Dr. Milt Garrett will be speaking to the club on Thursday, Feb. 13, at our regular noon meeting. He will be discussing Crimea and Russia: Two Sides of the Coin. Is it rational for Crimea to return to the Russian Motherland?
Dr. Milt Garrett
Russian President Vladimir Putin views the breakup of the Soviet Union as the “greatest catastrophe of the 20th century.” Former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker during the George H. Bush administration vowed “not one inch east.” Furthermore, Garrett notes the negative economic impact on Ukraine due to the breakup. What are we to make of Russian annexation of Crimea?
Geographically, Crimea is surrounded on three sides by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Towards the north, it is connected to Ukraine. Since 2018, it is connected to Russia by a bridge.
When Garrett last spoke at our club, he enlightened us with his 21 years of observations and stories about living in and helping with the Russian economic recovery, along with other issues. Since then, he was invited to apply and became one of 50 citizen diplomats to visit several cities in Russia. In September, for 30 days, he interviewed almost 100 persons in eight cities, including three cities in Crimea.
He plans to share the current prevailing views and news in Crimea and how the American media gets Crimea and the present Russian economy wrong. Specifically, he will address how Crimeans view the West’s position on annexation. Note that the United States has never recognized Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea and still considers Crimea a part of Ukraine.
In addition, he will share Crimean views on President Donald Trump, on climate change, on U.S. and Russian military budgets and military bases. Does Russia want war? What about the U.S. sanctions for Russia’s annexation of Crimea? How does the United Nations’ Charter, Article 1.2, relate to Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Pacific’s newest nation, Bougainville – and Crimea?
Posted by Pete Sumey
Feb. 6 meeting notes
President Doug Mann rang the bell at 12:00. The Invocation was presented by Scott Thompson. Song and Pledge of Allegiance by Madison Casey. Guest Introductions by Doug Mann. Visiting Rotarians: None. Guests of Rotarians: Lee Lasson introduced college roommate Doug Leunig along with Doug’s wife Eileen. Sandy Lasson was also in attendance. Scott Thompson introduced guest Caprissa Frawley. Gregg Jurgens introduced Jim Schinaker.
Pete Sumey is the birthday boy and Wayne and Judy Anderson are the anniversary couple this week.
Announcements
Ron Gordon talked about supporting La Puente.
Dave Evans reported on Rotary support for the Community Café last Friday and thanked the volunteers.
Anne Slack reported that Jack Overly is still in Loveland in daily physical therapy recovering from his recent illness. Progress is slow but continuing.
Happy Money
Karen Thompson talked about helping the homeless in Denver.
Pete Sumey, Dennis Gellhaus and Ron Gordon are all happy that the Chiefs won the Superbowl.
Scott is thankful for our major Duck Race sponsors.
Tom Gardner’s granddaughter is the member of the state champion Nordic (cross country skiing) team in Minnesota.
Matt Comstock’s son has a new job in Billings, MT.
Bill Solms encouraged us to involve our new members in club projects and activities.
President Doug Mann announced that over $400 in Happy Money was raised in January to support the activities of our Rotary exchange student.
Program
Matt Comstock introduced today's speaker, Lars Sage.
President Doug announced that his son had just arrived from the airport. The family and guests numbering nearly 100 will celebrate the marriage of their daughter over the weekend.
Adjournment
President Doug adjourned the meeting with the 4 way test.
Pete Sumey scribe, and Jon Thompson, photographer.
Rotary Clubs unite to support La Puente
Volunteers from the Estes Valley have long supported a nonprofit in the San Luis Valley that provides shelter, childcare, nutrition and various other critical services to over 16,000 residents of this impoverished area. La Puente draws local volunteers to work groups in Alamosa twice a year. Among those volunteers are members of the three Estes Park Rotary clubs.
The shelter’s few professional staff members are supported by volunteers, like those who comprise the work groups from Estes Park. The Estes Park work group trips were started in 2002 by Estes Park Rotarians. One of them made his 40th trip in October 2019. The work trips now occur in June and October, with 15-20 workers on each trip. This group is made up of many Estes residents from Estes Rotary clubs, members of the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, as well as other Estes residents. Several volunteers make additional trips to deliver donated food to food pantries. Donated clothing and household furnishings are either given directly to families or are placed in one of the thrift shops where local residents are able to find clothes and household furnishings at reasonable prices. All funds are used in support of the La Puente programs.
The Estes Park Rotary clubs have joined forces to encourage participation in a fundraising event, Simple Suppers for Kids in Distress (SSKIDS) to benefit La Puente. The event will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1800 21st Avenue, Greeley. There is no fee to attend the supper, but generous donations are encouraged.
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church hosts the annual SSKIDS fundraiser to support projects all over the world. Each year the SSKIDS Board selects an organization as the beneficiary of the soup supper. La Puente has been chosen as this year’s beneficiary, specifically the PALS program, an after-school and summer daycare program for kids ages 5-9.
One of La Puente’s programs, Positive Activities Lead to Success (PALS), is an after-school and summer daycare program for at-risk kids ages 5-9. The program provides traumatized children the experience of safety, stability and other services so they can have fun while growing up to be strong, healthy and productive. As a collaboration between La Puente Services, Alamosa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Alamosa Schools, PALS is uniquely designed to serve children who evidence severe social behavior challenges and home safety risks.
PALS children are either homeless or referrals of Alamosa DHS. They have academic, social and emotional deficits due to physical and/or emotional abuse, neglect and poverty. The PALS curriculum focuses on the child’s academic success and emotional and behavioral growth. Providing academic tutoring, life and social skills coaching, community service, artistic expression, and field and experimental opportunities with community partners, PALS empowers each child to cultivate confidence, self-efficacy and positive peer and adult relationships to help them become rooted in healthy living habits in the larger community. PALS’ aim is to empower children as agents of change for themselves and the community, to reduce the child maltreatment rate in Alamosa County, which ranks third among Colorado’s 64 counties.
To accomplish these goals, the PALS program activities include cooking lessons, children’s library visits, art expression, dance instruction, homework-tutoring assistance, outdoor adventures, health and first aid classes, field trips and building relationships with big buddies.
Children are picked up and dropped off for the daily school programs unless otherwise arranged. The transportation is provided with small buses, which are also used for some activities.
The PALS program requested a SSKIDS grant to fund several needs:
For the children’s safety, back-up cameras for the buses used for transport.
A washer and dryer so PALS kids that often come to school in soiled clothes can have clean clothes.
A drinking fountain in the PALS building for students to hydrate as needed.
Smart cell phones to provide communication between bus drivers, parents and PALS staff members, and to access and use the database information for the children in the PALS program.
The SSKIDS February 25 event will serve up a variety of soups donated by Greeley restaurants as well as desserts provided by community members. Those unable to attend the supper are invited to send donations to SSKIDS, c/o Greeley Center for Independence, Attention Serita Reddy, 2780 28th Ave., Greeley, CO 80634. Make checks payable to SSKIDS with La Puente on the memo line. SSKIDS is a 501(c)(3) charity.
Matching program supports local non-profits
Recognizing that the Rotarians of The Rotary Club of Estes Park support various local non-profits, the Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation recently conducted a Matching Charitable Donation program. Eligible local non-profit organizations must be a qualified 501(c)(3) and the donations must be used for programs serving Estes Valley residents. The Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation provided a total of $7,445 in matching donations to the organizations listed below based on donations from Rotary Club of Estes Park members.
The recipients of the second round of matching grants are: Angels Above Foundation, Bright Christmas, Crossroads Ministry, Estes Park Health Foundation, Estes Park Learning Place, Estes Park Salud Foundation, Estes Park Museum and Friends Foundation, Estes Valley Crisis Advocates, Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success, Estes Valley Library Friends and Foundation, Estes Valley Land Trust, Estes Valley Watershed Coalition, Healing Waters Foundation, Historic Stanley Home Foundation, Nehemiah Gateway USA, Pet Association of Estes Park, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, Salvation Army (Estes Park Unit), Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church (Community Cafe) and Summit Church.
Friendship Card will save you $$$$
Estes Park’s $10 local discount card is now available for purchase at the following locations: Estes Park Visitor Center, MacDonald Book Shop, Nicky’s Steak and Seafood House, Quality Inn, Safeway (Guest Services), Rocky Mountain Gateway and The Village Store at National Park Village. Or, buy your Friendship Card at the next Rotary meeting when you check in.
The Friendship Card will be valid at more than 70 local businesses, who offer discounts on food and drink, shopping, entertainment, and services. Friendship Card holders will need to show their card at the business to receive the discount. Certain restrictions may apply. Participating merchants will be listed on the Friendship Card’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/EPFriendshipCard/. Printed brochures will be available at locations selling the card, and participating merchants will display the Friendship Card window decal. The 2020 card will be valid through December 31, 2020.
The Friendship Card is brought to you by our Rotary Club. Net proceeds from the sale of the card are used to support the club’s many charitable projects, including but not limited to scholarships and community grants. The Rotary Club of Estes Park would like to thank the many participating merchants, as this fundraising project would not be possible without each one of them. Questions? Contact Karen Thompson at epfriendshipcard@gmail.com.
Congratulations, 2019 scholars
Give to our Foundation while you shop!
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Choose the charitable organization by typing in Estes Park Rotary Foundation. Our club and the Longs Peak club will come up in the search. Click on Estes Park Rotary Foundation.
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