Altrusa of Montrose honored with District and International Awards

Our club is thrilled to have received so many awards at the 2018 Altrusa International District Ten, Inc. Conference!

We are also extremely proud of our own Marianne Cross for receiving this year's Governor's Award. This award is for an Altrusan who has made a lasting contribution to the organization as a result of involvement and dedication to their local Altrusa Club. Marianne was recognized for her distinguished record of service to her local club (Montrose) as well as to Altrusa District Ten.

Awards:

Distinguished Club – 2016-2017 (our club has been honored with this designation for each of the 25 years it has been awarded)
Communications – Newsletter -- 2nd place
Communications – Yearbook -- 1st place
Nancy Taylor Environmental Award -- 1st place
Jen Hanson District Ten Community Service Award - 3rd place
Ethel Fritch District Ten Literacy Award & Letha H. Brown International Literacy Award -- Montrose, CO – 3rd Place
Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award – 2nd Place
Mamie L. Bass Service Award – 1st Place

Altrusa of Montrose is named Distinguished Club for 2016-2017

Sonja Horn, Altrusa of Montrose club president for 2017-2018,
shows our "Award Banner" representing 24 years of being
recognized as a "Distinguished Club"

For the 24th consecutive year, Altrusa of Montrose has been recognized as a "Distinguished Club" in the international organization. The award is based on numerous factors, including the service projects we do for our community, member participation, recognition of Altrusa within our community, involvement in other non-profit and charitable groups, and more.

The emblems recognizing this award have changed over the years, but our members' commitment to altruism, service, and volunteering has remained strong.

Montrose club honored with another Distinguished Club Award

Immediate Past President, Margaret Goodhue, points out the various
Distinguished Club Award patches and pin as President-Elect
Sonja Horn looks on.

For each of the 23 years that the international organization has recognized Altrusa clubs which meet a stringent list of criteria, Altrusa International of Montrose Colorado has earned that recognition. We are extremely proud that our Montrose club is the only club within the worldwide organization to have been honored each and every one of those years.

A "Distinguished Club" is one that has broad, active participation in volunteer work by its members, is recognized within its community (thank you, Montrose!) for its contributions, has won awards for its projects, includes members who serve at the District and the International levels of the organization, maintains a local Foundation as well as a club, partners with other non-profits, and many more measures of excellence.

Although the items we display to show our status have changed over the years from a yellow patch to white, and most recently, to a pin (all of which we proudly display on a banner), the concept remains the same. We, as members of a worldwide community, dedicate ourselves to making our community better through leadership, partnership, and service.

Jeanne Kuchynka recognized for long-term community service

Jeanne Kuchynka (left) looks on as Linda Riba and
 Margaret Goodhue present her with the ESP award

From time to time, Altrusa of Montrose honors someone with an ESP (Extra Special Person) award for their outstanding service to our community. On June 2, 2014, Linda Riba, immediate past president (center) and Margaret Goodhue, past president and current President-Elect (right), presented the award to Jeanne Kuchynka (left). Jeanne has been an Altrusa member of 14 years and was recognized for her ongoing contributions to Altrusa through service on numerous committees, participation in the planning and execution of many fund-raising events, and her overall community service. Jeanne was surprised and very honored to be selected. She was presented with an engraved Altrusa paperweight and a lovely pitcher.

Altrusa of Montrose awarded $1000 grant for Lifeline

Alice Vest, Chair of the Lifeline committee, accepts the grant from Diane Winger, President of Altrusa of Montrose. Not Pictured: Erin Berge, grant writer, Grants & Bequests Chair

Altrusa International, Inc. of Montrose, Colorado is honored to be able to present their Lifeline project with a $1,000 grant from the Altrusa International Foundation. Altrusa's Lifeline Project will use this grant to purchase and maintain medical alert devices for senior citizens who are living at home, usually alone, and at risk of needing emergency assistance. This device is activated with a button worn on a pendant or wrist to summon immediate help. Having this invaluable service gives senior citizens the security and peace of mind knowing that help is not too far away when they need it.

Diane Winger, Altrusa Club President, states that grants of $250-$2,000 are available through sponsoring Altrusa Clubs from the Altrusa International Foundation, Inc. to improve the economic well-being and quality of life through the Foundation's commitment to community service and literacy.

Established as a charitable corporation in 1962, the Foundation is committed to the service goals and objectives of Altrusa International, Inc. Its sole purpose is to be an avenue through which Altrusans can assist Altrusa Clubs and other worthy organizations, throughout the world, to carry out their programs of community service and assistance to individuals in need.

Funding is provided by voluntary contributions from Altrusa members, Altrusa Clubs and the general public.

Altrusa of Montrose wins International recognition

Altrusa of Montrose walked away with five awards presented at the recent Altrusa International Convention held in South Dakota. Diane Winger, President of the Altrusa Club in Montrose, wore a path in the floor as she repeatedly went to the podium to receive these awards. For the 18th consecutive year, Altrusa of Montrose was honored with the Distinguished Club award. No other Altrusa club has received this award every year since its inception. Our local organization also received the following awards:

International Relations project awards
L to R: Carol Parker, Diane Winger
(not pictured: Val Burnell)



1st Place (tie) – Net Membership Gain award

 2nd Place – Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award for 2009-2010 projects “Healing & Helping Around the World”

3rd Place – Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award for 2010-2011 projects “Building Bridges of Understanding and Hope”

ASTRA, Altrusa’s Montrose High School affiliate, received 1st place for its 2010-2011 project, “Alleviating Hunger in Youth at Home and Around the World.” Our local ASTRA club has won this award 6 out of the past 7 years, and are judged against ASTRA clubs throughout the world. Altrusa member Lori Michaels serves as Chair of the ASTRA committee.

1st Place ASTRA award
L to R: Lori Michaels, Carol Parker, Diane Winger
(not pictured: Val Burnell) 

Long-time Altrusa members Carol Parker and Val Burnell serve on both the International Relations committee and the ASTRA committee, and were instrumental in documenting the projects submitted for these International awards.

Club Historian Dorothy Causey has provided us with a summary of Awards for our club and club members over the years:
Awards and Dist Intl Offices Thru 2011

She has also documented important information about Altrusa of Montrose 2010-2011, including a summary of Club projects and Grants awarded to a number of organizations in our community:
History 2010 - 2011 Club Year

Altrusa of Montrose Wins Awards

Reported by Roberta Hoey, Awards Chair, 2010-2011

Altrusa of Montrose President Kaye Hotsenpiller displays certificates
for awards issued during the District Ten Conference.

The Montrose Club continued our good record of winning again this year at the annual District Ten Conference:

COMMUNICATIONS:
Newsletter- 2nd Place
Yearbook- 1st Place
Website- 2nd Place

NANCY TAYLOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD: 1st Place for our Kids on Wheels project to encourage children to ride their bikes

DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP (MOST NEW MEMBERS): Tied for 3rd Place

JEN HANSON SERVICE AWARD: 1st Place for our Love Hug Bears project, providing stuffed bears for children in the ER or undergoing surgery at Montrose Memorial Hospital

DR. NINA FAY CALHOUN AWARD: 1st Place for our International Relations projects, including supporting health, education, and 3rd World entrepreneurs in dozens of countries

MAMIE L BASS AWARD: 2nd Place for our projects supporting cancer patients, Tender Touch Turbans and volunteer work for Bosom Buddies

Lorie Bollig was our nominee for Governor’s Award and had some strong competition. We want to congratulate Lorie on being chosen by our club and we will submit her name again in the future. Rose Price has been entered in the International competition for Community Leadership Award and the winner of that award will be announced at the July Convention. Our club also was announced as a winner of this year’s Distinguished Club Award along with several other clubs in District Ten. This is our 18th consecutive year of winning this award.

Perfect record continues -- Distinguished Club Award for the 17th consecutive year

Altrusa of Montrose was honored once again with a Distinguished Club Award from Altrusa International for the 2009/2010 year.

An award patch was added to a banner of previous awards, with the banner being displayed by Roberta Hoey, who served as club President during that year, and by Lorie Bollig, President in 2008/2009 (also a winning year).

Montrose Club wins numerous awards & special honors

Each year at our District Ten Conference, awards are given for service projects, club membership achievements, club communication, and more.  Altrusa of Montrose is very proud to have been honored with the following awards for the 2009/2010 year:

Mamie L. Bass Service Award - 1st Place for our Lifeline project

Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award - 1st Place for multiple projects, including Pennies for Peace, supporting a school in Nepal, American Flag exchange, and Kiva micro-loans

Distinguished Club Award - for our activity and productivity at every level of program involvement, including Service, Programming, Membership, Leadership and Communication - this is our 17th consecutive year of earning this designation

District Ten Membership Award, Membership Net Gain Award, and Hazel Henderson Membership Award - 1st Place for all three awards recognizing the most new members, the most net gain in membership, and the percentage of membership gain

Yearbook Award - 1st Place

Website Award - 2nd Place for this club website

Newsletter Award - 2nd Place

In addition to Club awards, Altrusa members Donna Herman (District Ten Governor-Elect) and Elaine Moore were recognized for having sponsored two new members during the past year.

And last, but most certainly not least, Donna Herman received the prestigious Governor's Award, which is given to just one individual in the District each year for outstanding service and positive impact on his/her local Altrusa Club and at the District and International levels as well as other community involvement. We are very proud of Donna and her dedication to Altrusa and to our community. She is an inspiration to all of us.

Club members display awards from the 2010 District Ten Conference.

Left to Right: Alice Vest, Roberta Hoey, Diane Winger, Linda Riba, Val Burnell, Kaye Hotsenpiller, Elaine Moore, Margaret Goodhue, Anita Johansen, Marianne Cross, Donna Herman, Natalie Frush, Ginny Spaven, Lorie Bollig

And the winner is...

...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose
...Altrusa of Montrose

No, the above repetition wasn't an accident.  And no, the slide show isn't showing duplicate award presentations.

Our club President, Roberta Hoey, got plenty of exercise during the awards luncheon at our annual District Ten Conference walking up to the podium again and again as our club received 9 awards.

Teaser:  We won't post the details on the awards won until after our Club meeting this Tuesday so that the members who did not attend the Conference in Colorado Springs can still enjoy some surprises!

Montrose Club applies for multiple awards

Each year at our Altrusa District Ten Conference, awards are given for a number of service projects and an Altrusan is recognized for outstanding community service and service to Altrusa.  Our Montrose club has been honored with a number of awards over the years, and our hopes are high for the upcoming Conference.

Several of our current award entries for 2010 are available for viewing (these are large PDF files):

Nancy Taylor Award - Kids-on-Wheels project
Mamie Bass Award - Lifeline project
Letha H Brown Award - Dr. Michael Shoulders literacy assemblies
Jen Hanson Award - Litter League
District Ten Governor's Award - Donna Herman

Of course, we know there will be many additional outstanding projects submitted by the other Altrusa clubs in our multi-state region.  We're proud of the services we provide, and even more proud of the difference Altrusa International members make worldwide.

Montrose ASTRA Club wins 1st Place Service Award

MHS  ASTRA Board members Kassey Petschl and Sara Kuta are presented with a 1st Place trophy by ASTRA Chairperson Lori Michaels, and by Altrusa President Roberta Hoey.  Our local ASTRA club was recognized by Altrusa International for their service projects "Connecting Schools and School Children."

Our own Montrose High School ASTRA Club was honored with a First Place award by Altrusa International, Inc. for their outstanding service projects that benefited schools and school children locally and internationally.  Our local club has won this prestigious international award 5 times.

During the 2008-2009 year, ASTRA completed the following projects:

·      Student Scholarship Project – donated $500 to support scholarships for needy youth at Montrose High School to pay fees for elective classes such as, music, art, and sports.

·      Tandem Families –purchased Christmas presents for 30 needy area youth. The club shopped for and wrapped the presents.

·      Breast and Cervical Cancer – hosted a workshop about teen breast cancer and cervical cancer issues. Altrusans supplied brunch items and ASTRA advertised the event to high school students. This event tied into our participation and support of the Bosom Buddies Walk-Run.

·      Youth Experiencing Grief - served as coat checkers and servers for Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado’s benefit gala. The club “flocked” the event with 80 flamingos and donated all of their tips from coat checking to support the Youth in Grief program.

·      Nurturing Parenting Program - babysat infants and toddlers for 3.5 hours per week for 16 weeks for Hilltop’s Nurturing Parenting Class

·      International School Project – purchased school supplies to a remote primary school in the Himalayan region of Nepal.

·      Historic Colona School Project – acted as tour guides, sales clerks, and food servers at fundraising events for preserving the historic Colona School,

The Club’s projects connected ASTRA with schools and school children locally and internationally, and benefited our Montrose community.

ASTRA is a volunteer organization for young people, sponsored by local Altrusa Clubs.  There are over 100 ASTRA Clubs throughout the United States and in several other countries.  Altrusa of Montrose is extremely proud of our ASTRA club for their exceptional dedication to service!

Altrusa of Montrose wins International Relations Award

Members of the International Relations committee hold the 1st Place certificate awarded by Altrusa International, Inc. in recognition of their projects emphasizing Himalayan empowerment through education in Nepal, Tibet, and Afghanistan.
Pictured are Rose Price, Carol Parker, Diane Winger, and Val Burnell.

Altrusa of Montrose was honored with a 1^st Place award for projects supporting education in Himalayan regions during the worldwide organization’s biennial convention held recently in Indianapolis, IN. The Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun International Relations Award was established to encourage and stimulate international relations, to create an awareness of other cultures and people of the world, and to recognize outstanding achievement in international relations by Altrusa clubs.

Our club’s winning projects were:

· Three Cups of Tea - Building Hope in Central Asia – We organized and sponsored four evening presentations at the library illuminating issues of literacy, culture, religion, gender and politics in Central Asia.

· Main in Motion - “If you read just ONE book…” – We loaned copies of Three Cups of Tea to anyone interested in reading it.

· Book Donations – We donated copies of the Young Reader’s edition of Three Cups of Tea and Listen to the Wind (both by Greg Mortenson) to all Montrose elementary and middle schools, plus the Montrose Library District

· Tibetan orphanage - In partnership with ASTRA, school supplies were provided to an impoverished school in remote Gorepani.

· Kiva micro-financing – We made several micro-loans to small groups in 3^rd world countries related to medical and educational needs.

Consider this: Altrusa International has clubs in more than 370 locations throughout the United States and nine other countries -- and our International projects were recognized, along with those of an Altrusa club in New Zealand, with this prestigious award!

And the winner is...

District Ten Governor-Elect Donna Herman presents outgoing President Lorie Bollig
with the Distinguished Club Award

Altrusa of Montrose had another year to be proud of, as the club received 6 awards during the 2008/2009 District Ten Conference held in Albuquerque, NM recently.

Distinguished Club Award - this is our 16th consecutive year to earn this award (still a perfect record!) 

Outstanding ASTRA Leadership Award for our sponsorship and support of the award-winning ASTRA Club at Montrose High School

Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun - International Relations Award - 1st Place for our ongoing projects promoting literacy in Nepal by sending school supplies to an impoverished school, and for supporting Central Asia Institute with programs about "Three Cups of Tea", helping to build schools with a focus on educating girls in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan 

Communications - Web Site - 1st Place

Communications - Yearbook - 1st Place

Ethel Fritch & Letha Brown Literacy Award - 3rd Place for creating and furnishing a library at Passage Charter School

City Council awards $1,000 grant to Altrusa

Elaine Moore presented a check for $1,000 to Altrusa of Montrose today from Montrose City Council as part of their Community Support Funding. This grant will help fund Altrusa's Buddy Bag project.

Buddy Bags are large canvas bags filled with children's books, coloring books, crayons, and other items. The bags are given to children by Tri-County Resource Center, Montrose Medical Mission, Montrose Community Dental Clinic, and Adult Education Center when they or their parents visit those organizations for services. Members of Altrusa cut the fabric and sew the bags using the professional equipment at Powderhorn Industries in Montrose.

Distinguished Club Award -- 15 years running

Altrusa of Montrose President Lorie Bollig holds a banner displaying all 15 Distinguished Club awards won by our local Club.

Altrusa International Inc. of Montrose Colorado was once again honored with the "Distinguished Club" award for 2007/2008.

Our Club has won the award 15 years in a row -- every year the award has existed! We are the only Altrusa Club in the world to have accomplished this outstanding "winning streak".

According to Altrusa International, "The Distinguished Club Award recognizes a Club's activity and productivity at every level of program involvement. Information from Club Activity Reports on Service, Programming, Membership, Leadership and Communication will be used to judge whether a Club is a Distinguished Club."

And the winner is...ASTRA of Montrose!

Our local ASTRA Club has done it again! For the 4th time, the ASTRA members at Montrose High School are the First Place winners of the Altrusa International Service Award.

Here's an overview of the work involved in winning this world-wide award:

Our goal at the beginning of the year was to adopt at least three local projects and one international project. We far exceeded that goal by completing 8 local projects and five international projects. We also adopted a new project that will support student initiated service projects at Montrose High School. Each of our members devoted an average of 35 hours for a total of 700 documented service hours. Fund-raising hours added even more time. For already busy teens, this outstanding commitment helped our members realize the true meaning of sacrifice to benefit others.

Read about their award submission in this article published in June 2008.

ASTRA members were honored by members of Montrose Altrusa Club on October 29th at a dinner and award presentation. Congratulations to all involved for this outstanding achievement. Altrusa of Montrose is extremely proud to be the sponsor of the most outstanding ASTRA Club in the world!

ASTRA applies for award

Montrose High School's ASTRA Club, sponsored by Altrusa of Montrose, kept very busy this past year completing an outstanding number of hands-on service projects that will impact people in need both locally and internationally. Their application for a Service Award from Altrusa International can be read here.

Our local ASTRA Club has won this international award 3 times in the past, including last year (2006/2007). We wish them the best of luck with this impressive resume, and hope this year will mark their 4th win.



Here is a summary of their projects -- keep in mind that all this was accomplished in just ONE year:

• partnered with Altrusa for a highway clean-up project


• walked in the Bosom-Buddy Walk/Run


• shopped for Tandem Family children at Christmas. Twenty-one children received wrapped presents that were delivered to Health and Human Services for at-risk youth


• stuffed 60 Hospice Grief Bags for children experiencing anticipatory grief or who had just lost a loved one


• coat checkers and servers for Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado’s benefit gala


• 16-week project for Hilltop’s Nurturing Parenting Class. Members babysat infants and toddlers for a total of 112 hours.


• raised funds for The Pregnancy Center, which helps pregnant teens


• assembled 30 boxes for Social Services. The boxes are filled with personal care items and school supplies purchased by the club. Altrusans contributed items to this project as well.


• donated funds to Kelly Marston, a ten year-old battling cancer


• helped fund a teacher for 1 year in the village of Nunthala, Nepal. The $500 ASTRA donation was matched by our Altrusa club. The teacher’s specific duty is to prepare students for the Iron Gate Exam, a test required for entrance into any kind of secondary program.


• donated $500 to Friendship House in Kathmandu. Friendship House rehabilitates and educates girls retrieved from human trafficking activities. The funds will be used to by the girls to identify and fund community service projects, much like Altrusans.


• filled thirty pencil boxes with personal care items and school supplies for the girls at Friendship House


• raised funds for Pennies for Peace to build schools in the dangerous and remote mountainous areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.


• raised funds to benefit orphans at the Charisma Bethel Children’s Home in Mindanao, Philippines. Seven teens from Montrose will visit the orphanage this summer.

ASTRA raised funds for the above projects by creating and selling Christmas wreaths, earning tips at the Hospice Gala, and with their signature fundraising event, Flamingo Flockings.

District Ten Awards earned by Montrose Club

Nine members of Altrusa of Montrose attended the annual District Ten Conference in Clovis, NM this past week, and a great time was had by all. We found the workshops and presentations very informative, renewed friendships and made new ones with Altrusans from other Clubs in our District, and had fun as well.

At the Awards luncheon, our Montrose Club was honored with several awards:

• Distinguished Club Award (2007/2008) -- for the 15th consecutive year!
• Communications: Web Site -- 1st Place (altrusa.blogspot.com)
• Nancy Taylor Environmental award -- Honorable Mention (Garden & Composting project at Passage Charter School)
• District Membership: Most New Members -- 1st Place (7 new members)
• Dr. Nina Fay Calhoun Award (International Projects) -- 1st Place (Pennies for Peace, Nepal clothing project, and Mexico Water Filter project)

Our entire Montrose Club is very proud of what we've been able to accomplish for our own community as well as communities in other parts of the world.