ROTARY CLUB OF MARANA
MEETING MINUTES 12-13-16
Submitted by Randy Brooks, Secretary
HOLIDAY PARTY ------ YEAH
EIGHTEEN of 19 members attended today …… great job.  THAT IS 97.4% OF OUR MEMBERS …. WOW.  GOOD WORK.
John Dooling led us in a rousing songfest we all seemed to know the words: Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.  Denise gave us a thought for the day which included the importance she feels being a part of our club.  “I’ve never been in an organization that cares so much … it is wonderful.” Them comment gave us pause to reflect on why we joined Rotary and our reasons for staying.  Or a moment to dose off … not sure which. Thanks John and Denise.
Dan states we have approval from Pima to start the Tour de Cookie at Rillito Park this year.  This means plenty of parking and interesting routes to take depending on the length of a ride the biker’s prefer.  Thank you Dan for your efforts and your committee for working so diligently on this project.
On behalf of The Rotary Foundation, Randy (chair of the club Rotary Foundation) presented,
 
President Mary Straus with a crystal trophy and a pin with two stones as a thank you from The Rotary Foundation. Randy described this as a selfless act of kindness by Mary who will never see the benefits of this contribution but nonetheless she will leave a legacy of generosity.  She directed her funds to the Annual Programs Fund at The Rotary Foundation.  Mary reluctantly accepted the recognition.  The club gave her a standing ovation for this act of kindness.
 
OK, its official, the club voted on a slate of officers going into the future: President 2017-18; Jo Holt, President Elect 2018-19; Tony Hunter; President Elect Nominee 2019-20; Eric Miller. Lynne Himmer will continue to be the club Treasurer, and Denise West will be Secretary effective July 1, 2017.
Immediate Past President on the Board will be Mary Straus. At large members of the Board will be Harold Burtzloff, and Eric (President Nominee is not actually board position so Eric will serve as the second at large member).
This is actually our Christmas/Holiday Meeting and Annual Meeting.  So business is done let’s PARTY.
Mary directed each of us to mention some event of action we were involved in that brought us joy this year.  Each person shared a personal story or reflection. She added that we should all mention something that people in the group would likely not know about us.  If I missed anyone please accept my apologies in advance.  Here we go:
Denise: She is happy to be a member of this club.  She was a gifted swimmer at the YMCA or YWCA, not sure which, where was able to beat her nemesis in a meet even though she bonked her head at the turn around.  She smiled brightly when recounting this memory.  No one mentioned she repeated the story several times.  There may have been minimal traumatic brain injury but no one mentioned her redundancy because, after all, it is the holiday season.
Dan C.: He is happy that the school district has wonderful student athletes. At the AZ State football finals one of the boys from Marana High School was knocked unconscious and both teams, though tearful and afraid for this boy lined up and kneeled together and prayed for him.  What a grand gesture by everyone, including the opposing team. Dan discussed how he began college with the hopes of being a nuclear scientist.  He lasted two semesters before dropping out (he went back later). Those troublesome science classes got to me as well, Dan.  I hate the expectation that you memorize stuff.  It’s easier to be a CFO or a therapist. 
John Z.: John is happy that he has a great family, his health is good.  He also shared him has had surgery on his finger ….. After he tried to cut it off last month.  The surgery was a success so he may try again. He did share that he is hard of hearing and that annoys him.  He wondered what people are really saying about him (just kidding).
Jo H.: Jo discussed how she was grateful for this past year being head of her political party in Pima County…… many of us were confused about this.  But Jo graciously accepted her party’s loss. As a child Jo rode a horse in a swamp and bough.  Her parents did not see this as clever.  She did not report any injuries. Dan …… she became a scientist. What happened to us?
Mary S: She treasures her nieces. One is very logical and the other a creative free spirit.  She loves them both. Her memory is that when her father died she and her mother were carrying his ashes to a spot for internment. Mom tripped and his ashes were spilled into a rock pond.  They bother laughed hysterically at this sobering event.  Any you didn’t think Mary has a sense of humor.
Xavier: Adores his children and is amazed how quickly they are growing. According to my notes. Xavier, is not much into open disclosure.
Maeve: She was happy and tickled that Randy twisted her arm to join the RC of Marana.  She feels that she found a second home filled with “dysfunctional” and loveable people.  Just like most families. Maeve’s family had a cat named Rama ……. Rama became lost once and luckily a neighbor found it. 
Eric: 2016 was a good year for him, in business and personal life and he is grateful.  Did you know that Eric was a two pack a day cigarette smoker up until several years ago?  He quit cold turkey.  Where does that saying come from…..? Cold turkey? He constantly wheezes but we pretend not to notice. Now he rides bikes and is a genuine athlete
John D.: John is always happy with his family and the support he finds among them. He shared that he found an old report card from his childhood.  His teachers in elementary school (a bunch of them) marked him consistently through the years as having “does not meet standards” attitude.  Come on, John joke around.  Who would think that?
David: He is very happy for his family.  They love him very much ….. Even though he suffered some brain damage from being struck by lightning on top of a mountain in Idaho during a storm.  He has not returned to Idaho …. Actually he does not remember what or where Idaho is and the facial twitch has improved markedly.
Jane: She’s very happy that she has a grandchild and who enjoys spending time with her.  She said the club did not know that she reads a book a week.  There was no embarrassment that she points at the words and mouths them as she reads.
Lynne: Had a great time teaching her niece to cook a turkey.  It was a nice moment for her family.  She went on to tell a story about how two young girls were pulling the dressing out of a cooked turkey and a Cornish game hen was in the cavity of the bird.  They were quite upset that the turkey was pregnant.  These girls would have fit nicely in the peer group of Dan C and me. Lynne went on to tell us that she loves to play craps. She is our club treasurer and my personal accountant. OMG
Mark: Mark was proud that he has been able to be a father figure to a 14 year old girl and was in need of an adult to help her this past year.  Then, oddly, he went on to say that he was at Mount Rushmore walking around on George Washington’s head. No, Mark, none of us would have thought you did that.  Actually he was not sure which president’s head was walking around on, he did not look over the edge to see. OK … so you don’t think he is a crook he was actually doing his duty as a police officer.
Randy: Discussed how he is happy being a member of such an awesome club and that his health is improved this year enough to ride in the El Tour Ride to End Polio.  He then went on to say he was recruited to sing in the Marine Corps Choir at Camp Pendleton, California back in the day.  He sang a solo and the piano player seemed to develop a crush on him.  Randy hid out at the barracks for several days to avoid this guy. Awkward!
Harold: Harold stated he is grateful that he now has 50 years of being an aircraft pilot. Rare among those that fly.  Harold is known to fly around Marana asking to no one in particular “where’s the Red Baron, where’s the Red Baron.” He also bets you did not know that he won the Tractor Driving contest four times at the State Fair in High School.  Those folks from the Midwest are just party animals.
Peter: He is happy to be home and conversely to travel.  Loves spending time with his seven dogs.  Someone asked the breeds and he simply looked confused for a moment and said …. “I don’t know.” Peter spoke of his uncle that had tremors in his hands all the time and drank large quantities of rum.   He went on to say how he learned that his uncle was aboard two different naval vessels that were sunk in WWII and few survived.  Thank would make me shake and drink rum as well. We should thank him for his service.  
Don J.: Don is happy for his family and the opportunity recently to visit his daughter whom is in a training in Virginia over the Thanksgiving holiday.  He was able to tour historical sites on the East Coast and enjoyed every second.  Many of us know Don was the party chair of the Pima County Democrats a few years ago.  He shared that he has voted not for one, but two republicans in his life.  It’s OK, Don. Breath into the bag the anxiety and shame will lessen. He also stated that Ronald Regan sighed his HS diploma. My principal signed mine. 
Tony H.: Tony is happy that his fiancé say “yes.” None of us seem to understand why but were happy for you Mr. President Elect (in July). He also said that he actually scored, wrote and submitted an opera when he was in college.  He was a language (English) major and the music department did not support his opera.  We could TP their houses if you like Tony. 
If I missed any of you sorry the stories were coming fast and furious.   If I misrepresented any comments made …. Perfect. Hope you had fun reading them.
The club voted to not go dark this year during the holidays ….. See you all next week. 
Meeting adjourned with the Four Way Test.