Cousins Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels piloted a single piston-engine airplane around the world in 2023 to raise awareness and money for Rotary’s End Polio Now program. The flight took 90-days, made 37 landings in 19 countries, and involved 24 fundraisers. Only 702 pilots in history have ever achieved this feat, and less than 270 are alive today!
Both Peter and John are longtime Rotarians and members of the International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians. They are both recipients of Rotary’s two highest honors, “Service Above Self”, and the “Service Award for A Polio Free World”. As pilots, they have qualified for the prestigious Circumnavigator Diploma from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.
Peter and John departed Cedar Rapids, Iowa on May 5, 2023 in their 1977 Cessna T210M airplane, and successfully returned home 90-days later on July 30.
Our program on October 17th will be held in person, but a Zoom link will be provided.
RSVP to Karol: kj.rinehart@aol.com before 12 noon, Tuesday.
Update from President Anne Slack
In the Membership Satisfaction Survey, one of the responses was from a member who wished for fewer requests for contributions to Rotary. When I was Membership Chair several years ago, I asked Peter Hondius if he would like to come back to the Club. His response was, “All they want is my money”. I was sad to hear that.
A member only needs to give what he/she feels comfortable contributing. BUT it must be remembered that all the good Rotary does around the world comes from members contributing. Rotary does so many things with our money that are life-changing:
Success in controlling polio;
Education of women in 3rd world countries to learn a skill so that they can earn a living;
Contribution of bicycles to third-world countries so children can get to school and learn;
The program run by the nurse from Lander, Wyoming, to teach a core group of nurses in Rwanda how to detect rheumatic heart disease to save lives;
Many programs to promote peace, provide assistive devices and clean water, and help with disaster relief.
Where does this money come from? It comes from Paul Harris Award donations. In our Club we are starting toward 100% Paul Harris Fellows of our members. Paula Edwards and Ron Gordon compose this team which was approved by the Board in July. What they will be doing is contacting members and asking if they want to contribute money to becoming a Paul Harris Fellow. If they do, the Club will match their contribution with points 2 for 1. If we can have every member achieve a Paul Harris Award between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, we will become 100% Paul Harris.
A Paul Harris Award comes from a $1,000 donation. If a member donates $350 and receives a 2-for-1 match, that member would receive their Paul Harris Award plus have $50 toward their next Paul Harris Award. How are we doing it? For every $1 given toward Paul Harris, you receive a point. Give $1,000, get 1,000 points. Those points can only be given away. The member cannot use it on themselves. We have members who have accumulated thousands of points and through their generosity, this team has permission to give those points away. That is how, if you donate $350, they can give you enough additional points to reach $1,000 for a Paul Harris Award with a 2-for-1 match.
Not only does Rotary International benefit from the money for its many projects, but our Club gets credit and recognition for these contributions at the District level for matching grants. Be sure to visit with Paula and Ron when they call you. At the same time help our Club be eligible for bigger and better matching grants.
Until next time
Annie
Rotary Annual Meeting Notes 2024
President Anne Slack called the meeting to order.
Invocation by Madison Casey.
Annie led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Guests of Rotarians
Neil Standard from Gilpin County, Blackhawk.
Online today: Paula Edwards and Longley Parker.
President’s Remarks:
This is the annual meeting required by our bylaws. Normally we would also read the slate of officer and board nominees for next year. We do have a slate of nominees except still open is the one for President Elect. Rotary International rules say the slate must be complete before reading. Therefore, this is on hold and Annie has asked District how to proceed. They suggest offering the alternative of co-presidents to ease the burden and that is all they can give us. So please, we need people to step up to lead our club.
Financial Reports:
Gregg Jurgens gave the Treasurer’s Report.
Scott Robbins gave the Big Duck Report for 2023-2024.
Scott Thompson gave the Big Duck Report for 2024-2025.
President Anne Slack gave the Survey Results.
Jim Whiteneck gave the Foundation Report.
Committee Reports:
Tara Moenning gave the Fund Development Report.
Scott Robbins gave the Membership Report.
Beth Weisberg gave the Community Services Report.
Anna Weddle gave the Youth Services/Interact Report.
Jack Boatman gave the International Services Report
Jim Austin gave the Documentation Report.
Scott Thompson gave the Duck Race Report.
Karen Thompson gave the Friendship Card Report, and made an appeal for people to help contacting businesses to ensure they will still honor Friendship cards.
Community Service Committee on Thursday, October 17 at 1:00 p.m.
There will be a Community Service Committee meeting this Thursday, 10/17/24, at 1:00 pm at the Legion, right after the regular noon Rotary meeting. We will be considering 1) donating again this year to Blue Santa, the EP Police Auxiliary's program; and 2) funding the request from High School CTE head teacher Erica Davis described below.
Erica Davis, head of the Career and Technical Education ("CTE") program at Estes Park High School, has come to us with a project request -- some of the CTE students at EP High School want to build a retaining wall at the Middle School, to prevent further hillside erosion at the Middle School and mud that slides onto the sidewalk whenever it rains. The High School CTE students would get real world construction experience, and the Middle School would have an important improvement. There are no funds in the school budget for this project.
Erica has provided a detailed project description which Beth emailed to all Community Service Committee members last week. Total cost of the project (which is for materials -- timber, timber locks, and rebar from Park Supply, and fill dirt from High Plains Excavation) is $3,229.62. Erica is trying to see if these vendors will reduce their prices, but so far this is what it will cost.
Our Projects funds account currently has $12,845.62. This needs to last us until June 30, 2024, and it can be used for international or youth services projects, as well as local Estes Park community service projects. Longley says the money in Projects funds is available first come first served, but we usually fund the EVICS bilingual kindergarten program for between $1,300 - $2,500 (depending on how much of a District fund match we can get) ever year (so may want to earmark that amount of money), and Jim Jonell has said that our club may be sending an Estes Park student on an overseas year, which presumably our club would share the costs of with Sunrise. He doesn't know for sure if that is happening or how much that would cost. Amaro Tan in Albania, and the Ecuador Water Project, are already funded, so the $12,845,62 is our balance above and beyond those two international projects.
All feedback and input is needed to discuss, and vote on, these two projects, so please attend the CSC meeting on Thursday if you can. If you can't be there but want to weigh in, please email Beth with your thoughts, questions, or proxy, at weisberg.family@verizon.net .
Come Help Set Out Pumpkins
at EP Elementary School!
Friday, October 25, will be Noon Rotary's annual Pumpkin Distribution Day at Estes Park Elementary School. All club members are invited to show up at the school at 8:15 a.m. that day, to help set up 510 pumpkins in the school's parking lot like a pumpkin patch. Then, feel free to stay and watch as the children come out class by class to choose their own free pumpkins to take home.
Safeway is donating the pumpkins, and Rotarian Sue Fereday will deliver them from the Safeway to the school in her flatbed truck. No need to RSVP or register, just show up and help with this fun event.
Our collection to buy Christmas presents for our "adopted" Bright Christmas family this year will continue through October. How large of a family we can "adopt" will depend on how much money we have collected by October 31.
For anyone still wanting to donate, donations in any amount are appreciated. Cash or checks are welcome. If writing a check, please make it payable to Rotary Club of Estes Park, and be sure to write "Bright Christmas family" in the subject memo line. Please give all donations to Gregg Jurgens.
To all who have already donated so generously, thank you!
Thank you for the card filled with signatures and well wishes. Knowing you are thinking of me means a lot. I'm thinking of you, too, and remembering fondly my years in Rotary.
I’ll have my second immunotherapy treatment on October 16th, and hope it goes as smoothly as the first.
With gratitude,
Wayne
CTE Auto Shop Visit
PICS ADDED
A snippit from the Middle School Newsletter:
On Wednesday Chuck Bonza brought in his all original 1941 Pontiac Woodie, 1 of 9 left in the United States, to talk about the vehicle and its history. 2 students got to start the car, but first they had to find the starter button which turns out to be a pedal to the right of the gas pedal. All students got to go inside it, hear it run and look it over from top to bottom. Chuck also let [the author] take it for a spin around Estes Park. Every Wednesday, weather permitting, we will be having a car enthusiast from Estes Park bring in their classic or sports car.
(Note: The second photo in the Auto Shop also shows the tool chest that we helped purchase for the Auto shop.)
Students seeing the Woodie Chuck and students
in the Auto Shop
President Elect Nominee Needed Now
for 2026-2027
Contact Jack Ford or Carl Robicheaux or Annie Slack
Double Your Donation to Your Favorite Local Charity!
2024 Matching Charitable Donation Program - Ends Nov. 7
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 $300 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 November 7, 2024.
The Foundation will be providing matching donations to any 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 at the weekly club meetings. You will also be receiving an email with the application form attached.
NOTE: Since this is the last week, if you plan to mail in your donation please email Jack Boatman so we know it is coming in the mail.
If you have any questions, please contact or email Jack Boatman (email: http://jack.boatman7@gmail.com / Telephone: 832-623-5647)
Subject: 'Undivide Us' screening/discussion October 30
In my role as Civic Engagement Librarian, I'm writing to invite you and other Noon Rotary members to a free screening of the documentaryUndivide Us, followed by a community discussion, on Wednesday, October 30, from 5:30-8:30 PM at the Estes Park Museum. We'll provide dinner, and following the film, we'll hold a discussion led by Dr. Martín Carcasson, Director of the Colorado State University Center for Public Deliberation. As its creators write, Undivide Us challenges the idea that citizens who disagree are not capable of civil conversation, and demonstrates the truth that, even in our differences, the American experiment is still alive and well.
The Library, in collaboration with the Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership, is bringing this program to the Estes Valley as part of our Community Conversations program, which seeks to build capacity for local problem-solving by bringing people together across differences to listen to each other and look for common ground. In the coming months and throughout 2025, we'll be holding workshops and facilitating conversations around challenging community issues, and we thought this screening/discussion would be a great way to kick that process off.
As someone who leads an organization that serves the community and fosters connection, we thought you might be interested in a discussion around holding respectful conversations without giving up our positions on the issues. If that does sound appealing, we'd love it if you could join us for the event and share it with your membership. Folks can learn more and register here, and I'm happy to answer questions or provide additional information (ewhite@estesvalleylibrary.org / 970-586-8116 x832).
Join Us October 25 visiting
Restoration Ranch - Colorado
9 AM - 4 PM
Restoration Ranch Colorado, a 501(c)(3), provides recreation, respite, and vacation opportunities to emergency communication specialists (dispatchers), fire/EMS, law enforcement including Department of Corrections and park rangers, ED/ICU personnel, victims’ advocates, members of the judiciary, and their families.
Let me know if you would like to join us. Right now 9 people are going, 7 from Sunrise Rotary and 2 from our Rotary. There are 15 spots available. Steve and Kaylyn Kruger will host us, providing lunch as well as tours of their hiking trails.
Our purpose is to assess if we want to contribute to their project.
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.
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