Rotary-speak includes a word not found in Merriam-Webster: Outstallation.  Nonetheless, Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians conducted their “Installation/Outstallation” ceremony Jun 26 at Kingston’s Village Green Community Center.  In the military these are called Hail and Farewell events.  So, Hail to incoming KNK Rotary Club President Chris Gilbreath.  And Farewell to outgoing KNK Rotary Club President Walt Elliott. 

    Walt Elliott served a most unusual year in his Presidency.  It was ten months until the Club could meet in person, requiring Walt to devise Zoom Rotary meeting features unheard of by past Presidents.  The Zoom meetings were informative, productive, entertaining, and FUN.  Members were served a generous portion of the stars and stripes.  In a throwback to a year ago, here is what Walt’s Installation/Outstallation looked like Jul 2, 2020 when Bill Maule passed the gavel to Walt.  Note the social distancing and the handy-wipes.  

    This year, 2021, looked quite different when the gavel was passed from outgoing President Elliott to incoming Club President Chris Gilbreath.  

    In his outgoing remarks, Elliott noted he was elected President at a meeting he missed.  He went on to describe his presidency in terms of Rotary's 4-way test.  In all the things we think, say, and do, (first) is it the truth? He said it was the truth Covid was here, Rotary Zoom meetings were here, and the Club finished the Rotary year strong.  Second, was it fair to all concerned?  Elliott noted Covid wasn't fair. He emphasized, it was not fair. Third, will it build goodwill and better friendships?  He cited the Club's expansion of its relationship with local Scouts; the Club Satellite Club grew and became more active; Kingston Order Bombers "hit" fourteen local restaurants. "Yup," said Elliott, we built goodwill and better friendships.  Finally, was it beneficial to all concerned?  Another "yup."  As the Club shifted to helping the community with help for the food bank, the Boys and Girls club, Coffee Oasis, and more.  And, was it fun?  "You betcha.  It was fun for me."  And it was fun for those who enjoyed the Installation/Outstallation dinner event in the air-conditioned Village Green Community Center.  No such event was held in 2020.

    Chris Gilbreath, Club Rotarian of the Year and incoming Club President for the 2021-2022 Rotary year leads off his list of priorities with a “return to normal Club operations theme.”  This will include exploring continued use of hybrid meetings to bring meetings to members as well as members to meetings.  Membership retention and growth are also priorities. 

     Bill Maule is presented his "gavel award" honoring his service as Club President in Rotary year 2019-2020.

Walt Elliott is presented his "gavel award" honoring his service as Club President in Rotary year 2020-2021.

    Paul Heys spoke to Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians at their Jun 23 meeting.  The author of a common sense book on wealth accumulation, Spending Your Way to Wealth, Heys pointed out the consequences of “being normal,” which is to think and make decisions quickly.  Often those decisions are not the best for wealth accumulation.  The book, and his talk, provide behavioral guidelines for rational decision making that require conscious and              unconscious awareness of the factors that influence wealth accumulation, on the one hand, and self-defeating “money spilling,” on the other.  The simple message was, “when making complex decisions, back away from normal, slow down, think before answering.”

Heys and members of Poulsbo Rotary Club have given copies of his book to each graduating senior at North Kitsap and Kingston High Schools.  He asked Rotarians to help insure lessons in the book are reinforced to the graduates.