At the first meeting of his presidential year, Craig Melville hosted the Rotary Club of Aspen atop the Mountain Chalet.

 

Speaker:  John Bennett, Cradle To Career Director at the Aspen Community Foundation. John gave Rotarians an update on the recent measurable results of the CCI. Among other achievements, CCI has funded dedicated college-career counselors at six high schools in our region.

 

Guests: Grif Smith (guest of Heidi Hoffman). Karla Ruiz, (guest of Norm Bacheldor; see more about Karla below).

 

 

President Craig alluded to some ambitious plans for the Rotary Foundation at the changeover dinner last week. This week he kicked off the year with a personal $100 contribution to the Foundation. Stand by and hold onto your wallets! Craig also read a letter from the Guatemala Literacy organization thanking us for our $30,000! grant.

 

After an incredibly successful year in Aspen, our exchange student, Margot Ulrich will be flying home on July 13, according to Maurice Emmer. Please come to the Pitkin County Airport at 8:00 AM on July 13 if you wish to say "au revoir!" 

 

Meredith Maaske, and Emily Burr are co-chairs of this year's Ducky Derby Silent Auction. They are depending on you to round up silent auction items.

 

 

Thursday, July 14, At the Mountain Chalet! Avery Bang, CEO Bridges to Prosperity. Two years ago we enjoyed an inspirational talk by another staff member of BTP. Now the CEO is coming to give us an update. Avery recently spoke at TEDx,  watch video here. Bridges to Prosperity envisions a world where poverty caused by rural isolation no longer exists.

 

 

July 11, 10 AM: Emily Burr invites all Rotarians to come to the Grand Opening of the Bucksbaum Campus of the Aspen Music Festival. This new collection of rehearsal halls and teaching spaces cost $80 million and Emily raised most of that. Parking is limited; please take the free RFTA bus to the Castle Creek campus.

 

August 13: 2016 Ducky Derby

 

Learned during Happy Bucks: Tom Clark thanked Llwyd Ecclestone for his behind-the-scenes hard work on Ducky Derby sponsorships. Sam Johnston followed suit with happy bucks for the beautiful new Clark's Market. Jeanette Darnauer invited Rotarians to see her new photography exhibit at the Red Brick. Norm Bacheldor is just back from Canada, where he learned about his family tree. Craig Melville thanked Rotarians for their participation in the July 4th parade - and wanted everyone to know that the firetruck he was driving DID NOT SPRAY WATER. (Until later.)

 

Scholarship Committee:  Steve Seyffert and Norm Bacheldor introduced the club to Karla Ruiz, one of two winners of $12,000 Aspen Rotary Scholarships at Basalt High School.

 

Karla is an impressive young woman, according to Steve.  She plans to attend Westminster College although is deferring her scholarship for a year so that she can work, save money and intern at Valley View Hospital.
 
It was a bit of serendipity that this week's speaker was the Director of the Cradle to Career Initiative. Karla was below a C average in middle school, with several siblings and single mom. She got the mentoring she required thru CCI, and through hard work she graduated in the top 10 in her class.  

 

 

The monthly board meeting was held last Friday with something new: new board members and a free breakfast, compliments of President Craig. 

 

The Board voted to waive the $25 "late fee" on your most recent Rotary invoice. Due to a billing snafu, many Rotarians did not receive an invoice last quarter. If you pay your Rotary bill in full by August 15, and if you have a $25 late fee, you may deduct the late fee from your payment.

 

Also discussed at the Board meeting: the History Committee, the Rotary Foundation Committee, the Rotary Speech contest, the club's new website, and a new committee: the Speaker Committee. President-elect Scott Russell will be the chair of this new committee. Please let Scott know if would like to serve on this committee and insure that every week has a "don't-miss" speaker.