Presiding: Murray Schroeder
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan and Crew
Inspiration:
Professor’s Quote:
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests: Dave Hansen
Guests:
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA/Exchange Students:
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor: Todd Pearson
Foundation Drawing: Murray Schroeder won $10 with $1,242.50 in the jackpot.
O’Dwyers Drawing: Christine Kuzmych
Announcements:
- Don’t forget to volunteer to work the greeting table!
- Our lunch arrangements with O’Dwyers will end on July 31. For our August meetings, the club will meet at the Train Depot.
- Murray Schroeder presented O’Dwyers with a thank you note. O’Dwyers is keeping the package liquor and bar, but will be renting out the large restaurant to a new group. If you have gift cards, use them before August 15 in the restaurant. The gift cards can also be used at the bar or liquor store.
- The club passed around thank you cards from Junior Rotarians and RYLA participants.
- The Rotary Club in Brighton, Colorado is hosting a sporting shoot on September 20.
- Dave Hansen will be reaching out to rejuvenate committees.
Upcoming Programs:
- August 14: District Governor, Karen Morgan
- August 21: Wyoming Rate Inc. (rare metals mine), Joe Evers
Rotarian of the Week: Shaun Bullock nominated Amanda Givan for helping with a fair barbecue.
Special Presentation: Ron Van Ekeren celebrated a wedding anniversary with a donation to the Club Foundation.
Songs: ‘Til We Meet Again, Vive Le Rotary
Program: United Way of Albany County, Anna Cramer
Introduction: Dave Krause
Anna Cramer has been the director of United Way of Albany County for over two years. She has been involved with nonprofits for a long time. Cramer grew up in poverty. The work she does not has a large impact and ensures people have what they need.
UWAC has a small team of two. They support 16 agencies through fundraising. Often, the access to unrestricted funding is essential to these nonprofits.
UWAC also has VITA, the free tax preparation program. The average income of clients is $35,000, and they helped 350+ people last season. UWAC also has an emergency fund that is open to the public to apply.
Cramer shared a few statistics on impact:
- 10,300+ people served
- 375+ people employed and 1,100+ volunteers with 32,000+ volunteer hours
- $525,000 worth of medication provide by the Downtown Clinic
- 38,000 pantry visits at Laramie Interfaith
- 1,600+ households served at the Laramie Soup Kitchen
- 350+ people helped at SAFE Project
- 196 people assisted with rent at Family Promise
There are several challenges now for nonprofits in Albany County. One is shifty funding with changes to federal funding and grants. Another is lack of housing and a lack of options for transitioning into housing. Albany County nonprofits also have issues with competitive pay and employee retention. There are also rising benefit costs, as well as small teams that experience a lot of burn out.
To help UWAC, you can donate, join a board, volunteer, advocate, and be a good human. The campaign starts at the end of September.
Response: Rollin Abernethy
‘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!
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.
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Website: laramierotaryclub.org
Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org