Del Norte Rotary

NorthWind

The official bi-monthly online publication of the Del Norte Rotary Club of Albuquerque

Vol. 25, Issue No. 22 Editor: Ed Hughes December 4, 2013

Mardi Gras Gala moved to March 8 February date conflicted with key Lobo basketball game Page 3

Rotarians show a “can do” spirit to help our community Page 5

Engage Rotary, Change Lives … “ ” “I knew I could do plenty of good work through my Rotary club in Norman,

Okla. But through the Rotary Foundation, I could have a hand in the work

of every single Rotary club around the world. I can look at any Foundation

program, any country that was declared polio free, and say: I helped make

that happen.”— Ron D. Burton, president, Rotary International

Candid Camera: “What if they said that?” Page 6

Celebrating 25 years of Service Above Self

50 years after

T wo days before the 50th anniver-sary of President Kennedy’s as-

sassination in Dallas, Del Norte Rotar-ian Ed Hughes—a former reporter with the Dallas Morning News—told about his experiences in covering President Kennedy’s visit to Fort Worth and Dallas, and his coverage of the burial of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald three days later. Here, he shows an enlarged photo of himself when he was a 27-year reporter in Dallas. Looking on is Scott Stafford.

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind December 4, 2013 � Page 2

Rotary International www.rotary.org

President: Ron D. Burton President-Elect: Gary C.K. Huang

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Rotary District 5520 www.rotary5520.org

Governor: Kit Turpen

Governor-Elect: Lonnie Leslie Exec. Director: Loren Kuehne

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Del Norte Rotary Club of Albuquerque

www.rotarydelnorte.org

Club Officers President: Gene Gaik

President-Elect: Kathie Williams Vice President: Tim Salazar

Board Secretary: Sally Casey Treasurer: John Wright Sgt.-at-Arms: Les Smith

Past President: Darcy Savage Executive Secretary: Sonia Torres

Directors Club Service: Dan Regan

Community Service: Barbara LaGree

International Service: Tom Krekel Membership: Marty Padilla New Generations: Michael

MacDonald Program: Carol Rickert-Asbury

Public Image: Ed Hughes Vocational Service: Nick Ritz

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Office Information P.O. Box 3951

Albuquerque, NM 87190 E-Mail:

secretary@rotarydelnorte.org

Top News Briefs

Chilly day for Chili (or Chile) It was a perfect day to taste-test chili (or chile) concoctions at the annual post-postal food drive social event on Nov. 23 hosted by Dave and Maureen Anderson. Del Norte Rotarians and spouses gathered on a chilly Saturday night to sample hot (spicy?) offerings from fellow Rotarians (namely Ken Abbott, Maureen Anderson, Brooks LaGree and Sandy Seligman). Maureen was de-clared the winner in a tantaliz-ingly close taste test.

Foundation Board selects Wells Fargo The Board of Directors of the Rotary Del Norte Foundation has selected the Sandia Group at Wells Fargo Advisors to take over investment man-agement of the Foundation’s Permanent Fund, announced RDNF chair Charlie Ofelt. “In both its written submissions and oral presentation, Wells Fargo gave the clearest explanation of what they proposed to do, how they will do it, and why they will do it,” said Ofelt. The Bank of Albuquer-

que has served in that role for the past seven years.

Christmas Gifts for Barrett House

Marty Padilla stands next to his “Gift Tree” to provide Christmas gifts to mothers and their children who are residents of the Barrett House in Albuquerque. Del Norte Rotarians were asked to pick a card with “gift ideas” and to bring them to the club’s December 4 luncheon. Rotary volunteers will also help serve the Barrett House Christmas luncheon on Saturday, Dec. 7. The Barrett House is a safe haven for domestic vio-lence victims.

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind

December 4, 2013 � Page 3

Rotary business: Bottom-line stuff

Events & programs for the coming weeks

Mardi Gras Gala date moved to March 8 February date conflicted with key Lobo basketball game

December 4 — Program: George Stapleton, Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary

7 — Community Project: Christmas Party at the Barnett House.

11 — No meeting.

15 — Club Christmas Party at home of Kathie Williams, 6 p.m.

18 — Program: Sweet Adeline’s.

25 — No meeting (Merry Christmas!)

O

ne doesn’t schedule major events that conflict with New Mexico Lobo basketball. Not inten-

tionally, that is. But Del Norte Rotary Club’s 2014 Gala Committee suddenly discovered

that the February 22 date for its planned Mardi Gras Masquerade Gala did indeed conflict

with a key UNM home game vs. San Diego State. So it has been changed to Saturday, March 8,

2014—same place (Marriott Pyramid North Hotel) and same time (6 p.m.).

“We really apologize for this change and any inconvenience it may cause,” said Gala Chairperson

Kathie Williams, “but in the spirit of Rotary’s 4-Way Test, we decided the new date will be

‘beneficial to all concerned’!” It means loyal Lobo fans won’t have to make a choice between the

Gala and what could be a key game for the Lobos to win the Mountain West Conference.

So make the change on your calendars, dig out those Mardi Gras masks and beads, and Go Lobos!

APD Officer Cassandra Bailey and Detec-tive Jonathan Walsh were honored by the Del Norte Rotary Club on Nov. 20 as APD’s Officers of the Month for November. Officer Bailey solved several armed robbery cases in Southwest Albuquerque through her alert observations of wanted suspects, while Detective Walsh and his trusted K-9 part-ner, “Pete,” was cited by Police Chief Allen Banks for the seizure of $1.2 million in drug money, 12 firearms, 15 stolen vehicles and the arrest of 38 felons.

Our APD Officers of the Month

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind

December 4, 2013 � Page 4

For the record: Guests of Rotarians and visiting Rotarians November 13: Guests of Rotarians—Nestor Pena (guest of John Freeman); Tony Brazis (Norm Liss). Club Guests:

Dr. J. R. Damron, New Mexico Healthcare Exchange (program). Visiting Rotarians—Damon Crossland (El Paso Westside Club).

November 20: Guests of Rotarians—Linda Lockett and Jo Trammell (guest of Ed Hughes); Evan Boulanger (Terry

Boulanger); Ed Chamblin (Caroline Chamblin); Clarence Hughes (Larry Strickland). Club Guests: APD Officer Cassandra Bailey and Detective Johnathan Walsh. Visiting Rotarians—David Trammell (Anthony, TX); Marjorie Austin and George Austin (Socorro, NM).

Luncheon Notes: Meetings of Nov. 13 and 20

Blowin’ in the (North) Wind ... A breezy collection of luncheon bites from NorthWind Editor Ed Hughes.

November 13, 2013

R

andom note-taking while wondering if you asked a librarian where books on self-help were,

would they tell you — or would that defeat the purpose?… Ruth Ronan led Rotarians in

singing America the Beautiful, Darcy Savage led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Kim Helm

offered the invocation. Maureen Anderson served as the greeter. … Terry Boulanger announced that

a host family, friends of Barbara and Brooks LaGree, will take our Exchange Student, Line “Lena”

Jakobsen of Denmark into their home come December 4 for three months. The LaGrees also

plan to host Lena during the Thanksgiving holidays. … President Gene Gaik noted that his real estate

company (ReMax) will sponsor the Christmas Party for Crossroads on Dec. 21, which our club had

sponsored for several years. He is looking for two other businesses to go in to help get gifts for

Crossroads kids. … Birthdays this week: Joanna Douglas, Darla Schleyer and Art Humphries.

Wedding anniversaries include Robert and Rose Marie Espat’s 48th. … Michael MacDonald report-

ed that his service dog, “Chance,” recently became father to nine healthy puppies. … Our speaker,

Dr. J.R. Damron, whose organization (NM Health Exchange) is busy helping New Mexicans

choose their health-care providers under the Affordable Healthcare Act, said the Act is “a 2,700-page

law with 20,000 pages of explanation.” Figures.

November 20, 2013

M

ore random jottings, while wondering if a funeral home raised its burial costs, would they

blame it on the cost of living? … Ruth Ronan led the club in singing The Star Spangled

Banner. Scott Stafford led the Pledge of Allegiance and Brooks LaGree offered the

invocation. … Barbara LaGree said gifts for the children and women at the Barrett House on Decem-

ber 7 need to be wrapped and brought to our December 4 meeting. … Michael Madanick noted that

his brother, Charles Madanick, made a contribution to the Rotary Del Norte Foundation in memory

of his wife Mimi’s brother, Louis Lacheze of Sao Paolo, Brazil, who passed away recently. … Club

service anniversaries this week: Mike Eskew and Ruth Ronan, 15 years. … Dan Regan closed the

meeting with his own thought of the day, noting the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F.

Kennedy: “When I think of all that’s happened to our political processes and public discourses since

then, and view the damage we’ve done to ourselves, I find inside myself pleading for more care with

what we say and do in the public arena, and I think of Rotary’s Four-Way Test, because what we say

and do does send out ripples across our common pond.” Amen.

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind

December 4, 2013 � Page 5

Inside Rotary: What’s going on in Del Norte land

O

n a blustery, cold, snowy Saturday, some two dozen Del Norte Rotarians found a perfect

place to spend an afternoon—in the mostly enclosed loading dock at the U.S. Post Office

facility on Juan Tabo near Indian School Road. It was one of several “collection points” for

the annual Postal Food Drive to benefit the Roadrunner Food Bank just before Thanksgiving.

Billie Adams, who along with Barbara LaGree helped or-

ganize the community service activity for Del Norte Rotary,

was extremely pleased with the turnout despite the wintry

weather. “For a while, we had more people than we had bags

of cans to sort out,” said Billie. “But then it began to pick up.

It was a real ‘can do’ effort for our club. I was proud of all

who showed up.”

Paper bags were went out to readers of the Albuquerque

Journal to place can and dry goods at their mail boxes, to be

picked up by postal carriers or Scout troop volunteers. These

were in turn delivered to various Post Offices around the city.

The postal food drive has

been an annual community

service event for the Del Norte Rotary Club for years.

Another annual “Make a Difference Day” — helping out at St.

Martin’s Hospitality Center — was also held in November, but it

had to be postponed from its original date in October due to rain. As

the result, there were fewer Rotarians on hand to paint stairs, picnic

benches and other “blue paint special” assignments, said Del Norte

Rotary coordinator Scott Stafford.

“Thankfully, John Freeman showed up with a gang of his profes-

sional painters and everything was done quickly and professional-

ly,” Scott said. “By professionally, I mean we didn’t spill much paint on each other as we usually

do,” he laughed.

Rotarians show a “can do” spirit Del Norte helps Roadrunner Food Bank, St. Martin’s Center

St. Martin’s paint crew pose for photo.

Les Smith and daughter Gailey help sort out can goods and dry food staples at a Post Office collec-tion point on a recent Saturday.

D ax Kastrin learned early-on in life that you are never too old to get up at 5 a.m. and start working on something. That was his father’s advice when young Dax

worked for his father’s roofing business “in the heat of El Paso summers.” But to make up for such drudgery, Dax got involved in BMX motor cross competition — even doing it professionally for five years. And that brought him to Albuquerque. Unfortunately, he shattered his leg, so he ended up in Lubbock getting his accounting degree at Texas Tech, moved to Dallas, and got involved in the insurance business. Eventually, he and his wife, Holland, moved back to Albuquerque and he now owns his own insurance business, Elemental Risk Management. He is sponsored by Marc Powell.

Meet new member: Dax Kastrin, BMX man, insurance guy

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind

December 4, 2013 � Page 6

Candid Camera: “What if they said that?”

“I just love Bill’s necklace, but I wonder if our guests

think this is a meeting of the Masons!”

“I’m giving you treats for being the papa of nine

pups, but shouldn't we save some for mommy dog?”

“I swore I would never find myself at the head table

again, but it does give you a sense of power!”

“I would introduce our guests, but I can’t read their

handwriting. So forget singing the welcome song!”

“Let me guess … you are either wearing Evening in

Paris, or Saturday Night in Tucumcari!”

“Let me get this straight … you want me to judge a

chili cook-off, but you’re going to a Lobos game?”