Next week's meeting will be a very special occasion. We will pay tribute to a dedicated Rotarian who, after suffering a heart attack 24 years previously, finally met his maker on the first day of 2021.
Bill Harp was the epitome of service above self. Whether it was supporting the Voyageurs or running the swim meets at Great Falls High School or organizing our annual Eagle Scouts luncheon, Bill was all in and all over it. His multiple impacts on the community cannot be overstated.
He also had multiple impacts on our club. He served on the board many times over the years. He instituted the luncheon for the Eagle Scouts and their parents that has now become an annual event. For many years, he arranged for one meeting a year at the ballpark and at least one Rotary social there, so that Rotarians could visibly show their support for this important facet of Great Falls' sense of community.
Always busy, he could always carve out time to help with a Rotary project. He participated in the interviews for Rotary Youth Leadership Academy every year, a time-consuming process, but one he thought was important. He believed interviewing well was an important skill for kids to have, so he asked them thoughtful questions and gave them helpful feedback. He was a dependable volunteer for Harvest Howl and a regular at Rotary socials.
This week, Rotary Club of Great Falls, under the leadership of Sheila Rice, has planned a special event for his family and for fellow Rotarians. Please show your sympathy for the family and your appreciation for a good and faithful servant by joining us at noon this Tuesday at the Meadow Lark Country Club.
Last Week at Rotary
Last week we heard from one of our most recent campers at Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) outside Livingston, Tabitha Poppe. In the photograph below, the Great Falls RYLA students are (bottom row, left to right) Izzy Rukavina, Liana Patterson, Nylie Wilson, Courtney Currie, and (back row) Camp Counselor Brady, Kaden White and James Onstad. Tabitha is not pictured because her grandmother took her to the camp. Kurt and Velma Baltrusch took this bunch both to the camp and back home.
Tabitha was very positive about the program, especially the opportunity to work on a team on a complex project. Her team's very ambitious project is to find a way to provide better child care for working parents. They got a start on the project at RYLA but their efforts are still in progress. Like all good project advocates, she closed her presentation with a request for a contribution of $100 from the club. Several Rotarians quietly gave donations that met the request.
Students and counselors alike recommend continuing the practice of having students interview for RYLA as sophomores, rather than as freshmen. The additional year of maturity made the leadership material much more within the students' grasp and they responded to the opportunity extremely well.
Great Falls students' participation in this program would not be possible without the ongoing leadership of Sydney Blair; the time Fred Anderson, Cheryl Crawley and Bill Harp (RIP) dedicated to interviews, and the generosity of the Baltrusches in providing transportation to and from the camp. Thank you all for your service above self.
Re-Mark Your Calendars!
Your editor got the date wrong last week, so please note that the Club Sleepover at Camp Rotary will be Saturday, Sept. 18.
Rotarians in Philipsburg will hold their annual summer concert once again on Saturday, Aug. 21, and once again would appreciate our help taking tickets. Volunteers should plan on being there by 10 a.m. for a training, but the work will be easier this year because they will have a scanner. Apart from the warm feeling of service above self, you'll enjoy a fantastic concert! Susan Wolff, who usually organizes the Great Falls group, will be unable to attend herself, but will still make the appropriate connections between volunteers from Great Falls and the Philipsburg Rotarians. Please contact Susan (541-400-0681) as soon as possible if you can help.
Social Committee Chair Heidi Hockett has planned our next Rotary Social at Brush Crazy on Thursday, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m. With some help from a local artist, we will be painting canvases that we can take home with us. The cost is $15 and bring the beverage of your choice. Reservations are required for the 15 spots available, so please email Heidi at Heidi.Hockett@northwestern.com to reserve your spot.
Updates
Camp Rotary Committee Chair John Juras reported at mid-afternoon Friday that Camp Rotary continues to be under a pre-evacuation order. "Fire activity is better the last few days, so there is some hope that the containment lines they are building on Belt Park Roa will be effective," John commented. "If the Southwest wind starts blowing hard, all bets are off and we can probably expect the worst."
Fingers crossed.
Milestones
Rotarians celebrating membership anniversaries this month tend to be in the newer-member category. The longest-serving August enrollee is Susan Wolff, who celebrates her 9th anniversary with the club tomorrow. Past President Megan Connors and Scott Reasoner both celebrate their 5th anniversaries and Carrie Matter now has two years under her belt.
Every August Rotarian is a reminder of how vital new blood is to any organization. Happy anniversary, August Rotarians, and thanks for joining the club!
Weekly Wisdom: Man's Best Friend
“Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog.
But you’re never friendless ever, if you only have a dog.”
"A dog is the only creature on earth who loves you more than he loves himself." – Josh Billings
“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring — it was peace.” – Milan Kundera
“Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.” – Kinky Friedman
"If I could be half the person my dog is, I'd be twice the human I am." – Charles Yu
"Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really." – Agnes Sligh Turnbull
We are sorry for your loss, Art. Charlie was one fine dog.
