At out Nov. 2 Rotary Meeting, Ollie read this poem written by Sam Green for Jerry Willins:
For Jerry Willins, 1941-2026
Never mind the solitary heron gliding from the top of its piling to the muddy edge of the Channel in front of your house. You are busy telling me drugstore yarns from your days in Woolley, this one about the man upriver who couldn't afford his meds, so you traded for carvings he made from soapstone rescued from the Skagit, how he wouldn't meet your eyes, but caught the grace & struggle in the twisting muscle of a fish with the small blade of his pocketknife.
Never mind that white lapstrake skiff drifting north with the tide, a solitary man in a faded black watch cap at the oars, pulling just enough to keep straight in the current. You are thinking back on your years as a Sea Scout, how you cooked for the crew, how ravenous they were, how far you could stretch can of Spam, a block of Velveta cheese & a box of Bisquick mix. No one ever went hungry, you said.
Never mind the dazzling lure of the tribal casino, the glare of traffic back & forth across the Berentson Bridge, the dome of light above the oil refineries on March's Point. You are remembering decades of work on committees, Kiwanis, Rotary, city council, selling tulips to fund scholarships, construction projects in Guatemala. Don't tell me what you're against, you say. Tell me what you're for. Bring what you love to the floor of the conversation.
Never mind the sushi you can't eat, the eggrolls you leave on your plate, the Irish whiskey you can't share with your guests. You are talking about a thousand dinners at your welcoming table, the killer martinis, margaritas, cold beer, the joke about bartenders being pharmacists with a limited inventory, how once when you spoke to a waitress in Maine about clams & lobsters & crabs like a local seer, she finally said, Ayuh. You from round up heah?
Never mind the catheter strapped to your leg, the wheeze & whine of the oxygen bottle, the rattled box with its colorful army of pills for the day. You are talking about drift logs on the beach, how some days your life feels like that, a random tumbling of sun-bleached mistakes, how you're towing a rusty barge of regret behind you.
Never mind the skeins of Canada geese passing now overhead, the racket they make in the wetlands off to the north, the mud they glide into. Never mind the bark of the coyotes, that insipid call of the owl that hunkers on the ridge of your house.
Never mind the unread books on the shelves, the dog at the door barking to be let out. We'll mind all of it for you, the friends you treated like family, the children you loved, your grandkids, your neighbors, the lives you helped set to rights. Never mind how the antique pocket watches on the marble counter hang still in their cases, stopped in time, but still catching the light.
The picture is the view Sam Green had out Jerry’s window while Jerry was sitting in his reclining chair facing Sam.
Speaker Shevonda Joyner (via zoom)
Shevonda Joyner began her career in outreach at the University of Arizona advocating for underserved communities from 2016 until moving to Washington in 2023. Her passion for outreach continued as she worked for the Washington State Department of Ecology as a Community Outreach Specialist supporting overburdened communities. Shevonda is passionate about improving the human experience in all areas using communication, empathy, and a good time! Currently, she is the Youth Program Outreach Lead at the Attorney General’s Office for HearMeWA.
HearMeWA Overview:
Support that is simple and accessible.
Purpose: Meets behavioral health and safety needs by linking youth to existing systems of support; launched in 2024 after development began in 2021.
Scope: Covers a broad range of safety and well-being topics, including violent threats, bullying, self-harm, sexual abuse, depression, and substance abuse.
Top Concerns: Depression, bullying, cyberbullying, and general concerns are the top four reported issues, aligning with the 2023 Healthy Youth Survey.
Referral Process: Tips are triaged by Sandy Hook Promise counselors and referred to community-based organizations, TIP responders (e.g., 911, schools, law enforcement, 988, CPS), or other resources like Teen Link and 211.
Youth Engagement: A Youth Advisory Group (ages 10–25) helps with outreach, branding, and tailoring the program to youth needs; members are compensated for their time.
Outreach Impact: Through October, the program conducted over 200 meetings/presentations, reached over 250 organizations, and connected with over 6,000 people.
HearMeWA is currently in 27 Washington counties, including Skagit.
Our Guests were Cameron and Laureen Reed from Sechelt, BC
Ollie Iversen, who has been a Rotary member for 28 years and 6 months, was presented a Paul Harris pin for his donations to The Rotary Foundation. Pins are presented each time a member’s donations add up to $1,000.
Ollie announced a work party to plant tulip bulbs in the 18 barrels in the La Conner roundabout. It will take place on November 21st at 10:00am.
Calendar
Thursday, November 12, 5:30: Club Social at Seafood and Prime Rib in La Conner
Saturday, November 21, 10am: Tulip bulb planting
Saturday, December 5: Santa Breakfast
Friday, December 11 and/or Saturday December 12: Shelter Bay Chorus Holiday Concert
Monday, December 14, 5:30pm: Christmas Party at Moltobello Ristorante Italiano