Our program this week will highlight the Art Center of Estes Park. Lars Sage, Gallery Manager, will present.
The Art Center of Estes Park was established in 1987 and offers an extensive collection of fine art, including painting, photography, jewelry, ceramics, glass, fiber and woodworking. In addition, the center provides opportunities for education in the visual arts and acts as an advocate and partner for community arts development.
Lars Sage
Born and raised in Connecticut, Sage earned a BA in English and an MFA in Theatre from two schools in North Carolina. His job experiences include being part of establishing a new Job Corps program in New York City, Regional Director for a seasonal farmworkers and migrants organization, House Parent of a group home, county social worker, State Consultant on Child Abuse and Neglect in North Carolina. Other job experiences over the years include, doing subscription work for the only non-profit Broadway theatre company, booking trips to Hawaii for American Express and being self-employed doing home improvements and yard maintenance.
Sage first visited and lived in Estes Park from 1989 to 1992. He returned in 2012. Since moving back, Sage has volunteered for and then was hired by the Cultural Arts Council of Estes Park working there for three years. He spent three years with Earthwood Collections before being hired as Gallery Manager for the Art Center the end of June 2019. Sage was one of the founding organizers and Board member of the Estes Arts District, member of the Board for the Art Center for three years, served on the Board for the Estes Valley Partners for Commerce and presently is a Board member and Vice President of the Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies.
Rotary Clubs unite to support La Puente
Volunteers from the Estes Valley have long supported a nonprofit in the San Luis Valley that provides shelter, childcare, nutrition and various other critical services to over 16,000 residents of this impoverished area. La Puente draws local volunteers to work groups in Alamosa twice a year. Among those volunteers are members of the three Estes Park Rotary clubs.
The shelter’s few professional staff members are supported by volunteers, like those who comprise the work groups from Estes Park. The Estes Park work group trips were started in 2002 by Estes Park Rotarians. One of them made his 40th trip in October 2019. The work trips now occur in June and October, with 15-20 workers on each trip. This group is made up of many Estes residents from the three Estes Rotary clubs, members of the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, as well as other Estes residents. Several volunteers make additional trips to deliver donated food to food pantries. Donated clothing and household furnishings are either given directly to families or are placed in one of the thrift shops where local residents are able to find clothes and household furnishings at reasonable prices. All funds are used in support of the La Puente programs.
The Estes Park Rotary clubs have joined forces to encourage participation in a fundraising event, Simple Suppers for Kids in Distress (SSKIDS) to benefit La Puente. The event will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1800 21st Avenue, Greeley. There is no fee to attend the supper, but generous donations are encouraged.
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church hosts the annual SSKIDS fundraiser to support projects all over the world. Each year the SSKIDS Board selects an organization as the beneficiary of the soup supper. La Puente has been chosen as this year’s beneficiary, specifically the PALS program, an after-school and summer daycare program for kids ages 5-9. See accompanying article for more information on PALS.
The SSKIDS February 25 event will serve up a variety of soups donated by Greeley restaurants as well as desserts provided by community members.
Those unable to attend the supper are invited to send donations to SSKIDS, c/o Greeley Center for Independence, Attention Serita Reddy, 2780 28th Ave., Greeley, CO 80634. Make checks payable to SSKIDS with La Puente on the memo line. SSKIDS is a 501(c)(3) charity.
Matching program supports local non-profits
Recognizing that the Rotarians of The Rotary Club of Estes Park support various local non-profits, the Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation recently conducted a Matching Charitable Donation program. Eligible local non-profit organizations must be a qualified 501(c)(3) and the donations must be used for programs serving Estes Valley residents. The Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation provided a total of $7,445 in matching donations to the organizations listed below based on donations from Rotary Club of Estes Park members.
The recipients of the second round of matching grants are: Angels Above Foundation, Bright Christmas, Crossroads Ministry, Estes Park Health Foundation, Estes Park Learning Place, Estes Park Salud Foundation, Estes Park Museum and Friends Foundation, Estes Valley Crisis Advocates, Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success, Estes Valley Library Friends and Foundation, Estes Valley Land Trust, Estes Valley Watershed Coalition, Healing Waters Foundation, Historic Stanley Home Foundation, Nehemiah Gateway USA, Pet Association of Estes Park, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, Salvation Army (Estes Park Unit), Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church (Community Cafe) and Summit Church.
Buy one at Thursday's meeting!
2020 Rotary Friendship Card available
Estes Park’s $10 local discount card is now available for purchase at the following locations: Estes Park Visitor Center, MacDonald Book Shop, Nicky’s Steak and Seafood House, Quality Inn, Safeway (Guest Services), Rocky Mountain Gateway, and The Village Store at National Park Village. Karen Thompson also will bring cards to this week's club meeting.
The Friendship Card will be valid at more than 70 local businesses, who will offer discounts on food and drink, shopping, entertainment, and services. Friendship Card holders will need to show their card at the business in order to receive the discount. Certain restrictions may apply. Participating merchants will be listed on the Friendship Card’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/EPFriendshipCard/. Printed brochures will be available at locations selling the card, and participating merchants will display the Friendship Card window decal. The 2020 card will be valid from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.
The Friendship Card is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Estes Park. Net proceeds from the sale of the card are used to support the club’s many charitable projects, including but not limited to scholarships and community grants.
The Rotary Club of Estes Park would like to thank the many participating merchants, as this fundraising project would not be possible without each one of them. To become a participating merchant, contact Karen Thompson at epfriendshipcard@gmail.com.
Congratulations, 2019 scholars
Give to our Foundation while you shop!
The Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation is a recipient of funds in the smile.amazon.com. Each order you place will send a portion of the sale to our Foundation. 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.
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