On Tuesday, July 6 2021, our lunch program will be the Passing of the Gavel, from president Shannon Bennett to incoming president Gary Meyer. In addition, we’ll be holding our official election of Rotary officers and board members. Be sure you’ve signed up (click here) if you’re planning on attending in person.

This meeting will both in-person at the Riverhouse (restaurant side), and virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

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On Tuesday, June 22 2021, our lunch speaker will be Dr. Hollie Smith, University of Oregon Assistant Professor of Science and Environmental Communication, for a look at research in science communication as it relates to journalism and environmental issues. Dr. Smith will provide a critical look at wildfire issues in the Western U.S. Dr. Smith will walk us through a case study of how wildfire is discussed in different public domains, the importance of shared meaning, and how communication can lead to collaborative solutions. The case study is a cooperative project between scholars at the University of Oregon, Northwest Fire Science Consortium, Oregon State University, and Colorado State University.

Dr. Smith is an applied social science researcher whose work focuses on communication dimensions of science and environmental issues. Her work has looked at communication and media dynamics on issues of federal forest policy, water contamination, climate change, and alternative energy transitions. She also has studied science training programs for journalists and communication training programs for scientists. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, United States Geological Survey, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Prior to joining the Center for Science Communication Research, Smith was an Assistant Professor at the University of Rhode Island with a joint appointment in the Harrington School of Communication and Media and the Department of Marine Affairs.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

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On Tuesday, June 15 2021, our lunch program will be a panel of speakers from COAR (Central Oregon Association of Realtors), speaking on the Central Oregon housing market. The panel will consist of: President: Louie Hoffman, John L. Scott Bend President Elect: Cat Zwicker, Desert Sky Real Estate First Vice-President: Brent Landels, RE/MAX Key Properties

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

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On Tuesday, June 8 2021, our lunch speaker will be Eliza Wilson of Grandma’s House, who will be presenting on COVID fatigue. Eliza has lived in Central Oregon since 2002. She has spent her career working with a variety of homeless services providers in Central Oregon and has been involved with J Bar J Youth Services since 2008. Before working as an advocate for homeless youth, Eliza experienced homelessness herself and is a graduate of Grandmas House. She believes our young people can and will escape multigenerational poverty if they are given the support and resources to succeed. Eliza serves as board member on the Homeless Leadership Coalition and as Chair of the Coordinated Entry Committee.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Add to calendar

On Tuesday, June 1 2021, our lunch program will be on our club’s Bill Berg Foundation, presented by Kyle Frick. Kyle will give us an update on the foundation’s finances, and highlight some of the scholarships and students that the foundation supports.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

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On Tuesday, May 25 2021, our lunch program speaker will be Sandi Harding, General Manager of the last Blockbuster store on earth. Sandi is a long time Bend resident, having moved to Central Oregon in 1986. She began her retail career working in the Mountain View Mall in the early 90’s and then went to work for Ken & Debbie Tisher in 2004 at Pacific Video/ Blockbuster. As the General Manager, Sandi has watched the many changes to the Home Entertainment World. She began during the peak of Blockbuster’s success when they had over 9000 stores and watched as Netflix and other streaming platforms quickly took over and changed the way we rent movies.

Blockbuster quickly declined to just franchise owned locations by January 2014 when we still had 5 locations in Central Oregon. Over the next 4 years, many franchise owners struggled to keep their stores going and began closing locations. In July of 2018 our last Bend location became the lone Blockbuster store in the USA and then in March of 2019 the last global hold-out in Perth Australia closed their doors leaving this as the Last Blockbuster in the World!

This locally-owned small business suddenly was launched into the international media and was flooded with interviews and visitors from all over the world. They’ve been on The Ellen Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CNN, FOX News, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News 2x, Inside Edition, and were the final Jeopardy Question in November 2019. They have also been in many national printed publications including the New York Times.

In 2020, they finally saw their store on the big screen when the documentary called the Last Blockbuster was featured in the pop drive thru in downtown Bend.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Add to calendar

On Tuesday, May 18 2021, our lunch program speaker will be Bend-La Pine Schools Interim Superintendent Lora Nordquist. Lora will be reflecting on her interim term as Superintendent. On March 18th, 2020, Bend-La Pine Schools’ Board of Directors unanimously voted to appoint Lora Nordquist to serve as interim superintendent for one year beginning July 1 2020. At Bend-La Pine Schools, Nordquist has served as Assistant Superintendent for 8 years and prior to that worked as Chief Academic Officer for Elementary Programs and as Curriculum Director for the district. Nordquist has her Doctorate from Lewis & Clark College and served as a classroom teacher for 22 years before moving into administration.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Add to calendar

On Tuesday, May 11 2021, our lunch program speakers will be George & Silvie Pierce from Pierce Footwear. George Pierce is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pierce Footwear–the creator and leader in adaptive footwear with patented 3D shoe fitting uppers.

Prior to that, George was an executive in Silicon Valley for 11 years starting and building tech companies in health, wellness and food safety. He’s the first World Champion in running/biking, representing TEAM USA in Duathlon for 5 consecutive years from 2011-2015. George received his MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.

Silvie Pierce is the Founder and President of the Pierce Family Foundation. She’s an Educational Assistant in Bend-La Pine schools. Silvie received her BS in Business Psychology from the University of Palo Alto, and she’s an avid cross-country skier and hiker.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Add to calendar

On Tuesday, May 4 2021, our lunch program speaker will be Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel. John was elected Deschutes County District Attorney in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. Immediately prior to his service as District Attorney John was the State and Federal Policy Director for the Oregon Primary Care Association. OPCA is a non-profit organization comprised of 200 Oregon health care clinics that provide care primarily to Oregonians with low incomes. John has 24 years of legal, policy and conflict resolution experience. Prior to working for OPCA John served as Director of the Oregon Consensus Program. Oregon Consensus is the State of Oregon’s public policy dispute resolution program and is housed in the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University.

John previously served as the Liberia, Africa Country Representative for the Carter Center – former United States President Jimmy Carter’s peace and health organization. John led the Carter Center’s efforts to assist Liberians improve their justice and mental health systems with an overarching aim of achieving peace and prosperity for a country that is recovering from a brutal 14-year civil war.

John’s other professional experience includes 12 years as a criminal law defense attorney; teaching; and serving as a Bend City Councilor.

John has a Master’s degree in International Public Policy from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, a Juris Doctor degree from the Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Roanoke College.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Add to calendar

On Tuesday, April 27 2021, our lunch program speaker will be Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson. He’ll be speaking to us about crisis prevention and de-escalation. Sheriff Nelson has been in law enforcement and with the Sheriff’s Office since 1993. The Deschutes County Commissioners unanimously appointed Nelson as the 9th Sheriff of Deschutes County in July 2015. He was voted in by the citizens of Deschutes County in November 2016. He was born and raised in Bend and graduated from Mountain View High School in 1988. After graduating from Oregon State University in 1993 he moved back to Bend. He and his wife Lisa, a retired Bend Police Officer, have four children. Sheriff Nelson is an active member of the community; as Sheriff of Deschutes County, he serves on the Executive Board of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association as ​Vice President, Chairs the Sheriffs’ Institute/Command College Committee, and is a member of the Budget, and Legislative Committees; Board Member and past Vice Chair of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area/Chair of the Finance Subcommittee; Secretary/Treasurer Oregon Accreditation Alliance Board of Directors; he serves on the Board of Directors for Pilot Butte Partners and has served on the Board of Directors for the Redmond School District. He serves on the Deschutes County Shared Future Coalition. Sheriff Nelson is the past Director of the Redmond Youth Football Program and has coached youth soccer and basketball for the Redmond Area Parks and Recreation District. He is a past member of the Redmond Development Commission Safety Stakeholder Committee, as well as, a past member of the Redmond Executive Association.

This meeting will be all-virtual. Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146.

We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Add to calendar