local, national and international levels, resulting in the delivery of nearly half a billion healthy servings of produce for those in need. 

David has led the creation and development of the national Harvest VISTA program, as well as innovative and award-winning programs focusing on shortening the connections from Farm to Community. In addition, David and the HAH team continue to build and scale nationally-recognized programs with partners like the Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps, USDA, WSDA, Washington State University, the University of Washington and other partners to enhance food systems in communities across the United States.

David has a degree in communications from Penn State University and has studied at the Non-Profit Executive Leadership Institute at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, as well as the Non-Profit Management Institute at Stanford University. David was also recently named a “Food Waste Innovator” by ReFED, and currently serves as a board officer for four local, statewide, and regional non-profit organizations.

Program: David Woodson, “Energy Renewal at University of Washington,” December 7, 2023

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring the University of Washington’s David Woodson.

The program will be presented in person and on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7:00 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The in-person meeting will be at the Wedgwood Community Church at 8201 30th Ave NE, Seattle. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. and the program begins at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7:00 a.m.

David Woodson is the Executive Director of Campus Energy, Utilities & Operations at the University of Washington. David spent most of his career at the University of British Columbia where he had been responsible for the Energy and Water Services group prior to leaving to join the UW in November 2021. David’s primary role at the UW is to decarbonize the steam plant and recapitalize energy infrastructure.  David is a UW Alumni with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and also has an MBA from the University of British Columbia.

University Sunrise Rotary Club Service Projects: Teen Feed

On December 28, 2023, University Sunrise Rotary club volunteers will prepare and serve dinner to about 70 needy young adults in the University area.  These young adults are going through a difficult time; they come for the food but also find Teen Feed staff who offer support and resources.  Volunteers should arrive at University Congregational Church at 5 pm to start meal preparation.  Meal service will begin around 7 and clean up by 8.  Volunteers have a chance to see the young people being helped as well as to chat with club members.  To participate in this project, contact David Mushen at David.mushen@gmail.com.

University Sunrise Rotary Club Service Projects: The Dictionary Project

On December 8, 2023, University Sunrise Rotary will deliver new dictionaries to approximately 24 third grade students at Sand Point Elementary.  These dictionaries are designed specifically for this age group and each dictionary may be the first book that the student has owned.  The delivery is accompanied by a brief description of how to use a dictionary.  Club volunteers help small groups of students follow the instructions for dictionary use.  The entire project takes about 1 hour or a little more. For more information and to sign up for this project, contact Ron Espiritu at sespiritu@aol.com.

Veteran’s Day Program: Jackie Jones-Hook, Executive Director, Buffalo Soldiers Museum, November 9, 2023

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring the Executive Director of the Buffalo Soldier’s Museum, Jackie Jones-Hook.

The program will be presented on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7 a.m.

A lifelong resident of Washington State, Jackie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Central Washington University and a master’s in public administration from Evergreen State College in Olympia. She received her first government job, in high school working for the Honorable Governor Dan Evan and retired from Washington State Government.

 Department of Transportation where she worked in Management Information Systems. Her retirement life is filled with serving as the Executive Director of the museum. The Museum founder was William Jones who served as a Buffalo Soldier and POW. Jackie never saw her dad until she was 2 years old because he was a prisoner in Korea. Growing up, the daughter of a military parent, she gained her appreciation and respect for the military and those who serve this country both then and now. Her memories include her dad being assigned to Fort Lawton, Washington along with thousands of Black Soldiers.

The mission of the Museum is to Educate, Preserve and Present American Military History and the Buffalo Soldiers story from 1866 1944 which includes all branches of the armed forces. The museum’s primary focus is to be a community partner with public schools in the teaching requirement of history for the 5th, 8th and I grade students. The Buffalo Soldiers Museum is a cultural American History organization, located in Tacoma’s Tacoma with a project office in Seattle for the preservation of the historic 25th Infantry Band Building. The preservation project will educate, preserve, and present American military history, of the Black soldiers and tributes to military service men and women who sailed from Seattle during WWI and WWII. The project’s significant theme is service, bravery, honor, and valor. Through adversity and discrimination, these men won major battles for America during WWI and WWII. The museum presents the factual dates, times, and places of the history from the military records. The strategy is to display American Military history, Black heritage, and culture, providing educational programs, and building a partnership with Public Schools.

In her free time, she enjoys jazz music, cooking and entertaining. She is a grandmother of two and spending time with them is one of life’s highlights.

TOYS FOR TOTS DRIVE, 2023

We will again be doing a Toys For Tots drive this year.  The time to start is right now. Many of you have already started your Christmas shopping.  Just add a toy or toys to your Christmas shopping list.  All toys will be collected at the December 3 Holiday Party.  Remember, do not wrap your items!

Below are some instructions to help with your toy selection.

–Nancy Bolin

Most campaign sites are able to assist children up to age 12, but in many local communities, local support is such that the age limit may be extended to 14-16.

Toys for Tots does not publish a list of appropriate toys to donate.  If such a list were created, most would follow it, resulting in a limited selection of items to distribute in each community.  We would rather our donors consider what might be an appropriate gift for their own child/relative, purchase the item, and donate to Toys for Tots.

The Foundation does purchase supplemental toys/gifts for our campaign sites and focuses on these age groups.  In the past, items purchased for these groups have included, but are not limited to:  sporting equipment/bags/balls; books, backpacks, cosmetics, purses, watch/wallet gift sets, bath gift sets, board games, radio control cars/trucks, hand-held electronics, skateboards/helmets, curling irons, hair straighteners, and hair dryers.

Program: Chief Adrian Diaz, Seattle Police Department, “Leading in Challenging Times,” November 2, 2023

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz.

The program will be presented in person and on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7:00 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The in-person meeting will be at the Wedgwood Community Church at 8201 30th Ave NE, Seattle. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. and the program begins at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7:00 a.m.

Chief Adrian Diaz has been a dedicated member of the Seattle Police Department for more than two decades. His work building relationships that bridge race, ethnicity and every flavor of humanity can be seen across the Department and in every neighborhood in Seattle.

The Chief began his career in Patrol, the Mountain Bike Unit, and the Anti-Crime Team before joining Investigations. He’s a Master Defensive Tactics instructor, served as Assistant Chief of the Collaborative Policing Bureau, was named Deputy Chief, served as Interim Chief for over two years and currently serves as Chief of Police.

Chief Diaz holds a B.A. in criminal justice from Central Washington University and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington. He has completed the Major Cities Chiefs Associations Police Executive Leadership Institute, the Cascade Executive Program and the Senior Management Institute of Policing. Chief Diaz has authored numerous national publications in community policing, misdemeanor justice and juvenile justice.