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We were happy to share the enthusiasm of Friday's speaker when she talked about the essential programs and benefits of Colorado Mountain College to its students and our community.

April Polly, Regional Development Officer for CMC's Roaring Fork valley, updated the club on how CMC is serving the region's communities. April serves the campuses in Aspen, Carbondale, Spring Valley and Glenwood Springs in raising funds for scholarships, programs, and infrastructure. She is a native of the valley and also a graduate of CMC, earning her bachelor's degree in Sustainability Studies. She began working at CMC after graduation at the Aspen Campus, and moved into her current development office role 10 months ago.

April Polly, CMC Regional Development Officer

CMC has 11 campuses throughout the mountain region serving over 14,000 students, many who are still in high school earning college credits through concurrent enrollment. Over 40% of CMC's students are of Hispanic descent qualifying CMC as a Hispanic Serving Institution and making it eligible for grant programs focused on equitably serving all students.

The college has long been a college of opportunity and that is still its mission. Together with significant community support, CMC is focusing on majors that lead to living-wage employment opportunities and serve the region's communities. Supporting this focus CMC is expanding skilled trades education with a new facility in Rifle, high-demand health care programs such as nursing, radiology technology, and dental hygiene, and public safety programs in law enforcement, EMS, and fire science.

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We also learned about an exciting new program for engineering students to start at CMC and then transfer to Colorado School of Mines. What a great opportunity to stay local, reduce the total cost of a high-demand major, and earn a prestigious degree.

April highlighted some of the ways the CMC Foundation is supporting students pursuing these important majors and invited our support.

Nursing Travel Stipends - nursing students must travel to hospitals around the state to get required hands-on training due to the high demand for clinical training spots. They often need financial support as their finances are extremely tight because the curriculum is so intense.
Study Abroad - the value of being in another country and seeing how others live and work is the purpose of study abroad. For many CMC students this experience is unattainable without some economic support.
Center for Civics Education and Engagement - CMC is committed to engaging in its communities and raising the level of civic understanding and engagement. The Center is a broad-based approach to reinvigorating civic commitment and community participation.
Skilled Trades - The need is extremely high for skilled technicians in all trades areas. The college is responding by investing in a center to train people welders, mechanics, construction professionals, plumbers, heating technicians with a new center in Rifle.

If you interested in learning more or giving to the Foundation, please contact April Polly apolly@coloradomtn.edu.

Valley Meals & More

Mary Kenyon was looking for something to do after she retired. In 2021 she got curious about Meals on Wheels and did research. She discovered that the communities in eastern Garfield County did not have a food home delivery program for home-bound senior citizens. Nothing. Senior meals were served at community sites in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale one to two days per week, but nothing for home delivery. So she created one!

Mary Kenyon, Executive Director, Valley Meals and More

Kenyon founded Valley Meals and More which “supports the wellness of older adults living in eastern Garfield County by providing nourishing daily meals” and much more. She is its executive director and proud to be connecting with older adults who truly need and appreciate a daily meal and check in.

What sets Valley Meals and More apart? There are four main aspects of the program that highlight its impact:

Nourishment & Connection: Every meal brings more than food - a friendly smile, a quick chat, and a daily wellness check that brighten the day and ease isolation.
Nutritious & Appealing Meals - Meals are crafted to be both nourishing and delicious, with presentation that delights the eyes as much as the taste buds. They are prepared and packaged by Sodexo staff at CMC Spring Valley.
Freedom Without Fuss - The program provides essential support at no cost to the older adult, helping them age safely, independently, and with dignity while giving their families peace of mind.
Volunteers Who Care - More than 65 volunteers bring more than meals; they deliver kindness, connection, and a reminder that no one in our community is truly alone. Volunteers provide over 4,900 hours per year delivering food and checking on their clients.

Each meal costs $10.25. The cost to feed one client four meals per week for a full year is $2,912. Donations and grants fund the program. 40% of the funding comes from donors. Program sponsors/grant support comes from The Colorado Trust, Colorado State Unit on Aging, Sodexo, and Project Angel Heart.

In addition to meals delivered to individuals at home, Valley Meals and More offers a Congregate Meal program at three locations in eastern Garfield County where older adults share a healthy meal with others as well as socialize and connect. The Parade of Produce held every other Wednesday is made possible by the Colorado Trust and gives older adults access to fresh fruits and vegetables free of charge.

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Meals are delivered four days per week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. They are substantial and generous so that clients often use them for both their lunch and dinner. Valley Meals and More delivered over 26,400 meals in 2025 to 240 older adult clients.

Clearly the success of Valley Meals has demonstrated the need for such a program. As “real” retirement beckons to Mary, she is looking to local municipalities to maintain the program, as well as solidify sustainable funding sources. so no vulnerable older adult goes hungry or forgotten.

To learn more about the program or ways you can support their important work, please visit the Valley Meals and More website where you can also make a donation.

Down on the Farm

Some months ago Rebecca from Highwater Farms in Silt presented an overview of the nonprofit farm and invited us to their community events. I had forgotten about the summer luncheon until Michelle Lefebrve's reminder email about the July 15 Community Lunch, so I bought a ticket hoping I would see a friend or two while learning about the Farm and having a “home grown” lunch.

Top Row: Ruth Edmonds and Heather Exby. Bottom Row: Becky Ciani and Nick Adams

The email brought out a few GS Rotarians and we enjoyed a delicious lunch, met the young summer interns who gave us tours and told us about their experiences at Highwater Farms.

Highwater Farm tour on a sunny July day!

It is a great space doing great things for kids, the environment, and the community. The Farm has a contract to supply fresh veggies for Lift Up, as well as supporting community members who sign up to support the farm and get produce each week during the growing season (CSA). Nick suggested that our club might invest in a CSA share next year and those interested in “sharing the share” could pay a portion and then pick up some of the bounty at our weekly meeting. I love that idea!

A Song in His Heart

We enjoyed a lovely medley of folk songs with Steve Shute on the guitar. He said these were some of his favorites, tunes loved by Steve Beattie, and favorites of Rotary, too. And you could tell he was having a wonderful time!

We sang classic folk tunes like Blowin' in the Wind, Five Hundred Miles, Leavin' on a Jet Plane, and This Land is Your Land. I love these tunes and love that we have Steve's voice and leadership in making music come alive…. and helping the rest of us sound Oh-so-good! Thank you, Steve.

Leader Takes the Reins

President Stig Svedberg took the reins on Friday presiding at his first meeting as President. He did not wear the chaps at this meeting; they do not go well with shorts, especially in this hot weather! We all welcomed him and cheered his commitment to leading our merry band of members through this next year.

In keeping with the practice established by Nick Adams when he was president, Debbie Wilde presented Stig with his first “gift for the president” - a Rotary themed windshield screen! Quick to step up to any challenge, Stig demonstrated his expertise in adeptly folding the windshield screen back into its compact storage pouch.

Demonstratng excellent form, Stig folds up his new windshield screen!

Don't forget to bring back a little something for the Prez when you are out on your vacations this year! It's a great way to tell us a bit about your adventures and ensure Stig has lots of momentos from his leadership year.

CPH 2026

The team who visited Chinle Planting Hope this year was large and mighty. Over 15 different Rotary clubs from the region participated. That's grown from a small band of Glenwood Springs Rotarians led by the indominable Debbie Wilde and Nancy Bo Flood!

The group got a lot of good things done to support the grass-roots efforts of a tenacious and enterprising group of local Dine residents who created Chinle Planting Hope to serve their neighbors of the Navajo Reservation. Rosann Gain wrote an article for the District 5470 newsletter that includes some wonderful photos of Rotarians at Work along with the wonderful people with whom they interacted. Check it out.

Debbie and Nancy will be our speakers at the August 28 noon meeting and share more information about this year's event, as well as the status of the $100K Rotary grant that they wrote. Please be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend. There is so much to celebrate!

Night of Celebration

Every year about this time we stop to peacefully transition from one club president to another, and to celebrate the special fellowship we share as a Rotarians in Glenwood Springs. Charter Night was celebrated at the Iron Bridge Club House on Friday, June 26 along with many partners and guests. In all we totaled 35 and had a delicious dinner featuring poached salmon and prime rib.

We toasted Jim and his hard work over the year. Jim had some ambitious goals and he thanked the club for support, guidance, and encouragement as he embraced the role. Jim took a moment to thank three very hardworking fellow Rotarians - Nick Adams, Brad Plantz, and Charlene Revoir - who are consistently giving of themselves to keep our club operating smoothly. Thank you!!! !

Thank you, Jim, for your service as Club President 2025-26!

We also helped Stig Svedberg, incoming President, don the traditional set of chaps - the club's leadership mantle. It's clear that Stig did not grow up with the chap experience, but he enthusiastically embraced the opportunity! We look forward to a full year of activity under Stig's enthusiastic leadership.