Brianna then took the podium, saying "Watashi wa Brianna Langenby" - Domo arigato gozaimasu, dozo yoroshiku" which translates from Japanese to "Hello, I am Brianna Langenby, I thank you for my being here. Greetings." She went on to say, in English, that everyone at Rotary made her feel welcome, and that being at our meetings was more like being with a group of friends than at a, (yuck!) "meeting". Brianna added a Latin phrase (sorry, Sister Geraldine, I didn't catch it) alluding to our motto of SERVICE ABOVE SELF, saying that it has inspired her to do the little extra things, like helping someone with packages or in crossing the street.
President Steve announced that our goal is to wish Happy Birthday each month to appropriate members. The March "birthtarians" are Carl Boruck, Vernell Sutherlaned Don Dicks, Duncan Sutherland, John Overleese, Michelle Hnatowich, Julien Hoisington, Tom Sturgell, Tom Gant, Ev Cox, Jeremy Meadows and a few more, perhaps.
Steve then thanked our Rotary Spelling Team for its winning performance at the 2nd Annual Kirkland Friends of the Library Spelling Bee. The team of bona fide amateurs, who placed 3rd out of 16 entrant teams, was made up of Dave Aubry, Jeannie MacRae and Alice Volpe. Each member received a genuine artificial brass medal on a real ribbon, which they proudly brandished, unprompted, at the meeting. We all thanked President Steve for his own exemplary service at the Spelling Bee, not the least of which was his excellent, albeit Virginian, pronunciation.
Bob Webb announced that, since the club By-Laws have not been amended since the flood, (Noah's, we presume) there would be several changes, which the club would receive via e-mail, and which need to be voted on at next Monday's meeting. (A 2/3 majority will be required to pass the changes.) Although President Steve added that one amendment will change the club President's term from 1 to 3 years, beginning with Rachel Knight, Dr. Webb vehemently denied that this is one of the actual proposed amendments. Nonetheless, Rachel looked alarmed.
Chuck Morgan then announced the sad news that JoMae Woods had taken a serious fall in a parking lot in Palm Springs which rendered her unconscious for several days. Although she had regained consciousness, she has been quite weak and was being kept in the hospital for rest and observation.
Steve then mentioned that several Board members, himself included, had the fun time of cleaning out the Rotary storage lockers this past weekend. Apparently they found, not only parts of the Titanic, but trace evidence that Geraldo had been there as well.
Katherine Kehrli then made an urgent, "All Hands on Deck" call for folks to sign up AND actually appear at JohnMuirElementary School at 10:00 am this coming Saturday, March 10th for a 3-hour library book labeling extravaganza. (Background: In Sept. we were awarded a grant to purchase 2,000 reading comp. quizzes. A matching grant from Lake Washington Schools doubled this #, so 4,000 stickers need to be stuck.) Katherine did point out that knowledge of the Dewey Decimal System is NOT required, and refreshments WILL be served.
Michelle then announced that she has been meeting weekly with John Spangenbergat Starbuck's regarding Duck Dash Sponsorship, and that the coffee has been excellent. She also wanted to point out a wonderful, full-color photo spread of our club's Valentine's Day performance of South Pacific which ostensibly appeared in the Kirkland Courier. After reviving a stunned President Steve, Michelle allowed as to the fact that the printed page was her own unpublished exercise in journalistic license. Thanks were given to the "Classy Crooners": Jim Feek, Don Dicks, Dennis Newell and Bob Webb, as well as to the Mystery Hula Goddess who disappeared after the final number. Who was that vixen?
GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Rachel first introduced David Hunnicutt, a member since September 20, 2006 and a lifelong Seattle area resident. (David's dad transferred from Bremerton shortly after WWII to the 13th Naval District at Pier 91.) David attended NathanHaleHigh School, PLU for two years, and UW until graduation. David entered the field of Commercial Real Estate, began doing appraisals in 1977, and two years later branched out on his own when the Prime Rate skyrocketed to between 21 and 22 percent. David and his family have had several homes in Kirkland, in TotemLake, Kingsgate and now, north Rose Hill. Having been with Coldwell Banker since 1991, in 2000 David decided to fulfill a lifelong ambition and attend law school. In 2/05 he passed the bar.
David's parents were active volunteers, as was his Norwegian-born emigre grandfather, who donated an acre of land to build a church in Snohomish and even fashioned the altar with his own hands. David's sisters, too, have always been involved in their community, and David himself volunteered at the Foss Home in Seattle, helping the elderly. He has always taken inspiration from the Gospel of St. Matthew regarding the duty of the well to visit the sick, and wishes he could do more, but, as a single parent with 16 year old twins at home, confesses that finding the time is a challenge.
Brandon Honcoop, a member since November 2, 2006, was next. Brandon was born in Seattle at the UW Hospital. His Dad, a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force, went to medical school for Anesthesia. The family lived all over the U.S., but after his father spent a year in Iraq in the first Gulf War, they returned to Washington, where his father joined a private medical practice. Brandon attended High School in Spokane, and the University of Washington for a degree in Economics and Financial Business Administration. This July, in Bellevue, Brandon will marry his fiance, Rebecca True (Becca), a Clyde Hill native who practices ICU nursing at UW Hospital. A Financial Consultant since 2001, Brandon has been employed at RBC Dain Rauscher since 2005, and is the proud owner of, not one, but two homes in Kirkland..
Patti Smith then introduced our program speaker, David Snow, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8, and a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. In July of 2006, David became Director of Major Gift Development at the LeMayCarMuseum, and is a major force in the team driving (sic!) to build America's CarMuseum. The son of a naval officer, David developed his love for cars through his father, whose second career was as Sales Manager of a Cadillac-Oldsmobile Dealership. He is a graduate of the UW School of Business, and following college, he served for 3 years in Guatemala in the Peace Corps. He then entered the business world, and worked in regional, national and international sales management with two of the world's largest office furniture manufacturers. In 2002, David joined the non-profit sector with World Vision, and as Executive Director raised major funding for emergency relief, water, health, food, education and micro-lending programs in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa. As a Rotarian, David and his wife Barbara traveled to Ethiopia in 2004 to help vaccinate children against polio.
David opened his remarks by mentioning that the LeMayMuseum is a major sponsor of our Kirkland Concours d'Elegance. He also mentioned that most of us are probably unaware of the fact that the LeMayMuseum has a Club Auto satellite facility here in Kirkland, where members show their 30 classic cars at the Kirkland "clubhouse" on Saturdays from 11:00-1:00.
In the early 40's, Harold LeMay bought his first garbage route in PierceCounty. Eventually, LeMay Enterprises employed over 500 folks, and Harold and his wife built a collection of classic cars to exceed 3,000. One of their gems is a "Waltz Blue" Tucker, one of the 51 Tuckers built, and the one that Preston Tucker painted to match his wife's favorite dress. The Museum, located 30 minutes from downtown Tacoma, is held annually the last Saturday in August, and last year the 29th Annual Show raised over $150,000. At this time, Mrs. LeMay opens their home to the public, and she often says that she lives in a typical 3 bedroom home with a 300 car garage.
David went on to describe (and show slides of ) the phenomenal edifice, already designed, that is planned to be the home of America's CarMuseum. It will be the word's largest transparent structure, built with bridge-building technology, and will be transparent by day and glow by night. Many special exhibits will be part of the museum, such as the 360 degree State Farm Theatre (so named in honor of the company's $1.5 million gift) and the museum promises to be a hands-on educational and entertainment center that will attract tourists from around the country and the world. Another exhibit will boast a NASCAR simulator, with an experimental wind tunnel, where visitors can experience, first-hand, what a NASCAR driver experiences on the track.
The glass pavilion will be the centerpiece of the museum, housing 250 of the Museum's finest cars (another 750 will be in viewable storage) and will occupy over 189,000 square feet. Members of the Board include Jon Shirley, Microsoft President from 1983 to 1990, and many other community leaders. The museum will also house its very own Restoration Shop, with interns from CloverParkTechnicalCollege, as well as 50,000 square feet of retail. 5 acres of grass will serve as the primary outdoor show field.
The entire 9-acre campus will be located directly adjacent to the Tacoma Dome, and will also feature a double-helix spiral tower, a la New York's GuggenheimMuseum, only double, with one way up and one way down. It anticipates eventual visitors in excess of the 500,000 who pass through the Museum of Flight annually, due to the convenient and visible I-5 location, the universal appeal of automobiles and the design appeal of the Glass Dome, in itself an architecturally significant structure .The Museum, recipient of a one million dollar government land grant, will be funded privately, and any and all contributions are welcome. The Museum is scheduled to open in 2010.
Ev Cox won $15. by virtue of Alan Hoviland's honesty (Ev had given him his ticket when he snuck out early) in our drawing, and at 7:43 P.M., President Steve concluded our meeting with yet another profound Brown paradox, to whit, "In death penalty cases, why do they use sterile needles when administering lethal injections?"