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Volume IV, Issue 16  April 19, 2018 Editors: Nathalie Crick and Steve Wickes
 
Committee News
Matilda "Tilly" Swanson puts smiles on the judges' faces
 
Matilda Swanson Wins Rotary's Speech Contest
 
"Ex-Temp - it's what I do," said Matilda "Tilly" Swanson after winning first place at the Aspen Rotary Club's Third Annual Extemporaneous Speech Competition on Wednesday, April 18. 
 
A freshman at Aspen High School and a member of the AHS Speech and Debate Team, Swanson won $1,000 for her five minute talk on the topic of obesity in America. Just like the other 20 contestants, she was given only 30 minutes to prepare and then had to deliver her talk in front of a panel of expert judges - without reading from a script.
 
The judges included (left-right): Mike Clark, Past-President of Rifle Rotary, Rob Cairncross, President of Snowmass Rotary, Jon Kelly, Aspen Rotary, Christy Mahon,  Aspen Toastmasters Club, Sam Johnston, Aspen Rotary, and timekeeper, Shaun Hathaway, Aspen Rotary. "This event makes me feel good about the future, said Jon Kelly after the event.
Second-place winner, Sarah Teague, is shown at right eagerly anticipating the $500 cash she received  from event organizer Robin Smith. Teague is an 11th-grader at CRMS in Carbondale. Third place and $250 was awarded to Samantha Gonzalez, a 9th-grader at Aspen High School.
 
Despite busy academic and athletic schedules, twenty students came to the Mt. Chalet for this competition from several area high schools, including Coal Ridge High School in New Castle. "This year's competition ran like a Swiss watch," according to one observer. President Scott Russell insured that every student had exactly 30 minutes to prepare.
 
 
 
Water, Women and Wheels
 
Thursday, April 19, 2018
 
Speaker: Amy Behrhorst 
Amy is a local Physician Assistant at AVH as well as a beekeeper and a surrogate mother. She loves serving the community. Last summer, she had the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of traveling in Africa.  She wanted not only to visit, but also to “enter in” and help the poor and needy. World Vision is a humanitarian organisation founded in 1950 active in 100 countries.  Ninety-five percent of the people working for World Vision work in their own country. Water is their main focus. World Vision provided bicycles that  Amy and a team of twelve delivered to people in remote Zambia to help break the cycle of poverty.  Amy and her team mounted the bikes, each weighting fifty pounds! With the gift of a bicycle,  children can go to school, nurses can provide better care and economic development can start. Clean water is essential to health, hygiene and economic development. Education in these same areas is also provided: people learn to raise their cookware, cover their water and the five steps of wash. Latrines offer them not only sanitation but dignity. Amy visited villages that had never seen clean water! Raising a well costs $15,000.
Amy ended her presentation by inviting riders to join the 7th Annual Invitational Ride against poverty in Africa. It is limited to 60 riders. One hundred miles in our scenic valley on July 14th: join alone or with a team. For more information, go to www.brake-the-cycle.com.
 
Visitor: Ekkehard Kubler, Chicago Rotary
Guests: Blake Appleby, Rally and Seelia Dupps
 
 
Good news!
 
The Strategic Planning Committee consisting of Christina King, Jon Kelly and Sam Johnston, Peter Waanders and Scott Russell is working on an interactive document and moving forward.
Literacy Project
John Keleher took a was invited to a VIP party for the literacy project. Rotary International gives $500,000 to this self-sustaining program that educates 150 students, each year in a new school.
Volunteer needed
Jeanette Darnauer asked for a volunteer to take care of the newsletter next month.
Third Annual Speech Competition
Robin Smith reported on a very successful Speech competition. Nineteen students from schools around the valley competed. She thanked the Aspen Rotary judges Scott Russell, Jon Kelly and Sam Johnston.
Sponsorhip
Chris Bendon gave us a brief update on the sponsorship of the Ducky Derby. We have $21,500 fromm sponsors including Rudd Construction, Reese Henry, The Gant, Mountain Temp Services, Alpine Bank, Ace Hardware and Haselden Construction.
 
Upcoming Speakers
 
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
April 26: TBA
  
May 3: Michelle Muething, Aspen Hope Center
May 10: Emily Supino, Aspen Strong 
May 17:   Lindsay May, Mind Springs Health
May 24: Jess Ewert, Lead With Love
May 31: Heather Russell, Bike to Health
 
Member News
Proceeds of our Happy Bucks go to Youth Zone
Peter Waanders was here with his son Kai. He reminisced on his first, long-ago home-brewed ale, which he had named  in honor of Barbara Bush.
Rob Ittner is happy Doug Kidders is back in town. He was happy to report that $45,000 were raised for Doug. Rob is running for County Commissioner!
Warren Klug was grateful for the generosity of our valley: scholarships are given to AHS students to the tune of $360,000!
Todd Brewer paid his Happy Buck forward.
Jeanette Darnauer thanked Robin Smith for taking on the Speech Competition and pointed out that the winner was only fourteen years old!
Susan Gomes thanked John Ward and Jon Kelly for managing the river crew. Steve Seyffert and Warren Klug for the food, Robin Smith for the merchandise, Jason Taets for his participation as a board member and Chris Bendon for doing a smashing job with sponsorship.
Scott Russell greeted Mardell Burkholder and gave a big shoutout to Robin Smith.
Dwayne Romero thanked Chris Bendon for his explanation of the symbolism of the prison on the poster! And he was happy to report that the Romero Group is giving $2,500 to Ducky Derby.
John Keleher went to Grand Junction for the swearing-in of the owner of the Ipro shop who became an american citizen.
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
ClubRunner
The Weekly Newsletter of the Rotary Club of Aspen.
Comments? Rotary News? send to AspenRotaryNewsletter@gmail.com