Remember: Since Wednesday, 10/25/23 is after the car show, there will be no lunch meeting at the TCC.

 

At our next lunch meeting on 11/01/23, we are hoping you all can attend to hear from Diana Madaras and Bruce Jacobs on the opportunities to sign up for Service Projects. Participating in a Service Project is one of the best ways to get to know your fellow Rotarians, and it is keeping with our core principle of Service Above Self. This year, for the first time, we will recognize members for service and we’re working on some great year-end prizes.

PRESIDENT MARGARET HIGGINS started off the meeting with more bad- I mean DAD jokes and introduced FAH SAETAN who lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and “My Country tis of Thee” accompanied by our very own KHRIS DODGE on the piano.

 

MITCH PISIK inspired us as always. And then, Sergeant at Arms DAN KALM, introduced our guests. Glad to have so many visit our club!

 

We had a meeting sponsor today!! ALAN SCHROPE and Camp Bow Wow sponsored our meeting. Wow, what a fun place for pooches… sign me up! Thank you ALAN SCHROPE for your generosity and for moving back to Tucson for RCOT!!

 

TOM STRASBURG introduced our keynote speaker:

Today’s program featured Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, Superintendent of TUSD. He started off by reminding us that the public school system is the last, greatest hope for unleashing the power of literacy, civic engagement and community. 80% of TUSD schools have an A or B Rating. And, TUSD is home to the largest populations of gifted and talented students, special needs students and largest career and technical education programs in the state. He talked about the vision for the district and what opportunities came out of the pandemic and also the freedom of return to local governments and the end of the desegregation court order. They are focused on building a robust school to work pipeline and stronger and safer classrooms. Dr. Trujillo is working toward a bright future for TUSD.

 

We celebrated three birthdays today; DON REIGGER whose first car was a 1963 Super Sport that he purchased for a Benjamin… he was lucky enough to drive that car for 3 weeks before its untimely demise. ROB LAMASTER who at 9 years old attended a football game in Texas that got interrupted by a tornado… wow, I am blown away by that one. Finally, we recognized MARK IRVIN, and did you know… he is an accomplished horseman and almost shoed horses for a living.

 

You know it’s a good meeting when we introduce new members and today we did! BRUCE TUNZE introduced SHAWN TACEY as our newest member and went on to present him with his blue badge. Welcome to the Greatest Rotary Club in the World.

 

SAA DAN KALM announced the winner of the raffle, (not the 50/50). Congratulations to the winner.

 

We have two “famous” Rotarians! Marcy Euler was recognized as the “Face of Philanthropy” and MICHAEL GUYMON was awarded Public Policy Leader of the Year! Congratulations!

 

Lots of announcements that PRESIDENT MARGARET shared:

Please save the date on your calendar for PAT LENNON’s Celebration of Life 10/26 at Vivace from 1:30-4:30pm.

The books members donated for PRES MARGARET’S silent auction basket was the big ticket item at the D5500 conference raising $260.00!

Exciting news John Hewko the General Secretary of RI will be presenting for our meeting on 11/15, please sign up (this is normally a dark day, so we get a bonus meeting with a fantastic presenter--Thanks to GARY HIRSCH for arranging this.)

ALAN ROGERS invited our club cyclists to 2 different rides on the Huckleberry Loop 11/4 and 11/11.

JEANNE ZETAH updated us on ticket sales, and deadlines for RYE and RYLA.

MARCY EULER says sign up to VOLUNTEER for the car show. It really is easy -JUST DO IT!

A Happy Jackson for CHRIS KIM who invited us to the Salvation Army Bell Ringing kickoff party/luncheon 11/10 at the DoubleTree.

 

Remember next week there will be no meeting. We will see you at the CAR SHOW!!

 

And MITCH PISIK sent us off with a toast.

 

NOVEMBER 4^TH & 11^TH

 

 

Short Ride Campbell to I-10 and Back – 20 Miles

Campbell to UA Campus and Back – 40 Miles

 

Participants Should Wear Rotary Cycling Jersey.

 

Contact Alan Rogers if you have any questions.

At our lunch meeting on November 15th, Rotary International General Secretary and CEO John Hewko will be visiting and presenting to our club.  Since this will be a well attended meeting, all must register by Friday, 11/10/23 @ 3:00 p.m.  This meeting will be capped at 175 so we are encouraging all to register early.  If you would like to bring a guest, please register them as well.  The guest fee is $35 which will be billed to your account.  To register, go to the club website at www.tucsonrotary.org scroll down the left side under "Upcoming Events".  The buffet menu is listed on the registration page, but if you need a Vegan be sure to list your and your guest's light lunch in the Comment Section.  By registering, you will be helping the office give a more accurate guarantee of meals for this meeting. 

 

If you have any questions, contact the Rotary office. Please wear your Rotary Pin!

On September 29, 2023, we had our first Service Project for the Club year.  It was a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters in their first Career Night for their new class of freshman students and some sophomore students. It was held at Tucson High School.  After the new Bigs and Littles met for the first time in person earlier in the afternoon, we kicked off the Career Event portion of the evening.

 

Jim Murphy, RCOT Grants Chair, who worked with CEO Marie Logan to organize the event, talked briefly about Rotary: Rotary International, what it is and composed of, it’s goals, motto, and the 4 Way Test; Our Club: our international and local projects of service, the funding of local nonprofits, and fellowship, as well potential opportunities for the students such as, scholarships, RYLA and the student exchange program.

 

Rotarian Pat Zumbusch was the main motivator of the evening.  He started off by saying “Though I stand here with gray hair, in a tie and look like a nerd…I grew up in a pretty poor household in rural Minnesota.  There was a lot of yelling in my house, a lot of mom and dad fighting, partly because we didn’t have any money and then partly because my dad was an alcoholic.”  After he talked more about his early life, work and hardships, he noted his eventual successes and offered his advice: “1. Open a book and study.  2. Secondly, don’t be afraid to fail and 3. Lastly, learn to be good at something that you like…and then excel at it”, and he explained each recommendation with examples and testimony at a level the students could understand.  Rotarian Jon Wang, one of the Table Professionals, commented regarding Pat’s comments: “Thank you Pat, for connecting yourself and us to these young people through your eloquent descriptions of your journey from a dysfunctional household to pooper scooper to super CEO, in multiple enterprises, by dint of conscientious attention to education and consistent effort.”

 

Bigs and Littles then moved from table to table to learn of the various careers from the professionals who were at the tables.  Rotary was represented by Jon Wang, Joni Condit, Roger Harwell, Lea Marquez Peterson, and Pat Zumbusch.  There were others at tables representing the Tucson Police Department, Pima Community College and South Tucson Fire Department, to name a few. 

 

It was so successful that Marie noted that they intended to continue with the Career Night event and will be giving us feedback after completing a survey of the Bigs and Littles who participated.  Marie passed on initial comments from one of the Bigs “How are you feeling about your match, now that you’ve met? Why do you feel this way? I feel great. I even got choked up when the Rotary individual was speaking. I sat there and thought, gosh if I had just had something like this when I was in school. It’s so cliché but High School years fly by so fast and I wish I had done things differently. The impact I hope to have with Anaiya will make up for my regrets I feel now from when I was at her age.”

John Hewko, General Secretary of Rotary International has been coming to Arizona since 2012 to ride his bicycle in the 110-mile El Tour de Tucson race. In 2018, Noreen and I were pleased to have him as our house-guest for 3 days. I became his chauffeur, breakfast chef, athletic trainer, and Orthopaedic consultant.

 

The evening before the race, there is a celebratory banquet. As we were leaving the house to attend, John realized he had no Rotary lapel pin on his blue blazer dinner jacket. So I gave him one of mine, a red “End Polio” pin.

 

In the Rotary magazine this month, there is a photo of Mr. Hewko taken at the Annual Convention in Melbourne this past May. I sent an email recalling the event of 2018 commenting on the End Polio lapel pin — 5 years later in the photo. He replied: “Thanks Jon and thanks again for your End Polio pin back then. I generally use the End Polio pin on my lapel as it makes good Public Relations to non-Rotarians I am interfacing with. Hope you are doing well. Am looking forward to El Tour again. - John”

All members, please be sure to attend the Nov. 1^st lunch meeting where we will mix, mingle, and introduce 14 Service Projects our Club will focus on this year.

 

You will have the opportunity to rotate through 3 tables (of your choice) to hear about plans for that project from the Rotary Team Leader. See a list of the projects below.

 

Members are not obligated to participate in any service projects, but we hope after learning of the many opportunities, one will entice you.

 

We are offering these Service Projects after many members indicated in the survey they were interested. Participating in a Service Project is one of the best ways to get to know your fellow Rotarians, and it is keeping with our core principle of Service Above Self. This year, for the first time, we will recognize members for service and we’re working on some great year-end prizes.

 

The Projects:

We will be streaming our weekly meetings live via our YouTube Channel.  We are encouraging you all to subscribe to our Channel in order to receive notices of when the meetings are streaming live.  After the live meeting, this video will become a recording and immediately posted on our YouTube Channel.  To view live CLICK HERE.   You can also go to our Home Page of the Club website and click on the YouTube link on the right hand side of the page, or go to YouTube and search Rotary Club of Tucson.