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We are the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8

Established in 1910, the Rotary Club of Tacoma is the 8th oldest Rotary Club in the world. We believe in the power of in-person connection, enhancing our beautiful local community, and contributing to the well-being of the world in which we live. We would be delighted if you would join us at our next club meeting. Please contact the office at 253.473.7723 for information.

This Week at Rotary

Thursday, September 29, 2022

VOL. NINETY-NINE, Issue 13

The Gearshift is a weekly publication to inform members of current events in the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8.

This Week at Rotary

September 29, 2022

Move Ahead WA: 16-year Transportation Package

Representative Jake Fey

Born and raised in Port Angeles, Jake’s experience in the YMCA Youth and Government program pointed him early on toward a life of public service. He was the first in his family to attend college, earning a BA in Political Science from the University of Washington and then an MPA from the University of Puget Sound.

Jake served as the Director of the WSU Energy program from 2001 to 2019, providing leadership in alternative-energy and energy-efficiency. Jake has also coordinated community-volunteer efforts as a member of the Sound Transit and Pierce Transit Boards, and working on the Pierce County Public Health Board. He has served as Vice Chair of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, was a member of the Tacoma City Council and also Deputy Mayor of Tacoma.

Elected into the WA State House of Representatives in 2012, Jake currently serves as Chair of the House Transportation Committee and as a member of the House Environment and Energy Committee. In addition, Jake serves as the Vice Chair of the Council of State Governments’ Transportation Committee.

One of Jake’s top priorities in the legislature is ensuring a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system for our state. During the 2019 Legislative session, Jake introduced the Green Transportation bill, aimed at helping switch to electric vehicles and cleaner fuels, with incentives to buy electric vehicles and help to build the infrastructure to charge electric cars in Washington State. During the 2022 Legislative Session, Jake led his colleagues in passage of the Move Ahead Washington transportation package- a $17 billion, 16 year package that makes unprecedented investments in transit, active transportation and highway preservation and maintenance.

Jake has lived in Tacoma for more than 30 years. He has two children and two grandkids.

Diversity Statement of the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8

The Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 is open to all people who want to make positive changes in our community and world. We welcome all members and guests, regardless of race, nationality, religion, faith, gender, sexual orientation, cultural background, and ability.

We will not tolerate racism. We strive to become an anti-racist organization. We are committed to learning more about how systemic racism has led to inequality in all systems – including education, housing, health, employment, wealth accumulation, policing, prosecution, sentencing, and incarceration – and working to eradicate inequality wherever we encounter it.

We will take these actions:

We will review and update our Club’s procedures, policies, meetings, events, communications, grants, projects, scholarships, and traditions.
We will broaden our recruiting practices to align our membership more closely with the demographics of Tacoma.
We will use our grants, projects, and scholarships to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice in our community.

Rotary In Action

Rotary is an international organization whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services, to encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. Rotary is open to all people regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, or political preference. There are more than 1.2 million Rotarians in over 35,000 Rotary clubs worldwide. The Rotary motto is "service above self.”

Within Tacoma, the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 invests in non-profit organizations throughout the community, recommended by the Community Grants Committee, that serve low-income children and seniors. Rotary #8 also has many “hands-on” projects where Rotarians offer their service. Some of these "hands on" projects that have been supported are:

. Food Drives and Repacks - for the Emergency Food Network. Regularly club members volunteer to participate in repacking food for distribution into the community; and

. Little Free Libraries - Rotarians build and install these libraries, filled with good children's books, near low-income elementary schools.

Rotary #8 has international projects such as clean water projects in Ethiopia and India, has brought firefighting equipment to Mexico, and has delivered school materials to Malawi. Tacoma Rotarians have given Polio immunizations to children in India and Africa.

Throughout the world, Rotary Clubs, including Rotary #8, have contributed nearly $900 million to eradicate polio in the world. More than one half billion children in developing countries have been immunized against polio, through Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign.

Rotary’s Youth Exchange sends 7,000 high-school age students abroad each year, to study in another country and to learn about its society and culture. The goal is to promote world peace. Rotary # 8 has always welcomed inbound students and have identified local students to travel to other countries to participate in this life-changing experience.

Silver Award from Shelter Box

Our International Services Committee Serving the World