President Dan again opened the Zoom platform at 11:15 to allow Rotarians and guests to converse informally prior to the start of the actual meeting. Jeanie Morgan asked Wendell Jones if there was a story behind the saxophone everyone could see hanging on the wall behind Ray Smith. Wendell explained the saxophone had been purchased by his grandfather for his children to play in the early 1900's. Several siblings of Wendell's father played it in high school, but his dad was the main one. His father also played it in the country dance band that played for many of the dances in Wendell's hometown. Ray Smith's father played the clarinet and other instruments in the same dance band. Wendell played it all through school and in the high school marching band. So did two of his sisters. The saxophone has become an icon in Wendell's family.
This conversation brought up other musical topics. Robin Harris, a former Mesa Baseline member was visiting and it came up that he might be an even better vocalist than Ray or Wendell, and it was suggested that the club might be getting close to having its own barbarshop quartet. Lola Smith had been in a British equivalent of Sweet Adelines at one time, and that lit a spark for Chris Krueger who also is musically gifted. She said her range has changed and she might need to sing tenor now.
It sounded like there might be a musical program or fun event in the Mesa West Rotary future when COVID precautions are less stringent.
Allan Cady wondered if anyone else in the club ate oatmeal. He said he hadn't had it since he was a child, but Polly had found a brand that you sprinkle things around. He had it the first time a couple of weeks ago and three or four times since.
The funeral for Wendell Jones' father in Duncan had gone well. It was a nice celebration of his father's life. He was eight months shy of his 100th birthday when he passed. Wendell sang in a quartet at the funeral. He said his dad was extra special and there were lots of great remarks about him. He had 8 children. There were hundres of great grandchildren, and the great great's numbered in the 200's and there are three great, great, great's.
Bob Zarling said his grandmother lived to be 103. She could remember her father trading sugar with Natiave Americans in Otters Creek. He thought they were probably from the Potawatomi Tribe in Michigan.
At noon, President Dan started the meeting, reciting the current RI theme - Rotary Opens Opportunities and reciting 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 - Jeanie Morgan shared the following:
Introduction of Guests
- Ray Smith introduced Robin Harris, a former member of the Mesa Baseline Rotary Club.
- Dan Lamborn and Tom Yuzer were both welcomed again as guests.
Happy Bucks - Colleen Coons
- Chuck Flint pledged $20. He had a lot to say. He reminded members of Macy Rivas who our club had sponsored on a one-way exchange from Venezuela. David Howell from Phoenix Rotary 200 and Chuck have gone to Porto Lobos Mexico many times. At 142 West Main in Mesa a former exchange student, David Maria Fernanda Aconte, and his brother who had been an exchange student the year before have a Venzuelan restaurant. Last week, Chuck and David invited Macy, who is a now a student at GCU to join them to enjoy some good Venezuelan food.
- Allan Cady pledged $5 - happy to be at the meeting. He announced he would miss the meeting on the 25th as he will be traveling to Charlotte North Carolina to spend time with sons and grandchildren while Polly is busy here in Arizona with Rotary Leadership Institute.
- Polly Cady pledged $5 - happy that there were 32 people already registered for RLI's College of Knowledge on the 27th and told members it was not too late if they wanted to register. If someone reading this wants to register, they can CLICK HERE to e-mail Polly.
- Pam Cohen pledged $5 - she had started with a new mortgage company this week. They are headquartered in Texas and Okalahoma. There was no staff (because of the extreme weather) to onboard her, and her new manager had COVID. It was a very weird start. She was happy to be working. Chuck Flint asked her if their interest rates were frozen.
- John Pennypacker was happy to have given a TRVFA presentation to the Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club. He said they asked a lot of astute questions. He said a member of that club stopped by and brought a nice bottle of the water of life. It is 24 years old. Earlier this week he mistakenly read about someone he went to prep school and thought he was dead, but Bill let John know he is alive and well. John pledged $100 to the sponsor program.
- Shelly Romine pledged $10. She was very happy and greatly relieved - both her parents were able to get COVID vaccinations this week. She said her father had a laundry list of pre-existing conditions and was very nervous about getting sick.
- Wendell Jones and Ray Smith each pledged $10 in honor of Wendell's father. Wendell pledged an additional $10. At the funeral he was reminded that when guests would announce they were going to take off, his father would say, "Be careful what you take off. We don't want to be the cause of any naked fannies.
- Polly Cady pledged an additional $5 for the compliment from Robin Harris when he thought Polly was Allan's daughter.
- Warren Williamson told a joke he'd heard from a retired judge. A man got a Genie out of a bottle and was allowed one wish. He wanted to visit Hawaii but was afraid to fly and got seasick. He wanted a bridge built to Hawaii. The Genie asked for an alternative wish. He said he always had trouble understanding women and wanted the Genie to give him that understanding. The Genie asked if he wanted a one-lane or two-lane bridge. Colleen pledged $5 for the joke.
- Colleen Coons pledged $5 on behalf of Dan Coons because Mesa West is phenomenal.
- Bob Zarling told about the mask distribution that would take place on February 23 at Salvation Army and urged members to let anyone know who was in need. They would be given out in 20 count packets between 9-5 that day. Members were urged to contact Bob if they wanted to help with the distribution. Bob was also happy to see some of the hand sanitizer in use that had been distributed in our club's name. He thanked Jim Crutcher for making that possible and President Dan for coordinating with Jim.
- Pam Cohen pledged another $5 happy to see Dick Myren was attending the meeting and happy to see our speaker, Barb Kiernan.
- Irwin Reiman pledged $5 sad dollars and $5 happy dollars. He was sad that a friend and long-time Rotarian died suddenly at age 74. He was happy he and Joan had both had their second COVID vaccination.
- Bob Jensen was attending from their new home in Tucson. He was trying to get everything working. he pledged $10 to the Guaymas mission happy for having Barbara join our meeting and for seeing at least ten people on his Zoom screen who have been on the mission to Guymas.
- President Dan pledged an additional $5 to what Colleen had charged him.
Announcements
- To clarify some confusing communications, Mesa West will continue to have our meetings via Zoom. Those who want to go to the Salvation Army and attend the Zoom Call from there are welcome to do so. Bob Zarling said that the protocol there is very safe. The March 4 meeting will be broadcast from the Salvation Army as the speaker that day has several things to display and will have them available for people who do choose to attend the Zoom meeting from the Salvation Army to see in person.
Bob Jensen introduced our speaker, Dr. Barbara Kiernan who would be sharing great news about a Rotary International Global Grant in Mexico. Barbara is a member of the Tucson Catalina Rotary Club, which was the international sponsor for this effort and our own club supported it as well. A lot has happened in the last two years, COVID-19 included, but the story has a very good ending. Barbara has been a Rotarian since 1993, and president of her club from 20009-2010. Throughout these years, she has worked extensively on writing grants and developing humanitarian projects, especially in Mexico. Her years at the University of Madrid, undergraduate and masters from the University of Michigan, and doctorate from the University of Arizona have prepared her well for writing grants and developing sustainable programs. Fluency in Spanish was another biproduct, especially following 14 years of living and working in Venezuela. Her presentation focus will be on our joint efforts to improve healthcare for indigenous people living in very remote areas of Sonora, Mexico.
Bob introduced Barbara to members of our club on the 2017 Mission to Guaymas in 2017. On Saturday, they caravanned to Alamo where they had a wonderful lunch at a hotel and got to meet a lot of officials. They talked about plans and ideas for providing health care in an area that really needed help.
There were clusters of villages of indigenous people with no healthcare. Seven villages with a population of 1600 in and area in size of 219 square miles. Instead of being called The Guarijio, a name given by the Spanish, they are now called Makurawe - the name they call themselves.
The base of operations for the grant was in Alamos: Pueblo Magico. Preserved history of the medical program is there. Without that medical arm this effort would have been very difficult. Beyond Alamos, there were many barriers. Using 4-wheel-drive vehicles, the trip in would take 2.5 hours. The native language is the indigenous language. There were no cells, electricity, or running water. It was a very poor situation for emergency transport.
They had to utilize sustainable resources, partners, and collaborative options. There were clinics where people could be treated for free - if you could get them there. There were community trainees in waiting. Technological advances like solar power, satellites, and telemedicine could would be necessary. There were Rotary Clubs in Sonora to partner with.
It all began with a meeting under a tree, where local people gathered and shared information. In 2018 Barbara and others from the US visited the area on a Rotary Friendship Exchange. At the end of the exchange, they had established four key objectives and a Global Grant was proposed.
- Train 4 village Promotoras and 12 Vinculadores
- Provide basic healthcare equipment (villages, promotores, clinic)
- Community Trainings so everyone can understand and access healthcare
- Provide Telemedicine based on solar-powered satellite system.
In July of 2018, they were awarded a Global Grant. The Vinculadores were high school students who wanted to provide medical services.
There was intensive training. One piece of equipment was something that would replace a soundproof booth for hearing testing - it was a headset. After all the equipment was installed, the training had occurred, and everything was working, there was a four-day Rotary International site visit. Over four days, which was a very rewarding experience, they evaluated what had worked, what could be done better. This look at the project midway enabled improvements. Instead of a large Rotary sign, the local people were welcomed with a sign that basically said "our community and its health care promotors are here for you."
In March of 2020, COVID Times came. The Spanish equivalent of "safe distance" actually interprets as "healthy distance"
The training and equipment have paid off. They can get around with smart phones and blue tooth devices, building into a strenght. Nobody got COVID and nobody died.
In December of 2020 a successful completion of the global grant was celebrated wearing masks and keeping healthy distances. Another puppet festival was held. The transition was very visible, interactive, memorable and non-threatening. Problems were addressed without being threatening. They found ways to teach and learn. The Puppeteers created a script portraying how much promotores have done to keep villages safe and well.
The global grant has ended, but the effort continues. A grant from the University of Arizona will keep it going.
CLICK HERE to see the slides used in this global grant presentation.