  ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Ryan Thompson Memorial Park will be officially dedicated during a ceremony scheduled for Monday, November 9, at 1 p.m. The park is located on the east side of Naneum road, one quarter mile north of the Vantage Highway, about four miles east of Ellensburg The Kittitas County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved naming the property, next to Naneum Kids Pond, in honor of Thompson, a Kittitas County Sheriff’s Deputy, who was killed in the line of duty on March 19, 2019. In their resolution, the commissioners noted that Thompson was an outdoor recreation enthusiast enjoying fishing, hiking, camping and otherwise enjoying the great outdoors, adding that renaming the property in his honor would be a tribute to him, his service, and his family. A large, specially inscribed boulder was also recently installed at the site in Thompson’s honor. The enhancement of the current facilities is being assisted by private donations along with funds from the Ellensburg Downtown Rotary, Generations and Rodeo City Kiwanis civic organizations. An eight-member commission is being formed to develop and direct the park’s master plan. Donations are being accepted through the 501c3 nonprofit Community Foundation of Kittitas County at PO Box 222, Ellensburg WA 98926. For more information about the park dedication, contact Jim Ridgway at 509 899-0477.
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Ryan Thompson Memorial Park
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2021-02-08 08:00:00Z |
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Posted on May 09, 2019
 Ellensburg Downtown Rotary supports Operation Purple to send military children to lazy f camp this summer
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Ellensburg Downtown Rotary Helps Military Kids Go to Camp!
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2019-05-09 07:00:00Z |
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 KVH Director of Emergency Services Dede Utley, Rotary Club of Ellensburg Downtown President Patrick Garmong, The Foundation at KVH Director Michele Wurl, Community Foundation of Kittitas County CEO Bob Crowe, KVH CEO Julie Petersen In early September, the Emergency Department at KVH Hospital introduced a new offering for young patients called Ouchless ER. The original concept was brought forward as a way to make a visit to the Emergency Department friendlier for children. That concept was embraced by local community groups, foundations, business owners and residents who worked together to turn the original vision into a functioning program. The Rotary Club of Ellensburg Downtown hosted a champagne brunch over Labor Day Weekend in support of the project. Rotary Club members organized sponsorship donations from 21 local businesses that resulted in a total donation of $5,500 to the Ouchless ER fund. The Community Foundation of Kittitas County provided an additional $5,000 in matching funds. The Ouchless ER was one component of The Foundation at KVH’s 2017 annual campaign. The campaign focused on improving the overall experience for pediatric patients at Kittitas Valley Healthcare services. The annual Foundation gala in May 2017 raised just under $30,000. In-kind donations were provided by Wood Products Northwest for cabinetry and other improvements to Emergency Room 8. Local artist Lucy Beck donated her time to paint a colorful and cheerful mural within the primary pediatrics treatment room. Ouchless ER Overview The Ouchless ER focuses on three E’s to make visits as painless and anxiety-free as possible. These include the environment, equipment and education. Environment improvements include a child-friendly mural and the concealment of frightening-looking medical equipment inside cabinets. New equipment helps take the pain out of procedures. Examples include the Buzzy Bee (an ice and vibration device that reduces pain for injections), the use of adhesive glue instead of stitches when possible, and an Accuvein device to make vein location easy if an IV is needed. Education focuses on training from child life specialists to teach or refresh staff about age-appropriate ways to reduce stress and anxiety. In many cases, simple distractions are used to focus the child’s attention away from the treatment they are receiving. For more information about Ouchless ER at KVH Hospital visit http://www.kvhealthcare.org/hospital-services/emergency-department/ouchlesser.
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Community donations make Ouchless ER possible
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2017-11-29 08:00:00Z |
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OPERATION HARVEST 2017 
Event Description The three Kittitas Valley Rotary clubs are joining together for this year’s OPERATION HARVEST 2017. The three service groups will gather food and cash donations to help feed the hungry in our community. This year is looking to be the largest drive yet. Rotary is a leadership organization made up of local business, professional, and civic leaders. The clubs meet regularly, get to know each other, form friendships, and with these connections are able to get things done in this community. “This is a great opportunity for the business community and residents to share their bounty with our neighbors who are struggling to put food on their tables. It doesn’t matter if its food or cash, all of it makes a difference.” On Saturday, November 4, Kittitas County residents are encouraged to participate by donating funds or food at specified store locations throughout town. By 9am on Saturday morning, a team of Rotarian Volunteers will be stationed at Super One Foods, BiMart, Rite Aid, Grocery Outlet, Safeway and Fred Meyer until 3pm. Volunteers will hand out flyers helping shoppers know what kinds of foods and non food items are needed at FISH Community Food Bank. These suggested shopping lists will make it easy for shoppers to grab a few extra grocery items while they shop the store. Rotarian volunteers will also be stationed at FISH’s warehouse to receive and sort the donated food. This is a great opportunity for our community to come together and make sure no one goes to bed hungry in Kittitas County! 
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Operation Harvest
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2017-10-30 07:00:00Z |
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Fundraiser plannedThe annual Cattle Baron’s Champagne Brunch during Labor Day weekend this year will support the KVH ouchess ER. The event will be from 8-11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 4, at Rodeo City BBQ at 204 N. Main St. in Ellensburg. Tickets are $30 a person and include music, entertainment, and a buffet full of beef, smoked ham, blueberry french toast, egg dishes, breakfast potatoes, pastries, biscuits and gravy, rolls, fruit, juices and coffee. The event is sponsored by local businesses, which have all donated $500 a piece, which the Community Foundation of Kittitas County will match up to $5,000. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Old Mill Country Store, Fitterer’s Furniture or at Rodeo City BBQ. For more information on the event, call Jim Ridgway at 509-899-0477.
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Ouchless ER efforts in full swing at KVH
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2017-08-18 07:00:00Z |
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Pint Night
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2017-07-13 07:00:00Z |
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Cattle Barron's Champagne Brunch
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2017-07-13 07:00:00Z |
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Posted by Kimberly Mace on Jan 30, 2017
January 31, 2017 - New Member Celebration
We inducted our newest Rotarian to the Ellensburg Downtown Club family, Dr. Jenna Hyatt. Dr. Hyatt is the Director of Residence Life and New Student Programs at Central Washington University, which means she oversees the life of students on campus and all orientation programs that support students transitioning to CWU. Dr. Hyatt also teaches masters level students at CWU in the graduate program for higher education. Dr. Hyatt has served on many national boards for her profession and has presented at national conferences on many topics including generational theory and the impact on teaching and learning.
Dr. Hyatt is a married to Gary Hyatt, Associate Athletic Director at CWU. They met as undergraduates at CWU while both playing rugby! They have 3 boys. Tommy, is 17 and a senior at EHS (Student body president, NHS, FCA, student varsity athlete in Swimming and Tennis for EHS, Honors student and college bound). William is 7 years old and a 1st grader at Lincoln Elementary. He is on the EAST Swim and plays soccer. A tragedy took their middle son Henry in a sledding accident 2003-2008. Henry would be 13 now. Jenna and her family live in Ellensburg. She completed her undergraduate degree at CWU in the early 90s. She went on to complete her masters degree in Indiana and then married Gary Hyatt. Days after their wedding they moved to Tucson Arizona where Jenna served for three years at the University of Arizona in Student Affairs and Gary as a Football coach and high school teacher.
They then went on to Dallas Texas and lived there for ten years working at Southern Methodist University as a Director and Gary as a Division I football coach. Jenna completed her doctoral degree from the Univeristy of North Texas. Both have many family in the state of Washington and the pull to come 'home' to Ellensburg was strong. They live in the University Historic District neighborhood on East Tenth a few homes down from the CWU Presidents home. They have now lived here in Ellensburg for almost 10 years.
We are fortunate to have Dr. Hyatt joining the "fun" club, so please join me in welcoming Dr. Jenna Hyatt!!
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Welcome Dr. Jenna Hyatt
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Kimberly Mace
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2017-01-31 00:00:00Z |
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 Ellensburg School District
 Damman School District
 Ellensburg Christian School
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Automated Electronic Defibrillators (AED's) for all the schools!
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2016-10-27 00:00:00Z |
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Music has been an important part of leading an ordinary life for students at the Music School for Children With Disabilities in Honor of Paul Harris in Lublin, Poland. Founded by Rotary members, the school serves 20 students with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and visual impairments. The Rotary Club of Lublin-Centrum-Maria Curie-Sklodowska has provided funding with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants and the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society, which houses the school.
After their son Mateusz was born with underdeveloped eyes, Mariusz and Joanna Kania looked for ways to help him be active. When he showed an aptitude for music, they looked for a teacher and were thrilled to find the Paul Harris music school.
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Helping people with disabilities make their own music
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2015-05-01 00:00:00Z |
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 For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.
After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.
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Finding Safe Haven
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2015-05-01 00:00:00Z |
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 What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.
A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga.
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Saving lives in Ghana
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2015-05-01 00:00:00Z |
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 Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."
The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio.
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India celebrates three years without polio
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2014-02-26 00:00:00Z |
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