President Allan was pleased to open the meeting with a full house.  Jim Schmidt gave the invocation and Polly Cady led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Ray Smith led all present in a harmonious rendition of "America, the Beautiful."

 

Among the visitors were Colton and Saundra of the Westwood High School Interact Club, along with their sponsor, Andrea Murphy, a new member of Mesa West Rotary.  Colton and Saundra explained the Purple Pinkie Project their club is doing to raise awareness of and funds to support Polio eradication efforts of Rotary during the month of October. 

 

Other guests in attendance were Don Kesner from Tempe Downtown, Norm Duve of Mesa Sunrise, Bill Beamish, Guest of Don LaBarge, a Four-Peaks Rotary Club Representative, Cindy Harrison, from Tucson Sunset, Christine Weeks, a former youth exchange student, Sakio Kamakawi (from Japan), Norm Duve, Yordy Miguel (an aspiring exchange student) and his mother, Aide Rayna.

 

Jim McGown won $34 in the weekly raffle, but made everyone else happy when the drew the 7 of diamonds, allowing the growing accumulating pot to keep growing.    After three badge numbers were called with their owners not present, President Allan declared that the $5 would roll over to be won by next week's badge number winner.

 

Steve Ross collected happy bucks, with the largest contribution coming from Don LaBarge, who was celebrating his 70th birthday, and the fact that Chris has let him know he is now old enough that she will no longer pester him about wearing his suspenders.

 

Chuck Flint explained the buck board for the benefit of our guests. 

 

Bob Kesner passed the district's Traveling Friendship Trophy from Tempe Downtown to Mesa West, explaining that we do not get to keep it, but pass it on to another club in District 5495 at their regular meeting.  

 

The speaker was introduced by Bill Beamish.  Sarah Hagerman is the President of ASU Rotaract and was sponsored by a grant from our district to attend the Rotary International Convention last summer.  Sarah opened her remarks by saying, "Rotary makes me feel good at the end of the day."  She said it was amazing how welcome she felt at such a huge convention.  She said it was like "visiting family she'd never met."

 

Key ways the summer benefited Sarah:

In addition to attending the RI convention, Sarah talked about her experience participating in the Rotaract Round trip which started in Nice, France and ended in Paris.  On the trip, she stayed with local Rotaractors, and met Rotaractors from around the world.  She also attended the European Rotaract Convention. 

 

It was obvious Sarah was appreciative of the opportunities Rotary has given her, and that she is committed to Rotary as a way of life. 

 

Following the program, President Allan made a few announcements:

 

 

Chuck Flint is an Arizona native.  He was born in Phoenix over 72 years ago, and has never resided in any other state or country.  He has only one sibling, an older sister.   

 

Chuck has visited eighteen foreign countries, but is not fluent in any language other than English.

 

As a teen, Chuck dreamed of being an Airline Pilot.  Instead, he spent 37 years in the Animal Health Industry, and is currently a Realtor and Hard Money Lender.

 

Chuck is single and no-one was lucky enough to be born with the right to call him Dad or Grandpa.

 

The best vacation Chuck can remember was taken in October in Mexico.

 

Chuck's most rewarding volunteer experience was Chairing the Rotary Youth Exchange Program for thirteen years.

Mesa West Rotarians, Don LaBarge, Polly Cady and President, Allan Cady deliverd one hundred 48-oz jars of peanut Butter to United Food Bank October 11, 2017.

One of the requirements of the district grant that was awarded to United Sound and announced at our October 5 meeting is that members of Mesa West Rotary Club participate in a work project related to the grant.  The mission of United Sound is providing musical performance experiences through peer mentorship for students with special needs.  

 

The grant funds, which were matched by the Mesa West Rotary Foundation for a total of $4,000 will cover printing of the curriculum/music books the participating students use.  The work project will utilize Rotarians and their guests and participating family members to assemble and customize the curriculum books adding colored stickers to aid the special needs students in transferring what they see in the book to more easily play correct notes on their musical instrument(s).

 

A work project/social event will be held at the home of United Sound Executive Director and Mesa West Rotary Member, Julie Duty, on Friday evening, October 20, at 7:00 PM.  Wine and snacks will be provided. 

When we show up to have fun at Chuck Flint's at the end of this year's Sponsorship campaign for our club's charitable foundation, will you be eating steak or beans?  You will be eating steak if your team has raised the most in donations, or if EVERY member of your team has brought in at least one donation.  If your team hasn't met either of these criteria, you are encouraged to come for the fellowship and to celebrate those who have worked at helping us make the funds needed to do the work we want to do in our community and the world, but Chuck Flint suggests you may want to bring some Gas-X.

 

"If it is to be, it is up to me," should be each of our attitudes.  If you don't know what team you are on, CLICK HERE to download the team roster. 

 

The donations are not supposed to come from us, it is hoped we will each give our personal Rotary "elevator speech" to friends, neighbors, associates, neighbors who might be too busy to join a Rotary Club, but who would be happy to help us make a difference, if asked.  Just ask!  Download our Sponsorship Brochure to give (or send) to those you ask.

 

Let's not try hard to make this program work, Instead, let's each try very hard to make it fun! (and pray you're not on a team of vegans)

Click HERE or on image to register.