Rotary Gram

Durango High Noon Rotary

November 13, 2003

"Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom"

Thomas Jefferson

Chessa welcomed everyone, noting the wet and rainy day. She gave a

salute to all the veterans among us and to all those that serve now and in

the past. Chessa led the club in the pledge.

There was a special thank you given by Kiwanian Jan Reed, thanking

Immediate Past President, Jeff Brown for taking her father to the Veteran's

Day Parade.

Guests were introduced, including returning Rotarian Eddie Cheung and

his wife Nancy, from Newberry Park, CA. Eddie surprised the club with a

gift from his club for the purchase of 4 wheelchairs and a gift from he and

Nancy for 4 more. Thank you Rotarian Eddie Cheung.

Additional guests were Robert McDaniel, Director of the Animas Museum,

Yuta, the club's exchange student from Japan, Laura Shelton, guest of Angie

Beach and John Lopez, guest of Ted Robson.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thursday, November 20th is an important meeting, advancing the election

process for the President Elect Nominee. Be certain to attend. President

Elect, Mike McGuire indicated that this will be a preliminary effort, with

the final election taking place in December.

There will be club meetings for the next two weeks, Thanksgiving Day,

November 27th and December 4th.

The holiday train on Saturday, December 6th had ten seats available as

of November 13th. Contact Chessa to reserve a spot.

George Litow has had surgery and is planning to return after the first

of the year.

Walter Nowotny brought us up to date on progress for this winter's

fundraiser, the Red Ball Express. Tasks still need Rotarians to do them, so

sign up now.

Keoki announced the 8:30 AM Saturday Habitat for Humanity effort to

build sheds and fences in SkyRidge.

Chessa is taking the evening club's challenge seriously, to the point

where she held a meeting after the club met to determine our response.

Steve Govreau, reported on the project to distribute dictionaries to all

the 3rd grade kinds in the school district. They were purchased by the

club and distribution was to begin immediately. Steve even printed stickers

for the inside of the dictionaries that identified them as gifts of the High

Noon Rotary Club.

Bell Ringers were still needed to meet our commitment to the Salvation

Army. See Tami Coddington to get a time slot.

Tami reported on the Incubator Program at DHS, just finishing the

latest round of business plan presentations. The winners will come to a

meeting in May.

The DHS Interact Club is active, with 15 members. Tami and Jennifer

Simon meet with them every Tuesday. Tami reported that Sherry is working up

this year's batch of scholarship candidates.

Jay Hwang is working on Rotaract efforts at Ft. Lewis.

Tom Brossia reported on the efforts of the Capital Projects Committee.

The Buckley Park renovation is progressing, with the news that it might be

able to be preserved as open space, with a tax-advantaged feature being

explored by Steve Wheeldon.

Mini grants approved by the board to date include: $750 for eye and ear

health, $800 to the Durango Kinds marathon, $500 for 3rd grade school books,

$2,100 for the dictionary program, $500 to the children's museum and $500 to

girls to women to girls, an program for 8th grade girls. A number of

grant were requests were not funded, with the committee and the board

keeping the club's projects in line with the mission of Rotary.

The winter firewood for seniors effort is organizing and Susan Sanders

is proposing cooking classes, a ski day and other fellowship events. Go

Ideas? See Susan or Terri Lee.

Tickets were drawn, Russell and Ron each failing to find the queen of

hearts in the deck. The pot grows and the boys were off to Subway with gift

certificates donated by Steve Redding. (it's the SubWay at Wal-Mart)

Robert McDaniel, Director of the Animas Museum,

(http://www.frontier.net/~animasmuseum/index.htmlthe) day's presenter was

introduced. McDaniel had been with the museum since 1977 and considers it

his life's work. The museum was established in 1974 through the efforts of

the La Plata County Historical Society. Their mission is to collect,

preserve and interpret materials of historical interest in the San Juan

Basin and La Plata County.

The museum now contains 35,000 objects ranging from dolls, business

records, artifacts, pottery and much more. The museum, housed in the old

Animas City School, provides interpretive exhibits and research materials.

The building was a gift from the school district. It is working to grow

with the community, so that growth in the region does not endanger the

heritage of the area.

For the last three years, a project has been underway to raise money to

restore the roof to it's original form. Following a fire in 1919, the

original roof was replaced with a flat structure. It is not historically

correct and is well passed it's expected life.

The new roof will also create much needed space on what will be the 4th

floor. McDaniel wondered aloud if there was a way for Rotary to help and

donor information on each of our tables. The goal is to have the funds in

place to begin building in February, '04.

Chessa thanked Robert on behalf of the club and presented him with the

speaker's mug.

With nothing more, the meeting was closed.

The program on the 20th will be presented by Joe Mitchell and Hans

Hisgen, with more information on the Wheelchair Program.

John E. Marshall

3005 County Road 207

Durango, CO 81301

970-259-6248 p

970-259-4498 f