Highlights of June 26 Meeting

 

Past President Polly Cady welcomed everyone to the meeting.  There were many guests in attendance both in-person and via Zoom.  Since the program of the day would be the installation of our 2025-26 Club President Kayla Mudge, Kayla invited several individuals who are near and dear to her to participate in the meeting either in-person or via Zoom.  In person were Amyla Buckannon and Anise Carroll from Interact.  They were introduced by Mike Lutcher along with Amyla's mother, Bridget Buchannon.  Kayla's mother, Angelia Mudge Long, and Jeff Long were introduced.  Rotarian Mariel Olson, who was about to begin her second term as President of Camelback Crossroads Rotary Club was introduced as a guest of Kayla's.  Kayla's co-workers from Drive Time - Clay Scheitzach, Sam Davis and Kristin Stover - were also introduced.  Kayla's friends and family members attending via Zoom were:  Carol Rapp, Roger Roemer, Abby Klein, Pam Springer, Raine Ettridge, Kathi Copelen, Kris Holden, and Emily Portscheller. 

 

 

 

 

Chuck explained that the raffle tickets sell for $5 each.  After the large accumulating pot reaches $500, tickets are no longer sold to guests.  The lucky holder of the winning ticket will automatically win the small weekly pot.  They also win the opportunity to try to draw the Ace of Clubs from the cards remaining in the deck.  If they do not draw the Ace of Clubs, the card they do draw is not placed back in the deck.  At this meeting, the small pot was $45 and the large pot was $1,295.  Chuck asked Don Boucher to draw the winning raffle ticket, which was held by Lu General.  After receiving her $45, Lu shuffled the cards. Sadly (for Lu) the card she drew was the Nine of Clubs.

 

 

 

Members and guests were encouraged to share some words of wisdom for our incoming President as they contributed their happy bucks.

 

 

Kayla was asked to share some thoughts.  She expressed her appreciation for Jay Paulus for stepping up when Logan Harper's professional life took him half-way round the world, preventing him from serving as our club president in 2024-25.  It was a very good year, topped off with 14% of our Mesa West Rotary Club members currently  in Calgary attending the Rotary International Convention.  One of the first service projects was a collaborative project with Tempe South Rotary doing some much needed refreshing and renewal work at the Rose Garden located at Mesa Community College.  Ten Mesa West club members participated in Phoenix 100 Rotary Club's Life Skills event.  A favorite project was the one where we partnered with Westwood Interact to host a Senior Prom for senior citizens at the Astor Senior Center.  Some newer members participated in the club's long-time hearing project in Guaymas, Mexico and came back with ideas on how the project could be handled more efficiently and have gotten involved in working to make some of those ideas become reality.  A new project was the result of a district grant when, working with ASU, a competition was held for new business ideas to be presented, with an award of $5,000 going to the favorite idea presented.  The winning idea was black-out curtains, combined with timed lighting, to allow first responders and medical personnel or others working long and/or odd shifts to be able to get better sleep.  Kayla also remembers having fun putting new life into the Salvation Army Bass Pro Bell Ringing when she and Logan put on TRex costumes to ring the bell.

 

Kayla introduced everyone to her little brother, After.   She's pretty sure After was her father's favorite child.  Kayla said the little guy looks and dresses very much like a family friend who was also a US Congressman.  Since he came into their lives after their congressman friend, her father named him After.  

 

Polly Cady shared some information about how they came to know Kayla.  She and Allan were invited to participate in an annual fishing trip about fifteen years ago.  Kayla was fun and engaging and took it upon herself to share very detailed information about what the Cady's should bring with them on the trip - even suggesting they have an epi-pen available.

When they got to the airport, Kayla was dressed in short shorts and had one backpack for the entire weekend while Allan and Polly had numerous bags...

 

When Kayla was transferred to Arizona for work in 2021, Allan and Polly welcomed her and talked a lot about Rotary.  Kayla likes to do volunteer work.  She ended up working very hard on a Mesa West project - painting at the 7th Street Food Pantry - when they were going through a major upgrade. Kayla joined our club after that project.

 

Connie Bunyard asked Kayla some questions about her plans going forward.  Kayla has proposed a charitable budget with 42% of it dedicated to youth programs.  She is very passionate about Crutches 4 Africa.  We're developing future leaders who care about making the world better.  She has plans to implement a life skills learning opportunity for youth in the east valley.    

 

Interests beyond Rotary are work, friends and family, fishing and hiking.  After hearing Bill Peters talk about Special Olympics, Kayla wants to repel off a skyscraper to raise money for Special Olympics.

 

One of her favorite new projects is lights the C4A ambassadors will be transporting to Kenya.  They are solar powered and when fully charged, will provide light for sixteen hours.  The students in the school the team visits, walk to and from school in the dark, have to seek food and water, and try to find ways to study.  Statistics say that students who use the small solar lights to study have a 30% better chance of passing exams and achieving their goals and dreams.

 

Amyla was invited t come forward.  She will be celebrating her birthday in Kenya while serving as a C4A Ambassador.  The club sang Happy Birthday to her!

 

Pam invited Angelia and Jeff to come forward for the final swearing and pinning portion of the installation.  Rotary is the most exceptional service organization in the world with 2.4 million boots on the ground (1.2 million members).  It is also a professional development organization.  It provides an incredible way to network.  Most members join for the opportunities to do service and to network, but most stay because of the fellowship.  

 

After committing to guide our club affairs for the coming year, Angelia pinned the president's pin on her daughter, and adorned her with a lei from Hawaii.  It was a double carnation lei - Elvis' favorite.

 

Kayla recognized her leadership team:

Projects already in works

Polly Cady announced that a Rotary Youth Exchange Student will be arriving July 12.  Polly will provide more information as available on coordinating a group to welcome the student.