Pagosa Springs Rotary ClubInvocation: Art Benzel: “Rotary starts with friendships. In Rotary there are no strangers only friends we have not yet met. The action plan is to shake the hand of somebody you have not met yet and we can go on with the meeting”.
Song: Sharon Crump “The Happy Wanderer”
Exchange student report: Kata stated that she has a soccer game today and tomorrow. She invited members to come and watch. She was asked what position that she plays, and she answered defense.
President Shellie introduced three very special people that participated in the Ice Melt contest. They were Al Myatt who was the second-place winner of $500 and club photographer for the event, Jere Hill the third-place winner of $250 who is a previous Pagosa Springs Rotary Club member for 25 years and past president, and Brent Bailey the grand prize winner of $1000.00. At this point the winners went up front for photos and a formal presentation of wins by Larry McClintock and Allen Roth. Brent Bailey stated that he was donating $200 of his winnings back to Rotary. President Shellie stated that this Ice Melt contest will be repeated next year. Total proceeds were about $3000.
Announcements: David Campbell made some comments about rotary membership. He encouraged everyone to always check-in upon entering the meeting so that you are not listed as absent on the weekly attendance report. If you attend a rotary meeting somewhere else be sure and give the attendance document to him. He also announced the mini-orientation meeting next week on April 24 for Julie Walters and Pat Tackett. Lastly, Dave stated that members who are on leave-of-absence still need to pay rotary dues.
Pat Day introduced her daughter Kathleen McFadden and Frank Estes for the third and last time as applicants for membership.
Joe Bridges announced the tragic accidental death of a long time Rotary supporter Monk Tarbel and the injury of his partner Carla Evans. Carla is being released from the hospital today but will be a Pine Ridge Nursing home for a while in recovery. A card was circulated for Carla.
Livia Lynch announced that the rotary Scholarship Committee met recently and reviewed 21 applicants. On May 2 winners will be announced. The Scholarship Foundation netted another $10000 donation recently making a total of about $37000 available for scholarship awards.
Shellie announced the second rotary meeting for Dr. Rhonda Webb as a corporate membership. Dr. Webb announced that there is a Business After Hours event next Wednesday at Pagosa Springs Medical Center.
Cindi Galabota announced that RYLA applications are due tomorrow and that ESL classes are starting at Ruby Sisson public library on May 1.
David Smith reported that he attended an International Service meeting last Saturday in Montrose. Discussions included global grants and the deep well project in Vienna, Austria that received a $3000 donation from our district. An email response was received from Vienna that they are willing to donate $3000 to a project supported by our district.
Georgette Baumgardner brought attention to the “big event” this Saturday which is the Gary Morris Concert. She solicited help with concessions. She expects that we will have a “big turn-out” for the concert. She encourages anyone who have not sold their tickets to turn them in so that they can be sold by others and at the door.
Kim Moore stated that she will be arriving at Pagosa High School at 5:15 pm Saturday to set up for concession sells and that she will need help. Those cooking brownies and cookies should have them there by 6:30 pm.
Lisa Scott announced that our club has been assigned an exchange student for next year. It’s a boy from Spain and his name is Jaime. He will be arriving June 16. He plays tennis, soccer and he skis. His Sister did a Rotary exchange last year in the US and his father is a Rotarian.
Lisa also announced a 4-H paper shredding day on May 8 from 4-6 pm. For $5 they will shred a whole box of paper.
Joe Bridges extended sincere gratitude to Georgette Baumgardner and her family for the Back Pack Program fund raiser. There was applause and cheers from the membership.
SUNSHINE AND FLOWERS: Betty Switzer made us aware that she was gone for three weeks and that she is back. She stated, “I bet you have some pinned up sunshine and flowers that you wanted to wait to share when I was here”.
Georgette’s sunshine was that “I think we are going to hit our goal for the Gary Morris concert.
Betty and Jeff sunshine was that “we are not in Arkansas”.
Bill Darling’s sunshine was that he is 1 year out from his stem cell transplant and doing so well that he will be getting a new series of immunizations soon to improve his immune status.
Diane Bower talked of her recent return from Hawaii with her husband and a friend couple. That friend wife has pancreatic cancer with a prognosis of about 3 months. The night before they were to fly back home, Diane’s husband got the stomach flu. He was seen at the emergency room and was admitted to the hospital overnight. They had a flight back home the next day which they made but he continued to have symptoms for several days but has improved.
Sharon Carter’s sunshine was for her niece that will be graduating from medical school this May with a GPA of 3.7.