The Rotary Club of Kirkland held an in-person meeting on December 4, 2023, at the Madison House Independent and Assisted Living Community in Kirkland’s Totem Lake. Members gathered beforehand to socialize and enjoy refreshments. Some members attended via Zoom. Due to staffing issues at Madison House, the meal was provided by The Catering Company. John Storbeck along with Rick Walter greeted members, and John collected money for the meal.
Past President Rick Walter called the meeting to order at 6:23 p.m.
Kristin Olson led us in the pledge.
Attending were Pete Anderson, David Aubry, Michelle Cazeau, Gary Cohn*, Donald Dicks*, Sandi Ekins* (Honorary), Jocelyn Ellison, Doug Evanson, Rashmi Garimella, Isabelle Kalisa, Kate Koslosky, Jim Meniketti, Kristin Olson, Rick Ostrander, Peter Peaquin, Joanne Primavera, John Pruitt, Josephine Shi, John Storbeck, and Rick Walter. *Attended via Zoom.
The Holiday Gift Wrapping Party will be Monday, December 18, 2023, will begin at 5:30 p.m. with gift wrapping, dinner will follow, and the subsequent meeting will constitute the club's annual meeting for this Rotary year. The club will meet at the St. John's Episcopal Church in Kirkland. Registration is now open, and club members may register using the club's Calendar event through midnight on December 12. The fee is $40 per attendee, which covers venue, food, and drink costs, and must be paid at the time of registration.
Holiday gifting supports John Muir Elementary School families. The John Muir staff identifies families whose circumstances make them eligible for holiday gift donations.
Thanks to the Rotary Club of Kirkland and others who will provide instruments and donations, the Lake Washington School District has established a partnership with Music4Life to provide donated-and-repaired musical instruments at no charge for use by local public school students who qualify for federal free and reduced-price meals. For the past sixteen years, Music4Life has been ensuring that family income is not a barrier to music education by assuring that every student who wants to pursue instrumental music can do so.
Anyone wishing contribute a lovingly used trumpet, clarinet, violin, flute, or other musical instrument to Music4Life in the Lake Washington School District may contact the Rotary Club of Kirkland’s youth service committee chair, Prof. Jocelyn Reiter Ellison. If you want to support musical instruments for kids who can't afford them, you may visit the Music4Life website, or use the DONATE button on the Rotary Club of Kirkland's website home page.
During the regular, virtual meeting on Monday, December 11, 2023, the club's membership will consider a proposed revision to Article 10, Membership, of its bylaws. Approval will establish a spouse/partner active membership category within the club. A copy of the proposed bylaws revision was distributed to all members on November 30. The proposal is based on the board's recommendation that members admitted under this provision be recognized by the District and Rotary International. Please take time in advance of December 11 to review the proposed language in anticipation of membership action. If you have questions spouse/partner membership, please contact the club president.
At Monday's meeting, youth services chair Jocelyn Ellison introduced 2023 Rotary Scholar and local artist Austin Picinich to present a selection of holiday cards made especially for the Rotary Club of Kirkland. If you attended the Rotary scholarship award ceremony and dinner last June, you had the opportunity to meet Austin and hear about the amazing artwork he has created throughout the Kirkland community. If you want to purchase some holiday cards, you may contact Austin at ajpicinich@gmail.com, and view his website at www.austinsart.net. If you have questions about youth services committee work, contact Jocelyn Ellison.
Our Rotary Club of Kirkland Board Nominating Committee, appointed by the club president, has delivered its recommendation for officers and other board members for this coming year. The Nominating Committee of Rick Walter (past-president), Pete Anderson (president-elect), and Joanne Primavera (past-president) proposed the list of Rotarians for the officer and Avenue of Service Committee chair cadre for 2024-2025. Approval was granted during the special board meeting on Thursday night, November 30, in anticipation of club action during the in-person meeting on December 18.
On December 18, after the gift wrapping and the holiday dinner, club members will be provided a ballot with the slate of officers and directors, there will be nominations from the floor, and the membership will be asked to vote on the nominees. Three offices are advanced automatically; once a Rotarian is elected vice president, he or she automatically advances to president-elect, then president, and then immediate past president according to the Rotary Club of Kirkland Bylaws.
The club’s board of directors met on Thursday, November 30, 2023 on the Zoom platform. Two key items were decided. The first was to approve the Nominating Committee's nominees for 2024-2025 officer, committee chair, and other board positions. The second was to approve for referral to the membership a change to the club's bylaws that would add a spouse/partner section to active membership.
The 
Thanks to the Rotary Club of Kirkland and others who will provide instruments and donations, the Lake Washington School District has established a partnership with 
During the regular, virtual meeting on Monday, December 11, 2023, the club's membership will consider a proposed revision to Article 10, Membership, of its bylaws. Approval will establish a spouse/partner active membership category within the club. A copy of the proposed bylaws revision was distributed to all members on November 30. The proposal is based on the board's recommendation that members admitted under this provision be recognized by the District and Rotary International. Please take time in advance of December 11 to review the proposed language in anticipation of membership action. If you have questions spouse/partner membership, please contact the club president.
At Monday's meeting, youth services chair Jocelyn Ellison introduced 
The club’s board of directors met on Thursday, November 30, 2023 on the Zoom platform. Two key items were decided. The first was to approve the Nominating Committee's nominees for 2024-2025 officer, committee chair, and other board positions. The second was to approve for referral to the membership a change to the club's bylaws that would add a spouse/partner section to active membership.
.png)
