Sept. 15, 2022
Meeting Summary
Presiding: Jamie Terry
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan & Ron Van Ekeren
Inspiration:
Professor’s Quote: Rollin Abernethy
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests: Amanda Paul
Guests: Keith Downey introduced Ray McElwee; Todd Pearson introduced Paul Montoya; Jerry Gruber introduced Sue Reding.
Exchange Students:
Visiting Rotarians:
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA: Amanda Nilsson; Emma Potter; McCrea Doyle
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor:
Foundation Drawing: The club won the $2,086.50 jackpot! This funding will go toward the club fundraising pot.
O’Dwyers Drawing: Jerry Devin
Announcements:
- Jamie Terry noted that the board is working on a committee list that will be out soon.
- A final bylaws vote will go out after new ideas have been incorporated.
- The club has already hit two of its annual goals: RYLA and youth exchange. An email will follow about development of other goals.
- Sarah Brown Mathews invited the club to a Pilot Hill Project community celebration with dinner and a live band on Sept. 30 from 6-9pm at the Alice Hardy Stevens Center.
Rotarian of the Week: Tom Mangan nominated Randi Downham for First Interstate Bank’s volunteer day.
Songs:
Program: Rotary 5440 District Governor Lee Varra-Nelson
Introduction: Todd Pearson
District Governor Varra-Nelson and her partner, Catherine, visited the club. The DG joined Rotary in 2003 and served as the club president from 2013-2014. She worked for Hewlett Packard before assisting with a company under Homeland Security Lee is also a veteran having served in the Army Intelligence branch.
The 2022-2023 leadership team is Lee, Barb Redder, Steve Sehnert, and Julie Johnson Haffner. The team visits clubs, provides financial oversight, and works to better District 5440.
Lee noted some of our club’s achievements, such as working with the Sunrise Club to develop Laramie Rotary Clubs Park. We are a shining star for our community.
Lee offered a few opportunities for the club to consider. One of these is gutter bins. This service project has been successful in Cheyenne and Casper. It helps eliminate toxins and trash in the water.
Several months ago, there was a wildfire in the Scottsbluff/Gering area. After the fire, local clubs suggested that the District offer support for Firefighter Ministers. Consider donating to help these important groups replenish following the fire.
Lee encouraged members to attend the District Assembly on Oct. 8 in Cheyenne. She also encouraged us to select our top project and display it at the World Café at the District Convention in June. The convention will be in Estes Park.
For membership trends, the district has been on a steady decline since 2002. We lose about 40-50 Rotarians each year. Our club is also losing members, but beginning to regain some numbers.
The district lost 129 members the first year of COVID, and 146 members the second year for a total loss of 275 members.
Membership is so important to help with receiving grants, sending officers to PETS, and the annual fund. PolioPlus continues to be successful.
Response: Don Prehoda
Fundraising Committee: Consider donating raffle tickets to the club pot. If a ticket in the club pot wins the jackpot, this money will go toward helping the club!
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.
‘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