Rotary Meeting March 15, 2022

 

Randy started saying it felt good to be back in person.

Randy presented Harold with a Paul Harris Fellowship +3 Award, meaning that Harold had contributed $4,000 to Rotary.  When matches are considered, this amounts to $16,000 in total donations!    Harold has been in our club since 1990 doing good deeds.  Everyone joined in a hearty round of applause.  Way to go, Harold!

Mary introduced our guest, Carol Buuck, who will be our newest member shortly.  Mary also announced that a new grant opportunity will soon be appearing for a South Africa water project.  Randy wants to bring this up at the next board meeting, and that it will fall under Laura’s presidency.

Denise presented a $500 donation to the club from her business.  The check is the result of her meeting special goals (“super-goals”) set by the company who chose to make the donation to our club

Don reminded the club that RLI was beginning its on-line course this coming Saturday

Randy was happy to have seen his great granddaughter, 3 yrs old, in Las Vegas while visiting with his son

Harold was happy to have had breakfast last week with John Z who is leaving for Canada for a few months.  Harold was also fighting with over 10,000 slides from his world-wide travels in the 60’s and 70’s; the slides got spilled and were all mixed up!

John happily reported that he turned 73 yesterday

Carol attended the recent book fair on campus and reported delight in hearing authors’ lectures

Mary and Cathy said that Felicia’s Farms was advancing well.  Cathy will be in Rocky Point for a long weekend

Don will be heading again to New York this Thursday where he will visit family

Laura was delighted that the UA women’s (and men’s) basketball teams were so highly ranked ahead of the infamous March Madness tournament

Peter regretted that he had to miss the past several meetings due to travel schedules

Cindy was happy to have had a fantastic time with kids at the UA Festival of Books

Randy was looking forward to attending his first women’s basketball game

Beckie reminded all of the Poker Night fund raising event for the Dove Mtn club.  She also reminded all of the upcoming social meeting at the 390^th Air Museum on March 26.

Don mentioned that the District has donated a total of $12,000 to Shelter Box and that ours and Dove Mtn were the first two clubs to raise the awareness.

 Needing no introduction, Peter Mack spoke of his fascinating career trajectory in astronomy and telescope  construction, repair and restoration; beginning at a young age with a pair of binoculars and evolving into involvement with some the most sophisticated telescope projects world-wide.   His education in England was followed by a stint teaching at Oklahoma, of all places, followed by a several year period at Kitt Peak.  Peter broke from academia and research to form his own, independent telescope restoration and maintenance company which he remains very involved in to this very day.   

Peter’s story is truly unique and the club is most fortunate to have his support and membership.  Everyone hopes to soon hear about his involvement in the JWST space telescope project!