Events

The need for blood donors is far bigger than BWNW could handle on any one day.  This is why the entire month of May is available for Rotarians, friends, family and co-workers to donate blood at BWNW. 

Please call BWNW at 1-800-398-7888 or go online to www.bloodworksnw.org to schedule your donation.

When you arrive for your appointment please mention “Rotary 5030” to get your donation properly credited.  Also, we ask that you print and bring this sign with you to use for a selfie photo.

Finally, email your photos to stencrissey@gmail.com so we can track our success. Even if you do not take a photo, please let Sten know you donated.

All incoming Club Officers, Rotarians interested in leadership roles, and grant applicants are asked to join the District 5030 Assembly for a month of training sessions offered in May. For a list of sessions with links to registration, please click HERE. 

The Downtown Seattle Association and several downtown Seattle organizations are pleased to announce a three-day series of block parties and concerts across five Seattle locations this spring! Concerts and block parties run 4:00 - 6:00 each evening and will include sets from The Black Tones, Deseo Carmin, and more! For additional information and music lineups, click HERE.

From the Kraken and Mariners to pickle ball and cricket, sports in Seattle is on the rise. Throw in NCAA championships, amateur tournaments, and premier sporting events and the impacts are exponential. Come hear how the Seattle Sports Commission is driving new opportunities that will play a role in our region’s restored vibrancy and health. 

Our Club member and current Rainier Club President, Lisa Mayfield, invites us to a rare treat of northwest history through the eyes of the famous Rainier Club member and photographer, Edward Curtis. Following our lunch meeting, we are welcome to visit the special exhibition of 30 photogravures, recently restored to their original glory and being seen for the first time by many in the Rainier Club gallery. Curtis’ first trip to Alaska in 1904 and other magical views of life in those days will be on display.

Gender Equality: Catalyzing Transformative Change and Empowering Hope-Filled Future

Data and experience prove it is possible to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage in less than a generation. 

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. However, this goal will remain unreachable if centuries-old forms of gender-based violence, such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage persist, and girls in Kenya and around the world are prevented from creating hope-filled futures of their own design.

World Vision’s Kenya Big Dream addresses the root causes of FGM: extreme poverty, illiteracy, and cultural norms. The Kenya Big Dream ensures access to education and provides life skills training for girls, economic empowerment for families removing the financial incentive of the bride price for their girl, and changes social norms harmful to girls and boys.  Realized hope for a better future is an unstoppable force.

The Peacebuilders Committee is hosting a special Zoom forum on June 2 at 12:30 PM: Critical Race Theory: Exploring the Truth.

Edwin Lindo (JD), Associate Teaching Professor of the UW Department of Family Medicine and Assistant Dean for Social & Health Justice, will present and lead the forum. Lindo has developed curriculum and teaches Critical Race Theory (CRT) as an internationally-recognized speaker and thinker on the topic.

In addition to his CRT research and scholarship, Lindo has a podcast, The Praxis Podcast, focused on addressing racism within medicine and Estelita's Library, a social justice library and bookstore established with his wife Estell to bring education on topics of truth and justice to communities.

Attendees are asked to pre-register by clicking HERE. All registrants will receive Zoom meeting details prior to the event.

Beneath the ground of Lake View Cemetery lies some of Seattle’s richest history. As Seattle’s most famous cemetery, many prominent Seattle pioneers lie within its grounds, including the Dennys, Maynards, Mercers, Yeslers, and Chief Seattle’s daughter, Princess Angeline. Join us as we walk the cemetery learning about their stories and discussing their involvement in the founding and establishment of Seattle.

In addition to Seattle’s pioneer history, we learn the sordid history of Seattle’s Madam Damnable and what became of her body, honor Japanese American veterans with a visit to the Nisei War Memorial Monument, and puzzle over the cenotaph commemorating Captain Jefferson Davis Howell, brother-in-law of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Our tour will end at the graves of Lake View Cemetery’s most famous residents, Bruce and Brandon Lee, where we will discover what became of the funeral home which prepared Bruce Lee’s body for burial.

Jared Steed, Attorney and Historian, will lead the tour.

Please email Doug Seto at dougseto@comcast.net to make your reservations.

Parking: Metered street parking is available on 15^th Ave., and various side streets, but please read signs carefully and park at your own discretion.  There is some limited street parking in front of the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery on E. Howe St.  Please do not park inside Lake View Cemetery itself.  Or Go Metro! Plan your trip here

Details: 12:30 pm  – 2:00pm  All persons aged 15 years or younger must be accompanied by an adult.  Please remember this event will require walking a distance of about one mile and will run rain or shine.  Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable water resistant walking shoes and water resistant clothing.  No public restrooms are available inside the cemetery.

Kate is passionate about creating publicly engaging and highly sustainable architecture. By integrating emerging technologies in design, fabrication, and analysis with thoughtful attention to how environments influence human experience and interaction, Kate brings a broad understanding and creative insight to projects of all sizes and complexity. Kate will be speaking about her work with the Washington State Convention Center and other local area projects.

At the Family Resource Fair, Wellspring will be hosting families experiencing homelessness and housing instability from around the County at the Rotary Support Center for Families. We will be providing summer clothing, diapers and wipes, toys, books, and other supplies from our Family Store, signing children up for the Early Learning Center, offering housing resources, providing vaccinations and other services through the Odessa Brown Clinic’s mobile store, serving lunch, and offering games and other activities for children. We need volunteers to help with all those activities!

Vaccinations and masks are both required for participation. Note that this event will replace the standing volunteer work party for Wellspring in June.

To sign up to participate, please contact Heather Fitzpatrick at hfitzpatrick@wellspringfs.org. 

Join us for an inside look at the work Australian Rotarians have been doing to eliminate malaria in the Western Pacific Rim.  Their story of remarkable successes in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Indonesia and East Timor exemplifies the effectiveness of sustained Rotarian service above self.  In addition, Rotarians Dai Mason and Tony Springer will tempt us with the attractions of the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia. 

Australian Rotarians have been active in fighting Malaria in their neighbouring countries since the 1990s. In 2019 the Global Fund and Rotary Australia World Community Service – Rotarians Against Malaria formed a partnership to raise US$12 million for Malaria elimination in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Timor Leste.  The campaign branding is “Finish-the-Fight”.  Dai and Tony will bring that campaign to life for us with their presentation.

In 2018 the First World Congress on Malaria was held in Melbourne over a 5-day intensive program. In order to highlight the cause for Malaria elimination, Dai conceived the idea that a 2-day Congress on Malaria, just prior to the Rotary International Convention in Melbourne 2023, was essential. This will allow Rotarians and Non-Rotarians to be informed on the latest programs for the elimination of Malaria. Tony will bring us up to date with the programming of that event as well as the delights offered by the Melbourne R.I. Convention.

To join this presentation, please click HERE.

Trish won the Pacific Eight Collegiate Singles Championship in 1972 while at the University of Washington.  She is the only tennis player, male or female, at the University of Washington who has ever won this prestigious title. Trish was co-captain of the Junior Wightman Cup team with Ann Lebedeff during her collegiate years.  During this time she won the U.S.T.A. National Amateur Grass Court Doubles Championships 1972 and the U.S.T.A. National Amateur Clay Court Doubles Championships 1972. 

Trish so dominated women’s collegiate tennis in the Pacific Northwest that she sought greater competition and equality for women’s athletics by challenging the University of Washington to allow her to compete on the men’s tennis team and to create equal programs for women’s tennis.  She was a pioneer for women’s collegiate sports and helped in changing the University’s support for women’s tennis and other sports.

Trish will be presenting on the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, the work that has been done, and the work that still needs to be done to bring gender equity to collegiate sports.

Seattle is the economic engine of the region and beyond. Following the Great Recession, we led in recovery time and economic vitality. That’s what we can do when we come together in partnership to ensure the region is a great place to live, work and enjoy. Challenge Seattle has engaged and continues to engage in partnerships to address COVID, homelessness, housing affordability, climate and more. Make no mistake, we are in very challenging times but if we join the public, private and philanthropic sectors together, there’s not much we can’t accomplish. We need hope in our communities and that is best done through partnerships. Let's talk about it. 

YRLs and all other Rotary members are invited to attend a happy hour at Oliver's Twist, hosted by the YRLs. Please contact Tabitha Claus at tabithaclaus@gmail.com for additional information.

Rotarians are welcome to attend this forum virtually; please click HERE to register.

Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and fellowship will join together to thank President Jimmy Collins for his year of service.  Significant others are welcome. 

Tickets are $10.00 per person and include two drink tickets.  Cash bar for additional drinks.

To register and buy tickets to attend, please click HERE.

Laurel James would like to invite fellow Rotarians to a holiday potluck party! Kids are welcome and Laurel suggests bringing sports items for play. For party address details or to RSVP, please call Laurel at 206-979-9930.

Zambia-born Pedersen is a software executive currently leading technology for AstrumU and has over 20 years of experience in venture creation. Pedersen found Rotary through his mother's fight with Polio, which she suffered through when Pedersen was a child. Rotary's ambitious work to eradicate Polio appealed to Pedersen and his personal goals towards service and growth, leading him to pursue leadership positions within the organization as Club President, AG, and, currently, as DGE for District 5030 Rotary. Kaj and his wife Claire have been married 25 years and have a son, Sebastian, who is studying for his honors degree in Game Design at Columbia College in Chicago.