Rotary members are sworn in at the club’s annual picnic in Rheingarten Park last week, from left, Tammara Tippel, Travis Cieloha, Tammy Kaufman, Maira Padilla, Lora Helmer, Bengt Coffin, Felton Jenkins, and Chuck Henschel.
Grants Chair Tammy Kaufman, right, awards a pin display to Club President Tammara Tippel at last week’s annual Rotary Picnic.
Jacob Bertram photo
The Rotary Club of White Salmon-Bingen will enjoy a second year under the leadership of club president Tammara Tippel.
Tippel, who also serves as executive director for the Mount Adams Chamber of Commerce, joined the club in August of 2016 and quickly became membership chair, serving for three years before becoming president for the 2021-2022 year.
“Rotary International and our local club have a strong reputation for good works. It truly is an honor to be elected as president of this club two years in a row,” Tippel said. “The first year was lots of exceptional training, learning and figuring it out — especially as we came out of a year of only Zoom meetings and began a hybrid format. I anticipate this second year being more enjoyable as I further my understanding of how all the processes work, what my membership wants the club to focus on and guiding my team to many successes.”
Before 1989, women were not allowed into Rotary clubs, so in many clubs men outnumber women, Tippel said. In her first year as president, Tippel set a goal of increasing the number of women participating in the club to be more of an equal balance. She said that currently about 40% of members are women, and many of these have newly joined in the past few years.
Diversity is being celebrated at all levels of the Rotary International system as the organization selected its first female president in Rotary International history to serve for the 2022-2023 year.
Jennifer E. Jones, incoming president for Rotary International, hails from Toronto, Ontario and became the first women to lead the organization in its 115-year history.
According to a press release from Rotary International, Jones also made membership growth among women a top priority.
“This is a huge milestone, and I am super honored to serve my second year of presidency at this same time,” Tippel said.
The Rotary Club of White Salmon-Bingen holds true to the international motto: “Service Above Self.”
Rotary members are sworn in at the club’s annual picnic in Rheingarten Park last week, from left, Tammara Tippel, Travis Cieloha, Tammy Kaufman, Maira Padilla, Lora Helmer, Bengt Coffin, Felton Jenkins, and Chuck Henschel.
Jacob Bertram photo
One of the main programs the club offers is the Student Youth Exchange. Students from our community leave for a school year abroad and someone from that country comes to spend that time living here and attending Columbia High School. There is also a short-term exchange that occurs each summer.
“I have seen such growth in the students who go on exchange. They become world citizens and the impact is forever,” she said. “We have just reactivated our Interact Club at Columbia High and newly began a Henkle Middle School club so that younger students can understand and plan for an exchange year or become involved in service projects with their peers.”
Along with the youth exchange programs, the local Rotary Club participates in local service projects such as the yearly community-clean-up and supporting the WAGAP food bank, the HeadStart Reading Program, Adopt a Highway, Dictionaries for Third Graders, as well as Tree of Joy that provides gifts to kids in need during the holidays.
This year the Rotary Club is also participating in an international project that will see young and soon-to-be mothers in Kenya provided with business skills and equipment to support themselves and their family.
As Rotarians bond through acts of services, Tippel said the friendships she has made in the program are of lifelong quality.
“Being a Rotarian means being a part of a group of people who are ethical, responsible, kind and service oriented. Serving on the Board allows me to develop leadership skills that flow into all aspects of my life,” Tippel said. “I was born and raised in Klickitat County and I feel blessed to live here. It is important to me to give back and to help make this a place where my grandchildren will grow up safe and happy.”
At their annual picnic in Rheingarten Park last week, Tippel received a display of numerous pins to commemorate her participation in the club. Board members to serve the 2022-2023 year were also sworn in, including President Elect for the 2023-2024 year and Youth Chair Travis Cieloha; Grants Chair Tammy Kaufman; Membership Chair Maira Padilla; Public Image Chair Lora Helmer; Secretary Bengt Coffin; Club Treasurer Felton Jenkins; and Sergeant-at-arms Chuck Henschel, Foundation Treasurer Karalee Holtman, Foundation Chair Wendy Patton, and Programs Chair Debi Budnick.
“I want to encourage everyone reading this to learn more about your local Rotary Club. Come visit us for a few meetings and see who we are and what we do. We meet Tuesdays at noon, at the Mountain View Grange Hall. You are welcome,” Tippel said.
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