Please feel free to invite friends and family to the Rotary Holiday Luncheon on Thursday, December 16 at the American Legion. Lunch is served from 11:30 - 12:00. There will be great food followed by a music program. Your RSVP is needed by Tuesday, December 14 at 5:00pm notifying Karol Rinehart of the number that will be attending.
kj.rinehart@centurylink.net,
Our program this week will be held in person, but a Zoom link will be provided. Click on the link below to be admitted.
Cost: $15 Parking: American Legion and the church only.
Our Musical Program provided by
Skip Neilson
Skip Neilson is a guitarist and vocalist originally from Dallas, Texas now living full time in Estes Park with his wife, Nancy. He began playing music in his teens and has played, toured and recorded with bands in the U.S. and Europe. For the past several years he has been working with another EP local, Karen Nicholson, in the acoustic rock duo, Neilson/Nicholson.
They have played regularly at local venues such as The Slab, Snowy Peaks Winery, Bird & Jim’s, Elk Meadows Lodge as well as many private events, local shows and festivals.
Update by President Jim Whiteneck
Announcements:
Our members have been Very Active doing good things in Estes Valley and beyond!
Beth Weisberg and crew have added the "Bright" to our Bright Christmas adopted family organizing gifts for the whole crew.
Tara and Phil Moenning, Madison Casey, Karol Rinehart, and several members provided a wonderful and festive Holiday Gathering while raising funds for our future scholarship recipients.
Your Club Board is planning to evaluate a “gold mine” full of good ideas to improve our Club going forward.
Karen Thompson and members have completed another successful photo contest and have launched our new Friendship Card for the coming year.
Ron Gordon, Jack Boatman, and the International Service Committee are encouraging all members and guests to see the video of the Amaro Tan Albanian children delighting in their new playground.
Longley Parker and Jennifer Comstock have launched our credit card system of payments. That plan was a dream of Rita DuChateau and it has come to pass due to Longley & Jennifer’s efforts.
Pete Sinnott successfully organized our Salvation Army bell ringers for November 27. Additional volunteers are needed between now and Christmas. Please contact Pete or see the article in our Spoke on how you can ring the bell!
Longley Parker is launching a “clean out” of unneeded items from the Duck Shed to save our club significant funds. See specific details further in the Spoke.
We are delighted to be joined by our three new members: Gail Corrigan, Ben Van der Werf, and Scott Robbins!
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone and their guests at our Holiday meeting on Thursday! The special food and music will be wonderful.
December 9, 2021 Meeting Notes
President Jim Whiteneck called the meeting to order. Dale Bonza gave the invocation. Jim led the Pledge of Allegiance. Madison Casey led the song, “Jingle Bells”.
Guests of Rotarians:
Barry Hannigan attended for a second time with Mel Rueppel.
Kaci Yoh, Director of Communications for the Hospital Foundation attended with Kevin Mullin.
Announcements:
Jim Austin reported on Bright Christmas, which his wife Jean started 37 years ago. They served 90 families this year, down from 125 at the peak. This is because many workers have moved away due to the high cost of living here. Crossroads and the schools are seeing similar declines in population served. Bright Christmas gives each family $100 in food and numerous gifts. Our club sponsorship of a family was coordinated by Beth Weisberg.
Ron Gordon reporting on international projects. He urged us to watch the video on our Amaro Tan playground in Albania. He said it is very moving to see the happy kids playing. See separate section.
Phil Moenning reported on the Scholarship Fundraising Dinner last Tuesday. There were 61 people who attended. Two guests made donations of $100 and $500, so we earned around $6,400 for scholarships. We hope this will be an annual event.
One of our scholarship recipients, David Lee, the son of Mark Lee, was introduced at the party.
President Jim recognized the committee volunteers; Phil & Tara Moenning, Karol Rinehart, Gregg Jurgens, and Madison Casey.
Phil Moenning
Pete Sinnott said people can sign up to Ring the Bell for the Salvation Army from now until Christmas Eve. Pete is captain this weekend and several people volunteered during the meeting. The link to sign up is listed in a separate section.
Karen Thompson said the Friendship Card for 2022 is now available and will be on sale at each meeting for $10.
There are 72 businesses participating and it makes a great gift or stocking stuffer.
Ron Gordon added that this is a major source of funding for club projects during the year.
Jim said that after the fires last year, we gave $750 to six fire departments from these funds.
Mel Rueppel did his Sergeant at Arms thing of trivia, questions, fines, and jokes. Next week’s assignment for us is to talk to someone new about Rotary. We were all happy to hear that he will be gone in January and February, but then he said he’ll train a substitute to shake us down in his absence.
Next week is our special Christmas meeting with no program.
The Legion is serving a special Surf & Turf dinner and our families are invited ($15 pp).
Dennis Gellhaus has arranged musical entertainment.
We need a head count, so please RSVP by email To Karol Rinehart:kj.rinehart@centurylink.net,
Scott Thompson told his joke.
Happy Money:
Dennis Gelhaus was happy that Scott didn’t tell a minister joke.
Bill Solms was happy that Scott didn’t tell a lawyer joke.
Beth Weisberg was happy about the Friendship Card and Karen’s dedication.
Scott Thompson was happy for Bill Smith’s retirement.
Pete Sinnott also congratulated Bill Smith on retirement.
Madison was happy for Scott Thompson’s recognition by the Estes Chamber of Commerce as the “Most Available Volunteer”.
Program:
Dennis Gelhaus introduced Kevin Mullin, President of the Estes Park Health Foundation.
Kevin told us about the medical center, foundation, and the current campaign for a much-needed new MRI.
Foundation and Health Center goals are $400,000 each with the rest to be borrowed.
Kevin Mulllen
Jim Whiteneck concluded the meeting at 1:00 with the 4 Way Test.
Madison Casey, scribe
Sign Up to Ring the Bell for Salvation Army!
Announcement
Here is the link to sign up using the SignUpGenius website: https://tinyurl.com/6jz9b4wh
Once you are in the website, click on the slot that you want to claim,
Go to the bottom of the screen and click "Submit and Signup,"
Fill in the necessary information, then click "Signup Now" at the bottom of the screen.
Call Pete Sinnott (970-577-7766) or Gordon Slack (970-222-2120) with questions.
Duck Race Storage Clean Out Cancelled
for December 16, 2021
Announcement:
Duck Race shed clean-out on 12/16 is CANCELLED.
The clean-out of the duck race shed, which had been scheduled for December 16, has been cancelled.
Longley is making arrangements to go to the shed with certain people who have a lot of items there, who will know which of their property needs to stay and what can go.
If you have any property in the shed that you want to make sure is not discarded, please contact Longley right away.
A Successful Fundraising Dinner
We want to thank the Rotary Fundraising dinner committee members Karol Rinehart for the beautiful decorations, Madison for procuring the excellent musical presentation and emceeing, and Gregg for handling all the financials. For all of the Rotarians who sponsored a table, thank you for your donations to the Scholarship Fund. There were three guests of Rotarians that were also moved to contributed an additional $750 to the fund! Though Carl was spared wearing the pink tutu there’s always next year to look forward to that happening. Merry Christmas to all,
Phil and Tara Moenning
Rotarians and their guests
Madison Casey Estes Valley Chamber Singers
Karol Rinehart, Tara and Phil
Moenning
Bright Christmas Family
This year our club “adopted” a family of four children and their mom through Bright Christmas. Thirteen Noon Rotarians donated generously, and we managed to fill the family’s entire wish list! We delivered the gifts to Bright Christmas, all brightly wrapped and full of surprises, plus gift cards for each family member, on December 6. We hope this shows the family that they are cared for and brightens their holiday. Many thanks to all who participated!
No Spoke Editions
for
12/23/21 or 12/30/21
due to no meetings
Posted by Ron Gordon
International Service Committee Report
The project for the Amaro Tan playground in Albania is complete. Ron and Michelle have provided a video which is available on Facebook. Ron Gordon stated "No Rotarian should miss this joyous video of a project we sponsored." See link below.
At long last, credit cards can pay for your meals!
Announcement:
Our Club has started accepting credit cards to pay for meals, beverages and desserts at the weekly meetings.
There will be a $1.00 convenience fee added to cover the fees associated with the use of the credit cards.
No changes in the cost of meals, etc if you pay with cash or personal check.
The 2022 Friendship Card Now Available!
Mary Kay Wilson, Karen Thompson
Announcement:
Available for sale at our Thursday noon meetings
or at Cabintique, Country Market, Estes Park Visitor Center, Macdonald Book Shop, Mad Moose, Nicky's Steak & Seafood House, Quality Inn, Safeway Guest Services, Rocky Mountain Gateway, Wynbrier Home & Wynbrier LTD.
May be used at 72 businesses for only $10/card.
List of merchants at Facebook.com/EPFriendshipCard
Sign Up for Community Corner Cafe
January 14, 2022
Announcement:
Our club will be providing volunteers for Community Corner Café on January 14.
If you would like to volunteer, please let Beth Weisberg know, at weisberg.family@verizon.net
Temporary Sergeant-At-Arms Needed!
Announcement:
Due to travels by Mel Ruppel, Sergeant at Arms, a volunteer or volunteers are needed to set up and put away the banners, bell/gavel, and badges for Rotary meetings on January 13 and 27 as well as February 3, 10, and 17th.
If interested, contact Anne Slack at anneslack@aol.com as Mel has left on his trip.
Give to our Foundation while you shop!
Do you find that you are placing Amazon orders more frequently these days? Don't forget to help your Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation with every order. As a recipient of funds in the smile.amazon.com, our foundation will receive a portion of the sale. 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.
Answer to the Riddle: They are all boys. The other half are boys, too
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