Rotary Club of Marana
Meeting Minutes 0700-0800 10/06/2020
Submitted by Randy Brooks
Attending: John Dooling, Randy B., Harold, Richie, Mary, Dan, Peter, Bob B., Beckie, Dave H, Don, Laura, Carl and our guest Andy Swarthout.
Meeting Opened by John Dooling asking Richie Benner to lead us in the Pledge.
The club, especially Harold and John thanked Mary in her efforts of taking and submitting minutes for the club.
We have not found the young person requesting to be an exchange student and so that will be on hold for a while.
Air purifiers discussed by Richie. He has purchased the machines and is in the process of creating stickers to place on the machines. Not really any opportunity for the club to attend a ceremony for the giving of the gift. These air purifiers are for the disabled class rooms at MUSD and we are all proud of the decision to make them a reality in order to assist these young people.
A general discussion ensued regarding the need for us, as a club, to do better with advertising ourselves and letting our community know the good works we provide.
Peace Poles: Dove Mountain has also decided to provide Peace Poles for the Marana Area. They will have one or more at a park near Dove Mountain area and ours will be at the library on Silverbell and Cortaro and hopefully at the Veteran’s Cemetery in Marana. Mary suggested we have a half day seminar when the pole are erected. Peter will be checking with the VA regarding the pole at the cemetery.
Happy Bucks: Beckie, hoping to cool off this week, Dan Contorno was happy he found cool weather and a serene environment at Reservation Lake. Observed Elk, brown trout (he missed catching them), cows and bulls. Richie has been golfing and had a good front 9 and refused to discuss the back 9. Laura, has been bingeing on ”Schitt’s Creek” episodes. David H. had a family weekend, Andrew is loving his home Utah, Don said his grandson registered to vote yesterday he also mentioned he is going to New York for his grandson’s first birthday. Don’t worry Don, none of us will rat you out. Peter was traveling for three weeks in Washington, DC, missed the heat and had difficulty obtaining food. He has not been feeling well and is sleeping 13 hours a day. Get better soon, Peter. Not sure what my notes are saying for Bob. I had written “annual checkup. Battery dead.” Go back and get it charged, Bob, Geez. Harold had a medical review as well. Mary had a little break from her daughter while Lilly visited her father. Mary also enjoyed a robust game of “Cards against Humanity.” Randy is heading up to Las Vegas to visit with his son and friend Bert. Carl is hoping the weather improves. Our fearless leader, John, “went up north” for Turkey hunting and was skunked. He slept on the ground, and it felt great, that is until he realized it took several hours to stand in the morning.
PRESENTATION – Mary Straus
She gave us an update on the global grant we are providing to Malam Petel, Cameroon, Africa. Mary and Randy traveled to Cameroon to provide a community assessment for the project. Our project, again, located in Malam Petel is in the extreme north of the country. The project is to provide Economic Development, Women’s empowerment as well as food, latrines, school supplies, millet bank (like a food bank), tailoring and embroidering, and cattle for nutrition (milk and eventually meat). Also a large portion of this project is a grinding mill, water well and a garden. We hope these efforts will provide income for several of the villagers’, food for children, better hygiene. Those engaged in the project include the Women ’s council, village government of the village, Bouba (Chief), The Rotary Club of Malam Petel and the Rotary Club of Marana. Don’t forget clubs in Tucson that signed on to help.
In spite of Covid in the village, the cattle have been purchased, two latrines completed, nut and millet grinders purchased, solar well and irrigation completed for the garden, fruit trees planted and gardening tools purchased. Fencing has been put in place.
Mary wanted to thank the Rotary Club of Marana for the support, and Randy for his help. We want to thank Mary, Randy, Don, Bob and the club for all the assistance of money and time. Phil Silvers, PRID helped with measuring success monitors and we all discussed pride in the club and made a few jokes about the assessment trip and Boko Haram.