June 10, 2009

Attendance: 16 Members 2 Guests

We were inspired by: Dan

Happy Rotarians this week were: Bob, Rick, Carole, Becky, Ottie

Announcements:
Lucianna will leave this week on a wirlwind trip across the U.S. with 51 other Exchange Students, returning on July 11th. Places on the itenerary are: The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, LA & San Diego CA, TX, New Orleans, Orlando FL, Washington DC - for the 4th of July, NY, Cleveland OH, & Chicago IL, from which they will travel back to Grand Junction by train. They (5 Students) are in need of transport back to Durango on July 11th. Contact Lucianna if you are available to travel.

JUNE 27th: PRVC Rotary Build Day with Habitat for Humanity - Fox Farm Villiage - 8:30 - 3:30 - we will then meet at the Ford's house at 6:00 for Officer Installation and BBQ

NO MEETING on July 2nd (replaced by meeting on June 27th)

Program: Sharla Mahoney, Elk Research Institute
The Elk Research Institute, situated near the Old Fort Lewis in Hesperus is dedicated to developing long term solutions to Chronic Wasting Disease in Cervids. Sharla Mahoney from ERI presented our program Wednesday. Ah Ha, you ask...What is a Cervid? Elk, Deer, Moose, and Reindeer are cervids. Chronic Wasting Disease is also known as spongiform encephalopy, similar to mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in humans. It is caused by prions, a form of protein that cannot be killed or vaccinated against, and seems to live in soil. It can be passed on from the soil for up to ten years. It is 100% fatal, and is not passed between species. There is one genetic variation in Elk called the LL chromosome which makes an elk resistant to the disease. ERI is experimenting with the LL elk to build a herd that is resistant, and study how to get this LL chromo some into the wild. Big Job!!!Their 4th Annual Picnic will be held this Saturday (tomorrow, June 13th) from 3pm to 7pm. I have attended in the past, and can attest that it is a wonderful thrill to be able to get that close to giant Bull Elk. Cost is a mere $15 per adult, and $5 for kids. Head South from Hesperus on Hwy 140, five miles to the preserve.