Rotary Gram
Durango High Noon Rotary Club
February 19, 2004
“I was NOT the last of 12 children, but…” Jay Hwang
In superb form, President Chessa opened the meeting with a wonderful Rotary-themed invocation and the pledge.
We welcomed five guests to our meeting: Jason Govreau, son of Steve, who is a fifth-grader at Needham, Piper Cauley who was treated to Chinese lunch by Scott Mathis, and Vern Swanson’s guest Mark Donahue. Pam Bowen returned with her son Steve who is an outbound exchange student to Sweden. Finally, Mary Barter fed Chinese to Diane Doney, business manager for the school district.
Happenings:
Andy MacGruer, Regional Director for “Destination ImagiNation!” supplicated for volunteers to help judge two upcoming events. Judges are needed for the next Team Challenge. Last year eight Rotarians helped as Durango sent twelve teams to Denver where for the first time ever team Miller won at the State level. They advanced on to Regionals in TN. The second event, March 4th (8:00am-2:30pm at Fairgrounds) also needs judges. These events are fun and important to the community, so call Andy at 884-6175 or log on to http://www.extremecreativity.org/
Our resident professional musician Dan Morgenstern announced that the upcoming San Juan Symphony concert in Durango is SOLD OUT – but Paulette Church offered two tickets at best bid to benefit Rotary.
Pearse and Price seek a volunteer to help occasionally produce this fine rag.
Finally, our own wonderful Laurie Forbes announced her resignation and plans for the future. She has sold her residence, purchased an RV, packed painting and other artsy stuff, and will embark on a destinationless journey across the continent. We thank her for her service and friendship, wish her well and hope she remembers us with occasional updates.
The
Bud Show:
With some hapless Rotarians unable to enjoy the Chinese lunch with only chopsticks, Bud raised a bit of cash selling forks and spoons. Ellen was honored but not fined for the fine Herald page one story. No one captured the magic card.
After moving to the States at age 6, Jay developed into a State Farm agent, family man with four kids, and a resident of the best sub-division in Durango. In a novel and entertaining way, he listed nine events of which one was false. These included driving 140 mph in a 40-mile speed zone (ending in jail), being hit by a 12# shot-put, wearing a diamond stud earring, and diving 70’ off a cliff into cold water. Terrific intro into the life of Jay! Thanks!
This was the most important and reflective business meeting of the year devoted to the future of our Club. A direct four-page handout guided the discussion and is attached to this RotaryGram. This is mandatory reading for all Rotarians who give a darn about the future direction of High Noon Rotary.
Our President Chessa and the Board of Directors prepared the statement directing our focus upon our fundamental reason for being (OK – your scribe overstates ... but I think this is serious stuff)
1) Our Four Avenues of Service. [This is our “Mission Statement”] Can you name them? And the three or four activities within each avenue? One Avenue is “International Service”, of which “Youth Exchange” is an element. Chip Lile has worked very hard to resuscitate this program. He spoke passionately of the challenges and rewards of Youth Exchange, while noting that as a larger Club in the District we have and are expected to be a leading Club. Since Chip is doing the hard lifting, please call him (247-2676) and ask how you can help.
2) What is the right balance for our Club to support the Four Avenues?
3) The second page of your Board’s report listed a) the Capital Projects we support [at least eight projects with a commitment of more than $115,000] and b) the Work Projects your Club have adopted. The second category lists projects ranging from the Seniors Wood-heating program [Thanks Dr. Bob from the 14 warm seniors] to Locks for Life [Thanks to Brian Myers for his and wife Pat’s leadership].
4) Page Three: What are our Projects for Year 2003-4? We are now budgeting almost $39,000 in wonderful deserving projects, ranging from Scholarships and the Veterans Van to Dictionaries for 3rd graders. All wonderful.
5) Page Four: How do we raise that kind of money? Our major six fund-raisers may total up to $35,000 this year.
This invites the heart of the issue: Do we still want to support $39,000 in eleemosynary programs? How do we raise that sum? What about the six major fund-raisers? Are you willing to pick one or two and COMMIT to giving your time and effort 100% Which ones should we not do again? Do you like “selling tickets” or how else would you like to support Rotary? Do less and raise less?
Already, Snow Ball and Mexican Food Fiesta are being suggested as fund-raisers that we should let go. Yet that is almost 25% of our fund-raising budget. Without that, which projects should bear the revenue short-fall?
In revising our fund-raising costs/schedule, are there better ideas out there?
This portion of our Business Meeting brought up several new ideas worthy of review: A fine art auction, the “bachelor/bacheloreet” auction (recently done by Kiwanis), and perhaps most exciting a Car Show. On the latter, Frank Valen has been working hard on this project (Thank you!) and this could be a fun – but not effortless – fund-raiser, which at least does not involve selling tickets.
One member suggested our $35K budget works out to $350 per member – and he would rather write that check than sell tickets.
Fellow Rotarians: These are all very core issues our Nigh Noon Rotary. Are we swallowing too many undertakings? How can we fund what we would like to do?
Spencer volunteered to set up a poll on these issues. Our Webmaster Ward has the ability to organize and tabulate a membership poll. Calling for help in this project, he was delighted in the immediate support from Scott Mathis, Dave Ganevsky, and Steve Govreau. I want PE Mike McG to be involved also. This poll will take several weeks to design – the key to any poll is asking the right questions! It is our hope that the information gathering poll will help our Board of Directors make our fund-raising and spending as reflective of you our members as possible.
Terrific meeting! Thank you Chessa! You and Jay enjoy your voyage to Antarctica!!
Yours in Rotary,
Spencer, your Scribe