November 3, 2014 Spokesman

Posted by Bob Webb 
on Nov 06, 2014
 
President John called November 3, 2014 Kirkland Rotary meeting to order about 6:40 PM.
 
Carl Boruck led us in the Pledge of Allegiance .
 
Dave Aubry gave a Rotary minute and pointed out that Rotary International is unique in that it is worldwide  and not dependent on government, politics, or religion
 
VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS  Our Student of the Month is Celina Ryan, a senior from Juanita High Schoo.  Doug Seto, Marc Stotz and Alexis Chavez, our speaker tonight, also joined us
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • Pat Swenson announced that Reading Buddies is started this year and this section will last for six weeks until the Christmas vacation break.  More leaders are always needed and the next section will start in mid January.
  • Scott Becker reminded us it is time to sign up for the annual Christmas Party on December 6.  This year it will be a Christmas Cruise on Lake Washington leaving from and returning to the Kirkland Dock.
Your scribe for the day, Bob Webb, reminded us that the next meeting on November will be on Veterans Day.  We will have Matt McCauley speaking on the wartime history of Kirkland and especially at our meeting location, Carillon Point.  Veterans are encouraged to bring something from their military time be it uniform, photos, memento, or anything else.  Each will give a 1 minute summary of their military service.
 
Program,
 
Alexis Chavez, the Founding Director of the foundation, Einstein Rising, talked with us about her nonprofit which provides monetary and educational support to enable people of Africa to start businesses.  She discussed a major reason for failure of microfinancing efforts are either budding entrepreneurs having no business knowledge and/or funding agencies not having adequate local knowledge about potential problems.  Einstein Rising has its first two projects under way and several more applications are being evaluated.  Alexis says the organization is evaluating projects needing loans between $2,000 and $15,000.The plan includes interest on loans at 8 percent and full payback within 5 years. She didn't say it during her presentation but they are looking for additional funding for these projects.For more information you can review much more information in their webpage, www.EinsteinRising.org.
 
JOKER POOL Pat Swenson had the lucky ticket but HAPPILY did not draw the joker so we will get into the period where the chances of get progressively better and the club gets more money.  Currently about half the deck is gone.
 
President John thanked our guests and speaker. The meeting was adjourned about 7:45.
 
 Respectfully submitted         Bob Webb      Scribe for the day