Stories
November 1, 2024 was the fourth year that the Fidalgo Island and Anacortes Rotary Club partnered together for "Pints for Polio". This is a simple - yet very effective - fundraising collaboration between the two Anacortes Rotary Clubs. Members gathered at the Rockfish Grill to enjoy some social time with fellow Rotarians while donating to Polio Plus. Want to read more about Rotary's drive to End Polio? Click HERE |
2024 InstallationOn June 18th FIR members thanked the FY23 Board members and welcomed in the new FY24 Board members. This year the theme was "Celebrating Women who are SUPER and full of WONDER". The theme was chosen based on the amazing women in the club; especially our FY2024 President Brianna Hackler and our incoming FY2025 President Sarah Davies. We played a Taylor Swift song for Swifty Brianna and then the perfect song for baseball/softball lover Sarah …we all sang the chorus along with John Fogerty, “Put me in, Coach. I’m ready to play. Susan and Kim gave the toast to Brianna.
Everyone raised their glasses to the Fidalgo Island Rotary's Wonder Woman, Brianna! It was a fun event where we:
For pictures of all of this and more click here: 2024 Installation |
Remembering PhilEarthPhil Day was celebrated on May 10th 2024. FIR members gathered to honor Phil Case, who passed away April 7th 2023. Members gathered where Phil's benches are placed on the Tommy Thompson trail to weed, mow, trim and spread bark. What an amazing hands on, weeds up, mulch down celebration in honor of Phil. Much manual labor was exerted for at least 75 minutes by the fifteen or so Rotarians on site... mowing, weeding, blackberry clipping and removing, raking, sweeping, blowing, plus ten bags of mulch dispersed in and around Phil's Pocket Park. Then came the crescendo of this well orchestrated gathering... attaching the new signage honoring Phil Case. A lovely assortment of post work pairings were provided by Steve Rutz: cheese and crackers, carrots and celery, assorted nuts, fruit and Salt & Vinegar Chips (one of Phil's fav). Madelyn offered up a dram of single malt scotch for all who were interested, to raise in remembrance of Phil (as that was his drink of choice). |
Guatemala Medical Mission 2024Our club-sponsored 10th annual surgical mission to San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala (HOSMOGRESCH Hospital) was accomplished last month with the commitment of 26 volunteers, including five Rotarians, two from our Rotary club. Over 5 operating days there were 43 surgery patients whose lives were changed. And now the hospital operating space will undergo a complete renovations, expansion and facelift.
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2024 Casino Royale AuctionFidalgo Island Rotary Club held it's 2024 Auction on March 16th at the Skyline Clubhouse. The Auction was spearheaded by Sarah Davies and the fundraising team. With a Casino Royale Theme the club raised $44,000+ , our largest auction fundraiser to date. There are so many people that were involved to make this auction a success, donating their time, auction items, purchasing items and cash donations - THANK YOU! This auction was a success because of you. Your contributions will fund:
As part of the auction the club recognized Justin Portz with a Paul Harris Award. Justin is the Athletics and Activities Director of Anacortes High School, recognized for his work cultivating a positive, winning culture for our community's youth. Sarah Davies and Justin Portz Check out all the photos of the Casino Royale event here: 2024 Casino Royale Auction Still want to donate? Click here and mention the auction in the comment section.
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Happy 27th Birthday FIRHappy 27th Birthday to the Fidalgo Island Rotary Club. Club Members gathered together to celebrate with a "Channel Your Flannel" Charter Night, held at the Anacortes Yatch Club. Steve Rutz took us through some of the club's history. Dick Chapman was our very first president and Kandy Dubuque is the only person in the club to be president twice. With a tribute to the women in rotary we learned how women finally joined the organization. Kandy recognized all the previous FIR President's. Take a look at the list: Past Presidents of the FUN Club. The Family of Rotary team outdid themselves with a tasty meal: soups, salads, grilled sandwiches and brownies. Diana and Kandy were kept very busy at the grills. To top the evening off Kim introduced Lukov the Magnificent (aka David Lukov District Governor). They fed us a belly full of laughs with their insightful predictions of things to come for club members. And yes, it may not be all about our President Brianna, but she did a wonderful lively job of emceeing the event. Thank you so much to everyone who helped create such a beautiful Charter Night celebration last night. Lots more pictures of the event here: 2024 Charter Night
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MikiahMikiah Dunham named Skagit Girls Athlete of the Week on January 25th
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2023 Pints for PolioThis is the third year that the Fidalgo Island and Anacortes Rotary Club partner together for "Pints for Polio". This is a simple - yet very effective - fundraising collaboration between the two Anacortes Rotary Clubs. Members gathered at the Rockfish Grill to enjoy some social time with fellow Rotarians while donating to Polio Plus. It gets better, because every dollar donated is matched 2-to-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, meaning that each dollar donated turns into $3, and that is enough to provide a polio vaccination to someone in need. |
2023 Gingerbread Decorating ContestDecember is just around the corner and it's time to start planning for events that you want to participate in. With that in mind please consider joining the Gingerbread Decorating Contest on Dec 10th from 12-2:30pm at the Anacortes Port Event Center. Application deadline is Friday Dec 8th. Download the application here: 2023 Gingerbead Contest Application
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District Governor David LukovDistrict Governor David Lukov joined us at our October 10th meeting. He was an incredibly engaging speaker who regaled us with stories as well as Rotary tidbits and insights. He reminded us not only to consider why we joined Rotary, but why we continue to stay with Rotary, including the leadership and learning opportunities, relationships and creating community. His presentation was a perfect example that while people may not remember facts, they will remember stories, anecdotes and how someone made them feel. DG David awarded two honors for Fidalgo Island Rotarians who have gone above and beyond. The first was to Pam Estvold for her work to bring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to fruition during the past year, as well as her continued service and passion for the club. The second was to the three gentlemen who have been working on Programs (Dave Sem, Richard Curtis and Bill French). They were recognized specifically for the work they have done during the past six weeks to partner with AYC to install a new audio visual system and get it operational, solving our longstanding tech issues. Bill, pictured below, was the only member of the three person gang who was at the meeting this morning, so he got to accept the recognition on Dave and Richard's behalf. DG Lukov also mentioned the District 5050 Facebook page. For those interested, it can be found here: https://www.facebook. |
2023 Shipwreck FestivalFidalgo Island Rotary has two fundraisers a year, one of which is the Shipwreck Festival. The event technically starts at 8 am, but there are usually some businesses and booths that get started right at first light, just like the old time fishermen used to. This year was no different. We were setting up at 4 a.m. and the first shoppers showed up at 4:45 a.m. even though it officially starts at 8. Although everyone in the club helps makes this event happen, leading the effort is Val Tibbetts. She works tirelessly to ensure a successful event. She works with the vendors to get them signed up and ready to participate. She organizes the participation and duties of FIR club members to set the event up, support it and take it down. The event started forty years ago when our commercial fishermen sold their used gear as yard art on Commercial Ave. "Shipwreck" has evolved into a massive community garage sale including flea market and antique vendors. This event features over 200 vendors set up in booths along Commercial Ave.; each booth brings something new and usually very eclectic, and you are sure to find something that you can’t live without. Lots more pictures here: 2023 Shipwreck Festival |
Connie Kelley Scholarships AwardedThe Fidalgo Island Rotary Club of Anacortes is excited to announce seven recipients of its Connie Kelley Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to residents who are pursuing further education in vocational or technical career fields. Thanks to a very generous donor this year we had a total of $8,000 dollars to award. Scholarship recipients enrolled in Skagit Valley college:
Scholarship recipient enrolled at Bellingham Technical College
Scholarship recipient enrolled at Wenatchee Valley College
Please join us in congratulating these students and wishing them lots of success in their chosen fields! |
Phil CaseIt’s not goodbye, we will meet you again
Phillip D Case of Anacortes died peacefully at his residence on Friday, April 7th with his family at his bedside. He was born December 23, 1937 in Twin Falls, Idaho the son of Henry and Blanche (Cody) Case, the brother to the late Connie (Case) McClure. Phillip grew up in the Twin Falls area, graduated from Valley High School in Eden, Idaho. He immediately joined the US Army, Special Forces Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he served for 3 years and continued in the Washington Reserves for another 5 years while in college. Phil received his BA and MA at University of Washington in Architecture/Environmental Studies. He worked in the fields of Hospital Design and Homes for the Aged for 35 years in NW Washington and Western US. Phil was a member of the American Institute of Architecture and Architects for Health for 30 years. He worked out of Bellevue, WA offices of Careage Corporation, Schemmer Associates, Mulvanney G2, before he started his own office Cornerstone Architects in Seattle. He met the love of his life Madelyn in 1970 on a blind date. They discovered they had much in common: skiing, mountain climbing, art, music, and travel. The couple were married at Wright’s Pond Park in rural Iowa on August 21, 1971. The Cases lived in Seattle and were active members of the Mountaineers, and Central Lutheran Church. Their love of the outdoors took them to the tops of many mountains, and eventually got them into sailing...exploring the NW waters, Alaska, and eventually venturing off to Mexico for 2 years aboard their 38 ft SV In the Mood. They celebrated their 51st Anniversary last summer. Together they had one daughter, Chelsea (Case) Phan who accompanied them on their many outdoor adventures and travel. Phil’s life exemplified Community Service. He was an active member of Fidalgo Island Rotary doing projects locally and with the IPA in Copan Honduras. He was Commodore of the Anacortes Yacht Club, Cruise Chair, and active in Waterfront Festival taking many folks out for free rides. Phil is preceded in death by his parents, and his sister, Connie. He is survived by his beloved wife, Madelyn; his daughter, Chelsea (Tuan Phan); grandson, John Phan; two nephews, Tony and Brent McClure and numerous nieces and nephews. Phil requested no flowers but welcome memorial gifts to Fidalgo Island Rotary Community Service (PO Box 125, Anacortes, 98221) or Cat’s Meow, (803 Fourth St., Anacortes) a feline rescue group in Anacortes. To share memories of Phil please sign the online guest register and bookmark this direct link for future visits: www.evanschapel.com/obituary/phil-case |
Celebrating 26 Years of ServiceAt the beginning of each year, Fidalgo Island Rotary celebrates its founding in 1997. In 2023, we celebrated our 26th year as a club. Our fabulous emcee for the night, Kim Kimmy, provided a great summary of the club and accomplishments so far. 2022-23 Accomplishments Thus Far COMMUNITY Accomplishments - Provided Connie Kelley Vocational Scholarship to 3 local students: - Oswaldo Bonilla-Martinez: $2,500, Studying to be a diesel mechanic - Wendy Smith: $4,000, Studying to be a drug counselor - Kelsie Spurgeon: $4,000, Studying to be a nurse - STEM Camp August 2022 We had 20 students with 8 different activities over 4 days - Youth Engaged in Service (YES) 10 Students with Club sponsoring Tania Corona Lemus International Service Project in Honduras June 2023 - Helped Sponsor a Student conducting a service project in Ecuador - Helped Sponsor a local Girls Traveling Softball Team - Supported Troop 911 Scouts composed of 10 boy members Earned 72 Merit Badges 190 Coummunity Service Hours 151 Days Camping 224 Miles Hiked - Supported Troop 4060 Scouts composed of 5 girl members Earned 28 Merit Badges 182 Community Service Hours 139 Days Camping 195 Miles Hiked - Gift cards to IRIS (Immigrant Resources & Immediate Support) - Clothing for Rachels Closet for the holidays - Sponsored the Gingerbread Contest at Celebrate the Season - Participated in the Anacortes Christmas Parade with the John Deere Rotarians - Sponsored Dinner at the Brick - Hands on cleanup at Tommy Thompson Trail and the Anacortes Cemetery INTERNATIONAL Accomplishments - Supported our El Chilar school in Honduras: $1,528 - Supported IPA (International Project Alliance) projects in Honduras: $6,000 - Supported our adopted Village La Laguna in Honduras: $3,657 - Contributed $4,000 to the Miller Medical Missions - Contributed $7,000 towards the purchase of a van for the Heart of Hope Orphanage in Romania A fun event with a total of 40 in attendance (26 members/honorary members). Thank you to our emcee for the evening, Kim Kimmy, Steve Rutz for the fun Toast and the Family of Rotary Committee for putting on such a great event! Lots more pictures. Take a look, click HERE.
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FIR Holiday Party 2022The FIR holiday party was scheduled for 12/22/2022 but thanks to the heavy snow that week, it was postponed until the next week on 12/27/2022. Luckily it was held just before the flooding started due to the King tides. There were lots of smiles, reindeers games and shades of red. Reindeer games required a special headdress. Lots more great pictures of all the fun here: FIR Holiday Party 2022 Happy Holidays!
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Anacortes Christmas Parade 2022The 2022 version of the Anacortes Christmas Parade was held on Saturday, December 3rd with temperatures just above freezing. The parade was lead by the Anacortes Police Department car following closing by the Scouting units in Anacortes to include the Troops from the Rotary Club 4911 and 4060. They both showed off their Troop Flag. In the middle of the parade was the annual FUN Club John Deere Riding Lawn Reindeer formation team. All the Reindeer were in formation, can you name all of Santa's Reindeer? You should also be able to spot the Grinch on the big John Deer Tractor.
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Happy ThanksgivingThanksgiving is a time for friends and family to gather, enjoy a meal and spend time together. To support families in need in our community the Fidalgo Island Rotary Club put together Thanksgiving meals for the families currently at the Anacortes Family Center. In addition the FUN CLUB is supporting Giving Tuesday, which takes place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and aims to offset the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday by encouraging people to donate to their favorite non-profits. OUR GOAL this year is to raise $2,000 for the club. Not one, but TWO of our members have generously offered to match any amount we raise (up to our $2,000 goal.) Meaning we have an opportunity to raise $6,000 for our club! What does the FUN Club do with these donations? Shipwreck Festival, STEM Camp for middle school students, the FREE Kids Boat Building booth at Waterfront Festival, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, international medical missions, education in developing countries, polio eradication, Thanksgiving meals to AFC families and that's not even all we do. Donate to Fidalgo Island Rotary online HERE.
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Imagination LibraryDo you know a child ages birth to five years old living in the 98221 zip code? If yes, they are eligible to receive a free book every month through the the Imagination Library! Families residing in Anacortes can register their children for the Imagination Library by visting www.imaginationlibrarywashington.org/check_availability.This is paid for by the Fidalgo Island Rotary Club and the Anacortes Rotary Club.
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What's in a FUN Club MeetingEver wonder what in the world Fidalgo Island Rotary members do at the Club meetings held at the early hour of the morning 7am? Here's a summary of the November 1st meeting to give you an idea of what goes on. The meeting started off with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the thought for the day. Steve Rutz held us in suspense as he took a picture of the group. What in the world was this picture for? Then he shared the quote: Life is like a CAMERA Focus on what is important Capture the good times Develop from the negatives And if things down work out Take another shot Then we welcomed our newest Rotarian to the club, Ann Giboney. Jan Vigre, Foundation Chair, recognized Susan Guterbock with her 6th Paul Harris recognition with a special pin. Yes, we had a great breakfast made by our member volunteers and engaging happy/sads shared by our members. This was followed by our guest speaker, Debbie Marshall, Founder and President of Heart of Hope. "Heart of Hope Ministries International (HHMI) started in January of 1991. Debbie Marshall and Chuck Fox, her father, traveled to Romania to adopt a child for Debbie and her husband Dan. They immediately recognized there was far more to do than the adoption of one child. The dire needs of the children and entire families tore their hearts open. Debbie was successful in adopting, but that was only the beginning of what now has been a twenty-one year journey. Through the decade of the 90s, HHMI focused on the critical needs of the thousands of children in government placement centers through the distribution of food, medicine, and clothing. In addition, HHMI facilitated dental, therapy, optometry as well as construction and renovation teams. HHMI established a spitirual ministry program led by Romanian nationals to address the spiritual needs of children in placement centers and impoverished rural communities." This year they have also focused on helping Ukrainian refugees. Click on Heart of Hope to learn more. We ended the meeting with the raffle and inspiration for the day from our President, Kandy Dubuque. Sounds like a FUN and interesting meeting, doesn't it? Well they all are. So join us by Zoom or come in person to our next Tuesday 7am meeting. |
Adopt-A-DreamThe Fidalgo Island Rotary Club and many of it's members sponsor students from poor families in Copán, Honduras through the International Project Alliance (IPA) Adopt-A-Dream program. Students regularly send letters thanking members for their support and sharing some of their experiences. Most of the letters say something very similar. The students express their thanks for all the support they've been given, the tools provided such as backpacks, and for the overall support to their communities. Often times they express how much they enjoy going to school and some of the things they do outside of school such as planting trees or helping their parents with housework. Although the letters say something similar, each one is unique and comes from the students with heartfelt appreciation for all the support they are receiving. Here are some pictures of the school Fidalgo Island Rotary Club (FIR) supports in Copan. FIRs International Committee provides $1528 to the IPA for supporting the school with whatever they need each year. One of the younger (adorable) students. Hmmm wonder what he just finished eating? Interested in supporting a student? Find out more at Adopt-a-Dream.
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Pints for PolioFor the second year Fidalgo Island and Anacortes Rotary Clubs teamed up to hold the “Pints for Polio” fundraiser to cure polio under the big top at the Rockfish Grill. $4,700 was raised from members and guests while Monday Night football played on the big screen. Each of those dollars was matched by TWO additional dollars by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, meaning every dollar collected at Rockfish provided one dose for one child. Multiply by Rotary’s 35,000 clubs around the world and the collective impact is huge. Rotary launched its polio prevention drive in 1979 and has partnered with the Gates Foundation since 2007. Polio cases have been reduced 99.9% and nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries have been protected. Five reasons we must eradicate polio: October is Rotary’s “End Polio Month”, which is why the Anacortes and Fidalgo clubs along with many others around the world hold polio awareness events this time of year. Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year. We have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide and we won't stop until we end the disease for good. |
32nd USCGFR Championship Kurt Nelson attended the 32nd United States - Canada Golfing Fellowship of Rotarian's in Denver Colorado between September 18-20. Forty golfing Rotarian's from all across the United States and Canada participated in this three day tournament.
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Cemetery Clean UpRecently members of the Fidalgo Island Rotary Club headed out to the cemetery to clean-up the area, as one of the club's community service projects. Thank you to community service members for helping on this project: Phil, Madeline, Steve and Molly R, Walt G, Rachel, Anna, Vicki, Dave, and Pam
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2022 STEM CampAfter a couple of years on hold due to COVID Rotarians were able to hold STEM Camp once again. Everyone had an educational fun time. Even the rain didn't stop the FUN. Building rockets was just one of the FUN activities. Want to see more? Click here 2022 Stem Camp Big shout out to all our instructors and volunteers who made it such an incredible event. We’re already looking forward to next year! A more detailed article available here: https://www.goskagit.com/ |
2022 Swinomish Community Golf DayThe Fidalgo Island Rotary Club had a booth at the fourth annual Swinomish Community Golf Day. Members enjoyed hitting the greens while supporting great causes. |
Paul Harris RecognitionsOn June 14, 2022 the following FIR members and Anacortes community members were presented with the Paul Harris Recognition. The following FIR members were recognized for their monetary contributions to the Rotary Foundation as well as their service to FIR. Every Rotarian should strive to be a Paul Harris Fellow. Each contribution to the Rotary Foundation is a gift, and an opportunity to do even more good in the world through the Rotary Foundation. 1. Madelyn Case (PH+2) 2. Daniel Conrady (PH+2) 3. Kim Kimmy (PH) 4. Carolyn Martin (PH+2) 5. Rachel Salazar Muntean (PH) 6. Kurt Nelson (PH+1) 7. Keith Treichel (PH) The following 2 Anacortes community members received their first Paul Harris recognition. They were recognized for their many contributions and service to our community. 1. Marilyn McIlmoyle (PH) 2. Shari Allison Muntean (PH) |
2022 Installation NightThe installation of the new board members was held on June 14th at the Anacortes Yacht Club. Members gathered to thank Daniel Conrardy, our outgoing president, and officers. We also welcomed to their new positions our FY 2022-2023 officers and President, Kandy Dubuque (missing from this photo). See more pictures of all the FUN at the 2022 Installation.
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Ribbon Cutting at Cap Sante TrailFIR President Daniel Conrardy, center in blue, represented the FUN Club as Mayor Matt Miller cut the ribbon for the refurbished Cap Sante Trail Saturday beside the Anacortes Yacht Club. This phase one major project involved many community organizations, including FIR, and was spearheaded by the Anacortes Rotary Club.
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Earth DayApril 22, 2022 was Earth Day and FUN Club members were doing their part supporting the environment by weeding and cleaning up on the Tommy Thompson Trail in Anacortes. We were not expecting a flamingo on the cleanup trail! Madelyn Case wins the prize! |
Peter Martin Receives Service Above Self AwardAt the April 19th FUN Club meeting Bev Harrington, Rotary District 5050 District Governor, presented Peter Martin with the Service Above Self award. It is given by Rotary International to no more than 150 Rotarians worldwide each year, and is considered the highest honor RI can give to an individual Rotarian. Thanks to Peter's idea to promote the concept of forming an alliance of small Rotary clubs in the area to work together on international projects, the International Project Alliance (IPA) was formed. Congratulations Peter and thank you for your dedication and commitment to RI and IPA! |
Aid from Our Rotary Club for Ukrainian RefugeesSadly we are witnessing a tragic and devastating invasion/destruction of another country, resulting in massive displacement, injury and death to an innocent civilian population. The injustice is unspeakable. Humanitarian action through service to others is a hallmark of Rotarians. So, our club has elected to donate the last $3,000 of the International Service Committee budget to the English-speaking Rotary Club of Warszawa Wilanów in Warsaw, Poland so they can purchase relief supplies and truck them to Ukraine. They are working in concert with the Rotary Club Lwiw International in Ukraine who are distributing most of the goods and supplies to local hospitals for treating civilians and soldiers. A portion of the goods purchased with our funding are going to serve the needs of the refugees who have crossed into Poland. In addition, with the help of the Rotary-sponsored Medical Supply Network International, we have acquired a donation of about 14,000 new and warm white fleece blankets which we are shipping in a container to Poland for transport to the Ukrainian refugees in and out of Ukraine. MSNI is loading the blankets on pallets into the shipping container and arranging the shipping. Our club is using donations to fund the cost of the shipping to Poland and the trucking for distribution to the refugees. We hope these small gestures will bring some relief to many displaced and injured people. If you would like to donate to our Ukraine Relief Fund, please click Donate here and remember to indicate that your donation is for the Ukraine Relief Fund. Steve Miller, Tom Walters |
Ron Neal Visits with Maui ClubRotary Club members will visit Rotary Clubs when they travel. Here's an update from one of our members who recelty visited with the Lahaina Rotary Club. Aloha from sunny Maui! On March 31st I brought our Anacortes Rotary Aloha spirit while attending the Lahaina Rotary Club meeting. It was a beautiful setting on the shores of West Maui looking out at the channel between Maui, Lanai & Moloka’i. The Lahaina club President, Joe Park, and I exchanged club flags. Their club flag is beautiful, including a whale breaching. We did the pledge of allegiance, a happy / sad, and shared food. At the Lahaina club they bring their individual lunches. The remainder of the meeting focused on preparation for their auction fund raiser. On a more personal note, I scored my second Eagle with a 164 yard 4 iron shot on the 364 yard par 4 18th hole on the Wailea Gold course. I look forward to seeing you all at the May 17th meeting. Aloha, Ron Neal from Maui |
FUN Club Family Night at Village PizzaMarch 29th was the fifth Tuesday of the month which meant instead of a 7am meeting, we all got together for a FUN evening social event. This month we went to Village Pizza. Of course the event started with food and drinks. And then we moved on to sail making. Getting ready for the FUN summer event. We even got efficient and had an assembly line going. Yes, both ladies are smiling. It's just easier to see Kandy's smile since Barb was wearing her mask.
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2022 Spring for Your Community AuctionThank you to all who participated in Fidalgo Island Rotary's 2022 online and in-person auction! With pandemic restrictions lifting this year we were able to hold an in-person event, as well as the online one! Thank you to everyone who bid, donated, supplied items and helped make this year another success. The auction raised $15,000 which will benefit local and international projects by Fidalgo Island Rotary. If you didn't get a chance to donate, there's still time. Send a check to the Fidalgo Island Rotary Foundation at PO Box 125, Anacortes, WA 98221. If you would like to designate your donated funds to a specific project, please include that information on the memo line. If you want to donate online click here: https://www.sagepayments.net/eftcart/forms/donate.asp?M_id=872825627627 . Thank you again for all your donations, participation and hard work! Some pictures of our fun in person event held at the Anacortes Yatcht Club |
2021 Gingerbread ContestSaturday December 11th FIR held the gingerbread contest at the Anacortes School Foundation’s Holiday Fair. A big thanks to the judges: Anacortes Mayor - Matt Miller Chief of Police - Dave Floyd Chief of Fire Department - Bill Harris Congratulations to the winners: Student Division 1st place- HS a girls Basketball Team #1 2nd Place- the Gremlins Scout Troop 4060 3rd Place- Team Gingerhouse Magic First and Second place received a Pizza Party at Pizza Factory for 6 and 3rd Prize received boxes of chocolates. Adult Division 1st Place- Frosty Rotary (F. I. R. ) 2nd Place- Slough View Estates ( Barry Harter’s team) Want to see more pictures? Click here:
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Fidalgo Island and Anacortes Rotary Holiday PartyDecember 7th the Fidalgo Island and Anacortes Rotary clubs held a joint holiday party. We were lucky to have some fabulous entertainment. The Anacortes H.S. Jazz chorus sang five songs and we provided them a donation. Our very own FIR President, Daniel Conrardy was part of the band that played. It was a great time for the two clubs to get together and celebrate. Want to see more? Click here: 2021 Fidalgo Island & Anacortes Rotary Holiday Party to see who else was at the party.
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Rural Mobile Health Clinic Project in HondurasThe Covid pandemic has not stopped our club from continuing to reach out to people in need. Our own Dr. Steve Miller has made two trips this year to Comayagua, Honduras this year to work at and through the San Benito Jose Medical Center where he has volunteered on six medical/surgical missions to date. Last month he acquired and transported $8,500 worth of medical equipment for our Rural Mobile Health Clinic Project there (Global Grant #GG1988687) along with former club member Bryan Hennessy (now with the Ferndale Rotary Club). We are approaching the end of the first year of this amazing project evaluating and delivering health care to the poorest of the poor in the mountain region. The project is now very active and making significant village relationships and producing results, as well as delivering primary health care and gathering important data from the 10 villages involved. We are fortunate to have young, newly-graduated physicians volunteering to go out on the mobile clinic. We are planning to start training village health volunteers (Salud de Promodores) and will begin surveying the second 10 villages in 2022. Donation received by local Rotarian and hospital staff Doctor checks out cataract in home - patient was sent to hospital for eye surgery team & site restored
Dr. Steve donates cast cutter & equipment to Dr Pablo
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Whoville 2021Fidalgo Island Rotary Club members were working hard to set-up Whoville. Looks like it turned out pretty nice, wouldn't you agree?
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Walk with Santa 2021The "Walk with Santa" Parade included the precision riding mower team composed of FUN club members. Even though it was a gray, wet day, everyone had a blast! Here they are...on your mark, get set, ready...go parading! Is this the Grinch, or really a FIR club member? These are just a couple of photos from the event. Click here: 2021 Walk with Santa Parade to see the full album. Thanks to everyone who participated in the parade and came out to enjoy it! ✨🎄🎅🏼🦌 |
November Game NightAnother FUN time for FIR members! November's fifth Tuesday family event was Game Night at the Yacht Club. |
Troop 4060 AdventuresHere is what the troop was accomplishing in October:
Week 1- We learned about the 5 definitions of chemistry, Organic, inorganic, analytical, physical, and biochemistry, after that we did an experiment with nails and copper sulphate to see how the nails would react once put into the copper sulphate solution. Week 2 - We as a troop made a slide on our state fossil, the Columbian Mammoth. This slide included it’s name, how old it is, and what it eats. Week 3 - We discussed what energy we waste and how we could save the energy we use in our daily life. Week 4 - We went to village pizza and watched educational videos on the disaster called Chernobyl, to teach us about nuclear science and how radiation can affect the environment. The Troop Theme for November is Theater. The Scouts will be working on obtaining the Theater Merit Badge and an adventure at Larrabee State Park where they will put on their own play. |
Pints for PolioOn October 14th the FUN Club and the Noon Club hosted PINTS FOR POLIO (Party with a Purpose). Dan Worra, noon club president, and Daniel Conrardy, FIR club president. A fun event where everyone got together and had some great food, pints of beer and we raised money to contribute to the fight against Polio. A great way to spend a rainy evening. Over $2,000 was raised by our very own FUN club - what a huge success! Many thanks for those who helped to make Pints for Polio such a fun event and to those who already contributed. |
Immigrant Resources Immediate SupportLynnette Setmire and Jackie Boss delivered the donated items and gift cards from the FIR members which will be used for families in urgent need in our community. They are supported through the Immigrant Resources Immediate Support (IRIS). |
Troop 4060 Court of HonorTroop 4060 (Girls) Fall Court of Honor Here is what the Troop accomplished over the past 4 months Each Scout can wear the Founders Bar as they were part of founding Troop 4060 As they move up in rank they can earn the Totin’ Chip, Firem’n Chip, and Paul Bunyan Award Over the summer the Scouts attended Scout Camp at Fire Mountain and went on other adventures earning the following Merit Badges: Art - 5 Astronomy - 4 Game Design - 4 Personal Fitness - 1 Rifle Shooting - 3 Small-Boat Sailing - 2 First Aid - 1 Archery - 3 Camping - 1 Kayaking - 2 Space Expo - 2 Every Scout in the unit advanced at least one rank on the way to Eagle Scout since the last Court of Honor Scout: Tenderfoot: Madison, Charlize Niamh, Charlize 2nd Class: 1st Class: Niamh, Makishi, Mikaela Niamh, Makishi, Mikaela Star: Siobhan |
8/31 Family of Rotary NightWhat a great way to say good bye to summer with a FUN club family night. Plenty of watermelon, with several FUN club members having seconds. Yummy. Everyone had a chance to chat and catch up with the latest news. Are those coats people are wearing? Yes, for a summer evening it was a bit chilly but still lots of fun. Games were played and everyone was a winner. A big thanks to the Family of Rotary committee for putting this together. Lots of fun and smiling faces. |
Fidalgo Living Features Peter and CarolynThe Fidalgo Living September issue features Peter and Carolyn and the great work done in Copan Honduras. It tells the story of how they met 10 year old Sara, the catalyst that planted a seed in Peter's brain which eventually led to the creation of the International Project Alliance. The article talks about how a neighbor invited Peter to join the Fidalgo Island Rotary Club, "...famous for dedicating half of its budget to international projects...Peter joined the club in 2013 and by the next year had helped create the International Project Alliance, a partnership of six Rotary clubs in the area that were keenly interested in international work but too small to initiate such project on their own." Click on this link to learn more about the IPA: https://ipafoundation.org/about-us
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A Baby Shower for Brianna & TrentA wonderfully FUN, welcoming and laughter filled celebration to celebrate baby Hackler. Lots of food to eat and plenty of games to play. Brianna and Trent will look pretty amazing in their new T-shirts. And once the baby comes they will be very busy bees. Of course you can't have a baby shower without presents.... We can't wait to meet our new baby Rotarian. |
Swinomish Community Golf Day"Community Golf Day" hosted by Swinomish Golf Links was back on July 7th. While folks played they had the opportunity to donate directly to local nonprofits stationed at holes throughout the course. FIR participated and raised $94 in tips having golfers try their luck of chopping a golf ball through the Grinch’s heart. Several individuals signed up to learn more about joining our Rotary Club. In keeping with our club motto it was a FUN day for our community. |
FIR Celebrates 2021-22 InstallationIn its first in-person event in more than a year, Fidalgo Island Rotary met on the balcony of the Anacortes Yacht Club Tuesday night to honor the 2020-21 board of directors and install the board for the 2021-22 Rotary year. Incoming president Daniel Conrardy was sworn in to lead Fidalgo Island Rotary for the coming year, along with a new board (pictured above.) Members donned their favorite Hawaiian shirts and flowered leis to wave "Aloha!" to the new year for the Hawaiian-themed event. The ever wonderful Val Tibbetts emceed the event, keeping the shinanigans running on time. She managed to keep nearly everyone in line, except Richard Curtis and Dave Sem, who somehow snagged a few moments on the mic to lovingly roast the club's outgoing president, Rosemary Kaholokula. However, other than a few well-aimed jokes about Rosemary's last name and her cats (who made frequent appearances on the club's Zoom meetings), it's hard to find too much reasons to criticize Rosemary, as she gracefully lead the club through an entire year executed completely online due to the pandemic. Awards were also presented during the event. Rosemary presented Richard Curtis with the club's Rotarian of the Year award (above) for his hard work finding speakers and maintaining incredible programs during the pandemic and online. Foundation chair Jan Vigre presented Paul Harris honors to many first-time recipients, including Jackie Boss, Sarah Davies, Greg Dixon, Kurt Nelson, Mary Willner and Vickie Winters. Additional members received their next-level Paul Harris honors: Phil Case, Anna Connelly, Linda Dobbs, Pam Estvold, William French, Walter Guterbock, Brianna Hackler, Jeannette Pappadakis, Dave Sem, Lynnette Setmire, Larry Thomas, Cliff Merkel and, of course, Rosemary Kaholokula. Two members were also presented with District 5050 awards. Pam Estvold was recognized with the Avenues of Service award for Community Service for her work to continue safe, hands-on service projects for members during her year as community service chair. Peter Martin was honored with the Avenues of Service award for International Service for his work in Honduras during the pandemic, including continuing the International Project Alliance's work, and providing supplies and assistance after a devastating hurricane season. Cheers to all who attended the event, and many thanks to the Family of Rotary committee for putting on such a fun shindig! We look forward to being able to meet in person soon in the coming weeks, and wish the 2021-22 FIR board good luck as they embark on what will hopefully be a more normal Rotary year! |
Kurt Nelson Presents Eagle Scout AwardOn June 25, Boy Scout Troop 911 held its first Eagle Scout Court to honor to troop member Andrew O’Donnell. Fidalgo Island Rotary member Kurt Nelson was on hand to present the honor and share what it means to achieve the Eagle Scout award, the highest honor achievable for Scouts. It has been often referred to as Scouting’s greatest moment. Only one U.S. president attained this rank: Gerald Ford. President Ford often remarked that it was one of his greatest accomplishments! In the second photo, Andrew’s father ties the Eagle Scout neckerchief on Andrew as the final step of the ceremony held last week. Fidalgo Island Rotary sponsors Troop 911. |
90, Feisty and Still Cookin'Happy 90th birthday to one of our favorite honorary members, David Rapella! On Thursday, members from both the Fidalgo Island Rotary and La Conner Rotary clubs gathered at Washington Park to celebrate 90 years of Dave. More than 30+ people gathered in the sunshine to enjoy cake, laugh with friends and enjoy some of Dave's best jokes. 90, feisty and still cookin'! |
Val Tibbetts Receives District Service AwardCongratulations to Fidalgo Island Rotarian Val Tibbetts, who was honored with the Citation for Meritorious Service at the District 5050 conference this past weekend. The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International awards the Citation For Meritorious Serv Those who know Val know that there is not a more deserving Rotarian! Val's contributions to Fidalgo Island Rotary and District 5050 have been numerous since she joined Rotary in 2003, and usually, her work is behind the scenes, so it's hard to say what aspect of the club or district she HASN'T had an impact on! Val is instrumental each year in producing Fidalgo Island Rotary's two largest fundraising events, its auction and Shipwreck Festival. She served as FIR president from 2009-10, Assistant District Governor from 2012-15, and District Grant Chair from 2016-19. She is a Paul Harris fellow many times over, and serves on several club and district committees, as well as current secretary for FIR. Furthermore, Val is the number one resource for club, district and general Rotary questions - when in doubt, ask Val! We are so lucky to have such a fabulous Rotarian in our club. Thank you for all you do, Val! |
David Latimer Awarded Paul HarrisCongratulations to member David Latimer for receiving his third Paul Harris honor this month. David has been a Rotarian since 2004, and was a member of the Bend Mt. Bachelor Oregon Rotary Club before joining Fidalgo Island Rotary in January 2020. This month, David was honored with his third Paul Harris recognition in honor of his service to both clubs, as well as his community. During a Zoom meeting earlier this month, President Rosemary (cyber) presented David with his pin. Thank you for all you do, David! |
Boy Scouts Honor FIR MemberFidalgo Island Rotarian Kurt Nelson was honored this month by Boy Scout Troop 911 here on Fidalgo Island. Kurt has played an instrumental role in helping the troop get started during the past year. Not only did he connect Troop 911 with Fidalgo Island Rotary, so the club to sponsor the troop and allow the troop to officially get started, but Kurt also donated the troop's flags. Kurt has helped the troop plan numerous activities this past year, including volunteer activities, fishing trips and more, which allow them to fulfill requirements to receive merit badges as well as get involved in the community. Thank you for all you do, Kurt! |
Shipwreck Festival 2021 CancelledUnfortunately, the 2021 Shipwreck Festival will not take place this year. After working with the city and reviewing state and local regulations regarding street fairs during the pandemic, we came to the conclusion that there is no way to ensure the health and safety of our community in hosting Shipwreck Festival this year. We are incredibly disappointed, but please know we will be back next year! Mark your calendars for Shipwreck Festival on July 16, 2022!
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FIR Awards 4 Scholarships
The Fidalgo Island Rotary Club of Anacortes is excited to announce four recipients of its Connie Kelley Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to Fidalgo or Guemes island residents who are pursuing further education in vocational or technical career fields. Tatiana Acuna is enrolled in Skagit Valley college, where she is pursuing a degree in nursing. Tatiana was inspired by several of her patients while she was working a health care assistant to continue her education and become a certified nurse. When asked about her greatest strength, Tatiana commented, “When I find something challenging, I don’t quit!” She also finds inspiration through her two young sons, who are excited their mother is going to become a nurse. Cyndi McFarland has found her passion in the brewery industry. She is seeking a degree in mico-brewing at Skagit Valley College. Cyndi welcomes the challenges faced by the small number of women in this industry. She plans to use her journalism background to provide information to customers about the various steps involved in creating craft beer. Cyndi’s career change was supported by her parents, who are both teachers, and have always stressed the importance of being happy in your career choice. Brady Guinn’s career has found a new path - that of a massage therapist. Brady is attending Northwest Academy for the Arts, in Bellingham. He is channeling his goal of giving back to his community by helping people in their quest for wellness through massage therapy. Brady believes his ability to relate to people, because he is a good listener, will be a great asset to his career choice. Brady is a full-time student and during the last year, he has also been a full-time teacher/dad to his second-grade son. Alaina Shafer will graduate from Cap Sante High School as a member of the class of 2021. She will pursue her life-long dream of becoming a cosmetologist. Alaina has been accepted to the cosmetology program at Evergreen Beauty School in Mount Vernon. She is excited to begin classes this fall. Receiving the Connie Kelley Memorial Scholarship has been even more rewarding for Alaina, because as she remarked, “both her mother and grandmother have fond memories from the services they both experienced at Connie Kelley’s salon.” |
IPA Resumes Trips to CopanStory provided by IPA member Marty Pease. In regards to IPA business, they visited schools in Mayan villages every weekday delivering school supplies to 2300 students kindergarten through high school because it was the start of the school year. For the visits, they had asked the teachers for no students to be present except the middle and high school students and no food because of Covid concerns. Most understood and complied. Cinthia, Mauricio and Cindy, the IPA's contacts in Honduras, did a great job preparing for this task. Now upon their return is the enormous task of updating the data base with all the new information obtained. |
2021 Auction Was a Success!Thank you to all who participated in Fidalgo Island Rotary's 2021 online auction, Rotary Roundup! For the second year in a row, we took the annual fundraiser online due to the pandemic, but our members and our community still came out to support us! Thank you to everyone who bid, donated, supplied items and helped make this year another success. The auction committee and club treasurer are still tallying up final numbers; however, even as an online event, we still raised close to our annual goal. The auction netted more than $15,000 for our club projects. The Connie Kelley Scholarship Fund raised $2,000, and $1,000 was donated to provide scholarships to students in Copan, Honduras. If you have not yet donated, there's still time. Send a check to the Fidalgo Island Rotary Foundation at PO Box 125, Anacortes, WA 98221. If you would like to designated your donated funds to a specific project, please include that information on the memo line. Thank you again for all your donations, participation and hard work!
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FIR Auction March 18-21Fidalgo Island Rotary is hosting its annual auction (and its second ONLINE AUCTION!) Save the date for March 18-21 in our virtual auction house. You can bid on great items from the comfort of your own home, all while helping support Fidalgo Island Rotary. Keep in mind, we won't have other fundraisers this year (like Shipwreck Festival) due to COVID precautions, so this auction is VITAL to the success of our club this coming year! Want to DONATE AN ITEM? Click HERE to download the donation form, and contact Val Tibbetts or Daniel Conrardy with questions. We are still in need of all types of items, so please donate! Want to be an ITEM OR EVENT SPONSOR? Click HERE to learn more about becoming a sponsor! Your donation could help us purchase items to auction, produce the event or advertise to the community. This is an awesome way to support the club and donate, and you'll get all sorts of amazing benefits, such as online marketing, social media call-outs and your logo on our promotional material. AND all donations are easily tax deductible.
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Happy 24th, FIR!On Tuesday, Feb. 2, Fidalgo Island Rotary celebrated the 24th anniversary of its chartering. In an event fondly known as "Charter Night," members gather annually to remember how the club was founded, honor those who have worked so hard to bring it to life and marvel at how far it has come. Normally, this event calls for a little pomp and circumstance - in years past, FIR members have hosted a nice dinner, inviting club alums, Rotary dignitaries and members' families to join in celebration of Fidalgo Island Rotary and all we have accomplished. However, in keeping with the theme of the past year, things looked a little different this year. Members met on Zoom on Tuesday night, but boisterous spirits were not lessened by virtual connections. Susan Guterbock acted as the event emcee, playfully quizzing the group about Rotary trivia, from when Fidalgo Island Rotary was chartered (Jan. 3, 1997) to when women were allowed in Rotary (1989.) After trivia (congrats to Kandy and Barb for earning the highest scores!) all members in attendance blew out a birthday candle in their own home for FIR (although some members made due with a vanilla scented Yankee candle or a book light). While it was not our usual affair, it was still a beautiful was to celebrate FIR and connect with each other, and certainly a celebration members will remember for years to come! Thanks for the Family of Rotary committee for bringing us together and putting the event on! |
Donate to FIR Through AmazonWith the pandemic still going in full force, we're all turning to online retailers more to purchase clothing, household goods and supplies. We've all seen an increase in those Amazon boxes on doorsteps! But did you know, you can help Fidalgo Island Rotary next time you click "add to cart?" You can donate to the Fidalgo Island Rotary Foundation automatically with each Amazon purchase. Instead of going straight to amazon.com, shop instead at smile.amazon.com (which is exactly the same as the normal Amazon site!) and select "Fidalgo Island Rotary Foundation" as your charity of choice. By shopping on this site, Amazon will automatically donate .5% of each purchase to FIR! You can also see how much you've donated over the years, and how much FIR has raised total. So get shopping!
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Connie Kelley Recipient Graduates With Counseling DegreeOn Jan. 27, the Anacortes American published a story about Brandi Black, an Anacortes resident and Connie Kelley Scholarship recipient. The story details Brandi's past with substance abuse and her journey to recovery during the past six years. Two years ago, Brandi applied for and received the Connie Kelley Memorial Scholarship through Fidalgo Island Rotary, which helped her attend Skagit Valley College to get a degree in counseling. This year, Brandi graduated, and plans to pursue a career in counseling to help others and continue to give back to her community. “She is just a success story,” Youth Services chairperson Lynnette Setmire said in the article. “She’s an easy person to support.” Fidalgo Island Rotary is extremely proud and excited for Brandi; we can't wait to see what amazing things she will accomplish! To read the full article about Brandi, click here. The Connie Kelley Memorial Scholarship is an annual scholarship awarded to a Fidalgo or Guemes island resident who plans to begin or continue with vocational or technical training. This scholarship is in memorial of Connie Kelley, an outstanding member of our club. This year, the deadline is flexible due to COVID-related challenges. If you or someone you know is interested in the scholarship, please download the scholarship application from our website homepage or email Fidalgo Island Rotary at fir.thefunclub@gmail.com.
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Subscribe to the IPA NewsletterAre you interested in learning more about our International Project Alliance? Now you can subscribe to the IPA newsletter to stay up to date on all the international projects we have going on! The International Project Alliance (IPA) is a large collaborative group of Rotary clubs in northwest Washington State, who made a long-term commitment to helping the people of the Copán Ruinas region of western Honduras. Founded in 2014, the IPA's projects cover most areas of international aid, including education, health, food and agriculture, water and sanitation, construction and economic development. The IPA's in-country partner is the Club Rotario de Copán Ruinas. The IPA has implemented the following programs to date:
Click here to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up-to-date on all these projects and more! |
FIR Donates to IRISLast week, Fidalgo Island Rotary delivered a plethora of warm clothing and grocery store gift cards to IRIS in Mount Vernon. Walt Guterbock, Bill Hakins, and Dave and Mari Latimer delivered $1,375 in gift cards and about $1,000 worth of warm clothing to the nonprofit on Nov. 20, all donated by members of Fidalgo Island Rotary. IRIS is a nonprofit organization based in Mount Vernon that provided immediate assistance to immigrant families. This includes assistance with funding for medical services, housing, grocery stipends and clothing. Click here to learn more about the organization.
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2021 Calendars for Sale!Support Fidalgo Island Rotary AND get a beautiful 13-month calendar featuring local art! Fidalgo Island Rotary is selling 2021 Fidalgo Island Calendars for just $20, with each month featuring a magnificent high-resolution photograph of life on Fidalgo Island. From Bowman Bay to Fidalgo Bay, from the San Juan Islands to Deception Pass, these calendars perfectly encapsulate island living. Great for holiday gifts for everyone in your life! Not only will you receive this functional work of art, but the funds raised from calendar sales will benefit projects by Fidalgo Island Rotary. These projects include events such as Shipwreck Festival each summer, the FREE Kids Boat Building Booth at Waterfront Festival, STEM Camp for middle school students each August and Celebrate the Season at the Port of Anacortes each holiday season, as well as donating volunteer services and funds to other area nonprofit groups. In addition, Fidalgo Island Rotary is actively working internationally to provide school supplies, assist with economic development and prevent diseases in developing countries. Your calendar purchase ensures we can continue to do good in the neighborhood! Calendars will be delivered to homes on Fidalgo Island and shipped to anyone living off-island. Those living on Fidalgo Island will be notified by emailed a few days before delivery. CLICK HERE to purchase your calendar today!
(Note: Please use the add-on section in the purchase window to purchase more than one calendar) |
Rotarians Clean Up Police StationOn Nov. 11, members of Fidalgo Island Rotary Club spent the morning completing yard work at the Anacortes Police Station. About a dozen members of the local service club volunteered their time to weed, rake leaves, trim hedges and pick up trash outside the building. In addition, members who could not attend the yard work session dropped off cookies and other baked goods for the law enforcement team to enjoy when they returned to work on Thursday, Nov. 11 (the building was closed in observance of Veteran's Day.) Thank you to all who came out to volunteer and made treats for our local law enforcement! Click to see more photos of our volunteers hard at work!
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Masks Hand Made by PatsyAs you may have noticed, masks have become all the rage this fall. Whether you're at the grocery store or strolling along Commercial Avenue, everyone is wearing them! (OK, yes, we know, it's because we need to wear masks to keep the community safe during a pandemic. But isn't it more fun to imagine this is the hottest trend out of Paris Fashion Week?)
If you're looking for a new face mask for your trip out in public, look no further than Hand Made by Patsy. Our very own Patsy McCuaig is creating 100% cotton face coverings with adjustable ear pieces and wire nose support. The cut and design are made specifically for those who wear glasses (and who know all to well the annoying fog that comes with it!) These masks come in a wide range of colors and patterns, and most are reversible, unless they have additional accessories and delightful bling. Patsy makes her masks in several sizes, so you can find your exact fit. If you're in need of a new face covering (or two!) check out the Hand Made by Patsy Facebook page, or email Patsy at hndmdbypatsy@gmail.com. You can also keep an eye out for these masks at local stores such as Sebo's Hardware. Stay safe, and stay stylish! |
FIR Accepting Donations for IRISFidalgo Island Rotary is accepting donations to support IRIS, Immigrant Resources and Immediate Support, a nonproft based in Skagit County. Now through Thanksgiving, FIR is collecting grocery store gift cards, warm clothing or cash for IRIS. Requested grocery store gift cards are Fred Meyer, Walmart or Safeway, and warm clothing can be for adults or children. Items can be new or gently used, and can include jackets, sweaters, hats, mittens or scarves. IRIS is a nonprofit organization based in Mount Vernon that provided immediate assistance to immigrant families. This includes assistance with funding for medical services, housing, grocery stipends and clothing. Click here to learn more about the organization. To drop off donations, contact Walt Guterbock: wmguterbock@earthlink.net |
FIR Honors Community MembersThis year, Fidalgo Island Rotary honored five Anacortes community members with Paul Harris Fellowships as a thank you for all their hard work here in Anacortes. A Paul Harris Fellow, named for the Rotary founder, is someone who has contributed a certain amount to the Rotary Foundation; a club can also choose to give fellowships to members or community members to recognize them for their outstanding service work. This year, Fidalgo Island Rotary honors: Rene Rodriguez, a chairperson the Food to Go, which provides supplemental food bags for Anacortes school kids of all ages who are experiencing food insecurity over the weekends. This effort supports the students’ health and learning. Rodriguez and Kari Mathis founded Food to Go three years ago, which has continued to help and serve students here on Fidalgo Island. FIR is excited to continually contribute funds to this program. This is Rodriguez' first Paul Harris recognition.
Jordy Pratt, a Community Resource Manager for the Anacortes Family Center. She headed up the program that connects Family Center clients with local motels for temporary housing. Pratt acted as the liaison between the applicants and the motels, and visited with the clients everyday. She assisted clients with their needs of shelter and rehabilitation, and was integral part of the team at the Anacortes Family Center, which FIR has contributed to the past several years. This is Pratt's first Paul Harris recognition. Erica Pickett, a member of the local Soroptimist Chapter and chair of their Community Service Committee. One of her duties is overseeing the distribution of home health equipment, which so many of our community members use. FIR really wanted to honor the entire Soroptimist chapter for this contribution to Anacortes, but alas, RI rules indicate the recognition must go to an individual, not an entire club or chapter, so we recognize Pickett as a standout member of their organization. In addition, the committee Pickett heads up includes Domestic Violence, Economic and Social Development, Human Rights/Status of Women, Scholarships and Ways and Means. Pickett also served on the Anacortes City Council for many years. This is her first Paul Harris recognition. Michele Pope, a long time active community member for the past 24 years. Her biggest contribution to the city of Anacortes was the fund raiser for the repair of the Tommy Thompson Trails Trestle after the fire. Approximately $300,000 was needed, and she accomplished this by making it “Our Anacortes Project”, and it was most successful. Pope has been involved in PTA at both Mt. Erie Elementary School and Anacortes Middle School, OARS, and served on the boards of the Senior Center and Anacortes Parks Foundation. In 2019 she ran a very successful Unconventional Runway Show for the Senior Center Foundation fund raiser. This is her second Paul Harris recognition. Eric Johnson, for his efforts on behalf of the homeless and his tireless work to increase child care opportunities Johnson is one of the founders of the Anacortes Family Center, which serves homeless women, children and families in crisis by providing shelter in addition to comprehensive transformational services to achieve long lasting personal success and self sufficiency. Johnson is a retired USAF colonel, and has also served on the Anacortes City Council for 10 years. He received his first Paul Harris from FIR in 2006; this is his second Paul Harris recognition. |
Kim E. Kimmy Publishes First BookAs we know from Happy/Sad comments, I have an infamous Bucket List, but that list doesn’t just include travel or activities (such as riding in a rumble seat.) Despite Covid, I was able to check off another one: Publishing a book! I was warned by many authors, “Writing the book is the easy part.” They weren’t just a woofin,’ as my mother would say. There are several ways to get a book published in our 21st Century world — and trust me, none of them is a walk in the park. Having said that, I’m proud (even though that’s a sin) to introduce something I never thought I’d write — a hardback children’s book entitled “Locked Out in the Snow.” Here’s how that happened. When my parents faced that day when it was time to go into assisted living and my siblings and I were discussing what to do with their stuff, I announced that there was only one of their belongings I wanted. I think my siblings thought I knew of some valuable treasure they weren’t aware of, but soon discovered that possession was something only of value to me: Mom’s diaries. I sometimes look up things in those neatly uniform books she kept from the time I was 5 years old until I was in my 50s. One afternoon I was looking up something and came across an entry that reminded me of an incident when I was 7. It took a very short while to write the story – with just a teeny bit of embellishment. Then I found an editor because any author needs one as they see things the writer doesn’t. Next came an illustrator (that part is especially tough.) In my case, the illustrator is thirty-plus years younger than I, and the generation gap startled me to realize what a dinosaur I am. Some examples: She made my school bus driver female. That wasn’t allowed during the book’s setting of 1961. My schoolroom clock was not digital. Little girls wore dresses to school, no matter what the weather. She had no idea what galoshes are. She didn’t know what handwriting exercises looked like. The list goes on – and it becomes expensive to make changes if an illustration isn’t what the author wants. CLICK TO CONTINUE READING about Kim's publishing journey, as well as her next book, scheduled to be out this November! |
FIR Receives Grant for Rapid Development in CopanFIR member Peter Martin visits Copan Ruinas, Honduras, in August 2019 as part of a previous initiative with the IPA and the Rotary Club of Copan Ruinas. Fidalgo Island Rotary Club and the International Project Alliance recently received approval for a Global Grant from the Rotary Foundation to support the expansion of the Rapid Development (RD) program to 6 new villages near Copán, Honduras. RD aims to address all of the aspects of poverty by founding village savings institutions, encouraging the planning and formation of new businesses in the villages, supporting the education of the children through high school, training and equipping village health workers, and training villagers on financial management and personal development. IPA has demonstrated the success of RD in 5 villages in the first two phases. The total budget of the project is $95,253, of which $68,038 will come from The Rotary Foundation and District 5050. The project is projected to last for three years and will be administered mainly by IPA's contractors in Copán, Cinthia Santos and Mauricio Alvarado. The Copán Ruinas Rotary club will supply administrative support and transportation for the project. FIRC has also received approval for a District Grant project to supply electrical power and school furniture to the school in La Moya, one of the Rapid Development villages. The total of the project will be About $3100. This project is part of the IPA effort and will be administered by Mauricio. The villagers will supply the labor, and the government of Honduras will pay for the electricity. |
Now accepting Connie Kelley applicationsThe Fidalgo Island Rotary Club of Anacortes is accepting applications for its annual scholarship, the Connie Kelley Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship amounts may vary, but will be at least $1,000 per student. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. The deadline for the annual scholarship is usually the end of April each year, but the club decided to open 2021 applications early this fall due to current need in the community and challenges related to COVID-19. The Connie Kelley Memorial Scholarship is awarded to current residents of Fidalgo or Guemes islands who plans to begin or continue with vocational or technical education. The scholarship is offered in honor of an outstanding member of Fidalgo Island Rotary, Connie Kelley, who died in 2005. Applicants must demonstrate qualities that epitomized Connie Kelley: curiosity, perseverance, humor, courage, optimism, determination and dedication to community service in pursuing their chosen career and life. Download more information and the application here. For additional questions or information, email fir.thefunclub@gmail.com.
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Connect With RotaryMissing your Rotary? We are too! Yes, we get our Tuesday morning meetings on Zoom, but sometimes, staring at a screen isn't enough to feel connected with your fellow Fun Clubbers. We're missing Susan Guterbock's delicious breakfasts, Chris Frost's bad jokes, Dave Sem's sass, Kim Kimmy's stories about her Bucket List adventures, and all the energy Molly Rutz brings to Happy Dollar collection (oh yeah, and we miss her dad, Steve, too.) It won't be the same until we're all back at the Anacortes Yacht Club on a Tuesday morning together, but in the meantime, there are a few ways you can stay connected with your fellow Fun Club Rotarians: - Join a social outing Our Family of Rotary committee has been working hard to make sure we have (safe) weekly or bi-weekly social gatherings so we can continue to connect, including craft days, garden tours, park walks and "Sit & Sip" sessions. These are socially distant, masked-up and outdoors, so we follow state guidelines for a safe gathering. Keep an eye on your email for future events! - "Like" us on Facebook Have you "liked" the Fun Club on Facebook yet? If not, CLICK HERE to like the page and stay up-to-date on announcements, fun photos and news from Rotary. - Join us on Zoom
Yes, we know staring at a screen isn't the same as meeting in person, but our leadership is striving to make our Tuesday morning Zoom meetings fun and exciting. Programs chair Richard Curtis has some exciting presentations lined up all the way through January (wow!) CLICK HERE to see the calendar of events, and keep an eye on your inbox each Monday, when President Rosemary Kaholokula sends out the link for the coming Tuesday meeting. - Listen to a podcast Did you know Gwen Jones of the Rotary Club of Whidbey-Westside has produced a podcast about Rotary for several years? "I'm A Rotarian" is a weekly hourlong podcast where Gwen interviews Rotarians here in District 5050 and around the world about the past, present and future of Rotary. Check it out here or wherever you listen to podcasts! |
Gorgeous GazeboHave you gone for a stroll at Rotary Park recently? If you have, you'll notice the spiffy-looking gazebo out on the point. The gazebo got a facelift last week from a group of Fun Clubbers who trekked out to the structure and painted up a storm. Shout out to the Rotarians who gave up some of their weekend to do a little good in our neighborhood! The Anacortes Rotary Club (the noon club) will tag-team this project with us, completing some maintenance of their own to the park in coming weeks. Thanks to everyone helping to spruce up the park! |
Rotary Rocks!Have you ever seen fun painted rocks while hiking or strolling around town? It's an international trend that has been going on for several years (read more here!) Since we all know Rotary rocks, Fidalgo Island Rotary decided to get in on the fun. Our Family of Rotary committee recently hosted "Rotary Rocks," a fun night of rock painting (socially distanced, outdoors and masked up, of course.) Members gathered at Washington Park to paint rocks and create beautiful designs, as well as catch up with one another (a necessity, since we are not able to safely meet for our Tuesday morning meetings yet!) Members created awesome designs, and once the smoke clears here in Anacortes, our Family of Rotary committee will plan an excursion to hide the rocks around town.
However, we added a sneaky little marketing campaign - on the back side of each rock, we added our FIR website! Our hope is that when someone finds one of these beautiful creations, they'll pick it up, flip it over, and be intrigued enough to check out our website to learn more about The FUN Club! DID YOU FIND a Rotary Rock? Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag #RotaryRocks! We want to see how far our rocks go and who has found them! |
Tommy Thompson UpdatesHave you seen those spiffy benches on the Tommy Thompson trail? If you're new to Fidalgo Island Rotary, you may not know that those beautiful wood benches were built by our very own Phil Case. The park around the benches, lovingly called the "pocket park" for its adorable size, and the benches are maintained by Fidalgo Island Rotary.
On Aug. 17, Phil led a small crew out to the park (located south east of the trail entrance on 34th and V Ave.) to complete regular upkeep so the park looks beautiful and new. Six volunteers joined Phil to weed, cut the grass and refurbish the benches, including sanding, prepping the wood and adding two new coats of paint. Next time you fancy a stroll (and let's be honest, we could all get out of the house these days!) take a walk down the Tommy Thompson trail to take a gander at the beautiful Fidalgo Island Rotary Pocket Park - the perfect place to sit and contemplate how much you miss Bill French's bad jokes and Diana Jordan-New's tasty breakfasts! |
Trekin' for TreasureThe fourth and final adventure with Trek for Treasure took the FIR Fun teams to Ebey's Landing Bluff Trail were the teams were on the lookout for Pirates. We completed the hike as the sun was setting over the horizon. On the breach Brianna found a hut to take a break in and a fallen tree to practice her pole moves. Dave spent most of the hike in the back rather than leading from the front. The views from the cliffs and along the beach were sometime from Mt Rainer to Mt Baker in view. Some background History: Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was the most hunted pirate in all the Caribbean. Between 1716-1717, Blackbeard had amassed a great wealth to rival that of small countries. Feeling the Crown closing in on him, Blackbeard devised a plan to move much of his massive plunder to the western coast of North America, far from the British and the Spanish warships that hunted him. Blackbeard employed a small crew led by the clever Anne Bonny and the ruthless Captain John Rackham. However, as history is told, Blackbeard and his treasure never made it to the western coast of America. His ship was attacked and looted by British forces as Blackbeard met his demise. What became of Anne Bonny and Captain John Rackham? As we have learned through years of research, Anne and John loaded a small ship of treasure prior to the invasion by British soldiers and headed to the western coast of America. They are believed to have made it as far as Ebey’s Landing here in Washington The group plans to continue hiking together through the fall season. We will keep the club informed of the teams plans so may join us as we hike the great trails in the area. |
Installation, Social-Distancing StyleWe don't have to tell you that things have been weird lately. But that didn't stop Fidalgo Island Rotary from celebrating installation in style during the last week in June (as you can clearly see by our new president, Rosemary Kaholokula!) On June 30, FIR members gathered at the Anacortes Yacht Club parking lot to thank our 2019-20 board, and install our 2020-21 officers. However, there were some restrictions: Presenters stood on the deck, using a mic and amp to speak to members, who stood in the parking lot below. All attendees wore masks and stayed 6+ feet apart. (Thanks to everyone for following the rules so we could safely gather!) It was so fabulous to gather with our Rotary family, and though you can't tell through our masks, our smiles were big and the laughter was loud.
Click to see more photos! |
Rotarians take on Small Group ProjectsSince the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order started in March, Fidalgo Island Rotary stopped meeting in person, and instead, took to Zoom for its weekly Tuesday morning meetings. While it's great to see everyone's face (sometimes, right up their nose, if the camera angle is off!) it doesn't replace some of our favorite things about Rotary! One thing many Rotarians are missing is hands-on service projects in the community. Pam Estvold and Phil Case to the rescue! Pam has been completing small service projects on her own throughout the lockdown - weeding here, painting there, sprucing up beautiful Anacortes - and last week invited the rest of the club to join her! Interested members emailed Pam, and were assigned a group. These groups of 2-5 members, wearing masks and social distancing, are completing small projects around town. On Tuesday this past week, Linda Dobbs led her group, which included Mike Tallering, Kandy Dubuque, Larry Thomas and Brock Ward, to Causland Park, where they fearlessly tackled weeds to make the park's flower beds sparkle once more! (See Mike Tallering demonstrate proper weeding-technique above, thanks to Madelyn Case's expert gardening advice) Are YOU interested in participating in these projects? Contact Pam or Phil to be assigned a group! These small group projects will continue so long as we have volunteers and projects, so now is the time to get involved and do a little good in the neighborhood.
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Join Rotary VIRTUALLY!It has never been easier to join a Fidalgo Island Rotary meeting! NOW is the time to check out The FUN Club! When in-person meetings stopped in March due to COVID-19, Fidalgo Island Rotary shifted to meet online using the app ZOOM! At first, meetings were a way to socialize with members while we were apart, but eventually morphed back into a typical morning meeting. The link for the coming week's meeting is sent out at the beginning of the week. Members log on to Zoom Tuesday mornings just before 7 a.m., from the comfort of their own homes. The meeting starts with a program, followed by a time for questions and then proceeds to Happy/Sad Dollars or social time, as time allows. We've had speakers from as far away as Guatemala and as close as the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce. We're not sure how long we'll meet online or what meetings will look like in coming months, but we know that there has never been a better time to check out Rotary! Roll out of bed, brew some coffee and log on (just remember to put on pants, please!)
To be added to our Zoom mailing list and join our meetings, email: fir.theFUNclub@gmail.com. OR, feel free to pass this message on to any friend, family or coworker who might be interested in joining us on Tuesday mornings! |
Fun Club Summer Hiking AdventureA unique hiking adventure created by the United Fitness Center of Sedro-Woolley. Whether you’re new to hiking, a casual hiker, or an adventure enthusiast, Trek for Treasure is for anyone. Complete the hikes, gather the clues, solve the puzzles, and compete in the final treasure hunt! There will be 4 hikes, one every 2 weeks in July and August. I'm looking to see who within the Fun Club would like to take part in teams of 4 to 8 club members in either the Earth Trekkers challenge (hikes of 1-5 miles with upto 1,500 feet of elevation change) or the Sky Trekkers challenge (hikes of 3-10 miles with upto 3,500 feet of elevation change). All team members will need to complete the hikes at the same time during a two week window.The cost per team is $25 for the first two member and an additional $10 for each additional member. The price does include a 2020 Trek for Treasure T-Shirt. We need to register our Fun Club teams by July 1st. For all those interested in taking part in this summer social activity please email Kurt.Nelson@verizon.net by Sunday, June 28th. If you have someone you want to team up with let us know. We will get everyone who wants to participate signed up and announce the teams at the June 30th Fun Club event. For additional information check out the Trek for Treasure Website |
2020 Rotary Virtual ConventionThe Rotary Convention is an annual event that allows Rotarians from all over the world to gather together to learn more about Rotary and grow in leadership, fellowship and service. Many years, this convention happens overseas, which can make it more difficult to attend. However, this year, due to COVID-19, the convention has been moved online! This creates a unique opportunity for all Rotarians to attend the convention or parts of the convention, free of charge! Now More Than Ever, Rotary Connects the World: The 2020 Rotary Virtual Convention will link you with Rotary and Rotaract members from around the world. Sign up now for this free online event that takes place 20-26 June, or visit the convention’s event page on Facebook to learn more and connect with other members.
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Hometown Hero
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The Real Story - Hiking Deception PassVal and I met the Curtis's, (Richard and Jodie) along with the Kubena's (Tony and Joella) last Sunday morning for a 5 mile hike through Deception Pass Park. Val knew of a trail by the Cornet Bay boat launch called Hoypus Point that none of us had ever hiked before. What started off as a little uphill hike became a long uphill hike but was offset by seeing the biggest trees I have ever seen in my life. We all marveled at the height and circumference of these appropriately named FIR trees. We all welcomed the downhill portion of the hike and stopped for the photo to commemorate our trip which terminated at the old ferry landing on the point. The tide was out and some people wanted to walk back on the beach to the boat launch area even though Richard voted to walk back on the old road. Richard was shamed into taking the beach trail by someone saying we all needed to stick together so we slopped our way across the wet rocks and the seaweed that was slicker than snot. After a while we decide Richard was the smartest guy on the planet at that time and we looked for a trail to get us back up to the road. As we came across a big slimy log hindering our trek the search for a way up became more urgent. We found an opening and proceeded into the woods only to be stopped by a wetlands area. Everyone except Tony and I returned to the beach and continued past the big bad slimy log. Tony was blazing a trail through the woods and we knew we were close to the road. We came across and tennis shoe in the brush and I didn't want to find the owner of it in this remote brushy area. We keep charging and finally made it to the road and headed off to safety. We walked about 100 yards and saw the remainder off our group relaxing by a bench waiting for us with smiles on their faces for making the right decision. They missed out on the memories Tony and I will always have plus the nettle stings. After a scenic 1/2 mile walk we returned to the parking area and rejoiced about our adventures and Joella passed out some great scones she had made that morning. Thanks to a great free app called All Trails we managed to stay on course and did not have to resort to cannibalism or call 911 for help. I think we should form a Rotary hiking group to do some get togethers and enjoy the spaces and trails we are fortunate to have around here. If anyone is interested please let me know. We can do all levels of hikes from simple things like the Tommy Thompson or others that are more challenging. I know a couple of goofballs that would be game to meet up and do this. Have a great week and enjoy the day. |
FIR helps distribute foodA big "Thank you!" to all who helped pack and deliver meals at Food To Go this week! Fidalgo Island Rotary members were able to pack and delivery more than 140 meals this past Thursday to students in the district who could not get regular meals from the district's food service program. Food To Go is a local nonprofit started in 2015 that provide supplemental meals to students in need during evenings and weekends. During the pandemic, Food To Go will provide 130 supplemental meals in backpacks to children in the community each week. Previously, Fidalgo Island Rotary voted to provide monetary support to Food To Go to help support these meals during the emergency school closures in the form of $1,200 matching grant. Three other area clubs committee to do the same. Thanks to all who volunteered their time to do a little good in their neighborhood! |
FIR Sends Funds to Support Copán RuinasIn April, the Fidalgo Island Rotary International Committee sent $2,300 to our sister club in Copán Ruinas, Honduras, to help provide COVID-19 relief. Due to a lockdown in Honduras, most banks, restaurants and businesses have completely closed. The area imposed a strict "stay home" order, which kept citizens indoors most of the day. People have been severely affected by job loss, due the the collapse in tourism and the severe shutdown measures in place in the community, as well as loss of income and access to savings. In response to the need, the Rotary Club of Copán Ruinas took the initiative to raise fund to provide food to the most needy rural communities and urban neighborhoods of the Municipalities of Copán Ruinas and Santa Rita in the Department of Copán. The Rotary Club of Copán Ruinas developed a food bag for about $11 that feeds a family for about two weeks. This story has been updated from a previous version. Click to read more about the project.
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Clubs Combine Efforts to Get Supplies to Burkina FasoAt the end of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was already well-known in the United States. Many states and regions were locked down, with large outbreaks of cases in major cities. Even those areas and hospitals with the most advanced technologies were finding it difficult to keep up with the demand for treatments and testing. As Fidalgo Island Rotarians watched as local medical professionals begin to grapple with the pandemic, our thoughts turned to sister cities, such as Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where we knew a lack of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies could greatly hinder the emergency responses to the COVID-19 outbreak in that area, and have dire consequences for the population there. This month, the Fidalgo Island Rotary international committee worked with other Rotary clubs and donors to pay to reroute a shipping container full of supplies (including masks, antiseptics, cotton-tipped swaps, oxygen tubing and more) from a warehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Ouagadougou. The container was originally bound for maternity clinics in the southwest of the country, but seeing a great need, FIR authorized Ouagadougou to use the PPE and other supplies to help with COVID-19 relief efforts. In the above photo, the president of the Rotary Club of Ouagadougou poses with medical supplies while unloading the container. Click to see more photos of the transport being unloaded and a donation ceremony, and read a message from the Rotary Club in Ouagadougou. |
Grant provides meals to local studentsThe Fidalgo Island Rotary board voted over email/telephone this week to provide a grant to Food To Go, a local nonprofit that provides meals for children. During the pandemic, Food To Go will provide 130 supplemental meals in backpacks to children in the community each week. Four clubs in the region, including ours, will pay a total of $5,000 to support this program during the COVID-19 pandemic, with each club paying $1,250. This is a matching grant, so our donation of $1,250 will be matched, making FIR's total donation $2,500. Food To Go Anacortes is a weekend backpack food program for Anacortes students that launched in September of the 2015/16 school year. It's goal is to provide healthy and nutritious supplemental weekend meals for those children in our community that don’t have enough to eat over the weekend in order to improve their health and their ability to learn. To learn more, click here. During this time, Food To Go is also seeking volunteers. For questions about the program or to volunteer, contact Bill French.
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Helping Burkina FasoContainer to Burkina Faso - AID for CORVID-19 We have been discussing the Coronavirus CORVID-19 pandemic and it looks like it is on the threshold of Burkina Faso. As of today, the World Health Organization reported 114 confirmed cases and 3 deaths in Burkina Faso. I am sure there are already many more people infected because the statistics are only those confirmed by testing - and how available in Burkina Faso right now? So, we looked over the manifest inventory for the container you just received and there are a lot of Personal Protection Equipment items in there and more. We sent as much extra as we could, in order to fill the container. This might be a tremendous bonus to you and your country. The boxes in the container are numbered and you will find the contents of each box in the inventory list. There are many masks (most important for COVID-19), some gowns, lots of gloves, as well as antiseptics (Betadine, povidone iodine, Hibiclens, etc.), cotton-tipped applicators (for taking swab samples for testing) and oxygen tubing plus masks. And much more. Using the box numbers, you should be able to locate needed items quickly for distribution to hospitals and clinics. You need to get masks and gloves out to hospitals and clinics to protect your health care workers especially - many are getting infected in Spain and Italy (and China) - and many are dying. I only wish we could be there with you to help your Rotary club sort and distribute these life-saving items. Walt and I will make a video-story of this project soon (when we can be in the same room together) and send it to you. Stay well, Steve Miller Fidalgo Island Rotary Club See Response: |
Making the Most of Social DistancingIn mid-March, Fidalgo Island Rotary made the difficult decision to cancel its meetings for the foreseeable future do to health concerns. While it was absolutely the right call, Rotarians are starting to get antsy cooped up in their homes. We're used to our weekly dose of laughter and silliness! We're missing delicious breakfasts from our Breakfast Committee, and Bill French's groan-inducing Quip of the Day. We're wondering what Larry's up to, since he can't watch his grandkids rock it at their respective sports. We want to catch up and hear all about Angie's travels, and Kim's latest bucket list item. Heck, we'd even take a verbal jab from Chris Frost, if it meant we could be back at The FUN Club! But alas, it's not meant to be right now, as we're all safely social distancing. Nevertheless, Rotarians are making the most of our time apart! For instance, after the Artists on the Edge Auction was postponed, the Martins decided to host their own Dessert Dash, since Carolyn already had all the ingredients to make a delicious cake. Luckily, Peter was the winner of this sweet treat! (Although, we're not sure how quickly he had to dash, since he was probably the only participant...) How are you making the most of your time social distancing? Take up a new hobby? Go for a beautiful walk on one of our lovely trails? Teach your cat how to 'shake'? Send a photo or story to fir.theFUNclub@gmail.com!
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Waterfront Prep in Full Swing!It's that time of year already — time to start preparing for the annual Waterfront Festival! The festival takes place near the marina the first weekend of June, and each year, Fidalgo Island Rotary runs the FREE Kids Boat Building booth. Each year, hundreds of children and their parents flock to the book, where they can pick out a hull, add a sail, deck the boat with corks, wood, twine and more, and even "sail" it around a pond in the parking lot! It's a great tradition that spans generations, and we always have a BLAST during the event. But before we even set up our booth, we're preparing by building the boat hulls, gathering corks and creating sails. It's always heart-warming to see parents and grandparents build boats together and watch as the dad takes over and make the coolest boats. (Insert giggle here.). Some kids have boats from previous years and start to rack up a whole armada. For the next few weeks, Rotarians will gather at La Conner High School to cut wood, donated by Sierra Pacific, into decorative boat hulls. Click to see more photos and learn more about our goals for this year!
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March Madness has been CancelledMen's Division Phil Case vs Steve Rutz Kurt Nelson vs Richard Curtis Women's Division Patricia Winkler vs Jean Groesbck Madelyn Case vs Barbara Hoenselaar Again I would like thank Anna C for helping with the very random drawing for the Sweet 16 Round. I also want to thank all those Fun Club members who have been participating in the Bracket. We have raised $123 for the Club. I have attached the correct document this week with the results. One Last Chance to Buy-In !! It seems that I have been able to win each round with a Queen (Really its been random). Therefore I would like to hold a silent auction for my spot in the Elite Eight. If you want to buy my spot in the Elite Eight send me an email with the amount you are willing to pay. Again all proceeds will be going to the club foundation. I will be awarding prizes to the Final Four as follows: 3rd and 4th place prizes will ~ $15 Runner Up prize will ~ $30 Champion prize will ~$60 I will be getting each something based on the University, College, or Pro Sports Team the Elite Eight will be representing. At time to be determined we will hold the Elite Eight, Final Four, and Championship rounds live via ZOOM. The format will be a game of WAR with each participant randomly arranging playing card from two to ace (13 cards). Everyone will be invited to watch. The time for the final matches will come down to when I'm able to make contact with all the Elite Eight Individuals. Your Bracketologist, Kurt |
Wellness Center BreakfastAs a Rotary Club, about 50 percent of our service projects take place right here on Fidalgo Island, in an effort to continually give back to our local community. One of our many projects this year is to serve breakfast and deliver resources for patients at the Didgwalic Wellness Center on March's Point Road in Anacortes. The breakfast will occur quarterly from 6 to 10 a.m., starting on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Every day, the center, run and supported by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, provides integrated medical care and social services for approximately 250 community members facing mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders. Our club's provision of a hot meal, supplies and smiling faces will contribute to their success in treatment. Funding for this project is being jointly provided by a district grant and the club's community service committee. Thanks to Moka Joe for providing a generous discount on hot food items, and of course all our club members who are volunteering to serve food and provide support. Interested in volunteering with this project to serve breakfast on Feb. 26? Contact Greg Dixon at dixongregory@gmail.com.
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2020 Charter NightEach year during January, Fidalgo Island Rotary celebrates its founding in 1997. In 2020, we celebrated our 23rd year as a club. To honor the history of the club, we had longtime members share special memories, raised a glass to those no longer with us, and enjoyed a video of charter members recounting the early days of the Fun Club. Thank you to our Master of Ceremonies for the evening, Steve Rutz, and the Family of Rotary Committee for putting on such a fun event.
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Where in the World: Rotary EditionThose crazy Fun Clubbers. They always seem to be going places, doing things... They just can't sit still! This week, on "Where in the World: Rotary Edition," we find that our own Southern belle, Linda Dobbs, has flown the coop in search of warmer weather. Gathering a gaggle of 55 (yes, 55!) of her closest gal pals, Linda headed to the gulf shore of Alabama this week for a college reunion. We can only image the amount of dancing, singing and laughter in this beach bungalow, especially if Linda is involved! Coincidentally, Linda's crew stayed at the Beach Babies house, the same place where Chris Long's family has vacationed in the past. Does this mean great minds think alike, or are TWO Fun Club Rotarians now banned from returning to Alabama? We'll have to wait for Linda's return to find out...
Email fir.thefunclub@gmail.com with your travel photos and escapades to be featured in the next "Where in the World!" |
Linda Dobbs: Unexplained NFL GuruLinda Dobbs is constantly surprising the members of Fidalgo Island Rotary. From her sultry singing voice, to her prowess at the ukulele, to the way she can turn on her "teacher glare" to quiet even Chris Frost, we're always amazed at her skills. But this week, we learned even more about the legendary Linda — she has a knack for selecting NFL football winners. Linda took the top spot in our Rotary Weekly Football Raffle, put on by member Kurt Nelson. Each week, Kurt provided members with a scoresheet, and, for a $2 buy-in, members could select their picks for the week's games. At the end of regular season, Linda has the best winning percentage — 67%! Watch out Vegas; here comes Linda! Click to see the rest of the winners, and to learn how to participate in the Super Bowl Grid Square Game that Kurt is putting on.
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Save the Date: Annual AuctionSAVE THE DATE for our annual fundraiser auction: 5:30 p.m. May 30th at the Port Transit Shed! This year, Fidalgo Island Rotary presents: “Artists on the Edge,” an event to benefit Rotary community service projects locally & internationally. Join us for the opportunity to see the area’s top circus performers wow and amaze you, as you browse art of all kinds from local artists, finding the perfect piece to cap your budding art collection. Those lucky enough to score VIP tickets will receive two FREE drink tickets (with wine poured by an aerial artist!), a designated Dessert Dash runner, premier table service, and tackle juggling lessons with world-renowned object manipulation experts. The event will culminate with a live auction, with the opportunity to bid on quintessential Pacific Northwest experience, such as a fresh-caught crab feed on the water, breweries and a Seahawks game or even a girls night out. Click to learn more or snag your ticket. |
The Hacklers Take EuropeInspired by fellow Rotarian Cliff Merkel's recent photography journey through Scotland, Brianna Hackler and her hubby (and Friend of Rotary) Trent, planned their own road trip through the UK. Ditching town on Thanksgiving and hopping across the pond, the couple armed themselves with Brianna's camera, hiking boots, rain jackets and a GPS (all packed very thoughtfully into just two carry-on bags.) The two started their journey in Edinburgh, Scotland, where they rented a car and spent the next 10 days touring the Scottish and English countrysides, including to Stonehenge outside Bath, England, where the two got incredibly lucky and saw their one sunset of the trip! (Trent forgot to bring the sacrificial rabbit though, so the two had to pass up the opportunity for any ritualistic voodoo.) Click to see more photos and about a few highlights!
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Celebrating the SeasonFidalgo Island Rotary got ho-ho-holly this past weekend with Celebrate the Season, bringing a little bit of the North Pole to Anacortes! Each year, the FUN Club teams up with the Anacortes Schools Foundation to bring the festive event to our little seaside town. We start the day with a parade down the main street, culminating in an all-day family festival at the Port Building. This year, we added the Gingerbread Building Contest on Sunday, Dec. 8. Click to view more photos, videos and the highly-anticipated results of the Gingerbread Building Contest!
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Tricia's TravelsWhen Tricia and Mike decided to drive cross-country back to Georgia they had a few different options. Have everything shipped with movers (estimate: $6000). Sell everything and fly first class (estimate: $1500). Rent a trailer and move themselves (estimate: $1000). They had no idea going with the ladder would create the SCARIEST drive of their lives...
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San Lucas ScholarsIn twelve school graduation ceremonies this month, Thirty-one of the flag bearers were recipients of scholarships from San Lucas Toliman Scholars. The FIRC International Committee and FIRC members sponsor 14 SLT scholars, and members of the Anacortes community sponsor others. |
Honduras Trip Wears Out PhilWhen FIR members Madelyn and Phil Case go down to Honduras to check on projects, deliver backpacks or assess school supplies, it takes its toll on the body. Phil (pictured here at the San Pedro de Sula airport) basically said "I'm done. I must take a nap. Somewhere. Anywhere." since their flights were delayed. There was so much to see and do while in Honduras, finally the couple got home to Anacortes around 2:30 am. "Surprise Surprise! No one was on the roads that early." Madelyn joked.
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Sonoran Desert Hiking With Dave SemWhen Val and Dave Sem head south to Phoenix Arizona on holiday, they check out the local Saguaro cactus growing in the Sonoran Desert Preserve near their house. The warm weather, and dry temperatures motivate them to go hiking and start a vigorous workout regimen in the 100 degree weather. Dave personally, doesn't like his picture taken and usually avoids cameras, but for this one time- he gave us just a peak of his weight loss body...
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Goodbyes and Jello ShotsIf you've been to any Fidalgo Island Rotary events, meetings or fundraisers, you know that we have a good time. You've got to earn the nickname "The FUN Club," and we sure as heck have. One of the things that makes us the most fun is that we're truly like a family. Through the good times, bad times, joyous times and boring times, you can bet your fellow FIR members are going to be right there beside you, cheering you on. So when we lose one of our own, it makes it even harder. This month, we're wishing one of our own well as she heads off to new adventures - Tricia Sharp. Click to learn more about how we sent Tricia off in style (including, but not limited to, her famous Eco-Friendly Jello Shots recipe!)
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Where in the World is Cliff?Janice and I just finished a 14 day photography trip to the highlands of Scotland which included the Isle of Sky, Isle of Lewis and Harris (regarded by the locals of two separate islands), and the Glencoe region north of Inverness. Fortunately the season for the biting mighty Midges was over.
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Tea with the GuterbocksWhen Tricia's sister sent her a box of Turkish snacks for her birthday, she wondered if they were legit; so she asked Walt and Susan Guterbock if her and Mike could come over for tea and share her gift. "Susan's face just lit up when you texted her the reminder that you guys were coming over for tea." Walt giggled. As the southern Smokey Mountain couple walked in, they quickly figured out why...
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Celebrating Foundation Month
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Halloween FUNThe creative minds and comic camaraderie that's in our club is contagious! Heath Treichel recognized his coworkers reminded him of characters from the movie Wizard of Oz. He planted a seed with them that created the most memorable photoshoot in Wells Fargo history. Each employee dressed up as a character and worked the bank for the entire day on Halloween. As you can see the costumes are amazing as Heath was the king of the Lollypop Guild. That's not the only thing that happened on Halloween...
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BYOP Party!One spooky October night, the frightful Fidalgo Island Rotary gathered with ghoulish intentions — to eat, drink, be merry and carve pumpkins! For our October Fifth Tuesday event, families, friends and Rotarians brought pumpkins to decorate and carve during the BYOP party — bring your own pumpkin! Click to see more photos form this eerie event!
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Celebrating David BowlinHave you ever met someone that you connected with right away? Somehow your humor is aligned and there's that *spark* that makes you feel like you've met that person before? When David Bowlin joined our Rotary Club in 2014, he came with some amazing ideas of how to help the Anacortes Community. He transferred his membership from Snohomish where he started a fundraiser during Halloween “The Haunted Forest”. He quickly got involved with Winter Wonderland and bought a WhoVille mayor outfit to spruce up the event. So in 2015 when he told everyone about his diagnosis of stage 4 stomach cancer, we just happen to be breaking down Shipwreck Festival and our hearts dropped.
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YES to Service!Local high school juniors gathered last week to start talkin' service to prepare for their year as Y.E.S. STUDENTS! The students, all from area high schools, will spend the next year serving communities both locally and internationally through the YES Program to build leadership skills that will last them a lifetime. The two Anacortes Rotary Clubs are proudly sponsoring FIVE of the 11 students during their year in YES, which includes a service trip to Honduras next June. Click to read more about how you can support the program!
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Taking the FUN to the Noon ClubWhen Stephanie Hamilton, President of the Anacortes Noon Rotary Club, heard about our very own Brianna Hackler, local Aerial Artist, she was curious about having her come in to do a program for her club. "No one will care,” she said. "It'll be fun!" she said. "It will be good for them,” she said...
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All You Need is Love to VolunteerEvery year, local Rotary clubs have a fundraising auction to help fund their community service projects; this year, the Anacortes Noon Rotary had a very FUN 60s themed Beatles Tribute concert and invited us to come help volunteer. With a theme like that, how could we not? So we got dressed up in our best 60s/70s wardrobe and headed down to the Port Transit Shed where they did not disappoint. The decorations, the band, the attendees... everything was in full swing!
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When Lynnette Goes Fishing, So Does LarryFidalgo Island Rotary member and Youth Services Chair, Lynnette Setmire, recently went on vacation to Saguaro National Park located in Tucson Arizona. Her previously bad luck at catching fish changed when she scored this half pound Blue Gill in 100 degree weather near a teal green reservoir. The size of her proudly caught fish has nothing to do with her talent, shoe size or height, and she seems happy and proud in her photo. But that wasn't good enough for Larry Thomas... |
Making A Difference - HondurasBack in 2011, my wife and I were touring the Mayan ruins of Central America. During our visit to Copán Ruinas in the western highlands of Honduras, we made a side trip to a Mayan village where the mothers make corn husk dolls for sale to tourists. As we were leaving, a young girl came up to me and said: “My house is down the hill. Can I walk down with you?” After we parted, I thought it was odd she was chatting to me in English rather than Spanish. My curiosity led me... |
FIR Football SeasonAs the 2020 football season begins, Fidalgo Island Rotary focuses on our sport-enthusiast members. FIR member Kurt Nelson started a fun and friendly game of picking the winners from the weekly NFL games. Week one, Charles Yousling correctly selected every winning team — the first time ever in Fidalgo Island Rotary history anyone guessed the winning teams out of all sixteen games! That's incredible! We are so impressed with his football guessing skills that we awarded him with his very own Nerf football. If anyone would like to challenge this brain child, join us Tuesday mornings during the NFL season to get the lineup and play along. Should be an interesting season.
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Washington Park Lending LibraryDid you know? Fidalgo Island Rotary sponsors a Lending Library out at Washington Park Campground? Usually Lending libraries are hosted in front of resident's houses for the neighborhood kids and adults to borrow books. The idea is to leave a book—take a book, but the club realized for a local campground of Anacortes tourists, visitors might not have a book to give. So we recruited some library volunteers who donate books that would normally get thrown away because of damage to help fill our sweet Little Lending Library. Every Wednesday, a friendly volunteer refills the Library with kid and adult books as well as our Awesome Anacortes Bucket List brochures.
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Building Fences with RotarySeveral Fun Club Rotarians battled the drizzle and lack of knowledge on power tools to help Daniel Conrardy repair and build new entrances to the Anacortes Middle School kitchen garden and outdoor art area on Saturday, Aug. 24. Over a 3 hour period, we were able to measure, cut, and install cross beams, cedar siding and start on the entrance gable. We worked from the plans the Architecture students in STEM Camp put together — Daniel Conrardy lead the Intro to Architecture and Construction workshop at STEM Camp two weeks ago, where students learned to create designs for building projects, including the AMS fence. In the weeks ahead look for additional opportunities to help complete this beautification project. Click READ MORE to see more photos of the project!
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District 5050 GolFUN 2019Every year Rotary District 5050 hosts an annual fundraiser for our fellow Rotarian golfers. This year, they didn’t know what hit them when Fidalgo Island Rotary put together and sponsored a Dream Team of Five-Star Athletes (pictured from left to right) Barry Harter, Dan Conrardy, Steve “Rutzy”, and Kurt "Hole-In-One" Nelson. These four basically had their own theme song as they strutted onto The Homestead Golf and Country Club in slow-mo thinking “We got this!” Little did they know...
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Waterfront Alliance BoatEvery year, Fidalgo Island Rotary accepts grant requests from community members or organizations, donating to causes that we support and enjoy! And what could be more Anacortes than learning how to sail? This summer, the Community Service committee fulfilled a grant request from the Anacortes Waterfront Alliance to help the group purchase new boats for its fleet.
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Honduras Adopt-A-School ProgramThe Honduras Adopt-A-School Program was created by The International Project Alliance (also known as the IPA) and since 2015, has provided over 8,000 backpacks for children in Copån Ruinas. The IPA, led by our past president Peter Martin & Walt Guterbock, is an alliance of Western Washington Rotary Clubs that have combined forces to do projects in the Copán region that help education, provide clean water, health, and agriculture. |
Fidalgo Island Rotary Takes the Lead for STEM CampFidalgo Island Rotary sponsored their first S.T.E.M Camp for middle school age students in the region. A program previously sponsored by the Anacortes Schools Foundation. The popular day-camp combined hands-on experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — STEM. The idea is to break down the scary part (of STEM) and make it FUN! |
Tommy Thompson Pocket ParkFidalgo Island Rotary was approached by the city of Anacortes to refurbish and relandscape the pocket park located on the Tommy Thompson Trail just off of 34th & V Ave. trailhead. Local driftwood was donated, sanded, varnished and built by men and women in our club. Next, a community hands-on landscaping project followed with weed, bush and mulch laying. Finally, a top coat of varnish was added to help protect the benches from the elements.
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Shipwreck Fest 2019 RecapShipwreck Fest, our sponsored community flea market fundraiser, was a huge success! We had a record of 286 vendors and 489 booths this year and raised an estimated $28,000 for local and international projects. We noticed lots of our Anacortes neighbors got in on the action by setting up their very own yard sales around town. The Anacortes Music Project had different musical acts and food trucks scattered around town as well.
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Free Kids Boat Building 2019Have you ever been a part of a community that LITERALLY comes together for the greater good? Every year Fidalgo Island Rotary offers FREE Kids Boat Building at the Anacortes Waterfront Festival hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.
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Opal House — Medical MissionIn March of 2019, Fidalgo Island Rotary Club member, Dr. Stephen Miller, conducted his eighth annual Opal House — Rotary Medical Mission to the charity hospital in San Lucas Toliman on the shore of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. The largely surgical mission is sponsored and partially funded by our Rotary Club which has used a Rotary Foundation Global Grant in the past to purchase an x-ray machine and mini C-arm fluoroscopy machine for the hospital. Click here to read more about the project and the people it helps!
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Red, White & Rotary Art Auction |
Local Rotarian gifted Key to the City of Copán Ruinas in Honduras
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WhoVille @ Celebrate the SeasonFidalgo Island Rotary is full of talented volunteers that know how to have fun and help out the Anacortes community. They set up a WhoVille village at the port for Celebrate the Season for the first time this year. Parents can bring their kids down to interact with the village, play some mini golf and get their picture taken with the Grinch. Come join the fun and volunteer with us! Contact FIR.theFUNclub@gmail.com for more info. Check out our photo album or our Facebook page for more! |
Annual Oktoberfest PartyOur fall celebration was a hit with Ed Spauer leading the event for this years' Oktoberfest Extravaganza. Lots of beer, brats and potato salad to make the evening festivities enjoyable. Prizes were given for the best and ugliest stein; Best Oktoberfest outfit (Tricia looked more like a drunk lumberjack on stilts), and Best Yodel. The party was held at the Skyline Beach Club on the west side of Fidalgo Island. For more pictures from this event click on the Photo Album Oktoberfest 2016.
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Make A Difference Day 2016On October 22, Fidalgo Island Community Service Committee decided to do a little "light" gardening for the Anacortes Family Center. Volunteers showed up with their gardening tools in hand to pull weeds, prune trees and plant 350 bulbs donated by the Washington Bulb Co.
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GolFUN 2016The District 5050 GolFUN is not your average golf fundraiser... it's actually fun!
When Graham Read and I were first asked to sell Mulligans and take marketing and PR photos at this years' golf fundraiser —at the Hazelmere Golf & Country Club in Surrey BC Canada, neither one of us actually played golf. We didn't know what to expect. As Graham and I pulled up we noticed right away that a Rotary club met there and the landscaping was immaculate. The more and more pictures we shot of the course and talking to the players and the staff working the grounds— we realized how much fun camaraderie each one had for the course and each other. The landscape was very serene and beautiful and no one was taking the tournament very seriously, which was a breath of fresh air for us since we didn't really understand golf etiquette.
To see more pictures of the GolFUN 2016 tournament click here.
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Anacortes Waterfront Festival - FREE Kid Boat BuildingFidalgo Island Rotary puts together the biggest FREE kids boat building activity at the Anacortes Waterfront Festival. Thousands of children and parents will flock to our festival booth to receive a real wood boat hull, cut and sanded to be crafted by them with wood pieces, corks, glue and hammers. All the materials are donated by Sierra Pacific, Sebos Hardware and Rotarian members. This year the boats were cut and sanded by members of Fidalgo Island Rotary and the metal shop class from Anacortes High School. If you would like to join in on the FUN contact Tricia at FIR.theFunClub@gmail.com for more info.
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ASD Certificate of AppreciationFidalgo Island Rotary was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Anacortes School District for our donations to support special programs in Anacortes elementary and middle schools. These programs would not be available to help teachers succeed in their curriculum without local charities like ours helping them move forward in a changing world. Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! for everyone who helped make this possible.
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2016 What A Year! |
ShelterBox Donation MatchingThe Giving Challenge is an online donation drive where hundreds of charities compete for matching dollars and incentive grants during a 24-hour period.
Starting Tuesday, September 1st at noon EDT, gifts from $25 up to $250 will be eligible to be matched 1:1 per donor, per organization. There is no limit to the amount of matching dollars available! Each gift is 100% tax-deductible and donors will immediately receive a tax receipt. The Challenge ends at noon on September 2nd.
>> DONATE << Make your tax-deductible contribution of at least $25 (gifts must be made online using a credit card) using the online Giving Challenge Portal. PORTAL OPENS AT 12 PM:
You can also go to www.givingpartnerchallenge.org, search for "ShelterBox," and make your tax-deductible contribution of at least $25. (Again, donation portal does not open until Tuesday, September 1 at 12 pm EST.) Don't want to wait? Pledge your donation in advance by calling us at 941-907-6036 and we’ll make your credit card donation for you at the start of the campaign. All donations during the challenge will support ShelterBox USA and help to provide global humanitarian relief! |
Fidalgo Island Rotary Recognized in Anacortes Today ArticleMany thanks once again to the Fidalgo Island Rotary Club, whose annual contribution of FREE miniature wooden boats for children is one of the highlights of the Anacortes Waterfront Festival. Word on the street (Okay, Dr. Stephen Miller, Rotary volunteer) is that the club passed 1,600 boats on to delighted children this year! Hull, mast, sail, drilled holes to accommodate masts ... what a great effort by a bunch of great community volunteers!
-Steve Berentson
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OASIS Teen Shelter DonationOasis Teen ShelterToday our club donated laundrey, food, paper and personal items to the Oasis Teen
Shelter located in Mount Vernon. Thanks to EVERYONE who made the donation drive successful! |
THE FOUR WAY TEST! |
Fourth Mission Accomplished - Ambulance Delivered |
Thoughts on Nepal, By Jack FriskLeaving the Garden Nirvana Hotel, one plunges into Kathmandu. The street is a mass of humanity trying to move in all directions with little success. . . |
Healing the Children and Rotary Combine Efforts
Fidalgo Island Rotary Club and Healing the Children
Medical Mission to Nepal Orthopedic Hospital
Kathmandu, Nepal
September 20-27, 2008
Six members of the Fidalgo Island Rotary Club and 13 volunteers for the Healing the Children Foundation departed for Kathmandu, Nepal on September 17, 2008 on a multi-purpose mission. The Rotarians had combined efforts with the Wheelchair Foundation to ship and distribute 100 brand new wheel chairs to disabled children and adults in Nepal while the HTC volunteers were on a medical mission to surgically treat a number of severe foot and ankle deformities, mostly as a result of neglected clubfoot. Both teams received tremendous support from the Rotary Clubs in Kathamndu and, together, they changed many lives.
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