If you did not make it to our last Rotary Club of Forest Grove meeting, here is what you missed…

This Week – At CALC: This week’s meeting will take place at the Forest Grove School District’s Community Alternative Learning Center, 2701 Taylor Way. We will receive a program by Rotarians Tim Graham and Steven Barnard and will receive a tour of the school.

If you would like lunch, please email Claire Agner via email by no later than Sunday, June 23. If you do not RSVP you are still welcome to attend but please plan on bringing your own lunch.

Upcoming Meetings: We will not have a club meeting on Wednesday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day on July 4. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, July 10, in the Boxer Pause room in the University Center on the campus of Pacific University. Our program will be Chris Harrison of LifeWorks NW.

President Amy’s End Of The Year Message: The following is the message that President Amy Tracewell gave during our end-of-the-year dinner on Wednesday, June 19.

It is with great pride and a touch of nostalgia that I stand before you today as your outgoing president of a Rotary club that will celebrate 100 years of being a club this year! Our journey together over the past year has been nothing short of remarkable, and it is truly heartwarming to reflect on the incredible achievements we have accomplished as a community.

As I reflect on the past couple of years of my Rotary journey, I think about when Julia was president and the extraordinary pivot she had to make as we entered into the uncertainties of a global pandemic. And then Bryce’s time as our pandemic president. Then came Janet and we lifted out of our turning inward and began to re-emerge into the community. I think of Janet’s year as a rebuilding year and mine is really no different.

This year I really worked hard on ensuring the business of Rotary was solid so that we could do our good work in the community.

We went through a club visioning exercise and examined our values: Community, meaningful service, friendships, and honesty and kindness.

And our mission: To cultivate a compassionate community through meaningful service, foster genuine friendships, and uphold the principles of honesty and kindness, as we collectively strive to make a positive and lasting impact locally and globally.

We spent numerous hours with our new team on a budget template for the club and for the foundation which we are using today.

We cleaned up spaces – from the roadside clean up, to the Rotary Garden, to the labyrinth, a new and old space. This beautiful, tranquil space is now a renewed sanctuary for reflection and peace, thanks to the hard work and commitment of our members. It stands as a symbol of our dedication to preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of Forest Grove.

Another highlight of this year has been the emergence of our new partnership with Habitat for Humanity. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in our mission to provide safe and affordable housing for those in need. Together, we have laid the foundation not only for homes but for brighter futures and stronger communities. I am excited to see this partnership flourish and grow under our new leadership.

We also celebrated another successful Concours d’Elegance (and another one around the corner), an event that continues to draw enthusiasts from far and wide. This year’s event was a testament to our organizational prowess and our ability to bring people together in appreciation of classic cars and fine craftsmanship. It was a resounding success, and I am grateful to everyone who contributed to its seamless execution.

I want to also celebrate the success of our “Hope for the Holidays” initiative. Through your unwavering dedication and generosity, we brought warmth, joy, and hope to countless families during the holiday season. The smiles on the faces of children and the gratitude expressed by parents have been a testament to the profound impact of our collective efforts. Thank you for embodying the true spirit of Rotary.

Our exchange program has seen a significant increase in visibility and participation. This program has long been a cornerstone of our efforts to foster cultural understanding and global citizenship. The enthusiasm and engagement of our exchange students and host families have been inspiring, and I am confident that this program will continue to thrive, creating lasting bonds across borders.

Steak Feed: We have a great community! Thank you to all of our friends who came out and supported the club during our annual Steak Feed on Friday, June 14. We kept busy the entire time, cooking and serving meals that go to support our involvement in the Rotary Youth Exchange program. Thank you as well to all our club members who stepped up and made this great event happen!

A special thank you to the Steak Feed co-chairs, Geoff Faris and Jeff Duyck, for their hard work to bring this annual event together. Thank you as well to the committee chairs for their assistance: Amy Tracewell, Julia Kollar, Greg Nemchick, Jim Crisp, Geoff Johnston, Parri Van Dyke and Pete Van Dyke.

If you have not turned in your money for tickets or unused tickets, please get those to Geoff Faris soon as possible.

Hillsboro Rotary Fourth of July Parade: It is an annual tradition! Members are invited to help promote the Concours d’Elegance at the Hillsboro Rotary Fourth of July Parade. Participants should plan on being at the staging areas by no later than 8 a.m. The parade begins at 10 a.m., beginning ending at 3rd Avenue and NE Grant St. If you are interested in marching with our club, put your name on the sign-up sheet at next week’s meeting or email Claire Agner.

Rotary Club of Forest Grove 100th Anniversary Celebration: Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 7, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of our club and 100 years of Service Above Self! Join us at the Carpenter Creek Winery, 47266 SW Carpenter Creek Road, Forest Grove, for an evening of fellowship and celebration.

The celebration will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and will include a barbeque dinner and non-alcoholic drinks by Blues BBQ. Wine, beer and cider will also be available for purchase.

Tickets are $45 per person and are limited to 200 tickets sold. An online payment link will be available soon.

Friends of Historic Forest Grove Displays: As part of celebrating the 50th Concours d’Elegance and the 100th anniversary of our club, Friends of Historic Forest Grove is looking for items to use for a lobby display to celebrate both milestones. The display will be located in the Old Train Station Museum at the corner of Main Street and 19th Avenue. The display in June and July will highlight the Concours while the display in September will highlight our club.

If you have items that you would be willing to loan to FHFG to promote the history of Concours and/or the club, you can also bring items to the museum during its open hours, Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Mentorship Program With Rotary: Since joining our club, Rotarians Cole Thursam and Javin Frelin have been exploring how to connect younger professionals to our club and to Rotary as a whole. The two are in the preliminary stages of developing a mentorship program for young professionals in the local community that would be tied to Rotary. If you would like to learn more or are interested in taking part in this effort, please contact Cole at 971-331-3684 or cole.thursam@gmail.com, or Javin at 907-538-3617 or javin@frelin.org.

Past Programs: Did you miss a meeting or want to go back and check out a program again? Many of our programs since May 2020 (over 140 videos to date) are archived on our club’s YouTube page. Visit https://bit.ly/fgrotaryprograms.

Concours News
2024 Forest Grove Concours d’Elegance, presented by the Rotary Club of Forest Grove
Sunday, July 21 on Pacific University’s Forest Grove Campus

Concours Website | Enter A Car | 2024 Concours Weekend Schedule

Concours Committee Meetings: The Concours d’Elegance Committee is starting the planning for our 50th show on July 21, 2024. If interested in getting further involved with the Concours, the steering committee is always looking for volunteers to prepare for the show throughout the year. For more information, contact Tom Raabe at 503-704-1200 or rotarytomr@gmail.com or Geoff Johnston at 503-939-7868 or gamsma@comcast.net.

The committee is now meeting weekly on Tuesdays, 7 p.m., via Zoom.

Volunteer Assignments: Like the Steak Feed, the Concours D’Elegance is an “all hands on deck” event, requiring all members to volunteer and make this event as successful as possible. If you are unsure of your volunteer assignment, please contact Tom Raabe or the Concours volunteer coordinator, Janet Peters, 503-679-6479 or rjlc4peters@msn.com.

Sponsorships: Sponsorships go a long way to increasing the profit of the Concours, which goes to fund our scholarship program and our club’s other outreach activities. To learn more about available sponsorships, Click Here to contact Tim Pearson at 503-998-8616 or timpearsonpc@gmail.com.

Concours 50th Anniversary Kickoff Concert: For the last two years, Concours weekend has kicked off with a dinner and concert event. This year, this kickoff event will be bigger and better than ever as McMenamins presents the Concours d’Elegance 50th Anniversary Kickoff Concert at McMenamins Grand Lodge.

This year’s event takes place on Friday, July 19. Doors open at 4 p.m. and an evening of music begins at 5 p.m., featuring music by Scott Pemberton O Theory, Hillstomp, the Forest Grove Outlaws and Trask River Redemption. McMenamins will be serving food and its line of locally-produced beers, wines and spirits. This will be a tremendous opportunity to promote Sunday’s show and to celebrate 50 years of a hallmark community events.

Once expenses have been met, the Rotary Club of Forest Grove will receive proceeds from ticket sales.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door on the day of the event. Click Here to purchase tickets…and send the link to your friends!

Future Collectors – Youth Judging Program: As part of the 50th Concours d’Elegance, the committee is offering a program for high school students to learn the ins and outs of judging classic cars. The Future Collectors program is sponsored by Sports Car Market, allowing students to learn the craft of judging and to select a car to receive the Future Collectors Trophy at this year’s show.

In addition to admission to the show and the opportunity to judge their Future Collector class, participants will also receive two tickets to the Concours, a polo shirt and a hat.

Interested youth can learn more and fill out a registration form on the Future Collectors Program page on the Concours Website.

Polo Shirts: We still have a number of our club Concours polo shirts available for new members or club members who did not get one last year. The blue shirts have the Concours logo on the front and the club logo on the sleeve and are the work shirts we wear during the event. Shirts are $30 each. If you would like a shirt, please contact Tim Pearson.

Service Opportunities For Club Members
Do You Know Of Service Opportunities?: Are you aware of service opportunities in our area that our members might be interested in? We can advertise those here! This space is not limited to club-sponsored activities but to any service opportunity in the community. To promote the service activity, please send a detailed description of the project, the date and time, contact information and a link to register to Rototeller editor Blake Timm, blakertimm@gmail.com.

FGHS Community Food Pantry: Our club’s support for the Forest Grove High School Food Pantry continues.  Thanks to its partnership with the Oregon Food Bank, food donations are still welcome but are of less need at this time. Of need, however, are toiletries and hygiene products as well as household cleaning materials.

The Food Pantry is open Mondays from 4-5:30 p.m. The pantry is located along Nichols Lane between the football field and the Basinski Center. Click Here for more information on the FGHS Food Pantry and on other resources for those experiencing food insecurity.

For information on the Food Pantry, please contact Brian Burke, bburke@fgsd.k12.or.us. If you wish to make a cash donation to the pantry, Click Here.

Bloodworks NW Blood Drives: In an effort to build blood supplies in the Pacific Northwest, Bloodworks NW is sponsoring a number of blood drives in 2024 at the Forest Grove City Library. Upcoming blood rives will be held on Friday, July 26, Friday, Sept. 27 and Friday, Dec. 6. To sign up to give and set an appointment, please visit the Bloodworks NW website.

Around District 5100
Shoot For The Moon – This October: This October, Rotary District 5100 will be holding a Major Donor event to recognize and thank you who have been generous supporters of The Rotary Foundation and to challenge our district to reach even further to support the cause.

The Shoot for the Moon dinner event will take place on Saturday, October 19, at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville. Inspired by the Artemis mission, which will cover nearly a million miles traveling to the moon and back, we are launching a campaign to raise $1 million in new TRF contributions.

As part of Shoot for the Moon, 2024-25 Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick will be our keynote speaker. This marks the first time a sitting RI president will have visited District 5100 since the late Ray Klinginsmith in 2010-11. Shoot for the Moon will be an inspirational evening and a testament to the great work Rotary and Rotarians do in the world through The Rotary Foundation.

Invitations for Shoot for the Moon will be sent to Arch Klumph Society members, Bequest Society members, Major Donors and Paul Harris Society members. If you are not part of one of these giving groups yet, you can earn an invitation by “leveling up” your giving to TRF:

• Move from Paul Harris Fellow to Paul Harris Society
• Close the gap to become a Major Donor
• Move from Benefactor to Bequest Society

In addition, those who give a new gift of $10,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation between now and August 15, either as an outright gift, a two to three-year pledge or in a gift to the Bequest Society, will earn an invitation to an exclusive reception with Stephanie Urchick. Gifts can be made to any TRF giving area: Annual Fund/SHARE, PolioPlus, the Endowment, Peace, an Area of Focus, or to a Global Grant.

To learn more, visit the Shoot for the Moon website. For further questions, please contact Jeannine Murrell or Blake Timm. We hope to see you on October 19!

Click Here To Learn More About Giving To The Rotary Foundation | Click Here To Donate

District 5100 Mental Health Committee: The District 5100 Mental Health Committee is developing Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for members and clubs. Most of us know that if we saw someone bleeding or having medical distress, what to do. We would attend to wounds, call 911 or start CPR. Few of us know how to respond if we saw someone having a panic attack, or if we are concerned about a friend or coworker in emotional distress.

Mental Health First Aid is a day-long training that helps equip people with tools to start a conversation, be present to support them and help people get the help they need. MHFA provides an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and assist people with mental health challenges.

If you are interested in this training, contact Nancy Boyle via email, nancyjeanboyle@gmail.com.

District 5100 Newsletter: Click Here To View The Monthly District 5100 Newsletter

Last Week’s Program: End of the Year Celebration/Award Winners
During last week’s End of the Year Celebration, President Amy Tracewell gave out a few awards to recognize some Rotarians who have gone above and beyond to help Amy during her Rotary year.

Jeff Duyck: Jeff is a person who I learned very quickly is behind the scenes, making most stuff happen. From his deep connections into the community, to his ability to make almost anything happen, this person is deeply committed to our community and to our club. I call him the unsung hero and this award is for him.

Sharon Olmstead: Sharon is the backbone of the club and keeps our finances in order. She is unwavering in her commitment and juggles more than anyone I know. She does everything with an open heart, a willingness to listen, and an attention to detail that is unmatched. We truly couldn’t do our work without her.

Greg Nemchick: When I was trying to get the Labyrinth going, there were a few days when I remember sitting down and just feeling so defeated because what did I know about pavers and cleaning them? Well, Greg dedicated untold hours to pressure washing those bricks just so he could see my reaction and my smile. Thank you for your behind the scenes, quiet, powerful support.

Claire Agner: When Janet was President and she just retired, she had her helper, Rus. We would make jokes about how Janet had her Rus to help her do things in the club. Well, Claire has been my Rus all along. From the first time we sat next to each other when I was floundering up there, to now, as she met me here early today. My friend, my partner in Rotary, my Rus. Claire Agner.

Rotarian of the Year – Janet Peters (& Honorable Mention Rus Peters): Janet has done it all and Rus has helped her. From picking up squash, to figuring out international visa laws, to sitting at the farmer’s market in the hot sun, Janet exemplifies what it means to serve and to help. She has the biggest. Heart and is one of the most accepting and loving people I know. We truly wouldn’t be the same without her in our club. And her partner, her Rus. Both of them deserve our appreciation and our applause, because they exemplify what it means to be a Rotarian, Janet and Rus!

Club Calendar
Tues., June 25: Concours Meeting, 7 p.m.
via Zoom

Wed., June 26: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Forest Grove Community Alternative Learning Center, 2701 Taylor Way
Program: CALC

Tues., July 2: Concours Meeting, 7 p.m.
via Zoom

Wed., July 3: No Meeting – Happy Independence Day!

Tues., July 9: Concours Meeting, 7 p.m.
via Zoom

Wed., July 10: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Boxer Pause, University Center, Pacific University
Program: Chris Harrison, LifeWorks NW

Thurs., July 11: Executive Board Meeting, 7 a.m.
via Zoom

Sun., July 21: Concours d’Elegance
Pacific University Campus