We will also be streaming the video using Facebook Live on our Private Facebook page.
If you haven't joined our private page here is the link
Meeting ID: 994 0057 7748
Please only use this phone in number if you do not have computer audio 253.215.8782
Laurie Jinkins made history on January 13, 2020 when she became Washington state’s first woman and first out lesbian Speaker of the House. She represents the 27th Legislative District in Pierce County, which includes East, Downtown, Hilltop, North, Northeast, West, and part of South Tacoma as well as Ruston and Fife Heights.
She is a native Midwesterner who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and later a Juris Doctor from Seattle University School of Law (then the University of Puget Sound School Of Law). She also completed executive studies at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Laurie started her career litigating child abuse and neglect cases for the state Attorney General’s Office. She then shifted her career toward public health, eventually serving as an assistant secretary of health at the state Department of Health before taking the position of Director of Organizational Initiatives at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, where she continues to serve. She has also been active in advancing Washington’s anti-discrimination laws both prior to and during her time in the House.
Prior to becoming Speaker, Laurie served on the House Appropriations and Health Care & Wellness committees, and chaired the Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee.
Laurie and her wife, Laura Wulf, live in Tacoma, where they raised their son
UPCOMING MEETINGS
July 16
Julie Anderson Pierce County Auditor
July 23
Bill Johnson - Johnson Candy
July 30
Mayor Victoria Woodards
August 13
Jennifer Kilmer - Centennial of Women's Suffrage
August 20
County Executive Bruce Dammeier
THIS WEEK'S MEETING SPONSOR - Maria Harlow for Hilltop Artist
Using glass art to connect young people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds to better futures.
Welcome New Member Dr. Keith Lemmon
Dr. Lemmon was introduced at our first meeting of the Rotary year. He recently retired as a Colonel from the United States Army after 26 years of active duty. He is a private pilot with around 300 hours and an instrument rating and am working on his commercial pilot rating at the Tacoma Narrows Airfield where he set up the South Sound’s newest aviation medicine enterprise – Northwest Aviation Medicine. It has been his dream to combine medicine and aviation into the world’s best job!!! He is also a Pediatrician for Pediatrics NW.
He is a native of Kansas and served in the National Guard and went on to Army Reserve Officer Training and received a Bachelor’s Degree from University of Kansas and continued in their School of Medicine completing his MD and Pediatric rotation in 2001. Dr. Lemmon served a six-month combat tour in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division in 2002 as a Field Surgeon.
He has 3 children, Charlie, Grace and Gabrielle and they enjoy spending time learning new skills and exploring new places. he enjoys flying, skiing and snowboarding, boating and jet skiing, scuba diving, and working to improve the community.
Maria Harlow, Joy Vivar-Beeks, Kathryn Nelson & Seth Kaplowitz
Prepping bags for our first delivery on June 30
Tacoma Rescue Mission Sack Lunch Project
Thanks to our first group of sandwich makers; Maria Harlow, Kathryn Nelson, Carol Webster and Kathi Willis! We are ready for our next delivery, but we need you! Kim Bedier and Diane Tilstra are signed up, we just need 3 more sandwich makers. Let Seth know by July 10 if you are willing to put together 10 meat sandwiches (with no condiments) and deliver them to the office on Monday, July 13 by 4 or Tuesday, July 14 by 11 we will have volunteers to fill the sacks with chips, water, cookies and a piece of fruit. For questions contact Seth Kaplowitz at seth.tacoma8@gmail.com or call or email the office at 253-473-7723, clubadmin@rotary8.org
For those of you still looking for ways to serve here are some resources for volunteer opportunities for COVID -19 relief
Let us know what you decide to do and we can share with others who may want to join you (virtually, of course).
We have a volunteer opportunity on July 25th and 26th to Paint Tacoma Beautiful! Well, one house actually. Program improvements have been made to stay healthy and take care of ourselves while supporting homeowners in our community led by the Associated Ministries. John Schneider is leading the preparation and painting efforts with coordination assistance by Diane Kelleher. Please let the office know if you’d like to join them for one or two days – or a partial day - and we’ll send you a volunteer application and a short orientation video.
MEETING VOLUNTEERS
Meeting Moderator-Chris Serface
Reflection-Bryan Flint
National Anthem & 4 Way Test-Mark Anderson
Storywriter-Jim Henderson
Meeting Sponsor-Maria Harlow
WANT TO HELP AT A MEETING?
Please contact Kathi to volunteer
--Leading the National Anthem & Four Way Test --Giving the Moment of Reflection --Assisting with Audio/Visual --Greeter and Roving Mic --Sponsoring a meeting
--Check in Assistant
Birthdays This Week
Emily Mendez-Bryant - Jul 06
Victoria Woodards - Jul 06
Maureen Fife - Jul 07
Christian Anderson - Jul 08
Dean Hanks - Jul 09
Jim Henderson - Jul 09
Kim Bedier - Jul 11
Joe Gordon, Jr. - Jul 11
Anniversaries to Celebrate
No Anniversaries This Week!!
Reflections from the July 2 meeting by Jeff Rounce
At least 75 members of the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 gathered (virtually via Zoom + 10 on Facebook Live) to see new President Kathryn Nelson convene her first official meeting of the Rotary year from the dais of an empty courtroom, where she normally presides as a Pierce County Superior Court judge.
A thoughtful poem about “new beginnings” was delivered as an invocation by President-Elect Kim Bedier, leader of Tacoma’s municipal venues and events. She was followed by Chris Serface, Tacoma Little Theater and video meeting “guru” as he performed the national anthem and led members in Rotary’s “Four Way Test.” Our new president noted that this statement of values applies to local clubs around the world, in more countries than those with McDonald’s restaurants.
The first new member to join Rotary #8 in this new club year, Dr. Keith Lemmon, who is a senior aviation medical examiner based at Tacoma Narrows Airport, was introduced by Ann Voves, TTi business development. He is active in the Gig Harbor community, single parent to three and retired earlier this year from U.S. Army, where he applied his pediatrician training. Rotary pilots should think of Keith when it’s time for renewing their flight physicals.
President Kathryn outlined her plans for the new club year, which coincide with “Rotary Opens Opportunities” theme by RI President 2020-21, Holger Knaack, Germany. These include:
Provide Clean Water
Peace-building & Conflict Prevention
Maternal & Child Health
Basic Education & Literacy
Disease Prevention and Treatment
Growing Local Economies
Supporting Our Environment
#8 members have already stepped forward to work on these initiatives by accepting leadership roles to chair our club’s committees. Here is a link to the Leadership team this year.
Our program speakers for this meeting were Dona Ponepinto, CEO of United Way Pierce County, and Kathi Littman, who leads Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, as they reported on the first half-year of “Pierce County Connected” response to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of our club combined to add $114,000 to this multi-million dollar funding special effort for nonprofit organizations that serve local residents. This was a fascinating presentation for members of actual actions taken and you can see greater detail and deep transparency at www.gtcf.org or www.uwpc.org. To date, $3.5 million has been distributed and another $3.8 million is pending for actions through the coming year.
Club projects committee co-chair Gil Quante announced the annual Paint Tacoma Beautiful work days will be the final weekend of this month. Contact project lead John Schneider to learn how you can participate. And Seth Kaplowitz is coordinating a unique work-from-home project to provide Sandwiches for Tacoma Rescue Mission, an on-going effort to help feed the community. See details elsewhere in the Gearshift.
To conclude her very successful first effort at wielding the #8 gavel, President Kathryn thanked the meeting participants and members who joined online. She announced the following week’s program as Washington Legislature’s Speaker of the House, our own member Laurie Jinkins.
In adjournment, the charge (from the bench) was, “It’s time for each of you to venture out and find what opportunities Rotary will open for you.”
The Gearshift is a weekly publication to inform you about current happenings in the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8. We are currently holding virtual meetings.
Our address is.
1001 Yakima Ave, Suite 9A
Tacoma, Washington 98405
MAILING ADDRESS:
PO Box 1777
Tacoma, Washington 98401-1777
