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.
Mesa West Rotary Joined Forces with Gilbert Rotary Club for our Rotary Week of Service Project.
Several Mesa West Rotarians along with several family members along with members of the Gilbert Rotary Club gathered the morning of Saturday, April 17, in one of the halls at the Church of the Master Presbyterian Church on east University in Mesa. The assembled group stuffed 900 shower kits as well as a similar number of helping hands kits.
The work was finished in about half the time anticipated for the joint Rotary Week of Service project.
Several Rotarians met at Paz de Cristo to deliver the shower kits to be used by the homeless who are served at their facility which is located on West Broadway in Mesa.
Each club took some of the Helping Hands Kits to be given to members of their clubs to distribute when they encounter homeless individuals.
This week in Arizona, Rotary is more visible because of all the publicity surrounding Rotary Week of Service. If you have not yet visited the website, you are urged to CLICK HERE and look at the many other Rotary projects going on this week.
President Dan Coons opened the meeting by introducing himself and reciting the 2020-21 Rotary International theme - Rotary Opens Opportunities. He then 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
Chris Krueger was called on to lead the invocation, as was Warren Williamson to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Ray Smith led Rotarians and members in singing God Bless America. President Dan thanked each of them as well as Shelly Romine who served as official greeter for the meeting.
Introduction of Guests
Wendell Jones introduced his cousin, Spencer Jones.
Ray Smith introduced Jeane Crouse, former member of Mesa Baseline Rotary Club.
Penny May and Tom Yuzer were introduced as visiting Rotarians.
Assistant Governor Lee Holmes was introduced.
Lynsey Wright who would later be presenting the program was welcomed to the Zoom portion of our hybrid meeting.
Rotary Minute - John Pennypacker - What's In It for Me?
"Do you ever wonder why you joined Rotary? Or why you stay?
"Do you ever question what's in it for me? Are you looking for the what's in it for me? These are very natural thoughts.
"I had an interesting discussion with a dear friend recently, and he said sometimes you have to be in Rotary for a while before you understand the 'What's in it for me?' That day will come and that is all good.
"However, I took a different slant and said one must be in Rotary long enough to understand what it is that really needs to be done, try to figure out how to do it, and at the same time never even once think about 'What's in it for me.'
"That is when you become a Rotarian!"
Raffle - Chuck Flint
Chuck briefly explained the raffle. The growing "big winnings" were up to $1337. The weekly winner would win $35 and a chance to draw the Ace of Clubs. Spencer Jones was asked to draw the winning ticket which was held by Jeanie Morgan. Her luck stopped there, after the cards were reshuffled for her by John Pennypacker, she drew the three of spades.
Announcements
Members were reminded to support Polio Plus in an effort to retain the district Polio Plus Champions travelling trophy.
Shelly Romine said volunteers acheduled to work at the Paz de Cristo shower-kit stuffing event Saturday April 17 might be recipients of Rotary Week of Service t-shirts. A limited supply was being made available to clubs with service projects and an effort was underway to get some of them.
Jeanie Morgan announced that Lauren Lucas from American Furniture Warehouse, a sponsor shown on the back of the week of service t-shirts, is working on getting funds donated from her company to support vocational education grants through The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona (TRVFA).
Don LaBarge announced that he and Tim Troy would be working on getting an e-mail out to members asking for ideas for a project in the $4,000 price range for which they could apply for a District Grant for the 2021-22 Rotary Year. The grant would provide roughly half of the funding with our Mesa West Rotary Foundation to cover the balance. The grant application deadline is June 30, 2021.
Dan Coons announced that memorial bricks would be placed in Scottsdale's Rotary Park in memory of Rotarians who passed away this Rotary year. He will be sending the information to have a brick placed in memory of Carolyn Jones.
Happy Bucks - Greg Okonowski
Ron Thompson contributed a small amount for arriving late, and a larger amount because he was proud to boast that his wife, Antoinette Farmer-Thompson had been recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the 2021 Outstanding Women in Business. Toni has created a community development fund which has received a grant of $300,000.
Don LaBarge said that his business has been so busy that everybody has been stressed. His parts man had a heart attack at work. Not realizing the symptoms were as serious as they were, he first went to see his doctor, who sent him to the ER, and was then sent to St. Joseph's hospital. He will be out at least three weeks. He as some other employees who are also missing work because of the stress.
Penny May announced that she would be flying home to Alaska on April 21 and planned to be back in Mesa in September. She might live to regret announcing that if any Mesa West Rotarians decided to fly to Alaska (the only way to get there these days) she would be glad to let them stay at her home, saying she has plenty of room for overnight guests.
Spencer Jones contributed. He was happy that his brother who had COVID is now recovered sufficiently to move from accute rehab to assisted living.
Jeane Crouse contributed happy dollars having prevailed in an 18-month battle with the IRS.
Chris Krueger was happy to be at the meeting
Shelly Romine was also happy to be at the meeting
Juli Kelly pledged $20 - she was happy to have had fun watching her son scrimmage last weekend at University of Arizona.
Ed Koeneman pledged $10, saying it's been a long semester.
Geoff White pledged $10, saying he was happy to see everyone.
Jim Schmidt contributed saying it was the best April 15 he could remember.
Program - Lynsey Wright - FBI Community Outreach
Lola McClane introduced Lynsey Wright who has served as the Community Outreach Specialist of the Phoenix Field Office since December 2020.
Ms. Wright started her career with the FBI in July 2019. She was first assigned to the Criminal Justice Information Services Division, of the Clarksburg Headquarters Office, in West Virginia. Ms. Wright worked as a Threat Intake Examiner in the National Threat Operations Center (NTOC), and additionally worked in the Operations Command Center for NTOC.
Prior to joining the FBI, Ms. Wright led group counseling and managed case work, for at-risk youth, at a drug/behavioral treatment facility. She has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement and a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, from Fairmont State University, as well as a master’s degree in Criminal Justice, from University of Cincinnati.
For questions about community outreach, or to request speakers, please email px_outreach@fbi.gov.
During her presentation, Ms. Wright shared slides containing very interesting maps and details about the FBI. A few of the things she mentioned are detailed in this wrap-up of her presentation.
The Mission of the FBI is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. Their priorities are to protect the US from
Terrorist attack
Foreign intelligence, espionage, and cyber operations
Combat significant cyber criminal activity
Combat public corruption at all levels
Protect civil rights
Combat transnational criminal enterprise
Combat significant white-collar crime
Combat significant violent crime
As a result of their vast technical resources, they are able to provide many resources for local law enforcement.
When Lynsey worked at the threat intake office, they would receive thousands of tips daily via phone and internet. The office was staffed and busy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can report a perceived threat by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or reaching out to the local field office at https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/phoenix.
Among their many lab services are fingerprint, DNA, and investigation of bomb fragments.
A less well-known service is their Victim Service resource. They have crisis response dogs, giving FBI labs an entire new look. They are able to provide appropriate assistance for victims of crimes.
They have many critical incident response resources including SWAT, Hostage Rescue Teams, etc.
The Community Outreach office exists to build relationships. Through multicultural engagement, they hope to learn how to better serve and protect our many diverse communities.
Lynsey spoke about the FBI Citizens Academy - a 6-8-week program that gives business, religious, civic, and community leaders an inside look at the FBI. They meet in the evening at the local field office. Candidates are nominated by FBI employees, former academy graduates and community leaders. The special agent in charge of the local FBI field office makes the final class selections from those nominated. All nominees must be 21 or older, with no felonies and live or work in the jurisdiction. Participants must also pass a background check.
Each year since 1990, individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to education and crime and violence-prevention in their communities have been nominated by local field offices and invited to a ceremony and reception at FBI headquarters.
In addition to the FBI Citizens Academy, there is an FBI Teen Academy. This year, it will operate virtually with some in-person experience from June 17 to July 8. The local field office is currently accepting applications. The application says there is an April 14 deadline, but applications will be accepted until May 14.
They have an adopt-a-school program targeting at-risk students. Lynsey spoke about an FBI program targeting 3rd - 8th graders where they teach safe online surfing among many other things. CLICK HERE to visit that site.
Lynsey suggested parents be urged to download the FBI Child ID app for iPhones and Androids.
If you will be serving on the Mesa West Rotary Board of Directors next year, or you are simply interested in learning about the responsibilities of various roles in Rotary, attendance at any of the sessions offered at the Club Leadership Academy Part 1 on May 1 is open to all Rotarians.
The training will all be via Zoom and links to the following sessions are available on the District website or by following this link: https://rotary5495.org/page/cla-home.
Options at 9:00 AM are:
Secretary Basics
The Rotary Foundation
Rotary Youth Services
Options at 10:45 AM are:
Treasurer Basics
Membership
Club Brand and Public Image
Mark your calendar for September 25, 9:00 AM - Noon, when CLA Part 2 is scheduled. Club leaders, newly engaged Rotarians and even seasoned members will come away with a wealth of ideas and practical strategies to strengthen their club. The Academy will offer many classes from which to choose on virtually every aspect of Rotary including service, fundraising, leadership, branding, membership, youth programming and much, much more.
Join with Rotary to promote the power of vaccines.
During World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, join with Rotary to combat vaccine hesitancy and misinformation by spreading the facts about why #VaccinesWork.
With decades of experience fighting polio, Rotary plays a key role in informing people about the power and effectiveness of vaccines. As COVID-19 vaccines become more available, Rotary members are using our experience in fighting polio to help communities with their vaccination education and organization efforts. And today, because we and our partners have worked so hard, wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. But to eradicate it there and to prevent a resurgence in other parts of the world, we must continue to build trust in vaccines and raise funds for polio eradication, including vaccine delivery.
This year, you can take action for World Immunization Week in three easy ways:
Download and share our new two-minute video, “Rotary Inspires Leaders in Global Health,” and show it to your clubs. In it, global health leaders like U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Bill Gates, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore, and World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus talk about what Rotary has achieved in the fight to end polio.
Post graphics and other content from Rotary’s World Immunization Week Toolkit on social media with the hashtags #EndPolio and #VaccinesWork.
Donate to Rotary’s PolioPlus Fund to help us and our partners deliver polio vaccines to vulnerable children. Your contribution will be tripled, thanks to the Gates Foundation.
Last year Mesa West Rotary qualified to be the first club named on the travelling trophy to be awarded each year to the club in District 5495 providing the highest level of support for the End Polio Now program of The Rotary Foundation (TRF). As of April 1, we were in third place in District 5495.
What many may not know - because we get so much information that we fail to absorb much of it - is that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match donations to End Polio Now with $2 for every $1 donated.
You can CLICK HERE to donate online through your "My Rotary" account. If you are intimidated by that, you can EMAIL JEANIE to ask her to invoice you now for a donation. Once the payment for your invoice is deposited, she will transfer the donation to RI in your name.
Foundation Chairman Chuck Flint has offered to use some of his accumulated recognition points to increase Mesa West support of The Rotary Foundation. For the foreseeable future, he will match donations, in $100 increments two for one. If you donate $100, he will transfer $200 in recognition points to your account. Whether you are striving to receive your first Paul Harris Fellow or striving to reach the next level, this is a great way to move that achievement closer.
You can donate through your "My Rotary" account on the RI website.
Rotary Direct is the best way to establish a habit of regularly supporting the Rotary Foundation with minimal effort. CLICK HERE to learn more about Rotary Direct. CLICK HERE to download a form to sign up for Rotary Direct.
If you have questions about Chuck's offer - CLICK HERE to send him an email.
You might want to CLICK HERE to read the rest of the story. The Arizona Department of Revenue has announced that 2020 tax credit donations can be made through May 17.
Requests for vocational education grants from TRVFA are higher than ever experienced in the past. Fundraising is also growing, but not quite at the same rapid pace. Your help is needed.
Support of TRVFA is not limited to Rotarians. Tell you friends, family, and associates about this tax credit donation opportunity.
Donations to TRVFA will literally change someone's life forever. CLICK HERE to go directly to the on-line donation page for The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona.
If you've already made your 2020 tax credit donation, it's not too early to start accruing for 2021.
Mesa West Rotary Joined Forces with Gilbert Rotary Club for our Rotary Week of Service Project.
President Dan Coons opened the meeting by introducing himself and reciting the 2020-21 Rotary International theme - Rotary Opens Opportunities. He then recited the Rotary Vision Statement:
If you will be serving on the Mesa West Rotary Board of Directors next year, or you are simply interested in learning about the responsibilities of various roles in Rotary, attendance at any of the sessions offered at the Club Leadership Academy Part 1 on May 1 is open to all Rotarians. 
Join with Rotary to promote the power of vaccines. 
Last year Mesa West Rotary qualified to be the first club named on the travelling trophy to be awarded each year to the club in District 5495 providing the highest level of support for the End Polio Now program of The Rotary Foundation (TRF). As of April 1, we were in third place in District 5495.
Foundation Chairman Chuck Flint has offered to use some of his accumulated recognition points to increase Mesa West support of The Rotary Foundation. For the foreseeable future, he will match donations, in $100 increments two for one. If you donate $100, he will transfer $200 in recognition points to your account. Whether you are striving to receive your first Paul Harris Fellow or striving to reach the next level, this is a great way to move that achievement closer.
