SHOCK AND AWE! THE VISITATIONS CONTINUE.

ROTARIAN HANDCUFFED DURING MONTPELIER CLUB MEETING BY CHIEF OF POLICE!



Yes, it was a shocking site to see former president of the Rotary Club of  Montpelier Shaun Tobler  handcuffed by the chief of police, Greg Butler.  

As I recall, after his handcuffing, Tobler growled, "Ya got nuthin' on me, copper."

"Think again, Mister.  We're got you on a 540, dead-to-rights," snapped Butler.

"Ya, what's that?" Tobler muttered.

"Impersonating a Kiwanian!"

Perhaps I have not recalled each jot and tittle of the event, but I know this:  Butler handcuffed Tobler, as the picture attests. 

Here is Butler.  One can see by the puppet he is cradling in his hand that this is a no-nonsense chief. If you look closley at Tobler's picture, you will see that same puppet monitoring the prisoner, a no-nonsense puppet!

When I arrived at the Montpelier site, President Bobb Biggs on the left, was helping Jim Griglack, president-elect, hang up the Rotary flags.   

After the meeting, Bob and Jim took me to Adam Street Park which the Montpelier Club helped build with a district simplified grant.  The club also participates in Adopt-a-Highway and it participates in the Montpelier car show.  Jim and Bob are car aficionados, since that is their business at Bob's Car Care in the city.

Plus, they are supportive of youth, providing two $500 scholarships based on applications submitted to the club.  Also, the Montpelier Club contributed $200 to the Idaho Academic Decathlon, one of my favorite Idaho organizations that sponsors an annual academic competition for our high school students.
I left Montpelier having enjoyed my visit.  I drove the color-splashed Highway 36 through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest to Preston and enjoyed this beautiful scene below.  

Once I was in Preston, I toured the Swainston Cabinet shop where AG Alex Swainston works with his father, Paul, his brother and other employees to craft beautiful cabinets. 

AWED WITH THE EAST IDAHO FALLS CLUB

No, I didn't say the East Idaho Falls Club is odd.  I was awed with the creativity and energy of the group who met with Visioning Adventurers Joel Phillips (Pocatello Portneuf Club) and David Scott (Rexburg Club) and me on October 21.

In the 3 1/2 hour meeting, the Rotarians created ideas that resulted in identification of future plans and the themes running through this vigorous club led by President Kym Mowery.  Those themes as as follows:  a)  Enjoying a sense of teamwork with a fmaily environment resulting from getting to know each Rotarians,  b)  Engaging in service to the community,  c)  Treating everyone's ideas successfully,  d)  Including everyone including, females and minorities,  e)  Supporting youth and education,  and f)  Enjoying international work.

Your club can take advantage of a Visioning Adventure, too!   Interested?  Give me a call at 695-9262. 


David Scott addresses the club.



APPROACHING HALLOWEEN...A LITTLE ODD WITH THE CAPED CRUSADER?

Yes, this picture was taken a few days before Halloween, and here is Alex Swainston, member of the Rotary Club of Preston in a Halloween cape!  

Carolyn and met with the leadership of the club at a great downtown sandwich shop in Preston on Oct. 25.  From left to right, one sees Alex Swainston, Kelly Nicholson, secretary, Travis Chase, president, and Val Porter, president elect.  Doug Webb, a Rotarian since 1965, met with us but rushed home to retrieve  pictures of projects in Nigeria to show us.  He's not in this picture, but he is in the one below.
 

Carolyn and I pose with Doug Webb, Anita Swainston, Terry Gilbert, Ron Smellie and Reese Gregory after the club meeting.

Preston has an ambitious club as Travis Chase highlighted when he handed me a document of accomplishments.  The club built the concession stand at the new Preston High School gymnasium, hosted the best fireworks display in the state (what would Soda Springs say about that?), were given state recognition for the club work on roadside cleanup projects, delivered dictionaries to 3rd grade classes, completed a matching grant for Bahia, Ecuador for school supplies, tuition, food, and medical supplies, in cooperation with the Caldwell club.  Three of the members became Paul Harris Fellows.

The club is seeking to grow by 3 new members!  They wish to partner with another district club to help with an international project and they are looking to forming a partnership with the FFA group for service opportunities.

One of the special tours Alex gave Carolyn and me was walking through Doug Webb's beautiful and new mortuary.   It was impressive.  Here Alex, Ron Smellie and I pose by the fireplace in the lobby.  Much of the woodwork was created by Alex.

Part of our tour was to stop by the superintendent of school office and talk to Superintendent Barbara Taylor on the same day the local newspaper carried a story of her intent to retire.  When I met Barbara she said, "We have met before," and then told me of our work on behalf of public education nearly 20 years ago.  I had rummage through my memory but then pulled from my bank memories of this pleasant educator. 

Thanks, Barbara, for your work on behalf of Idaho's students. 

Preston is a special place with friendly people, a family atmosphere and the beauty of nature.  We stayed with Paul and Glenda Swainston, Alex's parents or should I write, natural grandparents.  They had walls of pictures of children and grandchildren and we met two of their grandchildren whom Glenda babysits. 

Thank you, Preston.  We enjoyed your club and your city.