Posted by John Steckler on Dec 02, 2020
Fellow Rotarians, it brings me great pleasure to introduce you virtually to our newest Young Rotary Leader, Tabitha Gross, who joins us today under the classification of Health Care.
 
Tabitha was born in Portland, Oregon where she spent her first six years of life as an adorable little girl, before hitting the road for a nomadic life having lived throughout the US before she finally came to rest in Seattle.
Tabitha’s parents were both chemical engineers who met in a paper mill and fell in love... as that is such a romantic place! Remember the aroma of Tacoma?
 
Rotary has played a big role in Tabitha’s life from a young age. Here she is as a Rotary Youth Exchange student who got to go to the Chech Republic when she was in high school. 
 
Tabitha attended college at PLU where she earned a BA in business with a concentration in nonprofit management. She graduated with a degree in nonprofit health care management. Immediately after graduating, Tabitha went to work for Sea Mar, a low-income healthcare provider. She rose through the ranks and after five years, Tabitha was the Administrative and Development Manager.
 
Next came an opportunity to join NeighborCare Health. NeighborCare Health has 24 clinics throughout the Seattle area, with many of them in Seattle public schools providing healthcare services to underprivileged students.
 
Today, Tabitha is single, but not for long as she is engaged to marry her boyfriend, Kevin Claus (who is a good lookin' man), on New Year’s Eve 2020! Way to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021!
 
Tabitha has a big Rotary support network and many people are here today to cheer her on as she begins her Rotary career:
 
Please welcome:
  • Her paper mill parents, Jeff and Maria Gross from the Clairemont Sunrise Rotary Club in California
  • Her cousin, Allison Keefe, from Norwich Sunrise Rotary in Connecticut
  • Her grandfather Max Rumbaugh Jr, Past President of Rotary Club of Scottsdale Arizona
  • Her Uncle Max Rumbaugh, III, from Rotary Club of Geneva Illinois
  • And finally, her future Father in law John Claus from Seattle Northeast Rotary Club
Now finally, let’s ask about this name of hers. I asked her where she got the name Tabitha from. She told me that for most of her life, she thought her parents got the name from the Bible after a widow with the same name who gave back in life. 
 
That sounds good and that sure sounds like Tabitha and her mission in life!
 
BUT
 
The truth is, they got it from that TV show Bewitched, especially when the parents found out that the child actor that played Tabitha was one of the most successful young child performers in TV history as she saved her money, went to college, and had a great career.
 
Now, THAT sounds like our Tabitha.
 
Please wave your hands and join President Jeff as we welcome our newest Young Rotary Leader, Tabitha Gross, Classification, Health Care.
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