"Members from the Mesa West Rotary Club stopped by the Ross Farnsworth East Valley YMCA this morning (Saturday, July 17, 2021) to complete a service project by painting our child care room. Thank you Rotary Club of Mesa West for your service to the community!"
Posted on the Ross Farnsworth East Valley YMCA Facebook Page
Opening Agenda - President Dan Coons
President Dan officially started the meeting at 12:10 PM by introducing himself, then reminding members and guests of the 2021-22 Rotary International Theme - Serve to Change Lives. He then recited the Rotary Vision Statement:
Together we see a world where people unite and
take action to create lasting change -
across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.
Invocation - Ron Thompson
Leading Pledge of Allegiance - John Pennypacker
Rotary Minute - Jim Schmidt
Jim chose to talk about The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and changes he had observed since becoming a Rotarian in 1984. When he joined, he remembered learning that to be a "sustaining" member, Rotarians would donate $100 each year to TRF. That is still what Rotarians are urged to do, but it would take $280 today to have the same spending power as $100 in 1984. He urged members who could afford to do so to increase their support of TRF.
In 2013, when TRF changed to the Global Grant funding model, the first year, they awarded $47,000,000 in global grants. By 2020, that number had nearly doubled to $95,000,000.
In the past, after three years, 50% of what had been taken in would be sent back to the local District. Now, what is shared back to the district is 47 1/2% with the districts sharing the administrative costs of running the foundation.
As a result of increased Global Grant activity and emergency pandemic-related needs, a difficult decision was made last year by the foundation trustees. Going forward the World Fund match for Global Grants will be 80% rather than 100%. This will allow participation in more grants.
The Rotary Foundation needs generous, priority giving. Rotary Direct is the easiest, most painless way to support The Rotary Foundation.
Power of Words - Jeane Crouse
Jeane had suggestions on how to remember the difference between affect and effect. Affect is typically a verb and effect is usually a noun describing the end result. Since effect and end both start with "e" that should be easy to remember.
An example might be a little girl whose mother saw her daughter "affect" a disrespectful attitude, the "effect" of which was the daughter being told to go stand in a corner for a while.
President Dan thanked Jeane for her very effective presentation.
Acknowledgments
President Dan thanked Dan Lamborn for serving as greeter prior to the start of the meeting.
He also thanked President-Elect Pam Cohen for filling in for him while he was vacationing on July 8.
Introduction of Guests
President Dan introduced his and Colleen's son, Ryan Dellolio who spent a year as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student in Japan.
Ace of Clubs Raffle
Before starting with the raffle, Chuck Flint made a teasing announcement that an announcement would soon be made of a new major donor from Mesa West Rotary to The Rotary Foundation.
He corrected the announcement in the July 14 Messenger that he would be playing with a full deck. He said it was actually a full deck plus one because there is now one joker in the deck. The person holding the ticket number matching the ticket drawn would win $40. They would also win a opportunity to draw a card from the full deck plus one. If they should draw the ace of clubs, they would win another $40. If they should draw the joker, they would win $20 more. Any other card would be destroyed and discarded. Ryan Dellolio was asked to draw the winning ticket. Jim Crutcher was the lucky winner of $40, but his good luck stopped there. The card he drew from the deck was the queen of hearts.
Auction Item from Dan and Colleen Coons' Trip to New York
For the benefit of newer members, Dan explained that it has become a Mesa West tradition that when members travel they bring back something to be auctioned to members at a club meeting with the proceeds of the auction benefitting the club operating budget. Colleen explained that Dan had inhibited her shopping so she had added a mysterious delicacy from her own kitchen to enhance the value of the bagged item being auctioned. Once bidding started, it was quite lively. Dan attempted to stop the bidding at $50, but, after Chris Krueger convinced him she had already bid $55 when he made that announcement, he did allow her $55 bid to prevail.
Members of the club who were present were the beneficiaries of Chris's spending prowess when she shared Colleen's treats with them. The editor failed to note her doing the same with the chocolates from New York City which Chris found in the bag.
AnnouncementsShelly Romine reminded members of the July 17 service project at the Ross Farnsworth East Valley YMCA. Participating members would be painting a classroom at the facility. She said she already had ten volunteers committed to the project, but more would be welcome. The arrival time at the YMCA would be 8:00 AM.
President Dan Coons announced District Governor Bret McKeand is scheduled to make his official visit to Mesa West Rotary on Thursday, September 23.
John Pennypacker announced he was "bitterly disappointed" when he read the July 14 Messenger and found no mention of the July 10 District celebration. He said three people were the recipients of a new award - the Ring of Honor - in our district and that a Mesa West Rotarian was one of the recipients. He asked Jeanie Morgan stand up to be recognized.
Happy Bucks - Greg Okonowski
Chris Krueger pledged $65 to the Mesa West Rotary Foundation to honor her husband Mike's birthday.
Ed Koeneman said that he had heard enough about all the new members Pam Cohen brought in during her presidency which was topped by President Dan during his 2020-21 term. Ed said that when he was president, he brought in 20 new members in one day. He contributed $6 - $1 for each year since Mesa Baseline Rotarians merged into Mesa West Rotary.
John Pennypacker contributed. He was happy to announce his granddaughter had landed a good job in the San Francisco area. He was also happy that his niece told him - before telling her parents - that she had decided to become a professional tennis player.
Pam Cohen was happy to have been involved in the delivery of the food gathered by the club in June to Paz de Cristo. She was also happy to announce she had already made good on her pledge to contribute $1,500 to Mesa West Rotary Foundation - $1,000 for the Aqua Africa project and $500 for the Blessman International Enviraloo Project in South Africa which was described at the July 8 Mesa West Rotary Club meeting.
Ray Smith publicly shamed his friend Wendell Jones for spending his new wife's birthday in his recliner watching the Suns basketball game.
Wendell Jones reminded everyone he had pledged $40 dollars the prior week for each year of Sandra's life - honoring her birthday before it even happened.
Jay Stuckey contributed for both he and Melissa, saying how rewarding it has been to find their new family at Mesa West Rotary.
Don LaBarge said he had sat at the table with Steve Ross and others from the Midwest hoping they could tell him the best route to drive from Arizona to Iowa where he was headed to pick up some freight rather than pay the $6,000 estimated shipping charges on an item he ordered.
Lola McClane confessed she had left the July 8 wearing her new name badge, and returned to the July 15 without it.
Colleen Coons contributed - happy to have heard her son Ryan announce he was "off the family payroll."
Dick Myren contributed $2 - $1 for himself and $1 for honorary member Rod Daniels - because they both believe that Mesa West Rotary is the greatest Rotary club in the world.
President Dan apologized for failing to acknowledge those attending via Zoom sooner. Everyone was happy to see Erwin and Joan Reimann, Jack Rosenberg, Erika Yost and Bob Zarling.
Mesa West Rotarians Pam Cohen and Shelly Romine loaded Pam's car with the food that Mesa West Members had brought with them to club meetings in June to benefit those served by Paz de Cristo. Shown in the collage photo are the loaded car and pictures taken after the car was unloaded with the help of a Paz de Cristo volunteer.
President-Elect Pam Cohen opened the meeting introducing herself and explaining that President Dan Coons and our First Lady Colleen Coons were enjoying a well-deserved vacation. She recited the 2021-22 Rotary International Theme - Serve to Change Lives, followed by the Rotary Vision Statement:Together we see a world where people unite and
take action to create lasting change -
across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves
Wendell Jones was asked to offer the invocation. Shelly Romine led the Pledge of Allegiance.Introduction of Guests
- Wendell Jones, who was attending his first meeting following a 3 1/2 week honeymoon introduced his bride, Sandra Jones, adding that Sandra has already participated in one Mesa West Rotary service project.
- Chris Krueger introduced Dayna Gustke, a visiting Rotarian from Tempe Downtown Rotary Club. Chris couldn't resist the chance to celebrate the Phoenix Suns' win on July 6 in their first game of the NBA finals against the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Guests attending via Zoom were Penny May and Dr. Jim Blessman, one of our speakers.
Ace of Clubs Raffle - Chuck Flint
The holder of the ticket drawn would be slated to win $45, and a chance to draw the Ace of Clubs from the few cards left in the deck. Dayne Gustke was asked to draw the winning ticket, which was held by Pam Cohen. Pam's luck held out as she shuffled and decided which card to draw, which turned out to be the Ace of Clubs, making her the surprised and proud winner of $1,837 which had accumulated in the big pot. It was the first time since May 9, 2019 that the big pot had been won. Next week, Chuck - and raffle participants - will be playing with a full deck.
Pam asked Don LaBarge to tell about the time he won the big pot when he was just a prospective member. At that time, the goal was to draw the Queen of Hearts. When he did, he found out that he would become a Paul Harris Fellow, but had no idea what that was. He felt somewhat pressured to become a member after being the big winner...
Pam explained that the reason there were chocolates on the table was that July 8 was National Chocolate and Almond day.
Jeane Crouse - Word Power- Five-second way to remember the names of the Great Lakes. Along the shores of the Great Lakes, are beautiful homes:
- H - Huron
- O - Ontario
- M - Michigan
- E - Erie
- S - Superior
- She asked if anyone knew what "scud" meant. John Pennypacker said that was what pilots call clouds. Dave Brauchler said it was a Russian-made missile. Meaning - anything that moves fast in a straight line.
- July 8 is National Scud Day - Savor the Comic Unplug the Drama Day: Annually on July 8, people across the country celebrate National Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama Day, also known as National SCUD Day. This day was created as a day to put aside any and all of the drama in your life and learning more about working and living with humor and laughter and living in drama-free zones. On July 8, step back and enjoy relaxation and humor and then watch the physical and mental benefits that you will receive from it.
Special Recognition - John Pennypacker
- Wendell Jones was recognized for the fine job he did managing the Program Committee in 2020-21. Wendell was presented his Paul Harris Plus Three pin.
- Lola McClane served on the Program Committee in addition to her Club Secretary duties. John said that the programs Lola personally brought to the club were some of the finest he had seen in Rotary - they were "fabulous." Lola received her first Paul Harris recognition in style with a traditional certificate and medallion in addition to her pin.
Announcements
- District Celebration July 10 at the Wigwam Resort - Luncheon, awards, installation of 2021-22 District Governor Bret McKeand. Celebrate the accomplishments of , now PDG, Elizabeth Mahoney.
- Community Service Project - July 17 at the YMCA - paint a room used by their youth program.
Happy Bucks - Bert Millett
- Lola McClane asked to be billed $75 for her birthday. When she was out on a lake on July 3, she thought all the fireworks were for her birthday!
- John Pennypacker contributed saying he had learned why the staff at Ron Thompson's dental office was always so happy. John had arrived early for his appointment which was first thing in the morning and he heard someone say that everyone was in a cuddle in the back office.
- Chris Krueger contributed - happy to have travelled to Nebraska for the 4th of July and very much enjoyed time with her children and grandbabies. She suggested that John might need a hearing professional in addition to a dentist. She believed the word John heard as "cuddle" was more likely "huddle."
- Ron Thompson contributed. He and Toni had travelled to Nebraska with the Kruegers and had a lot of fun with them and their family while there. There was also some attempt to make light of the cuddle vs. huddle terminology confusion relating to the morning meetings he has with his staff.
- Dick Myren contributed $10, saying he had been negligent. Seeing honorary member Rod Daniels at the July 1 celebration reminded him that he had vowed to contribute $1 every week on Rod's behalf because they both think Mesa West is the best Rotary Club in the world.
- Shelly Romine contributed $100 to the Mesa West Rotary Foundation as an unrestricted donation to show her appreciation of being recognized by President Dan as Rotarian of the Year in 2020-21.
- Jim Erickson contributed $50, voicing his appreciation of the home club banner honoring him. The primary reason for the $50 amount was that he and Maryann would be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary over the weekend.
- Ed Koeneman contributed - he was happy we are now under 900 days until the next Star Wars movie will be released.
- Bob Zarling contributed. He was wearing his new Rotary Shirt. He had debated whether to wear it or his Milwaukee Bucks shirt. Several thought he should be fined for owning a the Milwaukee Bucks shirt.
- Don LaBarge reported he has recently hired Rod Daniels to help his company get caught up. He also complained about how some prices have gone up ridiculous amounts. He was given a quote of $6,000 to haul a piece of equipment from South Dakota to Arizona, when he was expecting a quote closer to $3,000. He said the equipment isn't even worth that much. Don was going to drive to South Dakota and pick it up himself.
- Jim Schmidt contributed saying he and Rosalyn had recently enjoyed a wonderful vacation with their 36 kids and grandkids celebrating their 44th wedding anniversary.
- Pam Cohen contributed $10 for her trip to Nebraska over the July 4 holiday weekend. She also celebrated her raffle win by pledging $1,000 to support the Aqua Africa project.
This has been a challenging year for all humanitarian hearing missions throughout the world. Like many other programs, our club decided that it would be too risky for our volunteers, patients and others in Guaymas if we conducted what would have been our 28th Annual program.After consulting with health professionals and officials here and in Guaymas, it was decided that we would wait and see what would develop in terms of access to patients, availability of a proven vaccine, and feasibility of conducting a reduced program sometime in 2021. In talking to other audiologists who conduct programs in Nicaragua and Belize, this seemed to be the common opinion.
In the meantime, I continue to have dialogues with our friends in Guaymas and Alamos regarding the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in their areas and what they see as a plan of action for the future. Rudolfo Fernandez, our audiology technician in Alamos, is in constant contact with the school in Guaymas where we conduct the clinic and doctors in Guaymas to see what he can do to start up a testing and training program which will be fundamental to achieving a sustainable on-going program in Guaymas. This would allow patients to be seen on a quarterly basis, reduce the number of patients seen during our two-day clinic and, consequently, reduce the need for a very large team to travel once a year to Guaymas. It might take some monetary support from our club but would lower the overall cost of the mission if we support him in his efforts. The cost savings to our club could be as much as $10,000 to $15,000 a year.
We know that the need for our services is great in Guaymas but we must approach the solution to the need in a safe and prudent manner. I will keep the club updated and hope to meet with the Mission Committee in the early part of 2021 to form a plan of action to help our friends in Guaymas.
Thanks to the club members for your continued support of the mission
Bob Jensen
As Rotarians, we are regularly exposed to opportunities to support various causes with our time, talent and treasure. Sometimes it is hard to sift through all the information and decide where we are going to use our available financial resources.
It would be wonderful if every Arizona Rotarian would make the following BIG FOUR their Rotary charities of choice and support every one of them every year, we could make a bigger difference than we are making today.
The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Annual Fund - The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world." Giving a small amount each month adds up. CLICK HERE to download a form you can use to sign up for Rotary Direct, electing "Annual Fund - Share" for your recurring donation. - The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Polio Plus - Rotary's commitment to eradicate polio is so well known and respected that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matches donations $2 for $1. To take advantage of this opportunity to multiply the effect of your giving, CLICK HERE and download a second Rotary Direct form, this time electing electing "Polio Eradication" for your recurring donations.
The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona (TRVFA) provides vocational education grants to Arizona Residents who meet specific low-income guidelines. The grants enable the recipients to lift themselves out of poverty, benefitting themselves, their families and the economy of our state. TRVFA is a 501(c)(3) charity. They also are a Qualifying Charitable Organization for Arizona Tax Credit Donations. Their QCO Code is 20698. Many Arizona Rotarians say giving to TRVFA is a "no brainer." If you can help someone lift themselves out of poverty and it won't end up costing you anything why would you not do it? Mesa West Rotary has the highest number of members who have signed up for automated monthly recurring donations by electing that option on the "Donate Now" button on the TRVFA website. Click the image to learn more or CLICK HERE to DONATE NOW. 
Mesa West Rotary Foundation, Inc. is the funding and fundraising arm of our own Mesa West Rotary Club. It is a 501(c)(3) charity. We have had successful sponsorship campaigns the last few years enabling us to spend our energy on service rather than on holding fundraising events. Charitable grants that we get involved with are funded through our charitable foundation, Our signature Gift of Hearing Project in Guaymas Mexico is funded through this foundation. Scholarships are awarded annually to Westwood High School Students (the high school where Mesa West Rotary sponsors an Interact Club). Funds are used to support a variety of activities in four of the Rotary Avenues of Service:- Community Service
- International Service
- Vocational Service
- Youth Service
The process isn't quite automated at this point in time, but we hope it soon will be. For now, you can email our executive secretary who can help you work out a recurring donation plan should you wish to make that arrangement to support our own club's charitable activity.
Welcome to our Rotary Club of Mesa West!
President
President Elect
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership Dir "23
Community Service Dir. '22
Vocational Dir '22
Foundation Dir. '23
Public Image Dir. '23
Fundraising Chair
Sergeant-at-Arms
Co Sergeant. At Arms
TRF Chair
Vocational Service Chair
Youth Services Co-Chair
Youth Services Co-Chair
Executive Secretary
NO SPEAKER
Sep 30, 2021
Mesa West Rotary Club does not have a regular club meeting on the 5th Thursday of any month
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Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Jul 29, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Aug 05, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Aug 12, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Aug 19, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Aug 26, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Sep 02, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Sep 09, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Sep 16, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM -
Weekly Club Meeting via Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091Sep 23, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
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THE ACE OF CLUBS
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Mesa, AZ 85210
United States of America