Highlights of June 3 Hybrid Meeting

 

 

John bowed his head and began, "Lord, I hate lard," then followed with "Lord, I ain't too crazy about plain flour. But after you mix 'em all together and bake 'em in a hot oven, I just love biscuits."  He continued saying, "Lord help us to realize when life gets hard, when things come up that we don't like, whenever we don't understand what You are doing, that we need to wait and see what You are making. After you get through mixing and baking, it'll probably be something even better than biscuits. Amen.

 

In a more somber tone, John remarked that we have all gone through a lot of things we never dreamed we'd experience and some of it has been very difficult.  If we wait and see, there may be some good emerge out of these difficult times.

 

Ed Koeneman led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Dan Lamborn was thanked for serving as greeter.

 

 

Before explaining the raffle, Chuck noted that someone observing the way Greg Okonowski loads his plate at our weekly meetings might be a situation that would require a building permit.  Looking at the plate Greg loaded at this meeting, Chuck thought Greg might additionally need a variance. Chuck explained that each week tickets are sold at $5 each.  The amount collected is divided in thirds with 1/3 going to the club operating account, 1/3 being added to the "big pot," and the other 1/3 going to the holder of the lucky ticket drawn.  The lucky winner would then have an opportunity to draw a card from the eleven remaining cards in the deck.  If they draw the ace of clubs, they will win the "big pot" which is up to $1,592.  DGE Bret McKeand  drew Jeanie Morgan's ticket.  Her luck did not hold out - the card she drew was the seven of clubs, which was immediately destroyed.  Next week the "big pot" will be bigger and the odds of drawing the elusive ace of clubs will be better.

 

 

New members and their sponsors were called to the front of the room.  Jeane Crouse was accompanied by her sponsor, Daryl Bethea and Ray Smith, who has been reminding her regularly that she needed to get back into Rotary.  Kayla Mudge was accompanied by her sponsor, Polly Cady.  Jeanie Morgan was the sponsor for both Jay Stuckey and Logan Harper.

John Pennypacker was the sponsor for Jim Erickson.

 

DGE Bret McKeand welcomed the new members not only into Mesa West Rotary, but reminded them they are now part of a worldwide association and by virtue of their membership in our club whey will be welcomed into the fellowship of any Rotary club in the world.  

 

He also reminded them there are duties and obligations - they are now trustees of Rotary's ideals.  Being known to be a Rotarian, others will judge Rotary by each Rotarian's conduct.  Bret said Rotary is more than a club - it is a way of life, and Mesa West Members because Mesa West Members believed each new member would be a good fit for that way of life.

 

The new members received membership packets and Rotary pins.  Members stood and gave them a standing ovation to welcome them into the club.

 

 

DGE Bret McKeand and Chuck Flint worked together to get the abundant awards distributed to those who had earned them.  It had been quite some time since the club had had the opportunity to meet in person and see their fellow members receive their earned recognition materials.  

 

The generosity of Mesa West members continued during the many months we were isolated from seeing each other due to COVID-19 precautions.  There will be at least one more event after some of our members return from their summer travels when a higher than usual number of recognitions will be acknowledged.

 

 

 

Donna Goetzenberger and Colleen Coons each were given their first Paul Harris Fellow recognition.  Each received a lapel pin and a certificate.

 

To receive this recognition, either up to $1,000 in dollars actually donated or a combination of dollars donated and/or recognition points were transferred to honor them.

 

 

 

 

 

Daryl Bethea was happy to receive recognition of his second $1,000 in recognition points or dollars actually donated.

 

Bob Jensen designated Ray Smith to accept his recognition in his absence.

 

 

 

 

Wayne General designated Lucinda General to accept his recognition in his absence.  She actually accepted three pins on his behalf, PHF+1, PHF+2, and PHF+3.

 

Frank Rosenberg accepted his own Paul Harris Fellow level 3 recognition.  He also accepted for Jack Rosenberg who was attending via Zoom

 

Christine Krueger was presented with her Paul Harris plus four, which means she has accumulated a total of $5,000, which can be in dollars or transferred recognition points or a combination of the two totaling $5,000.

 

Chris has been championing a Global Grant from TRF to partner with Aqua Africa to provide clean drinking water for a community in South Sudan.  

 

This recognition has a lot to do with her support of the way dollars given can be increased through the global grant process and much of the work and materials are at greatly reduced costs, making every dollar go farther in changing lives than most of us can imagine.

 

 

 

President Dan Coons has many things to be proud of during his year of service.  Achieving this level of 

recognition for his support of The Rotary Foundation is a significant addition to that growing list of accomplishments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polly Cady and Warren Williamson were each recognized for reaching the the threshold of a total of $7,000 in either dollars given or recognition points transferred or any combination of the two.  

 

 

 

 

 

This is the last level of recognition that can be achieved using recognition points.  The next level after this is Major Donor, which requires a total of $10,000 in monetary donations be received in the donor's name.

 

Allan Cady and Greg Okonowski were both recognized for reaching this level.  

 

Allan and Polly Cady as a married couple have already reached major donor status.  That is one advantage of being married to a Rotarian.

 

 

Pam Cohen and Jeanie Morgan were both very happy and to have reached this milestone in giving.  The traditional crystal they each received is beautiful and personalized with engraving in the outside circumference.

 

At the close of the recognition presentations, DGE Bret presented a 2021-22 Rotary International theme banner to President Dan.  It is shown at the top of this article, and the theme will be "Serve to Change Lives."