Meeting Date: Monday, October 22nd 2012

The meeting is called to order by President, Patti Smith at 6:29 p.m
The flag salute is led by Diana Landspa
Tonight’s Greeter is Pat Dye

Introduction of Visitors:
Visiting Rotarians:
Stephanie Langford a senior at Juanita High School is our Student of the Month.

Club Announcements:

Dan Bartel updated us of the recent Rotary First Harvest Work Party in October. Rotarians sorted and packed frozen peas and apples that were sent out to the food banks the following Monday.  Representing our club were: Jim Going, Pat Swenson, John Pruitt, John Woodbery, Diana Landspa, Dave & Christine Debois (and friend), Elizabeth Rusnak, Rick & Stephanie Walter, Scott Becker, and Dan Bartel & his brother Rick.

Rotary First Harvest Work Party Numbers
Apples    31,930 lbs
Peas            840  lbs
Total       40,330 lbs

Don Dicks wanted to remind everyone that November is Rotary Foundation month. We ended last fiscal year with 78% member participation.  Our goal this year is to exceed that and shoot for 100%.  To this end, your Board has again offered to provide matching Club points for every $100 (or more) donation to TRF in November.

Anne Hamilton reminded members of the Bright Futures breakfast at LW Institute of Technology on Oct 23rd at 7:00am.

Thanks to Steve and Patty Shinstrom, they hosted another successful bunko party. There were 31 participants and spouses that dressed in ugly sweaters and brought food on a stick. Gary and Zondra Schuster we amongst the many that played.
 
Special Announcements: President Patti Smith wanted to remind us all that the Clubrunner email system is to be used only for Rotarian business and not personal announcments or other private business related matters.

Congratulations to Ernie Norehad for being our top Duck Dash seller for 2012!

Speaker: Jay Arnold

Program Topic: Yes for Great Kirkland Parks, Prop 2.

About the programIf passed the capital improvements funding will support important renovation and enhancement projects for Kirkland’s parks and trails system. High priority projects include:

• Dock and shoreline renovations
• Edith Moulton Park improvements
• Waverly Beach Park renovation
• City-school district play fields partnerships
• Interim development of Cross Kirkland Corridor Trail
• Open space and park land acquisition
• Juanita Beach bathhouse replacement

The Kirkland Parks Maintenance, Renovation and Enhancement Levy would provide $1.1 million annually for parks maintenance and operations, and $1.25 million annually for parks renovation and enhancement. The levy would cost an owner of a median home ($349,000) in Kirkland approximately $56 per year, or less than $5 per month.

Main Speaker Duck Dash Case Study: John Pruitt

Duck Dash History: Dan Bartel, Bill Taylor and Rick Ostrander

Rick and Dan were fortunate enough to have Bill and Tom Sturgell agree to join them in putting together the Duck Dash 15 years ago. 

Bill was in charge of Race Day during the beginning year's of the Duck Dash, and Co-Chaired the event with me one year.  He figured out against all odds (and a bunch of naysayers)  how to race the ducks across Marina Park without any stream or river to move them, and coordinated getting the volunteers, ducks in and out of the water, and the catchment apparatus on race day. 

Tom was the controller of the controllers.  He developed the systems for ticket control, & race day and final accounting.  He, along with Rick, is also the longest serving member on the Duck Dash Committee.

Rick and I stepped up (better known as sticking our feet in our mouth's) and suggested the idea of the Duck Dash to the Club when we were in need of finding another fund raiser, and Chaired/Co-Chaired this event multiple times over the past 15 years.  The principals we tried to  accomplish were to raise significant funds so we didn't have to have multiple fundraisers, generate funds from people outside of our Rotary Club (OPM), Fellowship (providing an opportunity to work with and get to know other members of our club), raise the visibility  of Rotary in our community, and establish a fundraiser that was duplicateable (doesn't have to be reinvented each year).  One side benefits of the Duck Dash is that it has generated several new members for our club in addition to raising almost $600,000 for the good causes our club supports in the community and in international service.

John Pruitt discusses a Duck Dash case study.

Each table had about15 minutes to read, discuss, answer and ready to present their ideas on the following questions.

• What has made the Duck Dash an effective fundraiser?

• Are there other fundraisers that the club should consider? If so, please elaborate.

• How successful has the club been in engaging the participation of its members over the past 15 years? What suggestions do you have?

• What changes would you suggest in order to have a more effective and fun Duck Dash?

• The Duck Dash has moved from July 4th to Summerfest in August. What are the pros and cons of the move?

• What needs to occur to keep the Duck Dash vital and fun?

• What is the best thing about the Duck Dash. How can the club do more of this?

• What is the most unpleasant thing about the Duck Dash? How can the club do less of this?

• What additional questions should be presented and discussed?

 

Since the Duck Dash first started in 1998 through this year 2012 the Kirkland Rotary Club has raised nearly $600,000. The average year of fundraising has been over $39,000.

Lucky Ticket Drawing led by Jim Going.  The winning ticket number was held by Scott Rethke and lucky for all of us we get another shot at the jack pot...  There are only 3 cards left to choose from including the joker.  Estimated ticket sales in the pot: $7,600.00.  The lucky ticket holder automatically gets $10 for having the lucky ticket and a chance at the joker pot.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.