2003-2004

President Kathy Dalvey-Bonar
Katherine Dalvey

President Kathy Dalvey-Bonar

Kathy Dalvey-Bonar, 2003-2004, was the 80th president of Las Vegas Rotary.  At each meeting Kathy reviewed a highlight of our club’s 80-year history of dedicated service to our community.   In this “Lend a Hand” Rotary year our 158 members continually worked to fulfill our Rotary mission on all Avenues of Service. More than $234,000 was raised for projects of which $36,440 went to the Rotary Foundation. Our member’s exceptional work earned for our club the District’s top award – The 2003-2004 Governor’s Award, Best Club of District 5300.

A new emphasis of the year was the Family of Rotary Task Force.  Ty Hilbrecht and Paul Maffey created this committee to focus on members and families. Brock Fraser faithfully worked to recruit prospective members. An active 25Club trained new members who contributed to 7 club and community service projects, including help to build a Raised-Bed Herb Garden at Walter Bracken School. Other projects included Highway Clean Up, Serve the Server, and Alpine Picnic. Mike Ballard presented excellent weekly programs that provided interest and challenges for our members.

Community Service was a major part of club activities supplemented by 3 District Grants.  Santa Clothes coordinated by Bob McBrien and Jim Hunt grew to 184 children with the cooperation from 4 other Rotary clubs, lunch at UNLV underwritten by Russ Swain. Other projects were the Thanksgiving food drive chaired by PE Steve Casey, Maj. Bill Raihl and the 25 Club, Safe Streets by Dr. Jim Jones, Students to Sports by Jimmy Navarro, Adopt-A-School by Dr. Kathy Mahon, Students from Rose Warren Elementary Deaf Child Program received “Sole Power” shoes from Santa coordinated by Mike Lubbe.  The Grants Committee chaired PE Steve Casey approved over $11K to local projects.  Vocational Service directed by Randy Boesch, added Kideract at Walter Bracken Elementary, Paul Freed chair, Mideract at Bridger Middle School and a new Interact at Liberty High School, Stephanie Benoit-Kurtz chair, in addition to the Interact at ATEC, Sharon McNair, Chair. A year-end Kideract Luncheon was organized by Janet and Steve Linder. RYLA was organized by Jim Kohl and TLC by Janet Linder.

To celebrate Rotary’s 2005 Centennial, our club made plans for a multi- year project of moving an original railroad cottage, for preservation, to the Big Springs Park, Karen Whisenhunt coordinator. For this Centennial project our club set aside $20,000.  Janette Ford organized a second Centennial project, a poster contest for 6th grade students, with our club’s entry winning 3rd place in the District.

Fellowship activities were great with 17 major events. Russ Swain organized our yearly UNLV tailgate party and also 2 Fremont/Las Vegas Rotary softball games. These games provided a win for each club.  Ed Lepere was chairman of our Roaring 20’s Birthday party, Christmas party, Spring Mountain Ranch picnic, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Sweetheart Luncheon. Jim Tucker planned the putting tournament and debunking party.  Steve Casey organized Brian Head and Park City ski trips.

In Vocational Service we added a new project, the District’s Hensel Essay Contest, Stephanie Kurtz chair.  Dan Russell organized both the club and regional Four-Way Speech Contest. Kathy Mahon brought a Teacher of the Month to lunch.  At Nellis AFB we continued the quarterly award for Outstanding Airman, Ted McAdam chairman.

Fundraisers included club raffles, 2 golf tournaments, a Stock Market pick, and a Super Bowl board. Bert Blevins worked with the PGA and created “Caps that Care” selling tickets for a chance to win a PGA autographed tournament hat and other prizes.  At Nellis AFB, CT McIntosh ran a Scotty Wetzel Memorial Golf Tournament. Golfers totaled 144, including a foursome of Rotarians from England.

For International Service, Mark Daigle coordinated a project in Thailand providing fence and supplies for a school.  With SeaTac Rotary Club, in a Clean Water Initiate project in Bangkok, we provided water filtration for a community.  Our GSE candidate was selected for the team exchange to Soul, Korea.

We planted a tree in Las Vegas Rotary Park to honor the memory of our valued club member and Past District Governor, Joe Buckley. Cliff Beadle coordinated the luncheon and program. Ed Lepere received the “Service Above Self” award as the Rotarian of the Year for organizing club activities, including the 80th Birthday Celebration where members and guests took a trip back in time to the date of our club’s Charter, 1923, and the world of the Roaring 20’s. He also organized 5 other fellowship events.  Special club recognition went to CT McIntosh, for his outstanding coordination and participation in many activities, and to Bob McBrien for his 8 years of dedication and direction with Santa Clothes.

All of our good work was recognized by our Rotary organization. Las Vegas Rotary received The Governor’s Award, Best Club of District 5300 for 2003-2004.  We received a First Place Award for Club Service Training & Organization, and a First Place tie for Club Web Site.  A Second Place Award went to Foundation Total Funds, and our Club Bulletin received the Third Place. Second Place Awards, Large Clubs, were presented to Vocational Service, Community Service, International Service, and Club Display:  Las Vegas Rotary received the 2003-2004 RI President Citation. Without a doubt, for all Las Vegas Rotarians, the place to be on June 6 was at the 2004 District Conference.

This outstanding year ended with the traditional Debunking party at The Secret Garden. Using President Kathy’s native state of Iowa as a theme, Past-President, Jim Tucker, planned an Iowa barn-raising with a BBQ followed by games, contests, prizes for member’s creative farm-style costumes, and a video presentation.





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