If you missed today s meeting you missed something really special!

Tom Galbraith opened the meeting by stating that he is really glad to be back in Durango, as always, after the Rotary International Convention in San Antonio. In keeping with Tom s year-long theme, he asked those assembled to pause for a moment of silence to reflect on all Rotary has done in the world and all we as Rotarians have done to further the cause of rotary in that world and in our community. He then led us in the pledge of allegiance.

Guest Rotarians were introduced:

Kenneth Walker from Ardmore, OK a summer High Noon frequent visitor

Ken Fusco from Ft. Lauderdale, FL another summer High Noon visitor

Bill Black -- summer High Noon visitor

Hmmmm& Perhaps a new membership classification is needed for this valued group?

Doyle Pickett from Shreveport, LA just passing through

Aad Uyttenbrisk from The Hague in the Netherlands (Spelling is in question here.)

Other guests:

Glenn Rodey, M.D., guest and husband of Missy Rodey, Executive Director of United

Way of Southwest Colorado

Judy Michalski, guest and wife of Bud Deering ask about her new red Mustang

Convertible interesting story &

Jed MacKenzie, guest of Margaret Gray and her assistant at Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Abi Rice, guest of Roy Crow, Current Colorado Barrel Racing Champion from Durango

Missy Rodey was inducted by Jill Bruce into the High Noon fold. Her sponsor, Karen L Argent shared some information about her: Missy retired her in 2000 with her husband, Glenn a transplant immunologist. She is mother of two sons and stepmother to four other children, all now grown, happy, healthy, and gainfully employed! Missy has 35 years of experience in hospital based renal nutrition and non-profit management. She is currently organizing and will be volunteer coach of a women s running clinic for beginning runners in the Durango area. She also enjoys hiking, backpacking, and skiing. Missy said they chose Durango because of the physical surrounds but the bonus has been the wonderful people here with may special ones in High Noon Rotary. Welcome, Missy!

Announcements were begun by Missy, who introduced her neighbor Karen who is helping United Way and Rotary recruit golfers, teams, and hole sponsors for the August 18 golf tournament. They also need door prizes and larger items for the auction. Be sure to take an active part in this major fund-raising event that benefits our entire community!

Mike McGuire then updated the club on Camp Courage, a Southern Ute camp near Castle Rock, and thanked the club for sponsoring the food for the three day and two night event. The theme of gang resistance, which includes workshops on cultural sensitivity, goal setting, confidence building, team building, and responsibility development.

Tom Brossia reviewed plans for the club during the World Cup Mountain Bike Races. Libations, soft drinks, and sandwiches will be available in the tent so join our club in this uniquely Durango world event! Steve Osborn is leading a rather creative and ambitious group that is designing and building a very large Rotary Wheel for the locals team race on Friday afternoon down Main. HE NEEDS YOUR HELP this Saturday starting around 9 a.m. in the warehouse behind Building Specialties to construct this wheel that bikers must ride for one full rotation during the relay race. This is also our new club float don t miss this opportunity to work with Durango s own Norm and Bob and Tim&.Have power tools will build to suit.

Tom G. then showed the club an original framed painting by Karen Gabalon from Galerie Ultima. A set of three paintings and notecards feature High Noon Rotary s bridge at the Durango Nature Studies Center. High Noon members have the first chance to purchase the originals and all proceeds of the sale of these items will benefit the Center.

Carl Clark was his usual shy self today and promptly fined Missy for not wearing her brand new Rotary pin anyone else without theirs had to pitch in, too. Tom will collect a fine from Steve Wheeldon next week for not being back from San Antonio for today s meeting.

Abigail Rice was introduced by Roy Crow and she educated us all about the women s rodeo events of barrel racing, goat tying, pole bending, and break away roping. Roy asked for donations to help her with the travel costs, including the expenses of maintaining three top competition horses. We all wish Abi good luck in her endeavors and look forward to hearing how she does.

Tom then gave a moving celebratory speech about the RI Convention and all the incredible things Rotary accomplishes around the world. He joined Steve and Jeannie and 24,000 of President Frank Devlyn s closest friends in a convention hall roughly the size of 6 Wal*Mart Super Centers.

RI has 1.2 million members and 30,000 clubs in 199 countries. In just the last 10.5 months 24,581 people have joined Rotary and over 300 new clubs have been founded. In Friendship Hall, about 2 Wal*Mart Super Centers, hundreds of booths displayed Rotary enterprises, program, merchandise, and fellowships. He found fellowships for cycling, yachting, ham radio but not dyslexics (sounds like an opportunity to me!).

San Antonio was a great host city and everything was in walking distance along the River Walk. Tom wishes Durango would understand the asset we have in the Animas and develop something similar here for residents and visitors. Best of all the preferred attire at this Texas party was shorts!

The single thought or feeling for the event was PRIDE: To be part of a family and organization that is helping our work one community at a time to make the world a better place. Visiting this convention is a retreat where you get virtually overwhelmed with the sense of the good of Rotary, the thousands of yearly projects, thousands of exchanges, millions of immunizations, and the millions of dollars that this single group invest annually to improve our world. While we raise between $5000 and $6000 annually for international projects and send another $9000 to the Paul Harris Foundation, when you multiply our efforts by 30,000 clubs you get an idea of what Rotary can accomplish in a single year.

Every hour Tom learned something new about Rotary. For example, the Hunger Plus program in Texas where they can dehydrate and package a nutritious meal for 4.6 cents. Another club in Humble, Texas (does anyone find irony in this name?) set out to feed the Dump Kids in Nicaragua. They were overwhelmed when 800 inadequately clothed and infected child scavengers of the dump came to be fed. They rose to the occasion and eventually build a school at the dump site with meals and uniforms for the children.

Tom sees himself as cultured and well traveled, since he understands several languages other than English and has visited three-dozen countries. He was still overwhelmed that these foreigners are our fellow Rotarians from the remotest parts of the world and all are interested in the same quality of life and goals and we are; prosperity for our community, elimination of hunger throughout the world, and increasing world peace and understanding.

Our District Governor, Eddie Blender found Tom at Friendship Hall and shared a special honor that our club has earned under Tom s leadership you ll have to ask someone who was at the meeting about this wonderful tribute to the thoughtfulness, spirit, and dedication of our High Noon members.

The next RI President is from Utah, Rick King. Tom found him to be dynamic, personable, and funny he can joke with the great and the humble. Oh, by the way, Frank Devlyn s no slouch.

At the end of his speech, Tom received a standing ovation from the club in recognition of his exemplary leadership during this past year.

You ll have to ask Tom for more about the convention we know we ll hear more from Steve.

Jill Bruce has asked that Jenny Kane be published as a potential member. Jenny has lived in Durango since March and is the current Executive Director of the San Juan Mountains Association. She brings to our community experience with the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts and is already involved as a member of the La Plata Open Space Conservancy, a volunteer with Trails 2000 and the American Cancer Society. Jenny has quickly become an asset to Durango and her sponsor, Scott Matthis, feels that she would be a great addition to our club. If you have comments contact Jill or Tom.

Submitted by a humble cub reporter (pun intended)&

There s no substitute for the real thing&welcome back Joe. Baby Bear