Building a strong Foundation

The role of Altrusa Club of Montrose, CO Foundation was displayed in a memorable manner by members of its Board of Directors at our club's meeting on October 7. Service Committee Chair, Diane Winger, arrived lamenting the lack of tools in her toolbelt. Without them, she couldn't figure out how to fund requests from our committees to enable them to operate their many service projects, and for Altrusa to provide scholarships and give grants to local organizations.

Other Foundation directors came to the rescue, bringing fundraising projects providing construction tools that let them literally build a "foundation" with 2 x 4's and nails. The Service Committee now had something to "build" upon!

But wait! A building inspector now arrived, questioning whether the building crew had a valid building permit. Foundation President Becky Wolford came to the rescue, presenting our Foundation's 501(c)3 status, proving that we are a bona-fide non-profit organization!

All this was accompanied by a song (to the tune of "If I had a hammer"):



If we had the Funding (Altrusa Foundation song)

(Service Committee Chair arrives at construction site with no “tools”, and laments…)
If we had the funding
We’d donate the money
We’d help out with projects
All over this land…

We’d donate to scholars,
We’d celebrate reading
We’d help out with schools and clubs
And community programs
All over this land.

(Foundation construction workers give her tools of funding from Altrusa Foundation…)
Now Altrusa Foundation
Has funded our projects
We can help out our neighbors
All over this land…

Lifeline and Readings
Love Hugs and Buddy Bags
We are building schools
And bringing hope
All over this world.

Altrusa & Library series draws large audience

The 4-part series "Three Cups of Tea - Building Hope in Central Asia" has drawn large audiences during its first 3 evenings, including an overflow crowd for the slideshow on trekking and climbing in the Karakoram Mountains.

Masood Ahmad from Adams State College presented the slideshow and gave the audience a clear picture of the region where Greg Mortenson first began his mission of building schools. Ahmad also told fascinating stories about about his father, a pilot in the Pakistan Air Force. This included a story of his father taking Altrusa's most famous member, Eleanor Roosevelt, on numerous flights throughout Western Pakistan during her visit there in 1952.

Masood Ahmad returned for the 2nd part of the series dressed in traditional Pakistani garb. The theme of the evening was "Cultures of Pakistan & Afghanistan", and participants were treated to various foods of the region, prepared by Altrusans Diane Winger, Lorie Bollig, Jeanne Kuchynka, Natalie Frush, Joyce Loss, Rose Price, and Carol Parker. The audience had many questions for Masood about the beliefs of Muslims, especially attitudes toward women and educating girls. Masood reviewed some of the history of the region, and how radical fringe groups like the Taliban came to power, and were able to suppress the mainstream Islam beliefs which value education for both men and women, and give women numerous rights which have been denied by radical fundamentalists.

The 3rd evening was a panel discussion by Coloradoans who are involved in projects to bring hope and help people in the Himalayan region. Christiane Leitinger (Director of Pennies for Peace, a program of Central Asia Institute), Kay Wiesner (Heifer International), Joanne Kneafsey (The dZi Foundation), and our own Val Burnell & her husband, Terry (representing Altrusa and ASTRA) were our speakers. The audience seemed inspired by their stories, and many picked up information on how to participate in these philanthropic projects.

Altrusa members Carolee Hawkins and Janis Marcha of Alpine Bank brought cakes decorated as pennies to the event. Donations to Pennies for Peace which were made during this summer's Main in Motion, as well as Pennies for Peace collection jars placed at area businesses and hotels were counted at Alpine Bank and a check was presented to Christiane Leitinger. Christiane praised the people of Montrose for raising over $5,000 for Pennies for Peace since she first spoke at an Altrusa event in January 2008.

The final event in the series will be a book discussion of "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson.

We're a "hands-on" organization

Did you know....

All Altrusa members are expected to actively participate in club projects. A minimum of 25 hours are required each year. Each member shall actively participate on at least one committee and shall assist with one service project and one fundraiser each year.

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Many of our members volunteer hundreds of hours each year.