Posted by Pete DeLaunay
 

Past president, Jeff Borek, opened the meeting for President Beth who is traveling. Don Murphy led the day’s song written by a man that despicably sold other human beings in the slave trade and, as he states in the hymn, he was a wretch, but he was saved by God's amazing grace. Rotarians joined Don in singing Amazing Grace, accompanied by Ryan Bunbury.

Tom Mesaros delivered the day’s inspiration about change and how some change is better than others. There are big changes in life and small changes. The measure of our intelligence is the ability to change, and play to your strengths as change is the law of life. And for those who look to the past and present, will miss the future. Every great dream begins with a dreamer, reminding Rotarians to have the strength to reach for the stars.

Past president Jeff introduced visiting Rotarians and guests, followed by an acknowledgement of Seattle 4 Rotarian anniversaries, from one year to 45 years in our club!

Representing the club’s governance committee for nominations for club leadership, Jan Levy, encouraged all Rotarians to ‘step up and serve’ to help keep our club thriving. She read the list of nominated club officers, board members and service foundation trustees. The Seattle Rotary Service Foundation will elect officers at a later date. Rotarians will receive a ballot soon that must be submitted by January 30, as winners will be announced at the club’s annual meeting on February 1.

Ballots will be sent to members with an electronic link to the ballot, and available in the Totem. A list of candidates can be found on the website. If you have an interest in serving in a leadership position ‘step up’…for questions about anything related to club leadership, contact Jan Levy - janl918@comcast.net (206) 380-3749 (Cell).

The day’s short program featured Rotarian Tiffany Lewis who trained as a Le Cordon Bleu chef, then followed a path from assisting a celebrity chef to various executive-level jobs until she found her mission in life: we could all use more cheer in our life and “Every day is a good day for a cookie’. “I wanted to bring people together in a safe way. Cookies were my saving grace. Nostalgia, comfort, joy cheer and love,” she said, “and in August 2020, Cookies with Tiffany (www.cookieswithtiffany.com ) went live.” She has since formed a community through cookies. “Cookies & You make a difference,” she says, “and I am a 100% vested in our movement as we celebrate one year in business with our give back program. I challenge each of you to find your hidden cookie because every day is a good day for a cookie. “

Past president Jeff introduced the day’s featured program, Jordan Babineaux, to talk about his journey from 11 years with the Seattle Seahawks to bestselling author. His book, ‘Pivot to Win: Make the Big Plays in Life, Sports and Business’ tells his story of change and some things to consider as we pivot to help ‘crack the code’ to a better more fulfilling life balance. As a professional athlete for nearly a decade, he talked about the challenge all athletes face when retiring from sports, with a new career, and identity change.

“We are eager to find some normalcy after the pandemic as so many have been forced to pivot professionally and personally,” he said. “We have all reinvented ourselves through the global pandemic.”

He offered some insights about his book from his childhood growing up in rural Texas and a small college to his ascent to the NFL and the Seattle Seahawks.

He says, “We are all challenged by our own pivots in life and how we do it. Reinventing yourself is more than appearance, it should be within as well”. The pivot model he describes is a “circular thing that continues to evolve” from micro pivots morning to night to intersections and crossroads throughout the day.

He described four strategies from his book that help people understand and cope with the pivots in their lives: 1. Be an ultimate competitor with the confidence to dream big. “We all have the power to create more if we have a different mindset.” 2. Reset at ground zero by deploying a circular model of pivot. “The first step is acceptance and requires one to look at life differently as we no longer use the same process to communicate since the pandemic.” Be comfortable being uncomfortable. 3. Be the winningest coach and show what you’re a capable of. “We can think about change, but we have to take the steps to create change.” 4. Have a slice of the pie - “A slice of pie may not be very appetizing, but may surprise you to define confidence.”

He concluded with an NFL anecdote that stemmed from his awe at seeing the Seahawks locker room for the first time. He was told by a seasoned trainer to ‘get your head out of the clouds’ since the NFL really stands for “Not For Long” . He encouraged Rotarians to accept, reset, beef up and have a slice.

Virginia McKenzie came to the podium to describe a service project on Feb. 12 where Rotarians from throughout the District join the “I Heart Seattle” project for a litter pick up in the city. More information about the litter pick up can be found on the website.

Co-VP Membership, Nicole Klein, announced a Seattle Rotary Night Out for a basketball game with Seattle U vs. Utah Tech in Climate Pledge Arena.

Prince of Programs, Ken Grant, got a round of applause when he said he only had five months to go as Programs Chair. A list of future programs can be found on the website.

 

Thanks to meeting reporter Pete DeLaunay for another informative meeting report! We appreciate you!

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