Marcy Guthrie, Gardnerville Elementary Principal with Minden Rotary President Graham Rogney

{Editor's note:  a special thank you to Whitney Bullion for taking notes at the meeting and creating the content for this newsletter this week!}

Our speaker this week was Marcy Guthrie, the principal of Gardnerville Elementary School (GES).  Marcy has served as an educator for the past 33 years.  She loves children and enjoys serving them, their families, and the school's educational staff.  Marcie has taught middle school general and special education, was a coach of students and teachers and an elementary administrator in three schools now.  She was also an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction and a Superintendent for 10 years - 8 years in El Dorado County and Mother Lode Union School District and 2 years in Madera County at Chawanakee Union School District.  She has a Doctorate degree.

Marcy described some of the special programs at GES:

• WIN time - what you need time for students, program involves all staff and allows children to be met where they need it. 

• SALT - student ambassador leadership team, a group of 4/5 graders who help plan events, assemblies, provide services and partner with parent group for fundraising. They are also actively creating co-curricular activities where students leave the school to attend things like band, and clubs. 

   

  Marcy will provide dates for assemblies and fund raisers - she will email Pat to provide the club with this information.

Marcy and her husband have owned property in Douglas County since 2016 and moved here when she accepted the Principal position at GES.

News update on inbound exchange student (Dani) from Italy 

Update from host mom Whitney:  On August 29th, we did the concert in the park, and she helped with the rotary hot dog stand. She loved the music and had fun. We went to Blue Lakes over Labor Day weekend and had fun in the cold water. Dani also came with me both days of the Douglas County rodeo, volunteering in the VIP dinner area and then breaking away to watch all the events. She had a great time with friends Friday, enjoyed all the festivities and the concert after. Saturday, we watched the motocross together and concert and went home well after 1100 pm. Sunday we relaxed at potholes past Kirkwood and she got to hike a little up there which was a lot of fun. She is enjoying all the outdoor activities and school. She has changed classes a couple of times to be more accommodating to her needs and skills. Dani and I looked through rotary trips for 2025-2026 and are coming up with a plan to raise $3000 for her to do an east coast adventure visiting some amazing cities, ending in Disney world! 

Update from Dani: School is going well, now I'm starting to understand English better so I can follow a little better even if sometimes I'm behind. The differences are many, probably everything haha. In Italy I study more subjects and I only have one class with several professors for each subject. I'm studying new things here and it's very interesting. I'm also getting to know a few people even if sometimes in group work I feel a little "excluded" but I think it's normal because I can't keep up with everyone else.

The Rotary Club of Minden is happy to welcome the following new members:

• Ric Casper is a graduate from Carson City High (but is quick to add his 3 kids all graduated from Douglas High).  He attended BYU as an undergraduate and Yale Law School.  He worked for the US Attorney's office for 4 years before coming back home and working for the Douglas County District Attorney's Office
• Loral Langemeier from Live Out Loud Publishing.  Loral has 2 kids (Logan age 25 and Tristan age 18).  She is a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan, has an MA from Omaha and is a writer.  AND she's dating President Graham.
• Eric Barter from Bad Boys Bail Bonds (Past President from the Rotary Club of Arcadia) .  Craft talk was given at the 9-4-25 Rotary meeting:  Eric has a long history in Rotary as his dad was President of the Arcadia club in 1937.  In 1891, Eric's grandfather started Homen's Grocery Story.  Eric continued in the retail path at places like Gottschalks and Emporium Capwell.  When Emporium's went out of business, he joined a bail bonds business his nephew had started.  It was at this point that he got back involved in Rotary.  He was President of the club in 2005.  One of the projects he is most proud of is the wheelchair project in Tijuana, Mexico in honor of each week's speaker.  He had throat cancer the year he was President - talk about overcoming obstacles and dedication to Rotary!  
• Daniel Crawford, sponsored by Howard Vipperman.. It was said he is the first native American to become a member in the Rotary Club of Minden. He is a Douglas County native, spent time in Diamond Valley, graduated from school in Douglas, serves on the tribal council, works for TANIF as the project and resource specialist, and attended Kanas tribal school.

We look forward to hearing the rest of the craft talks soon and getting to know you better!

New member Daniel Crawford!

10/11 Carson Valley Health Fair - two shifts need 7-10 for a breakfast station and a water station for the run.  

10/18 Paint the Town Pink - shifts are 7-10 hosted by Main Street Gardnerville.  Volunteers are needed to register and hand out metals.

10/23 GES Fun Run

11/6-8 VOLUNTEERS Needed for the FERRIS 50 Endurance Run Sign UP Here

11/7 District Foundation Dinner at the Atlantis Casino, 6pm  Register HERE

11/8 Rotary Clubs in Action Leadership Workshop  Register HERE

12/5 - Heritage Park Gazebo Lighting - need volunteers to serve hot cocoa and cake - more information to come

12/6 - Parade of Lights - we will put together a float (western theme) - more information to come

12/12 FOOD DRIVE – 2 Share your Christmas Food Drive all day at the Carson Valley Inn. 

12/13 Wreath Across America at Buckeye and Douglas County Cemetaries.  Includes a ceremony for Veterans and wreaths placed on gravestones.

12/20 and 12/21 - Project Santa Claus - more information to come

5/1-5/3/26 District Conference at Grand Sierra Casino.  Register HERE

5/16/26 RC Minden's 5th Annual Giving Cup @ Genoa Lakes

6/9/26 RC Minden's 100 Year Anniversary Celebration @ CVI

October 9 - Grant Award Recipients and Ashley Mitchell from Douglas County School District

October 16 - Samantha Brown (RYE Outbound student 2024-25 regarding her trip to Sweden)