Rotary Club of Mesa West - MESSENGER
Club Information
Welcome to our Rotary Club of Mesa West!
Mesa West
Transforming Communities, Creating Opportunities, Impacting Youth
Thursdays at 12:00 PM
Via Zoom or in-person
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.
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District Site
Venue Map
Venue Map
Upcoming Events
Red Kettle Kick Off Breakfast
Salvation Army Mesa Corps
Nov. 08, 2024
7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
 
Veterans Day Parade
SE Corner of Center & 8th St
Nov. 11, 2024 7:30 a.m.
 
Veterans Day Parade - Water Distribution
Center Street & University
Nov. 11, 2024
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
 
November 14 Meeting Will Be at Longbow Golf Club
Longbow Golf Club
Nov. 14, 2024
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
 
College Bound Luau of Love
Modern Moments
Nov. 15, 2024
5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
 
Mesa West Rotary Board Meeting
Via Zoom
Nov. 19, 2024 5:30 p.m.
 
Mesa West Rotary Board Meeting
Via Zoom
Dec. 17, 2024 5:30 p.m.
 
Red Cross Blood Drive
Ross Farnsworth EV YMCA
Jan. 04, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
 
View entire list
Speakers
Nov 07, 2024
Flying Cars
Nov 14, 2024
Offsite Social Event
Nov 21, 2024
Nov 28, 2024
Dec 05, 2024
Polio
Dec 12, 2024
Annual Meeting and Election of Officers
View entire list
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Kayla Mudge
November 12
 
Keith Deering
November 24
 
Eric Silverberg
November 30
 
Spouse Birthdays
Chris LaBarge
November 21
 
Anniversaries
Don Boucher
Sharon Boucher
November 15
 
Marilyn Klingler
Larry Klingler
November 17
 
Erwin Reimann
Joan Reimann
November 25
 
Joan Reimann
Erwin Reimann
November 25
 
Join Date
Dick Myren
November 1, 1970
54 years
 
Pai Bethea
November 1, 1977
47 years
 
Wayne General
November 1, 2016
8 years
 
John Bethea
November 4, 2014
10 years
 
Geoff White
November 13, 2001
23 years
 
John Benedict
November 21, 2000
24 years
 
Rodney Daniels
November 30, 2003
21 years
 
Links
Mesa West Rotary Links
Fillable MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Fillable Know Your Fellow Rotarian Questionnaire
Rotary District 5495 Links
District Links
Arizona Rotaract
Rotary District 5495
Rotary Interact District 5495
The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona (TRVFA)
Rotary Youth Exchange
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards - RYLA
RYLA Service Project Support
Executives & Directors
Executive Secretary/Director
 
President
 
President Elect
 
Secretary
 
Treasurer
 
Director '26
 
Director '26
 
Director '25
 
Director '25
 
Director '25
 
Membership Chair
 
Rotary Foundation Chair
 
Club Service Chair
 
Community Service Chair
 
Fundraising Chair
 
Public Image Chair
 
Sergeant-at-Arms
 
Vocational Service Chair
 
Youth Services Chair
 
Executive Secretary
 
Mesa West Foundation President
 
Mesa West Foundation Vice Pres.
 
Mesa West Foundation Secretary
 
Mesa West Foundation Treasurer
 
Mesa West Foundation Trustee
 
Mesa West Foundation Trustee
 
Mesa West Foundation Trustee
 
Mesa West Foundation Trustee
 
Mesa West Foundation Trustee
 
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Stories
Volunteer to Help at Veterans Day Parade
There are two opportunities to volunteer to help at the November 11 Veterans Day parade in Mesa.
  • One involves assisting the parade committee by helping with the staging area or any place else help is needed. 
  • The other involves handing out water bottles along the parade route.
See the "events" section of this newsletter and click on the link(s) to volunteer for one of these community service opportunities.  
November 14 Meeting will be offsite in PM
 
We need to provide a headcount by Monday November 10.  If you plan to attend this meeting, CLICK HERE to email Jeanie Morgan.  Please let her know if you will be bringing a guest.
RLI in Fountain Hills Saturday November 16
ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Sessions I, II, & III
 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2024 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
At: - FOUNTAIN HILLS COMMUNITY CENTER
        13001 N LA MONTANA DRIVE
        FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ 85268
 
COST:  $65.00 (Most Clubs will cover this cost)
Includes: Continental Breakfast Lunch Study Materials 
 
CLICK HERE to register  or contact Polly Cady at pcady@cadyfam.com
 
Why Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI)? Participant Interaction and FUN!
 
Come interact with fellow Rotarians about:
Rotary Basics
Community Service Ideas
Leadership Styles
Ethics & Vocation
Rotary’s Impact Worldwide
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.
Mesa West Rotary at Sloan Stadium
 
Mesa West Rotary club does not meet in -person on the 5th Thursday of any month with five Thursdays.  Thursday, October 31, several members took advantage of the opportunity to tour Sloan Stadium (where the Chicago Cubs hold Spring Training). Members were greeted with a sign welcoming them to the park,  They heard about the food vendors which are named after and offer fare similar to what might be found at Wrigley Field in Chicago.  The entire facility is "cashless."  Fans who arrive with cash can insert their bills into the machine shown in the final image of the collage and receive a card in exchange which they can use to make purchases.  Those who participated in the tour learned that Sloan Park park is filled with iconic Cubs memorabilia.  
 
The fall league game which followed the tour was enjoyed by a few members who chose to stay.  Our President, Jay Paulus, threw out the first pitch.  Unfortunately, we do not have photographic proof of his moment of fame.
Ed Koeneman Needs the Shirt Off Your Back
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 shelters where 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.
                           
Be a Proud Rotarian!
District Governor Michelle Holcomb did a great job of promoting the Rotary license plate that is now available when she made her official visit to our club September 26.  Mesa West Rotary members often lead the way.   We want to encourage our members to get their plates purchased so we can be known for having the highest percentage of members displaying the Rotary license plate on their car(s).  To that end, we have two incentives to offer:
CLICK HERE or on Michelle's photo to go to the order form on the MVD website, scroll down alphabetically and get yours ordered.
Something to Ponder
We spend precious hours
fearing the inevitable.
It would be wise 
to use that time
adoring our families,
cherishing our friends
and living our lives.
~Maya Angelou
A Bit of Humor
George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio
and Matthew McConaughey
get together to make a movie.
Clooney says, "I'll direct."
DiCaprio says, "I'll act."
McConaughey says,
"I'll write, I'll write, I'll write."
News
The Big Four - Ways to Support Rotary in Mesa West
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.
  1. 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.  
  2. 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.
  3. 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.  
  4. 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:
    1. Community Service
    2. International Service 
    3. Vocational Service
    4. 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.
 
Read more...
Support Westwood HS Interact with Tax Credit Donation
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.

Go to https://westwood.mpsaz.org/page/eca/ and click on the link to pay on the district's website. 
Or go straight to https://mpsaz.sites.thrillshare.com/o/mpsaz/page/pay-donate  in lower right, click on Pay Online


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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