Jay asked our very special guest from Fountain Hills to stand and be recognized - our District Governor, Michelle Holcomb. He then asked Ray Smith to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Eric Silverberg provided the thought for the day - a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson - "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
TOGETHER, we see a world
where PEOPLE unite and take action
to CREATE lasting CHANGE
across the globe, in our communities
and in ourselves.
Mesa West Rotary club's guiding values are: Transforming Communities, Creating Opportunities and Impacting Youth.
DG Michelle has her own motto this year - Rotary Means Business.
Introduction of Guests
- Ron Williams was introduced as the President of the Mesa Master Plan committee. He is currently running for a council position. Originally from Tennessee, he went into the military at 17. He owns a restaurant and a couple of retail opportunities at the airport. He is a potential member.
- Chad Reid is an active Toastmaster. He is looking for an action-oriented club because he wants to be active in the community.
- Perry Stewart - heard about Rotary, contacted us through contact information on our website and came to our meeting. He is interested in volunteering.
Ace of Clubs Raffle - Chuck Flint
Chuck explained that the raffle tickets are sold for $5 each. A third of the proceeds goes into the club operating account. Another third goes to the holder of the winning ticket drawn, and the final third is added to the accumulating big pot, which was up to $230.00. In addition to winning a third of the ticket sales proceeds, the holder of the ticket drawn has the opportunity to try to draw the Ace of Clubs from the dwindling deck of cards. Chuck asked guest Ron Williams to draw the winning ticket. He drew his own ticket number. When he tried to draw the Ace of Clubs, he instead drew the Ace of Spades, which was destroyed. Each week the large pot gets bigger and the odds get better.
Special Ace of Clubs Recognition
President Jay wanted to recognize someone who has stepped up in a big way. He called Ed Koeneman forward to present him with an Outback Steakhouse card and a recognition certificate to thank him for his outstanding commitment and effort as our Youth Services Chair, and his service managing our AV equipment. Jay said Ed is always responsive when called. He showed up to help with the rose garden project even though he was still walking with a can following his recent knee replacement surgery.
Ed declined to comment.
Announcements
- At 3:00 that afternoon, members were encouraged to attend the rededication of the Mesa Peace Pole as part of the Week Without Violence focus.
- Jay reminded members of the Guaymas Hearing Project coming us November 6-9. Members who wish to travel to Mexico to volunteer should contact Ray Smith.
- When Jay asked how many planned to attend Rotary Leadership Institute Saturday, September 28, four or five hands went up.
- October 5 at MCC a Week Without Violence celebration honoring students who submitted winning entries will be honored.
- Saturday, September 28, several members will be helping with a bed build project at Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
- A moment of silence was held honoring Shelly Romine's father, Jim Standridge, who passed away September 25. He and Shelly's mother had been married for 64 years. Shelly reported her mother was doing well under the circumstances, but still processing the loss.
- Jay reminded members to stay following the meeting for a group photo. The photo will be on a disk going to the moon in September, 2025
Program - District Governor Michelle Holcomb
Jay introduced Michelle. Michelle has been a member of the Rotary Club of Fountain Hills since 2010 where she served as club president in 2015-16, 2016-17, co-president in 2018-19 and again in 2021-22. She has served as District 5495 Assistant Governor for 2019-21. She is a graduate of the Rotary Leadership Institute and PETS. She is a members of the American Legion Auxiliary and Pinnacle Presbyterian Church. Her achievements outside of Rotary include serving on the Rio Verde Community Association Board of Directors for six years, chairing the Rio Verde Architectural Committee for six years and helping form the Fountain Hills Business Alliance. Michelle's 27-year real estate career has expanded to include a contracting business which she and her husband, Gary, enjoy working together. Golf and gardening are her favorite leisure time activities. The members welcomed Michelle with a standing ovation.
Michelle said that it was hard to think of her visit to our club as an "official visit" since she feels like she is part of the Mesa West family. She said Allan is always the first to make sure she has a glass of wine at Rotary events and activities. She went on to say that she feels very honored to have been selected to serve as our District Governor. She said Nancy Van Pelt gave her the first nudge to apply for the position when they were attending Bret McKeand's installation dinner. She had not seen that coming and asked Gary (her husband) what he thought.
The district has education and support services they are required to provide. Finances are tight and they try to operate as lean as possible, but with rising costs and declining membership, district dues did go up this year. We do now have an opportunity to promote Rotary and raise funds for the district. A Rotary license plate has been approved by the State of Arizona. Michele's first plate was DG2B, and her current plate is DG4NOW. She has a hard time believing three months of her term are already behind her. She said she felt like it was only ten days. She'll need to order a new plate before long - DGB4. The income from the sale of license plates will help the district fund future projects.
To order your Rotary License Plate, CLICK HERE and scroll down alphabetically.
A project that is very important to the District is Polio Plus. Jim Erickson is on the speaker schedule to talk about Polio in a few weeks. The number of wild polio virus cases in both Pakistan and Afghanistan have increased this year. One case was diagnosed in Gaza. That caused enough alarm that the fighting parties agreed to cease fire so children could be vaccinated. The Gates Foundation matches donations to Polio Plus $2/$1 tripling the impact of your donation.
Some of us remember the iron lungs that are no longer needed in the US. One more way to help end polio is to donate to get some Iron Lung Lager - a brainchild of PDG Larry Horton. The district can't sell it but can ask for a donation in exchange for it. Michelle has 35 cases in her garage. Jay will have some on hand at the Soup to Nuts event on October 5. Michelle plans to be there.
As was mentioned by Jay at the beginning of the meeting Michelle has her own theme - Rotary Means Business. There is a fellowship by that name within Rotary International. It is well supported in the world. When Paul Harris started Rotary, he envisioned it being a networking group. It should be a group where business can expand, socials can be enjoyed, especially socials that are family-friendly so younger members can be involved.
Cause-based clubs are forming now with single driving purposes. There are several different options. A business networking group could also be a Rotary Club. Developing a list of business types not represented is a good way to look for new members.
In Mesa, the Mesa West club could be known as the movers and shakers, where we talk about business and do service together. Inviting small business owner/worker/sales rep to visit club and present a 5-minute infomercial. Polly Cady, as membership chair could be involved with this.
Michelle said that ten years ago when she joined Rotary, she was a realtor. It was all about meeting people and selling more homes. At a meeting when she had just had a closing, she made a Happy $ donation. A couple of members cornered her afterward and said "We don't do it like that." It has been a bur under her saddle for thirteen years. Being DG is an opportunity for her to try to change that mindset. It shouldn't be a shame to talk business.
To illustrate that members should be aware of what their fellow-members do, she got responses from the Bunyards who have a contracting business and Bryan Goetzenberger who is a land surveyor.
Michelle is very impressed with how well Mesa West has connected with the community. Our club name is often used when talking about examples of how to do things at Rotary meetings and events.
Michelle talked about the Microcredit program in Mexico which Abe Feder and Wayne Risch have supported and promoted for many years. Michelle took advantage of an opportunity to travel to Mexico and see the program in action. It provides amazing, life-changing opportunities. The first day there, they visited a tiny laundry business. A woman who had a washing machine took in laundry, washed it, hung it to air-dry, and ironed the garments. Each opportunity was a long, tedious process. She asked for a small loan to purchase a dryer. She can turn the opportunities much more quickly and is making enough more money to send her children to school. Free public education isn't an option in their community. In talking about this, Michelle disclosed that she enjoys ironing. The microcredit program makes significant changes using small amounts of money, and the money can be recycled. Michelle was very moved by what she saw.
The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona is another passion of Michelle's. She knows that at Mesa West she would be preaching to the choir, so did not do the full TRVFA presentation she does at other clubs.
In the 2023-24 Rotary year, our district had a net loss of members of 171. She hopes to have net growth of 100. She sees the 55 plus group as a ripe opportunity in our market(s). She said "volunteer or die" has a ring to it. In truth, people who are engaged have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Inviting them to join Rotary would be doing them a favor.
She has a goal of two new clubs, with a stretch goal of four new clubs.
At the district level, they have a focus on getting clubs to upload photos of their members as well as show their members' occupations. Mesa West is ahead of the rest of the district in this regard.
When Michelle asked for questions, Lizzy Barron wondered if Michelle would come to our homes to iron if we provided the iron, ironing board and wine. Michelle said "If it's chardonnay, I'm in."
Eric Silverberg noted that in addition to Rotary Means Business, Rotary has a wine fellowship.
Michelle's District Conference will be held at the Casino outside of Fountain Hills. The room rate is only $129/night. The conference will be the first weekend in May. She also suggested that members consider attending the RI convention in Calgary in late June. The following year, it will be it Taiwan, then Honolulu. Calgary will be more economically viable than most. She said she would see everyone at Soup to Nuts. There was a standing ovation.
Allan Cady went to the podium and suggested that we'd not yet enjoyed a favorite part of our meetings and invited Warren Williamson to share a story. Warren told of a lady who went to lunch with a group of friends and the subject of husbands came up. The questions "What would you do if your husband came home and told you he'd had an affair? and Do you love him enough to forgive him? One of the ladies said, the question for me would be "Do I love my children enough not to tell them why their father died?"
Allan appreciates that Michelle is a big proponent of TRVFA. She participates in board meetings as an advisor, and as she visits clubs she promotes support of TRVFA. The funds raised are used to provide grants for vocational education programs for Arizona residents who are at or below 150% of the poverty level. TRVFA is a Qualifying Charitable Organization for Arizona Tax Credit donations of up to $470 for single filers and $938 for couples. In 2024-25, grants for 168 were funded totaling $311,000. Some of the more common vocations were nursing assistants, truck drivers, 2-year nursing programs, etc. Donations were less than that amount. We have slowed down awarding grants while we grow the fund.
He presented two checks benefitting TRVFA from the Mesa West Rotary Foundation to honor Michelle. One was for $500 to support a fundraising raffle to be held in the near future at the District 5500 District Conference which is held in the fall. $4,500 will be donated directly to TRVFA.
Jay said that Mesa West is a hugging club and gave Michelle a warm hug.
Jay made one more announcement. October 31, the club will meet at Cubs Stadium. We get to have a member throw the first pitch. We will have a tour of the stadium. The fall league will be playing.
Wayne General explained how the group photo process would work. The information he shared might help with family photos as well. He said it's best to keep fingers together if hands will show. If you can't see the lens with both eyes, the lens can't see your whole face. To look your best, stand at a 45-degree angle with faces turned (which masks "turkey necks" and allows people to fit in narrower space).
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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. 
When the Mesa Baseline Rotary Club merged with Mesa West Rotary Club in 2015, they brought with them their long-running Hearing Project in Guaymas, Mexico. 
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:
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.
