Happy December 9! It's a special day for several reasons! It's a big birthday day that I celebrate every year. First of all, Happy Birthday, Fellow Rotarian Amy Gillentine-Sweet. Next, happy birthday to Andy, the husband of the family I'm going to Vietnam with as soon as we can. Also, happy birthday to one of my very dearest friends from high school, Keith! And then there is the birthday that I've been celebrating since I was 6 years old...Happy birthday, Donny Osmond! Your President-Elect Kay Rendleman also loves this day for the same reason!
Beyond that, it's a great day to celebrate because if you're reading this, you are alive! And that is worth celebrating! I even suggest cake for you today (or at least a super yummy cookie!) This day, this very one, has the most potential of any day before it because it's still going. Today could be the day that my kids call me just to say "Hi Mom" or Jeff Bezos sends me a check for a couple cool $mill "just cuz." Or maybe today is the day that John Cusack shows up to finally confess his undying love for me. So much potential!
I wanted to reiterate the email I sent out yesterday and I've written about below - tomorrow is the club's Annual Meeting so we need a quorum (1/3 of the club membership) to attend in person or by zoom! See the details below!
So I got my covid booster earlier this week and as with both vaccines, I now have "faux-vid". It's the fake covid that some get with every shot. You get the joy of experiencing all the covid symptoms but knowing it will be over within 36 hrs. I had really hoped this wouldn't happen with the booster but if nothing else, I'm predictable.
This Saturday, I have the honor of once again ringing bells for Salvation Army with my bell-ringing partner, Carol Bach! This is hands down the most favorite Rotary activity of my year! I always liked when Craig Whitney would show up and stand around with us for a while. Now we get to feel his smile upon us when we're ringing those bells! For those who are new to our club, I highly recommend you engage in this opportunity! It's extremely rewarding to do good for another charity that makes a huge community difference. The signup link is below under Community Service.
This week's Random Awesome Deed suggestion is to take some (store-bought if necessary) holiday cookies to a business that you frequent. What a sweet surprise that will be! 'Tis the season to be generous and thoughtful! Last week I did some cookie decorating with one of my little buddies. I learned to make simple little Santa hats in icing. It's a red triangle and a white dot and a white straight line. So I will be buying store-bought cookies and adding Santa hats to mine to deliver.
Now let's go forth, be great stewards of Rotary and Catalysts of Caring in our Community!
Please be well, be safe, and be kind. There are a lot of people needing just that.
In Rotary Service,
Kathleen Saltmarsh-Voss
President
Rotary of Colorado Springs
Here is the link for tomorrow's meeting!
Topic: Weekly Rotary Meeting
Time: Dec 10, 2021 12:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 852 1712 5280
Passcode: 4039519754
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Meeting ID: 852 1712 5280
Passcode: 4039519754
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbQttQn2G1
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If you are available, it is imperative that we have 1/3 of our club attend tomorrow's meeting for our Annual Meeting. We will be voting to finalize our slate of board officers for 2022-2023 so we need a quorum to meet that qualification.
To remind you, our proposed slate is as follows:
President: Kay Rendleman
President-Elect: Samantha Chapman
Secretary: Tina Dewey
Treasurer: Jeff Tiona
Past President: Kathleen Saltmarsh-Voss
Director of Membership: Jordan Davis
Director of Public Relations:
Director of Club Admin/Programs: Trevor Dierdorff
Director of Community Service: Cody Burkett
Director of International Service: Jon Kaufman
Director of Youth Services: Fabrizio Labate
Director of the Rotary Service Fund: Dennis Shoemaker
HO, HO, HO! Santa Day at Queen Palmer is just around the corner ~ following the Holiday Party for the club on December 17!
Santa Day is on Friday, December 17 at Queen Palmer. We need 5 Rotarian Elves to volunteer to hand out the holiday gift bags to the children. We will arrive at 2:20pm and will be finished by 3:15 pm. Masks are required and you will need to fill out a volunteer form for School District 11. Carol will email the form to you and collect them that day.
We would also like to provide the 6 families from Columbia Elementary a box of food for Christmas. If you would like to donate 6 items of one thing please sign-up at the above link for an item for the box. These items can be brought to the Dec. 10th meeting or you can coordinate a drop-off with Samantha Chapman or Cass Daley.
Wreaths Across America:
Thank you to those who sponsored a wreath for Wreaths Across America. The club purchased 23 wreaths and 12 were sponsored by WWA for a total of 35!
Join us at Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, December 18th at 10:00 am to volunteer for the Wreath Laying Ceremony, friends and family welcome to join.
2. I Plan to Attend With: My WAA Sponsorship Group
3. Enter Rotary Club of Colorado Springs (CO0223)
4. Provide additional requested information
Be sure to share with friends and family and encourage them to volunteer with you!
Salvation Army Bell Ringing:
Support the Salvation Army by volunteering to ring the bell at the King Soopers on Uintah and 17th on December 5th, 11th, 12th or 19th. Bell Ringing will take place from 10:00am - 6:00pm on each day and there will be shift options every 2 hours available to sign up for 2 Rotarians or with a family member/friend during each shift.
If you are interested in participating in our International Committee, please email Jordan Davis at Jordan@sociallyexceptional.biz to be added to the notification list!
I’m writing on behalf of The Borgen Project, a nonprofit that is working to bring political attention to severe poverty. I’m hoping you can forward this to members of the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs.
The Borgen Project is currently trying to improve the way the United States assists those living in poverty and we’d love to have your members help on this issue. The details are below and I appreciate your consideration.
The need: 45 emails in support of the Food Aid Reform sent to each Congressional leader in Colorado.
Why this matters: Political offices tally how many calls, letters, and emails they receive in support of each bill or program. Leaders and their staff use this info to determine how the leader should vote.
Two quick and easy ways to help:
1. Visit this link and enter your address. Our system will automatically send the email to the Congressional leaders representing you. This only takes 30-seconds to do and has a huge impact.
2. Mobilize friends and family to do likewise. Forward this email to anyone you think will care enough to take action.
That’s all there is to it! If you’re looking to get involved with The Borgen Project, information on national volunteer opportunities (writers and political team) is listed here and internships are listed here.
If you have bulletin announcements, please email the EXACT WORDING of your announcement to KSaltmarshVoss@yahoo.com by Wednesday at 5 pm. I don't write your announcements but I do make them nice 'n' fancy!
As you're doing your shopping online, did you know that you can support our Rotary Club with every Amazon purchase? Here’s how:
Go to smile.amazon.com (not amazon.com). Amazon Smile is the same company, same account, same password, but the Amazon Smile program gives one half of one percent of every purchase to charity. No, it’s not a lot, but it’s also not nuthin’ (to be exact: about $150 for the Club so far). So again, go to smile.amazon.com
Sign into your Amazon account as you normally would
On the very top left of the page, next to the AmazonSmile logo, are three horizontal bars. Click there for the drop-down menu.
Scroll ALL the way down to “Your AmazonSmile”; it should be the last option right before “Sign Out”; Click on “Your AmazonSmile”
On the right side of the page, click on the “change charity” box under Your current charity (Note: If you are currently supporting another charity, that’s awesome! These instructions are for those who are not doing so. Also, if you have not previously selected a charity, your default option will be St. Judge Children’s Research Hospital.)
Type in Community Service Fund of the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs; click Select
That’s it. You’re all set. Just remember to go to Smile.Amazon.com when you shop from now on.
