At this Tuesday's meeting, we'll hear from Ian Chechet on "The Tears of the Turtle," exploring Montana's deepest limestone cave. Last week Sydney Blair drew a card with the right number, but of the wrong suit in the 50-50 game, so the pot next week will be at least $227! All that and the opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow Rotarians! Join us at noon at the country club.
For next week's end of the month social, we'll be at Enbar on Wednesday, Aug. 29, starting at 5:30. Let's see the summer out in style!
Last Week at Rotary
In a fascinating presentation last week, Wesley Sarmento, bear manager for Montana's Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department, told us all about the current status of bears in Montana. He began by helping us distinguish black bears from grizzly bears. Black bears are relatively common in the western states, but grizzlies are found only in Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (with an occasional side-trip to Washington) so they are considered a threatened species. Because their population is growing at a pace of 2.3% annually, there is a proposal to delist the grizzly, which would change grizzly management from a federal to a state responsibility.
For many years confined to our national parks and surrounding areas, grizzlies are now becoming more and more common on the plains and have been spotted throughout the Golden Triangle. Wesley spent a good portion of his talk advising us how to avoid trouble with a grizzly. Keeping food secured, clearing fallen fruit diligently and disposing of dead livestock immediately are important measures to take. He noted that "a fed bear is a dead bear" because once bears who find human food, they become habituated to it and ultimately have to be destroyed. Chickens, he said, are like a gateway drug for a bear, so keep chickens secure is important. Electric fences can be extremely effective in deterring intrusions by grizzlies.
Wesley closed his talk by giving very clear instructions about what outdoor recreationists should do if they encounter a grizzly. Reading the bear's behavior, speaking and backing up in a calm manner, and using bear spray if charged were all demonstrated very effectively. An excellent talk by a very likable young professional!
... And the Week Before That
At our August 7 meeting, Jen Holloman, the current president of the Montana State Acupuncturist Association, told us about her profession.
Jen received her undergraduate degree in biology and then a master’s degree in Acupuncture, which required 3 1/2 years of post-graduate schooling. She had to pass two series of tests for her national certification, which then qualified her for certification in Montana.
Acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine that originated in China. It's effective in treating patients with symptoms such as pain, anxiety, allergies, infertility and gastrointestinal complications. In conjunction with acupuncture (needle application), natural herbs are used to help with blood flow. Another tool that's used for muscle pain and fatigue is cupping, which oxygenates the blood around an affected muscle group.
The state association is active in working on legislation that provides medicare and insurance reimbursement for acupuncture treatments.
App-ly Yourself!
ClubRunner is a very convenient tool for keeping up to speed on all things Rotary. The ClubRunner app has every club member’s contact information, as well as lots of information about our club, including the speaker schedule. Additionally, you can search information about other clubs and club members.
Here’s how to download and use ClubRunner on your phone:
Go to the App Store on your phone, click on Rotary Club Runner, and download the app.
To log in, use your first name followed by a dot, your last name followed by a dot, followed by the number 1849. For first time ClubRunner users, use 1849 as the password.
If you have already established a ClubRunner password, use that. If you’ve forgotten your password, email Dean Boyle and he will reset your password.
Today's winning # for "bulletin bucks" is 181. Notify Todd Neighbor if you are the winner!
Membership to be Presented with Proposed Bylaws Changes
As our board explored new ways to increase membership last year, they informally approved a new category of membership for spouses/partners of current members. Because this innovation requires amendments to the bylaws, the board asked the Bylaws Committee to propose the necessary changes. Here is a summary of the proposed changes:
Article 1 establishes three categories of membership – “standard” members, which all of you are; “honorary” membership, which we bestow on a non-member in recognition of extraordinary service to the club; and the new category of “spouse/partner” membership. Article 1 also clarifies what rights of membership honorary and spouse/partner members are eligible for and what their dues and other obligations may be.
Article 6 establishes the basis for spouse/partner membership dues and sets the dues at $250 annually.
Article 11 includes spouse/partner members in the standard process for applying and being approved for membership.
Minor changes in Articles 3 and 7 clarify that only standard members are eligible to participate in voting processes.
At last week’s meeting, the board approved the proposed amendments for presentation to the membership to approve or reject. Here’s the timeline for that process:
An email with the proposed amendments attached was sent to you last Wednesday as the formal notice required for changes to the bylaws.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Mary Moe will explain the proposed changes and answer any questions you may have.
For good measure, this article about the changes will be reprinted in next week's Rotary bulletin.
You may vote to approve or reject the proposed amendments in one of two ways. You may vote by replying to an email that will be sent to you at approximately 11 a.m. on August 26. Electronic voting will end 48 hours later. If you prefer to vote by secret ballot, you will have that opportunity at our August 28 meeting.
Electronic votes will be counted prior to our meeting on August 28; paper ballots will be counted directly after that meeting. The result of the vote will be announced shortly thereafter.
Milestones
Happy birthday today to Malissa Hollan and on Monday to Art Taft. Best wishes to you both for a beautiful celebration of another year of life!
.jpg)
