The entire community is invited to join the Rotary Club of Conifer on Saturday, August 13 as they present the 3rd Annual ConiferFest, a community event filled with tasty foods, beer, wine, seltzers, margaritas, and an incredible line-up of musicians coming to entertain our community’s party-minded attendees. You know who you are!

Our Lady of the Pines Church on 285 is the place to be to enjoy spectacular musical groups including Who’s Thomas, May Be Fern, Joe Bye and Friends, Rattletrap, Dakota Blonde, and Captain Quirk!

The first band will take the stage at noon. The program will wrap up at 7:30. No alcohol will be allowed in with you but do bring lawn chairs and blankets to keep you warm. You know our weather! Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash at all times.

For all the latest details, check out ConiferFest.com.

Thanks very much to Sue Barkley of the Rotary Club of Conifer for her contribution of this write-up about the Club. Sue is an invaluable longtime member of the Club and has served in virtually every officer and board position in the Club.

Have you ever wondered who those people are who run around local events wearing neon-colored T-shirts with a round logo that looks like a wheel and identifiers on the back such as: “Volunteer” or “People of Action” or “Service Above Self?” Well… it is us—the members of the Rotary Club of Conifer, your neighbors in Conifer and Bailey!

The Rotary Club of Conifer was founded decades ago by a group of local male and female professionals interested in coming together to do community service locally along the 285 Corridor as well as abroad.

Rotary International, of which we are a part, was begun in Evanston, Illinois over 100 years ago by a group of businessmen who adopted the motto, “Service Above Self,” and based their community service-oriented philosophical principles on the “Four Way Test—of the things we think, say or do: First: Is it the truth? Second: Is it fair to all concerned? Third: Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Fourth: Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Rotary exists to improve people’s lives, locally and globally, through service. The key issues Rotary clubs address are polio eradication, hunger, poverty, the environment, youth services, literacy, and so much more.

Our Rotary Club of Conifer is made up of such an interesting, diverse group of men and women, with such expanded focuses, some entirely local and others international, but all directed at understanding and contributing to solutions to community problems and opportunities.

Because Rotary remains free of religious or political ties, our projects are designed to meet “real” needs as expressed by those who are in need.

Almost everything we do comes because of someone’s vision or a crisis that occurs.  Needs are verbalized, and soon after, involved, concerned and motivated members act.

For example, just recently, a new member with a background in foreign relations expressed a strong interest in aid to Ukraine refugees and perhaps establishing a Peace Park locally. Within a short time, a Peace Building Committee was formed and projects were put in motion to build community awareness, and action plans were formulated.

Over 10 years ago, two Rotary club members heard about local school children needing nutritional support on the weekends when they could not afford food at school, and soon after, the 285 Backpack Project was formed. Today, we are still feeding over 100 children in five local schools weekly.

On an international scale, a member of the Rotary Club of Conifer, Carol Carper, became involved with the residents of small villages in a remote area in Kenya who needed help protecting their water sources. The Club funded projects involving protecting natural spring waters to provide clean water for the people. Student members of Interact, high school-aged Rotarians, also raised funds to support and protect the springs along with other activities to support a small school for developmentally disabled Kenyan children. Carol is now a full-time resident in Kenya and runs an agency called Sasa Harambee. Several of our members have traveled to Kenya to work along with her in the villages.

On the crisis side, “Spaghetti for a Cause” has twice raised emergency funds for people in Haiti and Nepal following devastating earthquakes.

On the very local scene, members have contributed time and funds to PeaceWorks and the Domestic Violence Shelter, Mountain Resource Center, the Greenhouse for West Jeff Elementary School, Literacy Projects, and many more. Where there’s a need, we’ll try to meet it.

To accomplish all these things, of course, takes both money and time! Fundraising is a huge part of what we do, and we always remember to emphasize the FUN in fundraising!

You’ve probably already tasted the big, juicy peaches that arrive every August for sale by local Rotarians. Our annual peach sales (available online at rotaryconifer.org) provide funding for local scholarships and leadership camps for local students. Order your peaches today!

You may have also visited the recent Foothills Home, Garden & Lifestyle Show at Conifer High School, hosted jointly by the Rotary Clubs of Conifer and Evergreen. That entertaining and informative two-day event began several years ago as the brainstorm of a couple of Rotarians who saw an opportunity and acted.

This will be the third year for ConiferFest—a fun-filled day of live music, vendors, beer, wine and margaritas set in the lush fields adjacent to Our Lady of the Pines Church on August 13. The festival runs from noon until dusk, and more information is available on our club website at ConiferFest.com