Ed Koeneman's big smile shows his appreciation for a day spent on the Maasai Mara in Kenya.  Some members of the Interact Crutches 4 Africa Ambassadors Team are shown in these photos.  The girls appear to be learning a new skill at the Dopoi Center where they talked about their day and bonded with new friends.

 

Amiya, (on the left in the photo on the right) who will be spending her second year as President of Westwood High School Interact Club this next year will be at some of our Mesa West Rotary events throughout the year.  She will undoubtedly have many stories to share from this experience.  We need to  remember to take time to ask and listen.  

 

With the help of Liz Paulus and College Bound, these deserving Westwood High School graduates were each recently awarded $2,000 scholarships from Mesa West Rotary Foundation as follows:

Andrea Chavez - to attend Gateway Community College

Dakoda Dent - to attend Utah Valley University

Anna Rabago - to attend Mesa Community College

Habigail Scott Nonth - to attend Arizona State University

In 1954, Caribe Hilton's bartender Ramón "Monchito" Marrero was asked to create a drink that captured the unique flavors of the island.

 

Monchito finally settled on the mixture he felt captured the flavors of Puerto Rico and the piña colada was born.

 

The drink was a hit with guests, locals and soon gained popularity around the world.

 

Monchito continued to serve the drink at Caribe Hilton for 35 years until his retirement in 1989, and left quite the legacy, as in 1978 Puerto Rico named the Piña Colada its official national drink.

 

In 2004 and 2014, Caribe Hilton received proclamations fron the Governors of Puerto Rico in celebration of the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the Piña Colada.  The proclamations recognize Ramón "Monchito" Marrero as the creator of the Piña Colada in 1954, while working as a bartender at Caribe Hilton.  

 

Tomorrow, we celebrate July 10th as the worldwide official Piña Colada Day.

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 Mesa West 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.