Dr. Matthew Kelley is a member of the Urban Studies faculty at the University of Washington Tacoma where he spends his time researching how maps, spatial data, and new information technologies can be leveraged to improve or augment the ways that we approach community development – the ways, in other words, we work to make our neighborhoods more livable. For the past several years he has been building the Action Mapping Project (AMP), which is a youth-centered community mapping and neighborhood improvement initiative that is empowering thousands of Tacoma’s middle school and high school aged youth to be a part of the urban planning and community development process in their own neighborhoods.

We are looking forward to our Pandaka Graduation this week. The following members will be receiving their Blue Badge.  Congratulations to: Rick Triggs, Maddie Merton, Byron Okutsu, Rob Pfarr, Jackie Farrar, John Gaines, Lisa Mansfield, Di Trenh, Katrina Self, Kierra Phifer, Tim Smith, Noah Baskett, Bill Duppenthaler and Seth Kaplowitz. Thanks for all that you have done to become active members of the club! If you are a Pandaka and think you have completed your checklist please contact Amanda Weidman at amanda.savage22@gmail.com.

WOW!!  What an accomplished group of students we were able to recognize at the meeting on Thursday, awarding over $26,000 in scholarships! Below is the list of the students and their high school; Special thanks to the Scholarship Committee members and Co-Chairs Bob Fedrickson and Jace Dwinell, members Alex Trettin, Ann Voves,  Bill Duppenthaler, Carol Duris, Chris Serface, David Flentge,  Dean Carrell,  Diane Kelleher, Dan Bogart, Evelyn Ryberg,  Jacki Farrar,  Jeff Mead, John McMasters, John Douville, Katrina Self, Libby Catalinich, Marty Lough, Nurhan Barcus, Robin Echtle, Shanna LaMar, Sue Dreier and  Annie Ramirez These dedicated members spent hours interviewing, evaluating and deliberating to select the best of the best; Maggie Barry, SOTA, Cely Delgado, Lincoln, Julie Dinh, Foss, Ruth Flores, Mt. Tahoma, Carolina Garibay-Mercado, Lincoln, Emma Gashi, Bellarmine, Jackson Kelley, Bellarmine, Logan Kitselman, Tacoma Baptist, Yusley Lopez-Cruz, Mt. Tahoma, Margaret Murphy, Stadium, Carmen Parra, Wilson, Raleigh  Peregrine, Stadium, Hannah Peterson, Tacoma Baptist, Elena Seaholm,  SAMI, Amelyna Set-Heit, Annie Wright, Miya Watkins, Oakland.

Thanks to the wonderful members whose business logo's are shown above, they took the leap with Linda Kaye and helped us implement Thursdays at 5 this year.  The feedback has been positive and it has been decided to continue this is a nice option and change of pace to our lunch meetings.  We have a couple of the dates reserved already, but if you are interested in hosting please contact one of the Co-Chairs of the Vocational Services Committee Andrew Imholt, aimholt@pheinsurance.com or Missy Zenczak ,at missyz@uwpc.org, or you can contact the office at clubadmin@rotary8.org.

It's that time again to join with Rotary Clubs in District 5020 to tailgate and enjoy a Rainiers Game.  The game this year will be August 15.   The evening starts with tailgating in the parking lot at 5:15 followed by the game at 7:05. For $18.00 you will receive a reserved seat ticket and enjoy a great tailgate party with lots of food both outside and inside the park. For $10 you can tailgate only! Reservations are due by July 12. You can use this link to make a reservation.  Please let me know in comments how many tickets you need. There will also be sign up sheets at the meeting!

 

The Fellowship/Relationship Building Committee invites all members of Tacoma #8 to join them on Thursdays at 5 pm. These socials are a great way to meet some new Rotarians or catch up with old friends. Pandakas, these meetings will fulfill your "social" requirement prior to graduation and, for all members, it’s fun.

While Linda Kaye attended the Rotary convention in Hamburg, Germany this week, we were honored to have the meeting be helmed by the more-than-competent President Elect Carol Duris. Carol opened the meeting with an invitation to listen to a few words from Kirsten Willis and the robust vocals of Jennifer Weddermann (accompanied by Steve Smith) who led us in the national anthem.
Sharon Jaffee was this week’s meeting sponsor, inviting everyone to come and visit Narrows Glen, celebrating 30 years and having undergone a huge remodeling, this is luxury retirement and assisted care at its finest.
Members and guests were welcomed with the assistance of Sharon Chambers-Gordon and James Harper.
Jeff Albers invited everyone to come to a seminar – Coaching Performance Management That Works at Albers and Company. It will be sure to be inspirational and informative.
Jace Dwinell and Peter Carlstrom introduced the Interact Club’s representative, Abby Pierson of Life Christian Academy, an amazing young lady to say the least. She leads the club as they have participated in bake sales, car washes, Christmas caroling for the Salvation Army, packed over 2,500 pounds of oats for the Emergency Food Network, and even manned the dessert auction at our own Auction this year. Kudos to those in Interact!
Next, the charming Bob Fredrickson and Jace Dwinell gave out over $26,500 in scholarships to yet another set of young champions. There were students from schools such as Tacoma Baptist, Stadium, Bellarmine, Foss, Wilson, just to name a few. Their hard work deserves recognition. Most are looking to go to great colleges, and we wish them the best.
And to wrap up the parade of amazing young people, we were treated to a recap of the year from our youth exchange students, Jacob from Norway and Renata from Paraguay.

Jacob talked about his adventures to Texas, California, even Canada where he got to play cowboy. He also made the varsity golf team at Stadium and met many great fellow exchange students at Seabeck. He was grateful to his host families who gave him an experience of his lifetime. Renata got to experience a bunch of firsts in her life. Her first airplane ride (she got lost int eh airport), her first experience of the ocean, Thanksgiving, and snow! She opted to try the Polar Plunge but wasn’t too keen on that. She also got to travel to many states and enjoy many experiences, and her favorite thing was being her host families. She says that the best part was making a genuine connection with a person, who up until just recently was a total stranger half way across the world. She will be sad to go home.
Carol announced that sign up sheets for Camp Goodtimes were in the baskets and that was followed by Maria Harlow who also put out an appeal for boats for Galleyside (sheesh, wasn’t it Christmas a few weeks ago?) And Jim Merritt shared the joyful news that his wife Claudia has been declared cancer free after a serious battle. That is great news!  With that, Carol dinged the bell and we wish Linda Kaye a safe return