Exciting days are ahead for our club’s Rotary Youth Exchange program as we prepare to welcome a new inbound student to Pagosa Springs and send one of our own local students on an adventure abroad.
Aron Engelsz
Welcome to Pagosa Springs, Aron!
Our 2026-27 inbound Rotary Youth Exchange student is Aron Engelsz, a 17-year-old from Sződliget, Pest, Hungary, a community north of Budapest along the eastern bank of the Danube River.
Aron will arrive in Pagosa Springs on Aug. 24 and will attend his first Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs meeting on Thursday, Aug. 27. He will then join the rest of District 5470’s inbound exchange students for orientation in Durango Aug. 28-30 before beginning school on Aug. 31.
Bellina family
Aron’s first host family will be the Bellina family: Stewart and Dave, along with their children Noah and Camille. Stewart is principal of the San Juan Mountain School, Dave is a contractor, Noah is an 11th-grader and Camille is in eighth grade.
The Bellinas are already experienced Rotary Youth Exchange hosts, having opened their home to Wennei, and they are excited to welcome another exchange student into their family.
Be sure to give Aron a warm Pagosa Springs Rotary welcome when you meet him on Aug. 27!
Marcy Barnas Heads to Japan
While we welcome Aron to Colorado, Marcy Barnas is preparing for her own Rotary Youth Exchange adventure.
Marcy will depart for Japan at the end of August and has been assigned to the Kyoto, Nara, Fukui and Shiga region, an area that includes 94 Rotary clubs.
Over the coming year, she will have the opportunity to immerse herself in Japanese culture, attend school, live with host families and build friendships that reach far beyond Pagosa Springs.
Youth Exchange is one of Rotary’s most powerful ways of building international understanding, one student and one friendship at a time. We look forward to following both Aron’s and Marcy’s adventures during the year ahead!
A Pagosa Springs tradition is returning for its 11th year!
The 11th Annual Jewels & Jeans Barn Dance will be held Saturday, October 24, at the Archuleta County Fairgrounds Extension Building. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with live music and dancing to Vanishing Breed from 7 to 10 p.m.
Enjoy a silent auction, cash bar and an optional $25 barbecue dinner from Chef’s Custom Cuisine. Proceeds support Rotary projects that feed, educate and strengthen our community.
Dust off your boots, round up your friends and purchase your tickets today!
Frank Wiley has once again stepped up to lead our club’s participation in the 4th Annual Free Community Pancake Breakfast, presented in collaboration with Vets4Vets of Archuleta County. This is in conjunction with the “Young Eagles Fly-In” at Stevens Field Airport, 777 County Road 600.
Join us Sunday, September 13, from 8 to 11 a.m. for a morning of flipping pancakes, building community and supporting local veterans and youth.
Breakfast is free to the community, although donations are gratefully accepted to support Vets4Vets and Rotary Club programs.
Watch for volunteer opportunities. There will be plenty of pancakes, fellowship and spatulas to go around!
The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs along with Pagosa Mountain Rotary are preparing to welcome veterans to our community August 25, 26 and 27 for a few days of fishing, outdoor activities and fellowship.
The program, coordinated by Eagle Rest Reserve in partnership with the Fort Worth VA and other organizations, uses fishing and outdoor experiences to help veterans build community, strengthen resilience and rediscover a sense of connection and belonging.
Volunteers & Fishing Access Needed
Because of low water levels in our rivers, Rotarian and event coordinator Stan Zuege is looking for some creative Pagosa hospitality to help make the veterans’ visit memorable.
If you have a boat or access to a lake in the Pagosa Lakes area and would be willing to take veterans fishing, please contact Stan at (970) 759-0481.
Other outdoor opportunities are welcome, too! If you have an ATV, would like to take veterans fishing at Williams Creek Reservoir, or have another outdoor experience you could share, Stan would love to hear from you.
Our club will also provide dinner for the veterans at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, August 27, at 303 Butte Drive. Kim Moore is coordinating the club’s participation with the help of Renee Vanover.
September Retreat Cancelled
The previously planned September retreat in Pagosa Springs has been cancelled. Instead, the organization will take a group of Pagosa Springs veterans to Texas for a fishing experience.
Thank you to everyone helping us extend some warm Pagosa Springs hospitality to these veterans!
This year’s Recycled Rotarians team is ready to turn recycled materials into runway magic! Representing the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs are Renee Vanover, Elise Mariner, Pat Love and Frazer Barr, who will bring their creativity, teamwork and plenty of Rotary spirit to the Runway for Rise catwalk.
Give a group of Rotarians a pile of discarded materials, a sewing machine and a good cause, and apparently there is no telling what might emerge.
The Recycled Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs are once again preparing to strut their stuff at Runway for Rise, the annual fundraiser for Rise Above Violence that turns recycled and repurposed materials into one-of-a-kind fashion creations.
Last year, the team turned heads with an unforgettable creation made from wine corks and soda can tabs, earning the coveted Catwalk Creative Award. The audience-voted honor recognizes the team making the most creative use of the required recycled materials, and the Recycled Rotarians proved they know how to turn trash into runway treasure.
Behind the laughter, elaborate costumes and runway theatrics is a cause that is anything but frivolous.
Rise Above Violence is a private nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, working to ensure that victims’ rights are exercised and their needs are met.
Runway for Rise brings the community together to support that mission through an evening that is equal parts creativity, competition and compassion.
The Recycled Rotarians have become enthusiastic participants, proving that a little imagination, a lot of recycled material and some very determined Rotarians can add up to something pretty remarkable.
They have also discovered that creating recycled couture is not exactly a one-person operation.
This year, Rotarians are among those helping sew up something wonderfully recycled for the team's return to the runway. What exactly are they making?
For now, that remains safely tucked behind the curtain.
And perhaps that is part of the fun.
Runway for Rise challenges teams to look at things most people might throw away and imagine something entirely different. Everyday materials are transformed into eveningwear, accessories and costumes worthy of their moment under the lights.
The Recycled Rotarians have some experience in that department.
Their previous creations have demonstrated that tomato cages, duct tape, old fabric and other castoffs can have surprisingly glamorous second careers. One memorable ensemble even incorporated wire tomato cages, duct tape, a wedding dress and furry snow boots fashioned from an old rug.
There is plenty of laughter involved, but the Rotarians' participation reflects something much bigger.
Rotary's motto is Service Above Self, and supporting organizations such as Rise Above Violence is one way local Rotarians put those words into action. Runway for Rise allows them to support an important community organization while doing something that also brings people together.
That combination of service and community is what makes the event special.
For survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, asking for help can require extraordinary courage. Rise Above Violence is there to help ensure survivors are heard, their rights are protected and their needs are addressed.
So while the audience may come to see what wild creation appears on the runway next, every costume represents something far more meaningful.
It represents a community choosing to stand with survivors.
And for the Recycled Rotarians, it is another opportunity to demonstrate that service doesn't always have to look serious to have a serious impact.
Sometimes it involves volunteering.
Sometimes it involves fundraising.
And sometimes it involves walking down a runway wearing something that, not long ago, might have been headed for the recycling bin.
Fashion may be temporary, but helping survivors rebuild their lives never goes out of style.
The Rotary Club budget is approved each June by the Board of Directors. The Pagosa Rotary Community Assistance Fund budget is approved each December.
Because most available funds are committed through these budgets, there is very little flexibility to support unbudgeted projects during the year. Members requesting funding should submit a written proposal to Treasurer Cindi Galabota by November 1 for consideration during the Pagosa Rotary Community Assistance Fund budgeting process for 2027.
Please also keep in mind that sponsorship fundraising is currently more than $5,000 below expectations, making available funds especially limited this year.
Grab your gloves and get ready to lend a hand! The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs will hold its next highway trash pickup on Saturday, Sept. 26.
A big thank-you goes to Ben Fox, who has stepped up to coordinate our club’s trash pickup efforts. Keeping our community clean is one of those simple service projects where a few Rotarians, a little teamwork and a couple of hours can make a very visible difference.
The start time will be announced soon, so watch for additional details. We hope to have a great group of Rotarians join Ben on Sept. 26 as we roll up our sleeves, enjoy some fellowship and help keep Pagosa Springs beautiful.
JoAnn Laird has ordered this year’s dictionaries for the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs’ Third-Grade Dictionary Project.
Each November, the club presents every third-grade student in Archuleta County schools with a dictionary of their own. In addition to definitions, the books include maps, information about U.S. presidents, mathematical conversion tables and other learning tools designed to spark curiosity and discovery.
Rotarians will be needed in November to deliver the dictionaries to local schools and help students learn how to use them. Watch for volunteer dates and sign-up information as the dictionary delivery season draws closer.
Few things are more fun than watching a roomful of third graders discover all the treasures tucked between those covers.
We are looking for club members interested in learning more about the duties of the club secretary and club treasurer and training to serve in these important leadership positions in the future.
Serving in one of these roles is a great way to learn how the club operates, develop leadership skills and help ensure a smooth transition when current leaders are ready to pass the torch.
Members interested in secretary duties may contact Club Executive Secretary Shellie Peterson. Those interested in learning about the treasurer position may contact Treasurer Cindi Galabota.
To help board members use meeting time effectively, requests requiring board consideration should be submitted in writing to Co-President Terri House by the fifth day of each month.
Requests will be distributed to board members before the meeting so they have time to review the information and arrive prepared for discussion or action.
Board meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at noon at the uptown TBK Bank.
Giving to The Rotary Foundation does more than support Rotary projects around the world. It also helps the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs qualify for District Grant funding that can be brought back home to strengthen our own community projects.
To qualify for matching grant funds during the 2026–2027 Rotary year, our club must contribute a total of at least $25 per member to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund, with contributions coming from at least 15 percent of our members.
This participation has a direct impact here at home. Last year, our club received more than $8,000 in Rotary grants to support its projects. That funding would not have been possible without the generosity of members who contributed to The Rotary Foundation. When members give, those dollars help create grant funds that can return to our club and multiply the impact of our service.
In other words, both the amount we give and the number of Rotarians who participate matter. We need members throughout the club to take part.
An Easy Way to Make a Lasting Difference
We encourage every member to consider giving $10 a month. That amounts to $120 during the Rotary year and can be automatically charged each month, making it an easy and dependable way to support Rotary’s work.
The Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative encourages every Rotary member to participate in service and support The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund each year. Every contribution matters, regardless of its size.
Annual Fund contributions help Rotary members carry out sustainable projects involving clean water, sanitation, education, health, peacebuilding, economic opportunity and other pressing needs. They also help generate the District Designated Funds that districts later use to support club projects.
Every minute of every day, someone’s life is being improved through The Rotary Foundation. Wells are being dug, children are gaining access to educational tools, communities are receiving improved sanitation, and families are receiving vital health care.
The impact is enormous. In 2024, Rotary, its partners and supporters helped provide more than 1 billion doses of oral polio vaccine to more than 270 million children in 36 countries. Behind every number is a child, family or community given greater hope for the future.
Help Our Club Remain Grant-Ready
Our club has many ambitious ideas for serving Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County. Rotary grants allow us to stretch the dollars we raise, expand promising projects and accomplish more than we could with club funds alone. But access to that funding begins with our own participation in The Rotary Foundation.
Please help us reach our Annual Fund giving and participation requirements by making a contribution today. Members who have already donated this Rotary year have our sincere thanks. Those who have not yet contributed are encouraged to begin with any amount.
Consider establishing an automatic contribution of $10 a month, or choose another amount that works for you.
Every Rotarian matters. Every contribution counts. Every gift helps our club remain eligible to turn good ideas into grant-supported action.
Read the August issue of the Rotary District 5470 newsletter for club stories, leadership updates, service opportunities and upcoming events from around the district.
