Rained out Marana Holiday Lights and Festival event fails to dampen Marana Rotary members' spirits.
Marana Rotary Club
December 6, 2022 weekly meeting
Laura called the hybrid meeting to order at 7:00 a.m. Laura started the meeting with a 10 inutes social time wherein everyone enjoyed some casual conversation.
Announcements:
Laura welcomed our guest Barbara Barr, assistant district 5500 governor. Laura thanked the Marana Holiday Lights and Festival setup crew for a gallant effort, thwarted by a rain cancellation. Peter returned the purchased cookies to Costco. The members agreed; we will try again next year.
Wreaths Across America, December 17, 10 a.m., at the Arizona Veterans' Cemetery - Marana. We purchased 50 wreaths, and we will be joining forces with the Dove Mountain and Oro Valley clubs (“the Northwestsiders”) to lay the wreaths. Afterward, we will join up for some social time at the Dove Mountain Brewery. Due to tight parking at the cemetery, Laura suggested that folks meet at the brewery beforehand and carpool to cemetery.
The Rotary clubs Region 6 March 2023 events agenda will be very busy. In addition to our Tour de Cookie on March 11, Dove Mountain's casino night and Oro Valley's Taste of Oro Valley, both in late March, 2023.
Two Marana Unified School District families have been selected for Christmas "adoption", thanks to Dan's connections at the district. Denise will head up the shopping assignment for gifts and food. All volunteers are welcome.
Cindy told the club of an upcoming black-tie fundraiser held by the Casa Grande clubs for Rotary Youth Exchange.
Randy mentioned that Rotary-area clubs are joining together for concerted effort to clean up the Rillito River March 4, 2023.
Beckie reminded that we need to establish responsibilities for the coming year for the Peace Garden maintenance and clean up
Randy reminded all to keep their calendars clear for the human trafficking symposium on April 8. There are three great speakers lined up and more to come.
The website is set up for Tour de Cookie, and we are searching for more corporate sponsors for the event; especially credit unions or banks.
Happy Bucks:
- Peter happily surprised his wife by painting their kitchen bright red, knowing the kitchen renovation would absolve him from blame. Peter will be flying to Santiago, Chile in a few hours to work at the observatory.
- Mark G was enjoying a busy few days with lots of meetings. Mark appreciated the warm welcome received at our dinner last week.
- Cathy sadly missed the dinner last week as she endured a week of fighting Covid.
- Bob was happily transitioning in Oklahoma on his annual pilgrimage from Tucson to Virginia.
- Randy was happy for lots of different things, including now being in the possession of many M&M’s and PB&J’s. Next week Randy will be in Las Vegas for his son’s fiftieth birthday and his grandson’s first birthday.
- Dan was happy.
- Don was celebrating a week full of birthdays and enjoyed a concert at the Fox Theatre.
- Carol apparently happily painted her kitchen red too.
- John reflected on his career at Allstate since November 8, 1985, and how he enjoyed his service in the insurance industry
- Beckie related stories of her granddaughter and adventures of her in her walker exploring cabinets.
- Harold appreciated the rain and was generally just happy.
- Barbara Barr expressed what a wonderful way to start her day by attending our meeting after a beautiful Tucson sunrise
- Denise lamented that she was not able to attend the dinner last week.
- Laura was happy that she knows she could trust the members to setup for the Festival of Lights and make the decision to cancel.
- Laura also told of a package she received which contained a surprise. Laura presented Harold with his Paul Harris recognition pin signifying that Harold had contributed between $5,000 and $5,999 cumulatively to Rotary projects.
RI President Video
Bob was thoughtful enough to share a powerful video of Jennifer Jones, President of RI, wherein she shared messages having to do with Rotary in the context of major world events, like the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Jennifer related her perspectives as a journalist beginning in Afghanistan regarding the struggle for peace and human rights. She spoke to Rotary’s goals of inclusion and diversity, citing the need to adapt, retool and engage members of Rotary. Jennifer referred to goals such as having 30 percent of its members being women (achieved) and the longer-term goal of reaching 50 percent. She spoke to the goal of raising Rotary’s presence in the world and creating two new clubs per each Governor’s term.
Laura thanked Bob for bringing this video to our meeting and asked Bob to distribute the link via email to our club members.
Bob asked that any ideas for future speakers be brought to his attention. Laura thanked Bob for the wonderful effort he has made in bringing such interesting topics for speakers to the club.
The meeting was promptly adjourned at 8 a.m.