https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85900479873
Doubletree, 1011 W Holmes
Mesa, AZ 85210 United States of America
Our hybrid meetings are held weekly on the 1st thru 4th Thursdays of each month. The meetings are broadcast via Zoom to include all, whether attending virtually or in person.
After everyone present recited the Pledge of Allegiance, President Jay asked Dick Myren to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Introduction of Guests
Exavier King introduced his grandparents, Jesse and Liz Rothwell. He went on to introduce Patricia and Anthony Oyeshiku and Nolan Sadler.
AG Dan Coons introduced himself and announced some District news including the sale of State 48 t-shirts which is featured in a separate article in this newsletter. Club Leadership Academy is coming up Saturday, March 8. Incoming directors and officers are encouraged to attend so they can be better prepared for their year of club leadership. Registration is available on the District Website.
Andy Bradford introduced visiting Rotarian Blaize Vitale, and Blaize shared a few words about himself.
Andy then introduced his friend and neighbor, Joe Whitfield. Joe also shared a bit about himself. Joe is a potential member of the Satellite club being formed targeting businesses and residents in the vicinity of the Gateway Airport.
Ed Koeneman introduced three Interact moms who had attended and helped with the Senior Prom:
Katie Comeno - Jazmine Comeno's mother. Katie shared her appreciation for the impact Interact has had in Jazmine's life.
Tara Keator - Tara expressed her appreciation for being at the Senior Prom, saying it was "amazing at all levels."
Wendy Meadow said she played baseball on a Rotary team when she was in about 3rd grade. She was telling her parents about the Senior Prom and her dad reminded her he had been a founding member of a Rotary Club in Incline Village, Nevada near Lake Tahoe. She said it was wonderful seeing how well the event was put together. Corsages for all, in a room that was decorated to be festive. She said it was magical seeing the teens dancing with the seniors.
Recognition for a great Senior Prom - Glamour Gala
President Jayshook hands with the moms, thanking them for supporting their Interactors. He thanked Ed Koeneman, and Marilyn Klinger who were both instrumental in getting the event put together. He said Marilyn was like the Energizer Bunny.
Paul Harris Fellow Recognition - John Pennypacker, Foundation Chair
Bryan Goetzenberger was given his Paul Harris Fellow Plus 2 recognition pin.
Wayne General was recognized for achieving Paul Harris Fellow Plus 8 status.
Paul Harris Fellow recognition is achieved when someone has donated - or someone has donated in their name - a total of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation Annual Fund or Polio Plus. Each additional $1,000 earns a "plus..." recognition.
New Member Induction - Exavier King
President Jay explained that Exavier's membership application, which was sponsored by Ed Koeneman was reviewed and accepted following the Mesa West Rotary Club bylaws. He is being welcomed into an International Fellowship of members who believe in 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. The Rotary motto is "Service Above Self" and we foster this ideal in our club, our families, and in all our endeavors. AG Dan Coons pinned Exavier. The members present gave Exavier a standing ovation to welcome him as a member.
Ace of Clubs Raffle - Chuck Flint
Chuck explained that the proceeds of raffle ticket sales are split 3 ways, A third goes to the club operating account. A third goes into the weekly pot, which was $40. The final third is added to the large, accumulating pot which was up to $740. He asked Ron Thompson to draw the winning ticket, which was held by Dick Myren. After delivering the $40 weekly pot to Dick, Chuck gave Dick the cards remaining in the deck, so that Dick could shuffle them face down before attempting to draw the Ace of Clubs, which would entitle him to the large pot. The other way Dick could win a little more would be to draw the Joker in which case he would get another $20. Unfortunately, for Dick, the card he drew was the Four of Spades which was then destroyed. On February 20, the large pot will be bigger and the odds of winning it will be better.
Happy Bucks - Sgt at Arms - Andy Bradford
Dick Myren celebrated winning the raffle by increasing his traditional donation from $2 to $5 each celebrating the fact that he and Honorary Member Rod Daniels are affiliated with the Ace of Clubs.
Harry Grossman was happy that when he tried on an old pair of jeans that were still too large after he made the belt he wore with them as tight as possible. It seems he's lost several pounds. He said anyone who finds them is welcome to keep them.
Jim McGown has a new truck. It only had one key fob. He learned that a second fob would cost $500. He's since learned he could have one made for $250.
Ted Williams contributed because he has a new F250 Ford pickup.
Wayne General donated $20 to show his appreciation for Jim McGown bringing a walker for Wayne's mother and not letting Wayne reimburse Jim for it.
Allan Cady donated $2. He was thankful to have been at the Four Peaks Rotary meeting that morning to hear his friend, Judge Tommy Webb, speak. He said the club meeting started at 6:45 AM.
Polly Cady contributed $5 - she was happy to be in Mesa West. She was also at the Four Peaks meeting with Allan. We're pretty certain one of the reasons that she likes Mesa West so much is that we meet at noon.
Ed Koeneman contributed $5 for failing to introduce Braly when he introduced the guests at his table earlier. Braly was a McKinney Vento student and Interactor last year, and is not a Rotaractor at Benedictine University. Ed was also happy with Exavier joining, there is now another scouter in the club. He was also happy that Erwin Reimann gave him a very fine piece of plywood to use in his shop. The final thing he was happy about was that he has been selected to be an adult advisor to the team of Interact Ambassadors who will be traveling to Kenya this summer on the Interact Crutches 4 Africa mission. He said it was a really tough interview. He was happy to see so many friends at the Gala.
John Pennypacker enjoyed dancing at the Glamour Gala (Senior Prom). He also enjoyed delivering a valentine surprise to his friend's mother who he'd help celebrate her 103rd birthday last December. She was married to Elvis.
Pam Cohen who was also at the Gala gave a shout out to Ed's posse. She said Liz Paulus looked stunning at the event. Pam was also very happy to have Exavier in our club.
Jay remarked about all the girl power he'd witnessed in the past couple of days. He reminded members of the March 27 Ignite Innovation event (see separate article in this newsletter). He said the baseball game had 78 already signed up.
Ted Williams shared a story about his coincidence of sharing a name with a famous ball player. When Ted was 14 he was on the Mesa Allstars baseball game. They went to San Diego for the Western Division. They stayed in the homes of locals. Other kids were asking him to sign their baseballs. They won the tournament. He remembers it being great fun.
Program - James Arrowood, CEO Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Eric Silverberg introduced James Arrowood. James Arrowood started working with Alcor in 2015 as outside General Counsel and has helped Alcor successfully navigate through various complex legal and related business matters. James served for several years on the board of directors for a major local non-profit and as the public relations chair. He has served in various other public relations/press information positions over the decades. James has appeared numerous times as an expert on emerging technologies, both in print articles and television news appearances, including segments on PBS and all the major television networks. He taught the Arizona State Bar course on emerging technologies and is a published author on medical-legal issues. James has his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame (2002) and several undergraduate degrees from the University of California, Irvine, as well as numerous professional certifications and bar admissions.
Because her background enabled her to have a clearer grasp of the presentation, Deb Koeneman was asked to write the following about the presentation:
James Arrowood, the president of Alcor Cryonics was today’s speaker. He wanted to dispel any misconceptions that cryonics of human bodies is a “done science” at this time. While Alcor has studied cryonics for over 50 years, this field of science is very much in the research stages. Alcor’s research is devoted to several areas of cryonics, including more near-term potentials such as organ preservation for transplant and using cryonics technology to help buy more time to get severe trauma patients to a hospital. Longer-term research includes brain and whole-body cryonics. Cryopreservation differs from freezing in that a special solution (cryoprotectant) is injected into the organ or body to allow tissues to cool to an ice-free state at very low temperatures. Achieving an ice-free state is important because ice creates tissue damage. If you have ever made ice cubes in an ice-cube-tray, you know that the frozen cube is larger than the initial volume of water. The cryoprotectant that Alcor uses is similar to that in fish, which allows the fish to survive being frozen in shallow bodies of water in the winter. Alcor is also looking to the future and, when possible, incorporating new technologies. A potential example of this is using artificial intelligence (AI) to study and improve cryopreservation.
Here are the important points: The pricing includes shipment directly to you. Please make certain you use the physical address that you would like for shirt to be shipped when completing the order form.
A portion of your payment will go to support youth services in our Rotary District - RYLA, Junior RYLA, Interact, and Rotary Youth Exchange.
Due to the various styles and numerous sizes within each style, it is not practical to order shirts in advance. Also, we have a 100 total shirt minimum from the vendor to get the best pricing available. Therefore, we need to get 100 shirts ordered and prepaid so that we can place the order with the vendor. Our goal is to have 100+ shirts ordered by March 8, 2025. As soon as we reach that goal we will place the order and you should receive your shirt within 2-3 weeks after the order is placed with the vendor.
To order, please go to the order website to select your shirt(s) and then to the GivSum website to pay. You must do both to complete your order. As soon as we have your order and confirmation of the payment on GivSum, you will be on the order list.
To enter your shipping address, select your shirt(s), and place your order, click HERE
For questions please text Dan Coons at 480-216-7836
If you prefer to do this sort of thing using a QR code, click the image or CLICK HERE to download a poster which has both QR codes you will need for the 2-step process.
ASU Edson Entrepreneurship+Innovation Institute and The Mesa West Rotary Club Present the Igniting Innovation Venture Challenge to Support Young Entrepreneurs.
It was recently announced to the public that the Mesa West Rotary Club, in partnership with ASU J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute (Edson E+I), is thrilled to announce the community pitch competition, Igniting Innovation Venture Challenge. This event is designed to empower young local entrepreneurs by providing a platform for them to pitch innovative business ideas that address community needs and drive sustainable impact in the creative technology industries. The Challenge is the culminating event for the 3-month Innovation Series being hosted by Edson E+I at The Studios @ Mesa City Center.
The Igniting Innovation Venture Challenge will feature a panel of esteemed judges, including successful entrepreneurs, investors, government and business leaders, who will offer mentorship, guidance, and funding for promising ventures. This exciting event showcases the spirit of innovation in Mesa and ASU, highlighting ventures that have the potential to transform the local economy and inspire the next generation of business leaders.
"We’re excited to bring the Igniting Innovation Venture Challenge to our community," said Gerald Paulus, President of the Mesa West Rotary Club. "Our Theme This year within our District, is “Rotary Means Business” and this initiative aligns with our commitment to fostering young entrepreneurship, local economic development and supporting innovative thinkers. By giving young entrepreneurs a stage to present their ideas and learn from experienced professionals, we’re helping them turn their visions into reality." Applications will open on January 27, 2025 and close on February 21st 2025. https://entrepreneurship.asu.edu/e_i_events/
The Igniting Innovation Venture Challenge in person event will take place on March 27, 2025 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at The Studios @ Mesa City Center. Aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to submit their applications by February 21st 2025. Selection criteria include the originality of the business venture and demonstrate that income is already being generated, the feasibility of the business plan, and the potential for growth and community impact.
In addition to the opportunity to pitch their ideas, selected entrepreneurs will benefit from:
Mentorship: Direct guidance and expert advice from the panel of judges.
Networking: Access to a network of professionals who can provide valuable connections and resources.
Exposure: Increased visibility through media coverage and community support.
Funding: Potential investment from the judges and other investors attending the event.
"We have created a supportive, inclusive environment where young entrepreneurs can thrive," said Kristin Slice, Director of Community Entrepreneurship, Edson E+I. "Our goal is to empower participants with the knowledge, resources, and confidence they need to succeed in today’s competitive business world."
Registration for the event may be found here and applications may also be found there. Community members are encouraged to attend to support local entrepreneurs, and witness firsthand the innovative ideas shaping our community.
March 21 - Rotary Day at the Park - Cubs Spring Training Game. $49/person for full-dues members - $74/person for discounted dues-paying members and guests. We are currently "sold out". CLICK HEREto email Jeanie Morgan to be added to a waiting list in case there are cancellations.
District Governor Michelle Holcomb did a great job of promoting the Rotary license plate that is now available when she made her official visit to our club September 26. Mesa West Rotary members often lead the way. We want to encourage our members to get their plates purchased so we can be known for having the highest percentage of members displaying the Rotary license plate on their car(s). To that end, we have two incentives to offer:
The first Mesa West Rotary Club member who can honestly tell a story about how they met someone who showed interest in Rotary because of their plate AND that conversation resulted in an approved membership application into Mesa West Rotary or any other Rotary District 5495 club will get one free quarter of their Mesa West Rotary Club dues.
CLICK HERE or on Michelle's photo to go to the order form on the MVD website, scroll down alphabetically and get yours ordered.
Well, maybe NOT the shirt off your back, but instead some old t-shirts out of the back of your closet.
Westwood Interact Club will again be making dog chew toys for a couple of animal shelterswhere the Paws For Peers program rescues and trains dogs to work as therapy animals with teachers within Mesa Public Schools. .They make these dog toys out of old t-shirts. So, dig way back into your closet, or that drawer where all your old stuff is, and bring a shirt or two to lunch at one of our Thursday meetings this September.
As most of you know, Arizona has a very unique state tax credit program. If you pay taxes to the state of Arizona, you can specify where your tax dollars go (state taxes only). These instructions are for your reference only. Please consult a tax prep professional with any specific questions about state tax credits.
There are many different nonprofit organizations that AZ recognizes as authorized recipients of these tax funds. Mesa West sponsors the Interact Club at Westwood High School, and they are a qualified recipient of these tax credit funds in the Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) category. Here's how you can donate up to $200 as an individual or $400 as a couple filing jointly and deduct that amount from your state tax burden.
If you have children currently enrolled in Mesa Public Schools, you can use your existing login information. Otherwise, it's easy to setup a guest account.
Once you are logged in, select 'Items At All Schools'under the 'Shop/Donate' list on the Home page.
On the next page select 'High Schools', then select 'Westwood High'
Select the link for 'ECA Tax Credit', and then 'Programs G-K' on the following page.
Interact - ECA is under code 8646. Enter a dollar amount in the box, and click the Add button. That dollar amount should then appear in your cart (highlighted in green at the top of the page).
You can then proceed to the Checkout process and pay with a credit card. You will receive a receipt that you can print out and save for when you do your taxes.
Thank you for supporting Westwood Interact and all of our youth programs.
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. Those who donate $100 or more annually to Polio Plus qualify in District 5495 as Polio Plus Society Members. If you would like to make that commitment, CLICK HERE to download the commitment form.
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.
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Well, maybe NOT the shirt off your back, but instead some old t-shirts out of the back of your closet. 
As most of you know, Arizona has a very unique state tax credit program. If you pay taxes to the state of Arizona, you can specify where your tax dollars go (state taxes only). These instructions are for your reference only. Please consult a tax prep professional with any specific questions about state tax credits.
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: