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Kindergarten students at Estes Park Elementary School had a close encounter with an otter last Friday. They learned how to keep themselves safe around water and to always be with an adult. These lifesaving lessons were delivered by our club members, friends and a rather large otter.

“We read to all four kindergarten classes as a follow up to last year’s program where we visited kindergarten and first grade classes,” said Chuck Bonza, project coordinator. “We were happy to see that Stephanie Hart had scheduled staff from the aquatic center to talk to the students about water safety, which helped to reinforce our Josh the Baby Otter lesson."

Jay and Daffney Harroff read to Stephanie Hart’s class, a special treat for Daffney, a high school student who was once one of Hart’s students. Alice Schwartz read to Edie Keller’s students, Jim Austin visited with Anne Leija’s students and Kathy Groesbeck shared the touching story with Emily Jurgens’ students.

Following the short classroom lesson on water safety, the students went to the playground, where Josh the Baby Otter mascot greeted them. Each child received a copy of the book for reading at home with parents.

“Many, many hugs were the order of the day on the playground,” Bonza said. “After the four kindergarten classes, the first graders came out and it all started again with the love and hugs for Josh.”

Josh the Baby Otter book and materials were created by the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation with a goal of educating children with a fun and simple message: “To stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult.” That message has been carried to over a million children across the U.S. Paul Foreman, a Rotarian from Colorado Springs, lost two of his grandsons in the river at Pinewood Springs two years ago. He has led the effort in Colorado to bring Josh and the reading program to hundreds of kindergartners in elementary school, and especially to Estes Park Elementary where his grandsons were students.

Thursday's program:

Thanking our Duck Race Sponsors

The Rotary Club of Estes Park will host a Thank You Reception for sponsors of the Rotary Duck Race Festival on Thursday, May 24, 2018 during the regular club meeting at The Ridgeline Hotel in the Trail Ridge Room. Duck Race Sponsors have been invited to attend to enjoy a complimentary lunch provided by The Ridgeline Hotel. 'Big Duck' Brad Rosenbaum will introduce each sponsor and award them their souvenir 2018 Sponsor Duck painted especially for them. Brad will also offer some special highlights of this year's successful 30th annual Rotary Duck Race Festival. Club member Harriette Woodard chairs this new event and has planned a delightful luncheon to honor our Duck Race sponsors. We deeply appreciate their generosity and look forward to thanking them in person at the luncheon!

Come and celebrate our Duck Race sponsors!

Grateful students earn $42,500 in scholarships from our club

What a tremendous evening for our Estes Park High School students. The senior class earned over $100,000 in scholarships from many business, clubs and organizations. Our club gave $42,500 of that total, both in academic scholarships and in named memorial scholarships. The winners are:

Academic - $8,000 each, over 4 years : Hanna Bergsten, Anya Igel, Phoebe Dixon

Hagemeister Eagle Scouts - $2,000 each: Will Peters, Amos Westley

Carver - $2,000: Braeden Johnson

Prochaska - $1,500: Marianne LaMont, Luis Guadarrama, Matthew Birchfield, Guiliana Mazza

Stanley Hotel - $2,500: Andra McDougall

Archibald Art - $1,000: Casey Walsh

Hagemeister Education - $1,000 each: Jessa Abel, Sadie Vik

Kuhns Memorial - $1,000: Will Thomas

2018 Rotary Club of Estes Park scholarship recipients (Photo by Marsha Hobert)

Ron Kuhns' sons (left) attended the ceremony to congratulate the Kuhns Memorial Scholarship recipient. (Photo by Marsha Hobert).

What will your Rotary legacy be?

Thursday's program to help you create it

Martin Limbird, fellow Rotarian from the Fort Collins Rotary Club, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park Thursday, May 17, at their regular noon meeting. He will give a presentation on Your Rotary Legacy.

Limbird first joined Rotary in 1984 in Ames, Iowa, and became a charter member of the Muncie, Indiana Sunrise Rotary Club in 1994. He served as club president in 2001-02, and, in 2004, his wife Mary Catherine, a cross cultural trainer and ESL teacher, joined the same club. Martin led a Group Study Exchange team to France in 1999 and was District 6560 Governor in 2005-06, leading all 24 districts in Zones 29-30 in per capita and total giving to The Rotary Foundation that year. He was an area polio campaign coordinator, GSE committee chair, district trainer and, in 2008-09, district membership chair, leading all districts in Zone 30 in membership growth. The Limbirds are active members of Rotary’s International Travel and Hosting Fellowship and the Beers Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide (B.R.E.W.) Fellowship.

Martin and Mary Catherine Limbird

Martin and Mary Catherine are Rotary Foundation Major Donors, Bequest and Arch C. Klumph Society members as well as charter members of the District 6560 Paul Harris Society, founded during Martin’s governorship. Since 1998, the Limbirds have been sergeants-at-arms at 16 Rotary international conventions. They took part in a National Immunization Day in Ghana in 2007 and initiated a zone-wide partnership with Mexican Rotarians in District 4170, known as Heart2Heart, which continues today. Martin has represented RI Presidents D.K. Lee, Ray Klinginsmith and John Germ at district conferences and was Chief Sergeant at Arms at the 2016 International Assembly.

Martin retired from Ball State University in 2009, capping a four-decade career in international educational exchange beginning as a graduate student in Belgium, U.S. Peace Corps service in Ghana, directing international services offices for two decades at Iowa State University (where he earned his Ph.D.), and nearly 20 years at Ball State University. Both Mary Catherine and Martin have earned Fulbright fellowships abroad, and Martin is a past president of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the Indiana-Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) Partners of the Americas and recipient of the Silver Beaver award from the Crossroads of America Council, Boy Scouts of America. In September, 2010, the Limbirds moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where Mary Catherine is an active member of the Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Club and P.E.O, and Martin belongs to the Fort Collins Rotary Club, where he is a member of the club’s TRF committee. During 2013-14, Martin served as District 5440 Paul Harris Society coordinator and was presented with the district’s Foundation Service award as co-chair of a dinner that raised $2.7 million for The Rotary Foundation’s Permanent Fund. Beginning in July 2015, he became the Endowment/Major Gift advisor for Zone 27.

The Limbirds’ daughter Tina, her husband (a member of the Berlin International Rotary Club) and darling granddaughters live in Germany, and their son Scott and his family live in Indiana where he is pursuing a career in restaurant and rental property management. In his free time, Martin plays trombone and is an unrepentant amateur accordionist.

The Rotary Club of Estes Park meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m., the Rotary business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

Please note that the club's meeting place will change beginning May 24 to The Ridgeline Hotel on South St. Vrain Ave., Estes Park.

Investing in Early Child Care and Education: How are we doing?

Nancy Almond, Executive Director of Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS), will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, May 10, at their regular noon meeting. She will give an overview of EVICS services, current status of childcare and early childhood education services in our community, and talk about why it should matter to each of us. In addition, Almond will give a brief overview of the results from the Childcare Needs Assessment.

Nancy Almond

With over 20 years of work experience with and on behalf of young children, Almond has been employed as an elementary school teacher, a director of children’s ministry, and a residential camp program director. Furthermore, she has work experience with both public and non-profit agencies in promoting public education and information, coordinating training conferences, and creating collaborations.

Nancy earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education/Therapeutic Recreation and is a 2010 graduate of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program.

As the EVICS Director since 2006, Nancy supports Estes Park’s early care and education programs, coordinates training and professional development and promotes community investment in early childhood. Also, Nancy supervises the Estes Park Parents as Teachers Program.

She enjoys living in the mountains, pursuing many outdoor activities with friends and family, and being a part of a small community.

The Rotary Club of Estes Park meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park, located at 1701 North Lake Avenue on Highway 34 just west of Dry Gulch Road. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m., the Rotary business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

Thursday's program: keeping you strong, safe and in your own home

Our speaker this week will be Bethany Matthias of In Home Fitness Solutions. In Home Fitness Solutions is personal training that specializes in the older adult population with the #1 goal of keeping the older adult strong and safe in his/her home for as long as possible. In Home Fitness Solutions is dedicated to proactive health and fitness for the older adult to reduce chance of falls and keeping the client strong, and staying in their home as long as possible.

Bethany Matthias

"I design and implement a health program specific to the needs of the client, all the while in the comfort of his/her home," Mattias said.

Matthias has been a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant for the last 19 years. She has worked full time in the hospital, home health, and nursing home settings in northwest Iowa. She moved to Estes Park last July and started In Home Fitness Solutions. She is also a Senior Fitness Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Certified Pilates Instructor. She has a passion working with older adults, keeping them strong, improving balance, and overall mobility.

Affordable housing for families in need:

Habit for Humanity of the Estes Valley

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all faiths and walks of life to work together in partnership, building houses with families in need.

In 2017, Habitat for Humanity of the Estes Valley merged with Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley, gaining expertise in the increasingly complex world of mortgage and construction regulations.

David Emerson will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, April 19, at their regular noon meeting. He will provide an overview of Habitat’s Homeownership Program and an update on Habitat for Humanity of the Estes Valley’s current plans. In particular, he is looking for individuals interested in becoming involved in Habitat’s efforts of providing decent affordable community-adapted housing in Estes Park.

David Emerson

Emerson holds an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He has held positions with Merrill Lynch, Walt Disney, and 3M Company. While serving on the Board of Directors of the South Palm Beach County Florida Habitat for Humanity, he helped launch a ReStore, developed a long-term strategic plan, and led the successful search for that affiliate’s first Executive Director.

In 2006, he left 3M Company to pursue his passion for Habitat’s mission full-time. Emerson feels blessed that he is able to work in partnership with the community and with those in need, whereby Habitat can provide a hand up via homeownership. His passion was recognized when he was named 2007 Habitat for Humanity Colorado Executive Director of the Year

402 years after the Bard's death, Shakespeare Lives!

Robert Burkhardt to present this week's lively program

Robert Burkhardt, retired educator and founding Head of Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, April 12, at their regular noon meeting. He will present a program titled “Shakespeare Lives.”

Robert Burkhardt

Shakespeare has been “King of the Hill” in the English language for more than 400 years. Why? What makes him so great? And why should we care?

Burkhardt’s program will examine the ways in which Shakespeare continues to inhabit and shape our lives through the vocabulary we use, the ideas we share, the cultural references we make, and the very way we think. It has been argued that “Shakespeare invented us.” We look forward to a lively, provocative and engaging discussion.

The Rotary Club of Estes Park meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park, located at 1701 North Lake Avenue on Highway 34. Beginning May 24, 2018, meeting will move to The Ridgeline Hotel on South St. Vrain Ave., Estes Park. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m., the Rotary business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

This week's program: Club Community Grants

This week's program will recognize the recipients of our Club Community Grants. Club members will learn how the funding will be used by each group. Dave Evans will present the program. Please plan to attend so that you can see how your Foundation support is making a difference for local organizations.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Nancy Thomas to present program on EP Woman's Club

The Estes Park Woman’s Club was organized in 1912. The women spent their first year building mountain trails and making scenic areas accessible to hikers and horseback riders. The following year, they decided to build a clubhouse, that would dually serve as the library. In 1914, the Woman’s Club was accepted into the Colorado Federation and General Federation of Women’s Clubs.

In 1916, the women established their library at the local school. By 1920, the school needed to expand so the library was moved to a rented room in a downtown hotel. Then, in 1922, the town donated a lot in Bond Park for the library site, but the Woman’s Club was responsible for the building of the Estes Park Public Library.

The Woman’s Club and volunteers donated labor and materials and raised money needed to build the library. In addition, the women established a fund to support the maintenance of the library in 1925. Today, the Estes Valley Library continues to receive the support of the Estes Park Woman’s Club.

Nancy P. Thomas, recording secretary for the Estes Park Woman’s Club, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, March 15, at their regular noon meeting. Thomas will be speaking about the history and the work of the Estes Park Woman’s Club.

Nancy Thomas

After receiving a Ph.D. in Communication, Information & Library Studies in 1969 from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Thomas became a professor in the School of Library & Information Management, Emporia State University, until her retirement in 2009.

In Estes Park, she served as President of the Estes Park Museum Friends & Foundation from 2015-2017 and chaired the Coolest Car Show in Colorado. She continues as the Editor-in-Chief of the Friends Press. She joined the Woman’s Club in 2010, and currently serves as its recording secretary.

Thomas is the author of a number of professional textbooks and journal articles. Since her retirement, she has written “A Slice of History & A Piece of Pie,” a social history of Estes Park’s first families. Furthermore, she helped edit and publish “Then the Women Took Over: A Hundred Years of the Estes Park Woman’s Club,” written by Harriet Burgess, and “The Memoirs of the Eleanor Hondius of Elkhorn Lodge,” and co-authored with her brother J. H. Pickering, “If I Ever Grew Up and Became a Man: William Allen White’s Moraine Park Years.”

Housing needs in Estes Park:

A program by the EP Housing Authority

The new director of the Estes Park Housing Authority, Naomi Hawf, will be our speaker this week. She will describe the work of the organization and the need for housing in our town.

Naomi Hawf

The Estes Park Housing Authority is an organization developed from the Loveland Housing Authority with a mission to create and facilitate housing opportunities and services for persons of low to moderate income. The EPHA also supports opportunities for work force housing.

"We are a group of six people that support the people residing in the Estes area, as well as manage and maintain over 200 rental units," Hawf explained. "We manage 38 Housing Choice Vouchers (commonly known as the Section 8 Program). We also have a Down Payment Assistance Program and Home Ownership options."

Hawf came to Estes Park in 2015 from a suburb of Denver. She joined the Housing Authority team in May 2016.

"Rita Kurelja hired me to manage the (then) newly opened Falcon Ridge Apartments and complete administrative functions. Following that position, I accepted the role as Housing Supervisor to oversee the daily operations of all six of our rental properties and become more involved in the additional programs we offer. Here we are today, with my next phase of this adventure as the Executive Director," Hawf said.

Hawf's background includes both private and public sector employment. She has a decade of airline industry experiences as well as six years in the public sector for two municipalities in the Denver Metro Area.

Rotary Quote of the Week

Posted by Rita DuChateau

4th Thursday - Committees to Meet

The real work of a club happens at the committee level, and this week's meeting will give everyone the chance to engage in this important work. Following lunch and a brief business meeting, members will gather in groups related to their interests.

You can see what you indicated as your area of interest at the bottom of your Spoke every week. But, fear not! It's never too late to join in, try something new, or simply "shop" for a group.

Here are the club members who will lead the small group work at Thursday's meeting:

Doug Mann - International Service
Sue Fereday - Youth/New Generation Service

Karen Thompson - Fund Development

Karol Rinehart - Club Administration

Bill Solms - Sargeant-at-Arms
Rick Taylor - Programs

Scott Thompson - Membership
Roger Thorp - Community Service

Bring your energy, your ideas and your willingness to help the Rotary Club of Estes Park be a better club for all of its members. You make a difference!

This week: Performing Art Center Update

The Rocky Mountain Performing Arts Center seeks to become the focal point of cultural life in the Estes Valley by creating a state-of-the-art performance center that will become a catalyst for downtown economic development while simultaneously enhancing the quality of life for residents and guests alike.

“The Rocky” is raising $25 million to build a 751-seat performance facility in the heart of downtown Estes Park. The quality of the performance center and its seating capacity will make possible world-class performances that otherwise would not be logistically or economically feasible in the Estes Valley.

Al Milano, Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Performing Arts Center, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, February 15, at their regular noon meeting. Milano will discuss the proposed Rocky Mountain Performing Arts Center for Estes Park.

Al Milano

Milano is an art management and fundraising veteran. During his 35-year career, he has led or organized capital campaigns that raised more than $1.7 billion for the arts and other projects across the country. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Arsht Center in Miami, Hobby Center in Houston, Peace Center in South Carolina, and Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in West Virginia all have benefitted from his experience.

In addition, he organized the $200 million campaign to build the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. Milano is known particularly for his success at raising funds in difficult environments. An example of this was his leadership of the 24-month, $36 million successful conclusion of the Miami campaign, which had languished in the previous eight years of its construction phase.

His business planning for the arts organizations has included a 1995 study, which helped revive the Walt Disney Concert Hall for the Music Center of Los Angeles. His first arts position was his employment to oversee the campaign that brought the Dallas Symphony Orchestra out of bankruptcy in 1977. He later served as CEO of the Dallas Theater Center and of the Cleveland Play House and most recently oversaw development at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, serving as Executive Vice President.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

This week's program: Library services for new Americans

Aracely Thomas will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, Feb. 8, at their regular noon meeting. Thomas, the Estes Valley Public Library's ELL Outreach Coordinator, will present a program titled “Welcome to the USA: Library Services for New Americans.”

Aracely Thomas

The Welcome to the USA program consists of educational resources for new immigrants. The new immigrant experiences fears, hesitation, and doubt. The program seeks to make new immigrants comfortable in their new environment, guide them to local resources, and find the help that they may need. In addition, the Library aids the immigrant in becoming fluent in the English language.

Thomas was born and raised in Mexico. She came to the United States over 10 years ago, when she married her husband. In 2008, she started working at the Estes Valley Library as a Substitute for the Circulation Department. She has loved working at the Library, for which there is no equivalent concept in Mexico.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Learn the impact of Boys and Girls Clubs of Larimer County

Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County, founded in 1986, provide a safe environment where young people can reach their full potential. It provides after-school programs during the school year and all-day activities during the summer months.

Kaycee Headrick, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, Feb. 1, at their regular noon meeting. She will discuss how the Clubs impact youth in Larimer County and the Estes Valley.

Kaycee Headrick

At the Clubs, youth learn to work and play together, are given structure and responsibility, and learn about the benefits of education. Students become more self confident and develop character, and hence, more motivated to avoid alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and early sexual experimentation. In such an environment, youth can discover how to see beyond the walls of their current situation and realize they can succeed. They become better people and better members of the community and future citizens.

In 2014, in conjunction with the Estes Park School District, the Clubs opened a summer program serving more than 50 youth a day in Estes Park.

Headrick earned a B.S. in Arts and Sciences from South Dakota State. She has worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs in South Dakota and Larimer County since 2008 in a variety of roles. She has been Director of Operations, Program Development Director, Unit Director, Program Director, and Youth Impact Director, and is currently the Executive Director

Posted by Rita DuChateau

4th Thursday groups meet this week

You can see what you indicated as your area of interest at the bottom of your Spoke every week. But, fear not! It's never too late to join in, try something new, or simply "shop" for a group.

Here are the club members who will lead the small group work at Thursday's meeting:

Doug Mann - International Service

Sue Fereday - Youth/New Generation Services

Karen Thompson - Fund Development

Karol Rinehart - Club Administration

Bill Solms - Sargeant-at-Arms

Rick Taylor - Programs

Scott Thompson - Membership

Roger Thorp - Community Service

Various members of the Duck Race Committee will also have an opportunity to convene to check on progress/plans for the 30th Rotary Duck Race Festival scheduled for Saturday, May 5, 2018.

Bring your energy, your ideas and your willingness to help the Rotary Club of Estes Park be a better club for all of its members. You can make a difference!

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

This week's program: Prospect Living Center

Brook Richardson and Michelle Gordon, Prospect Park Living Center nursing home administrator and director of nursing respectively, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, January 18, at their regular noon meeting. They will share what Prospect Park Living Center (PPLC) is and what services are provided to its residents.In particular, they would like to discuss the recent improvements made to PPLC which will provide a more comfortable home for the residents and their families and friends. They also will talk about the current state of the aging population and its impact on the future of elder care. Hopefully, they provoke thoughtful reflections on how the United States cares for our elders and what the future challenges will be.

Brook Richardson, M.S.N., R.N., N.E.A.-B.C., C.E.N.P.

Nursing Home Administrator Brook Richardson has an eclectic background in health care leadership, having previously served as the Regional Chief Nursing Officer with Banner Health Northern Colorado, Centura Health, and Kaiser Permanente as well as the Executive Director of Clinical Services with Fraser Health Authority in Vancouver, B.C. She was born and raised in Canada, and has undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of British Columbia.

Michelle Gordon, R.N., B.S.W., D.O.N.

Director of Nursing Michelle Gordon brings 25 years of nursing and social work experience to our geriatric population at PPLC. She has spent time in public health, home health care, subacute rehabilitation, and long term care.

They are both passionate about ensuring excellence in service and quality for the residents at PPLC, for giving their final years joy and purpose.

This week: Creating a culture of caring

Karen Randinitis, Estes Park resident who facilitates the Communities that Care program locally, will present our program this week. She will share the work of Communities that Care, which is funded by a grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Karen Randinitis

Communities that Care is a science-based framework that looks at local level data and gaps in services and works towards substance abuse prevention and positive youth development. This program falls under Larimer County Dept of Health and Environment and answers the question from the Governor regarding prevention programs using marijuana retail tax dollars. Forty-six communities in the state have picked up this funding.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Jan. 4 program: learn about an eye hospital

that focuses on the poor in India

Modi Charitable Eye Hospital in Bangalore, India, was established in 1980 by Dr. P. C. Modi. Initially, the eye hospital functioned as a camp-based eye center. Dr. Modi and his eye camps are a household name in India for their dedicated services to the poor since the 1940’s.

Over the years, the eye hospital has been renovated to better serve the community, including operating room eye surgery, outpatient facilities to treat preventable blindness like cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetes, as well as pediatric eye problems.

The eye camps have doubled the day camp eye surgeries from 500 to 1000 surgeries every month and doubled the outpatient care services from 100 to 200 patient visits per day. Approximately 20 percent of the patient population pays for their services via a sliding scale, and 80 percent of the population receives free eye care.

The Modi Eye Hospital is supported by Dr. Modi’s Charitable Trust, NGO’s, public donations, and Rotary grants. The Bangalore NW Rotary Club has a several-year plan to improve the mission of the eye hospital.

Dr. Krishna Murthy, retired physician and former EPMC Specialty Clinic allergist, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, Jan. 4, at their regular noon meeting. He will discuss the Modi Eye Hospital in India, which has prevented blindness in many thousands of individuals.

Dr. Krishna Murthy

Dr. Murthy has been honored as Rotarian of the Year and is a past president of the Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Club. He has been recognized by Rotary International in Glasgow, Scotland, for his asthma day camps in India. In addition, Dr. Murthy has been recognized as Physician of the Year by the Larimer County Medical Society and is past president of the Larimer County Medical Society and Colorado Allergy & Asthma Society. He remains involved in Rotary’s End Polio efforts and international service.

Rotarians and their guests to celebrate

the season at club's Holiday Luncheon

This week's meeting will be our Holiday Social Luncheon for members and guests. Club Administrator Karol Rinehart has arranged a festive menu of mimosas, prime rib, chicken, enticing sides and a luscious dessert. She has arranged for The Uncommon Connection to provide our program. The quartet has been performing in the Estes Valley since 2014 for such events as Peak to Peak Music Series, It's Showtime, Crossroads benefits, Veterans Monument benefit and Mountain Aires shows. Member are Roger Thorp, Bert Bergland, Bob Gunn, Don Bryson and Verlene Thorp as coach.

It promises to be a memorable afternoon of Rotary fun and fellowship. See you there!

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Exchange student and scholarship recipient Ted Dumont to highlight Thursday's program

The purpose of Rotary Youth Exchange is to promote and build peace one young person at a time by engaging them in a new culture and language so that they may become global citizens. High school students who are interested in traveling abroad, to live with host families and attend school in their host communities, are welcome to apply next year with Rotary.

Ted Dumont, Rotary Exchange Student, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, December 14, at the regular noon meeting. He will talk about and share photos from his high school senior year student exchange to Nerac, France.

Ted Dumont

Currently, Dumont is attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is studying software engineering, which he plans to integrate with music production and composition for his future career.

Music to get you in the holiday mood: Mountain Echoes Choir

Mountain Echoes is an after school choir for students in Grades 3-5 at Estes Park Elementary. The students meet on Tuesdays after school for one hour to rehearse. Mountain Echoes is directed by Mrs. Jenna Williams and accompanied by Mr. Mike Williams.

Mountain Echoes performed at the Tree Lighting Ceremony.

"In November, we sang our holiday songs for the Estes Park Tree Lighting Ceremony," said Jenna Williams. "Last week, we sang the National Anthem for a boys’ varsity basketball game. For the past two years, we auditioned and were chosen to sing the national anthem at a Rockies baseball game, and our goal is to sing the National Anthem for the Rockies this spring."

The Mountain Echoes Choir formal concert will be on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the Estes Park Elementary School gym. The students will finish 2017 by singing at the elementary school Christmas Sing Along at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, before going on break.

They even practiced on Halloween!

"These students have phenomenal dedication and talent that they are providing for our school," Jenna Williams said.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Who should care about childcare in EP?

Program to tell us why we all should care

Everyone depends on someone who depends on childcare. Our Estes community thrives when our families thrive because children are our future workforce, community members, and community leaders. However, families living in Estes Park are struggling continuously to access high quality, affordable child care, necessary for working families and critical to healthy development of our youngest citizens.

Michael Moon, Chair of the Childcare Services Committee, a subcommittee of the Estes Park Economic Development Committee, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, November 16, at their regular noon meeting. He plans to address the issue of insufficient childcare availability in the Estes Valley.

Moon’s career was in high tech at Harris Corporation, Storage Technology, Intel Corporation and Weyerhaeuser. He holds a BSEE and MSEE fro Georgia Tech and a MBA from the University of Oregon.

Since he moved to the area, Moon has been active in many civic activities. He was the Chair of the Lot 4 Election Committee for the Estes Park Medical Center and was a Planning Commission Chair. Additionally, he serves as an active member of the Estes Park Police Department Auxiliary, the Presbyterian Community Church, and the Broadband Committee of the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 1.2 million Rotary members in 35,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries. Rotarians believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Rotary clubs work together to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water and sanitation, support mothers and children, foster education, and grow local economies. We encourage you to get involved.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Who put the Chapin in Mt. Chapin?

Jim Pickering to share the story

Jim Pickering, Historian Laureate of Estes Park, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, Nov. 2, at their regular noon meeting. His program is titled, “Who Put the Chapin in Mount Chapin?”

Frederick Hastings Chapin, a Connecticut druggist, authored Mountaineering in Colorado: The Peaks about Estes Park in 1879. He was Estes Park’s first climbing guide to the region, and the man for whom Mount Chapin was named.

A native New Yorker, Pickering received his B.A. from Williams College and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. He taught at Michigan State University where he served as Associate Chair and Graduate Chair of the Department of English and as Director of the Honors College. Subsequently, he was at the helm of the University of Houston as Dean, Provost, and President.

Estes Park Historian Laureate Jim Pickering

A specialist in Early American Literature and the writings of James Fenimore Cooper (a fellow New Yorker), Pickering edited also a series of college-level textbooks. These included a short story textbook, Fiction 100, first published in 1974, and an anthology, currently in its 13th edition, that has now outlasted five decades of college students.

A long time summer visitor to Estes Park and valley home owner since 1992, Jim began researching and writing about the history of Estes Park and the American West in the mid-1980's, “to give me something other than academic administration and intercollegiate athletics to think about.” To date he has written or edited over 30 books on these subjects.

Pickering formally retired to Estes Park in 2013, and has served on the Boards of the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation, the Estes Valley Library Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Nature Association.

The Rotary Club of Estes Park, founded in 1926, meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park, located at 1701 North Lake Avenue on Highway 34 just west of Dry Gulch Road. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m., the Rotary business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

4th Thursday groups meet this week

You can see what you indicated as your area of interest at the bottom of your Spoke every week. But, fear not! It's never too late to join in, try something new, or simply "shop" for a group.

Here are the club members who will lead the small group work at Thursday's meeting:

Dave Evans - International Service
Sue Fereday - Youth/New Generation Services
Karen Thompson - Fund Development
Karol Rinehart - Club Administration
Bill Solms - Sargeant-at-Arms
Rick Taylor - Programs
Scott Thompson - Membership
Roger Thorp - Community Service

Bring your energy, your ideas and your willingness to help the Rotary Club of Estes Park be a better club for all of its members. You can make a difference!

Posted by Rita DuChateau

District Governor Bill Emslie to visit Oct. 19

Polish your Rotary pins! It's time for our District Governor's visit.

Bill Emslie, Governor of Rotary District 5440, will speak Thursday, Oct. 19, at the regular meeting of The Rotary Club of Estes Park at noon. His district includes 53 Rotary clubs in Wyoming, Northwern Colorado, Eastern Idaho and Western Nebraska.

District 5440 Governor Bill Emslie

The International Rotary theme for the year is Rotary Making A Difference! DG Bill is expected to focus on the People of Action Campaign for Rotary International. The theme is meant to highlight all the projects and activities that The Rotary Club of Estes Park accomplishes, both locally and internationally. Opportunities are plentiful for potential members, young and old, to help Rotary achieve its mission of “peace and understanding throughout the world,” and by bringing their passion to provide service.

“We’re delighted to share some of our projects with District Governor Bill Emslie," President Kathy Groesbeck said. The Rotary Club of Estes Park has participated in international, regional and local projects for 91 years. Its largest local fundraising is the Estes Park Rotary Duck Race, which generates over $100,000 annually for partner charities annually in May.The club also awards $24,000 in academic scholarships each year to graduating high school students, and also provides a robust yearly grant program for local non-profit organizations.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Group seeks to preserve Rockside,

Estes Park's 'White House'

The Historic Stanley Home Foundation was established as a Colorado non-profit corporation in October 2016 for the purpose of purchasing, renovating, preserving and operating Rockside, the F. O. Stanley home.

Anne Rogers, Treasurer of the Historic Stanley Home Foundation, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, October 12, at their regular noon meeting. She will discuss how the Stanley home will serve as a cultural center for local history education.

Supporters of the tax-exempt Foundation will endeavor to raise the necessary funds to accomplish this mission. Securing this historic treasure for the benefit of the public will be a sorely-needed addition to Estes Park’s ability to express its rich history. The open space surrounding the home will eventually be placed under conservation easement to ensure its perpetual protection.

Anne Rogers spent 15 years in veterinary medical research with USDA and Pfizer Animal Health. Following that, she sold scientific and laboratory equipment in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska for 20 years. She and her husband have owned property in Estes Park since 2000 and became permanent residents in 2013. Anne works for the Rocky Mountain Conservancy and is the President of Chapter HF, P.E.O.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Eagle Rock, RMNP collaborate to enhance science, leadership lessons

Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center and Rocky Mountain National Park embarked on a partnership in 2008 to engage students in their education by developing opportunities for students to connect with national parks and the outdoors. Both organizations desired to increase relevancy of national parks for youth diversity of employees and user base.

Jon Anderson, instructor at Eagle Rock School, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, October 5, at their regular noon meeting. Anderson and Eagle Rock students plan to discuss the program.

Jon Anderson

Anderson works in the Human Performance Outdoor Education Department at Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center in Estes Park. Jon has worked as an instructor at Eagle Rock School for the past 15 years and served as a house parent for seven years. He is responsible for running the Internship and Citizen Science program with RMNP and teaches other experiential science and leadership based classes.

Posted by Rita DuChateau

4th Thursday groups meet this week

You can see what you indicated as your area of interest at the bottom of your Spoke every week. But, fear not! It's never too late to join in, try something new, or simply "shop" for a group.

Here are the club members who will lead the small group work at Thursday's meeting:

Dave Evans - International Service

Sue Fereday - Youth/New Generation Services

Karen Thompson - Fund Development

Karol Rinehart - Club Administration

Bill Solms - Sargeant-at-Arms

Rick Taylor - Programs

Scott Thompson - Membership

Roger Thorp - Community Service

Bring your energy, your ideas and your willingness to help the Rotary Club of Estes Park be a better club for all of its members. You can make a difference!

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

What's new in Estes Park?

Frank Lancaster to headline Sept. 21 program

Frank Lancaster, Town Administrator for the Town of Estes Park, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, September 21, at their regular noon meeting. Lancaster will provide a Town update.

Lancaster has worked for over 36 years in various capacities in the public sector, including City Forester, County Forester, Director of Natural Resources, and 18 years as County Manager for Larimer County. Frank has been the Estes Park Town Administrator since 2012. He is a Colorado native and holds Bachelor and Master degrees from Colorado State University.

Frank Lancaster

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Health care's shift from volume to value:

Drs. Fonken and Bailey to discuss transition

Dr. Paul Fonken, Medical Director at the Timberline Medical Clinic, and Dr. Austin Bailey will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, Sept. 14, at their regular noon meeting. They will provide an overview of the ongoing transition of the U.S. health care system from a fee-for-service driven system to a value-based system.

This transition started well before Obama Care, and very likely, will continue regardless of national politics. The change is driven by the high cost of the fee-for-service system, which promotes increasing utilization of expensive health care services while underemphasizing prevention and care for chronic diseases. In contrast, value based health system reforms are beginning to bend the cost curve by tracking and rewarding methods of care that both improve quality and decrease costs.

Dr. Fonken will illustrate this shift from a “volume-based” system to a “value-based” system by describing changes at Timberline Medical over the past 10 years. As a certified “Patient-Centered Medical Home,” Timberline Medical has improved its methods of providing primary medical care. This has resulted in better health status for Timberline’s patient population, while decreasing the total cost of medical care for Timberline’s Medicare patients.

Dr. Paul Fonken

Dr. Fonken is Board Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. He attended high school in Laramie, WY and did his pre-medical studies at the University of Wyoming. He completed medical school at the University of New Mexico in their innovative “Primary Care Curriculum”. After completing his family medicine residency in Greeley, CO in 1990, he joined Timberline Medical, where he practiced full spectrum family medicine until 1997. He then spent eight years with a team in Kyrgyzstan helping to establish family medicine as a medical specialty in the Central Asian Republics. Since returning to Timberline Medical in 2005, he has been helping the clinic to navigate the transition toward “value-based” care.

Dr. Fonken continues to care for Timberline’s patients at EPMC, where he has served twice as the chief of the medical staff. Also, he is an assistant clinical professor of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Dr. Austin Bailey

Dr. Bailey is a graduate of the University of Texas and Texas Tech University. He served 28 years on the faculty of the Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program at Poudre Valley Hospital, serving as its Program Director for 19 of those years. Currently, Dr. Bailey provides leadership in two major areas for UCHealth. He is the Medical Director for Population Health, where he facilitates the development of UCHealth’s Clinically Integrated Network which contracts directly with employers. In addition, he is the Medical Director for Primary Care within the UCHealth Medical Group, where he facilitates the transformation of primary care practices towards a “Patient Centered Medical Home” and advises UCHealth on its Primary Care strategy.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Group raising funds for Veterans Monument

The Estes Park Veterans Monument Committee is on a mission to raise the funds to build a Monument on Town of Estes Park land just west of the Visitors Center.

Carey Stevanus has been involved in the planning for the Veterans Monument from the beginning and will present the plans for the Monument at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, Sept. 7, at their regular noon meeting.

Stevanus has been the Activities Manager at the Good Samaritan Society - Estes Park Village for the past 12 years. During that time, she served as a Guardian on an Honor Flight Northern Colorado flight where 11 World War II veterans from Good Samaritan traveled to Washington, D.C., to see the Monument built in their honor.

Two years later she joined Vern Mertz, Bob Brunson and Gary Brown on a mission to raise money to cover the cost of every Estes Valley resident who wanted to go on the Honor Flight. The committee raised over $100,000, which paid for the flight cost of 100 veterans.

Now, the committee has set a new goal of raising the funds for the Estes Park Veterans Monument.

Thorp Associates Architecture immediately offered to design the Monument pro bono. The Town of Estes Park approved the plan, and fundraising for the Monument began this spring. Among many others, the Rotary Club of Estes Park has generously donated to the project.

Architectural rendering of Estes Park Veterans Monument

The Rotary Club of Estes Park meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park, located at 1701 North Lake Avenue on Highway 34 just west of Dry Gulch Road. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m., the business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Improv duo to entertain Rotarians Aug. 24

The Estes Park Rotary will host the quick-witted New York City actors, Mike Durkin and Laura Livingston, for a brief performance on Thursday, August 24, at their regular noon meeting.

Improvisational theatre, is the art of making up scenes, on the spot. “It’s the theatrical equivalent of jazz,” says Laura, who with her husband Mike, runs one of New York City’s premier improv companies, Freestyle Repertory Theatre. “Many people are most familiar with improv from watching ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ on TV.”

Mike Durkin and Laura Livingston

Freestyle Rep’s professional history dates back to 1982 when the company began performing to rave reviews Off-Broadway in New York City. The New York Times has called them, “kooks on the loose.” The Post has claimed, “You’d be hard pressed to see anything better on Broadway.” And offoffonline.com calls the group “civic treasures.” They have toured to Canada, England, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, since 1988, they have performed and taught in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut schools, reaching 15,000 students every year.

Mike and Laura are known to local audiences through their presentations at the Estes Park Rotary, as well as workshops and performances for the public that the Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies sponsored in the past. Laura’s father, Harry Livingston, is a member of Rotary, and she has vacationed in Estes “every chance I get for about the last 45 years.”

Mike and Laura’s performance for the Rotary Club will consist of short improvised scenes based on audience suggestions. Audience members will even be invited to get up on stage and improvise with them. Laura explains, “A lot of times people who’ve never been performers – and who wouldn’t dream of going on stage – really enjoy improvising with us. Often they’re very good at it.” As Mike says, “We specialize in creating a supportive atmosphere where everyone has a good time.”

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

What does the Conservancy do for RMNP?

Estee Rivera Murdock to present on Aug. 17

The Rocky Mountain Conservancy promotes stewardship of Rocky Mountain National Park through education and philanthropy. The Rocky Mountain Conservancy (formerly the Rocky Mountain Nature Association) was established on July 8, 1931, making it one of the oldest national park cooperating organizations in the nation. Since its foundation, the organization has funded over $30 million of support for Rocky Mountain National Park and related public lands.

Estee Rivera Murdock, Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, August 17, at their regular noon meeting. Murdock will provide an overview of the Conservancy, review recent contributions to the Park and community, and discuss challenges and opportunities for the organization.

Estee Rivera Murdock

Murdock earned a B.A in Anthropology and Spanish Literature and an M.A. in Geography with a focus on Hispanic Community Engagement and Public Lands and Geographic Information Science, all from the University of Arizona. She worked for the National Park Service for nearly a decade, first at Saguaro National Park and later at the Washington, D.C., Headquarters office. Currently, she resides with her husband and daughter in Estes Park, CO.

Skiing without sight: Thursday's program on Foresight Ski Guides

Mark G. Davis will present an overview of Foresight Ski Guides, an organization that he founded in 2001 to provide challenge recreation to blind and visually impaired skiers. Bill Murphy, senior guide with Foresight Ski guides, will also present.

Davis, founder and president of Foresight Ski Guides, lost his functional vision as a result of a rare symptom of Multiple Sclerosis in 1999. Being a skier for almost as long as he could walk, he was devastated not only by the loss of his sight, but also by the prospect of losing the freedom and thrill of skiing.

Following this sudden and tragic turn in his life, Mark decided that vision alone would not keep him from the slopes. With the assistance of Colorado Ski School for the Blind he was soon back on the mountain. For Mark, this experience with challenge recreation was the transformative experience that lifted grief and depression and brought renewed passion and confidence. Mark has dedicated his life to offering others in similar situations the thrilling, life altering adventure of ‘skiing blind.’

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Thursday's program: dismantling barriers

to girls' education in rural Kenya

For the Good Period works to address barriers to education in rural Kenya for adolescent girls that result from extreme poverty and historical patriarchy. Good Period addresses the root causes of absenteeism and drop-out by working with communities to reconsider gender norms, provide information on sexual and reproductive health, distribute reusable sanitary pads, and raise expectations for girls.

Dr. Kayce Anderson, humanitarian, ecologist, mother, explorer, and eternal student, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, August 3, at their regular noon meeting. Anderson will discuss For the Good Period and its work dismantling barriers to girls’ education in rural Kenya.

Dr. Kayce Anderson

For the Good Period feels that long-term change can only come from within communities. Therefore, while facilitating discussions around important subject matters, they use methods that develop community capacity and self agency.

Anderson feels strongly that education is a right and the key to alleviating many of the world’s challenges. She completed a bachelor degree at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis.

She applies her training as an ecologist to her work with For the Good Period, combining evidence based methods and community input to improve education outcomes for girls. Kaye loves to see people set big goals and succeed in reaching them. She is passionate about helping people help themselves. There is not much distinction between Kayce’s work and personal life. She tries to stay outside more than in, surround herself with people she respects, and not take herself too seriously.

Message from the President

By Kathy Groesbeck

July 27, 2017

Club Assembly This Week

-To Be A Vibrant Club

Club members will have the opportunity on the 4^th Thursday of July at a Club Assembly to engage in meaningful discussion about our club’s priorities to make a positive community impact. Together, we can decide what we want our club to be like in the next three-to-five years. We will determine what we need to do to attain our club’s vision of being a vibrant club. Long-range goals under consideration include the following:

Prioritize Community Service Projects
Evaluate Fundraising Activities
Enhance Leadership Development with Succession Planning
Improve Membership Retention and Recruitment
Increase Foundation and RI Foundation Giving

By attending the Club Assembly, you will be connecting with other members to voice your ideas about our club’s Goals and Activities. We can maximize our collective expertise to address opportunities in our community to Make A Difference. A Club Assembly can be inspiring for members and fuel our shared passion to do great things together. And have FUN while doing it!

There are a lot of things our club is really GOOD at. Now we want to make those things something we are really GREAT at. Come to Club Assembly this week to roll up your sleeves, listen to others, voice your thoughts, and help us look for new ideas. Let us channel our enthusiasm into ACTION!

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

July 20 program digs into ROOTS

ROOTS, a new Estes Park nonprofit, connects our diverse citizenry to earth systems and serves as a resource for our community to become more sustainable and resilient in this rapidly changing world. Through community programs, summer programs, outreach, professional development and a one-room schoolhouse for children grades K-5, ROOTS offers opportunities for participants to gain critical skills and knowledge needed to become innovative, informed and engaged 21st century earth citizens.

Programs emphasize using the natural environment as a catalyst for interdisciplinary learning outdoors, finding a connection to our community and to our mountains, understanding earth’s systems, collaborative learning across boundaries of difference, and imparting sustainability knowledge and practical living skills. ROOTS’ programs are intentionally inclusive to all learner-types with specific programs for children with special needs.

Maisie Greer, Founder/Director of ROOTS, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, July 20, at their regular noon meeting. She will share further details about the ROOTS curriculum.

Maisie Greer

A resident of Estes Park for 20 years, Greer’s deep connection to nature guided her through her childhood, and she is passionate about connecting all youth to the non-judgmental world of nature. After five years of teaching short-term outdoor education programs, Greer witnessed the deep impact nature-learning was having on her students and dreamed of a time when learning outdoors was the norm rather than a supplement to learning.

Greer holds a Masters of Science degree in Environmental Studies/Environmental Education from Antioch University New England and has over 25 years experience teaching and developing experiential education programs for a wide diversity of participants. Through the guidance of Antioch University’s Systems Educator Tom Wessels and Place-Based Education leader David Sobel, Greer was inspired to open a full-time school focused on education for sustainability using nature as the classroom and catalyst for leaning. She is dedicated to helping residents of Estes Park learn how to live more sustainably through engaging programs that involve the community from the ground up.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

What's new at Rocky?

Supt. Darla Sidles to present July 13 program

Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most beautiful and iconic parks in the National Park Service, provides exceptional opportunities for wilderness recreation and mountain scenery. Darla Sidles, Superintendent at Rocky Mountain National Park, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park Thursday, July 13, at their regular noon meeting. She will provide an update on Rocky Mountain National Park, the third most visited national park in America.

RMNP Superintendent Darla Sidles

Sidles began her career as a Student Conservation Association (SCA) volunteer and worked seasonally in the North Cascades, Denali National Park, Arches National Park, Big Bend National Park, and Zion National Park. At Zion she became a permanent employee, before being promoted to assistant monument manager and then superintendent at Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument in Arizona.

Subsequently, she worked at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, as associate to the NPS director in Washington, DC, and as superintendent at Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona. In August 2016, Sidles began her new assignment at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Rotary helps tell the story

The editor regrets the error in the Green Apples caption in last week's edition. Thanks to "Eagle Eye" Ron Gordon for noting that the lady next to Thor was Marilyn Maher,. The caption should have read: "Present for the July 7 re-dedication of Little Green Apples sculpture with new plaque funded by our club, were several Rotary Club of Estes Park members, friends and library staff."

Posted by Kerrie Hill

EPMC's Larry Leaming to present July 6 program

Selected in October 2016 to lead the Estes Park Medical Center, Larry Leaming, Ph.D., will be our featured speaker on Thursday, July 6. Leaming, who became EPMC Chief Executive Officer in mid-January, will talk about Estes Park Medical Center and its mission of “making a positive difference in the health and wellbeing of all we serve.”

Larry Leaming

"At Estes Park Medical Center, it takes over 300 employees, and each of their diverse talents, to fulfill the promise that is our mission. Each employee, physician and nurse who make up the EPMC family is an integral piece to the care we provide, " he said.

Leaming will discuss the great care, compassion of each employee, and the dedication and the strategic planning ahead for the future of Estes Park Medical Center.

Larry received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Chemistry and Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. He went on to receive his Masters of Science in Health Administration from Central Michigan University and his Doctor of Health Administration from Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina. He is Board Certified in Healthcare Management and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Larry has had extensive experience working with acute care providers and health networks especially in Colorado. He has served as Chief Executive Officer at Sterling Regional Medical Center, East Morgan County Hospital and St. Vincent Hospital in Leadville. Larry came to Estes Park from Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales, New Mexico, a 24-bed general acute care hospital.

President's Night - A Changing of the Guard

Farewell, Thor, and Welcome, Kathy!

President Thor Homme congratulates Doug Mann, the 2016-17 Spirit Award Winner. Trudy Collar, the 2015-16 winner presented Doug's award.	Chuck Bonza received the 2016-17 Distinguished Service Award from last year's winner, Rita DuChateau.
A new honor, the Living Legacy Award, went to Wayne Newsom. Longtime friend Bill Smith presented.	Three Rotarians in one family in our club! We're so glad you are members and also glad Pat is a frequent guest!

And, drum roll, please: The Rotarian of the Year - Gregg Jurgens. He accepted the award from last year's recipient, Longley Parker. Gregg's wife, Suzanne, now has to figure our where to display the award!	This newsletter editor/public relations volunteer was indeed surprised. Her husband now has to keep the beautiful vase filled with flowers.
Thor thanked his 2016-17 board of directors.	Kathy Groesbeck, president elect for just a few more moments, presents Thor with a Paul Harris award.

More bling for Thor: a gavel plaque honoring his presidency and a Rotary badge that reads, "Former President".	And now, Kathy's year begins! Best of luck to you, Madame President.
Assistant District 5440 Governor Ron Randle and Thor reflected on a successful year.	Pete Sumey, outgoing Foundation Board President thanked his board for their service.

June 15 program features Dr. Michael Grant Sharing his medical mission to Nicaragua

Michael Grant, MD, will return to the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, June 15, to present a program on a recent trip to Nicaragua. Partially funded with a grant from our club, Dr. Grant's work in Nicaragua is through the non-profit St. James Orthopaedic Mission. Participants provide medical services to the poor.

Dr. Michael Grant

Dr. Grant received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC and went on to complete his residency at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center. Additionally, he spent 9 years in a variety of roles for the United States Army; one year of internship, two years as a flight surgeon, and two years as an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Grant is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Dr. Grant’s passion is to provide care for the less fortunate. He became involved with the St. James Orthopaedic Mission, a medical mission group comprised of various medical professionals and other volunteers who typically embark on one medical mission trip per year. The group has been participating in these trips for 10 years. Each volunteer pays his or her own way; air fare, etc. As a non-profit, their only source of income is through fundraisers and donations. St. James Orthopaedic Mission received a $1,500 grant from the Rotary Club of Estes Park.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Reach for the stars with Mike Connolly

The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is a community resource dedicated to fostering the scientific education of children in Estes Park and to serving as an educational venue for the community and visitors. The observatory holds events throughout the year in conjunction with the local school system, the Estes Valley Astronomical Society, and public outreach.

Mike Connolly, Director of the Estes Park Memorial Observatory, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, June 8, at the regular noon meeting. He will review the history of the observatory from its inception, discuss Rotary’s involvement in building the Human Sundial, and share how the observatory interacts with our community.

Mike Connolly

A retired aerospace engineer, Connolly worked most of his career at Lockheed Martin as a spacecraft engineer, specializing in thermal control. In addition, he is an avid amateur astronomer, fascinated by the stars all his life,

The Rotary Club of Estes Park meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park, located at 1701 North Lake Avenue on Highway 34 just west of Dry Gulch Road. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m,, the Rotary business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

No plan? Come to our program on advance directives

“What’s Your Plan?” How can you have a say in your end-of-life care? Who would make your medical decisions if you were unable to speak for yourself? On Thursday, June 1, you can learn how to put a plan in writing and to effectively communicate your plan with your loved ones and the medical community. Our speaker will be Mindy Rickard, Larimer County Advance Care Plan Team Lead. The Larimer Advance Care Planning Team can guide individuals 18 years and older at no cost to complete their advance directives.

Mindy Rickard

While overseeing the team, Mindy Rickard also serves as a guide to engage individuals and families in having a say in their end-of-life care and oversees outreach to engage the community in advance care planning.

Born in New Berlin, New York, Mindy was raised on a dairy farm outside of West Winfield New York. She came to Colorado and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Gerontology form the University of Northern Colorado. Prior to joining the Larimer Advance Care Planning Team, Mindy was the Executive Director of The Bridge Assisted Living for more than 18 years.Before joining The Bridge Assisted Living, Mindy was the Lead Ombudsman for Weld County.

Mindy shares her country home with her husband Steve, two Morgan horses, five incredibly spoiled barn cats and her little dog, Thor. In her spare time, Mindy enjoys riding her horses, reading, cooking and walking.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

May 25 presenter Diane Knight

Shines "A Light in the Darkness"

Diane Knight, a fellow Rotarian, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, May 25, at the regular noon meeting. Knight’s talk is called “A Light in the Darkness.”

A chance encounter at a Rotary Meeting led Diane to a life changing trip to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and sparked her passion for our Rotary Foundation. Diane is a third-generation Rotarian who joined Rotary in Addison, Texas in 1990. She has been a member of Rotary clubs in Naperville, IL, Golden and Fort Collins Breakfast. She has served as President of both the Golden and Fort Collins clubs. In addition, she served as District Governor in 2004-2005. She is a Major Donor to the Rotary Foundation and member of the Paul Harris Society and Rotary International Foundation Bequest Society.

Diane Knight

Knight also led a GSE Team to Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1998. Additionally, she has a passion for RYLA and has been active in three International RYLA conferences. In August 2002, she chaired the first “Young RYLA” program for middle school students. She loves to train and has trained Presidents at Presidents Elect Training (PETS), incoming Governors Elect and Nominees at Zone Institutes, and Governors Elect from around the world at the International Assembly in San Diego in 2010 and 2011.

For her dedication to Rotary, Knight was honored with Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award in 2002.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

May 18 program digs into ROOTS

Maisie Greer, Founder/Director of ROOTS, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, May 18, at their regular noon meeting. She will share further details about the ROOTS curriculum.

Maisie Greer

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Who put the Chapin in Mt. Chapin?

Jim Pickering to share the story

Jim Pickering, Historian Laureate of Estes Park since 2006, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, May 11, at their regular noon meeting. Pickering will discuss Frederick Hastings Chapin, the first climbing guide to the Estes Park region.

Chapin, a Connecticut druggist, was the author of “Mountaineering in Colorado: The Peaks About Estes Park” (Boston 1879) and was the man for whom Mount Chapin is named.

Pickering received his undergraduate education at Williams College and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University. A professor of English, specializing in American literature and American studies, he taught at Michigan State University, where he served as Director of The Honors College, and at the University of Houston, where he served as dean, provost, and president.

Estes Park Historian Laureate Jim Pickering

Pickering first came to the Estes Valley with his family in the late 1940's and has been a part-time resident in Estes Park since 1992. He served on the Board of Directors of the Estes Park Museum Friends & Foundation for nine years. He has published numerous books, articles, and reviews on the history and literature of Estes Park, Colorado, and the West.

May 4 program: Dr. Aaron Florence on Bone Carpentry

Our program this week will feature Dr. Aaron Florence of the Estes Park Medical Center. He will discuss orthopedic surgery.

Dr. Aaron Florence

Yes, orthopedic surgeons are lot like carpenters. Orthopedic surgery can include, nails, pins, screws, hammers, and drills. These type of surgeons approach the repair or replacements with a “carpenter type” mind; wanting to reconstruct the bone so it looks as close the original bone as possible. Orthopedic surgeons are trained in both surgical and non-surgical treatments for muscle, joint and bone problems whether from injury or not.

Dr. Florence is a native of Idaho. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Idaho State University and went on to obtain his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from A.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri. He completed his Orthopaedic residency at the New York Institute of Technology-New York College of Osteopathic Medicine at Peninsula Hospital Center and North Shore LIJ Health System. He completed his sub-specialty fellowship training in Sports Medicine at the Barton Lake Tahoe Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship in Zephyr Cover, Nevada. Here he focused on the treatment of sports related injuries of the US Ski and Snowboard Teams, collegiate, high school, and recreational athletes with a minor focus on total joint reconstruction in the aging athlete.

Dr. Florence performs surgery on various joints, including the hips, knees, and shoulders, and performs general orthopaedic procedures including arthroscopy, total joint replacements, and fracture care. With his training in sports medicine, he performs many specialized surgeries in both the younger and older athletes including hip arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair, and ACL reconstruction.

Posted by Rita DuChateau

4th Thursday groups meet this week

You can see what you indicated as your area of interest at the bottom of your Spoke every week. But, fear not! It's never too late to join in, try something new, or simply "shop" for a group.

Here are the club members who will lead the small group work at Thursday's meeting:

Dave Evans - International Service

Dmitri Galcovski - Youth/New Generation Services

Karen Thompson - Fund Development

Karol Rinehart - Club Administration

Randy Skeie - Sargeant-at-Arms

Rick Taylor - Programs

Scott Thompson - Membership

Roger Thorp - Community Service

Bring your energy, your ideas and your willingness to help the Rotary Club of Estes Park be a better club for all of its members. You can make a difference!

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

April 20 program: Common Cents Count for Colorado

Since January 2010, the Estes Valley Library has provided events, classes and personal assistance to help people understand personal finance under the banner Common Cents Counts. Common Cents Counts provides the information and resources that we need to make sound financial decisions.

Seven years of programs have been funded at the Estes Valley Library through three prestigious grants from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Foundation (FINRA) and the American Association of Libraries (ALA) through their program Smart Investing@Your Library. The first and second grants from 2010 through 2015 provided funding for the development and presentation of classes that teach basic information: What everyone should know about managing his or her own financial life.

Kurtis Kelly and Marsha Yelick

As the second grant came to an end, the library was asked to apply for a third grant to take the successful program to other libraries throughout Colorado. For the past two years, 15 libraries across Colorado have utilized the teaching materials developed for Common Cents.

Kurtis Kelly, project principal for Common Cents, and Marsha Yelick, curriculum consultant, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, April 20, at their regular noon meeting. Kelly and Yelick are currently spreading Common Cents resources to as many other libraries as possible, receiving inquiries from across the country and developing a website (to be hosted by the Colorado State Library) where teaching materials will be available to all libraries and interested individuals.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 1.2 million Rotary members in 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary clubs have been serving communities worldwide for more than a century. Rotary clubs, around the world, initiate projects that address critical issues such as conflict resolution, hunger, poverty, disease and illiteracy.

The Rotary Club of Estes Park meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park, located at 1701 North Lake Avenue on Highway 34 just west of Dry Gulch Road. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m., the Rotary business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

Posted by Rita DuChateau

Our Foundation awards $11,450 in grants to 13 groups

Programs supporting arts, youth, human needs and other volunteer-fueled projects recently earned a financial boost from the Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation. Thirteen local organizations received grants totaling $11,450 Thursday, April 6 at the Noon Rotary Club meeting.

“Our Foundation's Community Grants program involves a year-round effort by many in our club. Fundraisers include the Rotary Foundation Duck Race adoptions, the famous “Duck Squat” at the Duck Race, weekly ‘Happy Money’ donations made by members to celebrate and share good news,” said Grants Committee Chairman Phil Moenning.

2016-17 Estes Park Rotary Club Foundation grant recipients with Phil Moenning and Thor Homme at the April 6 meeting.

The grant program supports programs and projects that foster the general well being of the community while advancing the principles of Rotary. The motto of Rotary is “Service Above Self."

The groups receiving 2016-17 grants and the projects to which the funds will be applied are:

The Art Center of Estes Park - youth education program
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County - 2017 Summer Program
The Crossroads Ministry of Estes Park, Inc. - medical assistance
The Estes Park High School Choirs – folders to organize sheet music
Estes Park Learning Place, Inc. - scholarships for tutoring
The Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center, Inc - continue and expand their free workshop program
Estes Valley Community Garden, Inc. – garden pathway
Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success - the Childcare Scholarship Fund
The Estes Valley Public Library Friends and Foundation, Inc. – digitization of newspapers
The Healing Waters Foundation, Inc. - pool passes for new members
Partners Mentoring Youth – training and recruitment of adult mentors
Estes Park Salud Foundation, Inc. – support for dental voucher program
VIA Mobility Services - para-transit services in Estes Park for older adults and people with disabilities.

“It's a privilege to be able to provide support for the work of these 13 organizations, and it's a real pleasure to meet them and see what they do,” Moenning said.

Since 2004, the Foundation has provided over $200,000 in grants to organizations in the Estes Valley.

This week's program: working together to make a difference

This week's program will explain the connections between our Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation, the District 5440 Foundation and Rotary International. Like three separate Rotary wheels, the cogs mesh to deliver help locally, regionally and globally. Our presenter will be Pete Sumey, a past president of the Rotary Club of Estes Park, and current president of the club Foundation.

The Rotary International Foundation is second only in size to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and partners with the Gates Foundation with a focus on Disease Prevention and Treatment to eradicate polio. The RI Foundation provides additional emphasis through grants awarded in the areas of:

Maternal and Child Health,
Water and Sanitation,
Economic and Community Development,
Peace and Conflict Resolution, and
Education and Literacy.

Our District 5440 Foundation and the Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation partner with the RI Foundation by providing grants and scholarship programs on the local and district level. This program will examine some of the grants that the Rotary Club of Estes Park has participated in to show how the Rotary Foundations work together to help our community, our region and our world.

Pete representing the club at Philanthropy Day

Cowboy Brad Fitch and the TropiCowboy Band to headline Saturday's Salute to Americana

“I intend for my songs to express the wonder of being alive on this beautiful planet, and I hope they will help listeners to feel relaxed, comfortable and happy," said Brad Fitch, our featured Saturday performer at Salute to Americana. "If my music takes you to a pleasant place in your heart or your mind, then I have accomplished my purpose.”

Raised in Estes Park, Colorado, singer, songwriter and guitarist Brad Fitch has been playing professionally since he was 15 years old. “Cowboy” Brad specializes in original folk and western music.

Cowboy Brad Fitch and the TropiCowboy Band

Fitch performed for the President of the United States during his 2001 visit to Colorado and during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He has opened for an impressive array of folk and western artists. Fitch has recorded 19 albums featuring his original music that reflects what he loves about nature and the western lifestyle. He has been part of several other popular performing and recording acts including the Fitch and Chips, The Elktones, The TropiCowboy Band and Barleens’ Arizona and Rocky Mountain Oprys.

For more than 10 years, Fitch has performed John Denver tribute concerts fundraisers for a variety of non-profit organizations throughout the United States. He has performed at the annual John Denver memorial concerts in Aspen, Colorado several times.

Fitch is a veteran United States Coast Guard officer, a YMCA Senior Director and a National Park Service Wilderness Ranger.

See poster below for ticket information.

Click the Image For Tickets!

Posted by Rita DuChateau

We're off! Duck Race sales underway

Representatives of the charities have collected their adoption forms, posters are going up, and buttons are appearing everywhere, so it’s time to sell, sell, sell. The 2017 Estes Park Rotary Duck Race sales campaign has officially begun.

The 29^th Annual Estes Park Rotary Duck Race on Saturday, May 6 will include music, family activities, food, a 5K and fun run, and the all-important drop of thousands of yellow plastic ducks that race down the Fall River.

The process is simple: adopt a duck online for $21 at epduckrace.org or https://www.facebook.com/EPDuckRace or for $20 from a representative of any of the 68 charities and groups that are asking for support. Charities will receive $19 of every adoption form they sell in the largest fundraiser in the Estes Valley.

“We had a great turnout at Distribution Night, and our charities have launched sales for the 2017 Estes Park Rotary Duck Race,” Gregg ‘Big Duck’ Jurgens said. “It’s always a great event because the energy of the organizations propels our ducks to the finish line.”

As part of the March 2 kick-off for charities, Mayor Todd Jirsa bought the first adoption form of the 2017 race. Within minutes, online sales launched.

Beneficiaries may turn in batches of sold adoption forms and cash on Thursdays, March 30, April 6, April 13, April 20 and April 27 between noon and 5 p.m. Duck Central’s 2017 location is 541 Big Thompson Ave. Unit C, next to Village Pizza in Lower Stanley Village in Estes Park.

Duck Race questions? Call Duck Central at 970-480-5002 or email DuckRace@RotaryClubofEstesPark.org

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Nehemiah Gateway founder to speak March 9

Nehemiah Gateway was founded to help and empower people to sustainably shape and determine their lives in dignity and independence.

Arnold Geiger, founder and managing director of Nehemiah Gateway, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, March 9, at their regular noon meeting. Nehemiah Gateway is an international aid organization motivated to positively and sustainably improve the situation and living conditions of people in need.

Arnold Geiger, Nehemiah Gateway

Following several relief-goods transports and humanitarian missions to various countries including Sudan, Eritrea, Malawi, Ethiopia, Russia, Rumania, Turkey and Iran, Geiger with his wife and 5 children moved to Albania in 1991 to actively and sustainably invest in the long-term development of that society. While there, a multitude of projects and services came into being: emergency aid, spiritual support, medical and social aid, and educational institutions from kindergarten to university.

Geiger was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz) for his multifaceted commitment in 2008. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Nehemiah Gateway in Albania, he received the “Mother Teresa” award, honoring his outstanding achievements for the country of Albania.

The Rotary Club of Estes Park meets Thursdays at the Rodeway Inn in Estes Park, 1701 North Lake Avenue on Highway 34 just west of Dry Gulch Road. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and its programs are welcome to attend. Buffet is served at 11:30 a.m., the Rotary business meeting opens at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 p.m.

Posted by Guy Van der Werf

Dick Life presents this week's program: understanding Russian leaders

While living in and traveling about the USSR collecting intelligence, Richard Life interacted with a broad spectrum of Soviet citizens, ranging from senior Communist Party officials and military officers to shopkeepers and laborers. As Russia has a crucial role to play in the relationship that the United States has with respect to Ukraine, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, and other potential global hot spots, it behooves us to become familiar with Russian President Putin and other Russian leaders.

Dick Life, US Navy, with 12-year old Rick Life at the 1975 Moscow May Day Parade.

Richard "Dick" Life, Captain, US Navy (Ret), an intelligence collector and analyst, will speak at the Rotary Club of Estes Park on Thursday, March 2, at their regular noon meeting. Dick Life has lived and worked in the international arena continuously since 1962, and is uniquely qualified to address national security issues and regional hot spots.

His presentation addresses unprecedented political, economic, and social developments in Russia since 1992. In addition, he explores President Putin’s and former President Medvedev's alarming decisions in the context of the czarist and communist eras.

Life completed his studies at the US Naval Academy in 1962, earned an M.A. in Russian Area Studies from Georgetown University and then graduated from the US Army War College as a senior officer.

A diesel submariner, who became an intelligence officer, Life was trained by the Defense Intelligence Agency and the CIA. He was involved in some 50 countries, including three tours of duty in Vietnam where he conducted covert submarine operations, served with Marines, and spend time in Saigon as Chief of Navy Intelligence Collection.

In 1974-76 he was an Assistant Naval Attache in the US Embassy in Moscow, and in the late 1980's Life led Navy and Marine Corps intelligence operations from offices in Munich, Berlin and the Persian Gulf during the fall of the Berlin Wall, meltdown of the USSR, and Desert Shield/Storm.

Happy 112th Birthday, Rotary!

On February 23, 1905, Paul P. Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram E. Shorey gathered in Loehr’s Chicago office for what would become known as the first Rotary club meeting. Harris' desire for camaraderie among business associates brought together these four men and eventually led to an international organization of service and fellowship.

Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.

By July 1925, Rotary had grown to more than 2,000 clubs and an estimated 108,000 members on six continents. Rotary’s reputation attracted presidents, prime ministers, and a host of other luminaries to its ranks. As Rotary grew, members pooled their resources and used their talents to serve their communities. The organization's dedication to this ideal is best expressed in its motto, "Service Above Self."

Rotary now has 1.2 million members across the globe in more than 35,000 clubs.

Our club, The Rotary Club of Estes Park, was founded in 1926.

The first four Rotarians, from left: Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey and Paul P. Harris. Circa 1905-12.

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The power of a garden

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May 24, 2018

Duck Race Sponsor Appreciation

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Salute to Americana 2017