Please welcome the following member into the Rotary Club of Tucson.  He will be introduced to the club at a meeting in the near future.

This past Wednesday, the Grants Committee invited four finalists to speak to the members at our luncheon.  After listening to some fabulous presentations, the members got a chance to vote online for their top 2.   Once the voting was tabulated, including those who voted before the meeting, the Foundation Board voted to accept the results.   I am thrilled to announce the two Secondary Beneficiaries who, along with Youth On Their Own, will receive the proceeds of both the 2027 and 2028 car shows:

The Tucson Family Food Project

Literacy Connects

If you were unable to attend, you can still access their videos and read about our site visits with them, enjoy!

I want to personally thank the Grants Committee members for their great efforts reviewing all the proposals, visiting candidate entities and making that crazy meeting look so easy! I hope you will join me in congratulating them on a job well done!!

SERVICE PROJECT RAFFLE

Just a reminder to everyone participating in a Service Project: be sure to obtain a raffle ticket from the Project Leader on the day of the project. Write your name on the back of the ticket and return it to the Project Leader.  The Project Leaders will then turn in all raffle tickets to either Joe Daniszewski, the lunch meeting registration table or to the Rotary office. At the end of each month, all tickets will be placed in a basket, and one lucky winner will be drawn to receive a prize!

Project Leaders: If you have not picked up raffle tickets to distribute at your project, please remember to grab tickets from the registration table before your event.

And one last reminder: please bring a couple of pens with you to the event so everyone can complete their raffle tickets.

Thank you for helping make this a fun part of our Service Projects!

You don’t want to be one of the few who miss this.  Accurate rumors are already flying that this will be our most fun, impressive extravaganza/lallapaloosa/production yet….. 

Details, Details, Details:  

Date:                            October 2, 2026

Day:                             Friday

Start time:                   5:30 PM

End time:                    That's up to you. 

Who's invited:             All the cool Rotarians (hence your invitation).

Who else is invited:     Anyone/everyone who is philanthropic, fun, and who YOU believe would be a great new Rotarian; and/or your significant other.

Cost of entry:               $20 plus an interesting bottle of whisky, tequila, or mescal.

Can the bottle go back home with you?:  Absolutely. (if it’s open, transport it in your trunk).

Bonus Points for: A bourbon that impresses Brett Stein, a tequila that impresses Luis, a mescal that impresses Gordy, or a Rye that impresses me (FYI - I'm way easier to impress than these other connoisseurs).

Food:     But of course... ample amounts of your favorite munches.

Where:   At the charming home of our very own award-winning Luis Hernandez and his amazingly gracious, impressive, and wonderful wife Fernanda.

Where (more specific):  10127 N Black Dalea Drive, Marana. (Luis is personally guaranteeing that it will absolutely be worth the drive).

RSVP (if you're coming):   e-mail:   luis@hercorgroup.com

Deadline to RSVP:   noon 9/25/2026

Maximum # of  guests:   40    (don’t procrastinate to RSVP – this opportunity wouldn’t last long)  

 Any questions:  Don’t hesitate to give Luis a call at 520-264-4334

When a Nourishing Meal Isn’t Guaranteed

For many children, coming home means asking, “What’s for dinner?” For others, coming home to a complete, nourishing meal is a daily challenge.

Fellow Rotarians,

This October, I’m inviting my fellow Rotary of Tucson members to join me in supporting the Family Food Project—a project that helps children who may not have consistent access to a fully nourishing meal at home.  For some of these children, the challenge goes beyond feeding themselves. They may have younger brothers and sisters at home who are hungry, too.

The Family Food Project takes a unique approach. Instead of simply providing a prepared meal, children receive the ingredients and guidance to prepare a simple, nourishing meal for themselves and their siblings.  They aren’t just receiving food. They’re learning how to turn ingredients into a meal. We Pack. They Cook. Families Are Fed. That’s where we, as Rotarians, can help.  Our volunteers will come together to portion, organize, and pack the ingredients that go into these meal kits. The children can then take those ingredients home and prepare a complete meal.  A few hours of our time can help put the right ingredients into the hands of a child who otherwise may not know what dinner will look like that evening.  And while the immediate goal is nourishment, the impact reaches further.  Each meal gives a child an opportunity to develop confidence, independence, and a practical skill they can use again and again.

Rotary’s Vision in Action

Rotary’s vision calls us to come together, take action, and create lasting change in our communities.  This is a simple way for us to live that vision.

We can help address an immediate challenge—children coming home without reliable access to a nourishing meal—while empowering them with skills that can make a difference beyond a single evening.  Join Me This October Our first Rotary volunteer day will be:

Friday, October 2, 2026
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

After our October kickoff, we will continue volunteering the first Friday of every month from 9:00–11:00 AM.

Come once or make it a monthly commitment. Bring another Rotarian, a colleague, or a friend who believes in serving our Tucson community.  Two hours may not feel like much. But somewhere in Tucson, a child will open a meal kit, pull out the ingredients, and prepare a nourishing meal for themselves—and maybe for a little brother or sister sitting beside them.

We pack the ingredients. They make the meal. Together, we help make sure more children come home to something nourishing. Two hours of service. One meal at a time. One stronger community.  RSVP with Elena Ha at 520-235-6553.

It's Time to Pick Up Speed and Get to the Finish Line Strong.

• Club members have sold 8,508 tickets as of 9/20 which is 28.4% of our 30,000 goal.
• Start bringing in ticket money because there are only a few meetings left before the Car Show.
• Oct. 7 is the deadline to turn in donated tickets for Davis Monthan AFB personnel
• Oct. 15 is the last day to buy raffle and Classic Club tickets online to be mailed.
• Oct. 21 is the last day to buy raffle tickets online for auto-entered ticket stubs
• Oct. 21 is the last meeting to bring in money and unsold tickets.
• Oct. 24 is the Car Show where we'll accept the last of the money and unsold tickets at the Command Center. The number of tickets sold to qualify for seller prizes is set this day.