THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR'S SCRAPBOOK OF VISITS AND EVENTS

Fellow Rotarians, my computer crashed on Sept. 11, and I have been scrambling to catch up since. Therefore, my blog of our great Rotary clubs and events will emphasize pictures with minimal script until I can catch up.

For the most part, the pictures will show my interactions with Rotary clubs from September 13 through September 19.  Enjoy the pictures.

THE NEW BOISE F - EAST 

The new Boise East Club places its early energies into creation of a refugee garden in west Boise.  The neighboring Episcopal Church (donated land), the Boy Scouts, second graders (planted tomatoes), Idaho Youth Ranch and 15-20 different individuals and businesses has garnered the attention of the Idaho Statesman. 

On Sept. 13, I met with the leadership.  In this picture, Brenda, the master chef, announces the forthcoming meal to an attentive audience.  (L. Sue Simmons, Dick Halsey, Karen Des Aulniers, hostess, Steve Vurgrin, Brenda, Teresa Meeks, Jeff Hatch, Betsy and Rod DesAudlniers, host.)

After the meal, the leadership posed for a dignified picture!

A WESTERN TREASURE IN ONTARIO, OREGON

What's a Christmas picture doing here?  I met with the Western Treasure Valley Club on 9.15.10, but apparently in the crash of my computer, I lost the pictures I took that day.  I'm sharing the picture I took of this great club in December 2009.  They throw a great Christmas party, and Carolyn and I are looking forward to returning this year, too.

WE HAVE A NEW CLUB!  THE TWIN FALLS AFTER HOURS

It is my intent to feature the party on behalf of our newest club, the Rotary Club of Twin Falls After Hours on the front of the website.  I am sharing some picture here, so you can celebrate the formation of a brand new club!

Doesn't Kathleen Hale, president, look happy as she holds the Rotary International Charter for her new club?  Notice the Twin Falls After Hours shirts they are wearing.  Snazzy.  Kathleen's father, a long-time Rotarian, came from Petaluma, California, to help share in the merriment.

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Special thanks to Nancy Koonce of the Rotary Club of Twin Falls for helping this club form.  Thanks to the RC of Twin Falls for sponsoring the wonderful celebration on 9.17.10.  Watch for more pictures on the front page of the website.

ARE SUNRISE ROTARIANS CRABBY?  HECK, NO!

The members of the Rotary Club of Boise Sunrise -- my club -- are never crabby, especially when serving lobster, as they did on Saturday, 9.18.10 at the Fairgrounds.  The lobsters are from Maine.  Most of the attendees are from Boise.

REXBURG - PRIDE & PATRIOTISM & COMMUNITY PRESENCE

On Sept. 8, Rexburg President David Scott monitored the grill

as Laine Eckersell, assistant governor, smiles at the camera in the picnic in his back yard.  The visible couple in the background is Merrill andJ'Lene Rudd.

Well, Fellow Rotarians, my computer crashed on Sept. 11, and I have been scrambling to catch up since.  Therefore, my presentations of our great Rotary clubs for the next several days will emphasize pictures with some script.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.

MY IMPRESSION OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF REXBURG?  PRIDE, PATRIOTISM, PRESENCE!

The leaders of the Rexburg Club gathered for a picnic and fellowship.  In the picture below on the left, we see Tim and Kim Kershaw and Merrill andd J'Lene Rudd.  On the right, we see Rex and Melodie Head and Martha and David Scott.  Also joining in the wonderful evening were Jerry Rigby, Eric and Robyn Easton and Vaughn Phillips and Lisa Bianco.

 

On September 9, President Scott took me to a wonderful site in Rexburg that honors America's service men and women, the work of Rotarian Lynn Archibald.

And to a Rotary Park...

And David also introduced me to Rexburg Rotarian Henry J. Eyring, advancement vice president, of BYU-Idaho.  Dr. Eyring talked with the two of us for a gracious hour of his time about his pride in his university.  He is an impressive fellow, deep thinker, and committed educator.  Thank you, David, for setting up the appointment, and thank you Dr. Eyring for sharing the passion of your work with us.

Has your club helped construct a building to house a carousel?  No?  Well, David proudly showed me another site in Rexburg, a building displaying the Rotary symbol which houses a carousel.  No wonder David is proud to be a Rotarian in Rexburg, one of the oldest clubs in District 5400, founded in May 1920.  The club is also the home of Past District Governor Ray Rigby. 

At the end of the meeting on Sept. 9, I asked a group to pose for a picture.  Here they are.  Thank you, Rexburg, for maintaining a vibrant club of good people committed to fellowship and service in an outstanding Idaho community.

With my respect -  DG Terry Gilbert

POCATELLO GATE CITY - TYING ONE ON!

LOOK AT THIS, KEVIN LEARNED!

Our good Past District Governor Kevin Learned would never, I mean NEVER wear a tie during his term of service.  No, not a bolo tie, a string tie, an Ascot, a cravat or a necktie, much less a bow tie.

(If you want to see some fun we enjoyed at the May Sun Valley Conference with Kevin and ties, search on YouTube for "Rotary Sun Valley Conference + Kevin Learned."  You'll have a laugh!)

So, you can imagine my delight when President Jerry Myers put on a bow tie at the end of leadership session just before my club address on Sept. 14.  Yes, he attached the tie to his collar with a large paper clip, proving that learning to tie a bow tie is no easy task, even for a smart architect like Myers.

He was not the only one either, as the picture of the leadership group reveals. You see that Lisa Armijo, Jerry Myers and Jim Park have on bow ties.

Picture #1

Front row l. to r.:  Kathy Morter, Lisa Armijo, Justine Buffaloe, Terry Gilbert holding a purse - I'll explain later

Back row:  Jerry Myers, Jerry Miller, Alan Stanke, Jim Park and Rick Excell

However, Jerry Miller, Alan Stanek, Rick Excell and Justine Buffaloe are tie-less. 

IT WAS BOW TIE DAY!

By the end of the luncheon, however, some of the people above really tied one on

Picture #2

Kathy Morter in Picture #1 is without tie.  But Kathy Morter at the luncheon suddenly is supporting  an nifty gold number.  Her husband Glenn Harvey also has a tie.  The young lady in the middle is their Youth Exchange student, Justine, from Belgium.

Picture #3

Front row l. to r.:  Russ McCoy, Rick Excell, Jerry Myers, Lisa Armijo, Vern Murray

Second row:  Steven Muse, Jim Park, Steve Thyberg, Glenn Harvey, Terry Gilbert, Jerry Miller

Find Rick Excell in Picture #1.  No tie.  But in Picture #3, he has a tie.  Same for Jerry Miller.  So what happened?  I think Lisa Armijo and some other planners happened because several distributed ties as members arrived.

Even PDG Jim Johnston, always a sharp dresser, put on a tie in honor Kevin Learned, I am sure.  Also,note the Pocatello Gate City shirt he is wearing.  Now, that's sharp, and Jerry Myers gave me one as well, with my name on the sleeve and a Gate City pen to put in my pocket! 

THIS CLUB IS "TIED" TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD!  WHAT A VISIT WITH THE LEADERSHIP REVEALED TO ME

When I visited with the leadership, I quickly learned that this club enjoys serving their community. 

Club president Jerry Myers, attended in 2004 on the invitation of his father, a past president of the club.  His first thought about the value of membership?  Networking and marketing.   It was a profound insight for him to learn what Rotary does, an "...organization that gives both time and money unselfishly, doing good, compounding the benefit."

Jim Park, a Rotarian since '88 and the president-elect, has a passion for service.  As a high school student, he attended some of the luncheon meetings of the larger Pocatello Club. An energetic, quick-thinking fellow, he will lead well in 2010-11.

Justine Buffaloe, club secretary and mother, sister, wife and volunteer, originally joined in '95, separated from her original employment and had to leave the club but came back in two years because she knew much more about Rotary and had a deeper appreciation of the community.  She has been able to teach her children the value of service through the Gate City Club. 

Rick Excell, originally exhibited his service to the community in Rigby through Kiwanis but has been a Rotary member since 2003 and enjoys service.  Rick volunteered to serve on the District 5400 Rocky Mountain Leadership Institute.  Thanks, Rick. 

Kathy Morter, a former forest service employee, stated that her professional career was devoted to service, so joining Rotary was an extension of her professional service.  Kathy stated that at one time she considered leaving the club because she was not being involved in service.  Her passion is youth and she serves on the District Youth Exchange Committee as does her husband Glenn.  


Alan Stanek, District 5400 Assistant Governor, joined in '85 after being asked by Dr.Staley.  His passion?  International service!  A committed Rotarian, I have been able to count on Alan for support and assistance throughout my year.

Lisa Armijo, has been a member since 2000, joining intially as a marketing tool for her profession.  When she saw all the service that Rotary performs, she became a deeply committed member and served as president of the club.

WHAT DOES A BOW TIE TELL US ABOUT THE WEARER?

Jerry Miller, the "Voice of the Bengals," found himself attracted to the members when a friend invited him to join the club in '82.  His service?  He is an exacting sergeant-at-arms.  During his presentation on Tuesday, he provided  a quote from his extensive research in Wikipedia about what wearing a bow tie really means.  

"To its devotees the bow tie suggests iconoclasm of an Old World sort, a fusty adherence to a contrarian point of view. The bow tie hints at intellectualism, real or feigned, and sometimes suggests technical acumen, perhaps because it is so hard to tie. Bow ties are worn by magicians, country doctors, lawyers and professors and by people hoping to look like the above. But perhaps most of all, wearing a bow tie is a way of broadcasting an aggressive lack of concern for what other people think." 

I thought, "Oh, no, he's on to me as I "feign" to look like a professor or a doctor or lawyer.  But, because I am a contrarian, I said, "I don't care."

Vern Murray and I are contrarians together!

Thanks Pocatello Gate City for a wonderful visit!

- Terry Gilbert - DG 2010-11

MCCALL ROTARY CLUB: WE ARE FAMILY HERE SERVING FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AROUND THE WORLD!

Fallyne Leonard - the youngest Rotarian in McCall

When I met with the leadership of the RC of McCall at Rupert's Restaurant in the historic downtown Hotel McCall on Aug. 31, I knew I was going to participate in a club that is family! 

And, I met the family, like Travis and Candace, parents of Fallynne.

(Travis' father-in-law is a past president of the McCall Rotary Club.  Travis joined to give back to the community with a special passion about scholarships for youth.)

AND THE "AUNTS" AND "UNCLES" WERE THERE, TOO

Here's what I mean: 

Jim and Jennifer Bates were there.

(Jim, a Southern gentleman, comes from Tennessee where is his father was a Rotarian.  Jim was a Rotaract member and joined because Rotary is "a potent organization".  He consented to serve as president for a second year this year.)

And Jack Hellbusch and Dorothy, Suzanne and Laura, and Mark Shelamar and Jodie.

 Dorothy and Jack Hellbusch 
(Jack has been a Rotarian for five years.  Former school superintendent Terry Donicht asked him to join.  His passions are service to the community and the dictionary project.)

Suzanne Rankin & Laura Shelamar

(Suzanne has been a Rotarian for 8.5 years.  She and her husband Bob Rainville are deeply involved in international work.  Laura is committed to Rotary and supports her husband, Mark.)

Jodie Moore and Mark Shelamar

(Dynamic Jodie Moore is past president and serves as secretary of the club.  She was invited to join by Dave Hansen.  Mark Shelamar is a member of the District's Rocky Mountain Leadership Institute and has served the club for five years.)

And laughing Jim Fronk.  (The picture is unfocused because he was laughing so hard!)

(Jim is a past president, has a son who belongs to Interact, has been a member for 26 years and is a merciless sergeant, having fined me when I visited the club several months ago.)

ANY GRANDMAS AND GRANDPAS?  WELL, YES, I THINK I SPOTTED SOME.

Like Jerry and Jan Jutting...

Jerry Jutting has been a Rotarian for four years having moved from his long-term membership with Kiwanis.  He appreciates the global and local work of Rotary.  His wife Jan convinced me to order the couscous and egg plant, a great choice as the picture below shows.)

And Grandpas Eddie Droge and Dave Hansen

Eddie and Dave are two outstanding Rotarians who provide wisdom and stability to this club.

(Eddie has been a member for 40 years and Dave for 19.  Both are intensely committed to youth in their community and internationally.)

AND WE MUST NOT FORGET THE VISITORS FROM OUT OF TOWN, TERRY & DOTTIE JONES,  MARRIED JUST ONE YEAR

Terry Jones, assistant governor, with his wife, Dottie

(Terry has been a Rotarian for 31 years.  He's a great assistant governor and passionate about the Four-Way Test...and Dottie!)

MCCALL ROTARY MEETS IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND DOES BEAUTIFUL WORK

The club meets at Shore Lodge, where my wife and I spent our honeymoon 41 years ago.

 (The scene from the club dining area at Shore Lodge)

The club is filled with fun and laughter and good natured humor, like the "Bubba" shirt" that Jim Bates gave to Jim Trino when the club met on Sept. 1.

Jim Trino stands proudly in his "Bubba" shirt

A SAMPLING OF WHAT THIS CLUB DOES...

Yes, the people are impressive, but so is the work this good club does.  Jim Bates gave me a list of fundraisers and community service projects.  Here are a few of each:

FUNDRAISERS

McCall Rotary Scholarship Raffle (Donkey Draw)

Selling BEADS and chorizos at Winter Carnival

Siletn auction at installation banquet

A FEW OF THE COMMUNITY & INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECTS

Academic Scholarships - $8,000 p/year

Book Scholarships - $8,000 p/year

Little Ski Hill - $3,000 toward transportation from schools to Little Ski Hill

Dictionaries to 3rd graders w. Rotary's 4-Way Test and student's name inside front cover

Christmas presents for local children/families in need

Humanitarian Day - $1,000 and volunteers to provide firewood to hear the homes of the elderly and single mothers during cold months

P.O.T.S - Positive Outdoor Teen Service - $500 in scholarships for at-risk youth

Rotary Park Clean Up - $3,000-$4,000 to the city for park maintenance

Backpack Program - $1,000 to provide food for children in neeed over the weekend

International Projects - Loja, Ecuador (school project), Guayaquil, Ecuador (water filter project), Puno, Peru (literarcy and agricultrual development pilot project) 

I'm proud of you McCall.  Keep up the good work as a family!  - Terry Gilbert, DG 2010-11

THE NAMPA CLUB - PIZZA-PIZZA, FRIENDSHIP-FRIENDSHIP

Front row:  Alisha Havens, assistant governor, Craig Kingsbury.  Second row:  Milly Goode, Brian Burks, president, Darren Collum, president-elect, and Frank Lara, secretary

POSING WITH PIZZA

I met with some of the leadership at Smoky Mountain Pizza in Nampa on Aug. 30.  Great meeting where we shared stories about why we are Rotarians, but at the end of the evening, we had pizza left over.  Good pizza.  I enjoyed several pieces for breakfast the next morning.

VISITING THE NAMPA CLUB:  MEETING OLD AND NEW FRIENDS

Returning to Nampa on August 31 was like going home.  I graduated from Northwest Nazarene College, taught school at South Junior High and ran for public office so many eons ago.  And in the meeting, I ran into old friends, like Denny Ellis, who played the string bass on campus with my best friend Wayne Young.

Dennis Ellis is flanked by Milly Goode and Marie Baker

MEET DR. BILL WATKINS!

Have you met Bill Watkins?  No!  Then you have missed a talented and funny man.  I taught some of his children at South Junior High, but I think he has forgiven me. 

AND I MET NEW FRIENDS...NEW MEMBERS INDUCTED THE DAY I WAS THERE.

Brian Burks welcomes to membership Maryann Jones.

Darren Collum greets new member Matt Johnson.

WHAT A HANDSOME GROUP!  WHAT'S THE OCCASION?

What a handsome group, I must say.  In order here they are:  Doug and Annie Cleveland, Andy Dodson, Darren Collum, Alisha Haven, Bill Hall, Francie Aguilar and Milly Goode.  Why are they meeting?  Several years ago, Rotary International President D.K. Lee (2008-09) appeared in Boise and the District hosted a gathering for him.

The pictures below are of D.K. Lee and Francie Aguilar and Darren Collum and D.K. 

AND THIS CLUB HAS A VISION!

Front row: Bill Hall, Francie Aguilar, Colleen Dodd, Jennifer Deroin.   Second row: Blake Slater, Lynn Caba, Frank Lara, Dave Vauk, Annie Cleveland, Marie Baker. Third row: Mary Reiman and Charles Weymouth, Visionary team members, Andy Dodson, Brian Burks, Milly Goode, Craig Kinsbury and Doug Cleveland.

Yes, the distinguished Rotarians in this picture are either flashing a peace sign or making rabbit ears to grace the heads of their fellow Rotarians.

This is a picture of the RC of Nampa Rotary Club taken by Krista Cole on June 15, when fifteen leaders gathered to envision the future.

At the end of the evening, the club had generated great ideas to guide their future, including the goal of establishing Interact clubs at all Nampa high schools with an emphasis on ethics and 4-Way Test to develop future leaders.

The club’s challenge now is to go from great ideas to action plan to strategic plan.  Charles Weymouth and I will work with the club on Thursday, Sept. 16 to help them with their strategic plan.

I wish you well, Nampa!  Keep up the good work.

- Terry Gilbert, DG 2010-11

GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE TEAM SET TO GO TO INDIA!

Want Pilates lessons?  A loan?  A liaison to a refugee family?  How about help with Internet marketing?

Then you've come to the right place and Linda Groom, the distinguished Rotarian above, will introduce you to the young professionals she will accompany to Calcultta, India on January 4, 2011. 

Why are Mary (gray shirt), Melanie (yellow sweater), Shelli (helping Dave) and Dave (climbing on cab) posing in a pickup bed?  Because 3 of the 4 of them are ROCK CLIMBERS!.  So, it's not a truck bed they are in -- it's Elephant Perch in the Sawtooths!  (Use your imagination!)

What interesting young professionals our GSE Committee selected.  Let me introduce you to the team.

LEADER LINDA GROOM...RECIPIENT OF BURLEY CLUB SCHOLARSHIP, WORLD TRAVELER, BUSINESS OWNER, HUMANITARIAN

LINDA GROOM, leader, is a native Idahoan and University of Idaho grad where she studied political science and history.  She writes, "I graduated from the University of Idaho with the great help of the Ellsworth and Darius Davis Rotary Scholarship from the Burley Club. (My father was president of the Burley Club in the 60’s) so my Rotary roots extend to the past, and it’s a privilege to give back to the organization which has done so much for me."

She was a junior high teacher for four years, ran a yarn mill in Boston and is now a successful real estate broker with ReMax. Linda served as the first female vice president of the Chamber of Commerce in the early 80’s and was designated a “Pocatello Chief.”   She states on her website, "My philosophy is based on caring about people."

She writes, “I love to explore the world, especially with my husband of 45 years, Peter Groom. We’ve traveled to many places in Europe but have really enjoyed our visits to more ‘exotic’ places such as Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Turkey, China and Cambodia.  Often on those visits, I have had the opportunity to observe Rotary wells, but it was our second trip to Tanzania last summer which imbued me with the spirit of Rotary. Our native guide asked the group if anyone belonged to Rotary. Then, he proceeded to inform us what great things Rotary had done for the people of Tanzania. An inspiring moment, indeed!"

"And, someday, I will help build Rotary wells in Tanzania!"

(Linda and Peter have two grown children, Samantha and Cory. Samantha was recently married.  Linda is a member of the RC of Pocatello.)


MARY GEWARGES

Physical fitness buff MARY GEWARGES has a BS in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Outdoor Education and background in outdoor athletics and instruction.   She finds fulfillment in her current work as a yoga and Pilates instructor for Pocatello's Mind Your Body. 

What is Pilates?  The Mind Your Body website describes it thusly:  "The Pilates method is focused on training the body’s small interior muscles that support our skeletal system – rather than the large exterior muscles that weigh down our skeletal system. This builds a longer, leaner physique, while increasing strength, flexibility, and coordination." 

MELANIE DELASHMUTT

MELANIE DELASHMUTT has worked at the Pocatello Teachers Federal Credit Union where she started 16 years ago as a part-time teller but now serves as president and CEO.  Melanie is also president of Zonta International of Pocatello, an organization of female executives and professionals in decision-making positions willing to contribute to improving the legal, political, educational, professional, economic and health status of women.


SHELLI SONNENBERG

Police officer SHELLI SONNENBERG serves as a refugee liaison with the Boise Police Department, a position she helped create.  According to a Boise Weekly article explaining Shelli's work with refugees,"...she(Sonnenberg) explains everything from what to do when a police officer pulls them over, to how much it costs to call 911. Since many refugees are accustomed to dealing with corrupt cops who operate on a system of bribes and kickbacks, it can be hard for them to accept police officers in a non-threatening role."


She is quoted in the article as follows:  "When the new Americans get here, I teach them about the laws of this country and focus on the ones that are really different from where they're from. The big ones are probably domestic battery, child abuse, statutory rape. Depending on the countries that they come from, those are completely different laws that don't even exist."


DAVID ROMERO

Entrepreneur and "adrenaline enthusiast" DAVE ROMERO  is an analytical fellow.  He started a tea company after a trip to Argentina and imported the tea for about a year.  Then he started a Tsuvo (pronounced SOO-voh) with co-founder Derik Ellis.  A web story I found acknowledges "...they have helped about 100 business owners maximize their websites and Internet marketing. Romero created the Market Analysis software for that purpose, but as it evolves, he is finding more ways to use it."

What about the "adrenalin enthusiast?" Well, I came across a blog from Dave about his flying trip to the Idaho wilderness with his father, Capt. John Romero of Owyhee Air. 

Explained Dave, "We flew into Soldiers Bar - a backcountry airstrip in the middle of Idaho with a purported difficulty rating of 32. A backcountry flying guide book I reveiwed before the trip stated that this particular airstrip was to be used for “emergency purposes only”. Sweet. Us Romeros are always up for a challenge." 

Hint:  they made it in and out although they used 1,100 feet of the 1,200 foot runway to fly out, having lightened the load by leaving all their gear behind under bushes and a tarp.

THE TWO EXCHANGE GOVERNORS MET IN SAN DIEGO IN JANUARY 2010

Our GSE team will go to District 3260 where they will meet District Governor Narayan Mishra, a professor in the Department of Chest Diseases at Government of India Medical College.  Narayan has been a member of the Rotary Club of Berhampur Central since 2002.  In his leisure time, he enjoys sports, especially badminton and cricket.  His wife is Asha.

In this picture taken in San Diego in January, Narayan and I pose for the camera.


THANKS TO THE DISTRICT GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE TEAM FOR SELECTING A GREAT GROUP.
 

(Anna Ellis, left, and Denise Dunlap-Taylor,right are Outbound and Inbound Chairs respectively.)

Thanks to the Group Study Exchange Committee of Anna Ellis, Outbound Chair, Denise Dunlap-Taylor, Inbound Chair, Kara Yost, Dan Davis, Beth Markley, Blake Slater, Ryan Ward, Alisha Hoob ing, David May, Kevin Learned, Kathleen Simko and Terry Gilbert.

- Submitted by Terry Gilbert, DG with best wishes for a great trip!