Warren Williamson - shared a photo of the "social distancing" line he and Son Hee had to wait through in order to enter Costco Saturday morning, April 3.DG Lee Holmes - I would like to encourage Rotarians to reach out to your club members, your family, and friends with simple words of compassionate support during these challenging times. Let them know that you care about them and miss them. Your message does not have to be eloquent or long. Please encourage them to respond to you. I hope you are doing well, but call me, email me, or drop me a note if there is anything, I can do to help you.
Fred Scott - After 3 weeks of confinement following our return from Mesa (which, by the way was a real pick-me-upper) the investment by Alberta of 1.1 billion dollars in the Keystone XL may well ease the unemployment rate in our province which was previously predicted to hit 25% because such governmental involvement may well encourage others to put up some investment in our oil patch. We have had precious little interest from Ottawa to date, emphasizing the myopia eastern Canada has shown in a healthy oil patch which would spin off downstream benefits throughout Canada, not just the West.
Then throw in the deprivations of the Mexican beer bug to depress the economies of the nations on both sides of the 49th parallel which seems to have left us all reeling. I really admire the help for all people spirit of the Mesa West Rotarians; the business of being CB'd (in military lingo "confined to barracks") with only the gloomy predictions over the TV to console me is a real pain in the ass!!! The golf course across the road has been shut down completely leaving greens without a smidgen of flags flying from the holes; it's a beautiful sunny day to be ignored completely in such manner! Disgraceful!!!!!! I am about to go outside, take up a shovel and help Freddie dig up his garden. Disgusting!!!!! I guess there is still a use for retarded (retired) lawyers.
Our warmest wishes for all the good-looking Rotarians (fool that I am, there isn't another kind). Keep up the good work and maintain the social distance wherever possible. Cheers to all and sundry.
Bailee Langford (one of the TRVFA students Mesa West Rotary sponsored this year) - I went grocery shopping for doctors and nurses at Banner Ironwood because they didn’t have time to get the essentials like toilet paper while they worked their 12-hour shifts.
Amber Zenteno – (also a TRVFA student sponsored by Mesa West Rotary) Things have been different because of COVID-19. We've been doing online school since March 16th. Not much to report unfortunately. I've just been reading our textbooks and praying that we can still go to clinicals in July. I miss my classmates and hope things will get better. Hope you are keeping safe! Every once-in-a-while I'll listen in on the news and hear what our president has to say. He is working very hard to help the country. We have American companies manufacturing personal protective equipment and ventilators. It's amazing to see our country working together to save lives. Our health care workers are angels on Earth and I'm excited to join the force. Times are scary but we are in good hands.
Lucinda General – Enjoyed listening to, and watching a fun video and wanted to share it with you: https://youtu.be/clhsqVEwHEY
Penny May - This week I got together with a group of friends making face masks. I cut out the material as I have no sewing abilities. We made masks all week long until the machines died. They were available for anyone for free or a donation if they wished. People came from all over the park with more fabric from their personal stashes. Soon we were giving instructions on how to make the masks and giving away the cut outs. It was a perfect example of coming together in this pandemic. It felt so rewarding to be a small part in this effort.
Jeanie Morgan - I was touched when I received a call from Hannah Mason, President of the Westwood HS Interact Club. She was calling to check on me to see how I was doing with being confined to home. Our future is in good hands.
Daryl “Pai” Bethea - Happy, Happy, Happy to be here in Arizona with family and ROTARIAN support. Even in these tough times GOD and loved ones make life wonderful! Keep smilin’, Pai
Lola McClane - With all the spare time people have these days, I am hearing more from friends and relatives by phone or Skype and that makes me really happy.
Terry Cowan - One of the most memorable visuals I have seen was a lineup of kitchen matches, standing upright spaced about 3/4 to an inch apart. The first in the row was lighted. As it flared, the second caught fire. Then the next and the next. While the fire was progressing, a hand reached into the line and removed one of the unburnt matches down the line. Now, the space between the matches was too great for the fire to jump the gap and the rest of the matches were unaffected. Or, you could say unharmed.
I witnessed this in real life this morning. I went to Walmart. Yes, we still do need groceries and other items. The floors are marked with six-foot markings. Most of the people shopping were wearing masks. Many wearing gloves. All observing the distance guidelines. Now, it is not a direct parallel to the matches, but the idea of maintaining space and controlling our own space is very much in evidence.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Looks like we are all in this together and it is encouraging to see folks practicing, "desperate measures."