Joined by members of the high school Interact Club, our own Rotary volunteers unloaded 560 large pumpkins Friday morning at Estes Park Elementary School. Then the fun began, as hundreds of students in grades K-5 chose their very own pumpkin and either rolled or carried them into the school. Choruses of Thank You's made club members smile.
Some our our club pumpkin helpers
Thanks to the Safeway Foundation and many volunteers, the day was another Rotary success. According to Kris Hazelton, this was the 83rd Pumpkin Distribution Day in Estes Park. Sue Fereday, Youth/New Generations Director, secured the donation of 560 pumpkins, made two trips to Safeway to bring them to the school, and directed volunteers.
As always, the children and their teachers loved the special event. Thanks to our club volunteers who made everything go smoothly. Thanks to Kris and Gary for being there to photograph and video the event!
Posted by Rita DuChateau
Fourth Thursday Committee Meetings
Check the bottom of your newsletter to see which committees you've chosen for this Rotary year. Was it Financial Development? Community Service? International Service? Youth/New Generations/Vocational Service? Membership? Programs? Club Administration? Meet in a small group of your choice after lunch this week. You are welcome to join any committee at any time!
Directors/Committees
Fund Development - Karen Thompson
International Service - Ron Gordon
Membership - Trudy Collar
Community Service - Jack Overly/Pete Sinnott
Youth/New Generations - Sue Fereday
Programs - Rick Taylor
Club Administration - Karol Rinehart
Posted by Pete Sumey
Oct. 17 meeting notes
President Doug Mann rang the bell at 12:00. The Invocation was presented by Karen Thompson. Dave Evans led the Pledge of Allegiance. Guest Introductions by Ron Gordon. Visiting Rotarians: None. Guests of Rotarians: Paul and Janis, friends of Anne Slack with connections to Healing Waters. Pat Newsom, wife of Wayne and Mother of Karen.Jennifer Comstock introduced Christina, a colleague who came to this country in 2014 as a student from Macedonia and lives in Estes Park now. She participated in the program. CLUB MEMBER Claudine Perrault has Greta Fox with her today from the library.
Announcements
President Doug thanked President Elect Bill Solms for conducting the club meeting last week, thanked Trudy Collar for new member badges, and wished Dennis Gellhaus a happy birthday.
Karen Thompson encouraged members to attend the Duck Race Committee meeting tonight in this very room.
Ron Gordon recently had the police check on Harry and Mary Livingston when he could not reach them by phone. All was well, the phone was off the hook. It is always a good idea to check on friends who may be in need.
Scott Thompson thanked everyone who helped with beverage sales during the Elk Fest.
Happy Money
Scott Thompson offered that Matt Comstock had good luck at the poker table the previous evening. It was not clear why it made Scott happy.
Rita DuChateau is happy three times over. Her son will be married on December 14 in EP, her daughter is expecting her second child, and Rita hit her target weight. Good work all the way around.
Tom Gardner went to the Twin Cities to watch his daughter run a marathon. She qualified for the Boston marathon.
Anne Slack is thankful for her friends who are visiting today.
Jack Boatman reported that the club Foundation will be providing a matching funds grant process again this year. Application forms can be found on the club website.
Matt is happy about his success at the poker table, and Jennifer is happy to share Rotary with Christina.
Bill Solms thanked the group for making his granddaughters feel welcome last week.
Dave Boon is happy that his wife has been appointed chair for Young RYLA week 2.
Karen Thompson is happy that Happy Money collected this month will be donated to Polio Plus. Lots of happy people today. Thanks, everybody.
Paul Harris Presentation Virgil Holtgrewe presented Guy Van der Werf with his Paul Harris +3 pin. Congratulations, Guy.
Program
Rick Taylor introduced today's speakers, Jennifer Comstock and Hristina Zhabievska. .
Adjournment
President Doug adjourned the meeting with the 4 way test.
Pumpkin distribution at the schools will be Friday morning at 8:30. Please help with this very enjoyable event.
Karen Thompson announced a photo contest for the next Friendship Card.
Pete Sumey, scribe, and Rita DuChateau, photographer
Posted by Rita DuChateau
Marking progress toward a polio-free world-
Donate to help end a paralyzing disease
Rotary Club members in Estes Park are taking action to raise awareness, funds and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today. World Polio Day is Thursday, Oct. 24.
Club members are donating to Rotary’s International’s fund to end polio throughout the month of October at their weekly meetings. They are also encouraging online and mail-in donations. To add your donation to this worldwide effort, go online to https://www.endpolio.org/ and select the Polio Fund, or send a check made out to The Rotary Foundation with Polio Fund in the memo line, to The Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Dr., Chicago, IL 60693.
When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative more than three decades ago, polio paralyzed 1,000 children every day. Great progress has been made against the disease since then. Polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent, from 350,000 cases in 1988 in 125 countries to 33 cases of wild poliovirus in 2018 in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. The initiative has vaccinated 2.5 billion children in 122 countries.
“And we remain committed to the end,” said Ron Gordon, International Service Director for the Rotary Club of Estes Park. “We encourage everyone to make a donation to bring about the end of this disease in our lifetime.”
With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners must sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk. Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million. Rotary has contributed more than $1.9 billion to ending polio since 1985.
Visit endpolio.org to learn more about Rotary and the fight to eradicate polio.
Enter the Friendship Card photo contest
The Rotary Club of Estes Park invites submissions to a photo contest for the 2020 Friendship Card for Local Discounts. There is no charge to enter, and the winner will receive photo credit on the card and two 2020 Friendship Cards. The deadline for submitting photos is Friday, Nov. 1, 2019.
The Friendship Card debuted in 2019, replacing the long-time Rocky Card. The Rotary Club of Estes Park re-established the card as a fundraiser for club projects and community grants.
“In its first year, over 500 cards have been sold, and we anticipate that number to increase as people become aware of the value the card brings to local shoppers,” said Karen Thompson, Fund Development Director for the club.
In 2019, over 75 local businesses participated in providing some type of discount to cardholders. Each business displays a window decal announcing participation in the program.
“Rotary is very thankful for all the participating businesses, especially the Estes Park News for their continuous advertising throughout the summer,” Thompson said.
Entering is easy. Photos capturing favorite scenes from the Estes Valley or Rocky Mountain National Park can be emailed in high resolution, jpg format to epfriendshipcard@gmail.com. A panel of judges will select the winning photo. Cropping and slight color correction is allowed for photos, but judges will reject photos with anything added or deleted through a photo editing program.
All decisions of the judges are final. The winner will be notified via email. The winning photo may also be used on other marketing materials for the Friendship Card. Owner of the photo will not receive any other compensation other than photo credit and two 2020 Friendship Cards.
The 2019 Friendship Card costs $10 and is valid until December 31, 2019. It is available for sale at Nicky’s Restaurant, Rocky Mountain Gateway, Estes Park Visitor Center, The Village Store at National Park Village, Safeway, MacDonald Book Store, and Quality Inn.
Posted by Jack Boatman
Double a donation to a favorite local charity
The Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation is conducting a matching charitable donation program this fall to supplement donations to local non-profits.
The maximum matching donation amount is $200 per member and the minimum donation amount is $50. Rotary Club of Estes Park members will be able to apply for matching donations from the Foundation between October 10 and December 12, 2019. The Foundation will be providing matching donations to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations serving Estes Valley residents and in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State.
The application form which provides detailed instructions is available on the club website and will be available at the weekly club meetings. If you have any questions, please contact or email Jack Boatman (email: jack.boatman7@gmail.com / Telephone: 832-623-5647) - Grants Manager.
Nominating Committee looking for leaders
Would you like to be a part of the RCEP leadership team? President-elect Bill Solms is convening the Nominating Committee that will publish a slate of proposed officers and directors who will begin 1-3 terms on July 1, 2020. Contact Bill Solms or Doug Mann if you have an interest in serving as an officer or director of the Club or Foundation.
Do you have a Friendship Card?
A local reminder of Rotary's ideals
Click on the image below to see the MANY local merchants that welcome your Friendship Card. Buy one at Nicky' today!
Congratulations, 2019 scholars
Give to our Foundation while you shop!
The Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation is a recipient of funds in the smile.amazon.com. Each order you place will send a portion of the sale to our Foundation. All you need to do its sign up to get the funds flowing. And SHOP!
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.
Create a bookmark so every time you shop Amazon, you will participating in the smile.amazon.com program.
Rotary Quote of the Week
World Polio Day is Oct. 24
"We’re close to eradicating polio, but we’re not done yet. We still need funds to continue immunization and surveillance efforts. Your gift will get us closer to the finish line. Ending a disease is a massive effort, and Rotary and our partners can’t do it alone. You can join us in our efforts to end polio by being a part of World Polio Day."
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