This week's e-Bulletin comes out a day early for two reasons:
1. We still need bell-ringers tomorrow outside Scheel's and Smith's. There are open slots between noon and four p.m. If you can fill a slot, please contact Heidi Hockett at Heidi.Hockett@northwestern.com. Thank you!
2. Your editor will be getting on the road sometime this afternoon to join 7 of her 10 siblings to celebrate auld lang syne. There will be songs. There will be laughter. In other words, higher priorities than meeting the e-Bulletin's regular Saturday morning deadline. See you next week!
Last Week at Rotary
Last week Jamie Marshall, chairperson of Kids Education Yes! (KEY), spoke to the club about the need for funding in the Great Falls Public Schools. Although the state funds 80% of the cost of education, the remaining 20% is left to school districts to fund. In the past 12 years, only two mill levy requests have passed in Great Falls. As a result, the district has had to cut over 100 teaching positions and countless programs that make a difference in kids' success.
KEY conducted a public opinion poll last February and found that Great Falls citizens are strongly supportive of our schools, but most people just don't realize how much has been lost in the last 12 years. As an example, although our enrollment has declined by about 3%, we have cut nearly 12% of our teaching staff. The result is that classes are overcrowded, resources are outdated or nonexistence, and teachers are leaving teaching or leaving Great Falls.
Jamie reminded us that it isn't just kids or teachers who have been hurt by these cuts. She spent over an hour on the phone last weekend with a woman whose husband was considering a professional position in Great Falls. The woman had done her homework, Jamie said, and knew that we have a record of not supporting our schools. Jamie was not able to convince her that the support is actually there. We need good schools to grow Great Falls and we need community support to ensure good schools.
On a lighter note, David Cameron challenged club members to buy books recommended in The Rotarian and create a club library housed in our space at the country club. Members could then read these books and give a two-minute review at one of our meetings. Great idea, David!
Heidi Hockett is organizing the bell-ringing for the Salvation Army this month. The first event is tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 7) outside Smith's and Scheel's, and we still have slots to fill. Contact Heidi to see if she has a time that works for you! The final event is on Saturday, Dec. 14. Sign-ups will be at Rotary next week or once again, by contacting Heidi asap.
Milestones
This morning community members will gather to celebrate the life of Gladyce Oakland, Bob's wife and Cooper Thomas's grandmother. Our heartfelt condolences to the Oakland family.
After a harrowing 24-day hospital experience, Carey Gray is happy to report that her son C.J. is out of the hospital and on the mend. She will be returning home soon, full of gratitude and relief. We are so glad, Carey, for this positive outcome!
Birthday greetings go out this week to Saniel Clarey on Sunday, Dean Boyle on Tuesday, and Susan Wolff on Friday. May your day be merry and bright!
Good News and Fake News
We've got some good news and some fake news to report this week. The good news is that at its November meeting, the board of Rotary Club of Great Falls accepted a lovely gift from Kris Sapp.
Kris bought this quilt in the silent auction at this year's Harvest Howl. It's an amazing work of love, depicting the rotary seal, Camp Rotary, and the logos of several Harvest Howls of the past. Given its Rotary emphasis, Kris thought the quilt should go back to the club. The board decided the most appropriate place for it would be Camp Rotary. There, campers can get another glimpse into the people behind Camp Rotary, the club that brings those people together, and the remarkable annual event that provides essential funding for the upkeep and operation of the camp.
We are grateful to Kris for her generosity.
Now for the fake news. In last week's bulletin, your careless editor got a crucial fact wrong. While it is true that Owen Robinson make a donation of $5,250 to bridge the gap (so to speak) on funding for the Camp Rotary bridge project, it is not true that the gap was only $1,250. The correct amount is the amount of Owen's check. Sorry, Owen. We remain grateful for your generosity.
Owen tells us that he knows from personal experience how important bridges can be. He and his wife were walking on the bridge over Sheep Creek a while back when it collapsed underneath them! He wants to ensure that the children coming to Camp Rotary arrive -- and leave -- without such an incident.
Spotlight on ... Santa's Helpers
Tonight thousands of community members will enjoy one another's company and the warm-heartedness of the holiday season at the Christmas Stroll downtown. One person, though, will be all business. Chelle Fried is organizing the Stroll and, for her, tonight brings 1,000 details to which she must attend. Will Santa arrive on time and on the right block? Will the weather keep the polar plunge do-able? So many things can go wrong! However, as we Rotarians know, Chelle will handle this with gusto, aplomb, and efficiency. What a dynamo!
Since Thanksgiving, local radio channels have been featuring community leads reciting "The Night Before Christmas" for local listeners. Naturally, that means several Rotarians are in the mix. Susan Wolff has already performed (Dec. 1), but still to come are Lacey Gallagher (Dec. 8) and Dave Crum (December 11). Thanks to all three for making the season merry!
Then there are the bell-ringers. Did we mention we could use some more bell-ringers? And please send bulletin editor Mary Moe photos! All elves deserve ink.
Coming Up
Heather Palermo will be telling us about her recent experience as a student at Oxford. For the evening meeting at 5:30 on Thursday, Jami Wald will bring us up to date on Benefis's new Women's and Family Center. Join us for either or both meetings at the country club!
The Rotary board will meet on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the country club's board room. All members are welcome to attend.
Also, mark your calendar for the December social. It will be December 19, starting at 5:30 at the country club. We will enjoy the piano stylings of Jim Humphrey, sip the beverage of our choice, much on appetizers, and sing along to holiday songs. A wonderful way to ring in the holidays!
