Rotary Club of Marana Meeting; May 18, 2021
Club Business:
- Speaker next week Director of Alzheimer Research at Banner
- District Conference will be held June 4th and 5th remotely. All encouraged to attend. Registration on the D5500 website.
- Virtual Poker Tournament upcoming on June 11.
- Installation of Incoming Officers will be held at 6:00 pm on Saturday, June 26th, at John’s home. PDG Ellie Patterson will be Installing PE Randy.
- Denise has been in contact with the Tour de Tucson organizers regarding aide stations. They are yet to be determined; Denise will be notified as soon as they are set.
- First Hybrid Meeting on the 1st of June will be held at the Northwest Fire Department Training Facility. Randy has sent us directions.
Happy Bucks:
- Bob joined us from outside a hospital in Virginia where he is waiting for his young friend to finish a chemo treatment. He is grateful that he was in position to open his heart to this young man in a dire situation.
- Lynne is happy tax season is over and is taking week off.
- Andy grateful for his beautiful view from his office window, looking directly Bryce Canyon.
- Dan is in graduation season; all is going well. Dan’s pleased that different parts of his his kitchen remodel are starting to come together.
- Becky, “50 years ago husband bought me a new car. Last week he bought me my second.” Becky loves her new car and is in awe of new safety technologies.
- Mary’s daughter had Sweet 16th Birthday. Both she and he tomatoes are thriving.
- Peter had a nice time while working in Georgia. He’s very much enjoying the opening that is unfolding.
- Laura has had favorable outcome for two clients regarding Covid-related death benefits.
- Randy in a peaceful, happy space
- Joyce happy looking down from her office window at tree in full bloom with tiny white petals like snow.
Program:
Randy attended the monthly Peacebuilder Meeting for us, being a dedicated Peacebuilder Club. He was so touched by the meeting that he shared with us some of the lessons he took from the speaker, Jerry Leggit.
- We are all part of whole. We can be greater the more we can be curious and embrace each other.
- We must take ownership of our own institutional and personal racism. What is our own racism? Our own bigotry?
- Empathy is the beginning of peace
- Service Above Self is Service to our Selves
- You can’t be peaceful if you’re hungry.
- Most racism and bigotry is based in fear.
- What does a peaceful world look like? It is not something you will see externally until you find peace in your heart in you.
- If you’re truly interested in peace, you have to be willing to take a chance.
- Be as proficient at peace as soldiers are at war.
Randy recalled a personal experience that resonated while he listened to Jerry speak about peace. As a corpsman in the Vietnam war, he, along with another corpsman and two soldiers, would provide Medcaps. Medcaps were medical clinics set up in remote villages to treat local villagers. Randy recalled a feeling of complete peace, fulfillment, and love when working in the villages, fully aware that some of those he was treating were viet-cong. His heart was more open than it had ever been up to that point in his life. In retrospect, Randy identifies these moments as the moments he “became a Rotarian.”
Many thanks to Randy for sharing Jerry’s inspiring lessons and his own inspiring experience.
Submitted by Mary Straus,