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

Club Announcements
In The Boxer Pause Next Week: Next week’s Wednesday meeting will be held in the Boxer Pause room on the main level of the University Center at Pacific University. As we did this last Wednesday, we will be taking our lunch through the dining commons. Our meeting will start at approximately 12:15 p.m., so please allow yourself plenty of time to move through and select your lunch.

The club is working with Pacific University to make the Boxer Pause our permanent meeting location and to make going through the commons our regular lunch option, both of which will save the club money. Pacific has committed to making improvements to the Boxer Pause room, including better presentation screens and a wireless microphone, to better serve our club needs. If you have questions or concerns, please let President Tim Pearson know.

Farmer’s Day: This Wednesday is also our annual Farmer’s Day. If you signed up to call an invite a farmer to joins us, please remember to do so. Or, if you know a local farmer, feel free to invite them! Our program that week will be Terry Ross of the Oregon Hemp Foundation, who will present on hemp industry in Oregon.

Road Cleanup: Our first road cleanup service project of 2020 is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, 8:30 a.m. We will meet at the Oregon Department of Forestry offices at 801 Gales Creek Road. All who participate in the cleanup will receive a ticket to the Pacific University basketball doubleheader on Sat., Feb. 8. For questions, please contact Andrea Stewart, 503-352-2168 or astewart@pacificu.edu.

For those new to our club, Farmer’s Day is our way of thanking farmers who provide so much to our community and to our local economy. Invited farmers enjoy the meal at the January 29 meeting free of charge.

Bylaws Approved: At our Jan. 15 Wednesday meeting and our Jan. 16 Satellite Club meeting, members voted to improve the new Rotary Club of Forest Grove bylaws. The final vote was 42 for, nine against, which meets the two-third majority needed to approve. Thank you to the many members who have worked on this document over the last few years, including Lucas Welliver, Tom Raabe, Blake Timm and Jeannine Murrell.

Concours Update: Thanks to the work of Michelle Thomas, the entertainment for this year’s Concours d’Elegance will be none other than Michael Allen Harrison, who has agreed to perform free of charge! Thank you, Michelle, for your work to make this happen for our upcoming show. Remember, this year’s Concours d’Elegance will take place on Sunday, July 19.

Rotary Scholarships: Applications for the 2020 Rotary Club of Forest Grove Scholarship Program are now available! The program is open to graduating seniors who live in the Forest Grove, Gaston and Banks school district attendance areas. The program is funded through the proceeds our club receives by putting on the annual Concours d’Elegance. Seniors who wish to apply can get an application from their school guidance counselor or download the form from the Rotary Club of Forest Grove Website. Applications are due by Fri., April 9.

In Memoriam: It is with sadness that we announce that Andy Klein, a longtime member of our club and president in the 1960-61 Rotary Year, passed away on January 10 in Forest Grove. A full obituary on Andy can be Read Here.

Crab Feed: Our annual crab feed has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, at the Forest Grove Senior & Community Center. This will be an evening meeting and no noon meeting will be held that day. Keep watching this space for more details soon!

Club President For 2022-23: We are happy to announce that Josh Shinoda has agreed to follow Bryce Baker in our club’s officer rotation! We look forward to Josh’s year as club president in 2022-23!

People Of Action Award: Joe Post presented last week’s People of Action award to Parri Van Dyke. Congratulations Parri!

FGHS Community Food Pantry: The Community Service Committee is looking to develop a partnership with the new Community Food Pantry that has opened at Forest Grove High School. Club leaders have met with the high school to not only discuss volunteer opportunities but also possible donations of food, money and equipment.

The pantry is currently looking for donations of refrigerators, food and clothing racks (think the rolling Gorilla Rack style) and clear storage bins. If you can help in procuring some of those items for the pantry, please contact Bryce Baker.

The Community Food Pantry is currently open Wednesday through Friday after school and on Mondays and Tuesdays by appointment.

Next Week’s Duty Roster for Jan. 29: Make note of your assignment!
Greeters: Bryce Baker & John Ball
Thought for the Day: John Minor
Rototeller Article: Doug Thompson
Raffle Prize: Johnathan Hausinger

District Announcements
Save The Date – District Training Assembly: The 2020 District 5100 Training Assembly will take place on Sat., Apr. 4, at Oregon City High School. Anyone interested in learning more about Rotary and our district and anyone who is involved or wishes to be involved in the leadership of the club is strongly encouraged to attend. More information will be available soon.

Save The Date – District 5100 Conference: The Annual District 5100 Conference will take place May 14-17 at the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort (formerly The Resort At The Mountain) in Welches. This conference is a celebration of the Rotary year and the good work our Rotarians do in District 5100. There is a block of rooms set aside for the District at $129 per night. Mention “Rotary District 5100 Conference” for that rate. Reservations can be made by calling 503-622-2220 or online at mthood-resort.com.

Last Week’s Program: Celeste Goulding, Temporary Emergency Shelter
Last week, we received a presentation on the Forest Grove Temporary Emergency Shelter from Celeste Goulding. Celeste is the shelter services director for the shelter and has been involved with the program since 2015.

The Temporary Emergency Shelter was started by the Forest Grove United Church of Christ in 2008 in response to the increasing amount of homeless caused, in part, by the national housing crisis and recession. At that time, the shelter was open during the winter only when the temperature or wind chill dropped below 32 degrees for at least three days in a row.

In 2015, the shelter system moved from being open only when temperatures warrant to opening four days per week. In 2020, the shelter is open at the Forest Grove United Church of Christ on Monday and Tuesday evenings and at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Cornelius on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. While not currently a shelter location, Old Town Church in Forest Grove provides support to the shelter operation. To date, the two shelters are the only ones open during the winter in Western Washington County and the only one that accepts families.

So far in 2019-20, 175 people have been served by the shelter with over 8,000 meals being given out. Other services provided by the shelter include distribution of bus tickets, showers (thanks to the shower trailer we helped to fund) and eye exams provided by Pacific University.

The shelter is always looking for volunteers to help in operation, from meal preparation to overnight hosts. There is a specific need for volunteers who can work morning shifts (5-8 a.m.), If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, email westwaco.wintershelter@gmail.com or call 503-985-8815.

Club Calendar
Wed., Jan. 29: Weekly Meeting, Noon, Pacific University Boxer Pause
Program: Farmer’s Day, Terry Ross, Oregon Hemp Foundation
Sat., Feb. 1: Road Cleanup, 8:30 a.m., Oregon Department of Forestry, 801 Gale Creek Rd.
Wed., Feb. 8: Weekly Meeting, Noon, Pacific University Boxer Pause
Program: TBA
Tues., Feb. 11: Concours d’Elegance Committee Meeting, 7 p.m., Forest Grove Chamber Office