Microlending gives people a chance to start their own businesses and take the helm of their lives and steer toward success.  Washington Cash has been successfully running micro-lending programs for business startups for over 10 years, and has a lot of experience in helping people, not only with money but with help in planning their business launch, and supporting their business.  Bring your questions on entrepreneurship.

  "Crime Prevention Through Enviornmental Design" by Donna Lew.

 Paul Nelson's curriculum vitae includes work in commercial radio and other creative fields.  More recently he's created a series of interviews with notable poets and activists.  Now he's founder of Seattle's SPLAB.ORG "Giving Creative Voice To Poetry."  Since the invention of rhyme (possibly before the invention of fire) human culture has been carried through spoken culture - mostly through rhyme (Example: Homer's "Odyssey").  How does poetry fit in the Internet age?

Sometimes we forget that, while we seldom hear later how giving dictionaries to 3rd graders or helping the local food bank's operations can change people's lives, there are interesting stories about exactly how we change lives.. Martha Sidlo is a lawyer for a downtown Seattle firm, and generously shares with many people she meets in Rotary just how much she benefitted from her two chance encounters with Rotary programs earlier in her life. Join us on Tuesday, May 1 to hear her story.
 

Our program April 24 will be from William "Bud" Wurtz, who has a PhD in educational psychology from Texas A&M University.  There he specialized in creativity - in the only doctoral-level creativity research program in the nation.  Bud's understanding of how people create new products, services, solutions, careers, and lifestyles is comprehensive.

Rainier Valley Rotary launches a new series of programs about ways to make a difference in small ways.  These may feature making a difference in your community, or making a difference and touching the lives of people on the other side of the planet.

 Since the success of "Make" magazine and a snowballing movement of "Makers" who have been establishing Make-Spaces across the country, many of us are wondering what it's all about?  Hobbyism?  "Popular Mechanics" magazine franchised to local empty storefronts?  Utopian tinker worship?
 
The answer is "Yes, and more!"  
 

Charlie Hoff showed us his plan (difficult but doable) for getting your smart 12-year-old  an elite college education at little or no cost a few months ago.  Video here.  Now he's going to point out a few reasons why those charter schools in the film "Waiting For Superman" are so much better than comparable public schools, and even some private schools.  What's the secret?  And why are Washington State legislators so adamant about not allowing charter schools?

Sarajane Siegfriedt and the Washington State Democratic Party don't believe Charter Schools make sense.  To provide insights about how the film "Waiting For Superman" casts a sense of false-confidence in Charter Schools, Sarajane will explain what's really going on with charter schools and Seattle Public Schools. 

 We're shifting the focus to our "Home Performance Workshop" taking place this evening at the Lakeview-Seward Park Community Club.  Doors open at 6:30.  Program starts at 7.  We will cover a range of ways to save money and enjoy your home more.  New LED lights work with dimmer switches.  New film-coated double-pane windows block UV light and keep in evern more heat.  Or maybe it would be worthwhile to have your heating ducts fully sealed?  How much electricity does a 20-year-old refrigerator use compared with a new one?