Mesa West Rotary was well-represented at Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Saturday, February 8, 2020.
Past President Allan Cady co-facilitated Session I with Bret McKeand who will serve as District Governor of Rotary District 5495 in 2021-22.
Don Boucher attended Session II. He is shown in the photo with one of the Grand Canyon University (GCU) Rotaract members. Larry Horton who will serve as District Governor in Rotary District 5495 in 2022-23 co-facilitated Session II with Chris Krueger.
The bottom photo shows several GCU Rotaract Members who attended Session I. Mesa West Rotary is proud to be one of the sponsoring clubs of the GCU Rotaract Club.
Polly Cady, serves as Chairperson for RLI. She is shown at right with Dan Coons, who attended Session III and became Mesa West Rotary Club's most recent graduate of RLI. Dan is to be commended for making the time to go through all three sessions of RLI and graduating before beginning his term as our Club President July 1 of this year.
President Jim Schmidt opened the meeting by asking Ray Smith to lead members and guests in singing "My Wild Irish Rose. Dick Myren offered the invocation and Ted Williams led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Guests
John Pennypacker introduced Noah Jennings who planned to stay following the meeting to gather signatures that are a State Statute requirement in order for any candidate to have their name on the election ballot as a candidate. Polly Cady introduced Past District Governor Jim Erickson as "Mr. Fun." Bob Zarling introduced Tahlonie Hendrix, an applicant for a grant from The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona. Tahlonie had interviewed with Bob prior to the meeting seeking sponsorship of Mesa West Rotary. Even though Mesa West would have no financial responsibility, in order for a TRVFA grant to be approved and funded, sponsorship of a Rotary Club is required.
Presidential Humor
President Jim explained the difference between an actuary and an accountant. He said the actuary is the one who doesn't seem to have much personality.
Raffles
Allan Cady was the holder of the ticket drawn in the weekly raffle making him the immediate winner of $30. He failed to draw the ace of clubs however. When he drew the Queen of Clubs rather than the ace of clubs, he was disappointed but the other Rotarians in the room were glad to know the large pot, which is getting close to $1,000 will continue to grow. Often, when the potential winnings get this large, club attendance improves. Polly Schumacher was the winner of the weekly attendance drawing.
Happy Bucks
Greg Okonowski served as Sgt. at Arms collecting happy dollars from Rotarians. Pam Cohen was happy to have travelled to Hermosillo Mexico the prior week to tour the Micro Credit project our club co-sponsors through The Rotary Foundation. She was very happy to have learned what a big difference can be made in someone's life with a relatively small amount of money. Dick Myren contributed his usual $1 on behalf of Honorary Member Rod Daniels plus a sad dollar because as an accountant now in his busy season, he was going to have to leave the meeting early. Don LaBarge contributed. He was happy to report he would be having dinner with Rod Daniels at a local casino. He also told about having spent $600 to have his 2002 Ford Pickup detailed. After he had it detailed, he somehow simultaneously left popcorn in the cab of the pickup and the windows down. The next time he saw his truck that had "looked like new" the interior had bird poop everywhere. Polly Cade contributed. She was happy to have enjoyed a three-week cruise to South America. Chris Krueger was happy to be at the meeting and looking forward to co-facilitating at Rotary Leadership Institute with Larry Horton on Saturday, February 8. She was also happy to announce that she would be leaving Tuesday, February 11 for Cancun. She reminded everyone it was not too late to sign up for RLI. Penny May announced that Corona Beer was thinking or renaming their product "Ebola." She had just recently returned from her vacation to Rarotonga which seems to be her favorite place to relax and enjoy life! While there, she attended a Rotary makeup. They had no banners. One of their projects was to pick up students from school and take them home. While there, she visited a place that operated very much like a senior center in the states but was called a "Place Where Respected Elders Gather." Lola McClane put her last two dollars in the hat "just cuz." Polly Schumacher contributed happy/sad dollars as twin granddaughters, juniors in college are studying abroad this semester. Jianna at Lorenzo de Medici in Florence, Italy and Juliette at NYU in London, England Polly hopes to visit them. Jack Rosenberg was sad because he is experiencing some serious complications from the surgery he had in 2019. After being told by other doctors it was inoperable, a surgeon at Mayo has assured him she can fix the problem. He is scheduled for the repair surgery on March 9, and has been told he will likely miss two months of meeting with us. Steve Ross was sad that Luin had said they would NOT be hosting a Super Bowl party this year. He contributed $15 sad dollars - the number of Pat Mahomes who led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory - because he had to watch the game by himself. Bob Zarling contributed in order to voice a commercial about there still being room to go with Lee Holmes to Africa in October. They are now up to eleven or twelve Rotarians going on the trip. The Limit is eighteen Rotarians. Pam was happy to have enjoyed a new dessert while in Mexico - Camotes! Wendell Jones was happy to have visited six of his grandchildren in Prescott on February 5. All six were under the age of six. Three little girls were triplets. There was one set of twins - a boy and a girl, plus there was a baby girl. Bob Jensen contributed sad dollars. The school he works with for the Gift of Hearing clinic in Guaymas had been broken into. He did not yet know if any supplies or equipment had been damaged or taken. Joan Reimann contributed - she was "happy to be here."
Aubrey Luma Honored
President Jim Schmidt asked Aubrey to come forward so he could thank her for her dedicated service as Executive Secretary for Mesa West Rotary. Aubrey has accepted a new job which is in her line of training. He told her that the club loved her and will miss her and that she will be the recipient of a $100 gift card.
Announcements
AG Lee Holmes made several announcements:
President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) will be held March 6-7. Registration is open on the District Website. It will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton in Tempe.
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) was scheduled to have all three sessions at the institute to be held at Grand Canyon University on February 8. RLI is for new Rotarians who want to know more about Rotary beyond their own club and is also for older Rotarians who need to have the Rotary spirit rejuvenated.
Superstition Mountain Rotary Club is hosting a fundraiser for The Rotary Foundation at the Barleen Family Dinner Show March 21 at 6:00 PM. Information was on the table, but is also available on the District website and in the weekly notices from the district. $32 of the ticket price of each ticket will go to TRF. The goal is to sell 400 tickets. 200 have been sold so far.
Registration for the District Conference will be available by the end of February.
Don LaBarge announced that he has committed to two tables for the Barleen's event and urged members to contact him if they want to help him meet his commitment.
Polly Cady urged members to sign up for RLI Saturday February 8 and then plan to attend subsequent sessions to be scheduled later in the year.Check-in is at 8:30. Sessions start at 9:00 and end by 4:00 PM
Chris Krueger reported that the Aqua Africa is now within $20,000 of their funding goal for the next project thanks to a $10,000 donation from John Pennypacker.
Rotary Minute
Bob Zarling used his minute to put in a plug for The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona (TRVFA). He said the vocational program grants help the benefitting students. Their improved earning capacity helps their families. With TRVFA making this difference in many households each year, the program has a positive impact in the Arizona Economy. This help can be given - often with not net cost to the donor(s) - as TRVFA is a Qualifying Charitable Organization. Single donors can take up to a $400 tax credit for their donation and married donors can take up to $800 tax credit on their joint return. This is available through April 15 for the 2019 tax year.
Auction Items
Polly Cady told of some items in their auction bag which were purchased on their South American cruise One item would help keep the buyer warm. Another was a sweet edible. One piece was wearable art (goes with wine) and a final piece was jewelry. Joan Reimann's high bid of $65 made her the winner.
Program
Jeanie Morgan introduced Rev. Susan Casaro-Johnson, a friend, and a relatively new member of Superstition Mountain Rotary Club. Susan had arranged for the program "Dispel Myths About Hospice" with Wendy Udall, a nurse, leading the discussion. Both Susan and Wendy are employed by Hospice at Home of Arizona.
Wendy began by explaining that she had a Rotary Claim to Fame. Her father, David Udall, was a Rotarian. His club had a fee of $500 when members had a new grandchild. Wendy had twins which cost him $1,000, which was a painful donation. She said David was known as a "tightwad." Some of the former Mesa Baseline members who were in Rotary with David seemed to think that might be a fair assessment.
The bust the myths about Hospice, Wendy who loves doing training, chose to answer the five "W's"
What?
End of Life Care - Comfort care for those who have a terminal diagnosis and want to end treatment so they can enjoy life. It is not just for the very, very end of life.
Who?
Who pays for it? Actually we have all been paying for it for quite a long time. Back in the seventies, elected leaders figured out it would save money if people were able to use already-earned benefits and be allowed to spend their final days, weeks, and months in their own homes surrounded by the things and people that are dear and familiar. Hospice at Home of Arizona has physicians who visit their patients in their homes.
When?
That is a big question. In fact, many doctors don't seem to recognize when their patients are eligible because they are focused on trying to make them well. One way family caregivers might know a patient is ready is when there is a six-month prognosis, or they can tell their loved one is feeling "done" with treatment. Sometimes the switch to hospice care happens when the patient has obvious cognitive decline or is experiencing frequent falls. Some patients go on and off hospice care several times. They go into a cycle where they rally in the warmer, more relaxed atmosphere and go off hospice care. They eventually have another decline and go back into hospice care, and rally again.
Where?
Home - The definition of "home" can vary for patients. It is wherever they reside. Most prefer to be where they feel at home.
Why?
When the prognosis is not good and quality of life with curative treatment is at stake, the logical answer is, "Why not?"
Hospice care is something that is chosen. Hospice at Home of Arizona has a service area that reaches from Superior to Phoenix and includes Florence. They have on-call staff residing throughout their service area so they can respond to a need within minutes. At the time of their program at the Mesa West Rotary meeting, they had sixty employees on staff and 145 patients in their care. Their administrator sits on the Medicare Governance Board. They are able to maintain a quality work staff of seasoned nurses. To go to work for their organization there is a three-tier interview process. They are looking for staff that will value and live up to their four core values.
Last week, Bob Jensen, who leads our signature international service project each year in Guaymas, Mexico, announced he had received some alarming news. Paco, the principal at the CAM school where we have our Ayudame a Escuchar clinic in Guaymas each year had notified him there had been a break-in at the school where our clinic is held. The intruders had entered the building including the testing booth where the equipment and supplies used in our annual clinic were stored.
About 10:30 Friday, February 7, Bob received another call with very good news. He had feared that the 80 hearing aids which had intentionally been left there last November might have been taken. Paco was able to let him know the hearing aids had been located.
Bob has an employee, Rodolfo, who is from Alamos. Rodolfo will be travelling to Mexico soon to see the thirteen patients that the team was unable to help during the November 2019 Gift of Hearing clinic. Bob is developing a list of inventory for Rodolfo to check while there hoping nothing else is missing.
The photo shown was taken of the testing booth at the school where our equipment is stored.
The Rotary Foundation is the charitable arm of Rotary that enables the amazing work we, as Rotarians, are all proud to be a part of. Every Rotarian is strongly encouraged to support TRF every year by donating to the General Fund of TRF. The target gift is $100 per year per member. That has been the target for a very long time and in the US the average family income has multiplied a few times since that target was set. Many Rotarians who have the means to do so have set their personal target at the $1,000 per year mark making them eligible for the Paul Harris Society level of donor recognition.
The End Polio Now campaign is a separate fund to which gifts are matched two-for-one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Many Rotarians choose to support both the general fund and the fight to end polio.
No matter what level you decide to donate, please support the Foundation by giving through Rotary Direct. CLICK HERE to get answers to commonly asked questions about this program. DOWNLOAD A FORM to authorize your Rotary Direct donations. By giving through Rotary direct, the opportunity for human error is eliminated and recognition credit for the Rotarian and their club is much more accurate and timelier.
Mesa West Rotary was well-represented at Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Saturday, February 8, 2020.
President Jim Schmidt opened the meeting by asking Ray Smith to lead members and guests in singing "My Wild Irish Rose. Dick Myren offered the invocation and Ted Williams led the Pledge of Allegiance. 
Last week, Bob Jensen, who leads our signature international service project each year in Guaymas, Mexico, announced he had received some alarming news. Paco, the principal at the CAM school where we have our Ayudame a Escuchar clinic in Guaymas each year had notified him there had been a break-in at the school where our clinic is held. The intruders had entered the building including the testing booth where the equipment and supplies used in our annual clinic were stored. 
