Your source for upcoming speakers, special events, and timely announcements from the Rotary Club of Fort Collins.
Programs:
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: What this GovOrg does
This Wednesday, May 31st, the guest speaker Dave Stewart will introduce at the RCFC luncheon meeting at the Lincoln Center will be John Messner, head of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). Appointed to the full-time commission by Governor Polis in 2020, our speaker leads the COGCC, which has the mission to regulate the production and development of the natural resource of oil and gas in the State of Colorado in a manner that protects public health, safety, welfare, the environment and wildlife resources. Role includes oversight of all oil and gas activities in the State of Colorado including rulemakings, policy development, quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative review processes and acting as a liaison to federal, state and local government agencies and elected officials.
John served for many years in the city of Gunnison as its Event Manager, and in Gunnison county as one of its Commissioners.
After overcoming a few technical glitches, Tom Iseman (Director of Water Scarcity and Markets for the Global Freshwater Program of the Nature Conservancy) gave us, by Zoom, an interesting and wide-ranging summary of various nature-based approaches to addressing water scarcity, especially in Africa. He started with a brief statistical summary of The Nature Conservancy: some 1 million members, 4000 conservationists, 600 scientists working in some 80 countries and territories around the world focusing on both land acquisition and research into improving water availability and land ecosystems. The overall actions of the Nature Conservancy are focused in three areas: climate; food and water, especially water availability; and land protection, especially terrestrial ecosystems. READ MORE...
All are welcome to gather for Rotary fellowship at the adjoining Ramskeller to enjoy a frothy libation this Wednesday evening. We required RSVP for the now full tours, but there no RSVP needed for stopping by for a beer and fellowship.
Fort Collins Rotary’s first corporate members, Colorado State University, will host a Social for a tour of the CSU Ramskeller Teaching Brewery on May 31 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Operated by the CSU Fermentation Science and Technology Program, the Ramskeller Teaching Brewery is located in the lower level of CSU’s Lory Student Center.
Gardens, Lawns & Japanese Beetle (June 7, Evening)
For our evening meeting on June 7th at Sweetwater Brewery, we welcome Alison O'Connor. Alison O'Connor is an Extension Professor of Horticulture with Colorado State University in Larimer County. She's been with Extension for 18 years and coordinates the Larimer County Master Gardener program, works with the Green Industry, and assists homeowners with their gardening questions. She has degrees in horticulture from Iowa State University, Ohio State University, and completed her PhD from CSU in 2014. She will discuss gardens, lawns and the threat of hte Japanese Beetle and best control methods.
Announcements
Hours of Service Award
Colin Campbell and Harry Mueller recently attended the Larimer County Food Bank‘s annual volunteer appreciation event. Our Rotary Club was recognized for over 350 hours of Rotarian service during the FBLA’s annual year. Thanks to all of our members who participated in this great continuing volunteer service project. We are definitely a club that lives by the Rotary motto “service in action“.
The Community Grants Committee recently awarded to Elizabeth Winn, District Director of Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, an education program grant. This' $5000 grant will help support JA’s K –12 financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness programs in Poudre School District. The emphasis will be placed on program implementation in schools that have a free and reduced lunch percentage is 40% or higher. In addition, the Rotary Club of Fort Collins presented Elizabeth Winn a Paul Harris for her outstanding contribution for the betterment of youth in our community.
A celebration of life event will be held Saturday, June 24th, 3pm at the Zion Luteran Church in Loveland for Ada Chen. The family requests that you RSVP by June 3rd so that they can notify the caterer of the number of attendees. Please RSVP at this link.
Ada had been a member of our club since 1991. She established two scholarships in honor of her late husband, Dr. Young Hai Chen. The scholarships provide a yearly $3000 scholarship to CSU and a $2000 scholarship to Front Range Community College. Both scholarships were for 5 years as a generous gift of $30,000 in 2018. When the scholarships were announced Ada told an emotional story of coming to the USA and CSU, the many blessings she had received since. She recounted how much she and Yung Hai loved Rotary. Ada was very involved with our community and the Rotary Club of Fort Collins. She received many awards one being the Service Above Self Five Avenues of Service Award in 2019.
Thanks Rotarians for helping out at the Food Share program of the Food Bank Saturday, May 20th. They kept stocking bread, meat, dairy items, and produce so that Food Bank clients had the opportunity to “shop“ for their own food. Not pictured are Rotarians working behind the scenes filling totes with fresh mushrooms, as well as potato chips and other large donated items. Thanks for your service in action and for helping to make Fort Collins a better place.
Friendship Exchange is an international exchange program for Rotary members and friends that allows participants to take turns hosting one another in their homes and clubs. Participants may travel as individuals, couples, families, or groups, and may be Rotary members or not. Learn more about the Friendship Exchange!
RCF Connecting the World is an indepedent 501c3 set up by Rotarians to organize, manage and coordinate outgoing groups of Rotarians Internationally. Here are some of their upcoming trips.
President Elect Randy Kurtz, along with International Projects & Grants Committee Chair Robin Steele are in Melbourne for our annual convention. The annual Rotary International Convention is where friendship and learning come together to inspire Rotarians around the world.
Rotary International Convention 2024
Please join us 25-29 May 2024 in Singapore where we’ll be Sharing Hope With the World! Whether you’re new to Rotary or a longtime member, in Singapore you’ll connect with people of action from around the globe at Rotary’s biggest event of the year. Take advantage of our special promotional rate and register between 27-31 May!
This Wednesday, May 31st, the guest speaker Dave Stewart will introduce at the RCFC luncheon meeting at the Lincoln Center will be John Messner, head of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). Appointed to the full-time commission by Governor Polis in 2020, our speaker leads the COGCC, which has the mission to regulate the production and development of the natural resource of oil and gas in the State of Colorado in a manner that protects public health, safety, welfare, the environment and wildlife resources. Role includes oversight of all oil and gas activities in the State of Colorado including rulemakings, policy development, quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative review processes and acting as a liaison to federal, state and local government agencies and elected officials.
For our evening meeting on June 7th at Sweetwater Brewery, we welcome Alison O'Connor. 
The Community Grants Committee recently awarded to Elizabeth Winn, District Director of Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, an education program grant. This' $5000 grant will help support JA’s K –12 financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness programs in Poudre School District. The emphasis will be placed on program implementation in schools that have a free and reduced lunch percentage is 40% or higher. In addition, the Rotary Club of Fort Collins presented Elizabeth Winn a Paul Harris for her outstanding contribution for the betterment of youth in our community.
A celebration of life event will be held Saturday, June 24th, 3pm at the Zion Luteran Church in Loveland for Ada Chen. The family requests that you RSVP by June 3rd so that they can notify the caterer of the number of attendees. 
