High Noon Rotary Club of Durango

District 5470

Club 1161

Meet at Doubletree Hotel

Time:  12:00 Noon

Thursdays

Newsletter: July 30, 2009  

Program Aug 6:  District Governor -  Peter Jeschofnig

Note: there were only 30 of 94 in attendance today, less than a third of the HNR membership.  Please come next week to welcome the District Governor.

Fellow Rotarians :

President Mark Prouty led the pledge and then had Rick O’Block introduce Mark Whitaker of Up With People.  Bob Chaput introduced again Rotarian and Past Club President Dale Macken from Temecula, California. Rich Hallick, visiting from Tucson, was also back.  Kate Hallock, the president of Rotaract, also attended as a gallery in motion.

Announcements:     GSA still needs drivers and one host family for their stay 8/31 – 93. Please consider being a host family for a few days.  Drivers needed for daily runs, such as S. Fork to Dgo, to and from Ignacio, Mesa Verde, Silverton, and Dgo. Email Mark Prouty for details.

Tami is helping Charlie and she wants to fill positions on the International Comm. Several hands went up, please email her if you have been on the committee or wish to join.

Carol Hedges from Denver will be touting the fiscal responsibility of the state using stimulus funds and will present at a City of Dgo forum on evening of 8/31 and at Daybreak that week.  Rotaract art was circulated by Kate with a request to purchase some these beautiful pieces.  Look for art in Buckley Park: Fri, Sat 10-3 and Sun 10-3

Peter Marshall, trash pickup czar, re-announced August 8 ^th as the day we pick up the trash along US Highway 160 from DW II to the Kennebec Café. The day will start at 7:30 AM with breakfast at the Kennebec Café.   Please email him now to get on the list of this camaraderie building event.

Melissa Caskey will author the August 6 ^th newsletter.

Meet a Rotarian:  Next week, (rescheduled) Jill Carithers will introduce us to Tom Brossia.

Mark Whitaker Up with People said they always stay with host families. Look for the event Aug 20 and 21, 7:30 at Com Concert Hall at FLC. 90 students, 22 countries, 1 Voice.  Good chance to get a feel for what it would be like to have an exchange student, 8/17 – 8/22. www.upwithpeople.org/durango

Sergeant of Arms, Rick O’Block arbitrarily and capriciously nailed Bob Chaput for clapping too loud with one hand, those late for the meeting, Tom G. for too long of a beard, Bill C. for telling us just how long,  B-days: Ken F., Eric, Brian who is 48 >>20 (sounds like second childhood), Cathy F.

Happy $ - Bill C. for a week on CO Trail with hot/cold running help, Tami for hiking at DMR for cancer research, Sherry T. for cell phone, Dan for Peter Marshall’s amazing Dbltree staff’s excellent food prep and presentation today, Monny H. for Pres. Mark weekly personal greeting to all members at the door – very classy.  Sorry if I missed any others

Tami won the drawing (go grab a lottery ticket).

PROGRAM:      Rick introduced Daren Parmenter, CSU Extension Agent, who is a state employee charged with providing agricultural education and information and research-based knowledge to LPC and surrounding region.  Daren acknowledged the former extension agent, Bob Salzer, HNR member, who left large shoes for Daren to fill.

Daren showed photos and discussed the old days in Animas Valley and La Plata County, where fruit, grain, potatoes were king. Ag is still big in County, but with smaller plots and part time “farmers” who do other work to make money.  1076 farms in LPC, up 17%.  $20M value, 1700 folks involved in farming. Many are women, not men as in 1875. Avg age = 58.  Nationally 20 cents/$1 go to farmers; locally, 90 cents/$1 which uses the local multiplier.  What can we do to maintain & increase farm production locally?

Shop locally, join CSA Comm Supported Ag, buy where big stores are committed to buying locally, visit farms (but call ahead or wear a vest), buy at Farmers Mkts in area (Ignacio, Bayfield, Pagosa), grow your own (food of course) and Preserve:  can, dry, put up fruit.

What to learn about Organic status with USDA?  Only 228 pages to read and learn. Buy Local meats – the animals have a great life, grazing, watching the views, counting  cars, then one bad day.  Look for the Mesa Verde Guide- where to buy locally organic food.  Bud mentioned there is a lot of extra fruit(cakes) in the valley at harvest time. Contact Daren for more info:   ParmenterDM@co.laplata.co.us

Tami voiced an idea: In the fall, HNR members would pick local fruits in excess and provide to Manna Soup Kitchen, possibly provide a drying machine so they can produce their own local dried fruit for the year.  

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

Is it the truth?

Is it fair to all concerned?

Will it build good will and better friendships?

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Yours in Rotary,

Editor

Rick Routh (temp stand in for the Main Wayne)