In Memoriam – Bob Nixon & Joe Post: We continue to hold in our hearts the Nixon and Post families upon the passing of our friends and fellow Rotarians, Bob Nixon and Joe Post.

Bob Nixon passed away on March 29 at the age of 96. Bob’s celebration of life was held on Saturday, Apr. 9. The Forest Grove News-Times published a feature celebrating Bob’s amazing life in its Apr. 6 edition (please click the link to read).

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. Joe’s obituary can be Read Here.

Crab Feed: After a two-year absence, our annual Crab Feed is taking place on Wednesday, Apr. 20, 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 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. You can pay in advance at our club meeting on Wednesday, April 13 or online.

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!

Note that 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.

Silent Auction At Crab Feed: As we have done in past years, we will be conducting a silent auction at the Crab Feed to raise money for our service outreaches. We are looking for donations such as themed gift baskets, wine and wine tasting experiences, a stay in beach house, tickets to sporting events…on maybe something else in mind that you would like to donate.

If you are interested in donating to the silent auction, please contact Parri Van Dyke.

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 or Virginia Ohler.

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.

Blue Badge – Andrew Van Dyke: For the first time in who knows how long (thanks to the pandemic), we awarded a blue badge to a newer member. Congratulations to Andrew Van Dyke, who reached this milestone and was awarded his blue badge at our Mar. 30 meeting. Andrew joined our club in October 2020.

What is the difference between red badges and blue badges? When a new member joins our club, they are presented with a red name badge. In order to earn their blue badge, which signifies a regular member in good standing, they must meet three conditions: attend a Fireside/New Member Meeting, serve as a greeter at a club meeting and obtain the names of 30 signatures of club members in their red badge to blue badge book.

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.

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.

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
Rotary’s Continued Response To The Humanitarian Crisis In Ukraine: Rotary announced on Apr. 5 that it has raised more than $7 million to support locally-led relief efforts underway by Rotary clubs in Ukraine and neighboring countries.

“The need for immediate humanitarian aid is increasing with each passing day,” said John Hewko, CEO of Rotary International. “Rotary clubs in Europe and around the world, including our 1,100 members in Ukraine, have stepped up their relief work, with some on the ground helping those displaced by the war.”

• In western Ukraine, Rotary members in Lviv are working with local authorities and major hospitals to provide urgent medical supplies and equipment.
• In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Rotary clubs have partnered with a railway company to offer transport to refugees and deliver essential items.
• In France and Germany, Rotary members set up a central fund and working group to coordinate aid for Ukraine and border countries.
• Rotary clubs in Poland have taken swift action to provide food, water, medical equipment, and transport and shelter for Ukrainian refugees.

Funds raised by the Rotary Foundation – Rotary’s charity arm, go directly to those in need through local Rotary clubs in Ukraine and other countries where substantial aid is needed for refugees.

Rotary clubs are also coordinating with partners to explore effective solutions to increased humanitarian needs. Rotary’s disaster response partner ShelterBox, is collaborating with Rotary members in Eastern Europe to provide essential supplies and access to temporary housing for those who have left Ukraine, along with medical and shelter supplies for communities in Ukraine. Items include mattresses for people living in schools and sports centers, shelter kits with tools and rope, hygiene kits, winter jackets, solar lights, and water carriers to help people survive as they are forced to live in damaged buildings.

Last Week’s Program: Sarah Morse, Education Foundation of Forest Grove

Click Here To Watch The Full Program

Sarah Morse, the president of the Education Foundation of Forest Grove, joined us at last week’s meeting to introduce us to the foundation and the work that it has done on behalf of local school students and teachers over the last 30-plus years.

The foundation was founded in 1989 by a group of alumni from Forest Grove High School. The founding goal was that the foundation would help students and teachers in trying to fill some of the gaps in the educational system.

The foundation is currently run by a board of nine people. The foundation provides multiple $500 teacher grants each year to help with projects all across the Forest Grove School District. The foundation tries to find and support projects that touch as many students and as many schools as possible.

There have been a great variety of projects supported over the years, including book-buying projects, STEM projects and funds to help purchase new uniforms for the mariachi group at Forest Grove High School. The foundation provides grants for 10 to 20 projects each year, depending on the number of applications received.

The foundation also operates a scholarship program that includes five different scholarships funded either by the foundation or by local families. The family scholarships are set up and funded by the families with the foundation assisting with the application and selection process.

Families or groups that are interested in setting up a scholarship can contact the foundation for details. It is possible to set up an endowed scholarship for as little as $6,250.

The foundation takes on a number of fundraising events to fund its grants and projects. The most notable of these is its annual Christmas concert. It was a longtime tradition to have The Trail Band perform. Since the band’s retirement, Michael Allen Harrison has been the featured artist. Other fundraising events in the past have included golf outings, paint nights and restaurant profit-sharing nights.

The foundation is always looking for new board members and others that want to be involved in supporting education locally. For more information, visit their website at effg.org.

Club Calendar
Wed., Apr. 13: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Boxer Pause Room, University Center, Pacific University
Program: Shawn Cardwell, Forest Grove Foundation

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

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

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