Christmas Memories - Club Members

 

            Jan. 11: Noon Zoom luncheon.  Topic: School District 81 levy.

 

 

            Congratulations!: President-elect Lenore  Romney  achieved her third Paul Harris award!

 

            Kids coats available:  In conjunction with a Kids Without Borders project in western Washington and Burlington stores, Lenore and Bob Romney will help distribute coats for needy children. Members who know of organizations who can connect the coats with the kids can contact Lenore and Bob. 

 

 

           

            Despite the continuous Covid chaos, the club’s annual holiday gift collection for needy children at Holmes Elementary School went smoothly, perhaps even better than expected

 

            Coordinators Lenore Romney and Sandy Fink organized a well-planned project, with all participating members bringing wrapped gifts to Holmes.

 

            They said that plan worked better than previous years, where gifts had to be transferred the from piles of bags at club lunch sites to Holmes.

 

            Sandy and Lenore photographed the members at the door, gifts were placed in large bags,  then stored in the supply room.

 

            Sandy sent e-mails to each member with the photographs and a video thank-you from Holmes Principal Stephanie Lundberg.

 

            Club member Brian Hipperson added a $100 Happy Bucks donation in honor of Lenore and Sandy’s work on the gift project.

 

           

            During the club’s Dec. 21 Holiday Lunch zoom meeting the recollections ranged from childhood stories.

 

            Ron Noble, then at the Colville Rotary, talked about delivering gifts to one rural family house lit only with kerosene lamps.  The dad, a logger, had duct-taped repairs to his logging (Sorry, no pic of Ron on the Website:(!) boots.  When the Rotarians brought the gifts, Ron said, the dad was so touched he ran out the back door because he did not want to see his two children cry with gratitude.

 

President Steve Bergman said he was age 10 and a big Charlie Brown fan when he was part of an elementary school presentation on the radio.  Apparently Steve’s signature Charlie Brown “augh” cry sounded more like a pirate “aargh” than the usual Peanuts broadcast.  Steve’s mom mentioned the difference and the memory still lasts.

 

 

 

            Chuck Rehberg recalled the “Davy Crockett” Disney westerns of the 1950s.  When he was age 8 in 1954 a cousin brought his Christmas Eve gift – a sort-of authentic coonskin cap. Then his folks brought out a pile of gift.  On top was a coonskin cap.  When Chuck greeted his next-door neighbors on Christmas Day, guess what their gift was.  Yep, a third coonskin cap. You just can have too many of those.

 

 

            Sandy Fink recalled all of the carols at years of church holiday gatherings and was chagrinned that this year’s ceremonies will only be on Zoom.

           

           Brian Hipperson mentioned a Christmas years ago when his wife, Carol, was teaching at Rogers High when she visited a home with only dirt floors and a rug.  The family was ecstatic when Carol took the young lady to a holiday presentation, apparently the first time the girl had been to an event like that. 

 

            Brian also recalled a Rotary Christmas luncheon in the 90s when the program – a magician – failed to show up.  Club members shared holiday memories to fill the program.

           

Lenore Romney talked about one of her many Holmes’ mentors.  Her mentor shared a Christmas Eve birthdate with the boy, who was a huge Spokane Chiefs hockey team fan.  Lenore gave a Chiefs jersey and that sweater was his favorite piece of clothing

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            Dave Hayward said his annual tradition is to have wife, Robin, bake Snicker-doodle cookies and package the treats with a religious message and a $5 bill to share with homeless people downtown.  Dave said one man, who was toothless, devoured the soft cookies, saying he knew exactly what they were.

 

            Bob Romney mentioned so much when he and Lenore attended a New York stage presentation of “The Christmas Story,” a perfect setting for the holidays.

 

            Bob (Sorry, No pic of Bob on the website:(!) said much how we have in communities and traditions (in the holidays) and Rotary helps to fill some of that need throughout the year.

 

            In parting, Steve Bergman wished all in the club “a happy and safe holiday season.”

 

Bulletin editors: Chuck Rehberg and Sandy Fink