Literacy - a core focus of Altrusa

Altrusa is all about leadership and helping our communities, and a core focus of how we do that is through literacy projects. Altrusa of Montrose has a strong commitment to enhancing the literacy within our region. Our Literacy Committee has set its sights high with a total of 11 literacy projects in mind for this fiscal year (June 2014 through May 2015):

1. Montrose Adult Basic Literacy - we provide funds to help adults with expenses related to attaining their GED credentials

2. Apple Award - we recognize teachers from our local schools for providing educational excellence

3. Make a Difference Day - we participate in this nation-wide volunteer day with a local literacy project. This year, we plan to provide a set of board books to each young parent (or soon-to-be parent) at Passage Charter School and help them understand the importance of reading to their babies.

4. Season’s Readings - we partner with the Montrose Daily Press in collecting gently-used children's books, bundling books with ribbons, and having HHS distribute them to lower-income children in December. Altrusa supplements the collection with additional Spanish-language books.

5. Literacy committee/MHS ASTRA collaboration for Tandem families - Altrusa provides additional financial support to MHS ASTRA (our high school affiliate) for them to provide gift baskets to Tandem Families

6. Buddy Bag project for homeless children - we provide bags of books and basic writing supplies for homeless children

7. Read Across America - we lead a celebration of NEA's literacy program (Dr Seuss Day) at Haven House, an organization that assists families and individuals in adjusting from Homelessness to a self-sustaining lifestyle.

8. MRLD Summer Reading Program - our donation helps our local library district provide books to children participating in their Summer Reading Program

9. Rotary/Montrose Regional Library/Altrusa first grade collaboration book giveaway - we partner with the Library and Rotary in sending all First Graders in our area on a field trip to the library, helping them obtain library cards, and providing free books to each child to keep permanently.

10. Nursery Rhyme booklets - we partner with Pediatric Associates which is part of the national Reach Out and Read program (Reach Out and Read trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at pediatric checkups). Altrusa provides booklets for pediatricians to give to the parents of their young patients.

11. Vista Charter School library - we are providing funds to help this school build its library

If you are passionate about the importance of literacy and would enjoy volunteering for projects like these, please contact us. We would love to share our vision of service with you and welcome you to our Altrusa family.

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.

MHS - ASTRA is #1 Again!

Several ASTRA club members pose with the 1st place award
Back row, L to R, Sonja Silva, Mikallya Brown, Taylee Neubauer, Chelsey Goble, Kaylee Isom, and Kali Cross.
Front row, L to R, Lauren Bony, Emily Wolverton, Karleigh Schrick, Kia Peters (holding trophy), and Stephanie Speck.

Our ASTRA club at Montrose High School did it again -- their service projects earned them the distinction of a 1st Place award from Altrusa International. Yes, we said International -- their altruistic activities for the 2009-2010 year were judged #1 in the world. Again. MHS ASTRA Club has won the 1st place award 6 times out of the past 7 years (and they took home the 3rd place award during that 7th year).

What did these high school students do to deserve this honor? Here is an excerpt describing their projects during just one year:

Their goal at the beginning of the year was to adopt at least 3 local projects and 1 international project. They exceeded that goal by completing 9 local projects and 3 international projects.

Community Youth ProjectsCurtis’s Cases - Over several months, ASTRA gathered lightly used duffle bags and new personal hygiene items for their Curtis’s Case Project. The “cases” were donated to the Drug Endangered Children’s Program. The cases will provide youth with a “space of their own” when many times they are removed from homes that are so contaminated that all belongings must be abandoned. The girls made fleece blankets and assembled the cases. Each case included the following: a blanket, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and other age-appropriate items like crayons and coloring books.

Literacy and Litter League Environmental Project – ASTRA and Altrusa volunteers did more than just collect trash for the landfill on stretches of several roads They sorted through roadside trash to separate recyclable plastic and glass containers and metal cans from non-recyclable trash and arranged for appropriate pick-up and disposal.

Tandem Families –The club purchased Christmas presents for 30 needy area youth. The club shopped for and wrapped the presents. Tandem Families serves challenged youth through methamphetamine recovery support, family mentoring, parenting classes, and teen support groups.

Run 4 Shelter – Club members distributed water bottles and provided volunteer support for the race that supports Girls on the Run. “This after school program uses the power of running to help prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. The girls train together to walk or run the 5K event, leaving with a stronger sense identity and understanding of what it means to be part of a team and the community.”

Voices for Children - ASTRA members served as volunteers for a fundraiser to benefit a nonprofit organization that “endeavors to ensure that abused, neglected and abandoned children who have become dependents of the Montrose County Court will have a safe and permanent home."

School Youth Projects
Teen Breast and Cervical Cancer – The club hosted a workshop about teen breast and cervical cancer issues. Altrusans supplied brunch items and ASTRA members participated with their mothers. This event tied into our participation in the Bosom Buddy Walk-Run and our $250 donation to support local teens impacted by breast cancer.

Teen Personal Safety Workshop- The club invited a member of the Montrose Police to present a program giving tips and information for personal safety and awareness, an important awareness activity for members leaving for college.

Youth Experiencing Grief - ASTRA members served as coat checkers and servers for Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado’s benefit gala. The club donated all of their tips from coat checking to support the Youth in Grief program.

Earth Day - Club members gathered to help install a 6’ Colorado Blue Spruce at the high school on Earth Day.

International Youth Projects
Schools in Nepal - ASTRA members purchased and shopped for school supplies to send with an Altrusan visiting Nepal. The club also sent a $300 donation to fund school projects in 4 remote Sherpa villages. In addition to supplying greatly needed school supplies, the funds renovated a playground/soccer field and provided winter clothing to students learning in unheated schools.

Pocket Flag Project - The goal of the Pocket Flag Project is to get as many pocket flags as possible into the pockets of our young soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Three hundred small American flags were properly folded into the traditional triangle. Along with a personal note written by an ASTRA member, the following message was included: “A flag for your pocket so you can always carry a little piece of home. We are praying for you and we are proud of you. Thank you for defending our country and our freedom."

Pennies for Peace - Members read Listen to the Wind (an elementary version of Three Cups of Tea) to students at Pomona Elementary School and placed a donation container there for Central Asia Institute’s, Pennies for Peace program.

State of the Club Report - January 2011

ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL, INC. OF MONTROSE, COLORADO

2010-2011 has been and will continue to be a very active year for Altrusa International, Inc. of Montrose. We are considered the premier service club in the local area. We have received our Distinguished Club patch for the 17th consecutive year. Our theme this year is “ALTRUSANS-Building a Stronger Community”. We began our year celebrating our 35th anniversary with a birthday luncheon.

COMMUNICATIONS-

Yearbook- We moved back to printing our yearbooks for the members. The website distribution did not work for all members. We now have both options available for members.

Website- We have expanded our web presence with Facebook, and our Club is now “Friends” with 240 people and organizations as of January 31, 2011.

Publicity- Facebook has greatly expanded our ability to publicize fundraisers and inform people about our projects. We continue to work positively with the local media on publicity as well, with over 25 articles or photos of Altrusa activities appearing in the Daily Press between June 1 and January 31.

Telephone/E-Mail- Communications with members is done primarily through email with the exception of a few who do not have computer access.

Newsletter- Our newsletter is published several times a year to all members.
Everyone is encouraged to submit articles to it. Board members complete an article every month on different things that are happening in the Club. The committee has added a parliamentary as well as a “Page from the Past” section to the newsletter.

FINANCE –

Golf Tournament- - The fundraising started in June, 2010 to benefit the Lifeline project. Our biggest challenge with this Tournament is planning the dates so that we have no competition from other special events at local golf courses. We were able to net $5,584.

Holiday Festival- This was held in November, 2010, with a net of $15,531.35. The festival continues to be a popular community event.

Spring Luncheon- This is planned for March 26, 2011, with the theme of “Music Makes Memories”. Expenses to the Club have increased for this event which necessitates some adjustments for us but we hope to make a profit of approximately $11,660.

Internal Fund-Raising- We have not had any internal raffles this year thus far. A member initiated a “Pot of Gold” fundraiser. Members collected scrap gold and this member turned the collection in for a total of $2344. The dollars will help fund member registration fees to the 2011 District Ten Conference being held in Montrose. $784.70 worth of nuts was sold during the Christmas season to members, families, and at the Basement Boutique. The funds raised will help defray future 2011 conference and convention costs.

Grants- Our grants committee has been busy writing grants. We have received $250 from DMEA and $250 from Wal*Mart. These funds directly benefit Love Hug Bears and Lifeline.

SERVICE-

We started the year with a brainstorming session to create new ideas for committees. The committees reviewed the ideas and made their plan for the year. Our various service chairs have been extremely busy. Our meeting schedule this year has the service committees meeting on the second Tuesday and fund-raising committees meet on the fourth Tuesday in order to allow members to attend the different meetings.

Service Committee- All of the sub-committees submitted their proposed budgets which were incorporated into the 2010-2011 Service Committee budget that was approved by the club. Total projected sources of funds were $39,390 of which $6,500 were made available from undesignated reserves. Thus far we have funded the following community services:

• All Points Transit $1,000.00
• Bosom Buddies $500.00
• Camp Good Grief $250.00
• Eating disorder Support Group $200.00
• Fore-Kin Trails Genealogy Society $200.00
• Habitat for Humanity $230.00
• Kids Aid Montrose $200.00
• Senior Community Meals Program $208.00
• MHS Senior Graduation Party $250.00
• Montrose Community Thanksgiving Dinners $500.00
• Montrose Fire Protection District $200.00
• Montrose Police Department $100.00
• Montrose High School Lead the Way Program $200.00
• Christmas Day Meals for Shut-Ins $100.00
• Montrose Elementary Schools After School Program $300.00
• Dolphin House $300.00

Environmental-(1) Sponsored the 2nd Annual Kids on Wheels featuring a challenge for kids to ride their bikes to school. There were weekly gift certificates presented and two bicycles given away. (2)Annual bulb planting to help beautify city owned Cerise and Baldridge Park. (3) Zero Waste Luncheon on Earth Day. (4) Highway clean-up had 16 members, 1 husband, and a son completing 1 mile of highway clean up.

ASTRA- The Montrose ASTRA Club took 1st place in the ASTRA Club Service Award for the 5th year straight. This young group has been active in helping with the Sharing Ministries, Kids Aid, participated in the Bosom Buddies Walk, and will hold a baby food drive in the near future. They also sponsored an ASTRA after hour’s event to encourage the new freshman to become members of their club. Youth purchased 30 gifts for children from 2 months old to 16 years old for Christmas. They cut boughs, made and sold wreaths to purchase these presents. The Club also purchased food prior to the holidays for three less fortunate families.
Our Club started an ASTRA Club in Olathe with 13 girls and 8 boys. They were initiated and leaders installed with a Club made lasagna dinner.

Bell-Ringing- Rang bells for Salvation Army December 5 at local stores.

Christmas Baskets-Provided gifts and foods to one needy family with three children before the Holidays.

Educational Services-Provided 5 scholarships to local youth attending Brigham Young University, Colorado State University, Mesa State on the Montrose Campus, and the Delta-Montrose Technical School.

Lifeline-Continues to provide communication devices for elderly and disabled to enable them to live at home. Currently we have 107 units in service (with 9 people on the waiting list) in the eastern Montrose County area. The program currently has replaced all units that were in need of replacement.

Literacy- (1) Cut 208 buddy bags, 416 straps for bags and Altrusans sewed the bags together. Makes and distributes “Buddy Bags” to area clinics, Tri County Resources, doctor’s offices, etc. (2) Collects books for Seasons Reading project and gives them to Montrose County Health and Human Services. (3) Honors local teachers on a monthly basis with the Apple Teacher Award. (4) Provide the Adult Education Center with scholarship money for continuing education and GED. (5) MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY- The title for this year’s project was “Making a Difference through Early Childhood Education” The event was held at Lion’s Park. It was geared toward young children, their parents, caregivers, and teachers. There was a puppet show, bookmobile, books given out in Spanish and English, face painting and a total of 31 volunteers made this event happen for our community.

Love-Hug Bears-The committee has furnished 640 stuffed animals to our local hospital for children in ER and having surgery.

Tender Touch Turbans- Provides turbans to cancer patients who have lost hair due to medication. The Committee has given out 12 turbans since June.

Member Issues- The committee was very active in the annual Bosom Buddy walk. Members helped set-up, clean-up, prepare food for serving, and complete registration the day of the walk.

International Relations- (1)Pakistan water filtration project: In the wake of the massive flooding in Pakistan several water filtration projects were researched and one selected where we had full confidence. We donated $300 which was matched by $450 from individuals. 5 volunteer hours (2)Healing the Children: Hosted Dr. Winkler as an all club speaker. Committee members have gathered toothbrushes and toothpaste to send with him to Dominican Republic and/or Vietnam, and are seeking donations of children's pain medications. We have partnered with ASTRA who is donating Baby Beanies. 4 hours so far. This project will not be completed until mid March. (3)Himalayan Project: In process of supporting an impoverished region in Sikim. We will be collecting and sending warm clothing and school supplies to northern Nepal again. (4)Pennies for Peace: We are in the process of researching the possibilities of a permanent coin collection system in partnership with the library or high school. (5)Kiva: Ongoing loans and rollover of funds to support micro financing of entrepreneurs in numerous countries. (6)5 UN date presentations to the club have been completed. (7)Helping Haiti Project: Hosted all club speaker and sent $300 committee budget funds matched by $300 to combat cholera in Haiti for a total of $600.

MEMBERSHIP-

Our current membership stands at 80 including two emeritus members.

The annual member survey has been distributed, eliciting feed back to determine how to continue to best serve our members and community. Results from the survey will be compiled and disseminated within the next few weeks.

The Holiday Party committee produced an excellent luncheon on 12/14 for the enjoyment of the members.

Orientation/Initiation- These committees strive to explain Altrusan principals to new members and make them all feel welcome to our organization.

Courtesy- Honors birthdays, sends sympathy, get well cards as needed.

The Conference 2011 committee is hard at work planning for the conference to be held in Montrose in May. The annual conference will be held this year on May 5th – 7th in Montrose. The theme for the conference is “Tickled Pink in Montrose”.

Strategic Planning: The plan did not change this year.

Kaye Hotsenpiller, President 2010-2011

Altrusa International Inc. of Montrose, Colorado

ASTRA sends "pocket" flags to U.S. Troops

During the January ASTRA meeting, the girls completed a Pocket Flag Project. The goal of the Pocket Flag Project is to get as many pocket flags as possible into the pockets of our military personnel on the front lines. At the meeting, small American flags were properly folded into the traditional triangle. Along with the flag, the following message was included:

“A flag for your pocket so you can always carry a little piece of home. We are praying for you and we are proud of you. Thank you for defending our country and our freedom." 

The girls also included a personal note to the soldiers.

Over 300 flags were folded. The ASTRA girls flocked the Montrose Armory to kick off their flamingo flocking season. At the flocking, the girls presented the flags to the leadership of  the Montrose Armory as they are planning deployment within the next 6 to 9 months. The honor guard gave us a very informative presentation about their daily duties.

ASTRA would like to thank Robb Ruyle of Powderhorn Industries for cutting the flags to the proper sizing.

ASTRA helps endangered children

Over the last few months, ASTRA has been gathering lightly-used duffle bags and new personal hygiene items for their Curtis’s Case Project. The girls gathered on Sunday, February 28, 2010 at the Aquatic Center to make fleece blankets and assemble the cases.

Each fleece piece of fabric was cut and knotted along its border to create a cozy blanket. Each case included the following:  a blanket, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and other age-appropriate items like crayons and coloring books. In total, 29 cases were created: 8 for older girls, 7 for younger girls, 7 for older boys, and 7 for younger boys. The bags were then given to Theresa Harris of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Montrose Drug Endangered Children’s Alliance. These bags will be given to kids who are taken into foster care providing them with basic necessities and a place to store personal effects.

ASTRA Projects - Holiday Wreaths

Each year, ASTRA members head into the woods and cut down boughs to make wreaths. This year was no exception!  Nine ASTRA members were in attendance along with four Altrusa members. The following weekend, November 29, 2009, several Altrusa members, 14 ASTRA members and some of their moms gathered together to create the wreaths.  Piece by piece the boughs were wired onto the frames, bows were attached, and other holiday decorations completed the beautiful and festival wreaths.

In total, 35 wreaths were created and sold. The fundraiser went to support Hilltop Tandem Families.

Altrusa Literacy & Litter League Book Giveaway & Recycling Event

Altrusa and ASTRA joined forces on October 24, 2009 for a special project on Make a Difference Day.

Kickoff:  Altrusa and ASTRA volunteers met at Anita Johansen’s home on Hwy 90 and did more than just collect trash for the landfill on stretches of Hwy 90, 6100 Road, Oak Grove Road, and Dave Wood Road. They sorted through roadside trash to collect recyclable plastic and glass containers and metal cans in orange bags and non-recyclable trash into grey bags. The following week, Waste Management picked up all the bags, taking the orange bags to their recycling center and the grey bags to the landfill.

The next step for this event:  On a date to be scheduled, all available ASTRA members, Altrusans, and representatives from the Montrose school district, Montrose Library, and MHS 350 club (who did their own cleanup of Cerise Park on Make a Difference Day/Int'l Day of Climate Action) will be presented with sets of 3 books about global warming, carbon footprint, and green living from the Literacy and Environmental committees.  The books will go to all District middle school and high school libraries and to the Montrose Regional Library. At least one WM representative will also join this presentation for a newspaper photo and article.

Altrusa and ASTRA help support Bosom Buddies 2009

More photos from Bosom Buddies 2009:

(top left) Altrusa members Mary Watt, Becky Wolford, Susan Bony, and Margaret Goodhue assist with registration for the walk/run.

(top right) Francie Smiles presents plaques to several organizations which supported the fundraising event.  Roberta Hoey, Altrusa of Montrose President, accepts on behalf of our club.  The plaque reads:

Supporting the Fighters
Admiring the Survivors
Honoring the Taken
and never, ever giving up Hope

Altrusa International of Montrose
Bosom Buddies 2009

(bottom center) ASTRA members and friends who walked to raise money for Bosom Buddies pose with their "signature" flamingos.
Front row: Taylee Neubauer, Stephanie Speck
Middle Row: (unknown), Pat Myers (MHS Guidance Counselor), Carol Parker (Altrusa), Kassey Petschl, Sara Kuta, Lori Michaels (Altrusa)
Back row: Kyle Ayer, Lauren Bony, Taylor Petschl
Other ASTRA members who walked but were not in the photo: Vanessa Lohr,  Marcia Wanner

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!

State of the Club Report - December 2008

by Lorie Bollig, President of Altrusa International Inc. of Montrose CO

First and foremost, I have to tell you that I could not be more proud to be affiliated with Altrusa International, Inc. of Montrose and its membership. It is truly an honor and privilege to be the current president of this wonderful organization.

This report is intended to provide a checkpoint of where we’ve been, what we’ve accomplished and where we are still going. When committee plans were turned in last summer, it was evident we were going to be “busy” to say the least . . . true to Altrusa form you’ve all come through with shining colors.

Our Communications Committees are truly outstanding. The Newsletter continues to be top notch, being published in a timely manner with interesting articles. Thank you to Betty Lundgren and her committee for keeping us informed on a monthly basis! Diane Winger, in addition to other duties, has taken on the role of “techie Guru” keeping our Website current with up to the minute information and has made access to it extremely easy with updates being automatically emailed to subscribers. She has helped our club to take advantage of technology in sharing information.

Under the leadership of Susan Woody, our Yearbook was published and distributed to our membership early last fall. Having this reference material available to the entire membership is of utmost importance – it not only helps new members to relate names and faces but the factual information it contains is a wonderful tool! Our club has also been the benefactor of great publicity via newspaper articles and special features via the efforts of Publicity chairperson Dorothy Causey.

Finance is another area of success for our club. The due diligence of Elaine Moore has rewarded us with a grant from the City of Montrose in the amount of $1000 to enhance our Buddy Bag Program and a $1000 bequest to start an endowment fund with the proceeds to be used for Environmental Programs.

Our Golf Tournament chaired by Alice Vest experienced an increased net profit and our recently held Holiday Festival chaired by Bobbi Brown was an outstanding success. Not only have these fundraisers increased the awareness of Altrusa in our community, we have gained financial support through corporate sponsorships for these events. Fundraiser activities still to come are a new Murder/Mystery Dinner scheduled for February 28, 2009 and our annual Spring Luncheon that will be held on March 21, 2009, both of which look very promising.

Service is the core activity of our club and to date we should all be proud of our accomplishments. ASTRA, led by Judy Snedeker and her team has kicked off their new year with lots of enthusiasm and projects including participation in the Bosom Buddy Walk/Run, highway cleanup, a scholarship fund for students to participate in school activities, selling wreaths as a fundraiser and still to come will be their annual “Flamingo Flocking”.

Salvation Army Bell-Ringing was organized by Lynda Wareham and Casey Wareham and the wonderful weather not only increased our spirits but it seemed to increase the number of people out and about and their generosity. Sally Senger and her team collected funds from our membership for our Christmas Basket that was given to a needy family in the area.

Environmental, with the expertise of Cheryl Gibson and Anita Johansen as co-chairs, has successfully completed the flower and bulb planting at Cerise Park as well as highway cleanup. Upcoming projects for 2009 include E-Waste Cleanup Event, Bike to School contest, Zero Waste Luncheon and Fashion Show, Highway Cleanup and Cerise Park Pond Planting.

Diane Winger from the International Relations committee helped to co-sponsor a four-part series entitled Building Hope in Central Asia. This series not only enlightened the community on issues relevant to central asia but it served as a local relationship builder with yet another avenue to show our community what Altrusa is all about. Alice Vest and her Lifeline committee continue to provide units and maintenance to the elderly or disabled who desire to stay in their homes.

Literacy under the direction of Joey Montoya Boese has continued to provide Buddy Bags to the less fortunate children of our community with distribution through Montrose Medical Mission and the Community Dental Clinic. Season’s Readings books were collected and distributed through Department of Social Services. A teacher is also recognized once per month through our Apple Teacher Award.

Love Hug Bears, chaired by Rose Price continues to provide comfort to children in the emergency room or same day surgery with a huggable teddy bear. Currently, the demand for bears is exceeding our current budget and Montrose Memorial Hospital has agreed to share the expense beginning January 2009.

Jeanne Kuchynka and the Members Issues Committee helped to start the school year off with a collection for school supplies for the less fortunate students of our school district. In all, $375 was spent on school supplies and $175 was set aside for scholarships to cover fees for extra-curricular activities. They also successfully helped to organize the food and volunteers for the Bosom Buddy Walk/Run. In addition, they started a new project creating a DVD library with players for the cancer patients to use while receiving treatment at the San Juan Cancer Center.

Susan Woody has introduced some new styles of hats and beanies for the Tender Touch Turbans Committee led by Joyce Loss. This committee provides hats, beanies and turbans to local cancer patients experiencing hair loss due to treatment.

And last but not least, our Membership committees have assumed their duties with dedication to our club. As First Vice-President in charge of Membership, Kaye Hotsenpiller has organized An Add an Altrusan After Hours Event that is scheduled for January 21, 2009 at Camelot Gardens. This will be an opportunity for potential members to visit informally with us and see what we are all about. It will also provide the needed time for current members to catch up with our club.

Our Christmas Party, organized by Marianne Cross was enjoyed by approximately 50% of our members. It provided precious time for fellowship among members – instead of a gift exchange members were urged to bring mittens, stockings and hats for children in addition to a canned food drive.

Initiation, organized by Natalie Frush is held every month that there is a fifth Tuesday. I am pleased that to date, we have had eligible new members to initiate at each of these times and candidates are waiting for the next opportunity. Likewise, Orientation has been completed in a timely manner for all new applicants prior to their initiation led by Marianne Cross.

In summary, we should be proud of our accomplishments and goals – As I said – I cannot think of any other club I would rather be associated with than Altrusa International Inc. of Montrose. Thank you to all for a job well done!

Believe and Achieve

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!

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.

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.

ASTRA Club raises funds for Pennies for Peace

Montrose High School's ASTRA Club members collected $444.58, mostly in pennies, as part of their International service project supporting Pennies for Peace. Students set out penny-collection jars and informational brochures (699 kb PDF) at a number of Montrose businesses and organizations. With the help of the staff at Vectra Bank, ASTRA members counted the pennies and other donations collected.

Pennies for Peace is a program of Central Asia Institute (CAI), a charitable organization which builds schools, trains teachers, and provides women's vocational training and public health programs in remote rural communities in Central Asia, including Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Educating girls is a top priority for CAI. The literacy rate in Afghanistan is about 32%, but, while the literacy rate for men is 47%, the rate for women is estimated at only 3%. Even a fifth-grade education level for girls helps to reduce the infant mortality rate significantly, in addition to improving the general health and quality of life for women and their children.

The Montrose community, including Altrusa International, Inc. of Montrose CO and Montrose High School, has raised over $4,600 for CAI to date. This donation amount can support 100 primary students for a year, provide annual supplies to a Women's Center and to a Midwife, fund 2 advanced student scholarships, plus pay the annual salary for 3 teachers.

ASTRA would like to thank the Montrose community for their donations to the Pennies for Peace jars, and especially thank the following businesses and organizations for displaying Pennies for Peace jars in their offices:

Montrose School District Central Office
Montrose High School Guidance Office
Dr. Mindy Miller
Mesa State College
Nepal Restaurant
Camelot Gardens
Brown's Shoe Fit
Buckhorn Geotech
Montrose Memorial Hospital
The Ute Museum
Gigi Ann's
The Coffee Trader
Parker Investments

Thanks also to the folks at Vectra Bank for letting the group use their coin-counting machine (much to the relief of several girls who thought they'd be counting coins by hand), and for the warm reception, cold punch, and cookies.

Promoting Health & Education in Himalayan Regions

Jim Nowak, a local mountaineer living in Ridgway, and co-founder and Executive Director of the dZi Foundation, spoke at a recent meeting and showed a moving video about the many humanitarian projects the foundation has underway. dZi began when Jim and his wife, Kim Reynolds, were inspired to support a safehouse in Kathmandu for girls at risk while on one of their many trekking and climbing trips to Nepal. In the years since then, dZi has also become involved in numerous educational and health projects.

As part of this year's international projects, ASTRA will be raising funds for Friendship House in Kathmandu, a Girls' Education Program sponsored by dZi. These girls have been rescued from the fate of human trafficing and attend a school where most become nurses, midwives, or health assistants of some kind. The girls at the home will use ASTRA funds to identify and fund worthy local projects, thus helping ASTRA pass on the habit of community service to others. Judy Snedeker announced that an anonomous donor has given $1,000 to ASTRA toward this project. In previous years, ASTRA funded an Infant Nutition Program and a teacher in the Nepalese village of Nuntalla through dZi.

Other health-related projects by dZi have been to provide dental clinics and eye clinics for children. The organization also supports schools, trains teachers, and helps bring clean drinking water to villages.

Over the years Altrusa of Montrose has supported several projects in Nepal, including sending books and high quality clothing to poor villages where Val and Terry Burnell are well known. We have also assisted ASTRA by collecting supplies and personal items for them to deliver to Nepal.

ASTRA kicks off "Flamingos for Friends & Foes"

Yes, it's getting to be that time of year again when our thoughts turn to spring (if only the snow would melt!) and spring colors begin to show. Here in Montrose, the earliest signs of spring are PINK! As in PINK Flamingos. That's right -- it's time to start thinking of friends and foes who deserve to have their lawns flocked with our pink-feathered (well, plastic actually) friends, and all for a good cause.*

Flamingo Flockings may be scheduled starting in late February, and the birds will be hanging around our lovely valley for about 2 months. However, ASTRA is offering special Valentine's Flockings (Flamingos + Chocolate!) to Altrusans only on a very limited basis. Call Carol Parker or Judy Snedeker for details.

We learned that Flamingos (and ASTRA members holding flamingos) can make quite a bit of noise. Here's what flamingos really sound like (scroll down the page to listen to their call). The girls telling about the Flockings did a fine imitation of flamingos during their presentation.


The ASTRA club will also be doing a special flocking for a local child with leukemia to kick off their official fundraising event.

* All funds raised by Flamingos for Friends & Foes will be used for ASTRA local and international service projects. ASTRA is the Youth Service Club of Altrusa International of Montrose, and is a Montrose High School club.

Commemorating United Nations Day & Human Rights Day

Carol Parker, vice chair of our Altrusa International Relations committee, gave an informative and inspiring presentation at our December 4, 2007 meeting about Altrusa, the United Nations, and Human Rights.

The complete text of her presentation can be read or downloaded here.

Some of her key points:

Carol contacted one of Altrusa’s UN Representatives and learned that Altrusa is a dues paying member of the Commission on the Status of Women and also of the UN Association of the USA. As an NGO (non governmental organization) Altrusa is attached to the Council of Economic and Social Affairs and the Department of Public Information. Altrusa has 3 active representatives who try to cover as many committees as possible. We have presences on the NGO committees for UNICEF and the UN Trust Fund for Women as well as the Migration Committee. Our representatives attend weekly briefing held by the Department of Public Information.

In 1946, Altrusa was the very first international classified service club to have an official observer appointed to the United Nations.

In 1978, Altrusa received consultative status with UN, the most prestigious category of status for NGOs. This status is for NGOs whose competence enables them to make occasional and useful contributions to the work of the United Nations and who are available for consultation upon request. We can be proud that Altrusa falls within this category.

Eleanor Roosevelt, an Altrusan, served as chairman of the Commission on Human Rights at the UN, and was one of the drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Here are a few of the projects ASTRA and Altrusa have been engaged with that speak directly to basic human rights:

We have supported several projects in Nepal, one the poorest nations on earth. We have populated a school with much needed books and sent many duffel bags of shoes and clothing to very poor villagers. ASTRA funded a teacher for a year in Nepal, whose ongoing efforts have afforded many village children the education needed to pass the entrance test for higher education. ASTRA funded a Nepali infant nutrition program that retrieves babies from the brink of death because of basic nutritional deficiencies.

Altrusa funded the development of educational materials for a project of HM International that seeks to empower villagers in Zimbabwe.

Last year Altrusa funded water filters in Mexico. ASTRA funded orphans in Uganda one year and a child soldier rehabilitation project there last year.

Our impact is not only being felt by the international community but right here in Montrose as well. How are we combating poverty here? By providing Buddy Bags to at risk youth, by funding numerous projects with the Resource Center and Safe House; by providing 1000’s of books to disadvantaged children through our Seasons Readings program, through ASTRA’s provision of nearly 100 emergency supply boxes for Social Service kids; and even by supplying Life Line units to the elderly, many of whom live on fixed incomes.

And so as we remember United Nations Day and Human Rights Day, I feel honored to be part of an organization that values peace, human dignity, education for all, and works to combat the effects of poverty and illiteracy worldwide…..and I hope you do as well.

ASTRA creating personal supply boxes

The MHS ASTRA Club is collecting the following items for replenishing the boxes of personal supplies for children & teens supported by Social Services of Montrose. ASTRA members plan to fill 100 bags, 1/3 of which will be hand carried to a remote village (Chhulemu) in Nepal. The remaining boxes will be filled according to appropriate age groups to be distributed locally.



The ASTRA members have made some beautiful wreaths from locally-cut evergreen branches, decorative items, and festive bows, which they are selling as a fund-raiser to support projects such as the personal supply boxes. Several Altrusans pitched in to tie bows for the wreaths, and created an impressive number of beautiful bows during a recent Altrusa meeting.

ASTRA members participate in Bosom Buddies Walk/Run

ASTRA members Katherine Boy, Jamie Elder, Bree Shawcroft, Rebecca Sherwood, Ashley Tyrrell, Laura Schroedel, Sara Kuta, Kassey Petschl, Kristin Lehri, Jori Ayres, Autumn Triesch, and Meagan Lynch, along with Altrusa Chair Judy Snedeker, Co-Chair Val Burnell and Jessica Voivedich were a part of this year's Bosom Buddies Walk/Run.