Rotary Club of Casper WY
Meeting Summary
10/12/2015
Club President John Starnes called the meeting to order at 12:27 welcoming all Rotarians and guests to Rotary.
Inspiration, Pledge, 4-Way Test:
Gary Pehrson
Greeters:
Chad Nelson and Charlie Shopp were our greeters and Chad introduced guests:
Richard Schwahn introduced Normand Charette;
Percy Anderson introduced his wife Doris Anderson;
Anthony Martinez introduced Pete Fazio;
Steve Shive introduced Fred Feth;
Theresa Corkill introduced Sue Hinker;
Martha Rakestraw introduced Deana Fry, she then introduced the parents of the Students of the Month, Ken Berray, and Bruce and Anne Ladd;
Tony Valdez introduced his son Tom Valdez;
Chad introduced our visiting Rotarians, Helen Bishop from Jackson Supper Club, and Wayne Heili from the Casper Five Trails Club;
Susan Griffith introduced our Interact Students, Sarah Faulcon, Alaina Wright, Christyonna Martinez, Raquel Baca, David Kienzle, and John Dinle;
Our Exchange student Elise was also with us today.
Song and merriment:
Dennis Lower was gone today so Jim Anderson treated us to a good chuckle and then Gary Pehrson read us a little about Christopher Columbus and then asked us to “Please Rise” and led us in singing “Oh Beautiful”
Family of Rotary:
Tara Short announced that there is a donation drive going on for all of those who were affected by the fire at Cole Creek, they will be at the East Side Wal-Mart taking any types of donations including money.
Susan Griffith announced that she has a new Granddaughter, born to Rotarians John and Lauren Griffith, born a couple of weeks early but all are doing well.
Rotarians of the week;
Jim Allison nominated Marybeth Plocek for being selected for the Wyoming Women’s Federation antelope hunt where she bagged an antelope.
Mary Koernig nominated George Bryce for being selected to be honored by the Wyoming Business Alliance at the same time Buffalo Bill Cody was selected.
Jim Ruble nominated Dennis Gazdiewich for helping him get the filing cabinet moved so that the Parkway could get the tile work done.
Robin Mundell nominated Pete, for helping with meals for the people displaced by the fire;
President John Starnes nominated Bill Degraeve for donating a computer to use for our Rotary meetings and Jim Ruble for the projector we can now use at meetings.
Announcements:
- Jim Anderson announced that Saturday October 24th will be the Rotary Bird Hunt starting about 9:00 a.m. and lunch is included in the $165 cost this year.
- Dennis Jack announced that our annual blood drive has changed to December 14th; he also stated that blood is needed currently so please donate now if you can.
- Dave McNulty announced that it is time for the Crest Hill reading program; there are information sheets on your tables if you are interested. The School District will do the background check for free.
- Hal Hutchinson announced that October 24th will also be the highway cleanup out by the airport starting around 9:00 a.m.
- Tara Short announced that red badge orientation is October 22nd at 5:30 at Jim Fowler’s home.
- President Wayne Heili from the Five Trails Club gave us a short presentation on the Rotary Polio project and where we stand; he let us know that this Wednesday at Pizza Ranch his club will have a fund raiser for the End Polio Now program from 5-9. When you go to eat mention that you are there for Rotary or the End Polio Now program and a portion of the proceeds will go to Rotary.
- Dusty Johnson announced the success of the Kids Against Hunger meal packing project from two weeks ago. He thanked everyone who helped and nominated them all as Rotarians of the Week: Percy and Doris Anderson; Tom and Robin Bromley; Jason, Anna, and Ashley DeWitt; Larry and Beth Madsen; Bill and Chrisa DeGraeve; John and Shelley Starnes; John and Cindy Patterson; Dick and Val Wimbish; Dusty and Vickie Johnson; Greg Brondas and Emma & Marren Nicolaysen; Tara and Darah Short; Charles Schoenwolf and Amanda; Glen Januska; Al Metz; Anthony Martinez; Charlie Shopp, Tony Valdez; Rick Diamond; Steve Loftin; Dennis and Alisha Jack; Dick Jay; Denise Prugh and her sons Dave and Drew Rasmussen and her office staff of 12; Susan Griffith and her 22 volunteers from Roosevelt; Anne Ladd and ten students from NCHS; Mike Ward and his four boy scouts; Seven members from Five Trails club; thirteen members from Reveille Club; and Brian from young professionals and our exchange student Elise. He also thanked Pete for Eggingtons feeding the crew for such a great deal.
- Susan Thomas just returned from Haiti where they spent a week installing water filter systems in people’s homes. They have installed 1,000 filters so far and saw a lot of very grateful people. She is sharing this to thank all of those Rotarians who have been so generous in helping with this effort.
- Richard Schwahn announced that he needed someone to help with an interview for a student who applied to be an outbound exchange student, Robin Mundell and Martha Rakestraw both volunteered.
- President John Starnes announced that John Jorgenson is retiring from Hilltop Bank and on Thursday from 1-4 there will be an open house reception at Hilltop Bank.
- Don Harris announced that Habitat for Humanity is celebrating their 20th year here in Casper and they are working on their 31st and 32nd homes.
Students of the Month:
Martha Rakestraw introduced our students from NCHS, Amy Ladd, daughter of our Rotarian Anne Ladd, and Kyle Berray, son of Ken Berray. Both are International Baccalaureate students and have very impressive stories and accomplishments.
Classification Talk:
Mary Koernig introduced herself to us today. She started by thanking her sponsor John Griffith. Mary is brand new to Casper; she spent twelve years in Sioux Falls SD so we can’t scare her with Casper weather. She moved to Sioux Falls in January from California and started out there with 32 below temperatures so she is not worried. She was the director of museums in Sioux Falls and helped to repurpose an abandoned High School building there and turn it into a new museum. After Sioux Falls she went to Littleton where she first joined Rotary and met her future husband Ray, who was very active in Rotary and giving to the Rotary Foundation. She left Littleton to take on the executive directorship of the Kansas State Museum and moved to Topeka where she lived and had a long distance relationship with Ray for two years until she returned to Littleton to marry Ray. She left the museum work and started working for non-profit organizations and helping with fund raising. Then in 2013 she lost Ray and this year she saw the opening for the NIcolaysen Art Museum and is now working here as the director, she is quite happy to be here.
Program:
Jim Ruble introduced our speaker today was supposed to be Charlie Vogel speaking to us about her therapy dogs, however she lives out in Cole Creek and lost everything in the fire this weekend. She got out with her pajamas and her animals but lost everything else. Our thoughts and prayers are with her and all of the people who have suffered losses. President John will let us know if and how our Rotary Club can help those people.
President John Starnes adjourned the meeting at 1:21 with the ring of the bell, thanking all of our visitors for coming and
reminding us that next week we are back at the Parkway and will hear from Bill Sniffin who wrote the Wyoming Trilogy books.
“Be a gift to the world”
