Behind the Book

Sometimes low hanging fruit takes perseverance to pick. Author Susan Johnson knows this better than most.

After all, the Bellevue Club member and mom started her first novel nearly 10 years ago before seeing it published this past spring.

A coming-of-age tale set in Leavenworth in 1980, “Low Hanging Fruit” traces 15-year-old Erica’s journey between the naiveté of childhood and the maturity of womanhood.

Susan says the Herman Raucher novel, “Summer of ’42,” originally inspired her to write her novel.

“There was no female version of that book,” she says.

Throughout the process of writing the book, Susan faced the challenges of moving, having a baby and even losing her computer’s hard drive.

“I had a computer meltdown and lost 100 pages,” she says. “I had to start over. It was very painful.”

A graduate of the University of Washington’s creative writing program, Susan has always felt a strong pull towards writing.

“I remember being in junior high and working on stories,” she says. “I always wanted to be a writer.”

Although she often has to schedule her writing around her 9-year-old son Zack, the process came naturally to Susan.

“Once I get momentum, I could write for days on end,” she says.

She lists Jane Austen, Carrie Fisher, Ernest Hemingway and, of course, Herman Raucher, among her writing influences.

“I don’t use a lot of abstract writing,” she says. “I’ve always liked how Hemingway is very direct.”

When she’s writing, she listens to Mozart and Vivaldi and prefers rainy weather.

“I prefer the rain. When it’s nice, I want to be outside,” she says. “Seattle is a very good place for me as a writer.”

As far as readers, Susan says the book appeals to a wide demographic.

“Anybody who’s ever been a teenager can relate to it, but women might appreciate it more than men,” she says.

Speaking of men, Susan dedicated her novel to her husband, Steve.

“He’s been so supportive.”

She recently had a book signing in Seattle, and will be at the Bellevue Club for an author event on Thursday, July 28.

“Low Hanging Fruit” is available at the Medina Market, Amazon.com, Borders and Barnes and Noble.

Of Note
Lenny Wilkens hosts charity golf tournament

Basketball legend and Bellevue Club member Lenny Wilkens is hosting his annual charity golf tournament Aug. 12-13.

Benefitting the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, the Lenny Wilkens Foundation Celebrity Classic features a dinner auction and golf tournament with celebrities from the world of sports, entertainment and business.

The tournament is held at The Golf Club at Echo Falls.
For more information, contact Brigid Graham at 425.898.4592 or email brigid@lennywilkensfoundation.org.

Calling All Up and Comers
New Young Professional program launched
This year, the Bellevue Club is investing in the next generation of community leaders with a brand new membership program.

Created specifically for young professionals on the Eastside with the goal of continuing the Bellevue Club legacy, the new program allows those between the ages of 25-29 to join the Club with a special initiation deposit payment plan and reduced dues.

If you know a family member or young colleague in the office that you think would be a great addition to the Bellevue Club family, have them contact Membership Services at 688.3221 for more information on the Young Professional Program. Private facility tours are also available.

In the Cards
Membership Card Reminder
In order to protect the Bellevue Club’s private membership status, every member who enters the Club must have his or her membership card swiped by a staff member.

Although most members become familiar faces around the Club, the card scanning policy helps stop unauthorized use by nonmembers and members who have been suspended or left the Club. Also, the use of membership cards creates a more efficient entrance environment, in contrast to manually entering each member into the computer.

For those with lost or missing cards, be sure to tell the Athletic Entrance representative so they can order you a new card. We completely understand that you may occasionally forget or misplace your membership card. However, any member who refuses to comply with our card-scanning policy will be subject to disciplinary actions.

Be Our Guest:
Guest check-in procedures
Guests are always welcome at the Bellevue Club. We encourage members to bring a guest for the day to enjoy use of the facility. All guests that are brought to the Club shall abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Bellevue Club. This includes checking in. To ensure that guests are eligible to use the facility, we ask that all members abide by the following rules:

• The same guest may visit the Bellevue Club once per month, but not to exceed two visits within a six-month period. The Bellevue Club does offer multi-day and weekly passes through Membership Services.
• The sponsoring member must be present with the guest upon check-in. The only exception is with special passes or arrangements made in advance through Membership Services.
• All guests must fill out a Guest Registration Form, which is to be signed by both the member and guest.
• All guests are subject to pay a guest fee upon check-in. The fee is $16 for an adult and $8 for a junior.

All the News that's Fit to Blog
Bellevue Club launches blog and Twitter
There’s officially a new blog on the block. The Bellevue Club recently launched a new media outlet with all the latest information and member news on the Eastside at www.bellevueclub.com/blog.

Created as a place for members to stay connected to the Bellevue Club community, the new blog is focused on posting timely stories and announcements about member and Club happenings. Along with member news, also look for fitness tips, recipes, social events and class updates.

If you or somebody you know is hosting a charity event or you recently won an award, the Bellevue Club Blog wants to hear about it. Send all interesting news items and tidbits to reflections@bellevueclub.com. And while you’re online, check out Hotel Bellevue’s new blog at www.thehotelbellevue.com/blog.

In addition to a shiny new blog, the Bellevue Club is also on Twitter. Follow the Club at www.twitter.com/BellevueClub to get last-minute class openings or cancellations, parking alerts, special offers and weather-related announcements, as well as information about community events in Bellevue.

Nominate a Member for a Profile
Do you know any members who have special talents or athletic abilities, unique hobbies, far-flung travels or interesting careers, volunteer or charity work? We are looking for members to feature for profiles in future issues of REFLECTIONS, and we’d love to hear from you. Call John Kinmonth at 688-3162 or e-mail johnk@bellevueclub.com with your nomination.

Sign Up for E-Mail Alerts
Bellevue Club members can now sign up to receive e-mail alerts about the latest fitness classes, social events, construction updates, restaurant specials and more. Visit https://members.bellevueclub.com and click on “Subscribe to E-mail Alerts.” From this screen you can sign up each family member to receive specific e-mail alerts about various departments at the Club. Tailor individual alerts to exactly what each person wants to know about at the Club, from last-minute tennis court openings to promotions at the Spa. Receive only the information you requested, and unsubscribe or change alerts at any time. If you have questions about
e-mail alerts, contact the web coordinator at 688-3293 or e-mail webcoordinator@bellevueclub.com.

See What’s Happening ‘This Week’
Stay up to date on the latest construction news, classes and happenings at the Bellevue Club with the new “This Week at the Club” page at www.bellevueclub.com/thisweek. The link will provide information about special events, current specials, promotions and sales around the club, upcoming events, construction updates, parking alerts, membership information and more.

Use Automatic Deduction to Pay your Club Bill
The Club accepts automatic deductions from your checking or savings account as a convenient, dependable and safe way to make your monthly Club payment.

To sign up for our automatic deduction program, pick up an Authorization Agreement form at Membership Services and return it with a voided check or preprinted savings withdrawal slip.

Once you drop off the completed form, we’ll withdraw your payment directly from your checking or savings account. Automatic deduction payments are made on the 15th of the month and will be reflected on your bank statement. We will continue to send you a monthly Club statement of activity for your review. For more information, please call Membership Services at 688-3221.

Parking Lot Theft Alert
There have been a number of automobile break-ins at the Club due to valuables being left unattended in cars. To reduce the possibility of this happening to you, please never leave valuables—or for that matter, anything—in your car. Do not hide items in your car, either. We have extended security’s presence in the parking lot as well as having the Bellevue Police provide random surveillance throughout the day and evening.

If you observe any unusual activity, please report it to the Athletic Desk immediately.

Save a Tree: Sign Up for Paperless Statements
The Bellevue Club is now offering paperless statements in addition to online bill pay. Sign up today on the Members Only site—https://members.bellevueclub.com—to receive your monthly Bellevue Club statement in your e-mail inbox.

Paperless statements do more than keep clutter off your countertops. An electronic statement saves the paper it is printed on, as well as the envelope it’s mailed in. According to James Van Dyke, president and founder of the independent research firm Javelin Strategy & Research, if every American household viewed and paid bills online, it would prevent 800,000 tons of solid waste a year in landfills and reduce greenhouse gasses by 2.1 million tons. Paperless statements also save trees: According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, it takes 24 trees to produce one ton of virgin printing and office paper—trees that otherwise could provide enough oxygen for 72 people.

Choosing to receive a paperless statement is easy. Visit your Account page on the Members Only Web site and select the checkbox indicating you’d wish to receive statements via e-mail. While you’re there, pay your bill online also, and save both the paper required for a check and the money it takes to mail your payment.

For more information about the new paperless statements, stop by the Membership Services Office or call 688-3150.

Locker Room Reminder
Please note that all members under 16 years of age are required to use the Family/Children’s locker rooms. Opposite sex children under 6 years of age are permitted in the boys or girls locker rooms when accompanied by an adult. Please be aware that adults do use these locker rooms. If you are uncomfortable for any reason please contact the Athletic Desk and we will arrange for a staff person to assist your child.

Club Employment Not Available for Members
Please remember that the Bellevue Club does not employ Club members, including Junior and Intermediate classifications. We appreciate your understanding and hope you will continue to enjoy all the activities available at the Club.

Child Care and Kids’ Camp Sick Policy
Please do not bring your sick child to the Child Care Center or Kids’ Camp. This includes a child with a cold, runny nose, cough or fever. We ask that you respect this rule for the protection of other children and our staff.

Reminder for Parents Regarding Junior Members
Summers are a busy time and we have many youngsters in the Club every day taking classes and camps. Please remind your children of the following junior member rules to make time in the Club more pleasant for everyone.
• Junior members shall use the Athletic Entrance upon entering and exiting the Club except when accompanied by a parent for dining purposes or when attending a social function.
• Junior members under 12 years of age shall be accompanied by a parent while in the Club unless participating in a supervised class/activity or open swim.
• Junior members 12 years of age and older are allowed to bring a guest without having their parents present. A membership card or identification must be presented at the Athletic Entrance.
• Junior members 16 years of age and older may use the adult locker rooms. All other junior members shall use the children’s locker rooms.
• Junior members are not permitted in Polaris restaurant, Cosmos, the ballroom or conference rooms, or hotel guest areas unless accompanied by a parent or while attending a supervised class/activity.
• The Junior Activity Lounge is provided for junior members. No rowdiness or foul language is allowed.
• Junior members shall use the Athletic Entrance upon entering and exiting the Club except when accompanied by a parent for dining purposes or when attending a social function.
• Junior members under 12 years of age shall be accompanied by a parent while in the Club unless participating in a supervised class/activity or open swim.
• Junior members 12 years of age and older are allowed to bring a guest without having their parents present. A membership card or identification must be presented at the Athletic Entrance.
• Junior members 16 years of age and older may use the adult locker rooms. All other junior members shall use the children’s locker rooms.
• Junior members are not permitted in Polaris restaurant, Cosmos, the ballroom or conference rooms, or hotel guest areas unless accompanied by a parent or while attending a supervised class/activity.