Native wildflower plantings support wild bee abundance and diversity in agricultural landscapes, according to a recent NIH study. Global trends in bee-dependent crops point toward increasing need to expand the use of wildflowers in the US. Wildflower botanist and 10-year member of RCFC, Don Eversoll will present a slide program on COLORADO WILDFLOWERS, along with a story line about how his former company, BEAUTY BEYOND BELIEF, came to life.
Don has lectured extensively for 30 years in eight western states on the role of wildflowers and native plants in domestic gardens, in public parks, and on U.S. golf courses. He is trained in golf course design, and won an award for his work on Los Pinos Golf Course in 1989 for MOST POPULAR PUBLIC COURSE IN THE U.S. He is also a frequent lecturer at CSU'S OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute. "SO YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR?" will be his next presentation. Don is the author of "Secrets From My Grandma's Garden", and is working on a new book, "The Lonely Clock That Kept Losing Time".
Don is a former RCFC board member, the founder of our club's Investing Fellowship, and has been involved over the years in the Four-Way Test, Children's Garden, CSU Athletic Program, Peach Festival, Highway Cleanup, Merit Badge University, High School Exit Interviews, New West Music Festival, and Junior Achievement. He and his wife Terri will celebrate their 50th anniversary in October. They are the parents of Steve, Chris, and Katie. A native of Kearney, and graduate of the University of Nebraska, Don is also a former president and chairman of the board of the Nebraska Business Communicators. He served as the Director of Public Relations for two large companies in Omaha prior to moving to the Fort in 1956. He says he enjoys coming to Rotary because 'a lot of my heroes and role models are here'.
Speaker Steve Brown, CEO of Pacific Coast Bankers’ Bank delivered a very interesting and entertaining presentation about where we are, relative to a cashless society, and where we may be headed. By a show of hands, most Rotarians at our meeting think we are getting close to being a cashless society. Steve says though cash won’t go away, its use is likely to diminish significantly. He says you can access the Federal Reserve website to get statistics and other metrics that relate to this subject.
Cash usage, from 2012 to 2015, has decreased from 40% to 32% for payments made in our economic system. The use of checks is down from 7% to 6%. Checks are not significant as a payment transfer mechanism today. However, debit and credit cards are used for 70% of payments. Mr. Brown emphasized using credit cards as they have a limit when it comes to fraudulent activity of $50 whereas debit cards are unlimited until you discover the unauthorized use and close down the card.
Younger folks are carrying less cash than the generation before them and older citizens are carrying more cash than in the past. This will likely diminish as our society ages. Yes, demographics and technology are the primary drivers behind this shifting usage of payment behaviors and whether or not we choose to carry cash.
Digital currencies, such as bitcoin, and its virtual “ledger” blockchain, was discussed briefly and the point was made that, though it is in its infancy, it could be a sign of things to come as it relates to society’s norm for making payments between individuals and businesses. Stay tuned. The Internet of Things was also discussed briefly. It will allow appliances (refrigerators and stoves, etc.) and things like your shirt and other articles of clothing to “hear” you speak and will be able to act on instructions you give these “devices”.
Questions from the audience included:
Can I start my own currency?
Will chips be imbedded in humans?
Is Europe ahead of us as it relates to credit card use in restaurants as the cards never leave your hands during the payment process?
What are the newly-emerging security issues today as it relates to hackers?
How will the older population, many of which do not use cell phones, react to, and deal with, these advances in technology?
All in all, the Cashless Society presentation left our club members more knowledgeable than they were before the meeting! Several club members approached our speaker with questions and comments afterward.
2. Sponsor the event personally or through your business: $250-$1500 sponsorships available and can be customized to meet your marketing/PR needs, Contact Kerrie atkerrie@oldtownmediainc.com
As a reminder to all members, Rotary is a very diverse non-political, non-religious international service organization with members from all nationalities and all faiths. The basis of that structure is contained in our Constitution, Article 13: Community, National, and International Affairs, posted on ClubRunner.
Members are reminded that it is not appropriate to distribute literature of a political or religious nature at Rotary, either to or from speakers or to the club in general, or to request members sign political petitions, or to promote any political or religious position from the podium. Private conversations among members are just that – private.
“Rotary is an organization of business and professional people pledged to up-holding the highest professional standards. Rotarians believe that worldwide fellowship and international peace can be achieved when members unite under the banner of service.”
Del Benson is looking for other fishermen to establish a fishing Fellowship (before the snow flies).
Dan Ward has OSHER catalogs. He urged members to sign up. He further noted that a dozen of our members are teaching classes.
Pick up (or retrieve online) this year's financial commitment form. Turn it in ASAP.
Lynne Baker, one of three co-chairs of the Centennial Committee, reported that much was being planned for our Centennial Year. Culmination will be a dinner on August 1, 2018, at in the Stadium Club in the new CSU stadium. Profits from sales of wreaths and flower baskets are helping to fund the activities. She then announced that each member will be assessed $5 per quarter until our anniversary on the quarterly statement, as approved by our Board.
Stacy Plemmons asked for a volunteer to back up Erin Mounsey with production of the Rotogear and website content. Erin has had some life changes and will be taking a leave of absence shortly. The continuation of the resources is dependent upon your participation.
Our club provides many thousands of hours of volunteer service in addition to annual giving to charitable projects. Our giving to charitable projects has not grown to keep up with inflation and growing community needs. The RCFC Legacy Fund has established as an endowment that will provide supplemental funds into the foreseeable future for humanitarian and educational programs in and around Fort Collins. Your contributions to the Legacy Fund are tax deductible and will assure “Service in Action Forever”.