If you Google famous quotations by past presidents you won’t find any by Mark Edgecomb. That shouldn’t surprise anyone – he hasn’t been on the job long enough.   (Well actually he does not start in that job until July 1, 2021.) But you’ll find 175 famous quotations by former president Ronald Reagan, so Mark has his work cut out for him.

Notable This Year

• The pandemic. Something we haven’t experienced [before] in our lifetimes. Whether you believe it was a scientific/medical or a political event, it changed the world.  Global political divides erupted proving there is no room in Rotary for politics. We cannot afford to cut our Rotary power in half by alienation.  Speaking of power, Greg Rediske learned how to transform matter just using Norwegian brainpower. He converted a solid into a fluid just by staring at it. Specifically, for those of you who are really into physics – He placed an ice cube on a plate and gazed at it. It took a lot longer than he thought it would, but success! Mark was able to navigate all the exigencies of the year with a smile and a suit and tie. Even in a hot tub.
• Zoom. Perhaps one of the best and unforeseen consequences of the year is a new paradigm of how Rotary  (and other organizations) meet. Certainly challenging at the beginning, a Zoom meeting is now an ordinary event. Mark very smartly engaged Leanna Christian to assist in the process.
• Membership. Perhaps it is part and parcel of the Zoom experience but our membership has grown. Whod’a thunk it a year ago? Puffins galore. And, in my opinion, it has been a very democratic process. Everyone seems to be equally engaged. An aside, if you will: my youngest son is a Navy veteran who lives and works on Whidbey Island. He was at a gathering of business people in Coupeville a couple of weeks ago and met a group of Rotarians. As his father, mother, grandfather and grandmother have all been involved in Rotary he has always wanted to join Rotary. He asked, “How does one become a Puffin?” He was greeted with totally blank stares. He knows a new Rotarian in the Lakewood Club is a Puffin so he obviously assumed a new Rotarian in any club would be a Puffin. Wrong! Just Lakewood.
• The Auction. That engagement surpassed all expectations. Whereas money is not the lifeblood of Lakewood Rotary – fellowship is – we cannot do what Mark, the directors and now President Jim wants to do - without money. I know Mark will bow modestly to his chairpersons – Eric Quinn and Nicole Hancock - who maneuvered the event but it was during his year as president. One of the items I bought was the Homing Pigeon. The instructions say simply sell it on eBay as many times as you like. Feed it corn.
• Fellowship.  What a challenge. Masks? No masks? Social distancing? In person? Via Zoom? For a club that thrives on friendships rooted in Rotary fellowship, the year was a reflection of the world around us. Extroverts worked harder to establish and maintain relationships. Reclusive people became more so. Social psychologists are having a field day writing about the phenomena of the pandemic. Medical researchers will write their reports on how COVID happened. Political scientists will expound on domestic and global political gyrations causing unprecedented change. Lakewood Rotary will survive and prosper because we connect with one another. Caution: Such circumstances that are beyond our control must NEVER divide us. To do so would damage so much. Mark Edgecomb has a wonderful smile (as do Tom George and Leanna Christian) and a welcoming nature. Every meeting was a greeting of welcomeness by Mark. Well-done friends!
• Passages. How strange it was to not bid goodbye to old friends who may have left your family and friendships. But how wonderful it is to welcome Carole Wier and Wendy McGowan into the club.

Friday’s meeting was an embarrassment of riches. Rotarians have told me there is so much to report that I may not know where to begin. So as to not alienate anyone whom I may miss in the “normal” bulletin format, I will refer to that format, but loosely. You may ask, “But Ole, why would you do that?”  My reply is that I missed the meeting and will have to make stuff up. Or, more grammatically correct (not end with a preposition) - I will have to up make stuff. Let’s see how I do.
 

• President Mark rang the bell for the last time. (Aha, got that one right.)
• Barlow Buescher appointed Jan Gee as his sub for the invocation. Even though retired he directed her to be thankful for our blessings in life and grateful for our leadership and service. (Total guess, on this one.)
• PP Ralph Lockhart was slated for his special rendition of A Salute To The Flag but called from the freeway. His 1949 Hudson Hornet overheated and he couldn’t make it to the meeting so President Mark led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. (If you’ve never seen Ralph’s flag salute, it is quite stirring.)
• President Mark gave thanks to his helpers for the meeting. Leanna Christian wasn’t there for the Zoom so Gayle Selden filled –in, capably, as always. Treasurer John Lowney took a break from repairing his failing air conditioner to collect monies. Bulletin by Ole. Well, I was on a ferryboat from Ballard to Poulsbo to replenish my pickled herring supplies. I am re-creating this Lakewood Rotary meeting much as Leo Lassen used to re-create Seattle Rainiers baseball games back in the 1950’s. Remember those? Oh, that’s right. You’re too young. Too bad.
• Puffins attended Mark’s final meeting: Carole Weir, Carl “Horse Thief” Bronkema, Smiling Tom George, and Steve Saalfeld. (By this time you’re probably thinking, “Wait just a darn minute here. If Ole really was on a ferryboat from Ballard to Poulsbo, how come he knows these details about the meeting?” Well you’re sure a lot smarter than you look! Because you’d be right. I was on a ferryboat from Edmonds to Kingston. By golly, I yust can’t pull the wool over your eyes.)
• Old Neighbor Forkenbrock was absent but Mark mentioned Donnnn Irwin’s road to recovery is now in the therapy stage. I heard from Donnnn last week because I had referred a Swedish Faith Healer to him for heart health.  Doctor Knute K. Knutsen, PdQ prescribed Vitamin N. To wit:

Dis here’s a prescription
To correct your heart’s conniption.
Your recovery clearly depends
On your consumption of Vitamin N’s.

You know that they will make you strong
And make your life so very long

• In the eyes of many clairvoyants –

For you to be to your wife,
a bit of an annoyance.

Two N’s in the Ayem and a couple more at noon
Two more then nightly until the end of June,
And you’ll be ever so much more rambunctious
And never ever again malfunctious!

Dr. K

Clearly a miraculous marvel of modern medicine.
 

• Another Don – PP Daniels turned 32 years of age on this day. He was 16 when president of Fife-Milton Rotary. Huh?
• Incoming President Jim Rooks Community Concerns Committee gave away a pile of cash that Treasurer John Lowney had squirrelled away. All the usual suspects got an extra $1800 apiece. Nice windfall for the organizations we support.
• Phil Eng announced a floating board meeting on Lake Steilacoom for July 15^th. Stay tuned for further plans.
• President Mark announced a second winner of his Accounts Receivable prize, Carole Wier having won the first installment in December. And the winner is: Rob Erb. A $200 gift certificate for lodging or dining at The Silver Cloud Hotel on Ruston Way.
• Presidential Privilege. Mark is a very gracious man and took the time to thank people who spearheaded both planned and unplanned projects throughout the year.
• Rose Stevens and Tom George raised both donated money and grant money for a project in India.
• Bob Zawilski asked for support of The Little Free Pantry endeavor. Just asking raised $3950. There are 5 locations with more coming.
• The Selden Family matched $2250 that was asked for. AED Defibrillators are being installed at Fort Steilacoom Park.
• Between fines and asks, $23,120 was put to work this Rotary year
• Game night raised $10,000 plus.
• The recent virtual auction had an ambitious budget of $40,000. They didn’t make that goal however. WE DOUBLED IT! More than $80,000 was raised.

Now, if you don’t believe I missed the meeting, the following report should change your mind on that matter. I am going to guess that someone from the City of Lakewood - an unelected official - was the speaker. I am going to guess that the speaker was someone who is highly educated (not an Evergreen State College graduate), articulate, well practiced and has several municipal solutions seeking problems.  If I am correct in that guess, I have nothing further to report on the noon meeting. However, PP Phil Eng wants to share the following about the installation dinner. What I observed at that event was fellowship at its finest. A really fun time shaking hands – gasp! – with friends, hugging – No! - Dear old pals, and smiles everywhere. Now Past President Mark can get on with those quotable moments. He has thanked his directors, chairpersons, helpers and family copiously. No more, Mark. We know you are grateful and we have been blessed with your leadership under the most extraordinary circumstances. What a year!




Above: What a great smile!

Who reads This Stuff?

Ole

Phil Eng added this:

“Everyone I spoke with said they had a great time at the Installation Banquet.  The fact that we had 91 attendees was a loud statement that we were ready to say good riddance to Covid.  Kudos to Gayle, Mark, Greg, Jim and all the others that put together the program.   

During our regular meetings we’re always grateful to the “behind the scenes” setup crew and acknowledge their efforts.  Last Friday, I didn’t get a chance to grab the mic, so I want to take this opportunity to thank Terry Roarke, with an assist from Duncan Cook, for setting up and taking down the meeting paraphernalia.  We had not met in-person for almost a year and a half.  Getting the sound system set up was of paramount importance.  Thank you Terry and Duncan!”



Above:  We are in good hands moving forward