Thank you to those who were able to attend our October Social at the Ute Restaurant last night for World Polio Day and thank you Dan Hillman for connecting us with the location. The Ute will be donating $1 from every beer sold to the Community Service Fund which will be provided to the Rotary Polio Plus Fund. In 2023 only 2 countries remain endemic with wild polo and according to polioeradication.org: Today, there are proven strategies and new tools to deliver vaccines in the highest-risk areas for polio, which are also some of the world's most challenging and hard-to-reach settings. Promising trends in polio-affected countries that have been seen in other places now polio-free suggest that today, the virus is truly on its last leg.
With tomorrow being our last meeting in October, we will pass around the collection jar one more time to collect donations for the Polio Plus Fund. Our goal is to raise $1,500 this year! Thank you to everyone who has already donated!
We will have another committee meeting to discuss bringing the Mental Health First Aid Colorado courses to Colorado Springs as well as a possible Mental Health Symposium idea following Friday's meeting. Please stay after if you are interested in joining in the discussion or let me know if you would like to receive committee updates but are unable to attend.
This week we will be joined by Jack Briggs, the President and CEO of Springs Rescue Mission, southern Colorado's largest homeless shelter and addiction recovery program.
Be sure to RSVP HERE for our Nov. 3rd meeting with Lisa Bischoff, a former computer hacker who managed to steal $600,000 worth of diamonds. Eventually, she was caught. Hear her exciting story of crime and redemption.
Save the date and register for these upcoming events:
Trampled Rose 20th Year Celebration: Patty Jewett Golf Club Friday, Dec. 1st, 5:00 pm - 6:45 pm Trampled Rose Past, Present, and Future followed by an after party from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm with local musician Ryan Flores. Save the Date now and more details to follow.
40th Annual Festival of Lights Parade: Sat. Dec. 9th at 5:50 pm Downtown Colorado Springs - bring your family to meet up with your fellow Rotarians to watch the parade. A fun community activity we can all enjoy together.
Wreaths Across America: Support this annual wreath-laying event at Evergreen Cemetery on Sat. Dec. 16th at 10 am. Details on how to sign up and sponsor a wreath will be shared in November.
Please take some time to read the bulletin each week and check out our website which has more information about all our events, activities, and upcoming speakers.
Yours in service,
Sam
October Social at the Ute supporting World Polio Day
Jack Briggs is the President & CEO for Springs Rescue Mission, southern Colorado’s largest homeless shelter and addiction recovery program. Prior to his time at Springs Rescue Mission, Jack was Vice President for Global Resiliency and Security at New York University (NYU). He was responsible for organizing, integrating, and executing the University’s Emergency Management and Continuity Programs and security for NYU’s 15 campuses in 11 countries. While at NYU, Jack earned his Doctorate in Education Leadership and Innovation. Before NYU, Jack served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 30 years in a variety of senior leadership roles retiring as a Major General.
During Jack’s extensive military carrier, he last served as Director of Operations for the Headquarters of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was responsible for the defense of North America, along with support to all federal agencies and state governments during civil operations including natural and man-made disasters.
Jack entered the Air Force as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has extensive experience in Europe, including his selection as the first Olmsted Scholar to Hungary, NATO staff positions, and executive officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe/Commander, U.S. European Command (EUCOM). He also served as Commander of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan at the height of the 2010-2011 combat operations surge. Jack flew 225 combat sorties in operations Desert Storm, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross for Valor and the Wright Brothers Award winner for Outstanding Leadership at Air War College.
Jack has been lucky enough to be married to Margaret for more than 34 years.
Our club is fortunate to have started a permanent endowment fund that will grow through the years and will sometime provide many of our grants to organizations at home and around the world. We started it a few years ago and it already has grown, through gifts and the stock and bond market increases to a fairly sizable amount. We hope that it continues to grow in order to use some of the increased value for our support of our many projects, both in Colorado Springs and abroad. We don’t want to touch it yet, because it hasn’t grown to an amount that will make a significant difference if we use some of the growth.
The Permanent Endowment began because of a gift received from a Rotarian who was in our club many years ago and provided for our club in his estate. When his wife passed away after he did, she kept his wish and granted our club the amount he specified in his will. No one knew of his desire and many of us thought that this would be an excellent time to save the money as “seed money” for a permanent endowment. It was a surprise when we opened the envelope and saw the check. Many other Rotary Clubs have a permanent endowment that either enhances their gifting each year or actually provides all the money for their charitable giving. Some Rotary Clubs have millions of dollars in their Permanent Endowment.
Because of the generosity of that Rotarian, and the generosity of others in our club, we can help our club to do more every year sometime in the future. Before that can happen we need more Rotarians to “step up” and give to the Permanent Endowment of the Community Service Fund annually or as a one-time gift. You can provide for it in your will and estate, possibly with a larger gift by designating a percentage of your estate or as a dollar amount to be given. It will be an enduring and perpetual legacy of our belief in the good that Rotary does and will live long past our lives to do more Service Above Self.
See Ron Rubin, Caryn Adams, or one of our estate attorneys to make your dream happen for our Club!
If you are interested in promoting your business, we are offering banner advertising on our website for $250 for the Rotary year. This is a great way to help underwrite the costs of our club website and promote your business at the same time! See Dan Hillman for more details.
