Deb Mohesky, Interim CEO of Longmont United Hospital: Common Spirit, spoke about the many projects currently in action. She is excited to be of service to LUH, stating, "The true heart of the hospital is the staff" adding, "The small things can be the big things. Quality service and a true heart are two essential components of a successful hospital."
Deb shared some of the current Strategic Plans. "Primary care is the most important, expanding options and extending Emergent Care (ED). We have not closed anything and we plan to expand our services." Strategic Plans include additional leased locations for primary care, growing the OB program, increasing surgical volume, advancing orthopedic care, heart and vascular care, and stabilizing oncology.
When asked about the new hospital recently built in Longmont, she replied, "There is plenty of room in this community for two hospitals".
Debby Paris and Bryan Baum extended a big thank you to Rotarians who rang the Salvation Army bells at King Soopers this past holiday season. Debby shared the following results: Longmont Rotary raised $10,623 through 102 hours of ringing this year. We also had some star bell ringers, signing up 4 times (Tim Waters) and 5 times (John Eastman). Wow! Bryan mentioned the Salvation Army Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, which will be held at the OUR Center on Saturday, January 20th at 8 am.
Ann Brandenburg, the Longmont Salvation Army Kettle Coordinator, wrote this thank you....
"I sincerely appreciate Rotary's enthusiasm for Salvation Army. I won't forget your energy and commitment in getting 3 additional days at the Hover King Soopers immediately following Thanksgiving! Also, I am thankful for your efforts in bringing in the Young Rotarians to ring!"
A big shoutout to The Longmont Leader for spotlighting our latest meeting program! đ± Maddie DuBoyce , farm assistant with the Food Project, shared an exciting update from Growing Gardens on their brand-new Longmont location. We were thrilled to present to them our contribution of a $5000 grant to support their incredible mission. Stay tuned for more deta
Erik Mason, Longmont Museum Director provided highlights of Longmont's 2013 flood. He also reminded us of previous flooding in Longmont. The first documented flood in the front range happened in the Denver Cherry Creek area in 1864. Floods in Longmont date back to 1894 and 1921, flooding several areas of Main St. In 1935 a levy broke at Terry Lake and flooded the east side of Longmont. In 1969, Erik said, "this was the flood that wasn't". There was a tremendous rain downpour, but the Button Rock Damn prevented severe flooding in Longmont.
The Longmont Museum is honoring the 10th anniversary of the 2013 flood in several ways through exhibits, public programs and tours of affected areas.
To learn more about Rise Against Suicide, watch the recent video from Longmont's, The Backstory . This is a powerful and informative interview about this non-profit organization. Longmont Rotary is so proud to support Rise Against Suicide through our month long fundraising event, Cycle to Serve (for details of this event, read information on the club website).
Boulder Rotary Club Rotarians, Alessandro Sachs and Lynn Johnson, provided an informative program about their project to provide clean drinking water to the citizens of Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The Oglala Lakota Sioux reservation is listed as the poorest and the 8th largest, (the size of Connecticut). Many families have no running water or septic service and the groundwater is contaminated with arsenic and uranium. High cancer rates and the short life expectancy is attributed to this groundwater problem. What is needed is piped clean water going directly to the homes on this land. The nearest clean water supply system is "Mni-Wiconi- Water is Life" in Fort Pierre, SD.
The CLEAN non-contaminated Water for Oglala Lakota Sioux project was initiated by the World Community Service Committee of the Boulder Rotary Club (BRC) and supported by 22 US Rotary Clubs in 3 Districts and 2 European PC, along with 97 donors (Rotarians and Private). Thanks to these donations, thus far raising $144,952, providing 48 at-risk, off-the-grid homes with clean drinking water. Donations have been matched by a local NGO partner, "Running Strong for American Indian Youth".
Program: Clean Drinking Water for Pine Ridge Reservation
Wolfram Kasemir, CU Electrical Engineering graduate, shared with the club the purpose of cloud seeding used to stimulate a potential rain cloud to grow and produce more rain in a specific area. It can be used to enhance winter snowfall in the mountains; used for fire abatement or to supplement the water supply for rivers and farm land.
The history of cloud seeding stems from Vincent Schaefer, an American chemist and meteorologist who developed cloud seeding in 1946. He figured out that rain drops form around tiny particles called condensation nuclei. Silver iodide is used to stimulate this process by attracting moisture and tiny smoke particles. The chemical reaction when water changes from gas to liquid produces heat. When this happens inside the cloud, it creates an updraft, causing the cloud to grow. The concentration of iodine in precipitation from seeded clouds if far below the concentration found in iodized table salt.
Wolfram has had the opportunity to make rain in the Libyan desert. Wolfram recalled the rain came down like âcats and dogsâ. On the second day of constant rain, Gaddafi told the science team, âwe have plenty of rain, now make it stop!â. The rain continued for another day and left a flooded city behind. After Libya, Wolfram traveled to Bettles, Alaska, a remote Eskimo village above the arctic circle, to help with their fire abatement needs.
Wolfram interweaved some sweet tales of how he met his wife while in Libya. Thank you Wolfram for sharing your scientific mind and your thoughtful romantic heart!
Rotarian, Amy McBride spoke to the Longmont Rotary Club, updating them on the Learning Gardens project, currently under construction in Khwai Village, Botswana. The project is on track for planting as spring approaches.
Khwai Village is a settlement with a population of 400 people located on the banks of the Khwai River in Northeast Botswana near the border with Nambia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The village has a pre-school/elementary school and a secondary school. This hunter/gather village does not grow crops or vegetables. Teaching gardening to the children, and building the infrastructure (water source, proper soil, seeds, tools) will soon make this a possibility for the village of Khwai. The elders of this village have a dream to install a working garden in which they might teach the children and their parents how to raise nutritional food.
With a proper water source, tools and support from the Rotary club of Gaborone and local partners like âNatural Selectionsâ, this dream is now becoming a reality. Amy said âthe gardenâs well is ready to pump water to the plot. Volunteers are also gearing up to install solar panels and purchase gardening equipment like shovels and rakes. The seeds for crops are set to be planted within the next month and a half.â
Photo: Amy McBride, Rotarian and member of the Rotary Club of Gaborone pictured with Andy Lee, Longmont Rotary Grants Chair holding the plaque that will be placed at the garden site. This project is a joint effort between the Rotary Club of Longmont, Twin Peaks Rotary and Boulder Rotary Club.
Itâs very evident that Dr. Don Haddad loves his job. His passion is reflected in his message and love for the St.Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). Dr. Haddad, spoke to Longmont Rotary on August 8th at their weekly club meeting. He has served 40 years in education with 23 years as the Superintendent of Schools for SVVSD.
The school district is a âpreK through 14 systemâ, which translates into significant academic opportunities for students. For Dr. Haddad, early learning is essential to a students academic success long term. All 28 elementary schools have a high quality preschool program with a certified teacher. The state of Colorado just adopted Universal Pre-K, and full day kindergarten, however, SVVSD had already been doing this for over 15 years.
âWe have Alignment in our standards, curriculum, our instruction, and our assessment, which makes for âa system by designâ. No matter where you go to school in this district you can count on a consistent learning experienceâ.
Dr. Haddad closed some of the sub-par school buildings. âStudents need a quality space to learn, one that is safe, bright and warm, offering the elements that can promote learning and encourage a student and teacher to want to be thereâ.
Rotary clubs in the Longmont-Boulder area are working together to bring a life-changing project to a small African village: a learning garden that will teach people how to cultivate crops.Longmont Rotary member and wildlife photographer Andrew Lee is the project manager and driving force behind the garden, the idea for which arose on a trip Lee and his wife took to Botswana two years ago. The âlearningâ aspect of the garden is its role as a test site for raising crops â vital education for the village, which doesnât grow any of its own food. Khwai Village is located on the banks of the Khwai River in northern Botswana. The village is home to 400 people that includes a preschool/elementary school and secondary school. The garden will sit next to the villageâs preschool and will measure around 50 feet long by 80 feet wide, Lee said. Construction is already underway and should finish in September or October. Most recently, volunteers drilled a well for irrigation and are in the process of adding a solar-powered water purification system to the village. The village of Khwai, Botswana, is 70 miles away from the provincial capital of Maun and receives frequent visits from elephants and cape buffalo. The village relies on imported crops, but the new garden aims to change this by providing a space for local kids and their parents to develop their gardening skills. To read the full article click here.
The Mission of Blue Sky Bridge is to foster healing and justice to end child abuse. Executive Director, Gina Earles joined Blue Sky in 2012, stating the non-profit was established to provide a safe and supportive environment for abuse victims where a neutral, professionally-led forensic interview provides case information for all participating law enforcement, judicial and social service agencies. Blue Sky Bridgeâs Child Advocacy Program collaborates with other agencies such as law enforcement, the Department of Housing and Human Services, the District Attorneyâs Office, County Health, Mental Health, and Victim Service Programs to provide a comprehensive, supportive and professional response to child abuse cases.Their school-based Education and Training Programs help ensure that kids know they are the boss of their own bodies and that they, and the adults around them, know where to turn for help. Gina stated that 42% of their referrals come from Longmont. To learn more about Blue Sky Bridge, go to blueskybridge.org Gina announced an upcoming event that will be held in Longmont. "A Moveable Feast" is a progressive dinner. Rotary member, Emily Vallery will be one of the hosts for this event held on September 9th.
Melanie Thibodeau, from the Alzheimerâs Association provided the club with both foundational information along with the latest news in research. We currently have six million Americans living with Alzheimerâs Disease. Did you know that women are twice as likely to contract the disease? Alzheimerâs is not considered a normal part of aging. The term dementia is actually an umbrella term for a set of symptoms, including loss of memory and other thinking abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. Common diseases include: Alzheimerâs disease, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal, Huntingtonâs and Mixed Dementia. 70% of these dementia related conditions as of the Alzheimerâs type.
Club Rotarian, Janet Day presented the Compassion Awards to four high school students. The award is given to students who exemplify compassion as reflected in the Tower of Compassion's, five levels of compassion. The tower is located in Southmoor Park in Longmont. The award winners were: Matthew Bendzel from Longmont High School, Esmeralda Vega-New Meridian High School, Abby Frea-Silver Creek High School and Tabitha Inness-Skyline High School.
Charlotte Tyson, President of the Longmont Charity Fund opened the annual meeting. The Longmont Charity Fund (LRCF), was started in 1982 by visionary Rotarians. The Charity Fund is a tax exempt structure for donations from local Rotarians and Friends of Rotary, designed to establish an endowment fund from which contributions can be made to local human services organizations in the name of Longmont Rotary. The tax exempt (501 c(3)) organization allows for tax deductible donations. The functions of the Charity Fund include: 1) an Endowment â Sustainable funding for the future needs of the community and 2) Current Needs â Help meet the present needs of the community.
WorldDenver is a nonprofit, membership based organization that promotes a greater understanding of world affairs and cultures. Simply put, their goal is to connect Denver to the world. John Krieger, J.D. is the Executive Director of WorldDenver and he shared some of the many programs within this organization. The Speaker Series brings renowned authors, experts, and diplomats to discuss pressing global issues. Each year, WorldDenver provides more than 600 international visitors from 120+ countries logistical support, professional development, and cultural connections to our local community. The World Affairs Challenge invites students from around the world to learn about global issues and create projects to help find solutions. Each year WorldDenver hosts International Women's Day with over 800 participants. Other programs include, WorldDinners, Homestay Hosting and professional fellowships. For more information about these exciting programs, visit the WorldDenver website.
Check out this 45 minute video from Longmont Public Media: The Backstory, which showcases the February 15th event, A Rotary Call to Action: Building Peace One Community at a Time, hosted by the three Area 11 Rotary clubs. Come meet our Rotary 5450 District Governor, Buchi Antikpezie along with our three panelists: Jim Halderman, Chair, Peace Committee Rotary District 5450, Steve Werner, Partnering for Peace, Ramone Sanders, Restorative Justice-Longmont. We will end our program on February 15th with "A Call To Action", presented by Tim Waters, Rotary & Longmont City Council Member. It is our hope that we can create many "Calls to Action" going forward. Join Us. Come learn. Get inspired and Help Create!!
The Rotary Clubs in Area 11 include: Longmont Twin Peaks, Longmont Rotary and Niwot Rotary.
Dave Willman, Foundation Chair, District 5450 provided an overview on how the Foundation serves as a tool to fuel our club service projects. When you give to the Annual Fund â SHARE, The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives close to home and around the world.
Dave reported that for 2022-2023 our Rotary District raised $631,078 ($404,770 GOAL) in Annual Funds last year. (Our commitment to the Ukraine Relief did significantly increase our giving). We also exceeded our Polio goal last year to $204,345.
Our district has had 28 Global Grants over the past three years and funded 42 District Designated Fund Grants. (DDF)
This yearâs 2022-2023 DDF available is $117,000.00 and $78,000 is still available as of today.
Longmont City employees, Steve Ransweiler, Senior Project Manager, and David Bell, Director of Parks & Natural Resources, provided an overview of the city's parks, nature areas, greenways and trails.
Award-wining journalist, writer and social entrepreneur, Maria Karagianis, spoke to Longmont Rotary about the Boston based non-profit organization, Discovering Justice. Maria was the founding executive director of Discovering Justice, a nationally recognized democracy and justice education organization. Maria independently created the vision and most of the intellectual capital for Discovering Justice. Its activities include mock trials, plays with professional actors about themes from American constitutional history using courtrooms as theaters, docent-led architectural tours, and a ground-breaking civics curriculum called "Children Discovering Justice,â now taught to thousands of children in the Boston public schools. Today, Discovering Justice has blossomed into a nonprofit with 14 full- and part-time employees and a $1.2 million budget. Nice work Maria! We are lucky to have you as a member of Longmont Rotary!
Photo of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, shaking the hand of an eighth-grader from the Boston Public Schools.
Charlie Kamenides, Waste Services Manager spoke on the Zero Waste Resolution and the Universal Recycling Ordinance for Longmont. âOur goal is a zero waste resolution with everyone inâ.
On September 27, Longmont City Council passed an updated Zero Waste Resolution, a non-binding document that sets new targets and guides future decision-makers on reducing waste in the Longmont Community.
The new Resolution sets a new target of 75% of trash diverted from the landfill by 2030 and 95% by 2050. For more details of this resolution, follow the links below.
Deborah Simmons, co-founder of The Re-entry Initiative (TRI), introduced Emily Kleeman, the Executive Director of TRI, a program designed to provide support to formally incarcerated adults.
Emily started her presentation with an experiential activity, inviting Rotary volunteers to line up against a wall and following their cue cards (violent history, no ID, no Medicaid, no family support, etc) would would take one step forward as Emily called out some specific attribute or limitation the individual is facing. The outcome was very few (actually only one), made it across the room. The exercise emphasized the many challenges recently incarcerated individuals have once back in society. These hurdles can ultimately lead to re-incarceration. The vision of TRI is to offer formally incarcerated adults an opportunity to thrive in the community without reoffending. Their slogan, From Surviving to Thriving is manifested through the comprehensive services inside and outside prison walls that empower adults. The Reentry Initiative is a 501(c)(3) organization, registered in the state of Colorado. TRI has served over 300 men and woman.
Director General Huang provided an interesting and relevant talk about the important relationship between Taiwan and the United States, touching on the growing threat of China to peace in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly after House Speaker Nancy Pelosiâs recent visit to Taiwan. Mr. Huang also talked about the stereotypes or misunderstandings about Taiwan. Taiwan is a cosmopolitan country with diverse ethnic background. The country is small, referencing that Colorado is 7.5 times larger than Taiwan with a population of 23.5 million people. (Colorado's population is 5.7 million). Itâs a crowded and competitive society. In order to excel in Taiwan, you have to study hard. On the other hand, the Taiwanese are a very happy people. Our suicide rate is low. Taiwan is more sub-tropical geographically and the attitude of its people are more like South Pacific Islanders than other east Asian islanders. Mr. Huang went on to address trade relations with the US, technological cooperation and supply chain challenges. To hear the entire program presentation, click on the link below.
Club Rotarian, Andrew Lee shared in words and beautiful photography his trip to Botswana in the fall of 2021. Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, but it has one of the greatest concentration of wildlife in all the world. Andrew said the Okavango Delta is an extraordinary oasis in the Kalahari Basin, providing some amazing opportunities to witness in picture, the beauty of this land. "It is an area were death is always near, but so is beauty". To fully appreciate his talk, clink on the link below to watch this 30 minute program.
Click on the link below to view the live Zoom recording of the program. (The link will be available for about 20 days. Downloading the video to your device will same it indefinitely )
Students shared their experiences at the recent Rotary Leadership camp. We also sent a student to the World Affairs Conference in Waukesha, WI, (Carroll University). RYLA is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary where students can develop their skills as a leader while having fun and making new friends and connections. This annual event (held in Estes Park), is offered to qualifying junior high and high school students. Students always recall the camp fondly, talking about their favorite group activities, new friendships formed, along with building confidence and leadership skills.
The World Affairs Seminar provides students a global perspective on world affairs, offering seminars and speakers from around the world, talking about current crucial topics.
Grace Smathers, a previous RYLA participant and now Camp Counselor, announced the opportunity for Rotarians to volunteer for next year's RYLA camps. If you are interested, please email Grace at gracesmathers@gmail.com.
Congratulations to these students. It was exciting to hear about their experiences and how it inspired them. As Debby Paris said, "I know the future is in good hands".
Professor Bickers is the Chairman and Professor of the Political Science Department at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Dr. Bickers offered the question, âAre we entering into a wave year and what is the likelihood of a red wave this upcoming election? So, what is a Wave Election? The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant gains in the Senate or House. These are generally viewed as a win/loss of about double the average midterm swing, approximately 45-50 seats. These have become increasingly common, occurring recently about every other midterm. For a wave election to occur, there are some identifying factors as precipitators.
1) National Conditions: The popularity of the President. recessionary conditions, scandals, enthusiasm differentials, voter excitement, mismatched seats.
2) Candidate Decisions: The number of open seats. Strategic retirements of vulnerable incumbents, Open seats are always more competitive. Entry of high quality challengers becomes for more likely when conditions look ripe for defeating incumbents. (Usually has held/won an office before).
3) Donor Decisions: The success or failure of major policy initiatives, Incumbents of the vulnerable party double-down on fundraising for PACâs that give to incumbents. Incumbents raise more money when they are threatened. In fact, a leading indicator of an incumbentâs loss is raising huge amounts of money, relative to potential donors to their normal amount.
A Precious Child provides children in need with opportunities and resources to empower them to achieve their full potential. A Precious Child partners with more than 500 agencies, such as, schools, health and human services, foster care organizations, hospitals, fire and police departments, churches, nonprofits and shelters. Through this partnering, they can amplify their impact and serve more individuals and families. Headquartered in Broomfield, A Precious Child serves eight Denver Metro counties- Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson and Weld.
Some recent examples of their service projects include: Support services to the Marshall Fire victims, child and family advocacy, support for youth to participate in sports and arts programs, school backpack programs, and mentor programs. Maria said volunteers are essential. Opportunities like hosting supply drives or gathering teams for short term projects could be ideas for our club to engage with A Precious Child and serve the needs of our community.
Managed by the City of Longmont, NextLight is Longmontâs fiber internet provider. "We love being your neighbor and serving the Longmont community", said Valerie Dodd, CEO of NextLight.
This community-based, community-owned provider offers gigabit fiber optics and is recognized as one of the fastest ISP's in the nation. NextLight is now seven years old, with 25 thousand customers, and 90% built out with 100% fiber network. This innovative company boasts 20 million in revenue and anticipates the debt to be paid off in 2029. Valerie circulated her business cards soliciting ideas for future innovations to support and serve the community of Longmont.
Journalist and club Rotarian, Maria Karagianis shared the account of her 2016 visit to the Moria Refugee Camp in Lesbos. Through some informal contacts, Maria was asked to visit the camp to observe and report on the conditions. After some deliberation, she did agree to visit, however when she arrived, the Greek government would not give her a press pass. Being an astute journalist, she quickly met up with some camp volunteers who provided her access,(somewhat illegal Maria recounts).
The Moria refugee camp was dubbed "the worst refugee camp on earth", as reported by the BBC, a sentiment also echoed by Maria. The camp was built to accommodate around 3,000 people, however there were around 20,000 people living in the camp, among whom 6,000 to 7,000 were children under the age of 18. It was not uncommon for people to wait in line for 3 hours for food and never get anything. Maria said it was more like a prison than anything. Luckily there were a lot of great volunteers at the camp.
Thank you Austin Hill for this excellent presentation! The Wild Animal Sanctuary is a 794-acre animal sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado. The non-profit sanctuary specializes in rescuing and caring for large predators which are being ill-treated, for which their owners can no longer care, or which might otherwise be euthanized. Nearly 650 animals roam large-acreage, species-specific, natural habitats. The elevated walkways above the animal habitats provides a fantastic view for visitors, while ensuring the animals are comfortable. At 1.51 miles in length, it even holds the Guinness World Record for the worldâs longest footbridge. All males are neutered upon arrival at the wildlife sanctuary, except for male tigers because their manes are influenced by testosterone, thus the female tigers all receive contraceptives. It takes approximately 80,000 pounds of food to feed the animals and Walmart is a major donor in this effort.
Courtney Michelle, VP of Longmont Sister Cities Association, gave us an update on that organization and its relationship with the Northern Arapaho tribe. LSCA has been active since the 1990âs, conducting student exchanges with Chino, Japan and Ciudad Guzman, Mexico. It is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, affiliated with Sister Cities International, and has also enjoyed the support of Longmont City Council over the years. Since 2020, the usual student exchange has been on hold due to the pandemic but a relationship with the Northern Arapaho tribe has begun to take shape.
LSCA is the first sister cities organization to be successful in establishing some sort of exchange with a tribal nation. At first SCI discouraged this endeavor, but they are now fully supportive. Former Longmont Mayor Brian Bagley encouraged LSCA from the start, having met some of the tribal leaders and being interested in their history and problems. Longmont and the surrounding area were once home to these people. Since the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, the Arapaho tribe has been split into two groups and put on reservations, the Southern group in Oklahoma and the Northern in Wyoming. About 10,000 Northern Arapaho share the reservation with approximately 8,000 Shoshone, who were their traditional enemies. Over the years, the two groups have intermingled.
PROGRAM: Denver Sports with Troy Renck (May 10, 2022)
Troy Renck is currently the sports anchor at Denver7. He joined the station in 2016 as the Broncos insider and sportscaster. Renck worked for the Denver Post from 2002 to 2016 as the Rockies beat writer. In 2014 he joined the Post Broncos beat and in 2015 he took charge as the lead reporter during the teamâs Super Bowl season. He has also worked for the Havasu City Todayâs Daily News, the Colorado Daily covering CU athletics, and the Longmont Daily Times-Call. He hosts the Broncos Podcast with Troy Renck Mile High Sports. Renck was awarded the 2016 Top Breaking News award by the Associated Press Sports Editors for his coverage of Peyton Manningâs retirement.
Troy and his wife have lived in Longmont since 1996 and both of their sons graduated from Longmont High School where they played sports. Troy coached his sons in baseball from a very early age. Although baseball is Troyâs first love, the opportunity to cover the Broncos eliminated the long, grueling travel schedule required to cover baseball.
Dr. Gene Bowles, MD retired from his career as a surgeon in 2017 at the age of 80. He was the Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Denver Health Medical Center. Dr. Bowles addressed the question of when surgeons should retire. Or should there be a structured time or process for surgeons to retire? Should detailed cognitive testing and other such tests be required at a certain age?
The Employment Act of 1967 prohibits age discrimination, however, there are some mandates of retirement for certain professions. Congress has approved fixed retirement ages for a number of professions that impact public safety. Those occupations include the following:
Commercial airline pilot-- 65 years, Air Traffic Controllers-- 56 years, FBI agents-- 57 years, Lighthouse operator -- 55 years, National Park Ranger -- 57 years, Federal Judges-- 70 years, Physicians--N/A
According to a John Hopkins study, medical errors are the third leading cause of death. An American College of Surgeons Statement, dated Jan 2016, offered the following comments: Surgeons should pursue a life-long approach to wellness. Surgeons experience age-related decline in physical and cognitive skills-varies among individuals. Surgeons many not recognize deterioration in skills. Recommend starting at age 65-70, voluntary & confidential assessment. Colleagues encouraged to bring forward performance issues.
The organization, A Way Forward,offers hope to those who struggle with substance abuse. Debbie Platts, Executive Director and LSW Counselor, Mark Rogers, spoke to our club about this important local non-profit organization. The mission of A Way Forward is to eliminate financial barriers to recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and provide a trusting, welcoming, diverse and non-judgmental environment for families and individuals seeking help in the St. Vrain Valley. Their goals include: 1) Inspire hope that people do and can recover, 2) Walk with people of their recovery journey, 3) Dispel myths about what it means to have a mental health condition or substance abuse disorder, 4) Provide self-help education and link people to tools and resources and ,5) Support people in identifying their goals, and building a path forward.
Debbie reported that throughout the pandemic, problems with use of substance abuse and alcohol increased. In fact the rate of alcohol-related deaths outpaced the rate of deaths for all other causes (JAMA March 2022 study). Debbie mentioned that the staff are available 7 days a week. They are not a franchise, but rather "a community recovery center, for the community by the community". A Way Forward provides structured recovery programs, including services for Veterans, individual and family support, mental and emotional health programming and wellness and community groups. Debbie reminded the club that A Way Forward recently received a grant from the Charity Fund for the purchase of The Hazelden Betty Ford Mental Health Series.
The presenter, Mike Vialpando, represented Longmont Power and Communication (LPC). He is the manager of AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure Services)
Mike began by showing the group the electric mechanical meters currently used in Longmont that are read each month by a meter reader sent to the site. He then showed the new smart meter that will be used as part of the advanced metering system rollout in Longmont.
Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) captures the energy use of a residence or business more accurately than traditional meters. Instead of being read once per month by a meter reader, an AMI system meter reads itself for a few seconds every hour. The data allows for greater energy efficiency, a faster response to outages, better planning, and becoming a more sustainable community. The smart meter used in the AMI system allows for 2-way communication between the meter and LPC. The meters themselves become part of a mesh network so the meters can talk to the meter next to it or to the gateway of which there are 13 connected by fiber and back to the LPC office.
The library of today is quite different from yesteryear. For example did you know you can rent a projector, a telescope or a Go-Pro camera? Did you know that the Longmont Library can offer you complimentary access to Ancestry.com? How about board games? Complimentary seeds from the Seed Library or passes to a local State Park?
These services and more were shared during the program on April 12th, presented by Librarian, Jenna Kopp and Circulation Services Manager, Julia Jacobs. Jenna gave us a virtual tour of the Longmont Library website and its many educational opportunities. Beyond renting a hardcover book, you can also download a book to your personal device for the rented period of time. Newspapers such as The New York Times and investment newspapers such as The Morning Star and Value Line are available. The library also creates curated book bags should you be planning a trip to Italy , for example. You can also âBook a Librarianâ to ask questions or seek research tips on a project. There are the regular host of programming for children and adults along with special events like âMeet the Authorâ. These and more are available free at your library. It only takes registering for a library card at your local library.
I leave you with the full list of things shared by Jenna and Julia todayâŠ.. Blue Ray projectors, Scanner and Fax machine access, rent a meeting room, Heritage- another genealogy software (which you can use from your home computer), radon detectors, tuxedos (yes, I said a tuxedo), Discovery passes. Learning a language and pronunciation tools.
The Library of today is sure to amaze and inspire our learning opportunities! Check out the Longmont Library, you wonât be disappointed.
Imagine! was established in 1963 as the first community-centered board in Colorado. Today Imagine! provides services to over 4,300 people with developmental, cognitive and physical challenges, with the aim to build these individuals into the fabric of their communities.
Todayâs program focused on the use of technology to aid in job skills training. Joey Long demonstrated how he learned to bus tables at a restaurant through the use of Virtual Reality. Tyler Little and Meagan Wittle explained this technology, which creates an artificial environment that a person can inhabit. Through the aid of the goggles, a person can see a full 360 view of their work space with all its features. This project started at Left Hand Brewing in Longmont and The Sink in Boulder. After mapping the interior spaces, the framework was created to build in the work task details. Imagine clients could then practice their needed job skills in a safe, errorless learning environment.
With photos available from the internet, Tracey Perry shared some various snippets of Colorado history, including Longmont history.
1) Alferd Packer is mainly known for his criminal charge of cannibalism. When taking five men on a backcountry trek, and returning to Breckenridge without them, (and looking quite fit and well fed), was soon labeled a cannibal. No man in the history of Colorado had ever been convicted of cannibalism. His attorney pleaded his case based upon the fact that there was no law prohibiting cannibalism. The judge found Packer guilty and he served 40 years in confinement. Packer attained much notoriety, such that in 1967, when students at CU were given the choice to name their new cafeteria, called it The Alferd Packer Grill. The students coined the slogan, "Have a friend for lunch". Alferd Packer is buried in Littleton with a cement topper to prevent souvenir looting.
2) James Cash Penney: In 1898 he started a meat market on Main Street in Longmont which wasnât very successful. He eventually moved to Kemmerer, Wyoming and opened up a dry goods store, which began his launch of the nationwide company, J.C. Penney.
Presented by: Kayleigh Radenbaugh. Rise Against Suicide helps youth at risk of suicide by removing the financial and social barriers to treatment, enabling them to find hope and healing. Rise Against Suicide funds therapy sessions for at-risk youth struggling with suicidal ideation in the Boulder Valley School District and St. Vrain Valley School District. Young people up to the age of 19 who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and are uninsured or underinsured are eligible for funded counseling services through Rise. The organization receives referrals from private and public elementary, middle, and high schools, community social workers, psychologists and mental health professionals, hospitals, and mental health facilities. Clients are seen within 72 hours, helping at-risk youth connect with qualified, private therapists. Students receive 8-12 therapy sessions at no charge to the student.
Rise Against Suicide is a nonprofit based in Lafayette, Colorado. The organization was originally founded as Second Wind Fund of Boulder County in 2009; however its name was changed in 2020 to better reflect what the organization does and strives toward every day. The four core values that guide the organization are: Accessibility, Compassion, Community and Active listening.
In June 2017, with the help of the Rotary Club of Longmont in Colorado, USA, and in partnership with the non-profit, The Inclusion Collective, we along with three other community members from Colorado volunteered in Kiev, Ukraine, in specialized settings for children with disabilities. By every measurement, this project was a success. This opportunity never would have happened without the life changing support of Rotary members.
This project idea came about in 2014 when the Rotary Club of Longmont brought a delegation from Ukraine to Longmont, Colorado, via the Open World Program. While on the trip, Marianna Onufryk from Ukraine was introduced to Christopher DiRosa, the founder of the Inclusion Collective. Marianna and Chris began to talk about the possibility of bringing professionals working in the field of developmental disabilities to Kiev work side by side with instructors and families at a center called Rodyna and to host a training seminar for parents and caregivers though the US Embassy. The two remained in contact and began to organize the program, which would take place three years later. During the planning phase, we also connected with Rotarians Leona Stoecker and Dick Richards who helped us strategize and raise funds. Their assistance was paramount to realizing our dream.
Kristy Martinez, Principal Mechanical Design Engineer at Ball Aerospace, gave the club an update on the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes. Kristy has been an employee at Ball Aerospace for 26 years and designs/builds composite space structures. She also speaks to young students and artfully crafted her talk so we too, could understand this complex science.
The Hubble, positioned 380 miles above earth has contributed enormously to astronomy. It has expanded our understanding of star birth, star death and galaxy, and has helped move black holes from scientific theory to fact. The Hubble has provided the public with thousands of images and has helped astronomers answer a wide range of questions about the origin and evolution of the universe. At this moment, the Hubble Space Telescope travels around the earth every 96 minutes at a speed of 18,000 mph. When the time comes to decommission the Hubble, NASA will schedule a controlled reentry down to earth, landing in the ocean.
William H. Dickens was murdered on November 20, 1915 at 8pm. It is still considered the first unsolved murder of Boulder County.
On December 5, 1915 Rienzi Charles Dickens was arrested for the murder after admitting to the purchase of a high power 250-3000 Savage rifle, along with a box of shells (of which five were missing when arrested). He contended that he shot at posts on a farm on the Empson Hill. Authorities only found four shells, the fifth shell was found in an ashcan near the home of Rienzi Dickens.
The first trial, in Boulder, started on April 24, 1916. A total of 260 jurors were called to serve, there were 84 witnesses, and 101 pieces of evidence. Upon the stand Rienzi admitted he told many falsehoods during his initial questioning and on May 23, 1916, after more than 100 ballots taken by the jury, they found Rienzi guilty of second degree murder. He was later released on bond, pending a new trial, that started on September 23, 1921 in Greeley. Two new witnesses presented at that trail and he was ultimately found not guilty. It is believed the jury was sympathetic to the family.
Thanks to technology, we enjoyed a personal presentation by several individuals in southern Africa via Zoom. All were involved with an organization called âNatural Selections,â which promotes both conservation and tourism. It is their belief that the two must play a role together. Offering a range of safaris (from simple tents to elaborate lodges) they educate clients and encourage donations to help preserve wildlife, support conservation scientists, and also maintain the lodges. Last year they collected over a million dollars from international sources for their many projects.
Natural Selections supports other species-specific groups, such as those protecting giraffes, rhinos, desert lions, etc. There are many projects that help reduce conflicts with agriculture and livestock so that the wild animals can survive. Examples involved consolidating tribal farm fields, fencing, and harvesting grass and other food sources. The organization has also found itself involved with conservation education from preschool through adult levels. It has also worked with health clinics and sanitation projects.
Stephanie Benitez has worked 20 years for the FBI. She specializes in bank robbery, crimes against children, pubic corruption, the drone program, coordination with the BAU team (profiler- human behavior patterns) and mass causality- victim response team. Currently, she is working out of the Boulder Sheriff's Office.
Stephanie offered a look into the crime trends in Boulder County. One of her observations was the uptick of crimes since the legalization of marijuana. Additionally, fraud cases have skyrocketing, especially during the pandemic. Elder exploitation is on the rise and the victim is not your stereotypical individual. A recent study reveled the top traits of a typical victim: "Self reliant in decision making, optistimic, above average in financial knowledge, above average income, college educated, a recent health or financial setback and open to listening to new ideas or sales strategies." Over 13% of older Americans will become victims of financial fraud.
Rotarian, Janet Day shared her inspiration, Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK)
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. His given name was Michael King, the same as his father's, but his father change both of their names to Martin Luther King inspired by the Protestant reformer, Martin Luther. In many of his speeches and sermons, MLK talked about love. MLK believed in a world where conflicts should be settled peacefully and that even when bitterness seems to be instinctual, love should always prevail. Janet shared three quotes that speak to this truth.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." (1957 speech, Loving your enemies)
"A man must evolve for all human conflict, a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love!" (from his Peace prize acceptance speech in 1964).
"Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You donât have to have a college degree to serveâŠ..You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love." (This speech was delivered only two months before he was fatally shot on April 4, 1968).
Rotary had the fortunate opportunity to see a hawk, owl and eagle at close range today. HawkQuest is a non-profit organization, dedicated to teaching young and old alike about birds of prey. Kin Quitugua, a master falconer and founder of HawkQuest has a goal that is both educational and fun, creating an atmosphere that fosters respect for our land and promotes the stewardship of all living things. For more than 25 years, Kin has dedicated himself to educating the public about the place of raptors in our ecology. Kin brings this message to thousands throughout the United States each year.
Ray's visit to the Longmont Rotary Club included awarding 6 club members with their newest Paul Harris pin, along with providing an update on District 5450 news, upcoming Rotary events and winning the Fishbowl! (now he can't say he never wins). Ray has been a member of the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch since 1997 serving as its President in 2000-01. He has served as Assistant Governor, District Membership Co-Chair, a member of the District Visioning Team, PETS Facilitator, and a graduate of RLI. Ray is a Paul Harris Fellow and member of the Paul Harris Society.
Club member, Maria Karagianis shared a few of her experiences from her journalism work at Boston Globe during the 70's. Some of those stories included; 1) the riots over integration and mandatory busing, 2) an assignment in South Africa, where she illegally entered the black township of Soweto, traveled with a black man and covered the apartheid situation and 3) a recent assignment to the Greek island of Lesbos, to report on the refugee problems, which were being completely covered up by the government.
Maria also talked about the a learning center that was established (Discovering Justice), designed for the study of civics, law & justice. Maria was part of the Pulitzer Prize winning team from the Boston Globe for coverage of busing during desegregation in Boston. Maria now provides consulting strategy services for a non-profit.
Crossroads is a school with a unique vision for the Longmont area. Their mission is to assist middle and high school students who have experienced academic and/or behavioral struggles in traditional schools, to reach their potential through an individually distinctive, learner-appropriate program.
Barb Bulthuis, the Executive Director provided a brief historical review of academic models in the US. As the growth in American cities rose, the early American learning model centered on a factory-style learning of the 3 Râs (reading, writing and arithmetic). Classroom sizes comprised 30 students, of the same age learning the same material. While this model proved effective for many, some differentiating began to develop. Ideas such as âNo child left behindâ arose as the discovery that children learn differently and more academic individualization offers more success for students. Charter schools, magnet schools, vocational trade schools and certificate programs now offer successful paths for many students.
Diane Crist is a Colorado native who has lived in several countries and has used multiple modes of public transportation as a result. She has had a long-standing interest in improving public transportation, as well as the environment. The Colorado Department of Transportation forecasts that 1.1 million more people will move to Colorado in the next 30 years while at the same time, the State has also set the goals of reducing emissions by 50% by 2025 and by 90% by 2050. Diane presented information about hyperloop technology as the future for fast, carbon-free transport of passengers and products helping to achieve these goals. Colorado entered the Hyperloop One Global Challenge and in 2017 was one of 10 winners worldwide and one of four in the US. The initial Colorado proposal was for a hyperloop system starting in Cheyenne through Longmont to DIA and ending in Pueblo. Since then, the plan has been modified to a 40-mile system for transportation from Ft. Collins to Denver, which would take approximately 7 minutes.
With piano accompaniment from Dale Sherrod, the club sang all the official songs of the armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard), along with recognizing those club members with military service or family of a veteran. Our guest speaker, Mr Dick Kounovsky, from Legion Post 32 was introduced. Dick shared with us the history of the Star Spangled Banner flag.
The Star-Spangled Banner's history starts not with Francis Scott Key, but a year earlier with Maj. George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry. Knowing that his fort was a likely British target, Armistead told the commander of Baltimore defenses in July 1813 that he needed a flagâa big one. This flag was 30 feet tall and 42 feet long on a flag pole 90 feet high. He wanted the British to see the flag way out at sea.
Detective Stephen Desmond of the Longmont Police Department provided us with a wealth of information about How to Protect Against Identity Theft and Fraud. He named several groups responsible for the problem here in Longmont: Asian and Russian mafia, Nigerian, Canadian, & East European scammers, as well as local meth addicts. He warned against counterfeit checks (which can bounce back up to a year after transaction), deals that sound âtoo good to be true,â phone and internet scams such as fake Lotteries, telemarketing, the Grandparent Scam, Online dating and Phishing. Because scammers have gotten quite sophisticated, DO NOT be fooled by an email with your bankâs logo, especially if you notice grammar and spelling mistakes in the text. Watch out for fake ATMâs, skimmers on gas pumps, etc. In general, credit cards are safer than debit cards, and the ones with a chip are best.
Beware also of Roofing, Tree Trimming and Paving Companies that solicit business door-to-door. Check Better Business Bureau and get references for this type of service. Mail checks from a secure drop box or the post office. The raised flag on a home mailbox is a signal for people who want to steal. Checks can be laundered and changed, unless you use a gel pen.
Noting that almost everyone will be a victim sooner or later, Stephen gave us some general suggestions to minimize the risk:
Dave Willman of Rotary District 5450 updated our club on the process to eradicate Polio. Below are great statistics to highlight the progress that has been made so far.
6 Core partners
20 million volunteers
17 billion national investment
200 countries involved
Over 2.5 billion kids vaccinated, soon to be 3 billion
Paul Flanders may have retired from teaching high school, but he continues to share his vast knowledge of history to numerous groups. We were lucky to have Paul join us for lunch and share some interesting highlights of the The Battle of Britain. He recommended a new book on this topic: The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson.
The Battle of Britain, (July 1940-Oct 1940), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe. Newly elected Prime Minister, Winston Churchill would navigate Britain through this tumultuous wartime. For the next twelve months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, and it was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally. One of Churchillâs most powerful weapons was his words. His words were defiant, heroic and human, serving to inspire everyone in Britain and throughout the world. The speeches he delivered are now among the most powerful speeches ever given. Churchill regularly worked 18-hour days, working weekends and traveling abroad to conferences and battlefronts. He could be charming and generous but also exasperating, rude and bad-tempered. He drove his staff very hard, but he drove himself even harder.
Veterans Village â Paul Melroy of Veterans Community Project
The Veterans Community Project is dedicated to case management and connecting veterans to the community. Its goal is to end veteran homelessness everywhere and help every veteran in need. It is privately funded which allows for assistance to a broader range of people.
Coming to 451 S Anderson Street in Longmont is a veteran community with 26 tiny homes and a community center. Of those homes, 21 will be for single veterans and 5 of them will be a bit larger and set up for families. These homes are designed with veteransâ needs in mind, giving them a sense of security and serenity, and are fully furnished. Most of the labor will be completed by volunteers as they partner with Habitat for Humanity.
SHELTERBOX DEPLOYING TEAM TO THE REGION TO HELP FAMILIES DISPLACED IN HAITI
The death toll from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti has risen to more than 1,295, with an estimated 8,000 homes damaged or destroyed and thousands more displaced. The search and rescue to find survivors is the priority right now. The devastation worsens as Haitians now contend with the Tropical Depression Grace.
The ShelterBox emergency response team is in Haiti now, assessing the damage and determining how ShelterBox can best serve the needs of communities, along with the logistics of delivering aid during a pandemic. They are also in active discussions with local partners in Haiti, including Rotary International, Habitat for Humanity, and the IFRC, to understand the shelter needs and how ShelterBox can best respond to help displaced families.
Jackie List, Executive Director, provided a history and complete update on services provided by Safe Shelter of the St. Vrain Valley. For 43 years, they have been helping victims of domestic violence, including verbal, psychological, and physical attacks. Started as a crisis hotline, it soon became apparent that this organization needed space, both for face-to-face interaction and for protection of victims. They have outgrown several facilities over the years, and have been in their present shelter facility since 2004.
Safe Shelter services are free, confidential, available in Spanish and English, and accessible 24/7. They serve all who are facing a pattern of intentional abuse in their relationships. Their programs include: Outreach (safety planning & counseling), Children and Youth (in conjunction with St. Vrain Valley Schools), Legal Services and representation, and Collaborative and Transitional Housing, in cooperation with The Inn Between and Boulder County Housing Solutions. They now have a grant for Emergency Housing solutions.â
Angel Hoffman has been working in the geriatric field since the early 1990's. Her experience includes both long-term and acute care with a focus on providing support and education to people living with dementia and their care partners. Her motto for her work comes from the quote of Maya Angelou, " People will forget what you said, people will forget what you do, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia- Alzheimer's is a brain disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimerâs is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimerâs is a specific disease. Dementia is not a normal part of aging. It is caused by damage to brain cells that affects their ability to communicate, which can affect thinking, behavior and feelings. Alzheimerâs is a degenerative brain disease that is caused by complex brain changes following cell damage. It leads to dementia symptoms that gradually worsen over time. The most common early symptom of Alzheimerâs is trouble remembering new information because the disease typically impacts the part of the brain associated with learning first.
Bruce Davies shared history highlights of Estes Park. Bruce provides driving tours of the nature and history of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.
Archaeological discoveries of our Native American ancestors date back some ten thousand years, migrating through the areas we now call Estes Park. Some of the valuable artifacts from that time can be seen at the Mahaffy Cache on the CU campus.
The arrival of the first Euro-Americans to these valleys began in the 1790s. Kentuckian, Joel and Patsy Estes and their 14 children traveled to this area in 1860, discovering its beauty and thinking it would be a great place for raising cattle. The Estes family did not stay, leaving in 1866, in search for a more temperate place in which to ranch their cattle. Others, however, soon arrived, and by 1874, the valley had been opened for settlement under the terms of the Homestead Act. Though the first pioneer families (the MacGregors, Spragues, Jameses, Hupps, Fergusons, and Lambs among them) came to ranch and farm, most soon discovered that a more profitable living could be made by taking care of the needs of the summer visitors who arrived, in increasing numbers to vacation in this scenic area.
Erik Mason shared with our club a few of the many memorable stories of Longmontâs colorful history, as outlined in his book, Longmont: The first 150 Years. Through text and nearly 300 historic photographs, this book tells the stories of the many people who have called Longmont home. It is a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about Longmont and the St. Vrain Valley.
This year Longmont is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The land that Longmont now sits on, was once the ancestral home of the Cheyenne, Ute and Arapaho Indians. Longmontâs origins started with the Chicago-Colorado Colony. Longmontâs agricultural hub fostered flour mills, a vegetable cannery, and a sugar factory, laying the foundation for its present day varied business enterprises.
Longmont: The First 150 Years is available for purchase at the Longmont Museum's Gift Shop at 400 Quail Road and also available to borrow through the Longmont Library!
Byron Kominek and his father are co-owners of Jackâs Solar Garden. This family farm, located off of North 95th St. in Boulder County, is unique in that it now incorporates agrivoltaics. Agrivoltaics utilizes the same land for both solar photovoltaic power as well as for agriculture.
Currently the farm has installed 3,200 solar panels, (which provides enough power for over 300 family homes), along with the production of agriculture.
Through various partnerships, Jackâs Solar Garden offers valuable research and public education in this new sphere of sustainable farming called agrivoltaics. Educational tours are available.
Jack's Solar Garden is the largest commercially active agrivoltaics system researching a variety of crop and vegetation growth under solar panels not just in Colorado, but in the United States.
Dee Marie, Author, Yoga Teacher Trainer, CYT , Founder, and Executive Director of CALMING KIDS.
In 2004, Dee created CALMING KIDS: Creating a non-violent world, starting out as a pilot program in a local elementary school. This program quickly grew into an important classroom tool for teaching children non-violent communication, and respect for their peersâ personal space.
This curriculum contained:
âą Evidence-Based
âą Supports Anger Management
âą Improves Concentration
âą Reduces Stress
âą Promotes Physical Wellbeing
âą Fosters Empathy
BULLYING IN SCHOOLS
According to a 2001 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, bullying and aggressive behavior are on the rise in American schools. CALMING KIDS is an effective solution, training school teachers, counselors, yoga teachers, and students how to use non-denominational yoga techniques to increase concentration, relaxation, and fitness as a means promoting non-violent communication and anger management.
In addition to teaching school children of all ages and grades, Dee offers a yoga teacher training to young adult students interested in spreading this important body of material.
Epidemiologist, Michael Langona provided a COVID-19 update. Prior to his retirement, Michael finished off his epidemiological career at Longmont United Hospital (2005-2018). Michael provided us with a primer review of the virus SARS CoV-2, which causes the disease COVID-19. This all too familiar name breaks down as: CO-corona, VI-virus and D-disease.
Congratulations to the Rotary Clubs of Longmont (Twin Peaks and Longmont Rotary) and the Niwot Rotary club for hosting a community Personal Care Products collection drive to support the needs of 4 local non-profits. Collection bins were set up in the communities of Longmont and Niwot for 4 weeks.
Good Job Rotary Clubs Sponsor Personal Care Products Drive
Katharine Reece is the Donor Relations Manager for the I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County. The organization is working to close the opportunity gap in education in Boulder County. "I Have a Dream" was founded in 1981 by Eugene Lang in Harlem, New York. Today, there are 22 affiliates in the U.S. and Boulder County is the largest affiliate.
The organization works to improve the graduation rate in Boulder County and believes that the entire community is responsible for student success. A recent survey showed that Boulder County is least open to minorities, immigrants and refugees. As a result, many people of color feel excluded from our community.
I Have a Dream seeks to identify affected students and create resources to close the gap. The organization provides social and emotional support to "dreamers" and up to $10,000 in post-secondary tuition education assistance to each dreamer. Fifty to sixty students in a grade school or housing site form a "cohort" and opt in for 12+ years of support. I Have a Dream forms partnerships with school districts and housing partners.
Family partnerships include home visits, support with parent-teacher conferences, mentoring and support navigating the educational system. Additionally, post-secondary and career support are offered, along with scholarships.
I Have a Dream of Boulder County employs 32 full-time and part-time staff, 30 Notre Dame Americorps members and 700 volunteers. For more information, contact Katharine at katharine.reece@ihaveadreamboulder.org.
Dr. Reynaldo (Rey) Martinez, Jr. is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Adult and Career Education at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA. He has been involved in higher education for 27 years.
Rey communicated a story from the year 2000, where he was involved with a $16.5 million workforce education project in Honduras. The goal of the project was to rebuild and build new technical education centers following the destruction realized as a result of Hurricane Mitch. Rey met with the Minister of Education to discuss the pilot program he was proposing.. The Minister replied that he wanted the plane, not just the pilot!
So, they embarked on a systematic approach to improving workforce education in Honduras. They brought in partners to discuss ways to redesign workforce education (aka human resource development). Rey knew that the quality of the workforce and workforce education has a direct impact on the health of the economy of any given country.
Workforce education enhances human capital in three areas: intellectual, social and emotional capital. This is particularly true for women, the disadvantaged and the illiterate. Workforce education helps to raise them from their situation. Numerous agencies are involved in workforce education:
The International Labor Association
World Bank (provides capital assistance)
UNESCO (out of the United Nations, helps in the understanding of other cultures)
Dr. Ken Bickers is the Chairman and Professor in the Political Science Department at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He has been at the University since 2003.
Dr. Bickers presented a variety of political ads representing both political parties. There are four types of campaign ads:
Party branding ads -we don't see this type of ad much in the United States. These are used mainly in parliamentary government. However, we may see this type of ad around national conventions.
Retrospective- this type of ad is the most common in the United States, and suggests a change to a new team/a new direction.
Prospective - this type of ad promotes a commitment to a policy
Biographical - designed to create an image of a candidate
Political Advertising: the Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Becky Doyle, Jennifer Loper and Bob Allen represented the City of Longmont in discussing the Water Bond Issue 3C that appears on the ballot in the 2020 election.
Currently, the City of Longmont operates two water treatment plants: The Wade Gaddis and Nelson Flanders water treatment plants. The bond issue, if approved, would expand the Nelson Flanders water treatment plant, upgrade the water infrastructure, and issue $80 million in water bonds. This measure would improve the safety and reliability of the water system.
Why is this question on the ballot? The Longmont City Charter requires that an approval from the voters needs to be obtained anytime the city plans to issue bonds for any public purpose. This bond issue will not increase taxes. The proposed bonds, plus existing cash balances will be used to fund this initiative.
A "Yes" vote:
Approves the issuance of $80 million in water bonds + adopted rate increases + existing fund balances
Spreads out the cost of the repairs over time
Maintains lower user rates
Allows the city to make the improvements sooner
A "No" vote:
Argues that this initiative will cost more over time with bond interest
Argues that the city should not go into debt and should find other sources of funding
Argues that now is not the right time to spend money
Argues that short-term repairs could delay this expense
For more information, visit www.longmontcolorado.gov/water-bonds
Diane McKinney is the Founder and Executive Director of Able to Sail. The organization was founded to help youth identify and negate self-defeating thoughts of "not-enoughness". The 10-week, youth empowerment camp generally attracts about 200 participants. This year, the camp had less than 100 participants because of COVID. The cost is $345/week for participants that can pay, but scholarships are available.
The 20-point curriculum focuses on sailing analogies as the basis for changing negative thinking. The camp arms participants with compassion and kindness, and encourages kids to let go of the past and look to the future. The organization does not only work with at-risk students, but reaches out to the "lookin' good kids", who are dying on the inside...something you would not know by looking at them.
Diane reiterated that our beliefs are ingrained and drive our behavior. One of the exercises that participants engage in is answering the question "What does it feel like to be you today?" Over 85% of the responses are negative and reflect feelings like "I don't belong", "I don't fit in", and "people don't like me". The camp teaches participants self-esteem...a skill that must be taught and practiced.
For more information, contact Diane McKinney at diane@abletosail.org.
Lindsay Parsons is an advocate for aging in Boulder County. She has a background in Public Health and leads communication and research efforts for the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging (BCAAA). The agency supplies services to older adults in Boulder County and leads strategic planning on aging well in Boulder County. There are 622 similar agencies across the United States.
In the area of advocacy, the organization leads the efforts in:
Financial Assistance
Fiscal Programmatic Compliance and Reporting
Communications
Older Americans Act (OAA) of 1965
The agency offers older adults resources on:
meals
caregiver support
health promotion
benefits enrollment
in-home services
Ageism (discrimination because of age) exists in our society. One in four adults reports incidents of ageism. BCAAA has a resource line at 303-441-1617 where older adults can call and get information on resources and report incidents involving ageism.
Some of the programs offered by BCAAA include:
Veterans benefits webinar series
Long term care ombudsmen
Healthy aging
Medicare basics classes
LGBTQ programming and project visibility
Respite companion volunteer program
Access to dental services
Communication, training and opportunities for connection
Devin Hibbard is the Founder and CEO of the Street Business School. This program is a tool for organizations to amplify their impact in the world. Currently, the organization is active in 21 countries around the world and is focused on Africa.
The idea for the organization started in 2004 with a woman named Molly Grace. Devin and her family discovered Molly making beads out of recycled paper. At the time, Molly's entire family was working in a rock quarry and the entire family earned $.65/day!
That all changed when a small article ran in Oprah magazine on Beads of Hope. Following publication of the magazine, Beads of Hope sold $90,000 worth of merchandise in six weeks! This business proved that women in business could create true, measurable impact that builds self esteem.
The Street Business School was launched and offers entrepreneurial training and confidence building to create transformation in the lives of women. Devin shared the story of Ruth, who started a street vegetable stand, and realized that if she had someone watch her children while she traveled three hours to buy directly from farmers, she could succeed. And, Ruth did succeed, increasing her monthly income from $22 to $177/month!
The Street Business School is headquartered in Niwot and tracks the success of its participants. On average, women enrolled in the program increase their daily earnings from $1.35/day to $3.20/day. And, two years after graduation, the average woman makes $4.19/day! The organization has a goal of reaching one million women by 2027. They currently work with 97 organizations and focus on women and helping people to survive as entrepreneurs.
Madeline Miller is a Genetic Counselor at Avista Adventist Hospital, which is part of the Centura Health System. She helps people to understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial ramifications of cancer. Her introductory process involves gathering family history, conducting a risk assessment and discussing screening options.
Cancer is the uncontrolled cell growth and is a disease of the genes. Five to ten percent of cancers are hereditary. There are three types of cancer: familial, sporadic and hereditary. Familial cancer is diagnosed when multiple generations are diagnosed, is found at an early onset (<50 years of age), can involve multiple primary cancers and presents precancerous lesions.
Twelve out of 100 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. This can be hereditary and 30 to 85% of future generations within a family will develop breast cancer. There is a 50% chance that the disease will be passed to the next generation.
People can help to avoid cancer by: eating a healthy diet, limiting consumption of red meat, limiting or avoiding alcohol consumption, exercising and avoiding tobacco products. Ms. Miller debunked five myths about cancer: genetic mutations skip generations; only your mother's history matters; if you do not have a family history, you are not at risk; you will lose your health insurance if you test positive and you at a high risk and there is nothing you can do about it.
Madeline Miller Speaks About Hereditary Cancer and Genetic Counseling
Midori Takeuchi, Consul General for Japan in Denver, presented updates for COVID-19 in Japan. Consul General Takeuchi arrived in Denver in November 2018. She is one of 39 women in Director positions. Her hometown is Nagano City, not far from Longmont's Sister City of Chino, Japan.
Japan enforced a state of emergency on April 7, relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. The peak for the virus occurred at the end of July. Today, Japan prohibits visitors from 169 countries. However, people are allowed into Japan under special circumstances and from countries that are experiencing a low infection rate.
In-person learning was implemented in June, as Japan is not ready for online classes. The summer vacation for students was shortened, and today, school teachers give assignments for students to complete.
Japan has experienced 1,296 deaths from COVID, and residents are asked to avoid the three Cs - closed atmosphere, crowded conditions and close conversations. Although it is custom for people to wear masks in Japan and there is no law to require people to wear masks,, the government strongly advises people to wear masks.
The country has approved over $2 trillion in stimulus money to assist residents and businesses, which represents 40% of Japan's annual GDP. The highest unemployment in the country was 2.9% in May. The Prime Minister of Japan had two cloth masks delivered to every resident in May!
Cindy Noble and Rita Liu presented their thoughts on the expressions of gratitude experienced by Longmont United Hospital and Longs Peak Hospital in the face of COVID-19. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, and the readiness to show appreciation and express kindness. Both hospitals received overwhelming support from the community throughout the pandemic. As Executive Director for the Longmont United Hospital Foundation, Cindy started a blog to update visitors on ways that the community helped out during the pandemic.
Rita Liu, a Board Member for the Longs Peak Hospital Foundation, spoke about efforts of the Foundation to raise funds to support innovative research and education. Donations allow Longs Peak to bridge gaps in services and help thankful patients and families express gratitude to the hospital staff.
Basia Christ, a local artist, created paintings for both Longmont United and Longs Peak Hospitals, expressing her gratitude for the care she received. Longmont was fortunate to experience four flyovers of the community, that were emotional moments for the entire staff of both hospitals. Benjamin, a 12-year old student, created ear guards for hospital personnel, using a 3D printer.
Anheuser-Busch donated sparkling water and coffee drinks. Little Caesars donated 1 million pizzas nationwide in April and May to hospital workers and first responders. Local restaurants chipped in by allowing consumers to purchase meals for hospital workers.
Care packages were created for hospital and nursing home workers. Meals on Wheels donated 150 pounds of See's Candies, who experienced loss of sales for Easter and Mother's Day, relative to COVID. The little things made a difference, every day!
Caitlin Cullen is the Head Chef and Owner of the Tandem Restaurant in Milwaukee. Caitlin was a speaker at the World Affairs Seminar for young people, which was held virtually this spring. She spoke about the restaurant's direction in reaction to COVID-19.
When the stay-at-home orders were issued in March, Caitlin realized that her restaurant may close. So, she started looking at what she could do to help her community...how she could do the most while she had the chance. She decided to make "tv dinners" out of the ingredients she had at the restaurant. The first day, she assembled 85 dinners she thought may last for a few weeks. After promoting the meals to her community, response was overwhelming and the meals were gone in two hours! The second day, she assembled 150 meals and they were also gone in two hours! Since March, the Tandem has distributed 50,000 free meals to the community.
At this point, the restaurant began operating on donations. The largest donation received was $430,000 from World Central Kitchen, a non-profit dedicated to finding creative solutions to hunger and poverty. In Milwaukee, with a population of 600,000, over 20,000 residents are employed in the restaurant industry. The money from World Central Kitchen was directed to eight restaurants in the Milwaukee area, and the residual funds will be used to tutor students to keep them in school.
Caitlin realized the importance of keeping people employed and developed a program to employ young, black youth and give them a chance to get a job. She has targeted two populations: youth who need a job to get experience and youth who have been released from incarceration. These entry level jobs are meant to be a stepping stone for the youth.
Debra Fine presented ways to strengthen our connections during COVID-19. Debra is the author of a number of books including, The Fine Art of Small Talk. She spoke about how to launch conversations via Zoom, and encouraged our club to continue with breakout chats following our Zoom meetings, where we can visit with smaller groups of members. Debra's club in Denver has implemented Rotary Happy Hours via Zoom, where members are assigned to groups according to their last name.
Generally speaking, Debra asked us to be the one "who assumes the burden" in meetings. Launch a conversation with people that has nothing to do with the business at hand. The best way to start a conversation is to ask the other person "what keeps you busy outside of work (or school, or children or home, etc.) Stay on topic in your response to the other person's answer (i.e. if the person mentions gardening, then elaborate on gardening).
Give people something to talk about when you start a conversation. When someone exposes something about themselves, show compassion and empathy. Don't try to upstage them with your challenges, but be willing to share your challenges after listening to them. Stay away from questions that require a "yes" or "no" answer. By implementing these tips, we can all improve our conversations!
Debra Fine Presents Ideas for Cultivating Connections
Sue Ann Hong, Executive Director for the Center for Asian Pacific American Women, spoke about racism in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sue Ann first encountered racism in Hurley, Wisconsin at a very young age. She came to America to live with her aunt and realized she was different. They were constantly moving around the United States and she had to learn to maneuver quickly in new environments.
In her career with State Farm Insurance, Sue Ann realized that women do not get coached to learn about profit and loss areas of the business. Although she was a member of the leadership team, she was treated differently than her male counterparts. She had to learn to speak up for herself and establish her own voice. In one incident, she was bullied by three male co-workers and had to muster everything within her to stand up for herself.
In America today, Asians and blacks are more likely to report racist issues following COVID-19. From March 19-July 23, there were 2,499 COVID-related incidents of harassment to Asian-Americans in 45 states. California had the highest number of incidents, with 81 incidents of physical assault and 64 potential civil rights incidents.
Sue Ann Hong Speaks About Racism in the Midst of COVID-19
The Longmont Rotary Charity Fund has announced the recipients of the COVID-19 Crisis Grant Program. These grants were developed to assist non-profit organizations that have programs and services that address the needs of children and youth impacted by physical distancing, lockdown, and quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The award recipients are:
Able to Sail/$5,000 - the curriculum is based on sailing terms and is aimed directly at changing negative, self-defeating thought patterns
The Second Wind Fund of Boulder County/$5,000 - offers free therapy to uninsured or under-insured, at-risk youth struggling from suicidal ideation
Longmont Baseball League/$5,000 - The premier youth baseball organization in the St. Vrain Valley
Firehouse Art Center/$4,000 - Longmont's leading contemporary art center that hosts summer classes for kids and youth of all ages
St. Vrain FC Soccer/$3,000 - The premier youth soccer club for the St. Vrain Valley
Pearl/$3,000 - Provides single parent families the hope and skills necessary to build an economically and emotionally stable home environment.
Longmont Charity Fund Announces COVID Grant Awards
Paul Trapkus was formerly a music teacher at Silver Creek High School and recently relocated to Ohio. However, while he was at Silver Creek, he created an award-winning documentary that focused on students' passion for music continuing after high school.
Although he did not have a background in videography, he embarked on the project that was daunting, producing about 150 hours of raw footage. He spent hours and hours editing the footage and the finished product, entitled "Carry the Tune", won an award at the 2015 San Francisco Film Festival.
Another of his accomplishments at Silver Creek was the creation of a fiddle group at Silver Creek, that performs Irish and Scottish tunes at local community events.
Paul Trapkus Speaks About Award-Winning Documentary
On July 14, former Public Safety Chief, Mike Butler, spoke about policing in the past, present and future. "We need to get above our current struggles and look forward to what he future may bring. We need to look at reforming the system that has to do with dealing with human behaviors of substance addiction, mental health and homelessness. Laws do not help with the health and social issues that are prevalent in our society, although elected officials believe that laws are the key. As a society, we need to learn how to deal with these issues differently. We cannot continue to criminalize these behaviors. Police departments need to be more connected to their communities." The City of Longmont has implemented a number of programs that have contributed to a reduction in serious crimes even as the city's population has grown.
Phil Crews, the Development Coordinator at Mountain States Childrenâs Home (MSCH), provided our program today. Located north of Longmont, this 155 acre campus has five houses and can serve 24 youth, ages 11-18, boys and girls. The on-campus school supports the children's academic needs.
Julie VanDomelen, Executive Director of Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFFA), spoke to the club about their services. EFFA has its roots dating back to 1918 when the Spanish Flu killed 8,000 in Longmont. That tragedy birthed a community safety net of service and support. Today EFFA provides food bank services, basic need support, family housing, case management and strategic education. They partner with local agencies like The OUR Center and Sister Carmen Community Center. EFFA has a major focus on preventing family homelessness. It is estimated that their are 500 families who are homeless in Longmont, the major causal factor being economic issues. Julie mentioned that these families are often invisible to the community. The children maintain school education and families may move from temporary housing to the next, while the parents actively seek employment. EFFA operates 57 units of short-term and transitional housing for families in crisis. They believe that it is important to keep the family system intact as they move back into self sufficiency. Atwood is one such housing project managed by EFFA. Our club recently provided new playground equipment for Atwood.
Longmont Rotary is now hosting our meetings, virtual, on-line. The Tuesday meetings start at 12:30pm to 1:30pm. Dave Ferro serves as our IT host and Nancy, our club president runs the meetings. Dave sends out a Zoom link before each with instructions. We welcome guests. If you want to join a meeting, you can contact us through our club website or if you are a guest of a club member, they can forward the Zoom link to you.
Laura Phillips announced and invited the noon club to join in painting bowls for The OUR Center's, Empty Bowls fundraiser. The satellite group will be painting the bowls on January 22nd at Crack Pots, 505 Main Street, starting at 5:30pm. RSVP.
Margaret Meek, from Nest to Wings shared information about their organization's mission to help students successfully transition from high school to various higher education settings.
The Rotary Winter Warmth Coat Drive will extend from October 13th-November 23rd. There are 28 different sites throughout Longmont where the general public can drop off gently used or new coats, gloves, mittens, hats, scarves and blankets. This club project is a partnership with The OUR Center, our drop-off sites and Life Bridge Christian Church. The Longmont Rotary Club also donates new coats to further support this 29th annual event.
Longmont Rotary filled 95 backpacks for the St. Vrain Schools thanks to the Longmont Charity Fund and generous Rotarians, along with a check for $700.00 to Crayons to Calculators.
The Rotary Club of Longmont celebrated it's 100th Anniversary on June 17th. The club has hosted several events this past year to commemorate this special achievement.
Dr. Mike Simpson talked about the "next space age". He shared stories starting with the first fuel rocket launch in 1926 (Goddard), and ended his talk addressing the possible challenges humans could face if we begin living on other planets. Very thought provoking! According to Dr. Simpson it has been 62 years since sputnik. We have learned about microgravity, been to the moon, we have a space station, and we are able to monitor and study how space travel affects us with Scott and Mark Kelly. What do we have to look forward to in the future? Dr. Simpson tells us there will be many surprises including energy breakthroughs, the physics of the universe, startling exobiology discoveries and much more! Thank you Dr. Simpson!
On December 18th, Santa joined our Rotary meeting. He was very impressed with the Rotary 4-Way Test, adding that following those principles will definately keep you on the "nice list". Pictured with Santa is The Mason Family and The Baum Family. Our musical performers pictured above are Jennifer Stapleton and Steve Reinhard on the piano and Don Dreyer and Sally Campbell on the piano.
Samuel D. Smith was inducted into our club on September 25th. We invite our new members to share some information about themselves. Sam was the president of the Rotary Club of Evergreen for Rotary year 2014-2015. It is with great pleasure we will now get to serve beside him.
Mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 24th at 5:30 pm. The Rotary Social will be held at the new expansion of High Plains Bank, 600 Kimbark Street in downtown Longmont. We will have a spooky good time and costumes are encouraged and welcomed! More details to follow...
We had a great coat sorting day on November 24th. With the dozen plus Rotarians present, they sorted coats in preparation for the the upcoming distribution event. The community has really responded to the need for coats and other winter warmth items. The Longmont Charity Fund donated $2,500. for the purchase of new coats for children and adults.
Mark your calendar now for the Annual Rotary Holiday Ball on Saturday, November 17, 2018 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm at the Dickens Opera House! Tickets are $75.00 each and benefit the projects of the Longmont and Twin Peaks Rotary Clubs. Entertainment will be provided by the Wash Park Band and activities include festive holiday games and a $1,000 Holiday Cash Giveaway. For tickets, click here.
The Longmont Rotary After Hours, or L-RAH, satellite group meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month, from 6:00 to 6:45 pm, at varying locations around town. Attendees of the Tuesday noon group are welcome to attend. For more information and for locations, contact Amy Stoehr at amy@mcleaninternational.com.
Congratulations to Frank Rainey, Ron Lichter, Evonne Pierce and George Tamm for their generous Paul Harris donations made to the Rotary Foundation. In honor of these contributions, Paul Harris Pins were presented to these club members. Ron Lichter received his Paul Harris + 6 , Evonne Pierce received her Paul Harris +1, Frank Rainey received his Paul Harris +4 and George Tamm recevied his Paul Harris +2. Thank you all for your support and contributions to our community and the world.
Join the Rotary holiday tradition of raising money for the Longmont community by ringing the bells again for the Salvation Army. This year will be at King Soopers on South Hover and Nelson Road. Dates are set with the Rotary Club of Longmont ringing Friday, Saturday and Sunday from the day after Thanksgiving (November 24) through Christmas Eve. Money raised supports the Salvation Army, and locally, the OUR Center. Sign-ups are available online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508094fada92ca1fa7-longmont1
Sign Up Now to Ring the Bell for the Salvation Army
The Longmont and Twin Peaks Rotary Clubs are partnering on the Holiday Ball for 2017. The event will be held Saturday, November 25, 2017 at the Plaza Events Center. Local charities can apply to be the beneficiary of proceeds from the event. Net proceeds will be shared between a local charity and a Rotary International charity. For a copy of the application, please click here.
Make plans now to attend the next 4th Thursday Social at the home of Carly Mayer, 825 Incorrigible Circle in Prospect. The event will be held from 5:30 - 8:00 pm. Please plan to bring a side dish, salad or dessert. Once again, delicious food on the "barbie" will be provided, along with beer and wine. Please R.S.V.P. to Rose Crispin at rosecrispin13@gmail.com so that we can get an accurate count of attendees.
Join fellow Longmont Rotary Club members at Roger's Grove/220 South Hover Street on Sunday, June 25 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. We'll be participating in a club service project to spruce up Roger's Grove and will be celebrating with food trucks, beer and non-alcoholic beverages, activities and prizes! Mark your calendar NOW to join in the fun!
Bill Downes, District Governor for Rotary District 5450 for the 2016-2017 Rotary year, will be our special guest, as the three Longmont Rotary Clubs gather on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 from 5:30 - 8:00 pm, at the Longmont Museum.
The evening will start with a social hour in the Atrium, with heavy hors 'd oeuvres and a cash bar, followed by a presentation by the District Governor in the Auditorium at the Museum.
Club members can attend free of charge and guests are $10. Please R.S.V.P. today to Ryan Mason or Dan Gust.
Join 1,000 pie slingers and help set a new world record! The Rotary Clubs of Longmont are partnering to present this event to benefit students in the St. Vrain Valley School District. Individuals and teams will compete in the throw down competition. Then, all competitors will join together in an attempt to set the new record in the Guinness Book of World Records. The $15 admission fee includes a pie throw poncho, goggles, a commemorative sticker and two pies for the "World's Biggest Throw Down".
The 21st Annual Winter Warmth Coat Drive continues through November 30th. Please remember to donate new or gently used coats, blankets, hats, scarves, gloves, mittens and boots at over 20 locations throughout our community, including the Longmont Civic Center at 3rd and Kimbark, First United Methodist Church at 11th and Terry Streets, the YMCA at 9th and Lashley Streets, Longmont High School at 1040 Sunset Street,Longs Peak United Methodist Church at 1421 Elmhurst Drive, Meadow View Cleaners at Nelson and Airport Roads and 2318 17th Avenue and First National Bank of Colorado at 915 S. Hover Street.
Special thanks to Drop 'n Wash, Francis Street Cleaners, Lamplighter Cleaners and Lifebridge Christian Church.
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Deb Mohesky, Interim CEO of Longmont United Hospital: Common Spirit, spoke about the many projects currently in action. She is excited to be of service to LUH, stating, "The true heart of the hospital is the staff" adding, "The small things can be the big things. Quality service and a true heart are two essential components of a successful hospital." 
Debby Paris and Bryan Baum extended a big thank you to Rotarians who rang the Salvation Army bells at King Soopers this past holiday season. Debby shared the following results: Longmont Rotary raised $10,623 through 102 hours of ringing this year. We also had some star bell ringers, signing up 4 times (Tim Waters) and 5 times (John Eastman). Wow! Bryan mentioned the Salvation Army Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, which will be held at the OUR Center on Saturday, January 20th at 8 am. 
A big shoutout to 
Erik Mason, Longmont Museum Director provided highlights of Longmont's 2013 flood. He also reminded us of previous flooding in Longmont. The first documented flood in the front range happened in the Denver Cherry Creek area in 1864. Floods in Longmont date back to 1894 and 1921, flooding several areas of Main St. In 1935 a levy broke at Terry Lake and flooded the east side of Longmont. In 1969, Erik said, "this was the flood that wasn't". There was a tremendous rain downpour, but the Button Rock Damn prevented severe flooding in Longmont. 
Boulder Rotary Club Rotarians, Alessandro Sachs and Lynn Johnson, provided an informative program about their project to provide clean drinking water to the citizens of Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The Oglala Lakota Sioux reservation is listed as the poorest and the 8th largest, (the size of Connecticut). Many families have no running water or septic service and the groundwater is contaminated with arsenic and uranium. High cancer rates and the short life expectancy is attributed to this groundwater problem. What is needed is piped clean water going directly to the homes on this land. The nearest clean water supply system is "Mni-Wiconi- Water is Life" in Fort Pierre, SD. 
The history of cloud seeding stems from Vincent Schaefer, an American chemist and meteorologist who developed cloud seeding in 1946. He figured out that rain drops form around tiny particles called condensation nuclei. Silver iodide is used to stimulate this process by attracting moisture and tiny smoke particles. The chemical reaction when water changes from gas to liquid produces heat. When this happens inside the cloud, it creates an updraft, causing the cloud to grow. The concentration of iodine in precipitation from seeded clouds if far below the concentration found in iodized table salt. 
otarian, Amy McBride spoke to the Longmont Rotary Club, updating them on the Learning Gardens project, currently under construction in Khwai Village, Botswana. The project is on track for planting as spring approaches. 
Itâs very evident that Dr. Don Haddad loves his job. His passion is reflected in his message and love for the St.Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). Dr. Haddad, spoke to Longmont Rotary on August 8th at their weekly club meeting. He has served 40 years in education with 23 years as the Superintendent of Schools for SVVSD. 
Rotary clubs in the Longmont-Boulder area are working together to bring a life-changing project to a small African village: a learning garden that will teach people how to cultivate crops.
The Mission of Blue Sky Bridge is to foster healing and justice to end child abuse. Executive Director, Gina Earles joined Blue Sky in 2012, stating the non-profit was established to provide a safe and supportive environment for abuse victims where a neutral, professionally-led forensic interview provides case information for all participating law enforcement, judicial and social service agencies. Blue Sky Bridgeâs Child Advocacy Program collaborates with other agencies such as law enforcement, the Department of Housing and Human Services, the District Attorneyâs Office, County Health, Mental Health, and Victim Service Programs to provide a comprehensive, supportive and professional response to child abuse cases.Their school-based Education and Training Programs help ensure that kids know they are the boss of their own bodies and that they, and the adults around them, know where to turn for help. Gina stated that 42% of their referrals come from Longmont. To learn more about Blue Sky Bridge, go to 
Melanie Thibodeau, from the Alzheimerâs Association provided the club with both foundational information along with the latest news in research. We currently have six million Americans living with Alzheimerâs Disease. Did you know that women are twice as likely to contract the disease? Alzheimerâs is not considered a normal part of aging. The term dementia is actually an umbrella term for a set of symptoms, including loss of memory and other thinking abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. Common diseases include: Alzheimerâs disease, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal, Huntingtonâs and Mixed Dementia. 70% of these dementia related conditions as of the Alzheimerâs type. 
ub Rotarian, Janet Day presented the Compassion Awards to four high school students. The award is given to students who exemplify compassion as reflected in the Tower of Compassion's, five levels of compassion. The tower is located in Southmoor Park in Longmont. The award winners were: Matthew Bendzel from Longmont High School, Esmeralda Vega-New Meridian High School, Abby Frea-Silver Creek High School and Tabitha Inness-Skyline High School.
Charlotte Tyson, President of the Longmont Charity Fund opened the annual meeting. The Longmont Charity Fund (LRCF), was started in 1982 by visionary Rotarians. The Charity Fund is a tax exempt structure for donations from local Rotarians and Friends of Rotary, designed to establish an endowment fund from which contributions can be made to local human services organizations in the name of Longmont Rotary. The tax exempt (501 c(3)) organization allows for tax deductible donations. The functions of the Charity Fund include: 1) an Endowment â Sustainable funding for the future needs of the community and 2) Current Needs â Help meet the present needs of the community. 
WorldDenver is a nonprofit, membership based organization that promotes a greater understanding of world affairs and cultures. Simply put, their goal is to connect Denver to the world. John Krieger, J.D. is the Executive Director of WorldDenver and he shared some of the many programs within this organization. The Speaker Series brings renowned authors, experts, and diplomats to discuss pressing global issues. Each year, WorldDenver provides more than 600 international visitors from 120+ countries logistical support, professional development, and cultural connections to our local community. The World Affairs Challenge invites students from around the world to learn about global issues and create projects to help find solutions. Each year WorldDenver hosts International Women's Day with over 800 participants. Other programs include, WorldDinners, Homestay Hosting and professional fellowships. For more information about these exciting programs, visit the 
Dave Willman, Foundation Chair, District 5450 provided an overview on how the Foundation serves as a tool to fuel our club service projects. When you give to the Annual Fund â SHARE, The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives close to home and around the world.
Longmont City employees, Steve Ransweiler, Senior Project Manager, and David Bell, Director of Parks & Natural Resources, provided an overview of the city's parks, nature areas, greenways and trails. 
Award-wining journalist, writer and social entrepreneur, Maria Karagianis, spoke to Longmont Rotary about the Boston based non-profit organization, 
Director General Huang provided an interesting and relevant talk about the important relationship between Taiwan and the United States, touching on the growing threat of China to peace in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly after House Speaker Nancy Pelosiâs recent visit to Taiwan. Mr. Huang also talked about the stereotypes or misunderstandings about Taiwan. Taiwan is a cosmopolitan country with diverse ethnic background. The country is small, referencing that Colorado is 7.5 times larger than Taiwan with a population of 23.5 million people. (Colorado's population is 5.7 million). Itâs a crowded and competitive society. In order to excel in Taiwan, you have to study hard. On the other hand, the Taiwanese are a very happy people. Our suicide rate is low. Taiwan is more sub-tropical geographically and the attitude of its people are more like South Pacific Islanders than other east Asian islanders. Mr. Huang went on to address trade relations with the US, technological cooperation and supply chain challenges. To hear the entire program presentation, click on the link below. 
Club Rotarian, Andrew Lee shared in words and beautiful photography his trip to Botswana in the fall of 2021. Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, but it has one of the greatest concentration of wildlife in all the world. Andrew said the Okavango Delta is an extraordinary oasis in the Kalahari Basin, providing some amazing opportunities to witness in picture, the beauty of this land. "It is an area were death is always near, but so is beauty". To fully appreciate his talk, clink on the link below to watch this 30 minute program. 
Students shared their experiences at the recent Rotary Leadership camp. We also sent a student to the World Affairs Conference in Waukesha, WI, (Carroll University). RYLA is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary where students can develop their skills as a leader while having fun and making new friends and connections. This annual event (held in Estes Park), is offered to qualifying junior high and high school students. Students always recall the camp fondly, talking about their favorite group activities, new friendships formed, along with building confidence and leadership skills. 
Managed by the City of Longmont, NextLight is Longmontâs fiber internet provider. "We love being your neighbor and serving the Longmont community", said Valerie Dodd, CEO of NextLight. 
Journalist and club Rotarian, Maria Karagianis shared the account of her 2016 visit to the Moria Refugee Camp in Lesbos. Through some informal contacts, Maria was asked to visit the camp to observe and report on the conditions. After some deliberation, she did agree to visit, however when she arrived, the Greek government would not give her a press pass. Being an astute journalist, she quickly met up with some camp volunteers who provided her access,(somewhat illegal Maria recounts).
The Wild Animal Sanctuary is a 794-acre animal sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado. The non-profit sanctuary specializes in rescuing and caring for large predators which are being ill-treated, for which their owners can no longer care, or which might otherwise be euthanized. Nearly 650 animals roam large-acreage, species-specific, natural habitats. The 
Courtney Michelle, VP of Longmont Sister Cities Association, gave us an update on that organization and its relationship with the Northern Arapaho tribe. LSCA has been active since the 1990âs, conducting student exchanges with Chino, Japan and Ciudad Guzman, Mexico. It is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, affiliated with Sister Cities International, and has also enjoyed the support of Longmont City Council over the years. Since 2020, the usual student exchange has been on hold due to the pandemic but a relationship with the Northern Arapaho tribe has begun to take shape.
PROGRAM: Denver Sports with Troy Renck (May 10, 2022)
Dr. Gene Bowles, MD retired from his career as a surgeon in 2017 at the age of 80. He was the Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Denver Health Medical Center. Dr. Bowles addressed the question of when surgeons should retire. Or should there be a structured time or process for surgeons to retire? Should detailed cognitive testing and other such tests be required at a certain age? 
The organization, A Way Forward, offers hope to those who struggle with substance abuse. Debbie Platts, Executive Director and LSW Counselor, Mark Rogers, spoke to our club about this important local non-profit organization. The mission of A Way Forward is to eliminate financial barriers to recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and provide a trusting, welcoming, diverse and non-judgmental environment for families and individuals seeking help in the St. Vrain Valley. Their goals include: 1) Inspire hope that people do and can recover, 2) Walk with people of their recovery journey, 3) Dispel myths about what it means to have a mental health condition or substance abuse disorder, 4) Provide self-help education and link people to tools and resources and ,5) Support people in identifying their goals, and building a path forward.
The presenter, Mike Vialpando, represented Longmont Power and Communication (LPC). He is the manager of AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure Services)
With photos available from the internet, Tracey Perry shared some various snippets of Colorado history, including Longmont history. 
Presented by: Kayleigh Radenbaugh. Rise Against Suicide helps youth at risk of suicide by removing the financial and social barriers to treatment, enabling them to find hope and healing. Rise Against Suicide funds therapy sessions for at-risk youth struggling with suicidal ideation in the Boulder Valley School District and St. Vrain Valley School District. Young people up to the age of 19 who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and are uninsured or underinsured are eligible for funded counseling services through Rise. The organization receives referrals from private and public elementary, middle, and high schools, community social workers, psychologists and mental health professionals, hospitals, and mental health facilities. Clients are seen within 72 hours, helping at-risk youth connect with qualified, private therapists. Students receive 8-12 therapy sessions at no charge to the student. 
Stephanie Benitez has worked 20 years for the FBI. She specializes in bank robbery, crimes against children, pubic corruption, the drone program, coordination with the BAU team (profiler- human behavior patterns) and mass causality- victim response team. Currently, she is working out of the Boulder Sheriff's Office. 
Rotarian, Janet Day shared her inspiration, Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK)
Rotary had the fortunate opportunity to see a hawk, owl and eagle at close range today. HawkQuest is a non-profit organization, dedicated to teaching young and old alike about birds of prey. Kin Quitugua, a master falconer and founder of HawkQuest has a goal that is both educational and fun, creating an atmosphere that fosters respect for our land and promotes the stewardship of all living things. For more than 25 years, Kin has dedicated himself to educating the public about the place of raptors in our ecology. Kin brings this message to thousands throughout the United States each year.
Club member, Maria Karagianis shared a few of her experiences from her journalism work at Boston Globe during the 70's. Some of those stories included; 1) the riots over integration and mandatory busing, 2) an assignment in South Africa, where she illegally entered the black township of Soweto, traveled with a black man and covered the apartheid situation and 3) a recent assignment to the Greek island of Lesbos, to report on the refugee problems, which were being completely covered up by the government. 
Crossroads is a school with a unique vision for the Longmont area. Their mission is to assist middle and high school students who have experienced academic and/or behavioral struggles in traditional schools, to reach their potential through an individually distinctive, learner-appropriate program. 
Detective Stephen Desmond of the Longmont Police Department provided us with a wealth of information about How to Protect Against Identity Theft and Fraud. He named several groups responsible for the problem here in Longmont: Asian and Russian mafia, Nigerian, Canadian, & East European scammers, as well as local meth addicts. He warned against counterfeit checks (which can bounce back up to a year after transaction), deals that sound âtoo good to be true,â phone and internet scams such as fake Lotteries, telemarketing, the Grandparent Scam, Online dating and Phishing. Because scammers have gotten quite sophisticated, DO NOT be fooled by an email with your bankâs logo, especially if you notice grammar and spelling mistakes in the text. Watch out for fake ATMâs, skimmers on gas pumps, etc. In general, credit cards are safer than debit cards, and the ones with a chip are best.
Paul Flanders may have retired from teaching high school, but he continues to share his vast knowledge of history to numerous groups. We were lucky to have Paul join us for lunch and share some interesting highlights of the The Battle of Britain. He recommended a new book on this topic: The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. 
Veterans Village â Paul Melroy of Veterans Community Project
Dr. Mike Simpson talked about the "next space age". He shared stories starting with the first fuel rocket launch in 1926 (Goddard), and ended his talk addressing the possible challenges humans could face if we begin living on other planets. Very thought provoking! According to Dr. Simpson it has been 62 years since sputnik. We have learned about microgravity, been to the moon, we have a space station, and we are able to monitor and study how space travel affects us with Scott and Mark Kelly. What do we have to look forward to in the future? Dr. Simpson tells us there will be many surprises including energy breakthroughs, the physics of the universe, startling exobiology discoveries and much more! Thank you Dr. Simpson!
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