Your club is back at Nicky's! You can come to Nicky's for lunch and our meeting, or you can participate by clicking on the Zoom link to participate remotely. So, the choice of how to attend is yours.
If you're going to join the group at Nicky's you will need to R.S.V.P. to Karol at kj.rinehart@centurylink.net BEFORE 5 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 8). This will be the "drill" going forward, so remember to R.S.V.P. to Karol before Tuesday at 5 p.m. every week we meet. Attendance at Nicky's is limited to 25, food will be served rather than a buffet, price is still $15. Those attending must have a meal. Please arrive as close to 11:30 as possible so meals can be served before the meeting begins.
Update from President Bill Solms
What a great visit via Zoom by our District Governor! Chris Woodruff attended both our Board meeting and our regular meeting last week. We are truly blessed to have such a talented and dedicated leader in our midst. We all sang praises for Rick Taylor who has tirelessly contacted, scheduled, supplied biographical information for introductions, and otherwise kept the necessary records for our meeting speakers. The majority of us do not see the need for a "speakers' committee," but there are some in our Club who are interested in sharing their contacts and resources to organize such a committee that would serve us all in positive ways. Should this group take on some volunteers, they will be looking for preferences we all might have for subject matters or topics. While Rick does not want to be on a "committee," he is enthusiastic about taking speaker contacts and suggestions from such a group or from anyone else who sends speaker information his way. It is my desire as President to encourage all of our members to contribute to the Club in their own ways not only to stay connected to the Club but also to each other and to our community. A special thanks to Rick for what he does and his willingness to encourage all of us to make our speaker programs the best they can be!!
Bill Solms
Posted by Rita DuChateau
This week's program
Learn about LaPuente's work and mission
This week's program will be presented by Lance Cheslock and Shanae Diaz from La Puente in Alamosa, Colorado. Cheslock is the executive director and Diaz is the volunteer coordinator director. They will present on Zoom. Click this link to join the program before noon. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7985707369. Zoom Host Scott Thompson will invite you to join the meeting.
Our club has donated to LaPuente and several club members are regular volunteers at the Alamosa facility in the San Luis Valley. The vast and isolated region of the state experiences national high rates of poverty. Poverty begets hunger, homelessness and other crises that destabilize families. La Puente is the Alamosa community's response to address the effects of poverty by providing a safety net of services where individuals and families get what they need to stabilize, heal, strengthen and ultimately thrive. La Puente offers a network of services that include: an emergency shelter/soup kitchen, a food bank plus 14 pantries throughout the San Luis Valley, housing supportive services, youth stabilization services, homeless prevention and crisis intervention resources, street outreach, social enterprises and so much more.
"Our club has supported La Puente with grants and assistance including service visits from club members," said Bruce Brown, one of the volunteers from our club. "La Puente's newest initiative is geared towards serving the most vulnerable in the community, the unsheltered homeless who are not actively seeking resources and are living on the streets, in abandoned houses and along riverbanks."
Lance Cheslock
Cheslock has served as the executive Director of La Puente since 1989. He is a strong advocate who believes in sharing the story and dynamic of the silent epidemic of rural homelessness, in Colorado and nationally. He loves listening to the stories of those who experience and overcome homelessness and has enjoyed many adventures going undercover to stay in homeless shelters throughout the United States and abroad.
Based on our current active and honorary membership, we could have additional sales of:
70X2=140 (Members)
70x4= 280 (Friends/family)
_____________________
Total: 420
Are you on Facebook? Post something today to encourage your friends and family to adopt a duck.
Send an email to your friends and acquaintances to make them aware that the Duck Race is still happening.
Not feeling creative? You can copy/paste this:
This year’s Virtual Estes Park Duck Race on Saturday, Sept. 19 will not take place in the familiar venues, but will deliver all the excitement that comes with a traditional race. All you need to do is adopt a duck online at epduckrace.org and then tune in to Channel 8-The Rocky Mountain Channel to view a virtual race proDUCKtion. The Rocky Mountain Channel’s free app can be downloaded at the App Store or Google Play. All broadcast links will be available at epduckrace.org.
The broadcast will begin at 11 a.m. with a Pre-Flight Show featuring interviews, clips from historic footage, and appearances by mascot Lucky Duck and ‘Big Duck’ Karen Thompson, the leader of the 2020 flock. At 12:40 p.m., the broadcast will go live from the studios of Channel 8. You can adopt ducks right up until 1 p.m. Shortly after 1 p.m., watch the exciting Tail Spin, the live reveal of the top prize winners.
Major prizes and over 400 Duck Bucks certificates for local merchants will be awarded. All winners’ names will be posted on the Duck Race website on race day, at epduckrace.org. Winners also will be notified by email. Major Prizes include:
Cash Prizes: $2,000 and $1,000
Travel Prizes: Pine Lodge on Whitefish River near Glacier National Park, Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone National Park, and Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite National Park. All travel prizes are three-night accommodations for two people. Travel prizes, which have expiration dates well into 2022, include extras that vary between resorts. Delaware North, the lodging and concession corporation that includes the Ridgeline Hotel in Estes Park, generously donated the travel prizes.
To adopt a duck or a flock, visit epduckrace.org/adopt-ducks/ and choose a Participating Organization to receive $19 of each adoption fee.
September 3, 2020 Meeting Notes
President Bill opened the meeting at noon and gave the following announcements from the board meeting:
District Governor Chris attended the board meeting and will address the club today.
Two new member applications were approved.
The board would like a speaker committee formed...after discussion, the club decided Rick would continue doing the outstanding job he has been doing without a committee.
Tom Gardner will be serving as a trustee on the Foundation Board.
Tom Maher gave the invocation, followed by a song and the Pledge of Allegiance. There were no visiting guests. Visiting Rotarians were Bill Kehl from the Greeley club and David and Lisa from San Antonio, TX. Scott gave the joke of the day.
Program
President Bill introduced District Governor Chris who gave an overview of district goals, priorities and strategic plans for 2020-2021. He announced the District Assembly will be a virtual Meeting on 10/11/2020...information to follow.
Following our speaker, President Bill asked for Happy Money
Scott Thompson gave kudos to Rick for his excellent job as program chair.
Jennifer was happy to have their San Antonio friends visiting.
Jim Whiteneck is happy that Beth Weisberg agreed to chair the Community Service Committee.
Tom Maher is happy he will be able to attend our meetings from Green Valley, AZ via Zoom.
Karen Thompson is happy duck adoptions are coming in...the top three are: Knights of Columbus, Crossroads and our Rotary Foundation.
The meeting was concluded by presenting DG Chris with his second “piece of the rock” and reciting the 4-way test.
Dana Fritz, scribe
Member Spotlight - Bill Smith
Each week our Spoke is profiling a member of our Club in order to get to know them better and stay connected through these socially distant times.
Bill Smith
I was born in New York City in 1956. My family moved to Long Island in the 1960’s. I attended kindergarten in the Bronx, then St. Joseph’s School, Kings Park High School and SUNY at Farmingdale Mortuary Science School, all on Long Island. I worked at Clayton Funeral Home in Kings Park from 1971 to 1981, moved to Colorado and worked at Goodrich Mortuary from 1981 to 1986, when I moved to Estes Park and have worked here since. I also joined The Rotary Club of Estes Park in 1986. I had been interested in Rotary since knowing co-workers that were members. I belong to Presbyterian Community Church of the Rockies where I am Chairman and Manager of the Church’s Columbarium Committee. I have three Children and four grandchildren and would be happy to show you pictures of them all. I enjoy my Family, Rocky Mountain National Park and traveling.
Board approves two membership applications
At the Tuesday, Sept. 1, meeting, the club board reviewed and voted to approve applications from prospective members Jim Scritchfield and Michelle Mann. According to club bylaws, if there are no objections within seven days of publication, the applicants shall be considered elected to membership. Here is a brief summary of each applicant. For more information or to make a comment, contact President Bill or Membership Chair Anne Slack..
Jim Scritchfield:
I was installed into the Rotary back in December last year. I was asked to be a Co-Sheriff for the Duck Race and things were going well. Coronavirus closed things down in Feb/Mar. I started working at the Post Office in May but was unable to attend any of the zoom meetings due to my schedule. At that time it was determined that I could no longer be of service to the club and they removed me from the active member roster. I left the PO position due to needing surgery in Aug. Since then I have contacted Bill Solms re: returning to be an active member. I am waiting for my surgery on the 15th so my availability will be very limited for a while. I look forward to returning and serving where needed.
Jim Scritchfield
Michelle Mann has worked in the international world of non-profits for over 30 years. Her specialty is organizational development and the establishment of accounting and internal control systems for non-governmental organizations. Widely traveled and having lived abroad for a number of years in various countries including Albania, Germany and lndia, she is experienced in public speaking in multilingual settings and is able to bring business skills into culturally diverse settings. Whether through teaching accounting skills in a mud and grass hut in South Sudan, training entrepreneurial leaders in the mountains of North lndia or reviewing non-profit practices in the Balkans, she seeks to help enterprises and leaders grow in integrity, transparency and effectiveness as they serve their local communities and society. Michelle also teaches as a guest lecturer at Nehemiah Gateway University in Pogradec, Albania. It was during her years in Albania in the late '90s where she was first introduced to the expanding and impactful work of Nehemiah Gateway.
She is married to Doug Mann, Past President of the club. She has three children: Andrew, Abigail and Elly.
Michelle Mann
Posted by Rita DuChateau
Friendship Card 2021 -
Help needed for merchant calls, photo contest
Have you noticed that a certain club member is wearing three hats these days? You know the one. She's Big Duck 2020, the Financial Development Director, and the Friendship Card developer/coordinator/marketer. Yes, it's Karen Thompson, and folks, she's asking for your help.
The successful club fundraiser, the Friendship Card, will expire at the end of December. A new one needs to be prepared for sale and distribution.
The first order of business will be calling the current merchants (75) that are in the Friendship Card program to see if they want to continue in 2021 and if there are changes to their discounts or offers.
The second task will be to coordinate a photo contest to select the 2021 design.
Karen needs a total of 10 volunteers to make phone calls. The photo contest could be handled by one person and a small committee of judges.
Interested? Contact Karen at skksthomp@msn.com
Meet our 2020 Scholars
Galileo DuMont, Academic Scholarship
Biology/Chemistry/Pre-Med, St. Olaf College
Meghan Frey, Academic Scholarship
Nursing, University of Wyoming
Sage Shumate, Academic Scholarship
Criminology, Boston University
Paulina Tapia Bernal, Stanley Hotel Scholarship
Human Nutrition & Food Science, Colorado State University
Esabella Burkhardt, Carver Family Scholarship
Psychology/Liberal Arts, Front Range Community College
Jennifer Johnson, Lynn Coffman Scholarship
Business, University of Colorado - Boulder
Noel Villanueva, Brunson/Thorp Scholarship
Business Administration Management, University of Wyoming
Aubrey Kinley, Ron L. Kuhns Scholarship
Agricultural Business, Texas A+M University College Station
Matthew Turner, Brian Archibald Scholarship
Associate Degree in Art, Aims Community College
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.
.png)
.png){kind=small}
