Previous_Speakers

 
Jess Dervin Ackerman - November 21, 2024: North Fork Coalition
Rotary members held an informal meeting this week with North Fork Coalition Executive Director Jess Dervin Ackerman.  The coalition is bent on making the North Fork a great place to live and a great place to visit.  It is a member based non-profit with over 100 participants.  They support artists, crafters and other creative local businesses helping them thrive & survive.  These efforts are funded through memberships and two main events, The Mountain Harvest Festival and the Christmas Arts Fair.    Jess comes to us from a stint with the Sierra Club and utilizes her personality as well as digital tools to bring people together.
Lillikoi Fischer, Isabel Thompson, Willow Webb and Merrily Talbot - November 14, 2024: Broadway Field Trip Report
Rotary members were entertained this week by Lillikoi Fischer, Isabel Thompson and Willow Webb, telling tales about a recent trip with Merrily Talbot to Broadway (NYC).  They went to a few productions, visited some galleries, and took in various sights around the great city of New York.  Then came back to their mountain home with dreams and ambitions of someday returning and performing on the other side of the lights.
Lauren Thliveris - November 7, 2024:  A Brief History of the Berg Family
A brief history about the Berg Family, early settlers to Paonia and the North Fork, was presented by Lauren Thliveris this week.  She is a descendent and manages Berg Harvest, the oasis at the entrance to town across from the library. Much of what you see surrounding the business is land originally owned by the Berg’s and now in a conservation easement.  Lauren also introduced a proposal for creating “The Carl Berg Educational Foundation”.  Its vision would be to work with the Town, help to attract visitors and create and educational facility.
 
 
Medeina Ryan and Kathy Steckel - October 17, 2024:  Community Paramedicine Program
Medeina Ryan and Kathy Steckel of North Fork EMS presented an overview of the Community Paramedicine (CP) program they have introduced into our community. These are free in-home services to follow up after release from a hospital stay or ER treatment.  Lab draws, wound care, EKG, BG, vitals and wellness checks can also be done in one’s own home. They can help with learning about a chronic disease and medications.  Arranging transportation to medical appointments is another service as well as connecting people to local resources that help them stay comfortable in their own homes.
Chris Caskey - October 10, 2024:  Methane Recapture
Chris Caskey talked to the club members this week about his involvement with recapture of methane leaking from abandoned or otherwise closed mine sites.  His objective is to keep methane from polluting the local atmosphere and finding ways to utilize it for a beneficial purpose.   Methane can be converted to CO2 and water.  Generating electricity is a future possibility. Currently he is working at a closed mine site north of Paonia.   Partial funding for this work comes from a DOE “Solve-it” grant.
Colton Cook - September 26, 2024:  Mountain Rescue
Colton Cook presented an overview of search and rescue operations in the North Fork area and surrounds.  In cooperation with other search and rescue groups they generally cover the wild lands from Paonia to Aspen.  A team of 40 active members are involved.   Generally, the group provides an all-hazard backcountry aid to those in distress.   Most calls relate to injuries that prevent an adventurer from progressing from a point of accident to their point of origin.  Some just get lost or caught in storms.  Health problems also surface from simple exhaustion to cardiac arrest. 
Eszter Pala - September 19, 2024:  Hungarian Exchange Student's Impressions of Paonia
Our current exchange student Eszter Pala conversed with club members this week sharing her thoughts about some of the different life experiences between those in Western Colorado and her native Hungary.   Being able to pick her classes at the high school was one of the positives.  She also thought the homecoming experience was a bunch of fun.  The food here brought forth some positive comments, but she missed a few tasty delights from the homeland.
Teri Stephenson and Rene Warner - September 12, 2024:  Delta County Election Process
Members listened to an informative program about the integrity of the election process from Delta County Clerk Teri Stephenson and Rene Warner.  Rene manages the elections from that office.  Coloradans are able to vote by one of two methods, by write-in or in person.  Rene emphasized the security at the drop boxes and the vote centers.  There are security cameras at each location.  She also explained the signature validation process and the security around the equipment that counts the ballots. 
 
Will Wrich, Nora Kaufman & Judah Fisher - September 5, 2024:  Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Program
Will Wrich, Nora Kaufman & Judah Fisher spoke to the club members about their recent experience attending a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program. This program is for high school students and focuses on leadership, citizenship and personal growth.   Sponsored by Rotary Districts (5440) & (5450), it is intended to be a life changing experience.  Each student spoke of their personal gains which were demonstrated by the positive demeanor of their presentations.
 
Tanya Henderson - August 22, 2024:  Club Financial and Data Organization
Club Treasurer Tanya Henderson spoke to the members this week about access and accountability, an overview of the Google Drive and finances.  She pointed the three levels of our organization– Rotary International, our District and our club, the Rotary Club of the North Fork Valley.  The latter breaks down further into the Club for activities and the Rotary Foundation for financial matters.  Introduction of the Google Drive enables sharing and editing of information to all members. 
 
 
 
 
Emily Hartnett - August 15, 2024:  Valley Organic Growers Association
Emily Hartnett, Program Director for Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA), spoke to Rotary members this week about their organization and its mission to promote sustainable agriculture by supporting and educating producers and consumers.  Educational aspects are enhanced by way of its sister organization, Valley Organic Growers Educational Alliance (VOGAEA).  They envision a vibrant community of prosperous, local farms that sustain and benefit the land by providing healthy agricultural products.
 
 
Lindsey Todd - August 8, 2024:  FFA at the North Fork High School
Lindsey Todd spoke to the club this week about her role as agriculture teacher at the North Fork High School.   Her focus is on those students that are interested in agricultural careers and/or may be destined to carry on with the family farms where they grew up.   She teaches the green thumb subjects like plant propagation; hands on stuff like welding; and leadership skills such as public speaking and parliamentary procedure.  Her work coincides with programs provided by the Future Farmers of America.  The hope is that students learn to run their ag business instead of just living the lifestyle.  
 
 
  
Brenda Holland - August 1, 2024:  Families Plus Rotary Grant Presentation
Families Plus Executive Director Brenda Holland PhD, along with associates Gianna Galvin and Dorothy Lorig, recently talked to Rotary members about their work helping to empower disadvantaged children grow into healthy productive citizens.  Their focus is the entire family, with community involvement along with therapy services.  Families Plus is located in Delta with offices in other towns.  Rotary members presented them with a donation of $19,593.00 to fund a therapist to work with children with complex problem in the Paonia Schools. 
 
Seth Weber - July 25, 2024:  The Man Behind the Murals
Rotarians met the Man Behind the Murals this week and learned about his inspiration to create them.  Seth Weber talked about his home life where he and his wife are foster parents for some abandoned children. He has seen where nutrition and love can do wonders for those youngsters that have been left behind.  Yet there was still a need to lift his spirits which he found in painting murals.  His past and future works can be seen in Paonia and Delta County.  Currently his focus is on libraries where he can be an art mentor for kids. 
   
Ashley Krest - July 18, 2024:  KVNF Community Radio Update
Ashley Krest, general manager of KVNF Radio, spoke to the Rotary members last week about our local non-profit radio station.  It began in 1979 as a Paonia based station that broadcasted to the North Fork Area. During the last 45 (+/, KVNF has expanded its influence to cover an area of 10,000 square miles.  Portions of Mesa, Delta, Montrose, San Miguel and Ouray counties benefit from its programs.   The station is a member of National Public Radio and provides local and regional news as well.  Dynamic music is their forte with rock, blues, country, bluegrass, jazz, classical and folk filling the agenda.
 
Jon Schulz - June 20, 2024:  The Rotary Four Way Test
Club member Jon Schulz presented an in-depth analysis of "The Four Way Test" at this week's meeting.  The test is a mantra adopted by Rotary International that helps members keep themselves on track.  It sets guidelines for interaction, decision making, planning and execution.  Before jumping ahead with action, Rotarians consider:
1.  Is it the truth? 
2.  Is it fair to all concerned? 
3.  Will it build good will and better friendships? 
4.  Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Jon's analysis delved into the underlying philosophy supporting the words above that help the members stay grounded.  He generously provided a copy of his presentation for anyone interested.