As Rotarians we are fortunate to have inherited the legacy of those who have preceded us.

 

Rotary started out with four businessmen with diverse backgrounds, meeting in Chicago in 1905 to exchange ideas, form meaningful, lifelong friendships, with the desire to give back to and make their community a better place for all to live.  Today, we are part of 1.2 million Rotarians who form an international organization addressing challenges around the world. 

 

For us, the legacy began in 1921 with the creation of the Rotary Club of Tucson.  Our support over those years of our international foundation has created incredible solutions to challenges partially measured by 932 Paul Harris Fellows.  Our own club foundation started just over 40 years ago by our own Larry Adamson, and now has significant funds that generate investment income to support our youth programs at $8,000/year, our Rotary office at $10,000/year, our international programs at $17,500/year, plus provide University of Arizona and Pima Community College scholarships over and above what our members support

 

To continue our legacy, our club foundation has created three endowed funds: Community Charities; Scholarships; and International Programs.  At our meeting, six of our fellow club members will share more about these endowments and how planning and support today can insure their success in the future. 

PRESIDENT CLIFF opened the meeting and DIANA CANNON gave a thoughtful inspiration about learning to water your garden and accept what life brings. Thank you, DIANA.

 

GARY HIRSCH & ALAN ROGERS led us in a rousing version of “God Bless America” achieving a level of musical proficiency not seen since SONNY SOLOT. JOHN STROBECK introduced our Guests and Visiting Rotarians.

 

This week brings three Birthday Rotarians - STACIA DECKER (9/15) a.k.a. “the Queen of the Friday Night Auction” asked everyone to help fulfill her birthday wish by bringing their auction items early, DAVID PASHKOW (9/20), the “King of the Command RV” sponsored three Ride to End Polio riders for the mysterious figure of $111.11 and noted he is too old to die young, and KATHLEEN WICKS (9/20) the “Queen of Volunteer Coordination” stated that everything good on her past four birthdays was somehow connected to Rotary.

 

SERGEANT AT ARMS DALE BERG launched into announcements (do Marines launch?) PRESIDENT CLIFF reminded us of the District 5500 Hospitality Room the weekend of Oct 14 – 15 and invited everyone to the Trident Mixer on Sept 28^th. DALE BERG announced the rescheduled date for Sean Miller (Oct 4^th) and asked everyone to sign up on Clubrunner. CHUCK SAWYER invited everyone to participate in the Tree Planting Project in the Garden District and the Rotary Road Rally, Oct 22^nd. PAST PRESIDENT ELLIE PATTERSON also invited any member who wants to attend the Philanthropy Day luncheon to see her after the meeting. For the Car Show Minute CINDY GODWIN showed a short video that described the work Rotary fund recipient GAP Ministries does helping adults get a fresh start and useful job skills. FONDA INSLEY gave a Happy Jackson about her great experience riding in her Rotary kit and receiving encouragement from other riders. JOE PENNINGTON had a Happy Jackson inviting everyone to three professional boxing matches, and GARY SCHEER asked everyone to recognize the efforts made to get the Car Show field in tip top shape every year. Finally, Catalina Rotarian Mona McCane invited us all to participate in their club’s Taste of Salsa Fundraiser Sept 23rd.

 

PRESIDENT CLIFF BOWMAN introduced today’s speaker, current Rotarian LIZ BAKER. LIZ is the Deputy Director of SARSEF: Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation. The Foundation has won numerous awards including a Copper Cactus nomination and a Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation. LIZ gave a tremendous presentation on the impact the foundation has in our community promoting science education, touching the lives of over 60,000 students each year and training thousands of teachers to integrate science into curriculums. She talked about some of the past winners of the SARSEF Science Fair including Jeremiah Pate who designed a better “Black Box” for airliners and is currently working on research toward a cure for Parkinsons, and two Tohono O’odham students who designed a system to heat and cool their grandmother’s room while charging her phone. Wonderful job LIZ, filling in on short notice and educating children across Southern Arizona! LIZ signed the book “Monsters Love School” for our Rotary Lending Library.

 

PRESIDENT CLIFF closed the meeting with a quote from Albert Einstein: To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.

Fellow Rotarians, the first two months of being your president have been quite the ride.  I cannot believe how much fun I am having leading our club – I do love a good roller coaster!  Our club is by far the best in the District and the state, and I have all of you to thank for that.  The work you do is phenomenal, and the next month with the Tucson Classics Car Show will require your full support – to be even “phenomenaler.”   I look forward to meeting the challenge with you and hope you are having as much fun at meetings, social gatherings, and work projects as I am.  If not, let me know what I can do to make it so!   Again, thank you for your generosity with your time and talents.  Together, we ARE making our community better.

 

President Cliff

Tim Heim is from Davenport, Iowa and has been in Tucson for the past two years.  Tim has been in the hospitality industry for 22 years and is currently the Area Director of Sales & Marketing for the Radisson Suites Tucson and the Best Western Plus Tucson Int’l Airport Hotel & Suites with Prism Hotels & Resorts.  Prior to moving to Tucson, Tim was in Mississippi where he was an Area Manager overseeing 4 Marriott select service products.  Tim has been recognized has a Quad Cities Area Leader Under 40, has sat on many boards, and was a volunteer with the Miss America Organization for over ten years where he was the Executive Director of the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program.  Tim is an avid runner and enjoys golf, hiking and traveling.  Being new to Tucson, he is looking forward to getting involved with our club and meeting all of the members.

Our monthly social mixer will be held at Trident II, 2900 N. Swan on Thursday, September 28th, start time is 5:30 p.m.  Come out for a fun evening where members and guests get together to enjoy friendship and fellowship. Cheers...

 

 

 

 

This year's District Conference will be held on October 13-15, 2017.  We are returning to the Hilton DoubleTree Hotel Reid Park in Tucson.  Rooms are available for only $79 per night, plus taxes.  Early Bird Registration is only $185 for the entire conference - and what a conference it will be!  Keynote speakers are Jennifer Jones, Susan B. Neuman, Michael Angelo Caruso and John Matthews - our own Rotary International Director.  There will be more than 20 breakout sessions and special events for our Interactors and Rotaractors Saturday morning.  Sunday morning will be special, with a salute to Rotarian veterans and active duty personnel.  A special conference website will be up and running by Sunday, July 16. Watch for the link on the District 5500 website: rotaryd5500.org.  Sign up early to qualify for the low room rates and special Early Bird Registration.

 

The Rotary Club of Tucson will be hosting a Hospitality Suite on Friday and Saturday evening during the conference, along with other Rotary Clubs in our District.  This is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet Rotarians from all across southern Arizona.  If you have never experienced a Rotary hospitality night, come on out for the fun and fellowship!

 

The Association of Fundraising Professionals Southern Arizona Chapter will host its 29th annual National Philanthropy Day Awards luncheon on Friday, November 17, 2017 at The Westin La Paloma. Registration is at 11:00 AM.  Luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.  Our Rotary Club will be honored at this luncheon and receive one of the five major awards. A film will also be shown that features our Rotary Club in the video. The  ticket cost of the event is $80.00 and a portion of that is tax deductible. We hope many of you will attend and represent the Club and show how supportive Rotary is of community engagement and service. Registration can be made on our website under "Upcoming Events" but your club account will not be billed for the luncheon. Money for your tickets will be collected by Ellie Patterson and checks should be made payable to "So. AZ AFP" (So. AZ Association of Fundraising Professionals).   We have four tables reserved and money needs to be turned in by October 27^th. This is such an honor for our Club. Thank you to former member, Cheryl House, who nominated us for this award.

The Pima County Joint Technical Education District (JTED) offers advanced technical education programs across its 13 member districts. These are not the old vocational programs that were often a last resort for students who did not seem to cut it in college-prep. JTED programs offer cutting-edge technology, relevant hands-on experiences, and a rigorous curriculum. The JTED currently serves over 14,000 students in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs throughout the county.

 

JTED's guiding educational philosophy includes four major initiatives:

●          Upgrading and enhancing existing courses and programs in participating districts.

●          Expanding the options and rigor of courses available to students.

●          Providing innovative training for students to enter the Southern Arizona workforce.

●          Providing a community resource to enhance career skills & improve employability.

 

Nearly 1,700 students leave their high school each afternoon or evening and participate in central campus programs.  Those programs are offered at thirteen locations and result in students earning industry based certifications and college dual credit. Pima JTED’s mission is to provide premier career and technical education programs in partnership with business and industry.  JTED strives to see every student in Pima County prepared for college and the workforce.  Many use their training at JTED to pay their way through college.

 

98% of JTED students graduate from high school compared to 76% for non-JTED students.