July 1, 1971 - June 30 1972
President: John Manhart
Vice Pres: Charles Fox
Secretary: Don Kay
Exec. Secretary: Carol Norton
Apple Seed: Bob Rowe
District Governor: Morgan French, Kamloops, B.C.
Attendance: 89.93%
New Members: 11
Members Lost: 26
Members end of the year: 159
Membership in the club this year was a "moving" experience; the club moved three times in as many months. On Wednesday morning of the last week of July a telephone message conveyed the news that the Cascadian Hotel, our meeting place, had bone bankrupt and the doors would be locked at 4 p.m. that same day. We were told that if we wanted our gear we'd best come and get it. Accordingly, at 3:45 p.m. President Charles and Chuck Beauleau loaded flags, bell, name-button case, jackets, rostrum, gavel, etc., into Chuck's ancient pickup to be stored in his warehouse until we could find a new meeting place. As the top-heavy truck proceeded north on Wenatchee Avenue the case containing name buttons, greeter coats and odds and ends of papers fell off the truck and burst open in the middle of the street with buttons and papers flying in all directions. The next day we met at Eddie Mays Inn in East Wenatchee. Thanks to an efficient telephone committee, organized on the spur of the moment by Attendance Chairman, Ron Reimer, most of the members got to the meeting. After three weeks of indifferent food and inadequate meeting space, we moved to the Elks Club where we were very comfortably hosted until the liquor board decreed that the Elks Club license would not allow them to serve meals to a service club. We next moved to the Columbia Hotel where we were graciously accommodated for the balance of the year.
In September the club voted to attempt to raise $22,000 toward construction of a $215,000 facility for the housing of retarded people who would be given an opportunity to receive rehabilitative training aimed at making them self-supporting. The home, to be constructed on property in East Wenatchee donated by Rotarian Archie Rolfs, would be known as "Mission Vista." It would house 20 carefully selected candidates for rehabilitation and a staff of professional people to supervise the program. In order to raise the funds the club decided to hold an auction sale of merchandise and services solicited from businesses and individuals in the community. The project, dubbed "Mission 72," was launched in February with Jim Elzey as chairman. Joe Welty chaired the procurement committee. The entire club worked on the project, divided into ten teams that contacted the businesses and professional people on the basis of 5 calls per team member. Team captains were: chuck Beauleau, Guy Coe, Gene Erickson, George Wickens, Bob Scea, Sam Boddy, Jack Crowl, Dave Gellatly, Swede Koenig and Hal Schomer. The auction was held June 3 in the Wade/Rose building following a long personality adjustment hour (free bar) and dinner which was offered by special invitation at $10.00 per plate. By midnight $20,000 worth of merchandise and services had been sold for a net profit of $18,000. Added to the net profit from the suit sale in November, the club garnered $21,000 toward the $22,000 goal which we had anticipated to take three years to accomplish.
Another highlight of the year was the fine Student Exchange program under the leadership of Wayne Zook. A Wenatchee High School student, Kelly Brown, went to South Africa as an exchange student where his ambassadorship was truly amazing. We received letters from Rotary clubs, schools and government officials (including the Premier) all over South Africa expressing appreciation for the fine job Kelly Brown was doing.
Among the noteworthy programs arranged by the Program Committee, chaired by Ed Cadman, were: August 5, Rabbi Levine of Seattle who gave a witty but deeply meaningful talk in the meaning of Rotary; August 19, Don Lanphere speaking about his work with inmates of the State Penitentiary at Walla Walla; September 9, District Governor Perry Mitchell stressed the solicitation of young men as members of Rotary; October 14, Dr. Milton Radewan spoke about his experiences during a six-week medical mission to Afghanistan; October 21, Warden Robert Rhay, of Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla, spoke on Prison Reform and new insights in Penology; November 4, Jim Goodfellow, Sr., spoke about the new Ellensburg-Yakima highway built by Goodfellow Bros.; December 16, Bob and Sheila Graves reported on their year in England. The ladies joined us for this meeting and the traditional Salvation Army collection yielded $450.00. January 17 and February 3 were programs on heart disease presented by Drs. Ludwick, Fuller and Gowing; March 2, Wenatchee Valley College Students visited with the club and engaged in dialogue with members of the club. May 25, Susan Little, a nurse from Chelan who had been working at Dr. Pat Smith's hospital in Viet Nam gave a true "service above self" example.
The club enjoyed a good year of fellowship despite the fact that everyone was so involved in project work that we never did find time for any firesides. Every member of the club was involved in at least one standing committee and all committees did their work well. The auction project served the dual purpose of helping a worthwhile civic venture and enhancing the spirit of fellowship in the club.