President, Allan Cady, opened the meeting with a moment of silence after he announced that Al Morgan, Jeanie's husband had passed away November 28. Ray Smith offered the invocation and Chris Krueger led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Jeanie Morgan won the weekly raffle, but failed to draw the Ace of Clubs, so the $575 pot will continue to grow. Chuck Flint conducted the Buck Board elimination drawing. Frank Rosenberg was the winner. $1,000 will be donated to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) in his name.
Chuck Flint reminded members that one of our goals this year is for Mesa West to be recognized as an EREY (Every Rotarian, Every Year) club with each member donating $100 or more to The Rotary Foundation this Rotary year. Chuck made EREY forms available, and enticed members to take the forms with them since a recipe was printed on the back of the form: Citrus Roast Chicken a la Lucinda (1998 Lucinda Rose General).
In the interest of time, "Express Happy Bucks" were collected. Jeanie paid $47 for each of the 47 years she had the privilege of spending with a very good man.
Announcements:
Six Mesa West Rotarians attended the Charter Meeting of Grand Canyon University's new Rotaract Club. Member, Ed Koesneman is the advisor. They will meet every other Wednesday at the university.
Don LaBarge reminded members we are in Salvation Army bell ringing season and lots of openings are still available on the schedule.
President Allan reminded members that EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) is a requirement for the District Achievement Award
Carole Kralicek donated a bag to be auctioned of miscellaneous items she brought back from her Rotary Friendship Exchange to Australia. Bob Zarling was the highest bidder with his bid of $75.
Steve Ross announced upcoming speakers. He also announced that when he joined the club, there were two annual events. The Spring Olympics, has continued as a tradition. The other event - The Rotary Shoot Out - no longer happens. He introduced Coach Jay Cassario from Gilbert High School as the speaker, and reminded members that the Coach has brought his team to our Spring Olympics to keep the games honest each year.
Coach Cassario is from Wisconsin. He is married to his high school sweetheart. They arrived in July, 2000 to experience 118 degree temperature as they arrived. They have four children. His wife is a labor and delivery nurse. His first job was at Greenfield Junior High. Coincidentally, when he contacted a friend from his own small town in Wisconsin, he found that the friend was living in the same apartment complex.
He moved from the junior high to coach under Coach Bennett. When Coach Bennett retired, he felt fortunate to be offered the head coaching position. It was challenging to take over following a very successful coach, particularly so, since he was only 8+ years older than his players. He enjoys having the team help with Salvation Army bell ringing as well as serving as umpires/referees at the Spring Olympics each year at John Benedict's home.
When he inherited the basketball program, his primary hope was the he "didn't screw it up." Kids want to be in the program commuting from other districts. High school sports has changed. It used to be that football players, would go on to play basketball, and then baseball in the spring. Now each have year-round programs. More kids are focused on one thing. He has found that kids are resilient, and that they like discipline.
In addition to coaching, he teaches High School Honors Biology. He has a full day - 150 kids in five sections. 7th hour every day, he teaches his basketball team It gets the kids home with their family in the evenings. One of his requests when he started was that he be allowed to continue with the 7th hour basketball class, which had been started by Coach Bennett. Coach Bennett was influencial in another way. "The way to judge if you've had a successful season is to see where the kids are in 20 years."
In answering a question about parent complaints about their kid not getting enough playing time, Coach Casario announced that when parents complain, their child is suspended from playing. Coach Bennett had that practice and it had seemed harsh at the time, so he didn't operate that way when he first took over as head coach. It made the job much more stressful, so he reinstituted the practice. Parents may still complain - but not to him.
Our Sgt at Arms, Greg Okonowski was born in Warren, Michigan. He was the middle child with an older brother, Jeff, and a younger sister, Jennifer. As a teen, Greg dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player. Instead, he developed a career in the insurance business. The Arizona Group (TAG) is an independent Insurance Agency with two locations in the Phoenix metro area. Headquartered in Gilbert, their team is comprised of over 50 committed professionals. Their number one mission is protecting their clients. They specialize in all lines of commercial, personal, life, and employee benefits insurance. He started in the industry in 1994 and has been doing it ever since.
Greg has been an Arizona resident since 1986. Arizona and Michigan are the only two states in which he has resided. Although he has traveled to Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Caribbean, Brazil, Bermuda, Czech Republic, and South Pacific (Tahiti), English is the only language in which he is fluent.
Greg has been married to his wife, Laura, since 2009. They have an 18-year-old daughter, Kiana, who is attending the University of Arizona, and two sons, Dennis (age 5) and Tyler (age 6).
His best vacation memories involve a seabourn cruise to Greece and Turkey and a summer he spent in Denali National Park in Alaska between college semesters. The photo Greg provided was taken of him with his wife, Laura, while vacationing in Alaska.
Greg has been a member of Mesa West Rotary since 1997, and he has enjoyed participating in many rewarding volunteer experiences, including work for Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Save the Family and the Child Crisis Center. He was asked two years ago to help start the 7th Street Food Pantry and "that has been an amazing experience.
We are now nearly two weeks into the Salvation Army Bell-Ringing season. From all accounts, things are going well. There are still quite a few shift openings according to Don LaBarge, our Community Service Chair. With 26 days of bell-ringing and 5 sessions per day, sign-ups are an enormous task. President, Allan, is confident that the service-minded Rotarians of Mesa West will once again answer the call. Please, review your calendar and call or email Don to coordinate available shifts with that will best fit your schedule. The bell-ringing concludes Saturday, December 23. We need volunteers that will take 2-3 sessions each, even 4 if possible. Don’s contact information is cell 480-213-1617 and email dlabarge47@gmail.com. Your early response and the generosity of your time will be appreciated.
Allan Cady, our Mesa West President, would like our club to receive the "Every Rotarian, Every Year" award. I believe that Rotary Club of Mesa Baseline used to do this. What this entails is for every Rotarian in our club to donate $100 during this Rotary Year to our Rotary Foundation. Please think of this as a donation of $2.00 per week to put it into very simple perspective. Just $2.00 per week. How many times do we spend this amount weekly on something that really does not help anyone?
There is a very simple, painless way to do this. There is a program called Rotary Direct which we each can sign up for which charges your credit card whatever amount you wish each month. This is an easy way of giving that you do not have to think of several times each year. Several Mesa West Rotarians currently do this. If you were to agree to commit $5.00 each month to the Foundation, we could meet our goal. Please do not limit yourself to just $5.00. I will have forms for this with me to distribute at our next meeting on November 30th. Several members of our club donate $84.00 each month and have become Paul Harris Society Members - those that have donated $1,000 per year to our foundation.
There are many options available to us that will result in not only helping others elsewhere, but half of our donations come back to us in the form of funds available of grants with District Designated Funds. All of you that have read this article so far, please ask me for a dollar at the meeting.
On Thursday November 16, at the District Governor's official visit, President Allan Cady announced that our club would collectively support TRVFA with $5,000 or more in donations from our members prior to the end of the year. As you may remember, the fund qualifies for Arizona Tax Credits, so the donations, in qualifying amounts ($400 for individuals and $800 for joint returns), will offset your Arizona State Income Tax obligation dollar for dollar and can also be a qualifying Federal Income Tax Deduction.
In the three previous years, our Club has made the following donations to TRVFA:
2016: $10,000.00
2015: $5,900.00
2014: $2,374.00
At your very earliest convenience, we ask that you evaluate an appropriate TRVFA donation to address your personal tax planning needs, and then, send an email to me (don.boucher@ccwealth.com) and to Polly Cady (pcady@cadyfam.com) to identify your personal pledge. Your donation should be completed by year’s end (12/31) and you may complete your donationby delivering a check to Polly or by donating online via the link below:
Note: Completing your donation online is the preferred club method for submitting your donation.
Should you choose to make your donation online via the TRVFA website, please be sure to add “Mesa West Rotary Club” in the area that request:Please list your Rotary Club name here.
Polly and I will look forward to receiving your emails to confirm your personal pledge amount, and we’ll provide weekly updates on our progress to meeting President Cady’s TRVFA pledge of $5,000.00.
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
We are kind and caring people who make a positive difference in the world, so as always, thank you for all you do!
The final results in the Steak and Beans competition have now been tallied. Here they are ---
Team #3 – Chuck Flint, Team Captain
Greatest Donation Amount - $3,303
Team Members – Dan Coons, Melodie Jackson, Aubrey Luma, Steve West, Angel Cissell, Sharon Spane
Team #6 – Frank Rosenberg, Team Captain
Greatest Member Participation – 100%
Team Members – Rick DePonte, John Hunt, Dick Myren, Polly Schumacher, Daryl Bethea, Keith Deering
I am happy to report that total donations exceeded our initial goal of $30,000. That’s tremendous and speaks well for your efforts. At present, donations to the Sponsor Program total $37,868 with 35 club members participating. We still have several commitments outstanding so we may yet reach our secondary goal of $40,000. Certainly the opportunities are plentiful as we put these funds to use in our community and internationally as well.
We plan to have our Steak and Beans Celebration Event at Chuck Flint’s home in February, date not yet determined. Finally, we also plan to have a Sponsor’s Recognition Event in March. Thank you again for your efforts on behalf of Mesa West Rotary.
$5,000 to The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona in honor of, and on behalf of, District Governor, Nancy Van Pelt
Approval of $1,000 pledge to Tucson Catalina Global Grant project improving rural healthcare in Sonora, Mexico: "Help for Today; Model for Tomorrow"
Event Calendar:
After Holiday Party to be held in January at Dan an d Colleen Coons' home - date to be determined.
Steak and Beans dinner to be held at Chuck Flint's Home - date to be determined.
Rotary Youth Exchange:
Hopeful outgoing Rotary Youth Exchange candidate, Yordy Miguel, needs help for finding families for incoming Rotary Youth Exchange student.
Successful November events:
Guaymas Gift of Hearing Project: 333 patients were seen with no one being turned away for lack of hearing aids;
Veterans' Day Parade: Mesa West Rotarians, along with Interact members, put together poles honoring fallen military carried in the parade by ROTC members and then taking down the poles.
The Institute offers a leadership development program in three full day sessions (Parts I, II and III). The courses are designed to provide Rotary knowledge and to develop leadership skills for volunteer organizations. Each time the Institute is scheduled, all three parts are offered.
The Institute recommends that clubs nominate those Rotarians who appear to have the potential for club leadership, not necessarily as future presidents. The individuals should preferably be at least 3-4 years away from a possible presidency or other key leadership post. Candidates should have a strong interest in Rotary and be ready to be exposed to the larger world of Rotary. The Institute suggests each club nominate one or two Rotarians each year and support previous nominees in completing Parts II and III.
The Institute believes in course sessions with as much discussion/participation as possible. Discussion breakout sessions are limited to approximately 10-15 persons. Lectures are strictly limited. Course methods include disscussion groups, role playing, problem solving workshops, creating projects and audiovisual presentations. Everyone participates during one of the Institute's sessions. A course workbook containing an Institute Manual, session program agendas, faculty listings and course outlines and materials, is provided to each attendee.
For more information, visit the Rocky Mountain Rotary Leadership Institute website at www.rlifiles.com.
The Rotary Foundation has major focus areas to make our impact stronger throughout the world. During December, the focus on member education and advocacy is the work we do in disease prevention and treatment.
The "elevator speech" we can all use in educating our friends and associates about why we are proud to be Rotarians in this area is:
We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas.
President, Allan Cady, opened the meeting with a moment of silence after he announced that Al Morgan, Jeanie's husband had passed away November 28. Ray Smith offered the invocation and Chris Krueger led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Our Sgt at Arms, Greg Okonowski was born in Warren, Michigan. He was the middle child with an older brother, Jeff, and a younger sister, Jennifer. As a teen, Greg dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player. Instead, he developed a career in the insurance business. The Arizona Group (TAG) is an independent Insurance Agency with two locations in the Phoenix metro area. Headquartered in Gilbert, their team is comprised of over 50 committed professionals. Their number one mission is protecting their clients. They specialize in all lines of commercial, personal, life, and employee benefits insurance. He started in the industry in 1994 and has been doing it ever since.
We are now nearly two weeks into the Salvation Army Bell-Ringing season. From all accounts, things are going well. There are still quite a few shift openings according to Don LaBarge, our Community Service Chair. With 26 days of bell-ringing and 5 sessions per day, sign-ups are an enormous task. President, Allan, is confident that the service-minded Rotarians of Mesa West will once again answer the call. Please, review your calendar and call or email Don to coordinate available shifts with that will best fit your schedule. The bell-ringing concludes Saturday, December 23. We need volunteers that will take 2-3 sessions each, even 4 if possible. Don’s contact information is cell .gif)
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The Institute believes in course sessions with as much discussion/participation as possible. Discussion breakout sessions are limited to approximately 10-15 persons. Lectures are strictly limited. Course methods include disscussion groups, role playing, problem solving workshops, creating projects and audiovisual presentations. Everyone participates during one of the Institute's sessions. A course workbook containing an Institute Manual, session program agendas, faculty listings and course outlines and materials, is provided to each attendee.
The Rotary Foundation has major focus areas to make our impact stronger throughout the world. During December, the focus on member education and advocacy is the work we do in disease prevention and treatment.
