High Noon Rotary Club of Durango

District 5470

Club 1161

Meet at Doubletree Hotel

Time: 12:00 Noon

Thursdays

Newsletter: May 28 2009

Program June 4, 2009: Our Own Bud Deering: Chapter III in a Most Interesting Life

Fellow Rotarians:

• Tami led the pledge and Mark Prouty introduced guest and program, Tom Tudor, President of the Rampart Range Rotary Club. Dick Sullivan proudly introduced daughter and newly minted 7^th grader, Molly Sullivan. Dick also introduced his friend, Melodie Addington, volunteer with the Southwest Center for Independence (SWCI). Melodie announced upcoming “Confident Living Program” sponsored by the SWCI to be held at the Fairgrounds (Pine and Florida rooms) on June 8^th, 9^th and 10^th. It is for senior adults, 55 and better who are experiencing loss of vision and hearing. The event is sponsored by the “Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults.” Call 259-1652 and ask for Tim for additional info. Ted Weirather introduced guest Rick Halleck, retired University of Arizona biology professor. Dan Morgenstern introduced John Havenrich with the Women’s Resource Center who made an appeal for support of their annual “Men Who Grill” festivities on June 6, ²⁰⁰⁹. This event is a major fund raiser for the WRC.

• Announcements: Boom told us about her DHS graduation ceremony which was held in the rain last Friday night at the football stadium. The graduates still had fun even though it was a bitter sweet event where one says goodbye to their friends. There were tears with the rain as well. Unfortunately, Boom’s (Thai) name got spelled wrong in the program. Dan McCarthy introduced guest and veteran, Stan Williams who served in Viet Nam in 1969 and 1970 when body bags were returning to the U.S. at the rate of 200 weekly in a light week and 700 on a heavy week. Stan has owned Denton signs for about 15 years and recently moved to the old Ska headquarters in Bodo. Ted Weirather talked up the “Changing of the Guard” event on Thursday June 25^th. The meal will be catered by Sari Brown of the Yellow Carrot and will mark the end of Tami’s presidency and the beginning of Mark Prouty’s term. Please get in touch with Ted to choose your meal for the event. Mark Prouty announced the annual survey of HNers to help give the incoming president and board direction for 2009-2010. Tami announced that Charlie Albert is looking for Rotarians to travel to Ecuador to visit the joint sponsored water project with the Engineers without Borders and Rotary. Mike Kane circulated a volunteer list for people to sign up for the 14^th annual United Way and HNR Golf Tournament to be held at Dalton Ranch. Wells Fargo is sponsoring the event and Chevron is sponsoring the lunch. Hole sponsors are: Building Specialties, 1^st National Bank, Mark Donohue/Realty Executives, Steve Dorf with Fast Track (2 Holes) and United Pipeline Services. Golf Teams competing so far are: (2) Mark Donohue/Realty Executives, Wells Fargo, Dick Pearson and City market, XTO Energy and United Pipeline Services. The winning ticket was held by Burt Coleman who donated his winnings.

• Sergeant of Arms, Emily Spencer, fined Niles Bruno for being the best singer in Rotary and Peter Marshall for his wonderful chef who has improved our meals fivefold. Barb Stine had happy $$$ for her Penguins hockey team. Bob Chaput paid $50 for completing his 2d and last Iron Horse race over the weekend. Mike Kane was happy about his daughter’s 1^st birthday. Dan Morgenstern paid $5 because he will be going sailing for the next five months. Jim Burpee paid $5 happy dollars for beating the train and receiving motivation and inspiration from former HNer and now deceased Marv Collentine. Dan McCarthy paid happy dollars for his and his children’s safe return to Durango from their recent travels. Tom Tudor, guest and Rampart Range Rotary Club President, paid because he was happy to be in La Plata County speaking to all four Rotary Clubs about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

• PROGRAM: Mark Prouty again introduced Tom Tudor who gave a very detailed history of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Tom served 20 months as a guard and a relief commander on the Army detail that guards the Tomb. Tom told about the Tomb not being guarded from 1921 until 1937 when a family was found having a picnic using the Tomb as a table. Since June 2d, 1937 the Tomb has had guards 24/7, 365 days a year. Each guard spends one hour on and three hours off during a duty day. Only one in four people that are selected for training become guards and are quickly dismissed if they don’t comply with the rigid standards of not scratching itches, smiling or dropping their weapons. The guards use to carry one round chambered in their M-1s until a guard committed suicide in the 1950s. Now the guard’s weapons are not loaded. A most interesting program that should be viewed by schoolchildren and more importantly incoming presidential administrations.

Next Week’s Program: Bud Deering, A Most Interesting Life, Chapter Three.

Tami closed by leading us in “The Four Way Test”; in everything we do and say:

ü Is it the truth?

ü Is it fair to all concerned?

ü Will it build good will and better friendships?

ü Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Yours in Rotary,

Editor

Wayne Bedor