Every now and then the featured presentation at our weekly meeting just kind of takes your breath away. Last week's noon meeting was one of those times.

 

Fellow Rotarian Kelley Aline responded to the call for a speaker after a cancellation and she addressed us on the subject of "Young Women and Fire." Beginning in 2005 after her freshman year in college, Kelley became a wildland firefighter. It is physically demanding work, traversing steep and rugged terrain, digging lines, hauling chainsaws and 40-pound packs, working a full days and many nights, sometimes only grabbing 30 minutes of sleep, and then rising at 2 a.m. to start again. As a competitive racer and former farm kid, Kelley was up to the task. 

Over the course of the next several summers, she met smoke jumpers and heli-repellers and became part of a hot shot crew, fighting fire at a higher level because of her proven experience and ability. She fought fires in over 15 states including Alaska in that role and was eventually promoted to senior leader of a crew. Unfortunately, a knee injury made it impossible for her to perform at the level she felt was necessary, so she accepted her supervisor's offer to staff a lookout in the Bob Marshall Wilderness instead for the summer of 2011.

With no running water, no electricity, and no digital access, life at a lookout is quite isolating. "You wake up and make yourself breakfast thinking, This is the greatest life there is!  By 10 a.m, though, you're down to, This is pretty good stuff. By noon, you're restless and looking for a distraction and by evening you're wondering about the meaning of life." She stayed in the Bob by herself from July 2 - October 10, visited every now and then by some hikers and running into a bear or two. Looking back, she says it was an unforgettable experience.

 

 

Our closing of the 2019 year was a festive one last week as we ushered in the holidays. Not only did we have a festive holiday luncheon, but under the leadership of Social Committee Chair Rebecca Bogden-Richards, we had a lovely evening social as well, where Rotarians and guests enjoyed the ambience of the country club on a wintry evening with the beautiful piano-playing of Jim Humprey in the background.

 

 

At its November meeting, the board of Rotary Club of Great Falls bestowed an honorary membership to Ken Munski. It is a distinction well-deserved.

 

Ken joined Rotary in 1988 and to say he has been an active member ever since is an understatement. Highway clean-up? He's there. Centennial celebration? "How can I help?"  From Harvest Howl to Rotary socials, you could count on Ken to show up with his sleeves rolled up.

 

Ken was particularly active on all things Camp Rotary, from the camp clean-ups to cabin construction to equipment installation. Even after his relocation meant he had to leave the club, he has been instrumental in providing a pair of Rotary eyes on the camp and in helping us work through the bridge challenge. It is a sign of great leadership to leave your work in good hands. In selecting and preparing John Juras to take over the oversight of Camp Rotary, Ken has done just that.

 

For those of us who aren't engineers and consider "heavy lifting"  to be raising a 16-ounce stein instead of our usual 8-ouncer, the qualities of Ken's we'll most miss are his eternal pleasantness and his humor, especially when it came to "Rotary math." He should have been a teacher. He made learning new things fun.

 

But life moves on and so did Ken. Our thanks to the board for giving him the recognition he is due ... and to Ken for year after year of service beyond the call of duty.