Speakers: Last year's Outbound Exchange Students, Maggie McGuire and Melanie Doyle, shared stories and experiences from their year abroad. Maggie was in Poland's second largest city, Krakow, while Melanie spent the year in Nantes, France, a city along the Loire River.
Maggie's experience was challenging - her family spoke little to no English, so many hand gestures were used. "Dzien Dobry" (Good Morning) was the extent of her Polish when she started, but soon after her in-depth exposure, she was speaking and understanding the language!She selected the literature track (all 9th graders must choose an academic track), which mandated long and boring lectures. She enjoyed the Polish festivals and holidays with lots of family. She also appreciated the architecture of Krakow (undisturbed from WWII.) However, she certainly does not miss the staple of the Polish diet - cabbage and potatoes!
Melanie's experiences seemed less stressful. Her first host parents were divorced, so she got to spend time in the city with her host mom and lived on a boat with her host dad. The family drove to the nearby ocean to enjoy every weekend. Her favorite and most dynamic memory was a visit to the D-Day Memorial in Normandy. Both Melanie and Maggie said the highlights of their year were the excursions they took -- Maggie to London and Prague, and both of them on their three-week Euro Trip to Germany, Paris, Amsterdam, France, Barcelona, Monoco and Italy with other exchange students from 11 different countries.
Both young women had amazing, growth experiences and are excited to share their enthusiasm for Rotary and the Youth Exchange program with other students at Aspen High School.
Guests:
Terri Caine (Craig Melville)
Tyler Hollenbach (Bob Porter)
McGuire Family: Parents Lisa and Terrence and sister Maeve
Adrianne Martinez – exchange student
Annabelle Ward (next year’s outgoing exchange student to Argentina) and father Bob Ward
Laurie and Jack Doyle, Melanie’s parents
1. Justin Barrow needs more drivers for the Aspen Rotary's Club's oldest continuous event, the Annual Fall Colors Senior Jeep Tour, started in the early '70s by founding member, the late George Madsen. Turned into a workday/tour to the Lindley Hut in 1998, the trip is a wonderful day of getting to know your fellow Rotarians as well as bringing immense joy to 30 seniors. Meet at 9:30am Saturday, Sept 24, at the Senior Center on Castle Creek or drive up to the hut early to help with food preparation.
No four-wheel drive vehicle? No problem. Come anyway. The road to the Hut is in great condition. You'll just have to park at the top of the rugged lane to the Hut and walk a short distance. If you can volunteer to drive or to help Peter Waanders with a yummy lunch, please contact Justin: justin@sandysofficesupply.com or 925-1620 (w); 948-0585 (c).
2. Mike Taets asks all Rotarians to show their support for the Guatemala Literacy Program by attending this Thursday's reception Sept 15) for the organizers of the program. Drinks and apps provided at the Mountain Chalet, 5-7pm.
3. $85 vs $1800 - The value of the Snowmass Wine Festival vs Aspen’s Food & Wine Classic, featuring a tasting of some of the nation’s top wines this Saturday in Snowmass! Steve Wickes urged Aspen Rotarians to support the Snowmass Wine Festival, our sister club’s annual fundraiser with thirty-five top wineries, six distilleries, over a dozen restaurants, live music, a silent auction and a classic car show. Tickets at www.snowmasswinefestival.com. Snowmass was great at supporting our Ducky Derby (the winning ticket was even sold by someone in Snowmass). Let’s return the favor!
Back by popular demand! Member Bio's! Okay you may eat breakfast with them every week, but how much do you know about your fellow Rotarians? President Craig is bringing back member bio's and first up was Dan Johns.
From his introduction to Aspen as a 16-year-old sleeping on a bunk bed for $7, to owning a successful construction business with his native Aspenite wife, Heidi, Dan has “been there/done that!” He grew up in Illinois, rode his bike at 6am to his job at a German bakery in Chicago, graduated from Southern Illinois University, moved to Aspen in 1977 and got his first job cutting firewood for $3/hour at Sam’s Knob, working for his future father-in-law.
His initial career job as an architect didn’t satisfy him, but he decided the building trades might. After he and his brother lasted only a half-a-day at a union construction job in Chicago (because “we didn’t know what they were doing”), he got serious about the field and learned from some of the best when he came to Aspen. He started his own firm, Roaring Fork Builders, in 1990 and is still “having a lot of fun” with it.
Thurs, Sept 15 - A panel from the Guatemala Literacy Project will update us on their activities. Meeting at the Hines Room, Aspen Meadows. Doors open at 7am; meeting starts at 7:30am.
Saturday, Sept 17 - Support the Snowmass Rotary Club's Wine Festival, Snowmass Rodeo Grounds. Tickets $85 in advance at www.snowmasswinefestival.com
Thursday, Sept 15 – Reception for Cooperative Education, the Guatemala Literacy Project’s parent company, 5-7pm, Mountain Chalet
Saturday, Sept 24 – Senior Fall Colors Jeep Tour and Lindley Hut Work Day. Meet at 9:30am at the Senior Center. Drivers and food preppers needed! Contact Justin Barrow: 925-1620 (w); 948-0585 (c) or justin@sandysofficesupply.com.
Friday, September 9 -
The Club has $28,000 in outstanding receivables.
Ducky Derby revenues equaled about $345,000, probably more than last year. The complete financials should be available in about a week. Youth group checks will probably be distributed during a Rotary Club meeting.
President Craig plans to restructure the weekly meetings to re-energize the Club portion of each meeting. He plans to start right at 7:30. He wants us to answer these questions after each meeting:
Are you glad you came?
Did you learn something new?
Are you proud to be a Rotarian?
He also plans to focus on each of the four points of the Four Way Test. If you have other ideas, he wants to hear them!
In an attempt to get more involvement in our Club's multiple committees, President Craig plans to ask for monthly activity reports from committee chairs.
The Rotary Speech Contest will hopefully involve other clubs in the Valley this year. Deborah Breen suggested that our club have a booth at the annual College Fair, Sunday, Oct 2, announcing that students could win $1,000 toward a college scholarship.
There's been a request for a printed Club directory. To accomplish the purpose behind that request, the Club will coordinate member's photos with their name badges. So, Lorraine will start taking photos when you arrive.
Roger Nicholson and former Aspen Camp development director Annie Henderson gave an update on the financial picture at the Deaf Camp. Roger will be reporting to the whole club in the future.
Maurice Emmer announced an anonymous donation of $300 received toward our Youth Exchange Program.
The Weekly Newsletter of the Rotary Club of Aspen.
