This Wednesday, for the first time in over a year, RCFC meets in person at the Lincoln Center! For the first time ever, the meeting will be simultaneously broadcast live via Zoom for anyone who can't make it to the Lincoln Center. Lunch starts at 11:30 in the Columbine Room. All RCFC Members are invited to witness our annual Changing of the Guard ceremony, beginning at noon.
To join this week's RCFC Noon Meeting and Program via ZoomCLICK HERE. The noon meeting with be held in-person in the Columbine Room at the Lincoln Center, and simultaneously broadcast via Zoom.
The Evening Meeting next meets in person July 7. Location TBA.
RCFC's noon meeting June 30 will be our first "Hybrid" meeting in history, using technology recently acquired and tested.
Interested RCFC members recently met at the Lincoln Center to preview our new home and test technology. Board Member Rajiv Mehta introduced RCFC's new hybrid meeting technology, and President Del Benson and PE John Trone announced timings for our upcoming first in person meetings in more than 15 months.
“The Rotogear is the minutes of our meetings and the diary of our Rotary life.” Lannie Boyd, past Assistant Editor
Thanks to John Matsushima’s RCFC Centennial History (2018 pages 87 to 95), we know that minutes from RCFC meetings have been kept since 1918. In 1956, those minutes became the “Rotagear”, changing to the Rotogear in 1957. Copies of all printed Rotogears from 1968 to February 2020 are kept in the RCFC archives. (The print Rotogear stopped when RCFC stopped meeting in person but will return for the June 30 meeting.)
As far as is known, the Rotogear has been published every week since 1956, regardless of holidays, vacations, floods, fires, snowstorms, Covid shutdowns or any other challenge. That was only possible through the work of many dedicated Rotarians. Most recently that team has included Eric Peterson (This Week’s Program), Bob Simmons and Harry Mueller (Last Week’s Program), Bonnie Titley (Announcements), Lee Jeffrey, George Theodore and Ralph Smith (Photos), Terry Knight (PDS - Troy Tafoya employee) Print Rotogear, and Stacy Plemmons, overall Editor and Publisher.
President (2021-22) John Trone has made a decision to take control and become overall Editor and Publisher July 1. Please give him your support on his new responsibility.
Last week Bill Cobb, retired AT&T/US West Vice President and President shared the story of the telecommunications industry - where it began and where it’s headed. Cobb's story began with Alexander Graham Bell, who invented and patented the first practical telephone (1876). Bell also founded the original Bell Telephone Company later evolving into American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T). While the future of technology is constantly evolving, the exponential growth of data traffic is a given.
RCFC's Community Grant committee awarded $ 8,824 to four agencies under the Youth program cycle. These are your Charitable giving funds at work in our community.
Boys & Girls Club - $2,000 to help fund programming at 3 summer camps
ChildSafe Colorado - $2,000 to assist with client fees for young child play sessions for children suffering childhood abuse and neglect
Pathways - $2,000 to fund summer camps for kids dealing with loss or terminal illness
Respite Care - $2,824 to fund summer activities program for children with developmental disabilities
In total, 9 agencies requested $35,000 in funding.
During the recent Rotary International Convention, RI President Elect Nominee Jennifer Jones made a powerful statement on Rotary's strengths saying, In Rotary, we know our differences really are our strengths. It is our diverse perspectives that help us to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in our organization’s 115-year history. Prior to official approval by RI, in 1988 Rotary Club of Fort Collins inducted our first three women - Jean Griswold, Linda Hopkins and Joan Chambers....
President Del Benson announced the return of in-person Noon Fellowship meetings every-other week, starting June 30. The Evening Group has already returned to in-person meetings. 'Other' weeks (not-in-person) will be Zoom-only meetings.
According to President Del, the Food and Venue committee proposed and the board accepted a "trial cadence" for RY Q1, July through September. Starting with the Changing of the Guard June 30, RCFC will meet every-other Wednesday at noon, at the Lincoln Center Columbine Room (June 30, July 14 and 28, August 11 and 25 and September 8 and 22). Near the end of the experiment, the board intends to gather feedback on whether to continue with an every-other-week in-person cadence beyond Q1.
According to the Food and Venue Committee, reasons for this experiment are:
less financial exposure coming out of pandemic.
trial meetings with Lincoln Center to see if good permanent home.
issues with Catering services
good test whether this might be a good permanent cadence
Board Member Rajiv Mehta is leading an initiative to fund and acquire the equipment necessary to allow all in-person meetings to also be viewed via Zoom - "hybrid" meetings.
HELP WANTED: "Apply Within": Bob Meroney is asking for help presenting the weekly Inspirational Moment. Please contact Bob Meroney or President John Trone for details and to volunteer.
The annual Service Above Self Celebration is scheduled for Tuesday evening, August 3, in the Children's Garden at the Gardens on Spring Creek. Details to come.
Thank You Rotarians for Supporting Our Community!
President Del Benson announced a $10,000 donation to the RCFC Legacy Fund from David Everitt and the Everitt family, in support of the Good and Lucky Non-Event! This brings the total raised to $70,000, plus a $19,000 matching grant for the United Way Fire Relief fund! The total raised was $89,000!
King Soopers Update
Marty Bachman and Sally Lee report that just 35 families shopping at King Soopers earned $524.87 last quarter - just for shopping! That's a $525 donation that goes directly into our charitable budget. If you haven’t signed up yet, see Sally or Marty.
New Rotarian and Larimer County Treasurer Irene Josey gave a short tutorial on property assessments, taxes, and how to file a protest. For more details, visit www.larimer.org/assessor/search#/property.
A General Reminder of Our Fellowship Schedule:
1st Wednesday - Peace
2nd Wednesday - History
3rd Wednesday - Investments
4th Wednesday - Science
All meet immediately following the Wednesday noon Zoom meeting, using the same login.
President Del reminds members that "the buck stops here," and asked that any complaints or concerns also be directed to him.
Don't Forget to Report Special Occasions/Events/Illnesses to the Care & Recognition Committee for Acknowledgment. Call Marty, Susan Brand, Melanie Chamberlain, or Jeanne Fangman.
This Wednesday, for the first time in over a year, RCFC meets in person at the Lincoln Center! For the first time ever, the meeting will be simultaneously broadcast live via Zoom for anyone who can't make it to the Lincoln Center. Lunch starts at 11:30 in the Columbine Room. All RCFC Members are invited to witness our annual Changing of the Guard ceremony, beginning at noon. 
Last week Bill Cobb, retired AT&T/US West Vice President and President shared the story of the telecommunications industry - where it began and where it’s headed. Cobb's story began with Alexander Graham Bell, who invented and patented the first practical telephone (1876). Bell also founded the original Bell Telephone Company later evolving into American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T). While the future of technology is constantly evolving, the exponential growth of data traffic is a given.
During the recent Rotary International Convention, RI President Elect Nominee Jennifer Jones made a powerful statement on Rotary's strengths saying, In Rotary, we know our differences really are our strengths. It is our diverse perspectives that help us to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in our organization’s 115-year history. Prior to official approval by RI, in 1988 Rotary Club of Fort Collins inducted our first three women - Jean Griswold, Linda Hopkins and Joan Chambers....