If you didn’t make it to our last Rotary Club of Forest Grove meeting, here’s what you missed…

Online Meetings Continue: We will continue to meet virtually using the Zoom Meeting platform for the foreseeable future. Our meetings will begin at our normal meeting time, Noon on Wednesday. All Rotarians are welcome and participating will count towards meeting attendance. Here are the login details (will be the same for all of our online meetings moving forward)…

Direct Link: https://zoom.us/j/183084884
Meeting ID: 183 084 884

To join by phone, dial 669-900-6833 or 346-248-7799 and enter the meeting ID number when prompted.

Zoom App Downloads
Zoom Cloud Meeting App For Android
Zoom Cloud Meeting App For iPhone
Download Zoom Meeting App For Desktop

Steak Sales – Part 4: This is the final full week of our fourth Steak Sale of the year. As with past sales, we are offering packs of two choice Columbia Empire Meats steaks for $15 per pack. President Julia Kollar must receive orders by 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16. Steaks will be ready for delivery on Monday, Nov. 23.

Through the first three steak sales, our club has netted over $8,000 for our club. As of Wednesday, 115 packs of steaks had been sold this round, which will net $690 for the Scholarship Program.

Wreath Sales: Thank you to all who participate in our Wreath Sale, which raised funds for our Hope For The Holidays project. Orders were due on Friday. As of Wednesday, 72 wreaths have been ordered which will provide over $1,000 to Hope For The Holidays. Wreaths will be available for pickup and delivery around Saturday, Nov. 28. For additional information, contact Janet Peters.

Optional Giving Invoice: Members should have received in the mail this week an optional giving invoice. This provides members an opportunity to give donations to The Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus as well as our club’s two hallmark programs, Hope For The Holidays and the Scholarship Program. For more details or questions, please contact club treasurer Lucas Welliver.

Thirsty Thursday: This month’s Thirsty Thursday/Satellite Club meeting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m., on the covered deck at Ridgewalker Brewing, 1921 21st Ave. The covered deck will allow for social distancing as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. If you do not feel comfortable attending, the meeting will be stream through the club’s Zoom portal. If you plan on attending in person, please RSVP to Michael Yakos.

Service Opportunity – Habitat For Humanity: The Satellite Club is working with Rotarian Virginia Ohler and West Tuality Habitat For Humanity to provide volunteers for a fall and yard cleanup project. Work would be done on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The plan is to work in small teams of two to four people. Habitat will provide tools and snacks. Each person should bring their own water bottle and sack lunch. All work will be done from the ground – no ladders. If you are interested in taking part, please contact Michael Yakos.

Service To District 5100: We are excited to announce that two of our members will be on leadership roles within District 5100. After three years serving as an assistant district governor, Jeannine Murrell has been selected to be the district’s administrative district governor in 2021-22 for that year’s District Governor, Jim Boyle. In addition, Tom Raabe has agreed to become the assistant district governor for the district’s Western Region, which includes Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Beaverton, beginning in July 2021. Congratulations Jeannine and Tom and thank you for your continued service to Rotary!

Holiday Light Parade: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual City of Forest Grove Holiday Light Parade will still take place in a different format. The parade will take place on Sat., Dec. 5, as a static parade along David Hill Road between Brooke Street and Highway 47. The floats will be park and people will drive by. In past years, our club has had a float in the parade but we are in need of a chair to lead this year’s effort. If you are interested in taking charge of the Rotary float this year, please let President Julia know.

The annual Chamber of Commerce tree lighting at the senior center and the holiday artisan market will also still take place in 2020 but with changed formats. More information will be available soon.

Rotary Phone Tree: Thank you to everyone who has made our Rotary Phone Tree such a success in caring for our members. The goal of the phone tree is to reach out and check on every member of the club to make sure they are doing all right and to provide updates on club announcements and activities (Hint: You have a great list to draw from here). The plan is for the tree to be activated every Tuesday. The idea is that for each person to call the next one on the list. The last person on the list should call the team captain to make sure the list is complete. For more information or questions, or if your information on the Phone Tree is not correct, contact Paul Waterstreet.

FGHS Community Food Pantry: Even with schools closed, the need for resources at the Forest Grove High School Community Food Pantry continues. The pantry continues to need the following items to serve the community that is depending on it…

Food: Pasta, Canned Sauces, Tortillas, Rice, Beans, Canned Fruit, Jelly, Peanut Butter, Boxed Milk, Canned Vegetables, Bread, Applesauce, Granola Bars, Fruit Snacks, Macaroni & Cheese, Tuna, Crackers, Maseca and Vegetable Oil.

Hygiene Items: Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash, Tampons/Pads, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Deodorant, Hair Brushes, Toilet Paper.

During the fall, the Food Pantry will be open on Mondays from 2- 4 p.m. Donations are accepted on-site on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

If you can donate any of the above items, please contact Brian Burke, bburke@fgsd.k12.or.us. If you wish to make a cash donation to the pantry, Click Here.

Past Programs: Did you miss a meeting or want to go back and check out a program again? Most of our programs since May are archived on our club YouTube page. Visit https://bit.ly/fgrotaryprograms.

Around District 5100
Kruse Way Rotary Sounds Virtual Concert: The Kruse Way Rotary Club will be presenting its annual Rotary Sounds Virtual Concert virtually. This year’s concert will be available online from Nov. 11 to Dec. 2 and will feature performances by Patrick Lamb, Turnstiles (a Billy Joel tribute band) and the Grammy-award nominated WannaBeatles. Benefits from the concert will support three specific club projects: Candlelighters (cancer support for children and their families), Patrick’s Children (feminine hygiene and sustainable farming in Uganda) and transitional youth programs (housing and jobs for at-risk youth on Portland streets). For more information, visit krusewayrotary.org.

Rotary Fire Relief Fund: In response to the catastrophic loss of homes, businesses, and livelihoods for many in Oregon and Washington, Rotary District 5100 has established a Fire Relief Fund to help victims of the fires rebuild their lives. Communities that have been severely devastated, if not eliminated, in the wake of these unprecedented fires will need help in both the near and long term.

District 5100 is ready to accept tax-deductible donations to provide grants to partner organizations and individuals in need. Additionally, the power of the Rotary International Foundation to help leverage the funds raised through public donations will be of great benefit to Rotary’s ability to substantially assist residents in both states into the future. District 5100 has applied and been preliminarily approved for a Disaster Relief grant to help those in need at this time.

“For the painful and challenging times ahead, Rotary is ready to accept public and corporate support to help those in need in our local communities. The focus is on raising and leveraging funds for future distribution via District Disaster Grants that help rebuild the fire devastated areas,” said District Governor Jo Crenshaw.

District 5100 has teamed up with the Rotary Club of West Linn Charitable Trust, a 501(c)(3), to accept tax-deductible contributions for fire relief.

Send Charitable Contributions to: West Linn Rotary Foundation: Fire Relief Fund, PO Box 442, West Linn, OR 97068

For more information on our relief efforts, contact District Governor Jo Crenshaw, crenshawjo2021@gmail.com, or Past District Governor Tom Markos, tmarkos@me.com.

District 5100 Training Assembly: This year’s District 5100 Training Assembly, which is typically an in-person, will be delivered online once again this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sessions that are specific to club and district positions are scheduled to be delivered on Saturday, Apr. 10. Sessions providing general topics to the entire Rotary membership are scheduled to be delivered on Saturday, Apr. 17. More details will be made available in the coming months.

Around Rotary International
How Rotary Is Alleviating The Effects Of Isolation During COVID-19: Social distancing, self-quarantines, and lockdowns, all of which have been necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, help keep us safe but also isolate us, creating feelings of loneliness and anxiety.

Rotary clubs are rising to the challenge to mitigate these negative effects, both in their clubs and beyond. Along the way, members are discovering new ways to serve.

When leaders of the Rotary Club of Roma Polis, Italy, talked to their club members during the early days of the pandemic, they saw a lot of sadness and anxiety, Niccoló Di Raimondo says. During its first online meeting during lockdown, member Valentina Silvestre, a psychologist, offered self-care tips for coping during the pandemic, such as planning to how to use one’s time well, enjoying simple pleasures like reading and music, and staying physically active.

“The advice was to live the lockdown experience as a moment of personal reflection, an opportunity to give importance to sharing moments with family members,” Di Raimondo says. Read More

Rotary Presidential Conferences (From RI President Holder Knaack): For many years in Rotary, we have talked about the importance of Rotaract and how young people have the potential to reshape our organization. Thankfully, in the last few years we have gone beyond talk and have moved into a time of action.

This has coincided with the world experiencing dramatic change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our traditional connections and ways of meeting have been disrupted. We have all had to learn how to operate fully in the digital world — the same world that Rotaractors inhabit regularly and naturally.

What we are discovering is that Rotaractors are tremendous leaders. This is something I’ve known for quite some time. When it was my turn to host an Institute as a district governor, I turned the entire planning project over to Rotaractors. Not only did they not let me down, they continually delighted me with their ambition and vision.

This is why, for my Presidential Conferences in 2020-21, I will showcase the leadership abilities of Rotaractors around the world and give all Rotarians an opportunity to see, first hand, just what they are capable of accomplishing.

I invite you to join us at three events that will be held virtually — and to the extent possible — in person. I invite you to learn more about our three virtual events that will be held 15-16 January in Brazil, 22-24 January in Nigeria, and 14-16 May in the United States. Read More

Last Week’s Program: Four-Way Test Committee

Click Here To View The Entire Program

Last week’s program was a special one presented by our Four-Way Test Committee. While touching on the history of the Four-Way Test, the committee talked about four special past members of our club who have typified the Four-Way Test and the Rotary adage of Service Above Self through their lives.

While we summarize the presentation here, if you did not have a chance to see it at our meeting, we encourage you to click on the link above and watch the program about these special Rotarians.

Tom Raabe spoke on the history of the Four-Way Test. Herbert J. Taylor, a member of Rotary Club of Chicago, who developed the code when he took over the failing Club Aluminum Company, developed the Four-Way Test during the Great Depression. The company applied the test to its business dealings, which leaders attributed to the turnaround of the company. Rotary International adopted The Four-Way Test in 1942. Taylor donated the copyright of the test to Rotary when he was Rotary International president in 1954.

Marge Johnston talked about Ed Stadelman, who passed away eight years ago to the day of the program (Nov. 4). Involved in many club and community projects, Ed was instrumental in helping design and build the labyrinth at Pacific University that was built in honor of former Rotarian Faith Gabelnick. He was very active in the upkeep of the MacDougall Garden, was a longtime chairman of the Steak Feed and the longtime concessions chair for the Concours. In addition, he was the longtime chair of the Forest Grove Corn Roast. When traveling in Mexico, Ed always enjoyed searching out local Rotary clubs and helping out with service projects.

John Welch talked about late Rotarian Mike Ward. He was a physicist and moved to the area in 1981 to work for Intel. He was a lab manager and he held many patents. He was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 40, which made him a quadriplegic. John remembers Mike the most for his inspiration. He was encouraged by his doctor to go out and live life to the fullest, which he did. That included volunteer service with the club and working as the assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 213 (our club’s affiliated Scouting troop). As his physical faculties diminished, Intel allowed him to keep working through the use of a computer that recognized eye movements and a wheelchair that had a self-contained life support system. Mike lived 23 years with ALS, living each moment to the fullest.

Mike Yakos spoke about Bob Nixon, who was the first recipient of the Four-Way Test Award. Bob had a long history with the Rotary Club of Forest Grove and continues to be an Honorary Rotarian. Bob was involved with the Forest Grove Chamber of Commerce doing, among other things, volunteering with mowing lawns. He was also involved with the construction of the Forest Grove High School football stadium and constructed the press box two days prior to the first game. Bob was a mainstay on the Concours committee. He not only helped spearhead the Fence Committee but also developed much of the hardware that makes the fence project work. Bob also served as a host family for the Rotary Youth Exchange program for many years and was a mainstay at the barbeques, grilling steaks.

Jim Crisp talked about Lloyd Uecker. Lloyd was born in 1919 and spent 60 years as a Methodist minister and was often successful in increasing attendance, including the Methodist Church in Forest Grove. He joined Rotary in 1982 and was involved for a long time in programs that espoused the Four-Way Test. He was also involved in a number of community projects, including the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. Former mayor Richard Kidd spoke about the breakfast, which brought people in from all over the state, and also read some from one of Lloyd’s books.

Club Calendar
All Club Activities Are On Zoom Unless Otherwise Noted
Wed., Nov. 11: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Program: Dr. Jim Moore, Election Aftermath
Thurs., Nov. 12: Board Meeting, 7 a.m.
Mon., Nov. 16: Steak Sale Orders Due To President Julia
Wed., Nov. 18: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Program: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
Thurs., Nov. 19: Thirsty Thursday/Satellite Club Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Ridgewalker Brewing, 1921 21st Ave.
Wed., Nov. 25: No Meeting – Happy Thanksgiving!