September. 9th month of the year, and first in the reminder, "30 days has September, April, June, and November." With those 30-days Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians were busy.
What goes up, must come down. Or, in this case the 110 - give or take - flower baskets of spring found their way to the Kingston ground under the direction of Rotarian and basket organizer, Kris Libby. Note in the photo, older Rotarians remained on that ground, while youngsters were sent to the top of the ladder.
One full-member blue badge was awarded to Jon Sunderland in September, while newest member Ross Patton, an investment advisor at Edward Jones, was awarded his red badge, signifying Ross' initial qualification to become a Club member. Here member Stan Mack awards the red badge.
Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians celebrated the September conclusion of another successful, though shortened, concerts-in-the-park-beer/wine-tent operation. What remained of the beer and wine supplies was served at a joint social event sponsored by KNK Rotary, Kingston Kiwanis, Kingston Chamber of Commerce, and Port of Kingston. After sufficient skill-building bubbly was served, Rotarians Breane Martinez and Julie Fox conducted a hard-fought trivia contest.
The final meeting of the noon KNK Rotary Club on Sep 29 featured a presentation by Marnie Gustavson, Executive Director of Parma, a non-profit NGO operating in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. Currently in Port Orchard, Gustavson escaped Afghanistan only days before Kabul fell to the Taliban. She had been there seventeen years overseeing the work of Parsa, an organization that operates a small farm, works with women, and re-established a Scout program after the Russians left the country. Youth leadership, economic empowerment, and social protection are the principle focus of Parsa (more info at www.afghanistan-parsa.org). When the Taliban returned, Gustavson said protecting NGO's was one of their highest priorities. They need the NGO's, which are experiencing, currently, a lot of cooperation because the Taliban was not prepared for such a fast takeover.
Gustavson was introduced to the Club by member Alice Amas, who grew up with and attended school with Gustavson's husband, in Mount Vernon, WA.