2016 May/June Bulletin

District Convention Summary

The 2015-2016 Yellowstone District Exchange Convention was held in Idaho Falls on April 29 and 30 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Bill Sewell current district president and Idaho Falls club member was the moderator for the convention. District conventions normally consist of pertinent presentations on child abuse prevention, local and national club issues, and veteran topics etc. This year’s convention followed the same pattern with a number of excellent presentations. The highlight of the convention is normally the presentation of the Ace and Youth of the Year district awards on Saturday evening. New district officer inductions are also performed during the evening. This year’s Ace winner, Angelica McEneny, was submitted by the Butte club. The Youth of the Year winner, Allie Phillips, was submitted by the Great Falls club. Their names have been submitted to National for consideration for the national $10,000.00 scholarships. In attendance were National President, Daniel McQueeney, and National Exchangite of the Year selection, Kim Hodges. Butte club member, James Stilwell, was selected as District Exchangite of the Year. As usual, much fun and camaraderie was also experienced by all attendees. (Thank you to Jim Stilwell for this report)

“Recently in Idaho Falls at the Exchange Club Yellowstone District Convention, Jim Stilwell, a member of the Butte club, received the District Exchangite of the Year award. Jim served as District President in 2014. His award was in recognition of an extraordinary job of providing support to more recent Presidents and all the Exchange Clubs in the Yellowstone District.” (Provided by Elyse Lewis)

Congratulations to Jim on his excellent service to our Butte Club and the District Exchange Clubs. We are so proud of you.

Jim Stilwell – District Exchangite of the Year

The National Exchange Convention will be held in Houston, TX on July 14-16. If you are interested in attending the (ECB will help with the costs), Please contact Lauren (lkippen@thespringsliving.com) for more details.

UPCOMING

Speakers

7/5/16 Installation of New Officers
7/12/16 Annual Steak Fry at the Berkley Pit Viewing Station
7/19/16 Jane and Allen Baker – Slide Show of Trip to Chili
7/26/16 Abby Peltoma – Clark Fork Watershed Program Part 2

Events

Flag rolling preparation for our Fourth of July Parade Give-a-Kid-a-Flag event will be held at The Springs (300 Mt. Highland Dr.) on Wednesday, June 29th at 5:30 PM. Please contact Lauren (lkippen@thespringsliving.com) with questions. Burgers and beverages will be provided! All volunteers are invited to come and help.

Members are invited to help weed the flower garden on Quartz Street at 8:00 on Saturday, July 2nd. Please bring garden tools and plan to spend about one hour. For more information, contact Tom Daniel at tom@danielinsurance.com.

Give a Kid a Flag to Wave is set for July 4th. We are still looking for volunteers to lead the parade and hand out flags. Please contact John Chioutsis (john.chioutsis@edwardjones.com) if you can help out. We will meet across from the Butte Civic Center near the Poore, Roth and Robinson Law Office in the Stokes parking lot. Plan on meeting at 9:00 a.m. We will begin leading the parade at 9:45. All are welcome.

The annual Steak Fry is set for July 12th at the Berkley Pit Viewing Platform during our normal meeting time. We are also looking for new chairpersons for this event. Please let Linda Corr-Mahugh know if you are interested.

PAST EVENTS

Award Ceremony

“On June 14, 2016 the Butte Exchange Club presented The Book of Golden Deeds Award to Ron Davis of Butte Broadcasting. This award recognizes individuals who volunteer in the community and over the years make a major contribution to improving the lives of the people they serve. The Book of Golden Deeds Award is not given annually, but only when a worthy candidate is identified. Ron Davis was selected for his support of the Restore Our Creek Project, participating on numerous non-profit Boards of Directors and local task force groups, and supporting many local charities by serving as the emcee at fundraisers.

Ron currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Montana Foundation, Butte Family YMCA, and Beef Trail Ski Foundation. In the past he has served on numerous local task force groups as well as serving on the Board of Directors for Butte Chamber of Commerce, Butte Sheltered Workshop, and Butte Sports Hall of Fame.

Ron Davis – Book of Golden Deeds Awards Winner

Last month at a previous meeting, the Butte Exchange Club awarded Exchangite of the Year to Tom Daniel for his leadership and many years of service to the Club. “In the last year Tom has participated in almost every club project and had leadership roles in projects such as the National Day of Service, Field of Honor, Steak Fry, and Civic Improvement Committee” said Club President Lauren Kippen. Daniel served as Exchange Club President in 1982 and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

 

Tom Daniel Butte Exchange Club Exchangite of the Year

Also last month, Special Merit Awards were presented to John McBride and Lynn Sullivan. McBride has led the A.C.E. Awards scholarship committee since its inception 19 years ago. Club President Kippen said ‘His passion for the program is evident in his professionalism and care for each student.’ Sullivan was recognized for six years of management of the Youth of the Month and Youth of the Year scholarships which required countless hours working with Butte’s two high schools and the student candidates. “
(Press Release provided by Elyse Lewis)

Golf Tournament

Sincere thanks to Brad Rixford, Brad Newman, and crew, the ECB hosted The Kippen Cup a golf social/membership drive. This first annual event was held on June 8th at the Highland View Municipal Golf Course.

“Slapped together on a whim, the Exchange Club’s recent Kippen Cup golf tournament might well become an annual social event for our members. Outgoing President Lauren Kippen wanted to go out with a few laughs and some fresh air. She suggested that club members, spouses, friends and prospective members should meet on the links for a little golf and a lot of food and fellowship. Like all good leaders, Prexy Kippen directed two of Exchange’s many Brads (Newman and Rixford) to organize the event.

On Wednesday evening June 8th, 26 duffers were hastily assigned to one of 8 teams for 9 holes of scramble format golf on the Par-3 side of the Highland View Municipal Golf Course. As the Butte Exchange Club helped build the golf course many years ago, it was fitting that the 1st Annual Kippen Cup play out there.

For those club members who don’t know, scramble golf is a silly version of the sport. All team members hit each shot. The team selects the best of the bunch each time and plays on from there. Thus, team members are allowed to put a poor shot in their pocket and hit from a teammate’s better position. All in all, a no-stress format even for novices (just ask Marie Kagie-Shutey, who may have had more fun than all of the experienced golfers combined).

Trophies and a few light-hearted prizes were awarded, not necessarily to the winning team but rather to memorable moments. Joel Broudy won the Kippen Cup (a plastic urn painted gold for the occasion) with a prodigious drive. We hope that Joel returns in 2017 to defend his crown. Alana Larock won a 2016 road atlas for hitting the shortest drive in the competition. We figured she had a longer drive ahead of her.

Joel Broudy Winner of the Kippen Cup

Several club members opted out of the golf (at least for this year), but still made the Kippen Cup an enjoyable evening. Team McBride brought some good eats to share at the post-golf barbecue, and Tom Daniels worked the grill with his usual flair.

The golf itself wasn’t bad. But the chance to chew the fat (no offense to Chef Tom) with fellow club members and friends in a low-key setting was the real reason for the Kippen Cup. Like our P-burg bus trip, the golf event gives us a chance to unwind with each other and to celebrate the bonds that bring us together in our efforts to serve our community.

The golf team names added to the overall silliness, including the Angry Birdies, Strokes of Luck, Dimpled Balls, the Sultans of Swing, Fore Play, Fairway to Heaven, and Shanks for the Memories.

If you couldn’t make the inaugural event, be sure to mark the 2nd Annual Kippen Cup on your 2017 calendars.” (Provided by Brad Newman)

Exchange Club Golfers in First Annual Kippen Cup Golf Tourney

Adopt a Highway

The Adopt a Highway Committee hosted a highway cleanup on June 22nd. Eleven volunteers met at the Buxton Exit on highway I 15 between 4:30 and 5:30 pm. Hardy members braved heat and bugs to collect trash along a two mile stretch of road. Pizza was  served  at Silver Bow Pizza after the cleanup.

Special thank you to Jane Baker and Bob Brooks for their many years of chairing and organizing this event.  Both will continue to support the cleanup efforts but the Chair position will go to Pat Cooney.

Jane said after all the years of picking up trash, the most valuable thing they ever collected was a $100 bill.

(Courtesy of Jane Baker)

Bob Brooks, Lee Walsh and Jane Baker

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to new Exchange Club Member Debbie Todd. Welcome Debbie! We are looking forward to having in the Butte Exchange Club.

Your 2016/2017 Exchange Club of Butte officers and board members were approved at our June 21st meeting by unanimous vote of members in attendance. List of our new officers and board members are below.

2016-2017 Butte Exchange Club Officers and Board Members

Officers:
President Linda Corr-Mahugh
President-Elect Doug Rotondi
Vice President Marie Kagie-Shuty
Immediate Past President Lauren Kippen
Secretary Brad Cederberg
Treasurer Andy Durkin

Class of 2017 Board of Directors:
Joann Bracco
Barry Kippen
Angie Hasquet
Julie Brandon
Jim Stilwel
Tom Daniel

Class of 2018 Board of Directors:
Chad Boothe
Doug Cameron
John Chioutsis
Pat Cooney
Rev. Tom Haffey
Dale Mahugh
Lyza Schnabel
Lynn Sullivan

The program Committee is looking for speakers. If you have an idea or topic you would like to hear about, please contact Holly McCamant at hollymccamant@yahoo.com or Doug Rotondi@djrotondi@gmail.com or any of the members of the Program Committee.

Please remember to review your information on the Club Roster.

COMMUNICATIONS

Update and Reminder

The Communications Committee would like to remind you that we rely on committee chairmen and all club members to send us meeting announcements, stories and photos since we cannot be present at Club events. Please use your cell phones and capture some fun photos to send us.

Please send all details on upcoming events & speakers to: info@butteexchangeclub.org

If you have taken photos at Club events that you want to share, please send them to:info@butteexchangeclub.org (cell phone shots are OK)

Need help? Call: Elyse Lewis –Public Relations Chairman – 565-0801

Bulletin Editor – Penny McElroy
Mobile: (406) 490-1946 Home: (406) 494-2731
E-mail: pamcelroy7@gmail.com