The Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Build project Saturday, May 21 at VIP Mortgage in Scottsdale was well attended by Mesa West Rotarians, Rotary friends, and family members: Dave Brauchler, Leidy Caro, Dan and Colleen Coons, Sean Green and Barbara Des Moulins, Dan Lamborn, Kayla Mudge, Greg and Dennis Okonowski, John Pennypacker, Erwin Reimann, Shelly Romine, Frank and Sam Rosenberg, and Ted Williams. Judging from the photos, it looks like the volunteers found time to have fun while staying productively busy.
President Dan opened the meeting by thanking Melissa Stuckey for serving as greeter. He thanked the members for the gift of being able to serve as Club President He then reminded Rotarians and guests of the Rotary International 2021-22 theme - Serve to Change Lives - after which he recited the Rotary 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.
Ron Thompson offered the invocation. Jack Rosenberg led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Rotary Minute - Fun Rotary Facts - Polly Cady
The first Service project of the first Rotary Club was the installation of public toilets in Chicago in l917. This project made Rotary the World's First Service Club.
The first women joined Rotary in 1987. Today, more than 196,000 women are members of Rotary International.
The first Rotaract Club was formed in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Rotary emblem was printed on a commemorative stamp for the first time in 1931, at the time of the Vienna Convention.
Rotary became bilingual in 1916, when it organized a non-English-speaking club in Cuba.
Rotary first established Paul Harris Fellowships in 1957 for contributors of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation.
In 1968, the first Rotary Club banner to orbit the moon was carried by astronaut Frank Borman, a member of the Houston Space Center Rotary Club.
The first Rotary convention was in Chicago in 1910. There were 16 Rotary Clubs.
Providing vitamin A supplements during polio immunization has averted an estimated 1.5 million childhood deaths since 1998 - the "plus" in PolioPlus.
The first Rotary Boys' Week was held in New York City in May 1920 by the Rotary Club of New York.
In 1934, Boys' Week became known as Youth Week.
And in 1936, Boys' and Girls' Week.
In 2010, Youth Service became Rotary's fifth Avenue of Service.
Introduction of Guests
Jeanie Morgan introduced Lisa Armstrong with Sumner College - formerly known as East Valley Medical College - a school offering medical vocational certification programs.
Bert Millett introduced Mickell Summerhaze a young attorney who has been assigned to Bert in a mentoring program.
Ace of Clubs Raffle - Chuck Flint
For the benefit of guests, Chuck explained that each week the proceeds of raffle ticket sales are divided with 1/3 going to the club operating budget, 1/3 being added to the large pot, and 1/3 going to the winner of the weekly raffle. The said the holder of the ticket drawn would win $45, and the opportunity to try to draw the Ace of Clubs from the deck of cards, which would make them the winner of the big pot of $465. Chuck asked Lisa Armstrong to draw the winning ticket. Lisa drew Chuck's own ticket. Chuck asked Jeanie Morgan to draw a card for him. She drew an Ace - the Ace of Hearts.
Happy Bucks - Greg Okonowski
Greg began by asking those with birthdays during the week to be recognized - Chuck Flint, Ed Koeneman and Sean Green. Members and guests sang Happy Birthday to them led by Ray Smith.
Ed Koeneman contributed some sad and happy bucks. He was happy his mom was going to take him to the toy store to pick out his own gift - actually a store selling woodworking tools. He was happy his wife Debbie and daughter Suzie were enjoying a vacation in Italy, but sad they had left him in charge of caring for their chickens and the chickens were not doing well... He was happy FanFusion will take place May 28, and PDG Sherry Mischel plans to attend with them. He was also happy it is now only 583 days until the next Star Wars movie will be released.
Pam Cohen was happy to have attended the Mesa West District Conference in Prescott the prior weekend. The hospitality suite she hosted won the prize for the best food - probably because of the sauce donated by SonHee Williamson for the spring rolls.
Warren Williamson told about Colleen inviting a recently widowed friend to go to lunch and shopping. Her friend was hesitant saying her budget was really tight. Colleen asked if there hadn't been life insurance. Her friend explained that the life insurance had all been spent on medical and funeral expenses plus an expensive memorial stone. Colleen asked how big that memorial stone was, and her friend responded "5 carats."
John Pennypacker said it was the best District Conference he could remember. He had fun Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Sean Green was happy he was going to spend his birthday at a Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed build.
Dan Coons proudly announced that at the Saturday night banquet ending the conference, his wife, Colleen Coons was awarded the "Leadership of the Second Century" award. It is a travelling trophy with the names of each recipient since 2005, when Rotary began its second century. Next year Colleen will have to hand it off, but will get to keep the crystal award she also received.
Colleen Coons requested that Dan be fined $50 (for her Paul Harris account) for her having received the leadership award.
Bert Millett contributed $22. He was proud that his daughter was graduating in the class of 22, and happy that he and his family were going to spend most of their summer in Mexico.
Dick Myren made his customary $2 donation - happy that he and Rod Daniels are associated with the best Rotary Club in the world!
Erwin Reimann was happy to announce that he and Joan had followed the advice received when they were both recently recognized for their Paul Harris giving to The Rotary Foundation. They contacted Rotary International and combined their giving accounts. Just hours before the meeting, they received their Major Donor crystal, recognition pin and necklace.
Chuck Flint contributed $20 - sad that he hadn't won the big pot, and $20 for his birthday on Monday, May 16.
Dick Myren made an additional contribution noting that Jim Schmidt, another retired CPA, was also wearing shorts at the meeting, but Ray Smith (another CPA) is not yet retired so cannot yet wear shorts to club meetings.
Polly Cady echoed what she had heard from Dan and John - it was a wonderful District Conference, with at least fifteen members of Mesa West in attendance.
Allan Cady contributed sad dollars. He spoke of his neighbor Virginia, who many club members have met. Until recently, Allan had been her #1 man friend. Then, Allan introduced Ed Koeneman to Virginia to help her with a woodworking project. Now Allan has been reduced to #2.
Jeanie Morgan was very happy about all the contributions made by Mesa West members to the TRVFA silent auction, which will net over $2,500 when all funds are collected. She was also happy about the positive attention received by TRVFA at the conference.
Ted Williams announced that out of his vast array of grandchildren, three are graduating this year. One of them was adopted when he was 7 months old after being orphaned in Ethiopia. He just learned that he will serve a year in Ethiopia serving on his LDS mission. He hopes to connect with family and learn more about his roots while there.
John Pennypacker contributed $100 to the sponsorship campaign to be used for the Crutches For Africa mission that Dan and Colleen will be participating in this summer. Also participating is last year's Westwood HS Interact President, Huda Muhammed. Huda left Kenya as a young child refugee while in elementary school. John is glad to contribute to the mission and hopes others might be inspired to do the same.
Ed Koeneman contributed thanking Allan for his introduction to Virginia.
Auction of Fused Glass Art to go to Jack Rosenberg's Team in the Sponsorship Campaign
Maroon and God vase purchased by Colleen Coons.
Deep red platter with heart-shaped impression purchased by Jim Erickson.
Colorful platter purchased by Joan Reimann.
Announcements
Dan Coons announced that the District continued a new tradition started at a recognition event held in July, 2021 of recognizing Past District Governors who contribute to make strong contributions to the success of Rotary in our District and Zone by inducting them into the Ring of Honor. At the July event, Jeanie Morgan was honored along with George Wheeler and Art Harrington. At the District Conference, Lucinda General was recognized along with Barb Feder. Dan noted that of the five Ring of Honor recipients named to date, 40% are from Mesa West.
Allan Cady said that his most recent numbers show that to date $41,175 has been donated in our 2021-22 Mesa West Rotary Sponsorship Campaign, or about 3/4 of the way to achieving our $60,000 goal. To date, it appears 37 members have either contributed or solicited a contribution - only about 62% of our members. Several very nice donations have recently been received. He hopes that those who have not yet contributed or solicited a donation will be getting in action soon and help us get us the rest of the way to achieving our fundraising goal.
Program - Joe Genovese - Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Shelley Romine introduced our speaker - Joe Genovese. Joe is a long-time community volunteer who currently serves as the Phoenix Chapter President of Sleep in Heavenly Peace - a non-profit committed to helping children in need. SHP provides bunk beds or single twin-sized beds for children who are currently sleeping on floors, couches or with other family members. Since the Phoenix chapter was founded in the fall of 2018, they have guilt and delivered beds to 2,000 children. While building and delivering beds for children is their principal focus, so is building a stron sense of community with volunteers, sponsors of bed builds, and donors.
Joe is also president and founder of the non-profit 4Wheels4Good, an entity that raises money for childrens' cuases. 4W4G is celebrating its 10th year with the Beepin'Bettle 'n Bus Christmas Parade for Kids where hundreds of underprivileged kids are provided with toys, beds and a meal prior to Christmas.
Regarding his work with Habitat for Humanity over the last 30 years, Joe served as a construction volunteer in the House Leader role until 2020. He as served on the Board of Directors for the last 8 years and on the Executive Committee for the last 2 years.
Joe is also a volunteer at Neighborhood Ministries' Woodshop where hundreds of children are taught woodworking skills and other crafts.
Joe is a retired business professional with a background in sales, marketing and restaurant franchising. He and his wife Donna reside in Scottsdale. They have two married daughters, also in Scottsdale and four grandchildren.
Joe's favorite quote is from Michaelangelo: "The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it's too low and we reach it."
Joe explained that Sleep in Heavenly Peace was founded in 2012 in Twin Falls Idaho. It was inspired by a situation known to a church when a family had split and the parent with the children needed to find a new home and had nothing - including no beds for the children. A year later, chapters had already formed in Boise, Seattle and Portland, Today there are 300 chapters.
Joe is grateful to Mesa West Rotary and the sponsor, VIP Mortgage, for the bed build planned for Saturday, May 21. The VIP Mortgage sponsorship will cover the cost of materials, mattresses, and stuffed animals. Mesa West member Andrea Murphy who is a paralegal working in downtown Phoenix has been instrumental in making connections of like-minded, service-oriented people. Shelly Romine helped earlier in the year with a bed build event at the Lutheran Church in Mesa where the bedding packages Mesa West assembled in April were stored. When the beds are delivered, the delivery teams assemble the beds, and make the beds. 95% of the applicants are women. Unique to our bedding packages were the encouraging messages that had been prepared for the children receiving the bedding.
As the grandson of Italian immigrants, Joe never imagined that he would find himself spending time on the Navajo Nation. He was reminded of a passage in Proverbs where we can plan but should also listen so the Lord's purpose will prevail. A church in Glendale wanted was led to deliver beds on the Navajo reservation, and Joe participated. It was an eye-opening experience from seeing amazing beauty and harsh poverty in the same location. of the 400,000 Navajo living in the United States, half live in the Navajo Nation - over 27,000 square miles where normal methods of water delivery do not work. Water, mail and gas are obtained at central locations and hauled to the residences. What he saw will be forever in his mind. "For all that we strive to change, what we change most is us."
Technology was not working during the meeting. Some links to videos Joe had hoped to share during his presentation are listed here:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Community Service
International Service
Vocational Service
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.
Club Information
Welcome to our Rotary Club of Mesa West!
THE ACE OF CLUBS
Thursdays at 12:00 PM
Via Zoom or in-person
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3748672091
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.
The first Service project of the first Rotary Club was the installation of public toilets in Chicago in l917. This project made Rotary the World's First Service Club.
Ed Koeneman contributed some sad and happy bucks. He was happy his mom was going to take him to the toy store to pick out his own gift - actually a store selling woodworking tools. He was happy his wife Debbie and daughter Suzie were enjoying a vacation in Italy, but sad they had left him in charge of caring for their chickens and the chickens were not doing well... He was happy FanFusion will take place May 28, and PDG Sherry Mischel plans to attend with them. He was also happy it is now only 583 days until the next Star Wars movie will be released.
Erwin Reimann was happy to announce that he and Joan had followed the advice received when they were both recently recognized for their Paul Harris giving to The Rotary Foundation. They contacted Rotary International and combined their giving accounts. Just hours before the meeting, they received their Major Donor crystal, recognition pin and necklace.
Shelley Romine introduced our speaker - Joe Genovese. Joe is a long-time community volunteer who currently serves as the Phoenix Chapter President of Sleep in Heavenly Peace - a non-profit committed to helping children in need. SHP provides bunk beds or single twin-sized beds for children who are currently sleeping on floors, couches or with other family members. Since the Phoenix chapter was founded in the fall of 2018, they have guilt and delivered beds to 2,000 children. While building and delivering beds for children is their principal focus, so is building a stron sense of community with volunteers, sponsors of bed builds, and donors.
Joe is also a volunteer at Neighborhood Ministries' Woodshop where hundreds of children are taught woodworking skills and other crafts.
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:
