Salida Sunrise Rotary PO Box 1044 Salida, CO 81201 SunriseRotaryofSalida@gmail.com

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It’s a Wrap!

The 10th Anniversary Celebration

& Lucky Ducky Races were a Success!

What a fun afternoon we had on Sunday, August 29th at Riverside Park! The 10th Anniversary Celebration of our Salida Sunrise Rotary Club was truly a celebration of service to our wonderful community! The kids had a great time racing small ducks in gutters and painting rocks and small ducks. Everyone enjoyed the fabulous live music, the amazing performance by the Salida Circus, and meeting with many local non-profit organizations. And of course, we had the Lucky Ducky races in the Arkansas River!

Congratulations to our Lucky Ducky Race winners! At all three levels, the prizes are a scholarship in the business/organization's choice of name during the next school year. First place is a $1500 scholarship, 2nd place is a $1250 scholarship, and 3rd place is a $1000 scholarship.

Silver Sponsors: 1st place – Julie Richardson

2nd place – Chaffee Printing Center

3rd place – Murdoch’s Ranch & Home

Gold Sponsors: 1st place – American Overhead Door

2nd place – Cliff Wurster

3rd place – Mount Princeton Hot Springs

Platinum Sponsors: 1st place – Monarch Manufacturing

2nd place – Adriana De Anda with Pinon Real Estate Group

3rd place – Kate Woolman State Farm

Best Decorated Platinum Duck (determined by a public vote): KW Construction & Restoration

Favorite Youth-Decorated Gold Duck (determined by a panel of judges):

1st place – Mackenzie from Boys & Girls Club of Chaffee County

2nd place – A duck decorated by the team of Scarlett, Tegan, and Curtis from the 4^th grade class at Longfellow

A huge thank you goes to everyone who sponsored a duck and to those who helped make this event happen. We met our goals and generated $19,000, and the Salida Sunrise Rotary Charitable Fund will use the proceeds for scholarships and non-profit grants.

Welcome to our Newest Member

Kate Woolman

We are very excited to welcome Kate Woolman as the newest member to Salida Sunrise Rotary Club. Kate was born and raised in a small-town in Minnesota before moving to Colorado. In September, she and her husband (Chris) and 20 month-old daughter (Madelyn) moved to Poncha Springs.

While in Colorado Springs Kate was a State Farm team member working primarily with business insurance and life insurance needs. Fortunately for Salida and our surrounding areas, she was chosen by State Farm to represent their brand beginning in January, 2021 as an agent.

When asked a little about her background, Kate's response is "[I] have been involved with community Ed programs, instructor for several fun classes for kids 2-13 and was a chaperone on multiple trips; aquatic centers, museums, parks. I taught a range of things from cooking, baking, gymnastics (the kids taught me how to do a cartwheel), Spanish, juggling, bocce-ball, flag football, bike safety, Coached tennis lessons, playground time, bead work, doll-making - etc.

Welcome to Salida Sunrise Rotary Carol Melzer

Carol Melzer and her husband Jim moved from Denver to Salida in 2018. Because they have moved 8 times in their first 20 years of marriage Carol has worn many professional hats over the years. During that time she worked on a Pediatrics floor as a Child Life Worker, worked in a college bookstore, sold Tupperware, sold cable TV, and did medical billing. Her final, and most gratifying professional career was to be an Ultrasound technologist for 10 years, and her only regret was not to have pursued that career earlier in her life!

After several changed plans and cancellations during this last year, they both are ready to get back to traveling and camping and hiking and biking. They are a part of a tandem biking group. Plus, they have created a beautiful yard and garden of their own and kept the Las Colinas neighborhood in shape through road improvements and front entrance plantings.

Carol is active in this community - as treasurer of the Las Colinas Property Owners Association, the Noteables, Peak2Peak Pickleball, Heart of Colorado Weaver’s Guild, Ark Valley Helping Hands, helping with Blue Bird boxes through Parks and Wildlife - and has become proficient with the Ukulele group of Salida.

She will be a strong addition to our club.

Meet Our President Elect Nominee

Stew Pappenfort

Congratulations to our President Elect Nominee (PEN) Stew Pappenfort! Stew will be serving as president of the Salida Sunrise Rotary Club on July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023; however his term on the board of directors will begin in July this year as President-Elect and Chairman of the Membership and Fun Committees.

Stew moved to Salida in 1977 to start a stained glass business; but he soon went to work with River Runner Rafting company first as a guide then as General Manager. In 1995, he became a full time river ranger where for 23 years he was in charge of "law and order" for land and water from Leadville to Pueblo. In 2018, Stew received the honor of being the FIBArk Commodore, an honor of distinction for all his love of the river and what it brings to our valley.

In August, 2018 Stew became a member of the Salida Sunrise Rotary Club. Since he joined, he has played a major role on every committee he has worked with including the Chaffee Home & Garden Show, the Lucky Ducky Race and Junior Achievement.

We are excited to announce Stew's new role as PEN.

A Note From President Cecil Rhodes ...

At last week's meeting, President Cecil gave his "State of the Club" speech. It was so well received that we decided to let you all read what he had to say. We hope you enjoy it too.

State of the Club

We have endured a pandemic for a year and a half. There appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, and life is beginning to return to a semblance of normalcy.

I believe that Salida Sunrise Rotary has done more than just endure. I believe we have a lot to be proud of.

Despite having to cancel our fund raisers, we have acted boldly and wisely to help our community face unprecedented challenges. I want to thank Gary Olson for his leadership during the first 6 months of 2020. We proceeded with our Spring 2020 Scholarships and Community Grants. Additionally, we donated to Robins employees who lost their jobs when Robins had to close. We donated to The Grainery and obtained matching Districts funds to help them keep the food bank open during those early months, and we contributed to Chaffee County Community Fund’s program to supplement the income of those in need in our county.

Welcome to Our Newest Members Rob, Mike & Linda!

Rob Simpson is an avid fly fisher, trail runner, hiker, skier and backpacker, which makes him particularly eager to live and work in the Rocky Mountains. He has already gotten involved with the Salida Sunrise Rotary Club by working on the Scholarship Committee this term.

“I look forward to becoming deeply rooted in the community and being able to stand back 10 years from now to see how CMC has grown to meet the unique needs of Salida and Poncha Springs,” said Simpson.

Michael Verderaime is the Latino and Youth Outreach Coordinator with The Alliance Against Domestic Abuse.

Mike's background is in education and is originally from Colorado having taught school in Colorado Springs for several years. Mike received a college scholarship from Rotary in the past so he has had a long-time association with Rotary.

Mike has signed up to be on the Community Grants committee this year and has done a great job providing input.

Linda Brown has just recently moved here "full time" from the Denver area. She is excited about making Salida her home after travelling to and from Denver for so many years. She is particularly interested in getting involved in our community, and she has had a long history of voluntarism.

She is excited about getting involved with kid's programs and inspiring and mentoring young girls in particular in Leadership roles.

Linda has indicated she may be interested in participating in some fundraising with our club

2020 Year in Review

In March of 2020, the Salida Sunrise and Buena Vista Rotary Clubs celebrated 5 years of sponsoring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Chaffee County. This outstanding program mails a free age-appropriate book to every registered child each month. All children in Chaffee County are eligible from birth until they turn 5 years old.

This program promotes and encourages a love of reading among children and helps ensure that children enter kindergarten with a strong ability to read and an eagerness to learn. It also promotes parent-child interaction and bonding. If a child is registered at birth and remains in the program until he or she turns five, the child will accumulate 60 high quality books.

This program has been very successful in our community. Since our launch, we have mailed over 21,000 books to over 810 children in the Salida School District! Across Chaffee County, almost 33,000 books have been mailed to over 1,200 children.

Service Above Self

We meet In Person & Online

Wednesdays at 7:30 AM

Robin's In Salida Restaurant

8046 US Highway 50
Salida, CO 81201
United States of America

Club meetings may also be held via Zoom. For more information, please contact the Club Administrator

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