Durango High Noon Rotary

November 8th, 2007

GuestsDan Valk, Palm Harbor

Neil Valk, Palm Harbor

John Anderson, Durango

Samantha Gallant, Durango

Rubens Neto, Exchange Student DHNR

Dasha Fomina, Exchange Student DHNR

Susi DeSanto, Durango, Guest Speaker

Announcements:  Chip Lile

A check in the amount of $11, 225.00 was sent to the Mark Dold fund at First National Bank from our Durango High Noon Rotary.  Thank you to everyone who contributed so generously.

After the meeting go to Buckley Park for setting of the Rotary Plaque commemorating our contribution to refurbishing of the park.

Cathy Crum:  The Volunteers of America will be holding their Shelter from the Storm Breakfast at the Henry Strater Hotel and Luncheon at the Double Tree Hotel the week of November 16th.

Tami Coddington:  Elections for the President Elect and other offers is coming up soon.  If you want to become an officer call and let her know by December 6, 2007.  You must remove your name for consideration for President Elect.  An e-mail has been sent to everyone as of the posting of the newsletter.

Chip Lile:  Club Assembly will be held at next weeks meeting.  Fort Lewis College was given a plaque for sponsoring Roteract fundraising projects.

Niles Bruno:  Redball tickets have gone out to the Non-profits and Corporate sales individuals.  They will be given to clubs on December 15, 2007. 

Bob Salzer:  Rick O'Block and Zack McGill, both received Leadership Class Scholarships through the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Chip Lile & Jill Wark:  Induction of New Member Samantha Gallant, Sponsor Tami Coddington (Barbara Stine, Sponsor Kathy Firestone,  was inducted into the club at the November 2, 2007 meeting), welcome to both ladies and congratulations.

Speaker:  Susi DeSanto:  Susi is co-owner of the Third Avenue Dance Company of Durango, located in the Smiley Building Theatre.  An outreach program was Dancing Through the Decades in the schools.  Some of the costumes were loaned to them from the Diamond Circle Theatre (Jeannie Wheeldon).  They did six performances so all the schools were able to see the program.  Most of the company members are teachers at other art schools.  She has about 250 students now.  The dearest program to her is "Take the Lead Program", which is ballroom dancing.  Her daughter encouraged her to do this when she was in the 5th grade at Park Elementary School.  This blossomed into a 10-week class culminating in a performance at Cinco-de-Mayo.

She did Park Elementary free, but since more schools wanted her help them this resulted in grant writing and receiving in order to sponsor the continuation of  "Take the Lead Program."    Now every elementary school. one middle school, Timberline Academy and Grace Christian Elementary have benefited from the program. 

The kids build teamwork and confidence through dance; along with pride in what they do.  The teachers have actually been able to use dance as a way of getting kids to do their homework on time just so they can dance.

Over 360 kids saw Take the Lead last year.  Their sponsors are Durango Friends of the Arts, Bank of the San Juans and the City of Durango.  Along with teaching dance, she noted she teaches the history of where the dance came from so they have and better understanding.