Our Projects

Third graders across Pueblo County each received their own copy of the hard bound Scholastic Children's Dictionary in December, January & February from Rotary 43. The dictionary is full of illustrations and photographs to help students understand words with the pronunciation guides and definitions. Rotary 43 members hand delivered dictionaries to over 2,200 students in School Districts 60 and 70, and private schools in Pueblo.

The Rotary members received dozens of hugs, letters and verbal appreciation from parents, students and teachers. The Rotary members found this to be one of the most rewarding experiences they have had in Rotary and hope this project continues for many more years. The money to buy the dictionaries came from The Rotary Duck Cup Boat Race hosted by Kevin Keilbach and his dedicated committee.

A team of Rotarians met in December to help label and place a letter from our club in each dictionary. Each district delivered books to each school so they would be ready for the Rotarians to hand to each child. Thanks to the donors, volunteers and the district employees that made this project all come together so each 3rd grader would be able to have their own dictionary to use and share.

2024-25 Pueblo Rotary 43 President Jon Broome prepares dictionaries for distribution.

Rotarians Janelle Andrews, Laurie Clark and husband, Jon Broome and Dictionary Program Chair Ed Meyers prepare dictionaries for distribution.

Rotarians Randy Stokes and Aaron Bozzi prepare dictionaries for distribution.

Knowledge Bowl student teams participate on Feb. 7.

Retired Tenth Judicial District Attorney Col. Jeffrey Chostner and Pueblo Rotary 43 Knowledge Bowl Chairperson Troy Davenport pose at the Feb. 7 Pueblo Knowledge Bowl.

Rotary 43 has sponsored the Knowledge Bowl for more than 20 years. In 2025, Past Rotary 43 President Troy Davenport and Pueblo Central High School KB Team Perry Gridley were the organizers for this competition at the Rawlings Library in Pueblo.

Knowledge Bowl is the name for several interdisciplinary academic quiz bowl-like competitions across the United States and the world. Knowledge Bowl in Colorado typically involves teams of four to six students trying to answer questions in a written round and several oral rounds. No team is eliminated in this event, and every team participates in every round. Knowledge Bowl is a power competition in which team groupings are rearranged after each round on the basis of their total points accumulated.

The written round is a multiple-choice exam taken by each team as a whole. Results of this round are used for seeding teams in the first oral round.

Oral rounds involves three teams per room and uses an electronic lock-out device system. A reader presents the questions, and a team member may buzz in as soon as he or she chooses. If they miss a question, nothing is deducted, but the other teams then may try to answer the question based on who buzzed in first.

The winner is the team with the greatest number of points at the end of the meet.

Pictured above left: Teams participate in the 2025 Knowledge Bowl on Feb. 7. Seated at far table are Pueblo Rotary 43 members Janice Mehle, Tamra Axworthy and Jim Billings.

Pictured above right: Retired Tenth Judicial District Attorney Col. Jeffrey Chostner (left) stands next to the 2025 Rotary Knowledge Bowl Chair Troy Davenport.

Bell Ringer for Salvation Army

Each year, Rotary 43 volunteers to ring the bell and help raise money for The Salvation Army. We make it a friendly competition with our local Kiwanis Club to see who can raise the most money while ringing the bell.

The easiest way to help from early November through Christmas Eve is to ring a bell at one of The Salvation Army's iconic red kettles. Volunteer bell ringers are the difference between an empty kettle and one that raises the funds that sustain the help we give all year long.

The Salvation Army relies on money raised in red kettles to serve more than 25 million people in need each year. Funds raised support services like homeless shelters, disaster relieve and children's programs.

Pictured at left (left to right): Pueblo Rotary 43 members Amber Shipley and Sherri Baca ringing the bell at Sam's Club in November 2024.

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