Public Works Director Jim Rearden is our featured presenter at this week's noon meeting. Jim will bring us up to speed on the city's water projects. With Tom Nelson winning the 50-50 pot last week (and donating his winnings to Camp Rotary), we'll be starting a new deck. For information, revelry, and friendly rivalry ... join us at noon at the country club!
Spotlight on ... Malissa Hollan
Behind the scenes of the successful Harvest Howl 2019 are countless unsung heroes. Among them is Malissa Hollan. Sometimes being unsung just won't do, so this Spotlight sings the uncommon effort she played in the Howl's success.
Malissa manages La Quinta Inn & Suites, which housed the 21 musicians and staff for the Howl’s two bands earlier this month. But housing wasn't all they provided. Under Malissa's leadership, everyone at La Quinta pitched in to provide a level of hospitality that the bands raved about.
“Both bands were so impressed with the friendliness and hospitality,” said Lacey Gallagher, who handles the venue hospitality room for the bands. “They’d love to come back to Montana – and the hospitality of La Quinta had a lot to do with that."
“Malissa and the whole staff were just exceptional,” band liaison Tom Nelson said. “They shuttled them around. They kept them fed and did everything they could to make them comfortable. When you think of how you’d like Great Falls to welcome visitors to the community, that’s how you do it. Malissa and La Quinta were amazing.”
La Quinta offers one of the most beautiful settings in town for visitors to get a sense of our city. When that setting is matched by the warmth of its personnel ... well, it's golden, no matter what the weather. And a staff that exudes hospitality doesn't just happen; it reflects the expectations of it leader. Thank you, Malissa, for creating a workplace that is the friendly face of Great Falls. You build good will and better friendship.
Last Week at Rotary
While the evening meeting featured the same presentation on the Black Butte Copper Mine given at noon in October, last week's noon meeting featured a sometimes funny, often touching presentation on Eagle Mount by its director, Deb Sivulmaki. Eagle Mount was the brainchild of Bill Macfadden (no relation to Gaines and Beth), who, on the day he retired from Davidson Companies founded an organization dedicated to providing recreational activity for individuals with disabilities. Bill is no longer with us, but Eagle Mount continues to carry out that dream.
Eagle Mount has been especially active in providing the adaptive support to allow area children to enjoy skiing at Showdown when fourth-graders from 15 counties are provided with a free skiing experience there. Sometimes the children are frightened about the experience, but once they are flying down the hill, they love it. Some children just plain have a meltdown, Deb said, and the volunteer staff just show them how to make snow angels instead.
"There's no pressure, no rule about what should happen," Deb said. "The whole point is to get them out of the chair, off the couch, and enjoying the outdoors." Through the years, Eagle Mount has provided that opportunity for individuals as young as 3 and as old as 102 .
The 102-year-old rode on the Eagle Mount pontoon that provides rides on the Missouri visible from the country club on summer days. A tear came to his eye as he took in the wonderful smells of summer on the river. He slept through much of the ride, Deb said, but he made a point of telling her how much the experience meant to him. He died a few days later.
Deb has added hockey to the list of activities Eagle Mount provides and is always looking at ways that Eagle Mount can stretch to meet new needs. She encouraged us to put the Margarita Meltdown on our calendars for Jan. 21 - a night to have some fun and to raise some funds for Eagle Mount.
Committees Update
Committee participation has been good this year, with Mike Wier and his Harvest Howl crew leading the way to another great event. Other committee news:
The International Foundation Committee, led by Keith Tokerud, has met and is working on in international project in either Pakistan or Uganda.
The Social Committee, led by Rebecca Bogden-Richards, has already organized several socials this year and will start planning a Holiday get-together in December. Mark your calendars for December 19 and stay tuned for details.
The Community Service Projects Committee, led by Heidi Hockett and Rob Rezek, has already sent our several service-above-self opportunities and will start working on the Duck Race to raise funds for a future Roteract/Interact Club. With the holidays coming up, soon they will be asking for Bell Ringing volunteers.
Strive/Literacy Committee, led by Lew Card, has met and is working on a literacy project idea to replace our dictionary project.
The Interact/Roteract Exploratory Committee, led by Katelyn Farrington, has reached out to a few potential members.
Both the Foundation Committee, led by Bob Holter, and the Camp Rotary Operations Committee, led by John Juras, have been very busy these past few months working on the US Forest Service bridge replacement project.
As always, our Public Relations Committee, led by Heather Palermo, has been consistently busy with Zach Swartz keeping the web site up to date, Tim McGonigal and Art Taft posting regularly on Facebook, and Heather posting on Instagram.
The Membership Committee, led by Joann Gogo-Semana, is constantly talking to potential Rotarians and will work with the PR Committee to create invitation cards to invite potential members to our meetings.
Finally, the Nominations Committee, led by Todd Neighbor, will be asking for members to throw their hat into the ring to be considered for board director and officer positions starting in July 2020. If you would like to be considered, or if you would like to suggest a fellow Rotarian for a leadership position, contact Todd.
All committees welcome member participation. Contact the committee chair if you would like to be part of the committee ... or just part of a particular committee project.
Milestones
Sunrise, sunset. Sunrise, sunset. Swiftly fly the years!
One season following another, laden with happiness and tears.
We were reminded this week of the joy and the sorrow that provide bookends on our short time on this planet. Jim Humphrey shared his joy over the arrival of his first grandchild, and we learned with sadness of the passing of Beth McFadden's mother, as well as the loss of Gladyce Oakland, Bob's wife and Cooper Thomas's grandmother.
Sunrise, sunset. Sunrise, sunset. Swiftly fly the days!
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers, blooming and fading as we gaze.
Fellow Rotarians, you are in our hearts in sunshine and in shadow.
Weekly Wisdom on Darby and Joan
"Darby and Joan" is a proverbial phrase for a married couple content to share a quiet life of mutual devotion.
