President Jim Schmidt opened the meeting asking Wendell Jones to offer the invocation and Polly Cady to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.  He thanked Joan and Erwin Reimann for serving as greeters welcoming Rotarians and guests to the meeting.

 

Jeanie Morgan introduced Cynthia Smith who she had met when she attended the President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) as a facilitator.  Cynthia had shown interest in joining Rotary and Jeanie invited her to attend Mesa West because it was the best club!  Sammy Rosenberg was a guest of Frank and Amanda Rosenberg.  Fred and Billie Scott were visiting for the second week in a row from Salmon Arm, Canada.

 

President Jim asked Sammy Rosenberg to draw a token from the bag to see who would win the $10 prize for attending Rotary.  Sammy drew not one - but five - tokens before Jim gave up on finding a winner.  The attendance drawing will net the winner $15 at our next meeting (if the person whose badge number is drawn is present to win).  Jim asked Sammy to draw the winning raffle ticket.  The winning ticket happened to be held by Amanda Rosenberg, who let Sammy try to draw the Ace of Clubs from the deck of cards.  She was not successful, so the prize will continue to grow.

 

John Pennypacker showed everyone a baseball which he had brought back from PETS.  He had the current District Governor David Simmer and next three DG's - Elizabeth Mahoney, Bret McKeand, and Larry Horton sign the unblemished ball.  He offered to take bids and auction the ball to Rotarians. 

Ray Smith started the bidding with a bid of $25.  After some back and forth, Ray's top bid of $35 made him the winner.  Pam Cohen contributed - happy that the Scotts were at the meeting and also that Sammy Rosenberg and Robert LaBarge were in attendance, as well.  Polly Cady cleared up some misinformation published in the March 11 Messenger giving Allan and Polly more credit than she thought she was due for their role at PETS.  PDG Duce Minor and DGN Bret McKeand had been the aides for the keynote speakers at PETS.  John Pennypacker had given Anne Lee Hussey the opportunity to ride in Francesca to an after-party at the Cady home.  On the way, he told her he needed to drop by his house for something.  He had some fun with that taking her to the Wrigley Mansion instead where he treated her to a drink.  She had their "Dirty but Flirty" beverage which is only sold there.  Allan Cady contributed saying he was simply happy.  Darl Andersen was happy to know that the Corona Virus does not affect the young and healthy.  Steve Ross was happy to report that Jack Rosenberg was being released from the hospital and on his way home - probably as the club was meeting.  John Benedict was also absent, as he and Jane wanted to be present when a new grandchild arrived on our meeting date.  Bob Zarling was happy to have attended PETS.  He was also happy to report he has lost fifteen pounds but has another thirty to go.   Dan Coons was happy to have attended PETS, but was also happy because Wendell Jones had given him a check to support the charity that Kathleen Duncan had informed the club about when she spoke at the March 5 meeting.  Amanda Rosenberg announced that their family had recently purchased three electric guitars and would soon be serenading the club.  Sammy Rosenberg was happy to be on spring break.  Dr. Ron Thompson contributed for arriving late for the meeting.

 

Shelly Romine said that Dr. Harris, a PhD, said the best thing Rotary did was admit women in 1989 for the first time as official members.  She said the push had started in 1950 when a club in India first deleted the word "male" from their constitution.  In 1972, a club from the United States proposed admitting women to the Council on Legislation.  In 1977, a club in Duerte, California admitted women in violation of the constitution.  That club's membership was terminated.  They started pushing a legal case for allowing women in Rotary that eventually made it all the way to the United States Supreme Court.  In 1987, the Supreme Court decided in their favor.  The next Council on Legislation to change the Rotary Constitution was not held until 1989 when barriers to women in Rotary officially ended.  Pam Cohen added that the late Al Mabry, a PDG who was a member of Mesa West said his proudest Rotary moment was when participated at that Council on Legislation and cast his vote in favor of admitting women to membership in Rotary.  A woman from California - Sylvia Whitlock - was the first woman to serve as president of her Rotary club.  Don LaBarge told of attending the Rotary International Convention in Taiwan where he met some Japanese Rotarians who stated they had dealt with the change by starting an all women's club.  Jim Schmidt had also attended that convention.  He was pretty sure there were 10,000 Japanese there with flash bulbs constantly flashing.

 

President Jim said that Steve West, a local attorney who is a member of Mesa West was counselling his son who wanted to attend college to study medicine.  When he asked his son what in the world he was thinking of - deciding not to follow in his footsteps into the legal profession, his son's response was, "When were you ever in a crowded restaurant when anybody yelled, 'Is there a lawyer in the house?'"

 

President Jim told of communications many members had seen from the Rotary President Mark Maloney and District Governor David Simmer regarding the seriousness of the rapidly spreading Corona Virus and suggesting clubs might want to cease having in-person meetings for the foreseeable future.

He said his first reaction was that Greg Okonowski might die without his weekly feast at the Mesa West meeting.  Pam Cohen volunteered to set-up webinar meetings.  Chuck Flint said he would hate to not meet and cast his vote to hold meetings.  Don LaBarge agreed, but anyone who felt ill should stay at home.  It was a consensus that if we did meet, precautions like elbow bumps in lieu of handshakes and hugs should be taken.  It was noted that hand sanitizer had been available at the meeting in progress.  Frank Rosenberg, from his perspective working in the health care field, strongly recommended that meetings be cancelled for the next month or so.  A vote was taken with the majority present in favor of continuing to meet.

 

Chuck Flint is the club's Foundation Chair.  He had recently received information for District Governor David Simmer and District Foundation Chair Jim Bissonett wanting to remind Rotarians of the push in District 5495 to support The Rotary Foundation this year.  Major Donors to the foundation will be honored by the District an elegant evening event prior to the District Conference.  To qualify to attend, donors need to have given a minimum of $10,000 or more to the Annual Fund, the Polio Fund or other Endowment funds. Many donors choose to give much more.  TRF is recognized by Charity Navigator with their highest available ranking. Information was on the tables telling how to contact Beth Garrow, who works for The Rotary Foundation assisting those who wish to make major donations to TRF.  DG has a goal for his Connect Through Giving campaign to raise $2,000,000 by May 31.  The celebration will take place June 25.

 

 

We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term. 

 

When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.

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.