banner
WeeklyBulletin 
March 10, 2021  •  Rotary Club of Missoula, Montana  •  Chartered May 2, 1917
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Rotarians welcome Frank DiNenna as a new member

Dean Fiedler pins on a Rotary emblem to newest club member Frank DiNenna who was inducted by President Victoria on March 3. Frank is a local realtor. Read more about him below.
 
Stories

Speaker March 10, 2021

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority: Cross-county collaboration in action

Our speaker this week is County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier. Dave Strohmaier and his wife, Gretchen, have called Missoula home since 1997. He currently serves as chair of the Missoula Board of County Commissioners and he also chairs the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Policy Coordinating Committee. From 2006 to 2013, Dave represented Ward 1 on the Missoula City Council.

Prior to his time in elected office, Dave spent 18 years with the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service in a variety of roles. He also spent 13 years in the private sector as a public historian with Historical Research Associates, Inc., where he specialized in environmental and Native American history.

Dave holds an undergraduate degree from Seattle Pacific University in religion-philosophy and graduate degrees from Yale Divinity School (M.A.R., 1995, philosophy of religion) and the University of Montana (M.S., 1999, environmental studies). He is a published author, having written two books on the subject of fire—The Seasons of Fire: Reflections on Fire in the West (2001, University of Nevada Press) and Drift Smoke: Loss and Renewal in a Land of Fire (2005, University of Nevada Press).

Since his time on the Missoula City Council, Dave has been an outspoken advocate for sustainable transportation and passenger rail. In 2019, he spearheaded an effort to establish a regional rail authority through the southern tier of Montana, which culminated with the establishment of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority in the fall of 2020. In January of this year, he was selected to serve as the inaugural chair of the Authority.

Beyond public service, Dave enjoys big game hunting, fishing, writing, and spending time in the backcountry with his wife, son and daughter, and Labrador retriever.

Rotary Board of Directors
Rotary Board Candidates for FY 21-22 announced
The setting was a bit more casual. The server delivered tall goblets of red or white wine and cans of a favorite brand of beer, the brew compliments of Zoom colleague Mike Schauf. Plates of coconut shrimp, steak bites, and pineapple pork shanks quickly emptied. The March 3 meeting of the Rotary Club of Missoula Board of Directors was underway. 
 
Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at 5:15 pm at Missoula Country Club where all 14 members of the board get together to conduct the business of the club. And to have a good time as they do so. Some board members attend via Zoom, thanks to the technological wizardry of Royce Engstrom, Mike Schauf and Bob Minto, while others attend in person. Only those in person get the food and drink, though. The appetizers are complimentary from President Victoria Emmons. The Zoomers are on their own for refreshments. The hybrid meeting scenario is all part of adjusting to the realities we face in 2020-2021. Much as our weekly club meetings had to adjust, our board meetings did, too. Our club is fortunate that we have members who took the lead in getting us to this point. Many clubs are still meeting only on Zoom, and others are not meeting at all. Our club continues to reach out to one another each week and our board continues to have fun on monthly board meeting nights. Any club member is welcome to attend a board meeting. Please let President Victoria know that you would like to attend so we can send you a Zoom link, or order an extra round of appetizers.
 
Club Secretary Ryan Boyd takes minutes at each board meeting and, once approved, those minutes are posted in the documents section of our ClubRunner site. That's one way you can follow along with our club's operations.
 
At the board meeting, each director makes a report on his or her respective Avenue of Service. President Victoria and Treasurer Kathy Schulte provide reports on their projects, too, as does VP/President-Elect and Membership Chair Dean Fiedler. All together, board members make your club work as it should. And members like you volunteer their time to help make it work, too. We need everyone to support that effort. From volunteering as a greeter, to helping with a service project, to donating to Missoula Rotary Foundation, to sending out sunshine cards to members, all jobs are important to the operations of the club.
 
Board Candidates for FY21-22
The Nominating Committee, a sub-committee of the Governance Committee, presented a slate of nominees for membership on the Board of Directors FY 21-22. Dean will be president next year and he needs a great leadership team behind him. The nominees have been approved and the membership will vote on them at the Annual Meeting to be held on Wednesday, April 7, at noon. Please plan to attend either in person or via Zoom since voting requires at least a one-third majority of the membership. The Board also approved a change in date -- from April 14 to April 7 -- for the Annual Meeting 2021 due to the availability of a speaker scheduled for that date. 
 
Nominees for the Board 2021-22 include: Royce Engstrom, Donna Upson, Dan Lee, and Rick Oncken. In addition, the board approved Royce Engstrom to serve as president-elect nominee FY 21-22. Wayne Hiett will serve as president in FY 22-23 and Royce will follow him in FY 23-24.
 

New Member Frank DiNenna

Welcome to our newest Rotary Member Frank DiNenna who was sponsored by Dean Fiedler.       
 
Frank and his wife recently moved to Missoula in May 2020. They bought a home here and in September 2021; Frank passed the Montana Real Estate test and joined the firm of Engel & Volkers here in Missoula. Frank also is a member of Toastmasters and the International Cultural Exchange Services which helps find placement for international students here in the Missoula Area.
 
Frank's administration skills have taken him worldwide (China, Caribbean Islands, Egypt, Canada, India, Thailand, Vietnam & USA) also; Frank managed offices in Boston, USA, Thailand, and Vietnam.   Frank stated that "my skills and education as a leader has facilitated in understanding the growing market and trends of today’s international business. Service and courtesy is an important dynamic when managing resorts and businesses. I have always strived to provide quality service to clients and guest."               
 
Frank has been providing business operations and management to golf clubs, resorts, and developments for the past 25 years.  Frank has helped owners, developers, and companies save money and turn loses into profits. Even though the major parts of his management services have been in the golf industry, he has knowledge and skills to manage any type of business and take it from red to black.

Frank states that "my international experience has made me a better manager and a better person. Showing compassion, patients, consideration, and to be self-disciplined. I have the skills and ability to work with all groups, and the talent to find ways to cut costs without cutting the quality or service."  

Last Week Update March 3, 2021

Helping Homeless Families Find Housing

At last week's Rotary meeting, four speakers who work to locate housing for homeless families that struggle to find affordable housing shared their experiences with Rotarians.
 
Karissa Trujillo, operations and program director at Homeword Inc., explained how difficult it is to find affordable housing. In December 2020, the local vacancy rate was 1.2; nationwide it is 6.2. The waiting list for rental units, she said, averages 30-40. The average home price in Missoula has shot up to $400,000 and rentals increased 4.5 percent. Karissa said that many people need help with finding affordable housing.  
 
Alex Ramsing's job as landlord liaison is to recruit landlords and property partners. Many people looking for housing need to reduce barriers; a housing advocate or case manager can help them. They have eleven partners and are always looking for people who seek renters. Alex teaches a two-hour, rent-wise online class and teaches participates how to understand credit and how to work with a landlord. He and his colleagues also manage a risk mitigation fund insurance policy for landlords to encourage them to participate in the program. The goal, Alex says, is to not use the risk mitigation fund. Landlords or tenants can reach out to connect them to learn more about resources. Missoula Interfaith Collaborative (MIC) hopes to change the culture of what it means to look at shared values and problems and how everyday people can get involved in solutions to help with housing. Alex says that people reach out to him frequently. He says, when someone's Social Security is $800 and rent is in the $900 range, it’s a crisis, especially when someone is kicked out of their home. This population cannot afford housing, he explained. They help people from all walks of life, including families and people who have been incarcerated.
 
"We create a culture where they navigate on their own," he says. "It can be so chaotic and they have a hard time getting housing. An advocate tries to help them."
 
A team of volunteers works to match most effectively the people who are struggling with an advocate so they can build a supporting relationship and acknowledge the family's needs. They work with the family until they find housing. They learn about barriers and how they can address those barriers. Advocates get a first-hand experience of the housing shortage. There are at least 50 volunteers helping out at present. They come together to do hands-on work.
 
Jane Kisselbach is one of those MIC volunteers and describes herself as "a concerned citizen helping out." She said the serious housing needs of others offered her the opportunity, training and support to help them. She represents part of the services and lasting support provided to those in need of housing. Everyone has a story, she says. The stressful and chaotic situation for some people makes it hard to create a plan and move on. Waiting lists are long. Volunteers need to help people build trust. The advocate shares resources, a housing plan, searches for suitable listings, arranges transportation and meetings with landlords, and can show the landlord that people are in need. Advocate support doesn’t end when people find housing; advocates continue to support their families. Jane shared a story about a mother and her family. She said the woman's landlord planned a remodel of the home and told the woman she'd have to vacate within 30 days. She needed another advocate. The woman had a voucher. The advocate contacted people to get help raising the double month's deposit required for a new place; many people volunteered to help. Jane shared a letter from a client.
 
"Every day we looked," she said. "And we started to give up and there was no hope. One day a volunteer told me that I was brave. Thank you for keeping my flame going and not let it burn out."  
 
Zeke Campfield, a social worker and program director at MIC, told the group about MIC and a new family shelter opening in May on 3rd Street. Each resident will have advocacy members to help them. 
 
"Consider how you can roll up your sleeves and become a solution volunteering for the housing advocate network," Zeke said. " There are two new trainings. If you're a landlord or have a rental property, or you know property managers, connect with Alex to support landlords and share the word that there is a crisis." Alex can be contacted at Alex@homeword.org.
The email addresses for all speakers are on the Zoom reminder email that Bob Minto sent last week.
 
The speakers answered questions from the floor and Zoom attendees. They were asked about the rent increase. A $950 per month rental falls at the medium range, but it continues to grow as demand increases. More and more people are moving into Missoula because they can work from home. It's a Zoom Boom. So why not live in a beautiful, mountainous region like Missoula? Realtors do publish a report on home sales in the area and give them information to get an average on rentals. 

There were also questions about the temporary tent city constructed by the City of Missoula on US Highway 93 S. The speakers indicated that several people from the camp have received housing.
 
The email addresses for all speakers are on the Zoom reminder email that Bob Minto sent last week. If you are interested in helping out below is information about the upcoming training meetings. 
 
Housing Advocate Network orientations – two options:
 
Mar 15, 2021 05:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://iafnw.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tduCvqTgjGtXok9kRcK927knVuvXZAvf7
 
Mar 18, 2021 12:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://iafnw.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMrcO2prDwqEtaPk-P3qFS0wLfhP2J6zRsN

Spotlight - Rotary International

Rotary’s Champion for Syrian Youth

Ten years ago, Muyi Yang worked for a commodities trader, visiting clients and inspecting their coal mines. His career turning point came when he encountered some unbelievably young workers at several mines, where some appeared to be under ten years old.

“Once I saw those young faces covered with coal dust, I could not unsee them,” says Yang. He quit his job, went back to college, and was awarded a Rotary Peace Fellowship. One thing led to another, and he went on to establish a non-profit school for marginalized children in war-torn Syria.  

The “Champion School” has students from six different ethnic and religious backgrounds. While limited electricity and frequent bomb attacks are challenging, school and doing service continues, like cleaning the public soccer field and mending the soccer goal.

President's Message
Victoria Emmons
member photo
What does leadership mean?
Polybius once wrote, “A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible.”
 
So who was Polybius? I asked the same question, so I looked him up on Wikipedia. Turns out he was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic period noted for his multi-volume work The Histories, which covered the period of 264-146 B.C. in detail. During his career, he gained both military and political experience, making him a good source for accurate historical reportage. The Histories, at least what remains of it today, describes the rise of the Roman Republic to the status of dominance in the ancient Mediterranean world. Polybius wrote his own eyewitness account of the Sack of Carthage and Corinth in 146 B.C., and the Roman annexation of mainland Greece after the Achaean War. I guess being an eyewitness is a good way to experience knowing when victory is possible or not.
 
Polybius is important for his analysis of the mixed constitution or the separate of powers in government, which was influential on Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws and the framers of the United States Constitution. (Source: Wikipedia) 
 
Montesquieu was an 18th century French judge, man of letters and political philosopher. It’s interesting that so many centuries later, one man’s historical volumes influenced another. And that his writings influenced an entire country. Well, many countries.
 
Polybius, in his historical volumes, concluded that the Romans became the pre-eminent power because “they have customs and institutions which promote a deep desire for noble acts, a love of virtue, piety towards parents and elders, and a fear of the gods (deisidaimonia).”
 
Sounds like Rotarians. A deep desire for noble acts. Yes, indeed. A love of virtue. Check. Piety towards parents and elders. Yes, that, too. Fear? Well, maybe so. A little healthy fear never hurt anyone.
 
Being a leader in Rotary doesn’t always mean victory. Sometimes a pandemic can get in the way. Or some other roadblock. I guess if Polybius were still alive, he’d remind us that we all need to be good generals. We all need to be active in Rotary club. We all need to become eyewitnesses to our Rotary’s history in the making.
News
Notables
GREETINGS.
Our Sargent-at-Arms Mike Schauf needs Rotarians to step up to the plate. We all like to arrive at Rotary club meetings and see a friendly smile (albeit it sometimes hidden behind a mask) to welcome us. Greeters serve a key role in helping all members and guests feel welcome. They help set the tone for a friendly atmosphere in our club. Mike cannot be the greeter every week, nor should we ask him to do so. He needs you to step up and volunteer your time to do so. Not just once in the year, but MANY times throughout the year. It's not only fun, you get to say hello to everyone as they arrive at meetings. Zoomers greet one another online as they appear in their respective Zoom boxes; but members who attend live need someone to say "hello" and "we're happy to see you again this week."
 
Part of being in Rotary means volunteering for service. Club service is one of Rotary's five Avenues of Service and that includes making our club meetings friendly and fun to attend. So we need YOU to be a greeter. If everyone volunteered at least once a quarter, we'd have more than enough greeters. In addition to greeting members as they arrive, we also ask greeters to do another very important job -- lead our membership in the Pledge of Allegiance. So please contact Mike today and let him know you are eager to be a Rotary greeter. You'll even get to wear a special Greeter badge and look very official. :) Thanks for your Service Above Self!
 
____________________________________________
 

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME - Don't forget to move your clocks forward one hour at midnight on Saturday, March 14.   

 
____________________________________________
 
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FOR GRANT FUNDING
Do you know a worthwhile nonprofit that might need support? Your Rotary club is seeking worthwhile nonprofit organizations who need funding for their projects. Each year, our club supports a variety of projects with the funds we raise. All projects must fall within one of the seven areas of focus as identified by Rotary International, including peace and conflict prevention/resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, economic and community development, and supporting the environment. The application is available on our website. President Victoria Emmons has also emailed it to every member. Grant applications must be submitted by a member of our club on behalf of a 501(c)3 organization. Please contact President Victoria if you have any questions. 
_____________________________________
 
 
DID YOU KNOW? 
Q. Who wrote the Rotary Four-Way Test of the way we think and act? And when was it written and adopted by Rotary?  
 
 
A. Answer to last week's question ... From what country was our club's most recent Rotary Exchange Student?  Antonio Gon was born and raised in Italy.
_____________________________________
 
A WHALE OF A TIME
Spring is soon upon us. I don't know about you, but I am ready to put away winter and welcome spring to Montana. Let's do this together by joining forces for a pre-St. Patrick's Day Social and Happy Hour. Whether or not you are Irish, let's get together for, as the Irish say, "Sláinte"!
 
So, please save Tuesday, March 16, at 6 pm to join the entire District for some green fun! There will be a prize for the best outfit! Stay tuned for more information.
 
Hope to see you soon,
DG Sandy Carlson.
_____________________________________
 
2021 DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Save the date for the annual District 5390 Conference to be held in Kalispell May 14-16. Both live and online versions will be offered to accommodate everyone. 
___________________________________________
 
MASK, PLEASE.
Facial masks are still required by the City of Missoula. Pick up your Rotary People of Action mask at our next meeting at the Florence.
____________________________________________
 
 
 
 
HELLO.
Facial masks. No handshakes. No buffet lunches. Still a welcoming atmosphere as we meet at the Second Set Bistro on the first floor of the Florence Building, or via Zoom if you can’t attend in person. Meal Cards are on sale at check-in for $180 for 12 meals. $20 per lunch for individual lunches, both members and guests. Invite a guest! Remember we meet the last Wednesday of each month at Missoula Country Club for fellowship, no program. Just a good time with fellow Rotarians.
 
Service Above Self.
 
____________________________________________
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
March is Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Month. 
Wash your hands! Use hand sanitizer to kill those pesky germs.
 
____________________________________________

 

 
                                                                              
Read more...
Like us on FaceBook
Be sure to like our club's Facebook page! 
Visit our club's new FaceBook page "Rotary Club of Missoula" to read all the latest news and updates. And be sure to like us so Rotary news reaches your friends, too. That's how we can spread the word about Rotary.
Speakers
Mar 10, 2021 11:45 AM
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority
Mar 17, 2021 11:45 AM
Missoula Noon Club is Changing Lives in Guatemala
Mar 24, 2021 11:45 AM
Missoula Symphony
Apr 07, 2021 11:45 AM
Annual Meeting
Apr 14, 2021 11:45 AM
District Court
Apr 21, 2021
Youth Leadership Awards - Meadow Hill Middle School
May 05, 2021 11:45 AM
Mullan Road Planning Process
May 12, 2021 11:45 AM
Missoula Paddleheads Minor League Baseball Team
May 19, 2021 11:45 AM
Youth Leadership Awards for C.S. Porter students
Jun 02, 2021 11:45 AM
Club Assembly
Jun 09, 2021
Jun 16, 2021 11:45 AM
When Russia Took Crimea
Jun 23, 2021 11:45 AM
Summit Independent Living
Jul 07, 2021 11:45 AM
Induction of Dean Fiedler as Club President
Jul 14, 2021 11:45 AM
Midtown Master Plan
View entire list
Events
Missoula Rotary Foundation
Jan 01, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021 12:00 AM
 
Register for Weekly Meeting March 10, 2021
Florence Building
Mar 10, 2021
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Rotary Club weekly meeting
Florence Building
Mar 10, 2021
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
 
St. Patrick’s Day
Mar 17, 2021
 
View entire list
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Michael Wangen
March 13
 
Conor Smith
March 20
 
Tom Wilkins
March 24
 
Join Date
Daniel Smith
March 6, 1996
25 years
 
Mike Schauf
March 11, 2015
6 years
 
Timothy Descamps
March 16, 2005
16 years
 
Executives & Directors
President
 
President-elect/Vice-President
 
President-elect Nominee
 
Secretary
 
Treasurer
 
Past President
 
Sergeant-at-Arms
 
Director, Club Service: Programs
 
Director, Club Service: Fellowship
 
Director, Club Service: Membership
 
Director, Community Service
 
Director, Community Service
 
Director, International Service
 
Director, Risk Management
 
Director, Vocational Service
 
Director, Youth Service
 
Director, Youth Service
 
Committee Chair, Public Image
 
Committee Chair, The Rotary Foundation
 
Subscribe to Bulletin
Subscribe to our eBulletin and stay up to date on the latest news and events.
Bulletin Editor
Martha Ripley
Please add mailservice@clubrunner.com to your safe sender list or address book.
To unsubscribe from future e-mails, click here.
To forward this email to your friends, click here.
To view our privacy policy, click here.
 
ClubRunner
905.829.5299
102-2060 Winston Park Drive, Oakville, ON, L6H 5R7
 
ClubRunner is a registered trademark of Doxess Technologies Inc.
© 2016 ClubRunner. All Rights Reserved.