Project CURE – Monday, April 22, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

It’s a date -- we’re back on track to volunteer once a month sorting medical supplies at Project C.U.R.E.  Mark your calendars for the fourth Monday of the month, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.  No medical experience is required – just the ability to recognize that one item is the same as another.  Click here to register online for the April sorting.  Questions?  Contact Susan Gustin.

Parker State of the Town -- Tuesday, May 7, 7:00-10:00 a.m.

We need the help of Rotarians at this event, both at the registration table and as greeters.  Click here to sign up for a shift from 7:00-8:15.  Questions?  Contact Sue Garwood.

Valley Hope Golf Tournament -- Monday, May 20

Valley Hope is having its big fundraising golf tournament on Monday, May 20 at Black Bear Golf Club in Parker.  If you would like to help out at the event with tasks such as registration, they would appreciate your participation!  Click here to view the event flyer.  Of course if you would prefer to help out by playing golf, I'm sure they would welcome that, too!

Yes, YOU are invited to a Fireside Chat on Tuesday, March 19 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.  Fireside Chats are an informal way for newer members to chat with longer-term members about how to get the most out of their Rotary experience.  Click here to register and to get information on how to get to Kelly Birner's home.  Questions?  Contact Bob Forbes.  The photo is from the previous Fireside Chat last September.  

What a fun way to support Rotary's polio eradication efforts! Mike Oldham will organize ordering the tickets for club members, families and friends to attend the baseball game Rockies vs. the World Champion Texas Rangers on Sunday, May 12, starting at 1:10 p.m.  Tickets are $33.00 in Section 144 this year;  $5.00 of each discounted ticket goes to polio eradication.  Please let Mike Oldham know how many tickets you would like!

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Parker State of the Town -- one of our club’s signature fundraising events. 

We put on this event in conjunction with the Town of Parker.  The Town is handling many of the details, while our club is responsible for others. 

What can we each do to help with the State of the Town?

• Make a donation to the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Parker to be a sponsor of the State of the Town.  Click here for more information on how to make a donation

• Solicit sponsorships from local businesses.  If you plan to solicit a local business to be a sponsor of the State of the Town (e.g., your dentist, the shop where you get your car serviced),  please notify Harold McCloud (hdmccloud@comcast.net) of your intention ahead of time.  We do not want a situation where a local business is being solicited by several different Rotarians

• Volunteer at the event.  Click here to to volunteer for tasks such as registration on the day of the event

• Attend the event.  This event is a wonderful way to network with the Parker civic and business communities.   If you make a donation to the Foundation to sponsor this event AND you plan to use the tickets that you are entitled to as a sponsor, please tell Harold McCloud (hdmccloud@comcast.net) how many of your tickets you DO plan to use.  We have to be careful not to oversell the limited number of seats available at the PACE Center.

Save the date!  On Saturday, May 18, Rotarians from all over Colorado and Wyoming and points east will participate in an Epic Day of Service.  We've been talking with Affinity Ranch (formerly Praying Hands Ranch) about projects -- it looks as though we will be painting the outsides of some of their buildings that day.  Stay tuned as details are firmed up.

Every year one of our club’s major contributions to the community is to offer one-time scholarships to Parker-area high school seniors who are going on for further education after high school graduation, whether in college or in a vocational school.  This year’s scholarship application is available now on our website at https://parkerrotary.org/page/scholarships

Our focus in selecting recipients is on need and on Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self.  Please spread the word about this opportunity for high school seniors to anyone you think might be interested -- neighbors, grandkids, whoever!  The deadline to apply is Friday, April 12, 2024.

Just for fun, Dan O'Neill invites us to participate in predicting the outcome of the NCAA Men's basketball tournament.  No betting -- all you gain is bragging rights if you come the closest to predicting the outcomes.  Click here to download the instructions to sign up to participate as part of the Parker Rotary group.  (Go, Cougs!)

All of the service projects our club undertakes are supported by funding from the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Parker.  When we support the Foundation, we help make service projects possible.

We have several fundraisers for the Foundation planned in 2024:

• State of the Town (May)

• Palisade peach sales (August)

• Parker Uncorked wine festival (October)

With State of the Town and Parker Uncorked, we solicit sponsorships from local businesses.  You can get an idea of our current sponsors on the Home page of our club website.

As a Rotarian, in addition to supporting the fundraisers through your volunteering and soliciting of sponsorships, you can make direct donations to the Foundation through four mechanisms:

• By Zelle (the preferred method)

• By check

• By credit card

• With a vehicle donation.

For more information on donation mechanisms and links, go to the Foundation page on the club website.  Your donations to the Foundation are tax-deductible.

For more information on the Foundation itself – its bylaws and current Trustees – check out the Foundation page on the club website.

Our club uses software from ClubRunner to

• send emails
• set up and track membership information
• set up the website
• create the Lamplighter newsletter. 

We also use ClubRunner to set up the club's online calendar and allow for online registration for service projects and events.

ClubRunner can be quirky!  If you would like to sign up for events online but ClubRunner has you stumped, click here for instructions on how to register online for service projects and social events.  Now you can sign up online for social events or service projects!