IN THE KETCHUM-SUN VALLEY CLUB, WHAT'S THE WORD? DUCK!!

(Things are just ducky for this group of Rotarians holding Great Wagon Days Duck Race posters.  Front row l. to r.:  Joshua Fields, president, Ben Varner, Christy McPherson.  Back row l. to r.:  Amy Federko, Davis Hein,, John Scherer, and Will Duke)

The first question the secretary of the Ketchum Sun Valley Club asked me when I met with the club leadership on August 23 was, "Want to buy a ticket?"

"Well, of course," I said to Bob Stone and from that time on I had to fend off other club members who greeted me with, "Want to buy a ticket?"

(This is Bob Stone, a 33-year faithful Rotarian and long-time secretary.)

"Bob already asked me," I responded.  (In fact, for a mere $25.00, I bought a six pack.) 

Yep, the 14th Annual Duck Race is a big deal for this Rotary club.  They have grossed as much as $100,000 on the race in previous years -- before the downturn and the fire-- and are admittedly somewhat anxious about the amount they can raise this year.  But, they are working at it!

YOU TOO CAN BUY DUCK RACE TICKETS
There are many, many prizes for the winners, including a chance at $1,000,000, although I think I may have won that opportunity with my six pack.  (Sorry.)

The duck race takes place on Sunday, Sept. 5 with live music from The Mark Slocum Band at 1 p.m. along with beer and food vendors at the Rotary Park in Ketchum.  Ducks hit the water at 3 p.m.  To purchase ducks, call 720-7948 or 721-7481. 

THIS CLUB IS RICH IN TALENT AND COMMITMENT
The club leadership met Monday evening at the Ketchum Bar and Grill, a marvelous restaurant owned by Rotarian Scott Mason.  Have you ever had a waitress describe food choices by saying, "This salad features (exotic vegetable here) I picked from my garden just this morning?"  Now that's amazing and shows a commitment of this waitress to great food at a great restaurant.

As Joshua Fields, president, and his leadership sat around the table that evening, I was deeply impressed with the energy of this club and the balance of new club members with experienced ones.  The group included Bob and Betty Stone, Ben and and Susan Worst, Will and Ramona Duke, Hailee Blomquist, Ben Varner, Mark Beelaert (president-elect), Teresa Lipman, Curt and Linda Chambers and Christy and Tom McPherson.

I was not able to take a group shot of the entire contingent named above, but several of us lingered a little later and here they are.  From left to right:  Tom and Christy McPherson, Joshua Fields, Will Duke, Teresa Lipman, Ramona Duke and Hailee Bloomquist.

DO YOU HAVE AN OLYMPIAN IN YOUR CLUB?

Do you recognize this 1968 Olympian?  His method of high jumping was a "challenge to the conventional thinking, but it broke world records and changed high jumping forever -- or for as long as forever is in sports."  (This quote comes from the book Mind Sets by futurist John Naisbitt.)

This is Ketchum Sun Valley Rotarian Dick Fosbury of the world-famous "Fosbury Flop."  A native of Medford, Oregon (my home state!), Dick became a sports revolutionary when he perfected the technique of flinging his body backward over the bar with his back arched, his legs following, landing on his shoulders.

Go to YouTube and search for "Fosbuy flop."  You will see a short video of Dick defeating the American and Russian finalists with his amazing technique, which is now standard in the sport.

DO YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE TO YOUR ROTARY CLUB
When Josh Fields rode up to Ricco's Pizza on his bicycle, I said to myself, "This is the first president of my 19 clubs I have visited who has ridden his bicycle to his meeting."  Here Josh poses with Rick Ryerson.

Thanks for the good time at your club, Josh and members.  I had a great time!  - Terry Gilbert, DG