Pam Cohen opened the meeting. President Allan Cady and Secretary Polly Cady were on an airplane headed for the Rotary International Convention in Toronto, Canada. President Elect Chris Krueger was also unavailable due to an unavoidable business meeting. As Community Service Chair, Pam was next in line. Bert Millet offered the Invocation, Jim Crutcher led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Pam asked everyone present to observe a moment of silence remembering Jerry Traylor, who lost his battle to cancer on June 10. Jerry was a motivational speaker who touched the lives of all who heard him. Many district youth who attended RYLA heard him describe at RYLA what it was like to grow up and go through life on crutches because of cerebral palsy. Jerry would also tell about running across the US on those crutches, participating in marathons and climbing Pikes Peak multiple times. His message destroyed the excuses the youth may have had for doing any less than their best. It worked the same way for the adults in the room.There were several guests present: Ed Koeneman introduced Colton Cagle, 2018-19 Interact 5495 District Governor, and Hannah Mason, Westwood High School Interact Treasurer. Wendell Jones introduced his wife, Carolyn. Greg Okonowski introduced his guest and mentor, Carl Billings. Frank Rosenberg introduced John Ore from Tempe South Rotary Club.
Pam introduced the Club to the name and theme for 2018-19 Rotary International President, Barry Rassin. The theme for our next Rotary year will be "Be the Inspiration." She added that RI has worked hard over a significant period of time on refreshing our public messaging. One of the outcomes is a powerful new 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.”
In the attendance drawing, badge number 63 was drawn making Warren Williamson the lucky $5 winner.
Chuck Flint provided a little history about our weekly raffle. On June 15, 2017, with 52 cards in the deck beginning this rollover drawing, there was $18 in the pot. The accumulating pot had grown to $1,758 and after a single had been card drawn (and removed) each time a drawing was held in the past year, there were only seven cards remaining. The small weekly drawing was at a new high of $102.00. The raffle ticket that was drawn was one that had been purchased for Dr. Ron Thompson, who could not attend the meeting. Greg Okonowski was holding Ron's tickets, so he shuffled the cards and asked Chuck to pull the 5th card down. Unfortunately (for Ron), the 5th card was the six of clubs. Thursday, June 28, there will be only six cards to draw from and more potential winnings.
During Happy Bucks, Don Boucher contributed for being able to enjoy cooler weather and beautiful scenery when he and Sharon attended a business meeting in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Jim Crutcher paid for celebrating his and Cheryl's 41st wedding anniversary. Daryl Bethea contributed for a recent trip to Europe. He paid $100 and solemnly told of the impact of visiting the beach at Normandy. He spent time in Winston Churchill's bunker where he had to keep himself and all those he led focused on doing the right thing even though there would be an enormous cost. Daryl contributed another $100 for a happy family event, but deferred to his son to announce that John's daughter, Giselle, who had taken a leave of absence from her ballet career, has recently become engaged to Cole Farnsworth. Their wedding will be August 21 in the Gilbert Temple. Jim Ore, of Tempe South, told of a recent motorcycle trip he had enjoyed with a long-time police academy friend. They rode from Arizona to Boston and back - a total of 8,120 miles, which was actually one of the shortest rides they have made together. He was glad to be home and visiting Mesa West. Matt Rotty told of taking his oldest son camping at Woods Canyon Lake and the wonder of enjoying seeing him experience that kind of adventure for the very first time. Chuck Flint told of an adventure with his dad when he was five years old. They flew in his dad's fabric airplane to Site Six (the island on the other side of the London Bridge in Lake Havasu) where they stayed in a hotel and went fishing. Pam contributed for all the wonderful help she enjoyed at the Changing of the Guard event at Don LaBarge's home on Saturday, June 16. Several contributed for the privilege of knowing Jerry Traylor.
Ed Koeneman and his family recently travelled to Europe. He had an auction item in a Gucci (paper) bag. He put a cap of $25 on the bidding and it didn't take long to get there. Donna Goetzenberger was the lucky winner of a glass replica of the Eiffel Tower filled with bonbons. Ed also presented a Rotary Club flag which he received when he attended the Rotary Club Roma Est, when in Rome. He (being a true renaissance man) promised to sew the flag to our club flag-display banner.
Colton Cagle made a brief presentation about the trip he will soon be making to Kenya as part of the Interact District Council's Crutches for Africa project. He will be part of a team which will deliver the mobility devices they gathered to individuals who have been afflicted by polio or other debilitating illness or injury. They will also deliver personal items and cheer to children in hospitals there. Following his presentation, Pam presented Colton with a check for $1,007 representing funds raised by the club to support his personal preparation and incidental travel-related expenses for the trip.
Ed Koeneman introduced our Guest Speaker (and fellow club member) Andrea Murphy who is the Interact Faculty Advisor at Westwood High School. The topic of her presentation was the Service Learning which has been integrated into the Mesa Public School curriculum. Andrea has been with the Mesa Public Schools for twenty-four years. Another "claim to fame," is that Andrea is a member of the VW Bus Club.
Students can earn an honor seal on their diploma for performing Service Learning. They need to earn 200 hours to qualify. Many students do much more. For instance, Colton Cagle is just entering his senior year and with his Assistant Governor duties, Interact District Service Projects, and Interact Club responsibilities and service, he has already accumulated over 600 hours.
Andrea said they do not have a problem with students attempting to take credit for hours inappropriately - instead, it is hard to get them to record all the hours they are entitled to. Most don't feel the need to be recognized for the volunteer service(s) they perform. You will see students volunteering at libraries, museums, nursing homes, hospice, child care, and animal shelters. They cannot get credit for volunteer hours at a for-profit business. They can get credit for service(s) performed for a church if it is not actually part of the worship service or religious education.
Because there is such a wide disparity between those who achieve the minimum recognition level and those who far exceed it, they are considering changing the achievement to incorporate multiple levels, such as bronze for 200 hours, silver for 500 hours and gold for 1000 hours.
Andrea did have a presentation which she projected onto a screen. One of the images was of the district website where students go to register the project before they actually perform the service work. They are required to register their project in advance in order to receive credit. Because she is Service Learning coach - and has held that position for nineteen years - she is one that has to approve or decline the project. Because of this advance approval requirement, getting students to volunteer when a last-minute need is discovered for volunteer help, might be disappointing for students who hope to get credit. From the way Andrea described the students, they might still be very willing to help even though they would likely not be able to get credit. Andrea also helps teachers find and integrate a volunteer project into their classroom learning environment, making the education gained through the experience more relevant and rewarding. To take a look at the website and learn more about the program, CLICK HERE.
Students are responsible for their own transportation to their volunteer assignment, which can be very challenging for many of the students. Sometimes the adults in their lives are unable, for a variety of reasons, to keep their transportation commitment. Andrea loves her job and says that the teens she encounters at work every day are polite young people who are dedicated to making the world a better place.
Andrea wanted the anonymous donor who provides t-shirts for the Interact Club each year to know that their gift is genuinely appreciated. The kids love to have and be seen in those shirts!
As Pam was having Andrea sign the book that will be given in her honor to Phoenix Children's Hospital, Pam pointed out that tax credit donations to the school can be designated for Interact , and qualify under a different tax credit program than The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona (TRVFA) so Rotarians can give to both, if they choose to do so.
Ed Koeneman gave Andrea a unique wrought iron recognition gift that had been prepared for her at President Allan's request to thank her for her dedication and valued support of the Westwood High School Interact Club.
Before the meeting adjourned, Pam announced that Gift of Life Arizona had voted to fund the Caborca Neonatal Matching Grant project with $2,500.00.