On August 7th, we met for our annual summer "picnic" at the home of our gracious hosts Doug & Kris VanderSanden.   We enjoyed a great pot luck dinner.
Our speaker was  Dr. Lee Harman who has been actively working on Rotary's PolioPlus project for many years.  He described the effort to eradicate polio and Rotary's major role.   He is currently raising money for PolioPlus riding his Model A, Miss Vicky, on an edurance trip from Alaska to Mexico.

 

 

 

Marcello Coradini – Chairman, International Space Advisory Board and CEO Space Systems Solutions - spoke July 17 on Impact of Planetary Environment on the Human Body

 Marcello shared with us the effects of the environment on our physical being.  He spent his entire career researching how the human body would evolve as a function of our environment.  He believes that for the species to be guaranteed survival, evolution will be accelerated, with things like the global warming.  He has researched the effects as it relates to the larger universe and those environments.  In a higher radiation environment, the human will develop thicker skin.  Eyes would probably be more sensitive to UV and X radiation and the perception of reality would be totally different, where we would perceive the structure of object instead of just their shapes.
 
The shapes of our head to house the brain could be totally different.  Perhaps a big shiny head in the future may then very well be a statement of beauty in 50,000 years.  The brain will change over time due to environment as well as teeth and the shape of the mouth to match what is required for the types of food we would eat.  In addition, according to geneticists, the intensive use of computers and screens will alo affect the size of the human eye.  When you look at the shapes of noses today from different parts of the world, you realize how the environment affects the breathing and nose shape.  From Dinarid, to Roman, to Armenid, to Syrid, the different is due to the current environment to allow people to breath freely.  As the atmosphere changes, so does our nose shape. Also affected is our size.  As gravity changes, so will our compression on our spine and with a change in gravity, can allow for humans to be much taller, and/or much shorter.  All characteristics are not changed by genes, but rather by environment.  Parameters determining the human morphology are gravity, atmospheric composition, atmospheric composition, atmospheric pressure, magnetic field and temperature/climate.  As we search for other planets to provide living spaces, all of the above will be taken into account to ensure the human species can survive.   
 
Wow, what an interesting presentation with so many GREAT questions and thought from all the members.  

Read More for Marcello's background.

 

 

 

Our June 26 meeting had an additional Scholarship winner speak briefly

and was the installation of our new President, officers and directors.

 

Adam McGarity end his term as president with the speech and presentation given below:

 

I’ll start by saying, wow!
What a year we had!
We had some great club meetings and guest speakers.
We hosted fun, successful events.
And we put on massive fundraisers.
We volunteered our time and expertise.
We donated our dollars,
and directed that money towards worthwhile projects.
We strengthened friendships between one another,
and friendships with the community at large.
We improved the workings of our club.
We made La Conner an even better place to be.
And we strengthened our ties abroad
through service, giving, and fellowship.
We advanced Rotary’s mission,
And we did our best to live up to the Four-Way Test each and every day.In preparing for this speech,
I started thinking about your individual contributions.
I began a list...but the list got longer, and longer, and longer. Ultimately, I found it very difficult to single out individuals,
even the most active and engaged among us.
Because I know that each and every one of you
gave the time that you could,
offered what expertise and widsom that you have,
and donated what money you were able...
both to our club, and to Rotary at large.
This club has a generous spirit that we should be proud of,
even the humblest among us.
I want to say thank you to you all...
You’re the reason I’m a part of this club,
and it’s your generous spirit that keeps our club true to its name,
 the “Make it Happen Club."
 

 

See "Read More" below for the middle of his speech.

 

In closing, I’d like to say, Connie,
I know you’re going to have a great year...
You have a supportive, engaged club, and fine line-up of leaders You have a community that appreciates the work we do
And you have a past-president that will support, advise and assist however you need.
Here’s to a successful club year in ‘23-’24