Club Bulletin, August 14, 2003
“Rotary is different things to different
people. To me, it’s working with people
on a worldwide Basis.” Jim Sinclair,
Rotarian.
Chessa
opened the meeting with typical enthusiasm and asked to Paulette to give the invocation
and to lead us in the pledge. She
followed with a call for the introduction of guests. They included:
Craig Westberg, Assistant DA and the day’s
speaker.
Ken Walker, visiting Rotarian, OK
Ron Rose, visiting Rotarian, Ventura, CA
John Windsor, guest of Ted Robson.
Patsy Brister, guest and mother of David Downs.
Mike McGuire, United Way Chair, guest of Tim
Walsworth and not our President Elect.
Ryan Mickelson, guest and associate of Dr.
Robert Volger.
Chessa indicated that the golf tourney was a success and a lot of
fun. She asked Melisa and Tim to make a
brief report, including announcing that $16k will flow into the club’s
coffers. Mike McGuire of United Way
told us of this year’s goal of $375k.
He thanked Melisa and the golf committee and Melisa in turned recognized
this year’s volunteer corps.
Gifts of appreciate were given to Tim and Melisa, who took the occasion
to announce that 3 years as tourney chair was plenty and that interested
persons should contact her about next year.
Chessa suggested that a 2-person co-chair arrangement might be the
appropriate way for the future.
Susan Sanders, Chair of the Fun Committee, announced two opportunities
for fun and fellowship. 1st,
a Perins Peak hike on Saturday, August 23rd. Gather at her house at
9:00AM for coffee and treats. Bring a
lunch etc. Hike about 1:45 minutes to
the top, enjoy the view and lunch and then about 1:30 down. On Sunday, meet at 10:00 AM at the Bread,
the bakery (roughly the corner of CR 250 and Florida Road) for a road bike ride
of the Trimble Loop. No word on whether
awards will be given for the biathlon.
Mike Sandberg asked for a show of hands for interest in a Halloween
party. Get in touch with him.
Chessa’s board will meet on Tuesday, August 19th, 7:00 AM,
downstairs at the Double Tree. All are
welcome.
‘This is your life’ Rotarian of the week was Wayne Bedor. After school in Vermont, he joined the
United States Air Force, with tours in two foreign countries, England and
Texas. After deciding to make the AF
his career, he was promptly assigned to a duty station in Viet Nam.
After that, he earned a BA in finance and returned to Europe. It was his good fortune to meet his future
wife in Switzerland. He spent time as
an instructor at the AF Academy, more at Peterson AFB, on to San Francisco to
study private sector stuff with Wells Fargo and then back to Denver to work in
AF finance. At about that time, he and
his wife decided to adopt, were blessed with a 3-week old infant and once again
headed back to Europe, this time, Ramstein, Germany.
He returned to Peterson, again, where Wayne completed his 27 years of
service, exiting as the CFO. He worked
at Mr. Mom for a while, took and passed the CPA exam, applied for the top job
in La Plata County finance and was hired by Bud Deering and fellow
commissioners at the time.
Later, he found out that he followed 3 finance directors in the 4 years
before he took over, but he has again served well and we are all better off for
his efforts. More……………
……………………………….District Conference……………………………..
Chessa reminded us of the upcoming District Conference. It will be the weekend of September 26th
(Friday), through Sunday, in La Junta.
A golf tourney is scheduled for Friday, as well as tours and other
diversions for the non-golfers. Newer
members and red badge wearers are strongly encouraged to attend and will find
the conference a valuable resource about Rotary. Sign up…!!! And, Chessa
will run a hospitality suite in her room at the Holiday Inn, both Friday and
Saturday nights.
The Sergeants at Arms fattened the club’s bank account by challenging
two tables to answer questions based on the recent Rotarian
magazine. Both tables failed, but put a
buck for each member into the pot.
Tom B. offer a happy buck for 39 years of marriage, recognized Paulette
for contribution to the community and skills as a grant writer and saluted
Scott Mathis for his award as volunteer of the year with the San Juan Mountains
Association. He contributed over 500 hours!!!
Jan Measles had a happy buck celebrating her son’s return from Mexico.
Jeannie Wheeldon reminded us that the season at the Diamond Circle
Melodrama is drawing to a close, about a week and a half left and to get on in
there and get entertained. The Herald
has not reviewed this summer’s productions, but Melisa and others have seen and
enjoyed
John Windsor and Gordon Hensley drew playing cards, but none were the
queen of hearts. The pot grows.
Charlie Albert announced a meeting of the wheelchair committee to be
held at the end of the club meeting.
The club mentors were to meeting right after the club meeting and Steve
R. invited Kiwanians to attend.
Chessa told us about her surprise of finding her name on a personalized
license plate back in her CA days. She
followed the lady home to find that she was named for her great grandmother,
while Chessa is named for her great-great.
And, later, her husband Jay met the same woman and learned that her
husband was also named Jay.
Pam Moore announced that the Hardly Angels Motorcycle Drill Team would
perform for the last time in a long time, this weekend. For more info, go to
the Herald article at:
http://www.durangoherald.com/aspbin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/03/news030814_2.htm
Chessa gave the floor to District Judge, Greg Lyman, to introduce the
day’s speaker. Current Assistant DA,
Craig Westberg was a former elected DA and returned to serve with Sarah Law in
the mid-90’s. Greg there is no more
experienced prosecutor in the region than Mr. Westberg.
Craig told us that there are 22 DA’s in the state, all elected to 4-year
terms. Durango is part of a 3-county
district that includes La Plata, San Juan and Archuleta. His budget for the last fiscal year is $1.4
million dollars and 8 attorneys are very, very busy. Caseload is up 24% from last year, with most of the cases coming
from local law enforcement activities.
The increase stems from property crimes, traffic and various
misdemeanors. Thankfully, violent
crimes are not rising and there were no murders in the last year. Commercial burglaries are rising and there
is an increase in drug use, particularly methamphetamine.
Craig said that if the club were looking for another project, he would
recommend an effort to educate kids about the dangers of drug use. “We can fight ignorance.” He said that meth is astoundingly addictive
and leaves people with psychological problems.
14-year-old kids are experimenting with meth.
The focus on the DA’s office is public safety. They have an obligation to be fair, ethical and cannon sink to
the level of the criminal. The office
must be tough an aggressive, but must respect and recognize the innocent. Further, they must balance the rights of the
individual versus those of society. His
office “represents the conscious of the community.”
He said that some of the tougher cases involve individuals where there
is potential for rehabilitation and he takes seriously his power to make
decisions that affect people’s lives.
Craig closed that the DA’s office is there to protect us and to punish
where appropriate. His office is the
community parent, when the original parents have failed.
Craig took questions and encouraged Marv to contact his office regarding
the mentoring program. He further
described pleas bargains and how they are necessary, but assured us that
violent assaults leave no reason for pleas
Our Mike McGuire encouraged members to observe trials to see and learn
what the DA’s office and the community face every day.
Chessa thank Craig for his presentation and his work for the community
gave him the speaker’s mug and rang the meeting to a close.
Coming Up:
August 21, 2003
August 28, 2003 All About Kids…State Officers from the CO Children’s Coalition
Joint program with Kiwanis
September 4, 2003 Paulette Church….GED Update
September 11, 2003 Stories of two police officers who were shot in the line of duty
September 18, 2003 Melodrama/Vaudeville---Laura will contact Jeanie Wheeldon
September 25, 2003 Animas La Plata Project
–Co-Sponsored with Kiwanis
Speaker is Ken Beck, Director of Public Outreach
Project
OTHER Possible programs: Emil Nage—Emil’s
history of coming to USA
….Who can ask Emil???
October 2, 2003 Cowboy Poetry—Resource contact Bob Volger
October 9, 2003 Letters form 1880, SW Historical Society; Resource Barton Cross
October 16, 2003
October 23, 2003 United Fund information;
Rotary Business meeting….Chessa Gill
October 30, 2003
November 6, 2003 Charles Allen—Wheelchair program video
November 13, 2003
November 20, 2003
November 27, 2003 No Rotary….Thanksgiving Day
December 4, 2003 Rotary Business Meeting??? Chessa Gill
December 11, 2003
December 18, 2003
December 25, 2003 No Rotary….Christmas Day
January 1, 2004 No Rotary…New Year’s Day
January 8, 2004
January 15, 2004
January 22, 2004