As a courtesy to our members, please silence your cell phones during the meeting.
Thank You!
October 8th LUNCH MENU
RSVP needed for Rotary lunch
RSVP DEADLINE, MONDAY, October 5 BEFORE 12 NOON. RSVP to Karol:kj.rinehart@aol.com
Rotary Lunch Menu for Thursday, October 8th:
Baked pasta, veggie, salad, dessert.
RSVP to Karol: kj.rinehart@aol.com before 12 noon, Monday.
Included In This Spoke Edition
Annual Meeting Fund Development Committee Meeting Bright Christmas Donations HELP WITH PUMPKIN DISTRIBUTION DAY Make the Most of your Rotary Membership Officer and Director Nominees 2027-2028 Meeting Notes 10-1-26 Meeting Recording 10-1-26 From the Chaplain
Fund Development Committee Meeting
Meeting of the Fund Development Committee immediately following the Noon Rotary meeting on 10/22.
Bright Christmas Donations
Noon Rotary will be "adopting" one or more families for Bright Christmas again this year, as we have done for the past several years. These are families who live or work in our community, who need help providing gifts for their children for Christmas. Bright Christmas is a nonprofit in Estes Park that was founded in 1984 by Jean Austin (Jim's late wife), and they identify and vet all of the families who apply for help. Starting on October 8 and throughout October, we will be passing around a collection can at every week's noon meeting for any of our members who choose to participate. The more money we collect, the more people we can help.
Then, in early November when Bright Christmas assigns families, we will know how much money we have and therefore how many people we can "adopt." Last year, due to extremely generous donations by our members, we were able to buy gifts for 11 people in 3 different families!
Donations to this project are not tax deductible. Donations made directly to Bright Christmas are tax deductible, but cannot be used for our adopted families.
Checks and cash are welcome. Gregg will hold and keep track of the money.
If you have any questions, please contact Beth at weisberg.family@verizon.net. Thanks to everyone for making the holidays brighter for our local families.
OCTOBER 23: COME HELP WITH PUMPKIN DISTRIBUTION DAY!
One of our most fun Rotary events of the year will be held at Estes Park Elementary School on Friday, October 23. Safeway/Albertsons Foundation has approved our application for a donation of 510 pumpkins, which will be delivered on a flatbed truck to the parking lot of EPES that day at 8:15 a.m.
Come help unload the pumpkins from the truck and set them out in rows, like a pumpkin patch, in the parking lot outside of EPES. Then watch as the elementary students come out class by class, and each child gets to pick their own pumpkin to take home for free. It's joyful and funny and fascinating to watch.
This will be the 91st annual pumpkin giveaway, which was started in 1936 by former Estes Park Mayor and Rotarian Ron Brodie, and was continued by the Rotary Club of Estes Park after Brodie's death.
Please email Beth if you have questions, at weisberg.family@verizon.net . No need to RSVP -- just show up in the EPES parking lot at 8:15 a.m. on Friday, October 23 if you want to participate.
Make the Most of your Rotary Membership.
Whether you're new to Rotary or want a refresher, our Welcome to Rotary webinar on October 14th will help you discover ways to get involved, build connections, and find opportunities that match your interests.
Officer and Director Nominees for Rotary Year 2027-2028
From Past-President Jack Ford:
In accordance with our Club's By-Laws, we are required to advise our membership of the Nominees for three consecutive meetings prior to our Election Meeting on the second Thursday of October, which falls this year on the 8th.
The nominees are the following named persons:
Officers:
President, Rick Life
President-Elect, Carl Robicheaux
Past-President, Guy Van der Werf
Secretary, Sarah Walsh
Sergeant-at-Arms, Bill Solms
Treasurers, Longley Parker and Gregg Jurgens
Directors:
Club Administration, Karol Rinehart
International Service, Dale and Chuck Bonza
Community Service, Beth Weisberg
Fund Development, ________
Youth/New Generation/Vocational, Chris Davis, Dave Boon, and _______
Membership, Paul Harris, and Public Image, Scott Robbins
Big Duck, ________.
Meeting Notes for October 1, 2026
President Guy Van der Werf rang the bell at 12:00. Carl Robicheaux gave the Invocation. Guy led the Pledge of Allegiance. We sang “Home on the Range”, accompanied by Madison Casey.
Guests of Rotarians:
Guests were introduced by Grant Delbecq: Jean Rissmiller, Bill Brown, Jeff Hancock, and Mark Purdy.
Announcements:
Chuck Bonza said the International Service Committee will meet here after the meeting.
Jean Rissmiller thanked our Club members who volunteered for Autumn Gold, which made a lot more than last year for Sunrise Rotary
Dale Bonza announced that our annual donation program is in force as of today, and can do matching for your personal donations up to $400 per person.
Scott Robbins announced that Coffee Talk will meet this coming Saturday at the Raven at 8.30, and that Fred Thibodeau will be inducted as a member next week.
Jack Ford announced the nominees for officers and directors of the Club, and remarked that we still need nominees for Fundraising Director, Youth Services Director, and Big Duck.
Karol Rinehart said that there will be coffee next week, and thanked the Club for patience with the renovation here.
Happy Money:
Carl is happy that Sarah Walsh is here, that today he's officially on Medicare, that his grandson was nominated to be student of the year at his school, that he won $500 at Autumn Gold, and that he is sitting next to Bill Solms.
Wendy Aschenbach is happy that Bill Smith gave her a ride after the festival.
Annie Slack is happy that her sister won $2,500 at the raffle.
Bill Solms is happy because he sees his friend Jim Whiteneck here, and because Carl is president-elect.
Val Van der Werf is proud of these two for sitting together.
Jack is happy because Sarah's here.
Sarah is happy about the movie Pieowa that's showing one week from today at the Friends of the Library Foundation 40th annual membership meeting, and they're dedicating the evening to Carol Whiteneck. Anyone wanting to RSVP can contact Sarah.
Scott is happy that Lee Lassen did excellent AV training.
Tom Maher is happy to see Jeff Hancock.
Guy is happy for everyone who turned out for our Sunrise Rotary friends.
Program: Rick Life introduced Howell Wright, who presented "The Interesting History of the Rooftop Rodeo".
Howell presenting Guy gives Howell
a Piece of the Rock
Adjournment:
President Guy led the five-way test (number 5 is “is it fun?”) and rang the bell.
Do you know a Club Member who needs assistance? Maybe a ride to meetings, or just a phone call to keep in touch? Please contact Bill Smith 970-420-1033 or billsmithbronx1956@gmail.com.
