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.
Mesa West Rotary and Mesa Sunrise Rotary Clubs were represented at the Community Bulding Breakfast hosted by Mesa Police Department Tuesday, September 10. Don Boucher is shown with Gabby Duran in one of the photos. Gabby is Volunteer Coordinator for Mesa PD. In her prior work experience, she spent fifteen years with McKinney Vento in Phoenix.
Shelly Romine shared a couple of photos taken Saturday, September 7 during the first work-session of this three-day project. She said members from Mesa, Mesa West, and Tempe South Rotary Clubs, along with Interact members and individuals from the community at large worked together to get a good start on the beautification project. She said there was plenty of work left to be done at the September 11 and September 14 work sessions. She expressed thanks to everyone who came out and endured a hot day!
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.
Mesa West Rotary will be participating in a Bed Build for SIHP on Sept. 28th where the club will also be honored with a Plaque on the Wall of Dreams in their warehouse. This recognition is for the prior donations and partnerships in bed builds including a District supported bed build in 2023. I will be sending out a separate sign-up sheet for volunteers, but we will also be hosting a bedding drive during the month of September.
If you would like to donate, please bring any of the following items to our Club Meetings during the month of September and I will collect and deliver them on the 28th:
Twin Size Sheets
Twin Size Blankets
Twin Size Comforter
Twin Size "Bed in a Bag" Sets
Pillows
All items must be new for health reasons. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Our current District Governor, Michelle Holcomb will be making her official visit to Mesa West Rotary September 26. Please plan to attend so we can give her a warm, enthusiastic Mesa West Rotary welcome!
Just so you know, there are plans to get a group photo of those in attendance on September 26, The photo taken that day just might be sent to the moon in September 2025...
Registration Link: D5495 RLI Session I, II, & III You can also register on the District website at: rotary5495.org, or contact Polly Cady at pcady@cadyfam.com
Learn more about Rotary beyond the club level through facilitated discussions with other Rotarians from our District.
Mesa West Rotary Club will reimburse members who register and attend any session they have not previously attended.
Come interact with fellow Rotarians about:
Rotary Basics
Community Service Ideas
Leadership Styles
Rotary’s Impact Worldwide
Ethics & Vocation
Engaging Members
RLI is a world-wide organization that some refer to as Rotary’s “College of Knowledge.” RLI touches on “everything Rotary” and is not a “leadership” course to become an officer of your Club. RLI is made up of three one-day Sessions to give you an overview of what Rotary is and what it does worldwide. Its goal is to create ENTHUSIASM for Rotary and show the enormous potential of Rotary service and how with knowledge and excellent leadership in Clubs, the world will benefit.
CLICK HERE or on the image to download event flyer
This event is intended to help us get better acquainted and engage with our newest members, informing them about our club. All members and their guests are welcome to attend
Opening and Welcome to Meeting - President Jay Paulus
Jay said he recently attended meetings at the Mesa Rotary Club and Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club. The Mesa Club said they were the best Rotary Club in the World. Mesa Sunrise said they were the Best in the Universe. Jay said Mesa West is the best Rotary Club in Mesa.
Jay reminded members that the Rotary International 2024-25 theme is The Magic of Rotary. He then recited 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.
Jay then shared a thought of the day from Pope Francis:
"Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself, and flowers do not spread fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. Always remember, no matter how difficult it is, life is good when you are happy but much better when others are happy because of you."
Polly Cady led the Pledge of Allegiance
Ron Thompson offered the invocation
There were no guests or visiting Rotarians present at the meeting (other than the speaker and her parents who would be introduced later in the meeting).
Ace of Clubs Raffle - Chuck Flint
Chuck explained that the cost of raffle tickets is $5 each. The sales proceeds are divided three ways - 1/3 to the daily pot, 1/3 to the accumulating large pot, and 1/3 to the operating budget of our club. The daily pot was $30 and would be delivered to the holder of the ticket drawn. The large pot was up to $130 and could only be won if the holder of the winning ticket were to draw the Ace of Clubs from the dwindling deck. There is also a joker in the deck. Should it be drawn, they would win an additional $20. Chuck asked Detective Trever Cook to draw the winning ticket, which was held by Ron Thompson. After shuffling the cards face down, the card Ron drew was the Deuce of Spades.
Happy Bucks - Sgt at Arms Andy Bradford
Ron Thompson was happy to have won the raffle, but was going to keep the cash. He did pledge $100 toward his next Paul Harris recognition.
Colleen Coons pledged $13 saying that we have 13 McKinney Vento students this year. She needs a mentor for each of them. She believes she has that many committed mentors and glad the program is already starting to come together this year.
Machel Considine fined herself for being missing in action while she travelled with her husband to Oregon and Minnesota to spend time with family - especially enjoying their grandchildren. She told her husband she needed to be at home at least a month before leaving on another adventure.
Harry Grossman said he would be bringing a basket of goodies to be auctioned before the first home game of the Cardinals - at the next meeting. Included is stuff for preparing a super bowl party, a book of 100 facts about Cardinals every fan should know. When football was football - Chicago Cardinals - Super Bowl T-Shirt. He has his red shoes dusted off for the upcoming season. They have low-mileage. He only wears them when they win. The money raised from the auction will to to The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona.
Pai Bethea contributed $1 - happy to see his good friend Ray Smith and another $ - happy Jeanie Morgan takes care of Rotary stuff for him while he travels.
Shelly Romine was happy, HAPPY, HAPPY to be back after spending two months in Idaho. She showed some emotion while expressing her appreciation of spending that much time with her parents. She is looking forward to a good September with all the activities the club has going on.
Polly Cady contributed saying she had a wonderful time on their Canadian fishing trip with long time friends, including Kayla Mudge and her family. During the trip, they had a very nice private memorial service for Kayla's stepfather, Fritz Rapp. Polly was also very thankful for all the mentors helping McKinney Vento students transition into new lives following high school.
Allan Cady said he'd also had a great time fishing. He caught his longest walleye ever - 21". It went into their soup one day. It was a wonderful time.
Pam Cohen contributed saying it was nice to see Pai Bethea. She said she had a wonderful opportunity to spend time with Tim Troy and his family at their home outside of Cottonwood.
Ed Koeneman was glad to be back on AV duty. He said his new knee was working out very well. It keeps getting more flexible and stronger. He has been cleared to drive again. He thanked Chuck Flint for attending Interact in his place.
Dick Myren contributed his traditional $2 thankful that he and Honorary Member Rod Daniels are associated with the Ace of Clubs.
Jay Paulus contributed $10 for himself and another $10 for Liz. They enjoyed their visit celebrating his 6th grade class reunion. On the trip, they visited an amusement park from Jay's youth. It has the oldest fun house in the world. Out of the blue, Liz got a call for College Bound from a donor who would like to make a donation to pay for all the scholarships College Bound gives this year.
Warren Williamson contributed explaining that a lot of thought needs to go into brand names. For instance Chevrolet Nova's do not sell well in South America because the "Nova" sounds like words meaning "no go" in Spanish. He spoke about the thought that went into naming the transit system in San Francisco - San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit is known as BART. He was local leaders did not use similar thinking to shorten the name of the Valley Metro Regional Transit System. It could have been PHoenix Area Rapid Transit...
Announcements
Shelly Romine talked about the September 11 week of service memorial project - refreshing and cleaning the Rose Garden at MCC. Many volunteers have already made a commitment to help. There will be three shifts of work on the mornings of September 7, 11, and 14.
Jay Paulus reminded members that our District Governor Michelle Holcomb will be making her official visit to Mesa West Rotary Club September 26. He asked everyone to come looking their best so a group photo can be taken of our members. The photo and a list of our members will be put on a disk to be transported to the moon. Anyone who wants to go to the launch at Cape Canaveral September 9, 2025 can do so (on their own dime.)
Shelly Romine also announced the September 18 Bed Build project with Sleep in Heavenly Peace. They will be placing a plaque honoring Mesa West on the wall in their warehouse recognizing the partnerships they've enjoyed with us on projects in the past. Their President, Joe Genovese was recognized as a Person of Action at our 50th Anniversary Celebration in June, 2023. In addition to the volunteer opportunity on September 28, Shelly is collecting new twin-size bedding to donate to SIHP. We will again be partnering with them in April on a Rotary Week of Service bed-build project.
Jay announced a September 25 "Week Without Violence" event at the Arts Center where awards will be received for youth who have written about Peace. Booth space will be available for our club at the event.
Pam Cohen announced a "Soup to Nuts" orientation event on October 5 at her house, where newer members can learn more about our club. CLICK HERE to see a flyer about the event. All members are welcome to attend and bring a guest. Four or five people will bring soup to be shared by all. Other attendees will bring appetizers or desserts to share. Those who want adult beverages will be free to bring their own.
Colleen Coons announced that there will be no meeting at the hotel on October 10. At 10:00 AM that morning, there will be an open house at the main library to dedicate the devices Mesa West Rotary donated. If there between 10:00 and Noon, those present will be able to see the virtual reality of the dropping of a Rotary Wheel off the coast of Philippines and seeing the ecosystem develop around it.
Recognition of a Job Well Done
President Jay called Past President Colleen Coons to come forward. Colleen set some far-reaching goals for her year as president, July 1 2023 through June 30, 2024. All the goals were reached. Our club has earned the Rotary Citation, the most significant award a Rotary club can achieve, for her year as our President. Her commitment to success was apparent the members supported her ambitious goals. Together we helped Rotary Create Hope in the World.
New Member Induction - John Bunyard
Polly Cady, Membership Chair, invited Connie and John Bunyard to come forward. Connie is John's wife and the sponsor of John's application for membership. John spoke briefly. He said when he attended Connie's induction last March, he was very impressed with the number who had shown up. Her induction was held at our Spring Olympics social event. He loves community. What he as seen from our club is an amazing family who takes care of and loves each other.
PP Colleen Coons handled the actual induction, saying it was her special honor to do so. The Bunyards own a business - Valley Remodeling. When Colleen first was involved with Mesa Leadership, Connie agreed to support one of our projects. Colleen met John at the Mesa Leadership Christmas party. It is clear that God, Family, and Community are his priorities. He was not yet a member when he helped with the pool deck refurbishing project at the YMCA. John's understanding of what would be necessary for the project to be successful was very beneficial. He is hardworking and generous. His focus on family is very impressive. We are lucky to add him to our Rotary family. John's application was reviewed in accordance with our Constitution and Bylaws. After reciting the Rotary Vision Statement, she mentioned the Rotary motto of Service Above Self and talked about the club's guiding principals - Transforming Communities, Creating Opportunities and Impacting Youth, Colleen asked members to welcome him as our newest Rotary member. They did so with a standing ovation.
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.
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.
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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. 
Saturday, September 28, 2028
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.
