Tom was in rare form today as he welcomed the spring-like weather

RotaryGram

Durango High Noon Rotary Club

March 22, 2001

Tom welcomed the group to Rotary this spring like day. Tom asked if anyone was interested in riding the Iron Horse. He has developed a group of four who will attempt to live up to the challenge.

We introduced our guests this day. The District Governor for next year was with us today. He is Bill Tarpley from the evening club. Jim Reser has been at our club so Mark Prouty considers often that he a member. Jim Hugins returned to the club with John Beekman. Bill Maurer introduced his father Bill Maurer Senior. Tami Coddington from the Bank of the San Juans was introduced to the club. Will Rottenberg a friend of Scott Mathis was welcomed by the club. Karen L’Argent introduced Michael Hodgett from First National Bank, the Chief Financial Officer. Pam Moore and Pam Copeland were introduced to the club. She has returned from Balise with a husband and a tan.

Jennie Wheeldon was asked to update the club on the Caring Committee. She reported that her father had Kidney failure and is on dialysis. She recently spent time with him and he did complete a round of golf.

Bill Tarpley was asked to speak to the club regarding the Leadership Conference being held in Montrose on the 31st of March. Bill talked about how the Leadership of Rotary changes each July. This means that a new International President comes into office, more than thirty thousand new club presidents take office, and a host of new District Governors begin their years. Rotary works in spite of this because Rotary provides Leadership training. That training is taking place in Montrose. There will be training for new members, Presidents and Secretaries, information on Rotary Youth Exchange, and the Foundation. The club has agreed to pay the registration for those who wish to attend this meeting. This training will also be provided in Colorado Springs. If you want to learn about Rotary, then this is your chance to learn. Steve Wheeldon asked the group to attend and learn about Rotary. Bill Tarpley did point out that the current trend in Rotary is a loss of membership and plans are being made to reverse that trend.

Chessa asked the club to help find two students to attend the RYLA leadership training in Lamar. The students need to be sophomores or juniors and they can be children of Club members. Call Chessa.

TWO WEEKS TILL THE MEXICAN FOOD FIESTA

Mark Prouty spoke to the group about our big fundraiser for scholarships for High School students. This will occur on April 5th at the Fairgrounds. Club members need to get involved in ticket sales and in helping man the event. This is a great time to meet and get to know your club members. We need to sell 2000 tickets to reach the goal we have set for the club. Can anyone better the record of 120 tickets sold by Wayne Bedor last year? Bill Hermesman and his brother Ted hold the record for sales by brothers.

Mellisa Jackson asked for the club to start thinking about the Golf Tournament to be held August the 18th.

Kevin Bruce did a great job of administering fines. He offered hats as a way to escape a fine. Jeannie took a hat. He then fined the judge for his Cat in the Hat. Did you see the picture? Pam Moore was fined for her trip, wedding, and the picture of the Hardly Angels in the paper. The Angels will be going to Japan to do four shows. They will be decked out with new Harleys. The group will tour Tokyo and generally have a great time. Pam also has set the Saturday after Easter to be the day to pick up trash along the Highway west of town. Bob Volger was fined for waiting twenty-five years to learn to do a business plan and learn to run a business. Pattie Burkholder was fined for a quote in the paper. Mike Schafer paid a fine for his ten-pound thirteen-ounce grandchild. Susan Sanders won the drawing and she received a hat. Paulette paid a fine for her birthday. It was a lot of money that went to her Paul Harris Fellow, she said. Kevin asked the club to get out and sell those tickets and help Mark make this fundraiser work.

Tom Brossia said we have gotten an application from a 15-year-old girl from Thailand who wants to be an exchange student in our town. He is in need of two homes to provide space during her stay. Paulette Church has been appointed as a Counselor for this effort. Paulette will accept the child into her home to get past the jet lag. Paulette will then meet with the host families and the student to help answer questions. Paulette will work with the club to generate support and develop opportunities for Club members to spend time with the student.

Wynn paid a Happy Dollar as Linda and the students from Fort Lewis left this morning for New York. Linda hopes to bring them all back.

Bob Chaput asked for our club to get involved in helping in the newest Habitat Building project at Sky Ridge. Call Bob if you can help.

Nancy was selling tickets to the Wine Tasting for the Community Shelter. It will be held at the Bank of Colorado.

FUTURE PROGRAMS:

March 29 update on Rotary Youth Park Cathy Metz and Steve Wheeldon

April 5 Mexican Food Fiesta

April 12 Travel Medicine Dr. Bader and Dr. Salka

April 19 Club Assembly

April 26 Bob Ledger City Manager

WHAT HAS OUR CLUB DONE THIS YEAR? :

Your Club Accomplishments since July 2000

Endowments

Mini-grant for Fort Lewis Choral Society to Carnegie Hall $1500 + 500 from Bud

Ecuador Earthquake support $1250

St. Columba Playground Equipment - $500

Donated up to $795 for a computer network for Youth Advocacy

Kids at Risk Mentoring Program - 10 people - use more

DHS Girls Fast Pitch Softball - $500

Durango Nature Studies Beaks and Feet - $500

Vacuum Cleaner for Soup Kitchen - $300

Polio Plus -$351 as a Club

Ride-along State Patrol lunch program

Interact $470

Project Merry Christmas Blankets $430

New Projects

$19,000 toward Park project - $50,000 total

Shipped computers to Honduras

Built trails at Durango Nature Studies

Shipped baseball gear to Bosnia

Locks for Life - Trigger Lock give away - 2000 locks given away

Shipped container load of computers to Honduras - we paid for shipping

Sustaining Projects

Added members to Kids at Risk Mentoring program

Soup kitchen thru December

Annual Activities

Helped Salvation Army Bell ringers - helped raise 60,900

Remedial Reading at Elementary School

History Day Judging at High School

Snow down Spelling Bee

Grants

Completed

3 H Matching grant for Honduras Ambulance

90,000 Head start breakfasts to Mexico City - started last month

Grants submitted

Submitted

Local immunization Grant for seniors

2 Cap Grants

Swing time - Autistic Children's therapeutic equipment for Rec Center

Rotary Park Monuments with Symbol and 4 way test

Awards

Presidential Citation

Applied for RI Significant Achievement Award

Awarded

5 College or Vocational Scholarships

A Paul Harris pin to Bill Mauer

Accumulated $8,714 toward the Paul Harris Foundation

Membership

Added 10 members

Have 4 in the works

Hosted

Brazilian GSE group

English Rotary Friendship Exchange

Up with People Touring Group

90 Foreign Exchange Students

Mexico GSE group

Saved

$2000 by changing to Email bulletins

Recreation

Climbed Handies

Horseback rode Molas

Motorcycled the San Juans