Almost everyone was very well-behaved at today’s meeting. President Mary Straus had no sooner opened the meeting than we found ourselves singing a new song written by John Dooling! Our expansive list of talents is truly amazing, and so here are the lyrics to John’s song:
 
            Make Marana Rotary proud of you
            In everything you say and do
            Make Marana Rotary proud to say
That you’re a member and a leader in the USA
 
At Marana Rotary we all work
To help our fellow man
So now it’s up to you
To make Marana Rotary proud of you.
 
 
 
After we sang the song, John mentioned that perhaps the entire song-thing was just too corny.
Well, sir, we take exception to that.
There is no corn too tall for this group!
 
 
 
 
In other news, the effervescent Dan Contorno updated us on a very successful Poker tournament held last Friday night. There were 48 players and everyone had a great time. Mary updated us on the special needs playground that we’re helping build at Coyote Trail Elementary. It’s time to sign up to help build the tortoise habitat! Mary reminded us that the masonry apprentice program will be helping out as well.
 
We also received a very nice thank you card from RYLA student Danny Fuell!
 
 
Calendar Update: 
 
Sat Feb 6 2016
Dove Mountain Rotary is having a party! Mardi Gras 2016 will be at the Highlands Ballroom with music by the Tucson Jazz Institute. Tickets are $60, and the fun begins at 5:30pm.
 
Sat Feb 13 2016
Mary will host an event with former DG Sally Montagne, who is coordinating a global grant for the Children Peace Initiative in Africa. The old man (a.k.a. Randy) and his friend Bert from Las Vegas will be entertaining the crowd at this shindig.
 
Thurs-Sat Mar 3-5 2016
Presidents Elect Training Seminar (PETS) 2016
 
Sat Apr 9 2016
 
The first Tour de Cookie bike ride put together by Marana Rotary!
www.rotarytourdecookie.org
It’ll be time to start baking before you know it!
 
 
 
 
Breaking News:
 
Mary, Randy Brooks, and Don Jorgensen will be in Cuba celebrating Randy’s 70th birthday. We didn’t know that Randy was 70. Why, he doesn’t look a day past 69 ½.
 
 
 
Strange but True: Happy Bucks
Maeve Johnson gave her Happy Buck in honor of Randy’s birthday. She said that she was just happy that he was still alive at age 70. And Randy won the Raffle today! Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Jo Holt realized at the very last minute that she didn’t have a dollar to her name, so she bummed one off John Dooling. She might repay him for it. Or she may not, unless he relinquishes his recipe for squirrel gravy (see last week’s story). Yum.
 
Guest Speaker:
DVG/PDG Randy Brooks introduced our speaker, Kirk Reed, who is the chair of our District 5500 Centennial Celebration. Randy revealed that Kirk’s wife was Randy’s boss back in the day in Chicago. Kirk’s grandfather was a charter member of Rotary, and Kirk himself was a pastor in the United Methodist church for 37 years. Kirk shared his insights on how money can buy happiness, particularly when donated to the Centennial Campaign. Based on the book “Happy Money” by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Norton & Elizabeth Dunn, money can buy happiness when we use it to buy experiences rather than things, or when we use it to buy small pleasures or treats. And money can buy happiness when we invest in the well-being of others.  
Kirk encouraged all of us to put these principles into action, and to be extra happy this year by giving to the Rotary Foundation!