President Neil started the meeting at 12:05 pm with members attending in-person and online for today’s meeting. This was Rotary Club of Everett meeting #5,545 and current program year meeting #42.

 

No visiting Rotarians or guests.

 

Walt Greenwood highlighted the latest Club advertisement for the scholarship program within the Tribune – one of the better he has seen recently.

 

President Elect Michael Kvistad shared that the club would begin to have its weekly meetings at the Hotel Indigo starting June 4^th.

 

Food will be available, estimated at $35. Please arrive by 11:45 so food can be served by 12:15.  

 

There is a Past President’s Dinner this week at the Vintage Café.

 

The AVID Shopping Spree is upcoming on June 4-5. We need 10 volunteers over the two nights.

 

Davis Rainville Life Celebration is this Saturday, and the club will be sending flowers.

 

The Rotary Blood Drive is on May 31^st. Help with registration and donors welcomed.

 

Larry O’Donnell Everett HS Library dedication is on June 5, starting at 5 pm.

 

The May Club Board meeting is next Friday, 5/31 at 7:30 am at Neil’s office. President Neil went through the proposed Nominating Committee bylaw change. Voting on the proposed change will be at the next meeting.

 

Lunch will be provided at that meeting. If you have a free lunch voucher, next week’s meeting is the last opportunity to utilize it.

 

HAPPY $ & BIRTHDAY BUCKS:
Steve Miller had a bellringer for the following: his 38^th anniversary, back from Cancun (reunion trip), his dog just turned 17 and he is having knee surgery soon.

 

Will McMahan was happy to support the Red Cross’s efforts with a recent trip to Texas for community service.

 

Janice Ellis was thankful that our meals would be more substantial than the meager salad she recently had at a California establishment for $17.  

 

Krissy Davis was thankful for the support at the Campfire’s recent auction.

 

Raffle winners today were Kevin Nichols (Wine), Larry O’Donnell (Wine), and Brian Hollingshead (Coffee and chocolates).

 

Kari Quass introduced Snohomish Farm Bureau President, Tara Luckie, as our speaker for the day. Tara has been a Rotarian in the past (10 years in West Seattle) and co-owns Luckie Farms in Lake Stevens with her husband. She and her husband are advocates for sustainable farming. The Farm Bureau has associations in each of the fifty states and is the largest advocate group for farming.

 

Tara’s personal story has been of community service with a career in West Seattle with the Helpline and as CEO of the Environmental Science Center. She has also served as a teacher in Guatemala. She had always wanted to have a farm and she was able to acquire 75 acres of farmland along Sunnyside Blvd in Lake Stevens, just about a mile north of Carleton Farms. When they acquired the farm, they discovered enough clothes and farming tools at the location to fill two 20-yard containers and she was able to arrange a delivery of the items to needy farmers in Ghana.

 

As a Farm Bureau President and advocate, she serves as the voice of agriculture in Snohomish County. The Farm Bureau is a non-profit, grass roots organization. She works frequently on the state level, advocating in Olympia and in Washington D.C. She encourages all to become a Friend of the Bureau for a small gift of $20. You receive much more value than the $20 donation.

 

At the farm, they work with a sustainable flower grower, raise cattle and horses and work with a local beekeeper. They have plans for more livestock in the future.                                                                                             

 

After questions, President Neil thanked Tara and presented her with a donation in her name to the Bridge Center. President Neil then thanked Steve Miller for the bellringer and concluded the meeting at 12.55 PM.

 

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