High Noon Rotary Club of
Durango
District 5470
Club 1161
Meet at Doubletree Hotel
Time: 12:00 Noon
Thursdays
Newsletter:
January 15, 2009
PROGRAM: January 22, 2009. Dr. Keith Owen, 9R Superintendent talks about the 9R
Strategic Plan.
High Noon Rotarians:
- After the Pledge of
Allegiance, Tami asked for guest introductions. Emily Spencer introduced Jack Llewellyn, Durango
Chamber of Commerce Director. Samantha Gallant introduced her son, Vince
Cappizo, a U.S. Marine veteran who performed duties in Southeast Asia as
well as Iraq. Recently
discharged, Vince is on his way to Colorado University and later a bright
future in International Relations.
He has made his Mom, Sam, and the rest of us proud. Ward Holmes
introduced Mark Tucker of Durango Rafting for the last time. Dan McCarthy introduced Mark Brady
of Merritt Island, Florida who is a real estate attorney and has moved
here to open a title company. Dan also introduced Sandy Cooper. Bill Cartwright
introduced Terry Sutters from San Diego who also spends time in Durango.
Chip LileÕs guest was Bradley Perkins who is our outbound exchange student
to France. Howard Wilson
introduced Gary Treach who had a Trane franchise before moving to Durango.
Mark Prouty introduced Clyde Church of the Evening Club. Long missing HNR
members, Mike Kane and Scott Mathis, were warmly welcomed back to the
club. Tami introduced Kate
and Megan from the Rotaract Club who thanked HNers for our support and
then informed us of all their activities. Clearly, they are living up to the Rotary ÒService
Above SelfÓ mottos by supporting a food drive, Red Ball express, trash
pickup along the DSNGRR tracks,
and economic development.
Kate also presented Tami with their Rotaract Flag. Megan talked up the
Rotaractors big upcoming fundraiser from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM on January 24th
being held at the Henry Strater Theater. If you attend you can enjoy Latin Music from the
Stillwater Foundation while dining on South American Inspired foods. They will be featuring artwork,
jewelry and crafts from the community of Banos in Ecuador. Tickets are $30 pre event and $35
at the door.
- Announcements: Niles
Bruno reminded us of a mini grant meeting after todayÕs meeting. Boom took the podium and mike to tell of her latest
adventures. This included but
was not limited to locking herself out of TamiÕs house three times and
having to climb up on the balcony to gain entry to the house during our
worst snowstorms. Boom also spent an exciting weekend with Steve Osborne
and Jan Measles at Lake Powell.
Boom piloted SteveÕs plane down to Powell and also drove his boat
around the lake while there.
Mark Prouty talked about members signing up to help at Red Ball
Express on event day at DMR.
Chip Lile is recruiting another two members for the HNR ski team to
compete on the Red Ball Day. Chip also asked for host families for the in-bound
exchange students who will be here for Snowdown Weekend. There will be a pot luck dinner
for them at the Boys and GirlsÕ Club and they will march in the Snowdown
Parade. Tami announced the
January 20th Board Meeting that will be held from 3:00 to 5:00
PM at the new Public Library and will feature a guided tour of the new
facility by our very own Sherry Taber, Library Director. It will include a look at a study room
in the library which HNR partially funded. Justin Osborne asked for help in raising another
$400 to match the $100 that Alpine Bank and Mike Burns contributed as part
of the $500 that each of the 4 local Rotary Clubs are contributing for
prizes on Red Ball Express Day.
Clyde Church of the Evening Club gave us a short history of the Red
Ball Express Fund raiser. It
was started in 2001 to help local non-profits and the United Way which
were experiencing funding shortfalls when the financial troubles of 2000
nearly vaporized many personal portfolios and contributions to worthy
causes declined. Clyde talked
of Wells Fargo and Four Corners BroadcastingÕs loyal sponsorship of Red
Ball for many years. Marcel
of the Bayfield Club talked up the ski race on Red Ball day and expects to
field 15 teams this year.
They are pushing family fun at this yearÕs Red Ball Express Day.
- Sergeant of Arms: Tom Crabbe started off with a ÒHow
Ya DoingÓ which elicited a sickly club response. He then fined Steve Osborne and Brian Myers for their
club anniversaries. Tom asked
Steve Osborne to explain his interpretation of Rotary exchange student
rules which preclude driving cars but are okay for flying planes, piloting
boats and driving golf carts.
Steve said itÕs simple, Òsome rules are made to be broken.Ó Happy dollars included Mark
DonohueÕs contribution for Samantha because her son returned from safely
from Iraq. Charlie Albert was
happy to be going on a life changing mission to Guatemala City for an
orphanage clinic project with his church. Mike Kane was happy that his daughter started
crawling. Ward Holmes is
happy that HNRer Tom Galbraith is helping out with our web page while he
is in Honduras. Sam was also
happy that her son Vince is back from Iraq and her daughter is back from
Boulder. Tom Crabbe is happy
to have moved to a new office in Bodo. Our outbound exchange student, Bradley Perkins, is
happy that High Noon is sending him to France. Marcel from the Bayfield Club is happy for the outside
help he is getting with the Red Ball Express. Bill Cartwright won the drawing and donated it to the
Scholarship fund.
- Program: Emily Spencer introduced our program, Jack Llewellyn,
president of the Durango Chamber of Commerce. Jack is a 1987 graduate of Fort Lewis College and has
been in the community for 25 years. He announced the Citizen of the Year
Award titled ÒDurango RocksÓ up at the college on January 15th where many of our community spirited
citizens were honored.
Jack said that the Chamber is all about networking and has pushed
the Òlook first in Durango programÓ when buying products and
services. The chamber
provides seminars, workshops and lunch and learn sessions. The Chamber has 800 members, down
from a high of 845 a couple of years ago. It sponsors events like the recent symposium with
the Board of County Commissioners and the business after hours at the
Doubletree. Jack explained
the divorce between DACRA and DATO which are separately operated now. The
Chamber focuses on businesses and DATO focuses on the tourism industry. The Chamber has run surveys such as
the one on downtown Durango and also recruits new businesses to town. It is a strong advocate of the new
conference center being proposed which will enable the town to host
conferences with upwards of 350-400 attendees. Jack said that he turns away at least one conference a
week due to DurangoÕs lack of adequate facilities. To add insult to injury, Durango
recently lost out on a conference to La Junta, Colorado. How bad is that? It seems the Chamber is a great
catalyst for the economic health of the community and Jack is an involved
and articulate ambassador to the community on behalf of the Chamber.
Upcoming: Dr. Keith Owen, 9R Superintendent will
talk about the 9R Strategic Plan.
The Four Way Test in
everything we do and say:
Ÿ
Is it the truth?
Ÿ
Is it fair to all concerned?
Ÿ
Will it build good will and better friendships?
Ÿ
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Yours in Rotary,
Editor
Wayne Bedor