President Dave Evans called the meeting to order at noon and noted the display of our 2018 scholarship recipients, reminded us that next week we will meet in committees, and Linda Vomaske, assistant governor for District 5440 will visit on Aug. 23. Anne Slack provided an invocation on the theme of joy and service, Pete Sumey led us in singing "Home on the Range" and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. David Van Wert ably presided over many introductions, including visiting Rotarians: Andy Grant, Galveston, Texas; Nick Nail, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Michael McNeill, Middleton, Ohio, along with his mother-in-law and son; Dave Boon, Fort Collins; Guests of Rotarians included: Susan Taylor Darby, Rick Taylor's daughter; Carol Cheley wife of speaker Don Cheley; Sojourner Frank Haines, his wife Tisha and son Mark; Mike Tracy, guest of Bill Solms; Heidi Cooper, guest of Harriette Woodard, Naomi Hawf, guest of Anne Slack. Scott Thompson shared his weekly joke and served as greeter. 

Announcements

• Roger Thorp shared greetings from Jeff Nielsen, a Sojourner from North Platte, Nebraska, who has been unable to visit this summer due to family health problems. Jess sent his best wishes. Roger noted that Jess provided our club with a much-needed keyboard and suggested that we send a hello and thank you Jess' way. See Roger for Jess' contact information. Roger also asked club members about their willingness to volunteer for shifts at the weekly Farmers Market. The community service committee will discuss the future of this project at the Aug. 23 meeting. Chuck Bonza stressed the important role of Rotary volunteers at the market.
• Foundation President Madison Casey invited all to the 1:15 board meeting at which the grants program and process would be reviewed.
• Dave Evans reminded all that Jay Harroff is working on a program on Aug. 30 featuring Tuskegee Airman James Harvey. Happy Money for the next two weeks will be donated to the program.

Happy Money

• Ron Gordon, Chuck Bonza, Bill Solms and Madison Casey happily donated to the Tuskegee Airman program fund.
• Frank Haines was happy that his son Mark was visiting.
• Dennis Gellhaus was thankful for his wife Robbie's progress in her fight against lymphoma.

Program

Karen McClure, a former employee of Cheley Colorado Camps, whose two children and grandson participated as campers, introduced her former boss, Don Cheley, who presented a fascinating program on the history and mission of the camp and shared its connection with Ernie Altick. Some gleanings:

• The main lodges were built in 1925 and 1926.
• Ernie Altick, born in 1902, worked at Cheley alongside founder Frank Cheley.
• Until 1984, the Cheley wranglers herded horses from Pinewood Springs to the camp each spring and used Highway 36 for part of the journey.
• The camp serves 500 children in a variety of programs in two locations and employs 216 staff.
• This is Cheley's 98th year of operation. 

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) began in Queensland, Australia in 1960. The committee created a program to train youth (14-30) in character, leadership, personal development, and good citizenship. RYLA was approved by the Rotary International board in 1971 as an official program. Rocky Mountain RYLA began in 1984; after hearing about the success of RYLA from a Texan District Governor, DG Stan Black asked Virgil Holtgrewe from Lakewood to attend the Dos Rios, NM camp with a few boys (girls were not allowed). As a result of the pilot project's success, Stan and Virgil as well as Warren Holmes spent 1986 planning for the first District 545 RYLA Camp that took place July 26-31, 1987. There were 102 attendees and 15 Rotarians involved from Colorado, Wyoming, and Northern Nebraska.