March 6, 2025
Meeting Summary
Presiding: Randi Downham
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan and Ron Van Ekeren
Inspiration:
Professor’s Quote: Ollie Walter
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests: Sarah Brown Mathews
Guests: Rollin Abernethy introduced Summer Hollen
Visiting Rotarians: Alan Lockyear
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA/Exchange Students:
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor:
Foundation Drawing: The Club won $10.
O’Dwyers Drawing: Keith Rittle
Announcements:
- Don’t forget to volunteer to work the greeting table!
- Do you know a family that would be willing to host Olafur from mid-March to June? Let Caitlin White or Todd Pearson know.
- Murray Schroeder announced that the next social will be March 26 at Altitude’s from 4pm-6pm. It will include games and a carnival theme.
- Caitlin White let the club know that the front entrance and parking lot of the public library will be closed starting March 13. Patrons will enter through a temporary entrance on the south side.
- John Bard encouraged all to attend the basketball tournament for the Cowboys and Cowgirls.
- Randi Downham announced that there is a sign in the making for the Rotary Park.
- Keith Downey noted that he heard information about RYLA on the news recently.
Upcoming Programs:
- March 27: Albany County Conservancy, Anne Brande
- April 3: Legislative Update, Gary Crum & Trey Sherwood
Rotarian of the Week: Paul Montoya nominated Terry Moss for his work on the Jae Foundation event; Terry Moss nominated the Rotarians that volunteered for the event.
Special Presentation: Paul Montoya made a donation to the club foundation to celebrate all his birthdays while he is on the cruise.
Songs: Down in the Valley; Down by the Riverside
Program: UW Alumni Association, Jack Tennant
Introduction: Anna Cramer
Jack Tennant is a University of Wyoming alumnus from 2010. He has worked in external relations for UW for 15 years, starting at the Cowboy Joe Club and the UW Foundation before coming to the Alumni Association. Tennant has been at the Alumni Association for three years.
The Alumni Association started in 1886.
Tennant learned a lot from his time in athletics with football and wrestling. Many ups and downs in athletics and then later in life. You never know what will be up next. It’s never as good as it gets or as bad as it gets. You should always continue to show up with energy and passion. You should always try to design plays that make the team successful.
His first fundraising job was at the Cowboy Joe Club. He got to tell people why their donations are important. He then headed to the UW Foundation as a major gift officer. This job was relationship building, and Tennant raised funds for the College of Business. He learned to discover, cultivate, solicit, and steward.
Tennant was an annual giving officer. He started a donor experience program to increase the number of donors each gift officer could work with. They wanted to grow donor pools for gift officers from 100 to 1,000.
The Alumni Association works to build and connect with as many alumni as possible. It is a lot of fun and an honor to represent donors.
Response: John Bard
‘Response: The Rotary Club of Laramie will make a donation to the public library children’s book fund in the speaker’s name.
NOTE: We Do Not Donate a Book!
Rotary 4-way test
Of the things we think, say, or do:
•Is it the Truth?
•Is it Fair?
•Will it build Good Will and
Better Friendships?
•Will it be Beneficial to All
Concerned?
Save the Date! The Rotary Taste of Laradise event will be Saturday, June 7.
Rotary Anniversaries:
- Shannon Polk (1 year); Holly Dyer (2 years); Tim Eisenhauer (14 years); Todd Pearson (24 years); Karl McCraken (26 years); Kermit Brown (49 years).
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Website: laramierotaryclub.org
Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org