There was approximately 10+ ZOOMERS and 28 in person Rotarians and guests.

 

As people fill up the tables prior to the meeting each group, I’m sure, has interesting conversations and a lot of times they start from a very random comment.  Our table, while not full at the time, consisted of Past President Mark Valentine, myself, and Aaron Toso the Communications Director for WAFLA who was here supporting his boss, today’s speaker, Enrique Gastelum. PP Mark and I asked him where he lived and he told us Bend, Oregon.  The segway from that turned into the elevation of where in lives which is at 4,000 feet.  He told us that his brother thinks he is a softy since his Colorado home is above 9,000 feet.  PP Mark said he flew into Telluride once and that airport is at 9,100 feet and has the distinction of the highest elevation airport in the US. This didn’t really progress into any kind of point made so I did look up what happens to your body at high altitudes and “they” say that 2,500 feet above sea level the air is thinner and that the heart needs to work harder. I guess the point is to stay low to help your heart work normally. 

 

The 42^nd meeting or our Rotary year and the 5,494^th meeting of the Rotary Club of Everett started at 12:03 pm.  President Tammie Dunn took control and we all stood for and receded the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Since this is our scholarship month President Tammy, was thankful for the past Rotary leadership who established the foundation for what we are able to provide to the students today.  In Past President, and author, Larry O’Donnell’s book about our Rotary Club’s first 100 years there is paragraph starting on page 45 that gave us a peak into the already vibrant scholarship program in the spring of 2000. Our club was fortunate to receive a large donation from a client of one of our Rotarians.  This person was Tony Bozich who had been a waiter at a Country Club and heeded the advice of some of its members to invest in the stock market. That endowment along with the partners in excellence contributions and a strong stock market in 1999 and 2000 provided $147,500.00 in funds for the scholarships. The 95 year old Tony spoke that year at the scholarship lunch and his brief message to the students was “Set goals and achieve those goals”.  Here we are 23 years latter and we are now able to provide scholarships to many more students each year and this year our scholarships we will provide add up to over $340,000.00.

 

Past President Roy Yates introduced John Chambers who is from Heritage Bank in downtown Everett.

 

Alli Sharpe introduced her mother, Peggy. (Keep reading the LOG and you’ll see Peggy’s name come up several times).

 

Zeb Cobbs introduced his sister Tina who is visiting from Texas.  We have met Tina several times over the years, it seems she and Zeb have a great sibling relationship. I don’t know what triggered me to think this but I looked up on the internet what National Day, if any, falls on May 2^nd (today) and darned if May 2^nd isn’t National Brother and Sister Day. Congratulations Zeb and Tina.

 

President Elect Neil Angst, at last week’s meeting, told the attendees that President Tammy had been nominated by the nomination committee and approved by the Board for next year’s position as Treasurer of our Club and that this week the club would vote on her approval to that position.  President Elect Neil having followed to the tee the proper way to elect a Rotarian asked the club if there were any

other nominations from the floor (there never should be and there weren’t). Ralph Quass moved that the nominations be closed, and it was seconded by Past President Ed Petersen.  A vote was called for and President Tammy, will be our next treasurer.  A mighty big thank you to Rich Toyer who has

graciously been our treasurer for so many years.

 

Brian Hollingshead asks to come join him and others for Rotary after Hours from 5:00 to 6:00 pm at the Marriot on Colby, in the lobby bar. Just drop by after work, friends and spouses are welcome too.

 

Alli Sharpe left flyers on our tables telling us about National Cycling day and an event on May 7^th from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm that will start at the Snohomish Bicycle Centres and it will support the NCH Permanency Project (Numan Children’s Home)

 

Anna Marie Laurance reminded us that the scholarship awards will be at the Everett Civic Auditorium on Monday May 22^nd at 6:30 pm.  Rotarians are to be there by 6:00 pm.

 

Kari Quass is heading up the Shopping Spree for AVID students which will be held on Wednesday May 31^st from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the Murphy’s Corner Fred Meyer on 128^th Street.  Please help Kari out as she needs 12 volunteers to help the students shop.  You can contact Kari at kari.quass@gmail.com.

 

President Tammy is bringing back the People’s Choice Award that was started by Past President Steve Miller.  An email will be sent out to all of us from President Tammy providing more details.

 

Liz Stenning mentioned that the Downtown Association will be planting flowers on Saturday May 6^th in downtown Everett and they need volunteers to help.  The fun begins at 9:00 am and it runs through 1:00 pm.

 

A MEDICAL MINUTE: (Don’t worry this hopefully isn’t a new weekly segment) Ralph Quass started this off by saying this is for men only, which of course got everyone’s attention.  It seems that having a catheter replaced every month isn’t a pleasant experience.  This month Ralph had his removed and replaced, but not correctly so that had to be removed and replaced but not correctly again so that had to be removed and replaced.  Ralph said to ease the pain you take a deep breath in and scream like H….  Thank you, Ralph, we’ll all be prepared for when that may happen to us some day.

 

President Elect Neil gave $50.00 for the story Ralph just told.

 

Brian Hollingshead, in the absence of hockey fanatic Jim Standiford, gave $20.00 for the Kraken victory that secured their first playoff win.

 

Zeb Cobbs was happy that his sister Tina was able to spend the last 20 days with him visiting from Texas.

 

 

President Elect Neil said the cupboards are getting bare and we need more donations to the raffle, especially red wine.

 

1.  Alli’s mother Peggy won white wine and some treats.

 

2.  Past President Henry Newton won wine and chocolates.

 

3. Jim  “how up and win a prize” Schrader won a free lunch and Campfire Mints.

 

President Tammy introduced Enrique Gastelum, CEO of WAFLA (Washington Farm Labor Association) and two of his Directors, Scott Dilley and Aron Toso. The topic of todays program is Solving Agriculture’s Labor Shortage.

 

Enrique’s parents are of Mexican decent and were farm laborers for many years.  Enrique was born and raised in Sunnyside and as a young boy he picked asparagus and cherries.  He knew that this wasn’t the life he wanted to lead so once he graduated from high school he pursued his higher education at WSU (Go Cougs!). After graduation Enrique followed several paths that lead him to what he is doing today in helping farmers find reliable seasonal labor and finding laborer’s reliable well paid seasonal work on farms.

-  Enrique sees this as helping feed the world (farmers) and changing lives (the laborers and their families).

 

Washington State has over 300 commodities, and they are number one in apples, blueberries, sweet cherries, and spearmint oil (for gum).  These commodities represent 13% of our state’s economy, which is worth over $51 billion dollars a year and it supports over 164,000 jobs.

 

WAFLA delivers a stable, reliable supply of seasonal workers.

-  They help recruit skilled workers.

-  They work with farmers.

-  They provide transportation from their home country to the farm and back home again.

-  They provide OSHA approved and inspected housing.

-  Provides human resources and support.

-  Provides worker support programs.

 

The population growth in the US is slowing and there are increasing job openings.

-  There is a 4.9 million (person) gap between job seekers and available job openings.

 

The average age of current seasonal agriculture workers is in the 40 - 50 year range.

-  There is low interest in labor intensive, seasonal work, as the next generations are going into other industries and into higher education.

 

National trends to fill the labor shortage.

-  H-2A program.

   -  Guarantees an hourly wage of $17.97.

   -  Guaranteed contracts.

   -  Transportation to and from the workers home country.

   -  Free housing.

   -  Freedom to end the contract.

   -  This program can be a life changing experience for the workers and their families.

      -  Wages at up to 13 times higher than what they make at home.

    

Enrique sees this program as a win/win situation supplying farmers with skilled reliable seasonal laborers and providing laborers with transportation, housing, and well paid jobs.

 

Questions

-  Peggy (Alli Sharpe’s mother) said she is from Minnesota and that they have a program for inter-city kids to work on farms in the summer.  Does Washington have that too?

   -  They don’t have a program like they have in Minnesota, but Washington does allow Children to work in agriculture.

 

-  Past President Mark asked what are bottle necks?

   -  Housing is expensive to build and maintain but currently housing is free to the workers. Farmers would like the workers to pay some rent to offset the costs.

  

-  Past President Ed Petersen asked what provisions are there for participants to Immigrate and become full time workers?

   -  There are politics involved as to immigrate one needs to have skills learned in their home country and in a lot of the cases with the seasonal workers they get those skills when working here in the US. (Chicken and the egg issue)

 

-  Scott Casselman asked a 3 part question part I only caught the first part.  What are the root causes that drive people to leave their home country to come here?

   -  Economics (money to help their families)

 

-  Walt Greenwood asked what Enrique’s path was from working as a kid in the Sunnyside fields to what he is doing now.

   -   Enrique said he was on a path become a doctor as he studied Biology at WSU but then he decided to get involved in the community and his roots which led him to the Washington Farm Bureau which led to WAFLA.

 

-  Mike Holcomb asked if the H-2A program is similar to what is being done in California that has been in effect for many years.

   -  California’s program is local while the H-2A program is international.  

 

President Tammy thanked Enrique for coming to our club today and sharing the information he presented to us.

 

From Pen to Page:  How Books Get Published by Jennifer Bardsley

 

President Tammy adjourned the meeting at 1:58 PM.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Photography Submitted by.