At almost ninety years of age, one would expect to be stepping down from civic and community activities. Not Bill Maule. He stepped up. Effective July 1, Bill became President of the Kingston-North Kitsap Rotary Club. He was born in California in 1930. An Eagle Scout, Bill graduated from Pomona College with a BA in Zoology. While at Pomona, he met his future-wife, Seattle-born Sue Merrick. He served as U.S. Army Infantry officer for two years, including time in Korea immediately following the armistice. While pursuing an MA at University of Minnesota, he learned that the State Department’s Foreign Service was seeking generalists. He applied and became a Foreign Service Officer in 1956. He and Sue served in Brussels, Baghdad, Port-au-Prince, Vienna, Beirut, Montreal, London, and again in Montreal as U.S. Consul-General. His service in Washington D.C. included an assignment as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services. He retired in 1988 with the rank of Minister Counselor. Bill has been a member of Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club since its founding in 2004. His hobbies include travel (plans to attend his fifth Rotary International Convention this year), philately (look it up), and bird watching. When the word “Rotarian” comes to mind, there’s a picture, too, of Bill Maule, Kingston-North Kitsap Club’s President for Rotary year 2019-2020.
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The 4th of July Fun Run and Doggy Dash, a Kingston tradition, is on the move in many ways. This year there were more runners, more volunteers, and more sponsors. A record 308 runners registered for this year’s event. Approximately fifty volunteers worked to register, guide, provide safety, and give recognition and refreshments to the runners. Twenty-six area sponsors helped make the event possible, with funding for t-shirts and more than 500 prizes, from running shoes to pizza, muffins, and doggy treats. The event continues to strengthen the connection between Kingston area schools and the greater Kingston community. It is jointly organized by the Kingston High School Athletic Booster Club and Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club. You can mark the date for next year: nine o’clock sharp, July 4, 2020.
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Kingston-North Kitsap Rotarians are at it again, running the beer and wine garden every summer Saturday evening in support of Concerts in the Cove. Beer and wine are picked up about 4:15 p.m., delivered to the tent at Mike Wallace Park about 4:30 p.m., and readied for concert goers about 5:00 p.m. The garden is open until the last concert note has sounded about eight o’clock. A loyal group of Rotarians gather every Saturday to open the garden, set up tables and chairs, take them down, and pack things up. While the garden is open they check ID’s, sell drink tickets, pour drinks, clean up and enjoy conversation and music with the patrons. Among the “regular” volunteers every Saturday are Jerry Tellinghuisen and Randy Monlux (coordinators), Helen Ralph, Sally Christy, Doug Hallock, De’ MacKinnon, Chris Gilbreath, and Fredrick Branchflower. Operating the beer and wine garden is another contribution by your Kingston North Kitsap Rotary club to making this a better place to live. Enjoy.