Rotary Club of La Conner

Service Above Self

We meet In Person

Mondays at 5:30 p.m.

Shawn O'Donnell's Farmhouse Restaurant

11376 LaConner-Whitney Rd
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
United States of America

Everyone is Welcome
5:30 - Set-Up, Social, Meal
6:00 - Formal Meeting
Note: 3rd Monday of the month is devoted to club business (Committee Reports & Boards), and maybe via Zoom. All members are invited to attend.

District Site

Bulletins

Venue Map

Membership 2025

At our February 24, 2025 Meeting, our guests for the evening were Beth Clothier and Olimpia Zuniga from Eagle's Nest ASB club. They thanked the club for the grant for the field trip to the aquarium. This field trip gives these migrant workers' children a chance to expand their horizons and experience something new. It allows them to grow and explore.

Christi shared an update from the membership committee.

1. She offered business cards to distribute to anyone we are talking about Rotary. the QR code is to our website.

2. Christi is updating the brochure and awaiting board feedback.

3. La Conner Thrives, a new non-profit whose goal is to bring people to La Conner, is working on organizing an ice cream social. To be held sometime this spring and the focus will be on the nonprofits in the area.

4. Planning a membership fireside chat with Kiwanis and Soroptimist

5. Christi plans to ask Shawn O'Donnell if possible to improve the technology in the restaurant to make Zoom a more interactive experience

RI president's saying for the year 2025-26 is Unite for Good.

Skagit Symphony 2025

The inspiration was provided by Connie. Since February is Peacebuilding & Conflict Prevention Month, she gave four quotes about peace:

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding. -- Albert Einstein

Peace is not absence of conflict. It is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. -- Ronald Reagan

To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart. –- Eleanor Roosevelt

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. -- John F. Kennedy

Some Valentine quotes reminded Connie of Rotary:

"When we love, we always strive to be better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." (This quote is from The Alchemist by Paul Coelho.) That's what we're always trying to do.

Charles Schulz said, "All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."
Rita Rudner said, "It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."

Marty introduced Nellie Madrigal Corona, a potential Skagit Club YES student.

She said:

“My name is Janellie, or just Nellie. I'm a high school student at Mount Vernon High School.

I want to thank you all for letting me come here. I'm really musically inclined, so if you ever attend an orchestra event at Mount Vernon High School, you'll see me playing the upright bass. It's a bit rare, so I feel special about it.

Marty gave me the opportunity to come here and talk to you all, so I'm really grateful. Thank you!”

Nellie is in 11th grade.

Skagit Symphony

Karen introduced our guest speaker for the evening, Carrie Omdal from Skagit Symphony.

She has had 3 students in the YES program over the years including Lisa and Sarah. Sarah was on the YES trip last year.

Carrie is originally from Michigan. After college, she joined the Air Force and ended up married to a Skagit Valley local. She commanded a 650-person squad and has deployed to several combat zones. She has always played the clarinet and the saxophone, and, when the opportunity with Skagit Symphony came up, she was thrilled to get the position of executive director. She has been with the symphony for about 6 months.

She has 3 daughters and has visited 34 countries.

Carrie is enjoying her job and can't believe how much she loves going to work every day. She has been playing the clarinet since she was 10 years old and has participated in symphonies and orchestras ever since. While in the military, they used music as a coping technique, playing alone to relieve frustrations. They emphasize the importance of getting young people into music as it provides a sense of belonging and is a great life skill.

The Skagit Symphony is a community orchestra with about 70 volunteer musicians. The symphony has been around for 45 seasons, and is already planning its 50th season. Musicians come from all over to be part of the Skagit Symphony because of their love for music. The symphony is known for its high-quality performances, and auditions are competitive.

The symphony's mission is to present professional-level orchestral experiences, and to enrich, entertain, educate, and inspire the community through music. They perform at McIntyre Hall, which is acoustically one of the best theaters in the state.

The symphony's Maestro creates a musical story each season, and this year focuses on timeless elements such as earth, air, water, and fire. They also hold family and school concerts, as well as a fun Pops concert. Before each concert, the Maestro gives a talk about the music, helping the audience understand and appreciate it more.

Guest artists are brought in to enhance the performances and challenge the musicians. These guest artists are high-caliber professionals who help elevate the level of the symphony. The symphony typically has at least three guest artists per season, depending on fundraising.

Carrie discussed Skagit Symphony's educational programs, including a recent event where they brought in almost 1,800 fifth graders from 29 schools to McIntyre Hall for three concerts. The concerts featured a narrator and a performance of The Composer is Dead, which the kids enjoyed. The symphony covered all costs for the event, including transportation, making it accessible to all students.

Carrie emphasized the importance of introducing kids to live orchestral music and providing educational materials for school teachers. She also mentioned a family concert held after the kids' concert, with a low-cost ticket price to ensure attendance. The family concert included a music fair where kids could try playing instruments, and interact with musicians.

The Skagit Symphony's final concert of the year is a Pops concert, which features more mainstream music and themes. This year's theme is "Wild, Wild West," and they will perform "The Cowboys" by John Williams, among other pieces.

Carrie also highlighted the Symphony's community involvement, including their "Art in the Garden Bash" fundraiser, and the "100 Campaign" where they ask for 100 people to donate $100 each in 100 hours. Additionally, she mentioned a new beginner violin program, funded by donations, which is free for participants and held at the Skagit Community Library.

The Symphony collaborates with various organizations to make music accessible to everyone and offers programs like a strings camp, and partnerships with the Anacortes for Music Project.

Carrie concluded by expressing gratitude for the support and encouraging attendees to check out their flyer and attend upcoming concerts.

Carrie mentioned that the budget for the year is about $300,000, which includes costs for McIntyre Hall fees, music, employees, and marketing. Even if all 650 seats at McIntyre Hall are sold out for each concert, it only covers a third of the budget. They received a grant this year to hold a second Pops concert, which always sells out. The extra concert will allow high school music programs to attend for free.

Carrie concluded by thanking the audience and inviting them to visit the symphony's office in Mount Vernon for a chat and a cup of coffee.

Very enlightening and educational program! Everyone was very engaged and had some great questions.

The La Conner Rotary was noted as a sponsor in the program for "The Composer is Dead".

Braves Club

Brian and Chloe from the Braves Club were introduced, and thanked the group for their $2,000 donation.

They explained that the donation was primarily used for food for the kids, which was very important. They mentioned the success of the pumpkin painting activity in October, which helped increase parent engagement for future events.

The Braves Club currently serves kids from kindergarten through sixth grade, with a goal to expand to include high school students. They have about 35 to 45 kids attending daily, with the majority being in second and third grade.

Brian and Chloe also mentioned upcoming family engagement events, including a community day in May and an agricultural day on March 19th. They are planning to invite local organizations and community members to set up booths and participate in these events.

They invited everyone to attend a talent night on February 27^th, and encouraged anyone with ideas or organizations to contribute to the upcoming community events to email them.

Announcements:

Audrey shared a folder with thank yous and some adorable pictures of kids from the families that we adopted from SPARC at Christmas time.

Adam noted his wife is the director of the new organization, La Conner Thrives, which is a community building organization. They're supporting various events around town. They're going to be hosting the ice cream social for nonprofit and community groups in La Conner sometime in May. Everybody can come; there won't be any volunteering expected. If you'd like to help, please let Adam or La Conner Thrives know.

For the District 5050 Day of Service to be held on Saturday, May 17, John Milnor is going to lead a team of members to work on Day of Service, including Patsy and Tate.

Jerry requested feedback about the La Conner online newspaper, https://laconnercommunitynews.org/, of which he is a board member.

Miss Vicki 2025 polio

Etta NWTA

At our February 3, 2025 Rotary Meeting.

The inspiration was provided by Dennis. Dennis began with the risks of failing to use positive thinking https://www.businessballs.com/amusement-stress-relief/murphys-plough-positive-thinking-story/. Dennis continued with: “

I am very fortunate to have married someone with a much more positive attitude than mine. I probably fit the description of McGinty as much as anyone would.

When I think of Connie, I think of these qualities: a positive attitude, being happy even when things are hard, being grateful for what you have, looking for opportunities, being hopeful for the future, and seeing the bright side of things. I truly have never known anyone more positive.”

Connie introduced our guests this evening: Rotarians Tara Pasternak and Randy Myers about their work on the Etta Project in Bolivia, and Northwest Carrier and Technical Academy’s Peter Donaldson, NCTA Assistant Director, and Daniel Castillo, teacher.

NCTA

Peter Donaldson, the Assistant Director at Northwest Career and Technical Academy (NCTA), introduced himself and provided an overview of the academy. NCTA is a Washington State Skill Center with campuses in Mount Vernon, Anacortes, and other locations. The skill center offers preparatory skill-based programming for junior and senior high school students, providing access to specialized facilities that individual high schools might not afford.

Peter highlighted the construction program at the Anacortes campus, led by Daniel, who was hired recently. Daniel, familiar with the community, has approached civic organizations like Rotary for funding and support. The organization approved a grant for materials and supplies, which are costly for construction programs.

Peter expressed gratitude for Rotary's support and emphasized the positive impact Daniel has had on the program, reinvigorating it with a sense of commitment and purpose. He concluded by thanking Rotary for their support.

Daniel introduced himself and shared that, due to budget constraints, La Conner High School had to cut the chicken coop program. However, he decided to pursue teaching again, specifically in woodshop or residential construction, despite the scarcity of such jobs. He took career and technical education courses to get certified and started his own LLC, La Conner Handyman, which he paused when this teaching position opened up.

He emphasized the importance of these skills, as people need help with home repairs. He highlighted the use of DeWalt tools in their construction program, noting their reliability and ergonomic design. The program involves making tiny homes, which are financed by the Low Income Housing Institute and another organization that helps people acquire jobs in the trades. The homes are built, framed, and transported to tiny home villages in Washington for those seeking transitional shelter.

Daniel shared that the funds from the Rotary Club grant will be used to supplement the project, giving students additional hands-on experience for their own projects and keeping the program running. The grant helps provide supplies and ensures students can have hands-on building experiences. He thanked the Rotary Club for their support and mentioned the award of $3,500 for supplies to help the program become sustainable.

Daniel mentioned that there are currently three students in his class, with hopes of increasing that number over time. NCTA has close to 30 students from La Conner High School participating in various programs, including maritime, aerospace, animation, and graphic design.

When asked about certifications, Daniel explained that students receive an industry-recognized certificate upon completing the program. This certificate indicates that they have acquired certain skills and met specific standards. Additionally, they offer OSHA 10 certification and have a pre-apprenticeship program with Trico Construction in Sedro-Woolley. Students have access to Trico's training facilities and programs for free, and Trico has donated vests, hard hats, and safety glasses to support the program.

Etta project

Tara and Randy were introduced. Randy retired in 2015 after owning and founding House Managers, a national construction supply company with locations across Canada. He became a Rotary member in Whitney, Ontario in 2016, and moved back to White Rock, BC in 2018 at member of Rotary Club of Semiahmoo. Both Tara and Randy enjoy international travel and projects involving young people.

Tara, previously a member of our club, now belongs to the Brilliant Day Club, which matches her work hours better. She has over 20 years of experience in the prosecuting office and has a wonderful family. Her spouse recently got a promotion in the sheriff's office. Tara is also involved in Skagit leadership.

Tara and Randy have traveled extensively to different countries.

Our club gave $2,000 to the Etta Project. Rotary Club of Semiahmoo is only Canadian club that is an International Project Alliance (IPA) member.

Etta Projects takes trips every other year for sponsors and interested individuals who want to see what's happening on the ground throughout the year. They get a chance to catch a glimpse of current developments.

We have the flexibility to choose different activities each day, so we aren't restricted to one specific thing. For example, some areas have "Day for Girls" programs, and other initiatives that many people aren't allowed to access. It's a combination of seeing exactly what's going on and showing people where their money is being spent. Often, you're donating money without seeing the impact, and this is an opportunity to see that.

In Honduras, the situation is very similar but on a much larger scale. The Etta program covers a much bigger area instead of just visiting the same villages. Etta is involved in various projects in different areas, including water projects. One project we were involved with provided over 600 pairs of reading glasses to people.

The Etta group has an office in the city, staffed by volunteers from around the world, including many Italians. These volunteers, often students or people taking a break from their studies, contribute their time and energy to the project. They receive accommodation in return for their work.

Pennye Nixon, the founder of the project, started it in honor of her daughter, who died in a bus accident while on a Rotary exchange trip in Bolivia. When Pennye went to retrieve her daughter's body, she was approached by many people her daughter had impacted, asking how they could honor her daughter's memory. This led to the creation of Etta Projects, which has been active for over 30 years. Etta Projects was created in 2003 to honor the life and humanitarian concerns of Etta Turner.

Pennye is a dynamic person, dedicated to the project. The group owns a 96-acre property in the jungle, adjacent to a national park. This location serves as a training center for people, mainly women, where they can stay with their children and learn various skills in a safe environment. The property includes hostel-like accommodations with communal showers and bathrooms. Electricity and running water are available, but Wi-Fi is limited and unreliable.

The Etta Project involves multiple initiatives, including aquaponics, hydroponics gardens, and biowaste composting with worms. They aim to introduce sustainable practices and farming techniques to the community, which traditionally were hunter-gatherers and not familiar with farming or fertilization. The project also looks at marketable products such as dragon fruit, and works with co-ops to expand these initiatives.

The Etta Project volunteers in Bolivia, including students and people taking breaks from their studies, come from around the world to contribute their time and energy. One notable aspect observed was the industrial scale of farming operations, where expensive equipment was used, but the local poor people did not benefit financially.

One of the key projects involves building bio-toilets, which require partial funding from local people. The bio-toilets have two holes and a deposit area, allowing for waste to be composted and used as fertilizer. Volunteers, including those from Rotary clubs, help build these toilets and paint the Rotary logo on them.

Another significant project is sex education and birth control, where volunteers distribute free implants to girls. Due to cultural and societal constraints, this work is challenging, and many girls seek these implants secretly to avoid having more children. The volunteers work with local hospitals and advertise their services to reach as many girls as possible.

The project includes "Days for Girls," where female volunteers distribute kits and provide sex education to middle school-aged girls. They emphasized the importance of sex education and reusable menstrual products through the "Days for Girls" initiative, which aims to keep girls in school longer and reduce the stigma around menstruation. The goal is to help girls stay in school until grade 9, as the drop-off rate is significant after grade 6, putting girls at a disadvantage. Education helps manage early births since teenage births are high risk; if they're under 18, there are more chances of something going wrong.

This day also involved a vision clinic, where volunteers distributed reading glasses to those in need. One woman, who had never seen her face clearly before, was moved to tears upon receiving glasses. The vision clinic served over 600 people, including hospital staff, teachers, and students. However, this project only occurs every two years. The volunteers faced challenges such as customs checks when bringing eyewear to Bolivia. During the vision clinic, many people were given glasses, some of which had decorative designs. The focus was on functionality rather than appearance, as people needed glasses to see and for employment purposes.

Additionally, volunteers entertained children with activities such as making bead necklaces and playing with soccer balls. The mayor and the head of the local Rotary club attended these events, emphasizing the significance of the project. Another project involved growing Hippy Hoppa plants, which are used to make various products such as hats and jewelry. This project supports revenue-generating co-ops.

The project not only addresses immediate needs but also boosts the local economy by attracting tourists who spend money in the region.

In La Paz, the group observed traditional medicine practices, where specialists educate communities on using natural forest products for medical purposes. This knowledge helps communities regain lost traditional medicine practices.

The group also discussed various projects' long-term impacts, including water projects that bring water from rivers to communities, and bio-toilets that last around 15 years.

Very enlightening and educational program! Everyone was very engaged and had some great questions.

LUCK O’ THE IRISH GAME NIGHT for YES - YOUTH ENGAGED in SERVICE 2024-2025 LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM Supported by Rotary Clubs in Skagit County Saturday – March 1st – 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Meet the 2024-2025 YES Team and help them raise funds for the work projects they will be doing in a remote village in Honduras in June.
Maple Hall, 104 Commercial, La Conner, Washington
Cost: $65 per person, including dinner, desserts, wine, beer, and pop. If you buy a ticket and can’t attend, your ticket number will still be eligible to win a prize; you just won’t have all the fun!!!
Sign up online! https://auctria.events/LuckoftheIrish2025 or email bernadette4ah@gmail.com and you will be signed up!
Contact Bernie Halliday for more information (360.319.9524)

Audrey’s closing remarks: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain

Ecuador visit

The inspiration was provided by Lyanne on “What I’ve Learned” by author unknown.

It’s a variation on https://www.vcnewsreview.com/stories/through-all-the-ages-comes-wisdom,141445 or https://www.k-state.edu/wwparent/humor/life.htm or https://cs.ccsu.edu/~pelletie/local/humor/miscellaneous/learn.html

See the Read More at end for Lyanne’s full version.

Marty introduced our guest speakers for the evening - Youth Engaged in Service (YES) students Marlin Bralens and Hadden Zimmerman.

They described their trip to Ecuador last summer with Spanish 2 & 3 high school students.

They approached many clubs to fund their trip. Rotary donated the most of the clubs they visited.

For the YES program, they are going to Honduras June 20-30 with 9 other kids, and need to raise money. Attend Luck of the Irish on 3/1 at Shawn O’Donnell’s - $65/ticket. The tickets are to raise money for materials to paint a school, build a playground, and install a water tank.

They showed pictures from their trip to Ecuador. The first day was in Quito visiting Cuidad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City) at Latitude 0°. They then visited Tena where they tried beetle larva worms grilled as shish kabob-like Jalapeno poppers, and saw wild monkeys. They took boats to islands, and played basketball with local kids.

Hadden made a pottery bowl. Everyone tried a blow gun, and Hadden hit a bullseye.

They went whitewater rafting on the river. In a hot springs town (baños) they tried street food such as pig stomach. They hiked at altitude in Cotopaxi National Park. They enjoyed a dance party.

They signed a Spanish book which goes to our mobile library in Honduras.

Lori recommended signing up for:

La Conner High School Blood Drive, Landy-James High School Gym

502 N 6th St., La Conner, WA

Friday, February 21^st, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Call Bloodworks NW at 800-398-7888, or click bloodworksnw.org/giveblood

Susan Guterbock noted that next year our Assistant Governor will be our wonderful current President, Audrey Gravely, and wished us a Happy New Year. She then spoke as follows:

Be a champion for End Polio Now. And of course, have fun.

You can go to the district website for a schedule of speakers and events for the District Conference. They are going to have a murder mystery game over the weekend, with clues given throughout the conference. They'll have great music from the Dueling Pianos. They are amazing and will be at the gala dinner.

I won't go over the food, but I'm going for the Dueling Pianos. You get a discount for the nearby outlet mall, and can visit the House of Magic. See the projects and opportunities, and meet Rotarians from both Canada and the US in the district. You get some ideas for really good projects.

The conference is just down the road, the first weekend of May, from the 2nd to the 4th. Join because it's interactive and includes a morning 5K walk or run on Sunday. There are three guest speakers. The first is Jennifer Jones, a Canadian who was our President last year. She was the first female president in Rotary's history. She's been in many leadership positions in Rotary, does a lot with peace projects, and is the co-chair of the End Polio Now countdown. She's important.

The second speaker is Ramesh Ferris, also a Canadian and a polio survivor. In 2008, he hand-cycled 7,140 kilometers (about 4,500 miles) from BC to Cape Spear in Newfoundland. He had a program called Cycle to Walk to raise funds and awareness for polio eradication. There's a picture of him on the website.

The third speaker is Gwen Jones, the creator and producer of the "I Am a Rotarian" podcast. She also has a program called "Greetings from America" on Rotary Rodeo UK. The goal of her podcast is to introduce the extraordinary people of Rotary, and share their incredible work. Her podcast can be heard on iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Lastly, I encourage you to read the January Rotary Magazine. There's a story about the woman on the cover who was kidnapped in Nigeria, and how they got her out. It's an incredible story. My favorite story is about a mama duck and the artist she inspired. Baby ducks can do everything except fly, and she put them in a nest that was too high, so they would fall out. This artist did some drawings. Read it; it's fun.

Thank you.

A final third recommendation for new member applicant Tate Ohl was made without objections. The board has approved her membership. Therefore, she and her sponsor Christi came up, and Tate was pinned as a new member of La Conner Rotary.

La Conner School District Levy

Karen introduced our guest speaker for the evening, David Cram. He has 28 years in school finance and is co-owner of Balance Point Physical Therapy.

David began by thanking our Rotary for our donations of time and talent. His kids have also been recipients.

His presentation provided school district info only, not how to vote on the Educational Programs and Operations (EPO) Replacement Levy which has previously been called the

Maintenance and Operations Levy.

The school district reserves dropped down to only $25,000, but not negative. This has caused restructuring and right-sizing the district to fit funding. For example, 6 Admins are now down to 2.5 FTE (Full Time Equivalents).

The La Conner School District was released from financial oversight by the State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in November. The district has been under what are known as binding conditions since August 2023 when it was unable to provide a balanced budget for the 2023-2024 school year, and had little in financial reserves. The district went from $25,000 in financial reserves at the start of the 2023-2024 school year to about $1.1 million by the end of the year.

School Update

Released from binding conditions
Enrollment: 463.17 FTE
Total staff: 42.53 FTE Certificated and 30.82 FTE Classified
Budget $12,928,993.00
Current Projects: HVAC Grant - $1.5 million and Solar Grant - $1.9 million

5 years ago, the district had nearly 600 students, but now has 463. Previously there were 100 FTE Classified employees, those with no teaching certificate and others such as treasurer and school bus drivers.

Previously there was a $15M budget; they cut $2M out. The 1974 HS (was the round building) got $1.5M grant from state for new HVAC. Solar was installed on middle school which has the newest roof, and has battery backup for disasters. 7 companies bid, and 1 was approved.

Levy vs Bonds:

EPO Levy: EPO funds enable the district to support educational programs and operations, including teaching, school supplies, technology, athletics, building maintenance, transportation, and other educational needs.
Bonds: Bonds are used for new construction and large renovations of existing buildings.

The levy expires in 2025.

Due to McLeary decision, the district must use the lesser of 2 methods to calculate.

Levy Guidelines:

School district enrichment levies are limited to the lessor of $2,500 per pupil ($3,149.69 current), as increased by inflation, or $2.50 per $1,000 assessed property valuation.

The board's goal was to keep our Levy in line with current levies. The board approved asking in 2025 for $1,054K - about a 3% increase for COLA.

EPO Levy Caps

Projected for 2026

The Law requires the district to use the lessor

Max Levy Per Tax Rate ($2.50) $ 2,420,000.00

Max Levy Per Pupil ($3,315.52) $ 1,657,760.00

Voter-approved Collection for La Conner Schools

2024 $ 1,023,519.00

2025 $ 1,054,215.00

Extracurricular expenses - coaches, officials, transportation - are not covered by the state. Security is not covered. The district has 40 cameras across the district, and must keep them up-to-date - rotating every 4-5 years. These were recently used first day back from holiday break after someone broke into bus barn.

You need badges to get in via badge fobs. Special Ed is not fully funded by state; $1.25M is needed but the state paid $1M. Need Technology - wireless, new computer every 4-5 yrs.

District also incurs costs for curriculum adoption.

Anacortes has Refinery tax base giving low rate, otherwise La Conner has one of the lowest rates.

Skagit County 2024 Collection
	Educational, Programs and Operations Levy	Technology/ Capital Projects Levy	TOTAL
La Conner	$1.11	-	$1.11

School	Per Thousand EPO	Per Thousand Tech/Capital	Total
Mount Vernon	2.36	0.74	3.1
Sedro-Woolley	2.1	0.42	2.51
Burlington Edison	1.61	0.57	2.17
Conway	1.39	0.09	1.48
Concrete	1.41	-	1.41
Anacortes	0.79	0.3	1.08
Avg	1.46	0.27	1.73

Audience questions:

How would you compare what you can offer to students vs other districts?

All districts are making difficult decisions. For example, at secondary level, the 7-period day with more electives is down to a 6-period day – a cheaper model to run. Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley use a block schedule -- 8 classes, 4/day, each 90 minutes long. They are finding they can't afford them; they are going to 6 periods. Anacortes has a 7-period day.

Lori said the teaching staff are well taken care of and La Conner has a low turnover rate. There are additional opportunities with Tech Academy and Running Start.

Less preps are needed for 6 periods instead of 7, saving a teacher FTE for not paying out planning time.

David’s eldest daughter got an AA via Running Start.

NCTA - NW Career and Tech Academy. A bus goes to Mount Vernon with 10 kids, and to Anacortes with 4-5 kids for Marine teach. Skills Center is only in the afternoon, with morning classes in La Conner.

Alternative Learning Program (ALP) is for students who struggle with conventional setup. It runs 9-12 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, with assignments outside of the classroom.

There are more requirements now than 50 years ago. State has Core24 -- 24 credits to Graduate. With a 6-period day, max is 24 credits. If you fail one, you may not graduate. The district provides credit retrieval, summer school, ALP programming to help. A world Language is now required. 3 years of math is the minimum, with 4 years encouraged. Fine Arts are required and some Music. Electives such as Band and Art exist. There is J-Term Tutoring for struggling students who possibly have an F – an after-school program with grant funding to help them pass their courses.

Students are choosing into other districts. This year’s Choice transfers -- 35 went out and 30 came in. 2 years ago, 50 chose out. The challenge is much smaller incoming classes. 2024 may be the last of the smallest students’ sizes: 21 kids in kindergarten 2024, now first grade; 31 kids in 2025. With 35 seniors going out and only 21 first graders incoming, the funding continues to shrink.

Are there anticipated state-level changes with the new Governor?

School districts are pushing MSOC – Material, Support Operating Costs. For example,

5 yrs ago it cost $94K for insurance; now there is $235K insurance costs for liability, buses, property, etc., but the school gets only $70K funding from state. Most of heating is natural gas boilers.

Very enlightening and educational program! Everyone was very engaged and had some great questions.

Announcements:

Rotary presented a $2,000 check to Molly for Skagit River Poetry Festival which has their annual auction at mid-day brunch on Saturday, May 4th. Molly distributes copies of student poems from the last 2 years, and the book “On Gifting Black Feathers” by Tony Curtis.

As has been reported, our partnership with Helping Hands Foodbank will allow our dollars for weekend food packs to stretch even further. At last week's board meeting, it was recommended and approved that up to $750 of our weekend food budget be spent restocking the clothing closet at the elementary school.

This is an opportunity for an interested club member (or members) to be our Champion(s) and to work with the school counselor managing this valuable resource for kids.

Audrey’s closing remark:

Oscar Wilde's quote, "The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”

Lyanne Gronning classification

At our final meeting of the year Ollie had this blessing to offer:

ROTARY MEETING BLESSINGS 12/30/24

As we are near to the end of 2024, I feel it is time to say a few blessings and I will start by blessing this food and drink we have in front of us and bless those who make and serve it.

Our amazing club does so much, and a few thoughts come to mind. Bless the pancake flipper and all of her workers at our Santa Breakfast. And bless Santa, who sits and talks with the kids during that breakfast and again at the Gilkey Christmas tree lighting. Throughout the year we have so many wonderful projects, so let’s bless the folks who buy, wrap and distribute the kid’s food for the weekends. And also bless those who buy and wrap and deliver Christmas presents for families in need. Bless those who distribute dictionaries and books to the school kids. And bless those who plan and work on our annual auction and tulip sales. And bless all of our Rotarians who work on the Yes Program and bless our people who travel and work in Honduras. This list goes on and on and what I am saying is not even close to being complete.

Bless you all for what you do and may we do it again next year, maybe even better. We really are the “Happening Club” and it shows, bless you all.

Oh, and a special remembrance for President Jimmy Carter who passed at age 100.

Tate Ohl submitted her membership application.

Lyanne Gronning gave her classification talk. She is third generation Washingtonian growing up in the Arlington area. Her father worked in tjhe lumbar industry and her mother was a postal worker. She has one brother who tried out for the NFL but didn't make a team. Sports has been a large part of her and her family's life. For awhile her mother held the title in Marysville for shot put and Lyanne came up second. Lyanne loves football.

Travel is another big part of her life starting with two trips to Japan while in high school. For awhile she studied Japanese thinking it would lead to a career. She has hosted 18 foreign exchange students through Rotary. She has belonged to two other Rotary clubs in the past and her daughter helped start the interact club in Arlington.

Her career started as a nanny for a family in NYC who had an 11 year old foster child. Her contacts there led to a part time job in computers just as internet got launched. This led to other opportunities and started in banking at Merril Lynch and eventually ended up in mortgages. She was briefly married and had a daughter in that time frame. After the divorce she moved back to WA and continued her career in mortgages and became a loan officer. Her dream job was to be the director of the Boys and Girls Club which she had been a part of in some fashion since high school. Then Covid hit and all that changed. She got remarried three years ago and moved to Skagit county. She presently is back in the computer world working with automated response systems for medical services.

Audrey shared our club goals. We have 15 goals and have met 8 of those goals half way through the year. Membership wise we have a goal of 29 members and are at 27. We have a goal of two new sponsored members and we are at 1. Leadership participation: we have not yet met district conference or assembly participation goals because those haven't yet occurred. We have a goal of 5 members participating in leadership trainings and so far 4 have. We have had 3/3 social events and met the goal with 22 members participating in a service porject. We have not yet recorded three service projects with RI because they are not yet completed. Online presence, use of Rotary materials, news articles, etc has been met. We have met out goal of donations to RI foundation but not yet to Polio Plus.

Patsy was presented her Paul Harris 2+ virtually.

Membership discussion 2024

At our December 23, 2024 Rotary Club of La Conner Meeting Christi King led a discussion about membership.

Some of the discussion is given below. See also excerpts from Christi's slides in Read More at bottom.

PLEASE COME TO A MEETING

We need new members.

An issue at the Tiny Trees event was they couldn't find our logo and used our website banner with bridge vs Rotary Wheel. When we pay to sponsor or we volunteer, we need to make sure they have the right logo.

Adam is creating QR codes, e.g., QR code at Maple Hall.

How do we find who we should invite to the meeting?

Advertising:

Skagit Herald (presuming La Conner Weekly dies)

Talk with Rotaract folks

Where and what does Rotaract post on social media?

Doug: The Chamber of Commerce claimed they can't give us the address list.

Doug said he was refused after saying he was with La Conner Rotary and that we were members.

There are no more Chamber of Commerce meetings.

Many types of people we could invite: school district, Police, Fire, Township?

John: Who do we invite? Look at prior classifications:

Medical

City Hall

Restaurant

Retail community

Every current member shares the responsibility to find speakers and find new members.

Doug: Who is our “competition”?

Kiwanis

PEO - women

Soroptimist - women

We previously joined with others in La Conner United.

Challenge - young people with families.

Audrey encourages her son (every other week - when he doesn't have kids)

Marty - More Adam’s age bracket and the newly retired.

Christi shared many ideas out of the membership committee.

Refresh of Farmers & Merchants -- we all bring guests.

Good program for Farmers & Merchants.

Help others understand what Rotary is and what it does.

Ice cream social with the Chamber of Commerce (where Keith joined)

Community

Talk about their club and mission

5th Monday socials and field trips

Marty - pick a project

traffic circle

food packing

Partner with other clubs.

Lyanne is a proponent of fireside chats to do something social to meet new members.

Do more with the 4th of July parade, not just a sign.

Have a Tulip parade float with info about/pics about what we’re doing.

How do we go to town hall and share what we do?

Doug -- Ollie and Marty walk the town to invite for Farmers and Merchants (F&M).

Can they promote Rotary as they do the invites?

Platform to simplify registration. We have that for the auction.

Invite people who come to visit and F&M invitees to become members.

At the end of F&M, thank them and invite them to come to a meeting.

Most recent member, Lyanne, was referred to us due to the meeting time and location.

Tate is considering membership due to her dad.

Audrey joined after being a speaker.

Danya joined because Audrey asked her.

Give new members a mentor and walk them through the perspective new member survey.

Christi has given it to Tate.

What is her passion?

2-hour conversation.

Into Natural arts, community, and schools.

We should use the RI and District tools for new members.

Discuss at the board meeting what two things to focus on to get new members.

Update the Rotary card and poster to be La Conner specific.

As a speaker, Christi got to sign a book for the Honduras library.

Danielle - Merchants at Garden Club

They want money and want us to join.

Doug: Thank-you night; we don't want your money.

Don - Chamber didn't know about F&M, so we didn’t get their email circulation.

Can we get Tulip Sales on the Chamber of Commerce calendar (and LoveLaConner)?

The auction date on the District Calendar now. Tulip sales on the District calendar.

Announcements:

F&M night -- ideas for speakers?

Save the date, etc. will go out last week of January.

John about SPARC:

Thanks for participating.

$2600 goal became over $3000.

3 single moms, 1 raised by grandparents, 1 Mother, SPARC kid, father and 2 kids.

Audrey’s closing remarks:

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia

Rotary International Convention - Calgary

Karen introduced Sean Hogan, our guest speaker for the evening.

Sean Hogan joined Rotary on his 27th birthday and he's been active in the club,

district, and international levels of Rotary, including serving as district Governor in 2012-13. Rotary has enriched Sean and his family, giving them friends, opportunities, and experiences around the world. Sean is a lawyer, and people like him anyway.

Sean expressed his excitement about traveling and visiting Rotary clubs again, emphasizing the importance of fellowship and friendship within Rotary. He introduced the upcoming Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in June 2025, highlighting it as a unique opportunity for Rotarians to experience the global impact of Rotary.

Sean encouraged every Rotarian to attend at least one international convention to see the power of the organization and meet people from around the world. He shared his personal experiences attending conventions in various countries and described the diverse and friendly atmosphere.

Sean provided details on the convention, including registration, pricing, and housing options. He mentioned the House of Friendship, where attendees can explore Rotary projects, buy and sell items, and enjoy entertainment. The opening plenary session on Sunday and the closing session on Saturday were highlighted as key events featuring notable speakers and performers.

Overall, Sean emphasized the value of attending the convention for networking, learning, and experiencing Rotary on a global scale.

Sean recommended staying until Thursday after the Rotary International Convention in Calgary to fully enjoy the closing plenary on Wednesday afternoon and the local district get-together on Wednesday night. He highlighted Calgary as a great host city, known for its hospitality and events such as the Calgary Stampede.

Sean detailed various events organized by the Host Organizing Committee, including the grandstand spectacle on Saturday, the rock in the big tent event, and the indigenous celebration on Sunday. He also mentioned the host hospitality event and the beyond borders zone event on Monday night, as well as the Western Ranch showcase on Tuesday.

Sean encouraged attendees to interact with Rotarians from around the world, and shared personal experiences of meeting interesting people at past conventions. He emphasized the value of attending breakout sessions on various topics, and the opportunity to connect with fellow Rotarians.

Several attendees shared their positive experiences at previous Rotary conventions, highlighting the international flavor, networking opportunities, and the sense of community within Rotary. Sean concluded by encouraging everyone to consider attending the convention in Calgary.

Very enlightening and educational program! Everyone was very engaged and had some great questions.

Announcements:

Farmers and Merchants Night has been scheduled on March 3^rd. Doug Moore is looking for speaker suggestions. Think about who might be a great speaker for our Farmers and Merchants Night, and let Doug know.

Dennis and Connie Milliken were awarded their Paul Harris Fellow +8 pins, which is a significant recognition. Audrey expressed excitement about pinning them, and acknowledged their generous contributions to the foundation.

We received a thank you card from Campfire Camp Kirby:

"Dear La Conner Rotary members,

Thank you for your donation to help us purchase climbing wall equipment for Camp Kirby. The climbing wall is one of our most popular activities. No kidding—you can rope up and climb! This equipment will help us ensure the safety of all our campers.

Thank you for your longstanding support of Camp Kirby and for all the great work you do in our communities. We are thankful for you.
Sincerely, Maris Rose Camp, Executive Director"

Election

The email from Marty, Dec. 8, with the subject Nominations for 2025-26 was displayed on the screen. No additional candidates came forward.

The email was the third announcement of officers, directors, and chairs for our Rotary year 2025-26.

Club board:
President: Marty

President elect: Lori

Vice president: John

Past president: Audrey

Treasurer: Don

Secretary: Connie

Club service director: Karen

Community service director: Patsy

Youth service director: Adam

Vocation/literacy service director: Doug

International service director: Danielle

Keith made a motion to elect all the candidates. Adam seconded. No objections, all ayes. The motion carried.

Self assessment action plan 2024

At our November 25, 2024, Rotary Club of La Conner - All Member Meeting.

The Braves Club gave us a whole packet of Thank you notes for the pumpkins.

Audrey pulled out just a few that she thought were kind of cool and cuter.

We are still looking for a club Vice President, who wishes to be President in 27-28 (and President Elect in 26-27). Please let Audrey know. That would be serving as Vice President this coming year. Several past Presidents described how rewarding it had been.

Audrey went through the club action plan by going through self-assessment results that she had collected the week prior to this meeting.

Scoring System:

The scoring system ranges from 1 to 4, with 1 indicating a need for significant improvement, 2 suggesting some improvement needed, 3 indicating satisfactory performance, and 4 representing excellent performance.

Areas of Focus:

Increasing Impact:
- Clear Goals and Responsibilities: The club has a plan with priorities reviewed annually, and members are familiar with and support these priorities.
- Community Needs: Plans are shaped by community issues, with periodic assessments and input from community partners.
- Continuity and Collaboration: A multi-year succession plan ensures collaboration and continuity, with clear role descriptions for key positions.
- Enhanced Participation: Meetings, social events, and projects are well-organized, well-attended, and enjoyable, fostering participation and meaningful friendships.
- Participant Input: Members are well-informed, enthusiastic, and engaged, with opportunities to bring their passions to the club.

Scoring Results:

The highest scores were in community collaboration and participant impact, reflecting the club's strong engagement and willingness to volunteer.

Club Engagement:

The club is noted for its high level of engagement, with members readily volunteering and participating in activities.

Expanding Our Reach:

Partnerships: The club scores highest in partnerships, benefiting from relationships with other service organizations, the school district, the library, and museums.
Growth: The club faces challenges in growth and needs to reflect the community better through its membership.

Enhancing Participant Engagement:

The club excels in participant engagement, with high scores in variety, fun, and caring. Members are active and make things happen.

Increasing Ability to Adapt:

Innovation: The club supports new ideas and continuous improvement through tools, templates, and resources.
Relevance: Activities evolve to suit the diverse membership and attract new members.
Awareness: Regular events and new ways to tell the club's story help build awareness.
Openness: The club reaches out to those who might not have seen Rotary as an opportunity.

Dynamic Integration:

Pursuing Excellence: The club focuses on excellent member experiences.
Focused Effort: Leaders are responsible for club service, public image, and member engagement.
Collaboration: Leaders work together to strengthen efforts.
Welcoming: The club is welcoming and has eliminated cliques and inappropriate behaviors.

Overall Score:

The club's total score is 74.33 out of 100, indicating a passing grade but with room for improvement.

Additional Comments:

Pronounce names correctly when visitors attend.
Consider ways to honor the nationality of Canadian visitors.
Evaluate if the Pledge of Allegiance is the best way to open meetings to attract a more diverse membership.
Discuss goals and progress at each board meeting.
Solicit community ideas for hands-on projects.
Perform visioning activities and fireside chats.
Mix up meetings with fun facts and celebrations to help members get to know each other.
Solicit more ideas from members who attend regularly but may not share their ideas.
The club is stable with its current meeting structure, projects, and fundraisers. However, introducing small changes can keep things fresh and meaningful for members. Suggestions include tours of local businesses, social activities, and involving members in finding speakers.
The club should visit other clubs to bring back ideas, meet with local nonprofits, and stay connected with the town council. Publicizing events and projects can encourage community participation, especially from tribal members.
The club can join community committees to solicit more members and ideas. Partnerships with the Chamber, fire and police departments, schools, libraries, merchants, farmers, and tribes can broaden engagement.
Members are open to new ideas and willing to share if asked. Understanding each member's interests can help attract more members and encourage participation. Mentorship for new members and structured orientation can aid learning.
A five-year strategic plan with regular discussions on progress is suggested. Soliciting ideas from members at least four times a year can ensure meaningful projects. Recognizing and thanking volunteers for their contributions is important.
The club should try new things, such as varying the meeting agenda, introducing district or international topics, and experimenting with new projects. Learning from other clubs' best practices can be beneficial.
Focusing on youth programs and listening to ideas from scholarship recipients and Rotaract members can attract the next generation. The membership committee should focus on awareness and holding events to attract new members.
Ensuring every member's passions are heard and aligning projects with their interests can enhance member experience. Encouraging committee participation and sharing good works at board meetings is essential.
Suggestions were made to enhance the greeter's role by having them announce who is logged in, perform sound checks, and monitor for raised hands during virtual meetings.

The club identified areas needing improvement, particularly in awareness and openness. These areas scored low and require attention to attract new members and build awareness of the club's work.

Emphasize that attracting new participants is everyone's responsibility. Club growth should be a regular agenda item at meetings.
The club needs to improve public visibility and celebrate member participation in community events. Members should report their activities to ensure recognition.
With the potential loss of local newspaper support, the club should explore other media, including social media platforms like TikTok, to reach a broader audience and attract younger members.
Suggestions included partnering with local organizations, creating attractions for children, and engaging parents of scholarship recipients. The club should consider installing benches or other amenities in local parks to increase visibility.
Members should use the RSVP form to report their participation in events. This helps the club recognize and celebrate their contributions.

Tribal and Community Engagement:

The club has made efforts to attract tribal members, but past incidents and political factors have posed challenges. Suggestions include finding new approaches to build relationships, such as partnership projects or volunteering in tribal communities.
Members discussed the importance of both personal invitations and public visibility in attracting new members. While personal invitations are effective, publicizing the club's work is also crucial.
The Pledge of Allegiance as a meeting opener was questioned for its potential exclusionary impact on non-American members. Alternatives like an inspiration or land acknowledgment were suggested to create a more inclusive environment.
Acknowledging the presence of diverse cultural and professional backgrounds is important. The club should explore ways to make meetings more welcoming for all members, including those from different cultural backgrounds.
The club should continue to publicize its events and projects, even as traditional media support wanes. Exploring new media platforms and engaging with local publications can help maintain visibility.
Incorporating land acknowledgments at meetings can honor the indigenous people of the area and create a more inclusive atmosphere. This should be done in partnership with local tribes.
The club should create a welcoming statement that embraces people from all countries and cultures. This can be included in meeting practices to ensure everyone feels included.

Focus Areas:

The club aims to improve in three key areas: growth mindset, awareness, and openness. Enhancing these areas could lead to significant overall improvements.
Members discussed barriers to growth, such as financial constraints (dues, weekly dinners, happy bucks, …) preventing some people from participating. Addressing these barriers is crucial for attracting and retaining members.
Members are encouraged to complete a survey attached to the invitation letter to provide more feedback. The survey results will help in long-range planning and identifying areas for improvement.

Thank You Note from MoNA:

The club received a thank you note from MoNA, acknowledging a generous donation of $750 in support of youth programs and the mission to preserve and interpret regional art. This highlights the club's positive impact on the community.

Announcements:

Rotaract and the Sedro-Woolley Eagles are having a fundraiser Saturday, December 14.

They're having an ugly sweater fundraiser. There's going to be line dancing and karaoke. It's at the Sedro-Woolley Eagles Club on Metcalf Street in Sedro-Woolley. It's a donation of $10 to enter, and dinner is $12. It's a family event, so come one, come all.

Happy Bucks allowed the club to share many happy and sad moments.

Dictionaries were distributed to all third graders.

Who We Are

We are a hands-on service club dedicated to improving lives locally and around the world. We do this by promoting and investing in literacy, public health and community service. We are the club people want to join, because we have fun while making a difference. Our La Conner Rotary Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. Our tax ID# is 26-2730981. Learn More About Our Club

Please note that we meet most Mondays at The Farmhouse starting at 5:45pm. Please check the speaker list and/or event schedule for changes to the venue for the Monday meeting.