The Changing of the Guard celebration for Mesa west Rotary began with a PowerPoint slide presentation showing highlights from Jim Schmidt's year of service as our Club President. It was Mesa West's first attempt to combine an in-person meeting with fewer attending (to allow optimal social distancing) with Zoom technology. CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint slides.Wendell Jones and Ray Smith made a surprise visit and presented Jim and Dan with balloons and a card showing a couple of friendly dogs on the front and expressing they felt "so lucky to have friends like you." Inside the card said "All our other friends are normal."
Before passing the gavel, Jim had some remarks he wanted to share:
- A highlight of the year was when Rotary International's highest honor - the Service Above Self Award was presented by District Governor David Simmer to our own Bob Jensen for his dedicated life of service to provide hearing to the people of Guaymas, Mexico.
- Jim recognized Wendell Jones as the President's most appreciated Club Chair for his tireless well-planned work in arranging for our Speakers.
- A Major Donor to Rotary International is one who has made cumulative donations to the Rotary Foundation of $10,000 or more. This is Level one. Level Two recipients have given more than $25,000. Level Three Donors have given more than $50,000. And Level 4 cumulatively more than $100,000. Dan Coons who is a member of the District's Foundation Committee assisted Jim in presenting the next award. Chuck Flint has been our Mesa West Foundation Chair and championed the cause with his enthusiasm, his time and his means. With Chuck's help we were awarded the District's top prize of the most members who signed up with Rotary Direct, for which we received $2,000 of district grant funds to be spent as we please. Jim was sure Dan and the new Board will make good use of it. Chuck was presented with his Major Donor Level Three Award and Pin.
- Jim thanked our Assistant District Governor Lee Holmes who has been terrific is supporting our club and attending our meetings and events. He also voiced his appreciation for District Governor David Simmer who has been exceptional. In David's video listing year-end District Credits, Mesa West Rotary was well represented by Chris Krueger who sat on 6 District Committees, Polly Cady 5, Jeanie Morgan 5, Pam Cohen, Allan Cady, John Pennypacker, Dan Coons, and Lucinda General all 3 each! Others included Donna Goetzenberger and Don LaBarge. Our District involvement is second to none.
- Each year it has been the Club's tradition to honor one Rotarian who stands out. Usually, as it is this year, their service above self stands out not only for the year in question, but winners seem to emulate a lifetime of Rotary service. This year is no exception.
- This person devotes her time to Rotary, at all levels. She is the District Treasurer, and is a member of the District Membership, PETS, CLI, and Interact Committees. She is on the Board of TRVFA, The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona.
- In her spare time, she serves us. She is on our Club's Board of Directors, always prepared and insightful, and Chairs Public Image and Youth Service. She writes the most amazing weekly newsletter called the Messenger that keeps us all aware and up to date each week. It is amazing. She takes pictures and notes at every meeting. When Aubrey stepped down to accept another position, she took over Aubrey's job, doing it superbly in a highly elevated fashion, and did so without remuneration, saving all of us and the Club a lot of money. She has cleaned up the books, moved it online with Lucinda's help, secured updated arrangements, cleaned up all past due accounts, and developed budgets and plans. She guides, suggests and enhances everything she touches. She is also humble and reliable and probably thinks she is not deserving. But she is, and the Board agrees. You all know her! Jeanie will receive a beautiful clock as her award for the Mesa West Rotarian of the Year 2019-20 Award.
- Jeanie was close, and hoped to complete her lifetime giving and become a major donor before she passes on. In her honor, we have made a contribution to get her to that level this year.
- Jim closed his presentation with a poem he had written:
A Tribute to the members of The Rotary Club of Mesa West, 2019-2020
Our members simply are the best!
Connections, friendships, we are blessed,
Like family welcome each new guest.
The Ace of Clubs is Mesa West!
This has been a different year
With COVID, loss, and racial fear.
Yet Rotary’s vision is crystal clear:
“Take Action” is our rally cheer.
We listen, connect, and find a way
To meet the needs of those whose pay
Is not enough for shelter lay,
Or have a running water day.
Hear ye Latins, Bob’s team has come!
A bus of docs, students, then some,
To help our friends whose hearing’s bum,
Or a carload of all Christendom.
They shout Bob’s praise, love gifts Chuck bears,
Pam’s jovial heart, Lucinda’s dare,
We feel their joy, embrace them there,
While “Logistics Ray” pulls out his hair.
Ray speaks their language, Wendell Chuck too,
The rest of us can barely do,
Chris organizes a thing or two,
Guaymas is blessed, and we are too!
Wendell, Chairman of the Speeches,
Steve Ross helped find these blathering leeches,
Wrapped in thought with what they teach us,
Instead we dreamed of white sand beaches.
Especially during isolation
Connecting Zoom increased frustration
Techie Greg, whose innovation
Distracting banners during invocation.
President Jim was always there,
Even in COVID with 8-week hair.
And Bunion Coons he didn’t care,
His locks are short and hardly there.
Banner John and AV Pam C.
Always early and sometimes fancy,
Hanging banners big and burly,
Usually straight, but sometimes squirrely.
Ray-O-vac Smith, with pep and fizz,
Led the singing, a tenor whiz,
Eating dessert—whatever there is,
And always conducting Guaymas biz.
Daryl Darl, Wendell Jim Ray,
After piling plates from the buffet,
Could always call on them to pray,
And they would know just what to say.
The Elder table “reserved” each day
Wendell Carolyn Bob and Ray,
Daryl, Darl, Warren will say
We’re not a clique, we’ll befriend a stray.
Chuck’s at the table, Aubrey there too,
Selling a raffle, a ticketing zoo,
Quality control our club was not
But all the money went in the pot.
New Members Jim LeChem-i-what?
And Shelley Romine, a banker’s glut.
Lola’s talk was full of smut.
John jokes a lot, can’t roll a putt.
Six dedicated PDG’s
They joke and serve and often tease,
Their year as gov, no job of ease,
Yet still they serve on bended knees.
Don’s dedicated Army bell,
The ringing I could never quell.
The merry ringers that he’d compel
To keep families from hunger hell….
And remember Alan Ramsdell.
Financial planner Don Boucher
Took us to task when wrong, Touché’!
Sergeant Greg would make us pay
For anniversary and birthday.
The surgeon thought he’d take a whack
And cut on Jack the Ripper’s back,
Still greets and yacks when Chuck’s out back,
Now fine, he has no place to snack.
Evening meetings did never jell,
In COVID bid them fond farewell
The food at night was their death knell
Will we get back to our Hotel?
Allan and Polly travel away
They say its Rotary business day
Instead on boat sailing away.
Chris goes to Ron for her inlay.
Frank sits at the family table,
His family’s there when they are able.
Pam wants fiber optic cable
And good Wi-Fi for speaker’s table.
John takes the books the speakers signed,
Bert greets with smiles, is rarely fined,
Melody serves, gets us assigned,
And Dick keep Rod each week in mind.
Large global grant with Chris and Buey
Son Hee’s eggrolls, crisp and chewy.
Microcredit loans aren’t screwy
Cause Darl’s tough and won’t take hooey.
Tom and Polly, devoted Zoomers,
Looking good, must be late bloomers,
Poor Jim Crutcher, lost Mom too sooner,
Those baby boomer car consumers.
Youth are Donna’s claim to fame,
She loves and knows each student’s aim.
COVID travel knew no shame,
The District all her work proclaim.
Lifetime awards to Pam and Chuck,
With them our Club won’t run amok!
Training, youth, Foundation, luck,
District, giving, won’t pass the buck.
Although awards this year are few,
One’s so deserving, she got us through!
Yes, Jeanie Morgan in her debut
No type of task did she eschew.
Cleaned up the books, we went on line,
Recorded every joke of mine,
The Messenger, detailed, so fine
Never a project she’d decline.
Behind the scenes she gives great counsel,
Her wisdom’s clear and always thoughtful,
She cleans up District and club financial,
The choice for her was never doubtful.
The Board’s exciting, insightful group,
When talking, sound like chicken coop,
But always kept me in the loop.
A dedicated amazing group!
Colleen and Dan, our awesome host,
Dan’s leadership you’ll love the most!
To this New Year, let’s give a toast!
Hope you enjoyed this rhyming roast!
With Jim playing the role of The Lone Ranger and Dan appearing as Tonto the brave masked man handed over his white hat and mask to Tonto who will be our hero for the coming year. Dan said the club can look forward to lots of projects in 2020-21 including making use of the $2,000 district grant we won for having the most members utilizing Rotary Direct. He indicated he would like to support the projects in Rocky Point, Mexico that were introduced to us by one of our 2019-20 speakers - Kathleen Duncan from Steps of Love. He mentioned the obvious "Elephant in the Room" COVID-19 which is causing us to continue meeting via zoom in the foreseeable future. There is some talk about starting to get back together with mini -small group - meetings where social distancing could be more easily achieved. More to come as this idea is explored. Dan's board will be President-Elect Bob Zarling, Secretary Lola McClane, Treasurer Geoff White, and directors, Don Boucher, Allan Cady, Pam Cohen, Chuck Flint and Shelly Romine,
See the Mesa West Rotary Facebook page for more photos from the event.