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Recent Speakers
Meet the 2019 Tigard Rotary Scholarship Recipients
Every year, Tigard Rotary Club awards scholarships to several worthy high school seniors heading for higher learning. The scholarship amounts have increased over the years, and this year we are pleased to award a total of $22,000 to 10 students bound for...
Ken VanDomelen: What we learned from our journeys to Guatemala
Ken and Carol VanDomelen learned the hard way how easy it is to let your emotions take over in Guatemala. Before they were Rotarians, the VanDomelens adopted four children from an orphanage there. The years that followed were difficult, but that first visit also...
Kevin Stoller and Tara Williams: OSU Honors College
As Oregon’s Land Grant University and leading research institution, OSU is charged with serving the State of Oregon and its students. The OSU Honors College is a small, supportive community of about 1,300 within the larger campus of some 25,000 undergraduates....
Amy Beard: Sexual Assault Resource Center
Oregon is on a lot of Top Ten lists: Economic performance, health care quality, and, unfortunately, the number of reported sexual assaults. In Oregon, 27% of women have experienced rape while the national average is 18%. Last year, 35% of women at University of Oregon...
Marci Jones: Gentog
Marci Jones believes in living her faith. To that end, she co-founded Gentog, a mash-up of the words “generations together,” to provide a safe place for children and the elderly to stay during the day when their parents or caregivers are working. In 2008, Gentog...
Addressing Family Homelessness in our Community
Panelists: Renee Brouse, Good Neighbor Center; Rachael Duke, CPAH; Rose Money, Family Promise Community Partners for Affordable Housing started as a faith-based organization. According to Rachael Duke, CPAH’s executive director, “affordable housing development...
Marianne Darwinkel and Reuben Nabie: Improving health care in Kenya
In Kenya, a country four times the size of Oregon, there is one doctor for every 6,150 people. One child in nine dies before its fifth birthday. It’s no wonder that Marianne Darwinkel and Reuben Waswa Nabie are dedicated to improving health care in...
Rachael Duke: Community Partners for Affordable Housing
There is an intersection between housing and homelessness. CPAH, a non-profit organization with an all-volunteer board of directors, strives to create and maintain sustainable and affordable housing. The organization serves SW Portland and Eastern...
Good Neighbor Center Provides More Than Temporary Shelter
The guest speaker at the Tigard Rotary Club’s March 14th meeting was Renee Brouse, Executive Director of the Good Neighbor Center (GNC) in Tigard. Renee said that she grew up in Indiana, the oldest of four children. When she was between ages 5 and 14, she experienced...
Dr. Barrett Strasburg: An Intimate story of my life
Dr. Barrett Strasburg is a retired podiatrist and business owner who seems to be living the American Dream. His life journey is much more complicated, though, from roots as a child laborer in the American South to a successful medical practice in Texas, to his...
Trains and Tubas – One Man’s Twin Passions
The guest speaker at the regular lunch meeting on February 28th was Mark Vehrenkamp, a man who has managed to follow his dual interests throughout his career. Mark was raised in Glendale, California. He remembers his parents taking him to the Glendale train station on...
Michael McCleskey Reflects on Oregon’s History
The guest speaker at the Tigard Rotary Club meeting on February 21st was Michael McCloskey, former Executive Director of the Sierra Club. Mr. McCloskey recently completed a new book entitled "A Glimpse Into History - What Prominent People Have Said About Nature in...
Tammy Haas: Creating Friendships for Peace
Peace begins at the community level. The CFP, formerly known as Cyprus Friendship Program, has grown from its roots in Northern Ireland to an organization encompassing peace-building programs in Turkish/Greek Cyprus and Israel/Palestine. The Northern...
Lt. Trevor Herb: Camp Fire Jan. 31, 2019
Lt. Herb is a member of the Strike Team for the busiest fire engine in the TVFR District: Clackamas County Fire Department. He follows closely in the footsteps of his grandfather who was Chief of the Cornelius Fire Department. In November 2018, Lt. Herb...
Meet Exchange Student Juan Marcos
Photo provided by Juan Marcos Marcos’ home country of Mexico contains 9 different ecosystems and more than 200,000 (10-12%) of the world’s species. One third of the country is covered in jungle, forest, or other plant life. “Mexico” translates to “in the navel of...
Meet Exchange Student Alice
Ya-Chen “Alice” is our exchange student from Taiwan. She lives in Hsinchu County, a smaller more rural area than nearby Hsinchu City in the northwestern part of the island. The climate in Hsinchu is generally hot and wet in summer and cold and dry in winter. Taiwan...
Nathan Cook on Leadership
Photo by Ed Murphy “Leadership is influence; nothing more, nothing less.” This is the mantra of mentor, trainer, and consultant Nathan Cook, who spoke today. “The world needs more doers,” remarked Nathan. Leadership is the power to tell people what to do, and then...
Tigard Tonight December 20, 2018
Tigard Tonight host, Conrad ”Johnny” Pearson introduced show sponsors, Paul and Judy Miller, who commented that Tigard Rotary Club members had helped them through some difficult times a few years ago. “We felt supported and welcomed by this club when we did not feel...
Ethan Vo: My Life in Japan
Photo by Ed Murphy Exchange Student, Ethan spent close to a year in Hokaido, Japan where he was hosted by the Sapporo East Rotary Club. He was very nervous about attending a Japanese school but was immediately put at ease by the welcome he received on his first day...
The RYLA Experience
The guest speakers at our Rotary lunch meeting on November 15th were Jordon Leonard and Sam Vogel, who attended RYLA last summer. They were introduced by Whitney Green Bautista. Both Sam and Jordon happened to be Rotary Youth Exchange Students sponsored by the Tigard...
Rose Money: Caring Closet and Family Promise
Photo Provided by Rose Money The Caring Closet was started 18 years ago by Marilyn Hasman who began collecting clothes and hygiene products and distributing them from the trunk of her car. Years later, the organization has grown to include a full-time director and 31...
James Louis: Huber’s, a Portland Icon
Photo provided by Ed Murphy Huber’s, originally called the Bureau Saloon when it opened in 1879, is Portland’s oldest restaurant. Famous for Spanish Coffee and roasted turkey dinners, the restaurant has been owned by James Louis since the 1970’s. James’ uncle, Jim...
District Governor Larry Hatch
Photo Provided by Larry Hatch. District Gov. Hatch began his talk by presenting Tigard Rotary with a Rotary Citation Award for Outstanding Leadership in 2017-18, referencing the club’s achievement and superior goals in membership, giving, and service. Larry believes...
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue is the largest fire district in Oregon, covering some 400 square miles, 4 counties, and 27 stations. It includes one, 911 Dispatch Center and serves over one-half million people. With so many fire stations under the command of one...
Gary Romans: Mask and Mirror Community Threatre
Gary Romans is devoted to theatre. After pursuing an engineering career with Chrysler, Tektronix, and Sony, Gary decided to follow his true passion. In 2011, he co-founded Mask and Mirror Community Theatre. Mask and Mirror is a non-profit, all volunteer organization...
Mark Makler: Code 3 Law
During the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting civil, criminal, and administrative concerns are of the utmost importance. Attorney-at-law Mark Makler represents the Police Department and Public Safety during the required professional standards investigation. ...
Mark Makler: Code 3 Law
During the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting civil, criminal, and administrative concerns are of the utmost importance. Attorney-at-law Mark Makler represents the Police Department and Public Safety during the required professional standards investigation. ...
Jon Proctor: Human Trafficking in SE Asia
Photo Provided by Jon Proctor Human Trafficking is a worldwide problem. Paladin Rescue Alliance works with schools and villages in Thailand and Myanmar to provide medical and school supplies, project support, and needs assessments for women and children. It is an...
Adam La Fountain
a. Born and raised in Tigard i. Cub/Boy/Eagle Scout, Southside Soccer ii. 2017 Honors Graduate of Tigard High School...
Dr. Dan Moore: The Oregon Zoo
Photo provided by the Oregon Zoo The Oregon Zoo has humble origins in a Portland pharmacy that traded in exotic animals. In the late 1800’s the collection of animals was given to the City and installed at the first location of the Oregon Zoo in 1888. It is the...