March 9, 2023
Meeting Summary
Presiding: Jamie Terry
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan & Ron Van Ekeren
Inspiration: Natalie White
Professor’s Quote:
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests: Amanda Paul
Guests: Tom Wolfe introduced prospective member, Natalie White; Terry Roark introduced prospective member, Neil Theobald.
Exchange Students:
Visiting Rotarians:
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA: Amanda Nilsson
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor: Paul Montoya
Foundation Drawing: Kerry Greaser won $10 with $713 in the jackpot.
O’Dwyers Drawing: The Club
Announcements:
- Next month’s board meeting has been moved to April 20.
- This month’s Rotary theme is water and sanitation.
- We have 81 members, so a few below our goal. Our attendance is about 38.7 percent.
- Natalie White’s application was approved for membership. The club has one week to comment.
- Dave Hansen noted that Read to Feed will be in March at 7 elementary schools. The club is contributing $500 and will handle all the other fundraising. Each school’s goal is to read 500 books.
- Randi Downham gave an update on Rotary Park. The grant was approved for a lower amount. Construction should begin spring or summer 2024.
- Randi Downham and Kelly Neville attended PETS. The new theme is Create Hope in the World.
- Send Randi Downham info/ideas for social media and the website.
- Don Prehoda updated the club on the Laramie Rotary Foundation. Club members are encouraged to donate $250 to the club foundation to become a Ralph McWhinnie Fellow. The club foundation has about $150,000, and it contributes 5 percent to the club each year.
Upcoming Programs:
- March 23: Rotary Park Update
- March 30: Wyoming Humanities Council, Shawn Reese
Rotarian of the Week: Murray Schroeder nominated Ron Van Ekeren for his work getting the meeting ready each week.
Rotarian of the Month: Becky Maddox
Songs:
Program: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Laramie, Micah Goeglein
Introduction: Murray Schroeder
Micah is the outreach coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters. He interacts with the community and brings in volunteers.
The BBBS program provides community-based mentoring, site-based mentoring, after school extended learning, and juvenile restorative justice/intervention.
Community-based mentoring is the most popular for volunteers. There are 58 matches in Laramie. These Bigs and Littles do activities outside of the building and school. This helps to unlock the potential of youth. Site-based mentoring is in the building.
When a Big is matched with a Little, the parent/guardian and staff provide necessary support. The outcome areas include: education success, decrease in at-risk behaviors, and socio-emotional competence. To measure these, BBBS tracks things like social acceptance, parental trust, school competency, grades, the educational experience, and how the special adult relationship affects the Little.
Long term outcomes include: reduced violence/risky behaviors, less delinquency, higher school engagement, college readiness, and college graduation.
All elementary schools participate in the after-school program. There is tutoring and fun. It is education-oriented to support school. Eighty-four percent of students in the program do better in school, and 95 percent of parents recommend it. It is good for these students to meet kids from other schools.
The juvenile justice diversion program has outstanding benefits. The primary focus is to prevent worse behaviors and crimes in the future. The program works to correct behaviors in a way that it is not a punishment. The primary purpose is to prevent these juveniles from entering the criminal justice system.
Alcohol citations have been decreasing. In one year, many problem behaviors went down significantly. This is a good community investment, as the long-term focus is to improve the economics and quality of life through a ripple effect.
To get involved, you can volunteer, donate, or advocate. They are looking for Bigs to match with waiting Littles.
Response: Hanna Eslinger
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?
‘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!
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Website: laramierotaryclub.org
Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org