June 20, 2013 was the celebration of the Rotary Club of Castle Pines.
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You have achieved amazing feats this year. Pat yourselves on the back.
This year was the first time in the history of the club that the Rotary Club of Castle Pines received the Presidential Citation. Congratulate yourselves. It took the entire club membership to accomplish this honor.
The key requirement for the Presidential Citation starts with a Peace project.
Strengthen our club – 3 year strategic plan for strengthening the club – 3 goals required – Castle Pines achieved 4
Increase our service – sustainable service project in one area of focus (club, community, vocational, international, new generations (youth)) – 3 goals required – Castle Pines achieved 5 goals
Enhance public image – Communicate what Rotary represents – 3 goals required – Castle Pines achieved 6 of the 8 options
These accomplishments are remarkable for any club. To achieve these results with a club of less than twenty members is outstanding. It is even more impressive when you consider that the majority of the members still have full time careers and other community involvements.
The food for tonight represents all of the countries we have helped this year:
Haiti, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Nepal, China and United States. Patricia Fiske contributed the selections for Haiti and China, Jeff Mantz for Zimbabwe, Karen Becker for Nepal, Jon and Liz Clarke for Thailand and Lisa Bartmann for the United States.
The club accomplishments on the District 5450 and multi club level:
District Conference – 4 attendees and a display at the House of Friendship – Patricia Fiske, Ivan Kalotov, Karen Becker and Elaine Love
Rotary Leadership Institute – Howard
Grants Seminar – Karen Becker, Patricia Fiske, Jeff Mantz and Elaine Love
Literacy Seminar – Elaine Love
Peace Forum in Hawaii – Patricia Fiske
Rotary Youth Event – Patricia Fiske, Karen Becker, Ivan Kalotov, Gary and Lisa Bartmann, Jeff Mantz, Vern Nelson, Ron West, Howard Rosch and Elaine Love
Douglas County Rotarians at Work – Patricia
The combined clubs built three houses for Homes for Our Troops (All appliances and counters are wheelchair accessible.)
Villa Park project was Patricia’s from Denver Mile High club – Villa Park is a poor neighborhood in downtown Denver. There was free food available for all and craft tables everywhere. The kids could make out a Christmas card for each parent or grandmother or whoever is raising them. The kids came in to a special room (no parents allowed) and the kids picked out a gift for each parent. Gifts were wrapped and their card attached. The kids had a present to put under the tree to give to their parents. Everything was donated by Rotarians. It was the neatest experience. Imagine the pride and joy for the children and their parents. Patricia, Karen and Elaine were participating.
Group Study Exchange – Hosted, drove, entertained and honored our Chinese doctors – Patricia Fiske, Karen Becker, Ivan Kalotov, Jeff Mantz, Vern Nelson, Ron West and Elaine Love. The doctors attended a health fair, visited hospitals, the Wildlife Experience (extra kudos to Vern), had a lovely reception at Patricia’s house and even a farewell reception in Parker before departure. Special credit for hosting and driving: Karen Becker and Ivan Kalotov, Jeff Mantz, Ron West and Vern Nelson.
Project Sanctuary – Veterans and families reuniting and growing back together as a family
Toys for Gods Kids –
Library project for books for school children – Denver Mile High grant
Women’s Crisis Center grant – Parker club
Nepal water project
Haiti children’s health project
Thailand library project
Ducky Derby – largest amount we have earned on any fund raising project since our inception – over $10,000. Everyone in the club sold tickets including Susan and Darrell Johnson before they were even members. Several members continued to sell helping others long after they had sold their own tickets. The club sold 90.5% of all tickets issued to the club. This is a Ducky Derby ticket record percentage. (Combined effort of 2 Castle Rock clubs and Castle Pines)
Rotary Club of Castle Pines:
5 RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) sponsorships
Chartered a new Interact club (Rotary International’s service club for young people ages 12 to 18) – Renee Palmer started the process. Gary and Lisa Bartmann picked it up and ran with it.
Toys for Tots – Ron and Kay West, Ted and Betty Ziemann, Patricia Fiske, Karen Becker and Elaine Love. We sold so many raffle tickets that they had to keep giving us a bigger container.
Linus Project – Blankets for victims of natural disasters – Opportunity to present Rotary to DTC-CBW and contribute the postage to send the blankets. 100% of our $100 went straight to the charity. Interact kids helped make the blankets.
Women’s Crisis Center as beneficiary of Chili Cook-off – Once again 100% of the profit went straight to Women’s Crisis Center and by doing it through Colorado Shares day there was an opportunity for even more benefit for Women’s Crisis Center. The entire club pitched in and worked all day to make this happen despite the fact that we encountered rain, snow and cold winds. Special recognition to Charlotte Mattox, Pete Bell, Gary and Lisa Bartmann, Karen Becker, Patricia Fiske and Elaine Love. The entire club participated. Kudos to all of you.
District Grant for Family Health Fair – Patricia. Karen also went on the walk through. Castle Pines is also contributing to the park bench for the community garden at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital (our host for the health fair).
Club Awards
International – Jeff Mantz traveled to Zimbabwe, spent weeks of his valuable time, money out of his own personal funds to drill wells. Why? He honored and followed through on a project for a friend, a member of his church and a fellow Rotarian. He has attended Rotary trainings and district assembly and visited numerous other clubs to further his knowledge of Rotary.
He is writing the first International grant for Rotary Club of Castle Pines to continue the water project in Zimbabwe.
Read the plaque – “Water is the living force in nature.” Leonardo Da Vinci
Gary and Lisa Bartmann – Thank you for hosting tonight and last month. Thank you to my special computer guru for helping me when the projector and the laptop were not playing nicely together. Thanks for everything you both did for Ducky Derby – sales posters, hats, tutu, and so much more; you made selling not only more fun but more productive as well.
New Generations – You took a handful of youth and formed a backpack toiletry drive for homeless youth. You furnished food for the kids every meeting, educated them about service, educated them about Rotary and chartered the club. You are constantly involved with kids – your own and your new extended Interact kids. You taught them the 4 way test values. Our youth are the foundation for a strong tomorrow. Your continual unselfish contribution to the club and to youth has earned our heartfelt gratitude. Gary and Lisa Bartmann – Read the plaque – “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
Ron West and Ted Ziemann – Programs are key to attracting and retaining members. You have delivered top quality speakers week after week. Your excellent follow through with confirmations and directions has made it so much easier for all of our speakers. Congratulations
Charlotte Mattox spearheaded the Chili Cook-off – Karen Becker, Pete Bell, Gary and Lisa Bartmann, Patricia Fiske, Howard Rosch, Elaine Love and so many others pitched in and made the event a success despite the inclement weather. Kudos for a job well done.
I know it is not proper to give yourself an award, but it is my distinct pleasure to recognize my right hand. Well actually, probably my entire right arm. She has been my constant supporter, my “go to person” for everything from the district house of friendship, club meetings, projects, fund raisers, putting up and taking down tents and loaning me ice bags and a pillow. You know her as our club secretary. She takes it up above and beyond. A tribute to my dear friend, Karen Becker.
Rotarian of the Year
This individual is a stalwart supporter of our club at all times and in all situations. She is an active participant in every club activity – fund raiser, project, meeting and plan. Always has a smile and a cheery greeting. Active on the district level as well as club level. She is mentor, supporter and if appropriate instructor.
She championed the GSE program and the upcoming Family Health Fair. She participated in the Peace Forum in Hawaii, DCRAW (Douglas County Rotarians at Work), HFOT (Homes for Our Troops), Rotary Youth Event, rapid-fire recording of Ducky Derby winners and served as District Secretary as well as personal nurse to Terry while simultaneously providing food service to a shut-in. She is our consummate source of knowledge of all facts Rotarian and our own personal guardian angel. She is the winner of the District 5450 Service Above Self award and a Major Donor to Rotary. I could go on for another 30 minutes. We are here to celebrate a fabulous year and who better to honor as Rotarian of the Year than Patricia Fiske.
This is a time of new beginnings and thus it is my honor to present the President’s pin and gavel to your new leader. Please welcome Howard Rosch.
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The Rotary Club of Castle Pines is a “fun club with a service problem.” Come join us and help us promote service and the 4 way test as the ethical standard for all conduct.