January 12, 2022
Meeting Summary
Presiding: Jamie Terry
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan & Ron Van Ekeren
Inspiration:
Professor’s Quote: George Gill
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests:
Guests:
Exchange Students:
Visiting Rotarians:
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA: Amanda Nilsson; 2 Junior Rotarians
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor: Terry Roark
Foundation Drawing:
O’Dwyers Drawing: Keith Downey
Announcements:
- January is Vocational Services month.
- Attendance was down in December, mostly because of the holidays.
- The Club has 82 current members, with one resignation in December. Committees are engaged. There is one application for membership in and one that was just approved by the board.
- Murray Schroeder is working on rescheduling the holiday party, possibly for Feb. 9 or 10.
- We have members signed up to attend PETS.
Rotarian of the Week:
Rotarian of the Month: Todd Pearson
Special Presentation: Shaun Bullock was inducted into the club. Welcome back Shaun!
Songs:
Program: Unaccompanied Students Initiative, Austin Rodmaker
Introduction: Murray Schroeder
The Unaccompanied Students Initiative works with teens to prevent homelessness now and into adulthood. The non-profit started in Cheyenne, but it has expanded to include other areas of Wyoming because of the high need for homeless teen support.
The non-profit provides a home for homeless teens that live in a variety of unsafe, temporary situations; provides a support system; teaches life skills; and works to stop the intergenerational cycles of homelessness.
There are many reasons teens come to the program. Often they have been left behind by family or kicked out of the house. Frequently, these teens are living on the street or couch surfing.
There are two active locations in Cheyenne and Casper. Laramie is the next location.
There is no cost to the teens. There are just a few rules. Teens must stay in school, keep the house clean, and follow the structure of the system. All teens are started on a simple soft skills system, because they only know basic needs and come from unhealthy environments.
It started as week cycles where teens would stay in volunteer homes. Now it has grown to have a centralized home in Cheyenne. The townhouse in Casper can hold 14 teens and has two sides for different genders.
The non-profit is big on the home aspect. Recently two young men graduated from the program and graduated from high school. They now have an apartment together.
Staff are on hand 24/7. They do not act as guardians, since the teens can sign their own paperwork. There is also a mental health component.
Staff help students with homework, applying for jobs, writing resumes, and maintaining a schedule. All students learn how to do laundry, cook, clean, grocery shop, budget, and other life skills traditionally learned in the home.
Each student has individual goals, and they learn to be responsible in a safe setting.
In Laramie, the group is looking to raise funds and find land to build a house. They are working to set up a local committee.
The non-profit started in 2015. It’s first program participant graduated from high school in 2018.
Response: Paul Montoya
Rotary 4-way test
Of the things we think, say, or do
•Is it the Truth?
•Is it Fair?
•Will it build Good Will and Better Friendships?
•Will it be Beneficial to All Concerned?
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
•FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
•SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
•THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
•FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
‘Response: The Rotary Club of Laramie will make a donation to the public library children’s book fund in the speaker’s name.
NOTE: We Do Not Donate a Book!
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Website: laramierotaryclub.org