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.

A book for every 1st Grader

Once again, Altrusa of Montrose is teaming up with the Library and Rotary to enhance literacy for all the first grade students in our local school district. We're visiting each first grade classroom and handing out a free book (provided by our Altrusa club) to each child.

The children are also enjoying a field trip to the library, where they are issued a library card and learn about borrowing books as well as all the outstanding children's programs our library has to offer.

We know how important reading is to the future of these young children and are proud to be a part of this award-winning program.

Season's Readings - book donations needed

We're starting up our annual project to collect new and gently-used children's books and make sure children in need in our community receive a gift of books this holiday season. Altrusa will also purchase additional books, especially in Spanish, to add to those donated by people in and around our town.

Thank you, Montrose, for making a difference in our community!

Altrusa donates Children’s Library to CASA

Literacy is a core focus of Altrusa International, and the local Montrose club chose a new project this autumn to commemorate International Literacy Day. Following research and discussion with CASA’s Director, Carlton Mason, Altrusa’s Literacy Committee became aware of the need for children’s books in their facility. CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates – is an organization serving abused and neglected children who have been removed from their homes and find themselves in the courts and child welfare system through no fault of their own. CASA helps to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect through advocacy and interaction, and the local office serves Montrose, Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties.

A section of the CASA building was sectioned off for a new children’s library and shelving and signage was added. Altrusa of Montrose purchased $1,150 in new books for children ages 2-14 plus two bean bag chairs for the area. The Literacy committee tagged and sorted books and delivered them, along with the chairs. Altrusa members and CASA staff were on hand for the library dedication.

The books will be read in the library and also be given to children wanting to keep the books.

Since the dedication, Mason has reported the children and their families are enjoying the books and some of the books have been taken home. The book collection was supplemented by Thomas and Stephanie Keller, who donated books from Hastings, and to Freddie Hancock of Montrose Manor who also donated books.

Altrusa Autumn Affair to raise funds for our community

Altrusa of Montrose is offering a new event this November 7 to raise funds to benefit our community and others with connections to the people of Montrose. The Altrusa Autumn Affair will be held in the beautifully-restored Lark & Sparrow Historic Venue at 511 E. Main Street from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. The evening will feature live jazz by The House Blend, delicious appetizers and desserts catered by The Bistro, and a silent auction with a fun twist. Along with gift baskets and centerpieces, the auction will include two special collections of gift cards and gift certificates from local merchants for a wide range of goods and services. The winning bidders on these baskets of gift cards can use all the cards for themselves or can give some away as gifts for others.

Altrusa is a non-profit, world-wide volunteer organization of people with diverse backgrounds and experience dedicated to improving our communities by personal service. Our local Montrose club was organized in 1975 and, with its 50 members, is one of the largest and most active clubs in the entire international organization.

Altrusa Clubs develop and fund specific service projects to meet community needs and are recognized nationally and internationally for their significant contributions. Locally, Altrusa of Montrose provided over $40,000 in scholarships, donations to non-profits, and community service projects during the  2014-2015 fiscal year. All profits from the Autumn Affair, which replaces Altrusa’s long-running Holiday Festival fundraiser this year, help enable the service organization to continue its many projects and services.

Altrusa of Montrose volunteers for Bosom Buddies at their annual walk/run, organizes and donates books for Seasons Readings, provides a children’s library for CASA, offers awards for teaching excellence at our local schools, contributes to Adult Basic Education, provides books to every First Grade student in our district (in a joint project with the Montrose Library and Rotary), helps sponsor the Montrose Community Dinner (Thanksgiving), donates Love Hug Bears to Montrose Memorial Hospital to give to young patients, grants scholarships to local students, and has provided assistance to many organizations such as HopeWest, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Dolphin House, Passage Charter School, Montrose Botanic Gardens, Community Options, and many more.

Tickets are available through October 31 for $35 each; starting November 1, the price goes to $40. Tickets may be purchased at Fabula, 317 E. Main, during regular business hours, or from Brown Paper Tickets online at http://altrusa.bpt.me. Brown Paper Tickets charges a small processing fee for each ticket sold.

Altrusa provides needed supplies to residents at Anciano Tower

Becky Wolford (L) and Elaine Moore pose with the cases
of supplies donated to the residents of Anciano Tower.

In our third year of support for the low-income residents of Anciano Tower, Altrusa International of Montrose changed the focus from the prior years. At the suggestion of the Member Services Director at the Tower, we agreed to provide much-needed supplies of laundry detergent, dish soap, and toilet paper for each of the residents.

Members donated $371 to add to the $250 line item in the 2014-2015 Service Budget. Project chair Elaine Moore coordinated the purchase and delivery of the items, The manager of the Household Products department, Roger Johnson, was extremely helpful in coordinating the special orders. Committee member Sandra L. Tyler asked 5 local dentists -- Dr. Bloss, Dr. Clader at Colorado Smiles, Dr. Drakulich, Dr. Stucky, and Drs. Spencer-Gross and Dodsworth at True Grin -- to each donate 10 toothbrushes, 10 toothpastes, and 10 dental floss (or mouth wash) to the project for the 49 residents. They were glad to participate in the project.

Altrusa of Montrose was pleased to support these truly forgotten members of our community.

One step closer...

Francie Smiles, president of Bosom Buddies, presented a beautiful plaque to Altrusa of Montrose CO at our December 2, 2014 meeting, in appreciation for our long-term support of the organization which "provides emotional and financial support to those persons living in the small communities of southwestern Colorado who are affected by breast cancer disease." 

For the past 22 years, Bosom Buddies has held a Walk/Run fundraiser for their nonprofit group and Altrusa members have been there each year to help with registration and other logistics. Francie told our club that the fundraiser could not have happened over the years without our help, 

We are proud to support this wonderful organization which has helped so many women (and men) whose own lives and lives of their families have been impacted by breast cancer.

Raising funds to help our community (and others!)

Altrusa of Montrose is pleased to host our annual Holiday Festival & Gifts fundraising event again this year. We've just finished setting up the numerous decorated trees, wreaths, gift baskets, gift certificates, and several special items for the silent auction. The public is invited to view and bid on the items all this coming week (Monday, 11/17 through Friday, 11/21) in the lobby of Wells Fargo in downtown Montrose.

On Friday evening from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. we'll hold a festive party with catered appetizers and desserts, wine, beer, and other beverages. Bidding on the auction items will close at 8:15 p.m. Tickets to the festival party are on sale for $20 at Fabula (downtown) and will also be available at the door the night of the event.







New this year:
Be sure to check out the gorgeous Altrusa Literacy Tree just inside the front entrance to the bank. The tree is decorated with children's books and delightful ornaments, including notes from people remembering their favorite books from their own childhood. This tree is not for sale. Instead, it will be donated to the Children's section of our own Montrose Library to promote next summer's reading program. Young participants will have the opportunity to earn rewards of books directly from the tree.

We hope you'll support Altrusa's many literacy projects with a donation to our Literacy Committee. Learn more about this key committee is up to this year, and help us continue to enhance literacy in our community. A donation box has been placed by the Altrusa Literacy Tree for this purpose.

See you on November 21st!

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.

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.

Buy Groceries / Support Altrusa!

Our local Kroger family supermarket, City Market, has been offering donations to Altrusa of Montrose CO Foundation (or the charity of your choice) for a number of years based on purchases by customers with the City Market or King Soopers loyalty card. Recently, we learned that they are revamping the sign-up method for customers to designate a charity to receive donation.

Here's the scoop.

If you would like a percentage of your grocery purchases to be donated by City Market / Kroger to Altrusa of Montrose CO -- even if you previously signed up to do so -- you'll need to visit the City Market website and sign up again.

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Start by visiting the Community Rewards page.

If you already have a City Market online account, SIGN IN. Otherwise, create a new account (REGISTER).
Once you've created and/or signed in to your account, you can ENROLL NOW to have City Market donate a percentage of your purchases to Altrusa.

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If you haven't yet set up your Value Card number on your City Market account, you can do that next. You'll need to enter the number from your physical card (or your alternate ID number) on the screen shown to the left. Associating your City Market Value Card with your online City Market account will also result in being eligible to receive coupons for products you already purchase!

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Are you still with us? Last step!

Under "Community Rewards" search for Altrusa Montrose, or just search for our organization number, 10199.

When you click SEARCH, you should see
Altrusa International Montrose Fnd

That's us.

Click ENROLL and you're finished.

Thank you for supporting Altrusa of Montrose CO Foundation by asking City Market to donate to us whenever you shop with your City Market card.

Altrusa makes a difference at Haven House

Members of Altrusa International of Montrose celebrated Make A Difference Day Saturday, October 26, 2013 with a dog-themed event for residents of Haven House, a non-profit organization providing a stable home for up to 20 homeless families working toward a fresh start. Deputy K-9 Oxx and his human parther, Officer Sanders, were in attendance as were four dogs and their owners from Morningstar Therapy Dogs.

The day began with a brunch (including some dog treats for the canine guests) for approximately 50 residents, staff, and volunteers. This was followed by a dog story time for the younger children presented by Altrusa member, Jana Ackerman, and a chance for the older children and adults to meet Oxx and learn about his duties and training. Many of the children enjoyed decorating (and eating) dog-shaped cookies which were provided by Joyce Loss, another Altrusa member.

 

Altrusa had plenty of books on hand for babies, toddlers, young children, and teens so that each child could fill a bag with 5 books to keep for their very own.  

30 Seconds of Altrusa

We just received this wonderful 30-second PSA video explaining a little about what Altrusa is all about. Western Colorado folks may recognize several people -- the video features Altrusa of Delta and Altrusa of Montrose Colorado.

Enjoy & pass it along!

Make A Difference Day Early Literacy Fair

Join Altrusa of Montrose and Montrose Regional Library for a fun and educational event focused on developing literacy skills in children from birth through 2nd Grade.

The Fair kicks off on Saturday, October 22 at 10:00 a.m. with Storytelling with Julie Herrera, followed by a variety of entertaining and informative, 15-minute workshops. You'll be able to collect tips for working with children to ensure excellent literacy development. Clock hour credit for child care providers available.



While the adults are picking up great ideas for helping the children in their care develop a love for reading (yes, even the infants benefit!), the babies and children through age 5 will enjoy:

• Reach Out and Read!
• Dramatic Play
• Rhymes and Chimes
• Scarf Play

Kindergarteners through 2nd graders can participate in:

• Writing to Read
• Reading with your emergent reader
• Words, Words, and More Words
• Puppet Pals Craft

Every child who attends will receive a free book!

Refreshments served by Centennial Middle School Student Council:
Apple Cider..........Pumpkin Cookies...........Apples
 
So, bring your kids to Montrose Regional Library from 10 a.m. to Noon on October 22, 2011 for a good time, and return home with lots of useful information that will help you to help the children in your care to develop excellent literacy skills.

Altrusans volunteer for Bosom Buddies

Part of the registration team await the arrival of fundraising participants.
Numerous additional Altrusans handled food preparation and other event logistics

Altrusa members served as volunteers again this year at the Bosom Buddies Walk/Run. Club members handled registration, food for participants, and various other logistics, as we have for many years of this fundraising event. Altrusa of Montrose and MHS ASTRA also donated funds to Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group of Southwestern Colorado.

Altrusa provides school supplies to area students



Dorothy Causey and Ruth Heath pick out school supplies
at a local business

Altrusa of Montrose CO donated approximately $1,200 worth of needed school supplies to four area schools with high percentages of children from low-income households. Each school received ten backpacks as well as several boxes of pencils, paper, scissors, crayons, glue, zip-lock bags and other supplies requested by the school district.



Community Tap Night benefiting Altrusa at
Horsefly Brewery

Funds for these supplies were raised from a used book sale (one Altrusan donated over 800 books from her family's library) and a Community Tap Night sponsored by a local brew pup, Horsefly Brewery. The brewery donated 75¢ per beer or soft drink sold during a special evening for Altrusa, which amounted to a donation of $135 to Altrusa. Members of the community were asked to bring additional donations of school supplies to the Tap Night, and this resulted in another large box of supplies which Altrusa donated to a fifth elementary school in our area. Our Club also donated $200 to each of the local middle schools to be given as scholarships for athletic fees for students unable to afford to participate.

We had a large number of used books left over after our sale, and these were donated to Montrose Memorial Hospital Volunteers who will continue selling them to raise funds for their hospital-related services.

Donations of School Supples Requested

Altrusa of Montrose is sponsoring a drive to collect school supplies for needy students in the Montrose area. We realize that many families in our area find it a financial burden preparing their students for school at this time of year. Lists of suggested and required items for individual schools in the area are posted in the local stores where these items may be purchased.

The drop-off location for donations of school supplies is the office of Buckhorn Geotech, 222 South Park Ave., Montrose. Altrusa members will deliver the donations to the schools for distribution to students.

Inquiries may be directed to Roberta, 249-3873.

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

3rd Graders enjoy Recycling Field Trips

Altrusa members were treated to a stack of thank you notes from area 3rd Grade students who recently went on field trips to learn about recycling. Our club helped fund the transporation to make these trips to the landfill, Recla Metals, the Recycling Center, and the Community Garden.

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Altrusa gives Passage Charter students a head-start on literacy for their babies

Early literacy research indicates that one of the best ways to ensure young children become competent readers and writers is to get books into their hands. As a way of supporting this effort in our community, Altrusa International of Montrose recently gave each student attending Passage Charter School a selection of board books as a beginning library for the babies of these young women. This gift was given with the hope that it will empower young mothers to read early and often to their children as they grow.

L to R: (standing) Asia Broughton, Maria Navarro, Erika Tatman,
Jana Ackerman (Altrusa Literacy Chair), Mana Molina, Anya Van Acker
(kneeling) Ana Nieto, Jana Camargo