HIGH NOON ROTARY Newsletter
11-16-2006
Opening
Chip Lile, substituting for Ward Holmes (who had to go to Grand
Junction due to a death in his
business family) led us in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a few words of
from Jan Measles. Jan’s topic was breast cancer awareness. She is
very concerned with the numbers of women in our community who have been
diagnosed recently with breast cancer or possible breast cancer. The
numbers are growing and the wait process to hear results needs to be
addressed. Jan then modeled a Denver
run for breast cancer T-Shirt: Save the Ta-Tas
(with the pink ribbon in the center of the “ta’s.”
On a personal note she is having her reconstruction surgery tomorrow at 1:30.
Guests
Guest
Representing
Sponsor/Host
Jonathan Donnaway
Daybreak
Club
Melissa Caskey
Barb
Stine
Los Alamos NM
Kathy Firestone
Visiting Rotarians -
None
Announcements
Chip
Lile announced that Mike Sandberg was back
today! (Applause).
Bob
Chaput reported on the status of the purchase of
Red Ball Express (scheduled for February
10, 2007, 4:07 PM).
Bob said it is in the hands of the attorneys and things have s-l-o-w-e-d down
considerably, but that we should have tickets ready for sale the first of the
year.
Exchange
Student, Joseph, has changed families and reported he has been eating a lot
of meat and potatoes since his arrival in Durango
and that he has gained 29#’s! He went to the mountains; saw the Durango
High School
production of “Grease” and many other things – “a good week.”
Justin
Osborn circulated a Holiday
party sign-up sheet. It is December 7th at the Diamond Circle
Theatre.
Justin
also reminded everyone that the Tim Sullivan benefit is on New Years Eve.
More information to come.
Cathy
Crum and Kathy Firestone recognized those Rotarians who either sponsored a
table, or attended the Volunteers of America breakfast at the Strater. They also thanked Emily Spencer for
all of her help.
Kent
Curtis announced that his son, Ben (an AZ student who was shot in the head
on September 30th in a Phoenix
robbery) is backing home from his hospital stay at Scottsdale Osborne, and is
doing well. He will be in Durango
for awhile.
HAPPY
DOLLARS! We were a very happy group today (the note taker hopes she got
everything!):
Phil
Bryson tossed in $20 for the grand opening of the Crossroads
Building
at 11th and Main.
The opening is this Friday from 4-8 PM
and everyone is invited. Ellen Roberts is happy she was
elected and threw in 50 cents “I can’t afford $1” she said! Mike Sandberg
was $10 worth of happy with LPEA. For only $7.50 more on his monthly bill
he can run his entire ranch on wind-generated energy (by using his Visa card
and getting the rewards, it is really only $7.04 per month). Mike
McGuire tossed in a couple to say his doctor had her way with him (red face
from some treatment) and a thank you dollar to M/M Howard
Wilson for donating funds for the water fall at the new
Mercy Hospital.
And
even more Happy Dollars: Ted Robson donated to happiness
with complements to the San Juan Symphony Orchestra and the Durango Choral
Society for the excellent concert Sunday at the FLC Community Concert
Hall. Bill Cartwright paid an IOU dollar from last week. (And,
apologies to the Club, but one Rotarian who the note taker did not
recognize and cannot find in the Roster) had a daughter who married
last week, and celebrated a birthday October 1 and his 32nd wedding
anniversary October 5th, and paid those fines. Charlie
Albert is happy to be back in town, but still attended Rotary meetings and
a Tri-District conference.
More
Happiness: Howard Poe tossed $1 to “make an honest woman
out of Ellen (Roberts) and another cheering for Michigan
in the big Michigan/Ohio State football game this weekend. Dick
Sullivan is happy to be hosting a party of Adaptive Sports Saturday at 4 PM at his home and extended an invitation to
all. Kathy Firestone tossed in $2 for her best friend being a
two-time Grandma and Kathy is the Great Aunt. Cathy Crum was
pleased with the Lion King performance in Denver.
Mary Barter was thrilled that Sunny6side School received an
award recognizing the school as one of the best low income schools. Steve
Govreau tossed in a happy dollar that his son
(who was in France
for a year and is behind his peers in getting a drivers license) didn’t get a
ticket yesterday. While practicing for his drivers test yesterday, he was
rear-ended by a woman (who received a citation). His son is re-taking the
test today. Sara Olsen tossed in a couple for her daughter who
graduated from Durango
High School
on Friday and that her son received his drivers license (beware). She
also was happy that she was able to take a backpacking trip alone in Moab.
And
even more Happy Dollars: Justin Osborn tossed in $4 for a
very successful hunting trip in Texas,
but more important, they learned yesterday that Tammy is 2 months
pregnant. Congrats to the Osborn’s. Emily Spencer received a
round of applause as she tossed in her dollars for quitting smoking (perhaps
taking part in the Great American Smokeout?).
And finally, Chandler Jackson is proud of two of Fort
Lewis
College’s
teams. The football team is playing in its first bowl game ever, the
Rotary Bowl in St. George, Utah on December 2nd and the Men’s Soccer
team is playing in the NCAA Division II Final Four, with the first game tonight
at 7 PM vs. Lincoln Memorial.
Sgt. of Arms
Chandler
Jackson announced Melisa Caskey’s 50th
– oops 40th birthday next week (since we are not meeting due to
Thanksgiving) – she will be celebrating in Las
Vegas. Chandler
also nailed everyone who wasn’t wearing a pin!
The
winning ticket, Steve Wheeldon, gave his
basketball shots to student Joseph – who made it on the 2nd
shot and got to pocket the money!
Program – Club Assembly
Chip
Lile announced that today’s program was the Club
Assembly.
- Interact
Club – Melisa Caskey:
The club has grown by leaps and bounds from 10 to 57 members. They
are planning both a trip (at today’s meeting) and will be hosting a live
auction at the Christmas Party.
- Dictionary Project – Steve
Govreau: Help is needed to deliver to
both 9R and St. Columba. Contact Steve if
you can help.
- International – Charlie
Albert: Several projects going on:
- Water filter project.
A $50,000 matching grant was received through partnering with the Freeport,
Maine
club.
- Russian
accountants: Will be visiting Druango in
May. Wayne Bedor is coordinating
this project. They will go through continuing education training
both in Durango
and Albuquerque.
There will be a need for hosts.
- Tri-District
Conference in Juarez,
Mexico
(2-weeks ago). Identified projects needed by the Mexican clubs.
- Clef palate Surgical
Supplies. A grant proposal has been twice rejected. It is
being resubmitted.
- Other proposal
requests under consideration: A truck for a Mexican food bank and a
bus for some Mexican schools. Idea for a project to locate
used medial equipment that can be donated. Anyone who has an
interest in this project is to contact Charlie.
- A thank-you note was
received from Fort
Lewis
College’s
Engineers Without Borders program for supporting
the Thailand
water project the students completed this summer.
- Mike McGuire:
Fundraising Idea (not yet presented to the board). A detailed
background/history was given about how the Rotary wheel can be set into
motion. There is an orphanage outside of Colon,
Mexico
in an old, deserted monastery that is 10 years old. There have been
several projects taken on by the director of the orphanage to include
inclusion of sections for older boys, younger boys, girls, ‘throw away”
adults and a new project for victims of domestic violence. Mike
Sandberg has recently donated 3 Spanish coins from the 1600’s (value
could be up to $10,000). The process involved in selling/auctioning
the coins has involved numerous Rotarians and the Interact Club.
Currently they are studying how to close the Rotary wheel through the sale
of the coins, and using Interact as volunteers at the orphanage.
- Rotary International
By-Law Changes – Steve Govreau. IR is
making organizational changes that affect the by-laws of all clubs.
The club organization is being modernized following new strategic
directions and changing to 4 standing committees:
(1) Membership
(2)
Club services
(3)
Service (new, encompassing community and world-wide)
(4)
Foundation (the key basis for RI cultural/fundraising efforts)
Study/discussion phases are in progress by the By-Law
Committee – who was holding a meting following today’s Club Assembly. Steve
welcomed anyone who wished to stay. Some of the RI changes may be
adopted, some may be kept the way they are. Currently the organizational
changes are not mandatory, but most likely will be.
Chip
announced that the nominations for officers will be postponed to the next
meeting. He also asked for anyone interested in helping Jen Simon’s
plight stay after the meeting to discuss.
Closing
Bud
has 5 jokes for us throughout the next few weeks, but today’s joke was “flying
on Air Force One” (Bud did pay a fine for mentioning the Republican Party!).
Chip
then rang the bell to release us.
Respectfully
submitted (whew!),
Judy Heasley
Judith Heasley
Vice President, Institutional
Advancement
FORT LEWIS COLLEGE
1000 Rim Drive
Durango CO 81301
(970) 247-7253
Fax: (970) 382-6948
Cell: (970) 426-8777
heasley_j@fortlewis.edu