Smoky Hill Rotary Club Newsletter Feb. 21, 2026 (Feb. 22, 2026)

Epic Day of Service
Public Safety Field Day- For our Epic Day of Service project, Smoky Hill Rotary is sponsoring, in conjunction with the Aurora Rotary Club, Aurora Fire Rescue and the Aurora Police Department, a free Public Safety Field Day on Saturday, May 16th. This event offers educational and fun activities for families and children. We are also raising funds for a Mobile Fire Safety Trailer that will be used at schools and in the community to teach children how to escape home fires and promote fire prevention strategies. Smoky Hill Rotary’s name will be displayed on this trailer due to the work Smoky Hill Rotarians are doing to achieve this goal. Thanks goes to Rotarian Hugh Radke for his continuing work procuring grants and sponsors. A big shout-out goes to Rotarian Linda Forsythe for chairing the committee that putting on this event. We are asking for Smoky Hill Rotarians to volunteer for the event on May 16th from 10:00-1:00 at the City of Aurora Public Safety Training Center next to Arapahoe Co Fairgrounds. We will have a Smoky Hill Rotary booth to promote not only Smoky Hill but Rotary overall. We also are seeking sponsors/community partners that want to promote their business. A 10x10 event space is a $250 donation. Rotarian donations are also welcome. We are at the half way mark towards the purchase of the fire trailer. Last year we had almost 400 participants and with the addition of the Aurora Police Department, the event should be even bigger this year. Please let Linda Forsythe know if you can volunteer, sponsor an event space, or a make a donation to the mobile fire safety trailer. Proud to be Smoky Hill Rotarians on this Smoky Hill Epic Day of Service project!!

Special Program

March 23rd meeting will be a speaker from the “We Don’t Waste” program which rescues surplus, high quality food from the food industry and redistributes it to food pantries, soup kitchens, and schools. This could be a new, exciting project for Smoky Hill.

Paul Harris Fellow Recognition

Lloyd Gottman and Linda Forsythe presented a speical program at our last meeting. We were all invited to nominate non-Rotarians whose life and service reflect the values of Rotary. They will be made Paul Harris Fellows utilizing individual and club points and the honored at a special lunch on May 11. What a great idea! If you have not already done so, send your nominees to Lloyd and Linda.

Offsite Vistit

From Susan Michalakes- Our next off site visit is coming on February 23rd. We will gather at Gladys at the Edgewater Public Market located just West of Sloans Lake. 20th & Depew. Hot off the presses - the chefs of Gladys, Chef Dave Grant and Chef Rocky Hunter are 2026 James Beard semifinalists as Best Chefs in the Mountain Category! Be sure to respond to the invite - bring a friend - but we are limited to 30 participants. We'll learn a bit about vegan cuisine and enjoy some of their most popular items. We'll gather at our usual time of 11:45.

Ronald McDonald House

Volunteers needed for Ronald MacDonald House on Wednesday, April 8th from 4:00-8:00. We cook dinner for about 40 residents.
Join us for this extremely rewarding project. Let Linda Forsythe know if you are able to volunteer.

Zelle is NOW active:

If you want to use Zelle to pay your monthly dues, you can now do so! Go into your bank account and either under “Transfers” or “Zelle” you should have the ability to Send money using the Smoky Hill email: smokyhillrotary@outlook.com

Board Members for 2025-26 Rotary Year

Gary Frisch- President

Linda Forsythe-President-Elect & Secretary

Jeff Kaes- Treasurer

Bev Edwards- International Chair

Lloyd Gottman- Foundation Chair

Craig Essex- Youth Services Chair

Hugh Radke- Community/Vocational Chair

Clay Fell- Club Services Chair

Invocation:

February 23 Paul Urtz

March 9 Clay Fell

March 23 Susan Michalakes

Birthdays and Anniversaries:

Anniversary-Susan & Ted Michalakes-Feb 24

Birthday-Susan Michalakes-Feb. 26

CLUB CALENDAR