Rotary Gram

Durango High Noon Rotary Club

March 14, 2002

"Flying? I've been to almost as many places as my luggage!

Bob Hope..............

Steve opened the meeting with the now traditional WELCOME! He invited us to relax and enjoy the fellowship and thanked PE Jeff Brown for running the last meeting. Ward, Spencer and Frank were recognized for publishing the club bulletin while John M. was on vacation.

Steve told us of finding a person living under a tarp along the river and asked us all to take a moment to appreciate the roof over our heads and the blessings we have worked for and enjoy. We recited the pledge and Steve asked for hosts to introduce their guests.

Among the many was Sue Walan, President of the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs. She told us of a great fund raiser in Pagosa that raises over $20k for scholarships, and invited us to attend. Sounds like an active club that makes a difference and has fun doing so. Additional guests included:

Patrick Riley

Kenneth Walker (welcome back Kenny!)

Mike Sandberg

Laura Webb

Ken Fusco

Puifai

Cathy Neil

Joe Colgan

Doug Walker

Jim Reeser

Vijay (sorry folks, his name was not on the guest sign in.)

Announcements:

Steve told us that Bud Deering will mount the Olympic pins he bought and turn them back to the club to be sold in a silent auction.

Jeff Brown announced the District Leadership Seminars (DLS) to be held March 30 in Montrose and April 6 in Colorado Springs. If you would like to attend the Montrose meeting, get in touch with Jeff. DLS is intended to be "Job Training" for board members, officers, committee chairs, new members and all interested Rotarians. Forty minute classes will enable in depth materials to be presented with plenty of time for questions and discussions. The club will pick up the registration fees, which include breakfast and a working lunch.

Petra reminded us of here production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Escalante Middle School that ran Friday and Saturday nights.

Club membership now stands at 95 members. Steve would like the club to reach the goal of 100 members in good standing by June 300th.

Steve announced a new 'House Rule'. Basically, if you have a constructive complaint, be sure that you submit it with a couple of solutions and apply the Four Way Test in the process. Back in my corporate days we called this CSW (complete staff work).

Possibly setting the tone for his term as Club Prez, P.E. Mr. Jeff Brown recited the Three Way Test.

1. Is it fun?

2. Will anyone get hurt?

3. Will I get caught?

(keep in mind that Jeff just attended President Elect Training)

Chessa Gill is recovering from knee surgery and has retired from carrying armloads of firewood. Give her a call!

Doug Lashley is working on the Prom Night after-prom-party and asked for volunteer chaperones. Doug's group feels that adult chaperones that do not have there own kids at the party would make the youngsters more comfortable. Call Doug if you can stay up past your normal bed time.

Frank Valen was presented with his Blue badge by Steve, indicating that he had fulfilled all the requirements of a new member. Good job Frank!

Paulette reminded us that Puifai needs a driver to get her to club meetings. Please call her to help.

Board meetings are open to all. Come to a meeting and Steve will buy your breakfast.

Keep the men and women serving in our armed services in your thoughts.

Steve told us that the Homeless shelter is in need of funds to feed the temporary residents, even more so with the addition of 11 people left homeless when their mobile home was destroyed by fire. To assist, Steve declared March 14th as 'Rotary Networking Day', for a contribution (not a fine), by those that elected to promote their businesses. Steve led the way with his firm, Brown Wheeldon and Associates at www.brownwheeldon.com. Other contributing networkers included;

Mike Matheson, Environmental Consulting. Check your Rotary Membership book for more details.

Susan Sanders, Dermatologist. She makes people prettier. Steve cited himself as an example.

Chip Lile, Proprietor of El Rancho, open 364 days a year for spirits, pool etc.

Melisa Caskey, Pioneer Insurance, located conveniently inside a prominent bank. 1st National?

Robin Jackman, Optometrist to our esteemed Prez and other prominent citizens.

Bob Griffith at McKnight's, you source for diamonds, special engraved stuff and more.

Bill Hermesman, the furniture man at the North Point Mall.

Nancy Hammond, Basin Reproduction, the place to take all your print and design requirements. From design to fulfillment. Since 1957.

Drs. Mulkey and Volger, to take care of the teeth that you can keep and to get rid of those that you can't.

Carl Clark, Clark Insurance.

Karen L'Argent, First National Bank of Durango.

Ellen Roberts, Vice Chair of the Board, Mercy Medical Center, now planning the contraction of a new $76mm Regional Medical Center for Durango and surrounding communities.

Ken Fusco, Ken and Sue's East and Ken and Sue's Place. Eats!

Clifton Callicotte, Subway in the Wal-Mart Plaza.

(to those of you that contributed and that I did not mention, my apologies. Let me know for a mention in next week's bulletin.)

The Shelter needs frozen meat, as Steve reported that they have an empty freezer. Thanks to those that participated in the Rotary Networking Day!

Program: Steve introduced one of our own, Ward Holmes, who is responsible for the Club's very attractive and functional website. Assisting Ward in his presentation was Vijay of MyDurango.Net, a wireless ISP.

File this away, the Club's website is www.durangohighnoonrotary.com. Ward took us through a real-time review of the website, using a link created by Vijay and a projector provided by Quetzal Biomedical with the help of Scott Mathis.

The site includes the most recent bulletin that scrolls and small pictures of club activities that can be enlarged by 'clicking' on them with your cursor. A membership roster is provided with quick e-mail links to members wishing to have it. Further, hot links to member businesses are also available. No charge! Ward indicated that the site contains newsletters back to 1998.

Ward asked the members for ideas to include in the site. One comment was to password-protect the membership info. The site is quite an undertaking and reflects Ward's expertise and interest in Rotary. Steve recognized Ward for his efforts, awarded him the ever more valuable Rotary Speaker's mug and saluted Bob Chaput for his contribution as well.

Vijay went on to pitch his enterprise, take some questions and made an appropriate contribution to 'Rotary Networking Day'.

To end the meeting, Steve reminded us that leftovers from the Mexican Food Fiesta always go to the shelter. Board meeting next week, 7:00 AM, the lounge at the Double Tree.

Steve closed the meeting with a tap of the Rotary Bell, following a wee bit of Irish humor, courtesy of Mike McGuire.

COMING UP:

3/20: Board Meeting, 7:00 AM, Double Tree

3/21: John Gamble and city council. State of the City.

3/28: BUSINESS MEETING - no program or program to be arranged

4/4: Blue grass

4/11: John Piel, Durango Herald columnist

4/18: Hospice / Michelle Appenzeller

4/25: BUSINESS MEETING - or program to be arranged

5/2: no meeting - MEXICAN FOOD FIESTA

5/9:

5/16:

5/23: Steve Whiteman, Fisheries Biologist, Southern Ute Indian Tribe

5/30: BUSINESS MEETING - or program to be arranged

6/6:

6/13:

6/20

ps: My thanks to Ward, Spencer and Frank for handling bulletin duties so expertly in my absence.

John M.