November 14, 2024
Meeting Summary
Presiding: Kelly Neville
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan and Ron Van Ekeren
Inspiration: Natalie White
Professor’s Quote:
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests: Dave Hansen
Guests:
Visiting Rotarians:
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA/Exchange Students: Olafur, Nathan and Addison
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor: Terry Roark
Foundation Drawing: Jerry Gruber won $10 with $24.50 in the jackpot!
O’Dwyers Drawing: Eric Feurestein
Announcements:
- Don’t forget to volunteer to work the greeting table!
- Do you know a family that would be willing to host Olafur? Let Caitlin White or Todd Pearson know.
- There will be no meeting November 28 or December 26.
- United Way of Albany County pledge envelopes are on the front table.
- Kell Neville passed the can for our Christmas family. We need three shoppers for 3 kids and one adult.
Rotarian of the Week: Kelly Neville nominated those Rotarians that went to the recent Leadership Wyoming meetup.
Songs: Down by the Riverside; Edelweiss
Program: Climb Wyoming, Nicole Sherwood
Introduction: Anna Cramer
Climb Wyoming is a statewide nonprofit that provides free job training and placement for single moms. To break the cycle of poverty, Climb works on self-sufficiency.
There are many impacts of poverty that Climb’s clients face. Some of these include facing issues with health management, working through discrimination, and having low job prospects. Their low income can lead to malnutrition, an increased likelihood of violence, and inability to be educated. Normally these breaks down into three areas: disease, decreased human capital, and social exclusion.
There is a big mental health aspect for people who grow up in poverty. Poverty changes the brain, so Climb needs to meet these women where they are.
Climb offers professional training for administration work, CNA/MA prep, CDL driving, and trade work. Each training course is 6-8 weeks long. The Climb participants spend 4 days at their work training site and one day at the Climb office.
On Climb days, the women work on mindfulness, life skills, and work success curriculum. There is also group and individual counseling and parenting help.
Climb collaborates with local businesses to place graduates in a job. The nonprofit reimburses the business for the salary for the first 6-8 weeks.
In 2023, Climb served 350 moms and 662 children. Climb has a high graduation rate of 93 percent. The program has saved Wyoming $120 million in decreased dependence on public assistance through programs such as food stamps. There has been a 79% reduction in food stamp use by Climb graduates. Access to health insurance triples.
Climb moms usually have a starting monthly salary of $1,513. After three months, this increases to $2,715/month and two years in to $3,136/month. The average lifetime return on investment is 62:1. Climb invests about $17,000 for each mom.
Response: Doug Faus
‘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?
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
•FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
•SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
•THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
•FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
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Website: laramierotaryclub.org
Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org