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

Crab Feed: After a two-year absence, our annual Crab Feed is taking place this Wednesday, from 5-8 p.m. at the Forest Grove Senior & Community Center. The Crab Feed is designed to be a social event for club members and their families to celebrate the good work that we do throughout the year. This is also traditionally when the club recognizes its latest Paul Harris Fellows.

Advance registration is required for this year’s event by this Monday, April 18. Admission for this year’s Crab Feed is $40 per person for those who are eating crab and $25 if not eating crab. There will also be crab for sale to take home at market price.

A big thank you to Julia Kollar, who has taken over at the Crab Feed chair after the work done for many years by Mike Hundley, and her committee for bringing this event together!

There will be no noon meeting on April 20. There will also not be a Satellite Club/Thirsty Thursday meeting in April in lieu of the Crab Feed.

Rotarian Work Day At Habitat: Our club is partnering the West Tuality Habitat for Humanity in a service opportunity coming up on Saturday, Apr. 23. Our work time is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Habitat’s Kidd Court construction site at 1513 22nd Place.

This is a new home under construction. Depending on the weather, work could involve any of the following: exterior paint, landscaping, drywall installation, general site setup and the organization of tools and supplies.

Rotarians should come dressed to work and being a water bottle, sack lunch and work gloves. Due to limited parking at the job site, volunteers are asked to park along D Street and walk to the site.

For more information on this service opportunity, please contact Janet Peters at 503-679-6479 or rjlc4peters@msn.com or Virginia Ohler at 503-310-9585 or virginia@ohlermanagement.com.

Joe Post Celebration: Our friend and fellow Rotarian Joe Post passed away on March 28 at the age of 80. Joe’s wife, Judy, had planned an 80th birthday party for Joe on Saturday, April 30, from 1-4 p.m., at the Forest Grove United Church of Christ, 2032 College Way. Judy has decided to go forward with the date but the event will be a “Let’s Remember Joe!” event. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be contributed to the Rotary Club of Forest Grove Scholarship Fund or to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

March Madness: Thank you to everyone who participated in the March Madness fundraiser for the Rotary Annual Fund.  This year we had 12 participants and raised $280 toward our Annual Fund goal. Accordingly, each participant will receive 20 Paul Harris Points (for their $20 donation) and the 280 Paul Harris Points matched by the Club will be divided among the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Brackets as follows:

First Place: Bryce Baker, 140 points
Second Place: Pete Van Dyke: 84 points
Third Place: Janet Peters: 56 points

Scholarship Committee Update: The deadline for applications for the 2022 Rotary Club of Forest Grove Scholarship program has passed. The committee is pleased to report that there were 33 applicants this year, up from 14 the year before. The committee is now reviewing applicants and will announce recipients in early June in conjunction with senior awards celebrations for the local high schools. Thank you to chair Sharon Olmstead and the committee for their important work!

Concours Update: Planning for the 2022 Concours d’Elegance is well under way. Our annual car show, which raises funds for our club’s Scholarship Program, will take place on Sunday, July 17, on the campus of Pacific University. This year’s theme is a celebration of Jaguar. In addition, the show will showcase a salute to British Excellence with feature classes for MG, Triumph and Lotus.

Here are a few updates from the Concours committee:

Registration: Registration for this year’s Concours is now open. Let’s get as many cars out on the show field to help celebrate our return! There is a suggested entry donation of $25 per car. More details on entry classes and the registration link can be found at https://forestgroveconcours.org/enter.

Swap Meet: The promotion for this year’s show is underway! A number of Rotarians manned a booth at the recent Portland Swap Meet to promote the event. Thank you to Pete Van Dyke, Janet Peters, Tom Raabe, Geoff Johnston, Alisa Johnston, Ryan Garcia & Jim Crisp for spending part of their weekends in service to the short and Rotary.

Sponsorships: Tim Pearson has a goal of 100 sponsors for the show. “That’s going to be a stretch but I think it is doable,” Tim said, but he needs the help of club members to make it happen. A copy of the sponsorship flyer is Linked Here. If you have sponsorship questions or a lead, please contact Tim at 503-998-8616 or TimPearsonPC@gmail.com.

Concours Events: The Concours Committee is moving forward with a Friday night concert event to start the weekend. The concert will take place on July 15 at Elk Cove Vineyards near Gaston. Capacity will be limited to 200 people. More details will be coming soon.

The Evening of Excellence dinner will take place at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course on the evening of Sat., July 16.

For more information on the show, visit forestgroveconcours.org, or contact show chairman Ryan Garcia at rypgarcia@gmail.com.

As our club’s primary fundraiser for the year, the Concours is an “all hands on deck” event with all club members expected to volunteer.

RYLA Applications Open: After a two-year hiatus, applications are being taken for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). RYLA is a one-week intensive leadership training experience for youth ages 21 to 32 years old that includes team-building exercises, guest speakers and more. This year’s event will take place July 9-15 at the Menucha Retreat Center in the Columbia River Gorge.

Applicants must be sponsored by a local Rotary club and our club has traditionally sponsored two RYLA participants. For more information on the program, please contact Andrea Stewart at 503-357-1427 or astewart@pacificu.edu. Information on RYLA, along with the required application, can be found online at ryladistrict5100.org.

Donations For Ukrainian Relief: As part of Rotary International’s efforts to provide relief the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, the Rotary Club of Forest Grove is collecting donations towards the effort. Rotary International has created a specific channel for donors through Rotary’s Disaster Response Fund.

Our club is offering a $1,500 match for contributions made by club members towards the humanitarian response (President Bryce has said that the match could be more if our club raises more). Contributions can be made at any club meeting. If you have questions about the effort or the match, please contact President Bryce Baker.

Steak Feed Returns: Our annual Steak Feed is also returning after a two-year hiatus. This year’s event will take place on Friday, June 10, on the campus of Pacific University.

Designed as a community event, the Steak Feed is specifically targeted as a fundraiser for our club’s involvement in the Rotary Youth Exchange program (which we also hope to see return in 2022). A meal featuring a choice steak, potatoes, vegetables and dessert is prepared and served by club members.

As one of our club’s major fundraisers, the Steak Feed is an “all hands on deck” event with all club members expected to volunteer. More details on this year’s event will be available soon. For more information, please contact Geoff Faris at gafaris@aol.com.

Online Dues Payments: Our club is now equipped to process dues payments online! We can now process credit card or debit card payments for quarterly dues. Information on how to pay online will be included with quarterly billings that will be coming to your mailbox or email inbox.

With the transition to billing with Quickbooks, some members may not have received their quarterly invoice. If you did not, please contact treasurer Lucas Welliver at 971-241-7426 or lucaswelliver@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 on Mondays from 4-5:30 p.m. The pantry is now open in its new site in the building along Nichols Lane between the football field and the Basinski Center.

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.

Additionally, Rotarian Gwen Hullinger has put together an Amazon wish list of items that can be purchased and donated. Click Here To View That List.

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

Around District 5100
District 5100 Rotary One Conference: Registration is now open for the District 5100 One Rotary Conference, which will take place on Seaside from May 19-22. This year’s event is a combination of the former district training assembly and the district conference, designed to be both a weekend of Rotary education and celebration.

The One Rotary Conference is free for Rotarians but advance registration is required. The only charge is for any breakfasts, lunches and dinners taken during the conference and accommodations.

A working schedule of events and training sessions for the One Rotary Conference can be found by Clicking Here. You can register for the event by logging into DacDB and clicking on the registration link.

A conference rate for accommodations is available at the Saltline Hotel, 250 1st Ave., Seaside, and at the Inn at Seaside, 441 2nd Ave., Seaside.

Saltline Hotel, saltlinehotel.com, Group Code: RD5100
Inn at Seaside, innatseaside.com, Group Code: RT5100

Around Rotary International
Report On The Rotary Council On Legislation: Representatives to the 2022 Council on Legislation voted overwhelmingly on their first day of sessions to add “equity and inclusion” to Rotary International bylaws, affirming the organization’s continued effort to be inclusive of all cultures, experiences, and identities, and to reflect the communities it serves.

The four-day conference, held in Chicago, Illinois, USA on 10-14 April, marked Rotary’s first successful attempt to host a hybrid international event since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 200 representatives represented Rotary districts around the world; about 60% attended in-person, and the rest participated via Zoom.

This year’s Council reviewed and voted on more than 90 enactments that would change RI’s constitutional documents. Among the highlights is the legislation that promotes diversity and builds a well-balanced Rotary membership.

Proposed by the Rotary Club of Annanagar Aadithya, India, (District 3232) the enactment passed by a vote of 420 to 56. Amended Rotary bylaws now state that “each club or Rotaract club shall endeavor to build a well-balanced membership that celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Rotary prohibits clubs from denying an individual membership due to gender, race, color, creed, national origin, or sexual orientation.

“We have now made growing and diversifying our membership a top internal organizational priority,” said Valarie Wafer, who chairs RI’s Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion task force.

“Feeling welcome and comfortable with fellow club members is the single greatest driver of member satisfaction, and retention,” Wafer maintained. “By adding equity, we are thoughtfully considering how to provide differing levels of support, opportunities, and resources so everyone can have a welcoming and valuable experience. Adding inclusion ensures that we focus on creating experiences in which all people are welcomed, respected, and valued.”

Club Administration Pilot: Duane Benton, a member of the Rotary Club of Kansas City and a federal judge, who co-chaired this year’s Council, characterized multiple items at this Council as part of Rotary’s continued commitment to improving club and organizational flexibility.

An enactment that generated vigorous discussion before passing by a vote of 324 to 150 would allow the RI Board to pilot a new regional governance structure for clubs and Rotarians.

The pilot will be limited to Rotary Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) as well as clubs and districts in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific for a duration of six years.

Cosponsors of the legislation – the RI Board and the Rotary Club of Merimbula (District 9705) in Australia, stated that the current regional governance structure, put in place over 70 years ago, has grown into a “significant hierarchy” with too many layers and roles.

“It is appropriate to modernize and consider new models that can enhance our efficiency, increase the ability of members to access support, and look at new ways to make volunteer positions more manageable and doable,” said Wafer, who spoke on behalf of the RI board.

Representatives who opposed the enactment argued that the plan for the pilot lacks specifics and could reduce the number of districts and put a district governor’s role at risk. One representative from District 3490 (Taiwan) expressed concern that the plan could alter the autonomous structure of Rotary clubs, leading to centralized governance and decreasing localized management.

Wafer, reassured Rotarians that the districts and the role of district governors will not be eliminated while the pilot is being implemented. Following a six-year experiment, she said if the findings indicate that the existing model needs to be reverted, the role of district governors will still exist.

“This is not to force fit a new governance structure,” Wafer added. “Rather, we try to work in partnership with districts to see what works and what doesn’t for a more sustainable future.”

Dues Increase: Representatives approved a dues increase for each of the next three years. Dues that clubs pay to RI per member are set at $35.50 per half year in 2022-23. Dues will increase to $37.50 per half year in 2023-24, $39.25 per half year in 2024-25, and US$41.50 per half year in 2025-26.

“The proposed dues adjustment is based on the most current forecasting information,” said RI Director Elizabeth Usovicz. She attributed the dues increase to lower membership, lower earnings, and fluctuating inflation. “The approval will now enable Rotary to respond quickly and compassionately to humanitarian needs.” Read More

Last Week’s Program: Shawn Cardwell, Forest Grove Foundation

Click Here To Watch The Full Program

Shawn Cardwell, executive director of the Forest Grove Foundation, joined us last week to provide an update on the organization and the work it has done over the last two years.

Established in 1995, the Forest Grove Foundation initially existed to help fund a number of community endeavors in the Forest Grove area. In the last two years, the organization has shifted its focus to fiscal sponsorships to organizations that serve to combat poverty, and specifically homelessness and food insecurity, in Western Washington County.

Cardwell became executive director of the Forest Grove Foundation not longer after moving back to Forest Grove from Kansas City three years ago.

Cardwell provided a reminder that those people who are experiencing homelessness and food insecurity are humans. They are community members and neighbors. If we start referring to them as such, we might get closer to doing more to help meet those people where we are.

In terms of homeless outreach, the Forest Grove Foundation Outreach Team has been engaged in outreach at local encampments and rural locations since Summer 2020. The team has a van that they stock with basic supplies to provide to homeless individuals. They also help to connect homeless individuals to other services as needed.

Basic survival provisions, such as water, propane and hygiene items, are being prioritized as they attempt to sustain and stretch funding.

The foundation is also looking to establish a homeless service hub in Forest Grove. Western Washington County is a social service desert with little to no services available without going into Hillsboro and Beaverton. In December 2021, the Forest Grove City Council unanimously approved $120,000 for locating a Homeless Services Hub. The foundation is finishing the process of securing a lease to house this hub.

There is a lack of stabilizing transitional living programs as those experiencing homelessness wait for a housing opportunity. The foundation is proposing working with individuals to try and identify the viability of a localized plan for a micro-shelter community or “pod village.”

The foundation has recently hired case managers to help homeless individuals with their needs. That will allow the foundation to grow its capacity to serve individuals in Forest Grove.

The foundation continues to provide food services, keeping local farms, pantries, stores and service providers connected with their refrigerated truck. They are developing plans and identifying funding to expand into preparation, preservation and additional delivery of food to those in the greatest need.

The foundation has received a grant from Metro’s Regional Refresh Fund to subsidize a cleanup of a homeless camp along B Street. The foundation will work with campers, the city of FG, Metro and other partners to assist with a cleanup in spring or early summer 2022.

Visit the organization’s website at forestgrovefoundation.org

Club Calendar
Wed., Apr. 20: Rotary Crab Feed, 5 p.m.
Forest Grove Senior & Community Center
There Will Be No Noon Meeting On April 20

Sat., Apr. 23: Rotary Work Project With West Tuality Habitat For Humanity, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Kidd Court, 22nd Place at D Street, Forest Grove

Wed., Apr. 27: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Boxer Pause Room, University Center, Pacific University
Program: Phil Friesen, Pacific University Outdoor Pursuits

Wed., May 4: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Boxer Pause Room, University Center, Pacific University
Program: Estafania Rodriguez, Adelante Mujeres

Fri., June 10: Steak Feed, 5 p.m.
Pacific University Campus

Sun., July 17: Concours d’Elegance
Pacific University Campus