A groundbreaking Collaboration that unites the juvenile assessment and violence prevention roles of law enforcement officers with the educational skills and mentoring roles of teaching musicians.
Students choose between guitar and violin, and commit to lessons three times each week, totaling nearly five hours of weekly music education and life skills training. Participating students are in a safe space, immersed in music education, and exploring new ways to interact with each other.
The program is evidence-based, tracking data to measure in-program and out-of-program student behavior, attendance and academic achievement.
Biography: Mickey Petersen serves as a Tucson Police Department Assistant Chief of Police, overseeing the Special Services and Innovation Bureau. Assistant Chief Petersen hails from Tucson and joined the department in 1996 as a Community Service Officer. After becoming a patrol officer, he has served in a variety of assignments and positions, including academy staff, Field Response Unit officer, detective, Office of Professional Standards sergeant, and lieutenant. In January of 2022, he was assigned as the division commander in Operations Division South until his promotion to Assistant Chief in August of 2024.
Assistant Chief Petersen served in the United States Marine Corps on active duty and the United States Navy Reserve. Assistant Chief Petersen earned a degree in Emergency Management at the American Military University and a graduate degree in Educational Leadership at Northern Arizona University.
PRESIDENT DOT KRET welcomed us to the meeting. She noted all of the cowboys and cowgirls in attendance with special mention of the Bola Ties. Yep, it’s “Bola” not “Bolo” and is the State Tie of Arizona. Arizona is the only state with a State Tie.
New member VANECIA KERR led the Pledge of Allegiance and “God Bless America” with KHRIS DODGE on the piano.
ROGER LaFAYE offered the inspiration. He noted that the best way to form meaningful relationships is to be genuinely interested in others rather than offering information about yourself.
MICHAEL GUYMON introduced some of the crew of the USS Tucson, a Los Angeles Class attack submarine. The Commander of the vessel let us know that they say “Bear Down” as a rallying cry on the sub, sometimes 75 times in a day.
PRESIDENT DOT introduced our cookie sponsor, DAN KALM. Thanks for the cookies DAN! They sure make the end to a good meal even better. PRESIDENT DOT then mentioned a very special program that we’ll be having on April 1st. No joke, US Senator Mark Kelly will be joining us that day. You will need to sign up to attend.
MICHAEL GUYMON was back at the mic to introduce our speaker, Anne Breckenridge. MICHAEL, who services on the Board of the Tucson Museum of Art, told us that they had eradicated a $1 million dollar deficit in just 9 months.
Anne Breckenridge has been in Tucson for 23 years with a 5 year break in Chicago. She is the President and CEO at the Tucson Museum of Art (TMA). Before her role at the TMA, she worked with the University of Arizona’s Center for Creative Photography. She noted that the North Star of the TMA is to serve the community. The Mission of the TMA is to “Connect Art to Life.” The TMA was founded in 1924 and celebrated their 100th anniversary 2 years ago. They believe in staying hyperlocal and globally relevant. The TMA holds 11,000 pieces of art in the following categories: Latin American Art, American West Art, Modern & Contemporary Art and Photography. The TMA takes up an entire block in downtown Tucson and is comprised of five historic buildings. It’s a great place to visit and find some respite as well as learn more about our local history and culture through art. April 11th is their biggest fundraiser of the year, the Masquerade Gala. You can learn more here: https://www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/2026gala/
Anne signed the book “Museum ABC” that will go into the Make Way for Books Library.
BRITTANY BATTLE was celebrating her birthday. She let us know that when she really became a Rotarian was when she was experiencing grief and challenges in her life. Rotarians were there for her. She is also assembling a marketing team and needs help with Public Relations, Website maintenance and updates, Graphic Design and Story Telling. Did you know that BRITTANY is the great granddaughter of Zane Grey? TIM PUNTENNEY was celebrating his birthday. He’s been a member of our club for 52 years. Wow, TIM! I didn’t know that they allowed teen agers in Rotary back then. DAN KALM was celebrating his birthday. He learned to speed read when he was 12 years old and could read 1,600 works a minute with 95% comprehension. That’s fast! KEN LIGHT was celebrating his birthday. KEN will be visiting Casablanca, Morocco in late April to compete in the Rotary International Golf Fellowship Nation Cup. Swing well but not often, KEN!
MARK IRVIN introduced our newest member, VANECIA KERR. VANECIA is the CEO of the United Way of Tucson. She came from the United Way of Denver where she won many accolades. She has a husband, Kevin and son, Chris. She joined Rotary because of the warm welcome that we offered as well as our deep community involvement.
DAN KALM held two drawings. The first was for a Tucson Museum of Art membership and GARY OLSEN was the winner. Then, DAN held a 25/50/25 Raffle and the winning price would have been about $1,200. ART ALLIS won $120 but not the pot.
CHRIS EDWARDS, the 2026 Tucson Rodeo Parade Grand Marshall, got us all involved in his parade wave. I hope that it went well CHRIS! Way to Go!
MICHAEL GUYMON was back on stage announcing that the RCOT Board had voted to give some of the President’s Discretionary Fund to the Tucson Museum of Art.
PRESIDENT DOT offered a few announcements:
Upcoming events are always printed and available for review on the tables during our lunches as well as on our website.
She showed some Red Badge Selfies. Keep them coming!
March 18th is the Western Winds Apartments Service Project. Bring personal items and cleaning supplies for donation that day.
ROGER LaFAYE had a Happy Jackson. May 2nd there’s a Golf Tournament at Sewailo Golf Course to raise money for the Desert Crown Theater Company. The cost is $165. Get in touch with ROGER if you’d like to participate.
ALAN SCHROPE offered a Membership Minute. He reminded us to get involved with the club. Think about that feeling that you have when you leave a Rotary event or moment of fellowship. Reach out to those who might like that feeling.
Nicholas was a student who attended RYLA this year and stopped by to say thanks and Bear Down!
PRESIDENT DOT closed the meeting with ROGER LaFAYE offering a toast.
Do you know someone in our Club who deserves Rotary recognition? If you’re aware of a recent achievement, special honor, or noteworthy accomplishment involving one of our members, please let us know.
Kindly reach out to President Dot, SAA Dan Kalm, or the Rotary office with the details. We would love to recognize them at an upcoming lunch meeting.
Let’s celebrate the great things happening within our Club — Way to go, Rotary!
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, from 11:15 a.m. – 12:25 p.m., we invite all members to take part in a simple but meaningful service project supporting the residents of Western Hills Senior Apartments, owned by Mercy Housing.
Western Hills is home to seniors age 62+ or individuals with mobility challenges who live on very limited, income-based budgets—many relying solely on Social Security. For some, daily essentials can be difficult to afford, and family support is limited.
This is an easy way for everyone to participate—no heavy lifting required, just a caring heart. Please bring personal care items, cleaning supplies, puzzles, or books to the March 18 meeting.
Let’s show these seniors that the Rotary Club of Tucson cares.
Lead: Nancy Gutt (the_nance@comcast.net) Please email me if you plan on helping out on the TRAK day!
TRAK (Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids)
When: March 21st
Time: 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Where: 3250 E. Allen Road
Be a "rancher" in the morning and help with trimming and raking, scooping, cleaning, feeding animals, and helping move the facility a few hundred yards. Wear gloves, shoes and clothes that can get dirty, and bring a water bottle.
Our next Replacement/Social Mixer will be held the evening of March 25th at Trident Grill II on the Patio, 2910 N. Swan from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This is a great way to meet your fellow Rotarians in a relaxed setting. Registration is now open under Upcoming Events on the homepage of the website www.tucsonrotary.org. Please be sure to register your guests. Guest fee is $35 billed to your member account. Registration is capped at 70 so sign up now! Hope to see you there...
The Rotary Club of Tucson will host Mark Kelly, United States Senator from Arizona, as our guest speaker on Wednesday, April 1.
The guest fee for this event will be $40. All will need to Register for this event and registration will be available soon. Additional details will be shared as they become available.
Change of Date: The Adopt a Road service project is moved from March 7th, to Saturday, April 18th, 2026
Tucson Clean & Beautiful / Rotary Club of Tucson
As a result of unanticipated conflicts… the Adopt a Road Service Project is now Saturday, April 18th, 2026, at 8:00 AM.
Rotarians—please join your fellow members as we continue our ongoing mission to clean up Oracle Road. There’s always roadside trash to tackle, and thanks to our efforts over the past two years, we can truly see the difference we’re making—the area is noticeably cleaner.
We’ll meet at Pinz Bowling, 501 W. River Road, at 8:00 AM and wrap up by mid-morning. Expect fresh air, a little light exercise, and the occasional “interesting” find along the way.
All supplies are provided, including gloves, safety vests, grabbers, and trash bags. We’ll also have snacks and water on hand.
Please wear closed-toe shoes, along with a hat and sunscreen.
At the Rotary Club of Tucson, we believe in giving back to our community and supporting causes that make a real difference. And now, it’s easier than ever to contribute to our efforts!
We’re excited to highlight a new way for you to make your donations directly to the Rotary Club of Tucson Foundation – all from the comfort of your own home! Simply head to our website, where you’ll find the gold Donation button at the top right of the menu bar. Whether you're contributing to our Scholarships, making a General Donation, or supporting our Local Charities, your generosity will help fund important initiatives that uplift our community.
But wait, there’s more! If you're joining us for lunch at the next meeting, don’t forget to look for the blue scholarship cups on the tables. These cups now feature a QR code that will take you straight to the Donation Page with just a quick scan. No need for cash or checks – donate right from your phone!
We can’t thank you enough for your ongoing support of our Foundation. Your donations directly benefit our community and empower us to continue making a meaningful impact. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Rotary office.
Let’s continue to do good in our community – with a click, a scan, and your generous heart!
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MICHAEL GUYMON introduced some of the crew of the USS Tucson, a Los Angeles Class attack submarine. The Commander of the vessel let us know that they say “Bear Down” as a rallying cry on the sub, sometimes 75 times in a day.
Anne Breckenridge has been in Tucson for 23 years with a 5 year break in Chicago. She is the President and CEO at the Tucson Museum of Art (TMA). Before her role at the TMA, she worked with the University of Arizona’s Center for Creative Photography. She noted that the North Star of the TMA is to serve the community. The Mission of the TMA is to “Connect Art to Life.” The TMA was founded in 1924 and celebrated their 100th anniversary 2 years ago. They believe in staying hyperlocal and globally relevant. The TMA holds 11,000 pieces of art in the following categories: Latin American Art, American West Art, Modern & Contemporary Art and Photography. The TMA takes up an entire block in downtown Tucson and is comprised of five historic buildings. It’s a great place to visit and find some respite as well as learn more about our local history and culture through art. April 11th is their biggest fundraiser of the year, the Masquerade Gala. You can learn more here: 
MARK IRVIN introduced our newest member, VANECIA KERR. VANECIA is the CEO of the United Way of Tucson. She came from the United Way of Denver where she won many accolades. She has a husband, Kevin and son, Chris. She joined Rotary because of the warm welcome that we offered as well as our deep community involvement.
The following new Member application has been submitted for membership in Rotary Club of Tucson:
This is a wonderful opportunity to connect, share stories, and build friendships in a relaxed and casual setting.
Lead: Nancy Gutt (
Our next Replacement/Social Mixer will be held the evening of March 25th at Trident Grill II on the Patio, 2910 N. Swan from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This is a great way to meet your fellow Rotarians in a relaxed setting. Registration is now open under Upcoming Events on the homepage of the website 
Change of Date: The Adopt a Road service project is moved from March 7th, to Saturday, April 18th, 2026
At the Rotary Club of Tucson, we believe in giving back to our community and supporting causes that make a real difference. And now, it’s easier than ever to contribute to our efforts!
