The Three Panelists presenting at our 9/24/25 Lunch Meeting:
Ann Chanecka is the Director of Housing and Community Development for the City of Tucson and has over 25 years of experience in planning and community development. Ann led the Housing Affordability Strategy for Tucson plan, which outlines the city’s goals and priorities to help address the housing demand. Under her leadership the department recently completed 93 units of affordable housing and has another 1,200 units of housing currently in pre-development. Ann has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Arizona and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar.
Dr. Dan Ranieri is the President and Chief Executive Officer of La Frontera Arizona, Inc., which is headquartered in Tucson Arizona. He has over forty-five years of experience in behavioral healthcare and has held positions of leadership in both the public and private sector. Dr. Ranieri has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University. He has practiced as an adult, child, and forensic psychologist; has served as a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University; and has several professional publications. Dr. Ranieri has also presented on numerous topics and has served as a professional consultant.
Dr. Ranieri was hired by La Frontera Center in 1995 with the primary task of transforming the organization from a fee-for-service model to that of full risk-bearing capitation model. Over this period of time, gross revenues have gone from $13.5 to over $135 million, staffing has increased by over 600%, and quality and efficiency measures have improved dramatically. Dr. Ranieri was instrumental in the re-branding of La Frontera as a “community problem solver” resulting in La Frontera becoming a significant contributor in areas such as public safety, affordable housing, education, economic development, veteran’s services, senior services, suicide prevention and many others. Dan has served on the Board of Directors of several local and national organizations and was awarded the Visionary Leadership award by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare in 2013.
David Godlewski is President & CEO, Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA). David has been with SAHBA since 2008. He has been the Association’s president since April 2011. In that position he oversees the day-to-day operations for the association. Prior to assuming the role as, he was the association’s Government Liaison and responsible for managing the association’s political and policy efforts.
David is a Member of the DM50, the Pima County Housing Commission, Pima County Conservation Lands & Resources Advisory Board and the City of Tucson Economic & Workforce Development Selection Committee.
Prior to joining SAHBA, David worked for the Sterling Corporation one of Michigan’s premier political and issue management consulting firms. There, David specialized in managing political initiatives for trade associations and corporations.
PRESIDENT ELECT BOBBY LARSON welcomed us to the meeting, and we enjoyed a lunch of burgers and brats. New member DANIEL ALLEN led the Pledge as well as the “Star Spangled Banner” while being accompanied by KHRIS DODGE on the piano.
BOBBY let us know of some sad news. JAN GREEN passed away on September 10th. There aren’t any services known at this time. We had a moment of silence in JAN’s honor.
JOE DANISZEWSKI offered the inspiration. Let there be peace on earth. Our club has two Peace Poles, one at Literacy Connects and the other at Reid Park Zoo.
DAN KALM welcomed our guests. Then BOBBY noted that Blanton Belk, who won the 4 Way Test this year from our club and is also 100 years old, said that it’s the best award that he’s ever received. Sadly, Blanton’s wife Betty passed away recently.
We had a fun surprise and BRUCE RICHARDSON/Truly Nolan sponsored the cookies however we received cupcakes as a special treat. They were delicious.
The program was very meaningful as we picked the charity who will receive proceeds from the Car Show for the next three years as well as the two runners up who will receive proceeds next year.
Habitat for Humanity was the first to speak. They’ve been in Tucson for 45 years and have built over 530 homes since 1980. The families who receive the home contribute a minimum of 250 hours to the build and ultimately own the home when it’s finished. Each year a home ownership contributes $9,500 to their net wealth. If they won, our donation would buy three homes in the Angel’s Crossing Neighborhood.
Amphi Foundation was the next to speak. The ECHO (Educational Community Home Outreach) Center provides after school programming, food and workshops to a significant group of Tucson residents. 98% of students live below the poverty level in this community. 71% are chronically absent with 90% missing more than 9 days of school. There is a return of $15 for every $1 invested. The ECHO Center has seen a 10% increase in test scores and 85% of caregivers have found a better workplace situation.
Compass Affordable Housing offers housing stability through financial support, job connections and food assistance. $5,200 transforms one life. Our support would help 50 families remain stable and offer a better chance for future success.
Youth on Their Own (YOTO) supports high school youth who are homeless. Youth who are experiencing homelessness are 45% more like to remain homeless after high school. YOTO serves 1,500 youth each year. The youth receive a financial incentive to stay and do well in school. In addition to financial assistance, YOTO offers basic needs (hygiene, food, etc.) to the youth as well as guidance. They have a 93% graduation rate from high school.
Interfaith Community Services is led by TOM MCKINNEY. Their goal is to keep people and families in their homes and prevent eviction. They serve 60,000 clients each year with the help of 750 volunteers. They’ve been in Tucson for 40 years and offered $1 million in 2024 through the Emergency Financial Services to keep people housed. Tom mentioned that 50% of the homeless population is over 50 years old.
After the five presentations, we voted online by scanning a QR code with results promised by the end of the meeting.
It was great to see BOB ERNSTEIN who was celebrating his birthday. Did you know that he and DOT KRET were born in the same hospital in New Jersey? JOE DANISZEWSKI was also celebrating his birthday. He offered a tribute to JAN GREEN who he saw just a couple of days before JAN passed. DIANA MADARAS was celebrating her birthday and noted that she became a true Rotarian after she accepted the role as Service Project Chair for our club. When she asked for a little help, 18 of our members offered to step in.
JIM MURPHY presented GREG DURNAN with his blue badge. Apparently this was long overdue; the cause - scheduling problems. Congrats to you GREG!
We held a 50/50 raffle and the person who was taking notes for me didn’t win. JIM MURPHY was inducted into the Salpointe High School Hall of Fame. Nice work JIM!
BOBBY offered a few announcements:
Check the website or printed bulletin for upcoming events and projects.
He showed a few Red Badge Selfies.
GORDY SIEWERT reminded us of the first Agave Fellowship event.
BRUCE JACOBS offered up to $1,000 matching points towards any of our club’s members Paul Harris and KURTIS DAWSON did the same. Now’s the time to make a donation to The Rotary Foundation and have your money doubled.
DAVE WHITE reminded us to sell car show tickets and BOBBY noted how simple it was to make the request with a link to donate. BOBBY sold 90 tickets doing just that.
And the winner is…Youth on Their Own! Interfaith Community Services and Amphi Foundation were the two runners up.
JOE D finished the meeting with a toast. “Sto lat” which means 100 years in Polish and is used to express well wishes for a long life and good health. Sto lat!
We had a great time at our first Agave Fellowship last Thursday evening at the Lodge on the Desert! The evening featured an engaging presentation on how tequila is made, along with plenty of laughter, conversation, and meaningful fellowship. Thank you to all who came out for the evening. We'll keep you posted on the next Agave Fellowship Event.
On Saturday, September 20th, 2025, our RCOT Adopt a Road crew was out bright and early to help Tucson become Clean and Beautiful and it was a beautiful morning as well. This community service project is in its second winning season. Our expert team did an awesome job cleaning up the trash on Oracle Rd., between River and Wetmore. Thank you to our team who can be counted on to be there to pitch in. The morning is always an enjoyable opportunity to get to know our members on a more individual basis. Please join us in November for our next service morning.
Our next cleanup is on ( NOTE) SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, 2025 @ 8:15 AM!!
Left to Right
Bill Tong, Nina Trasoff, Carol Sayler, Lee Olitzky, Rob Same, Hugh Thompson, Holly Stein, Bobby Larson, David Lex, Jerry Sullivan
Pictured Left to Right – Morning Briefing
Lee Olitzky, Nina Trasoff, Rob Same, (hiding) Nancy Bevens, Holly Stein, Jerry Sulivan – not in picture, Chuck Sabalos
Special free event at District Conference featuring our own fellow Rotarian Elijah Ndoye and our Senegal Global Grant
The International Project Fair at the Tubac Golf Resort is on Friday, Sept 26. from 10 AM till noon. Elijah Ndoye of RCOT will be Opening it with a 20-minute combination of inspirational speaking (about his journey) and music from his native Senegal. Afterwards, he will be at the RCOT booth featuring the Global Grant. There will be more than 20 other clubs and organizations presenting their projects at other booths too. This Fair is free to anyone who goes; you don't need to register for the District Conference.
The International Project Fair will be held in the Wedding Chapel just outside the Resort itself. Elijah will be a central part of this effort - something of which RCOT is really proud. Come support him!
Get ready for an unforgettable evening of camaraderie, conversation, and, of course, whisky! Join us for the Rotary Whisky Fellowship hosted by Jeff and Tiana Ronstadt at their beautiful home. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP early!
Date: Wednesday, October 8 Time: 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM Location: Home of Jeff & Tiana Ronstadt 2800 N. Camino Principal
Cost: $20 plus an interesting bottle of whisky (And yes, you absolutely get to take your bottle back home!)
The Car Show Friday Night Dinner will take place the evening of October 17th at the Gregory School, 3231 N. Craycroft, from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Cost Per Person is $20 (includes two drink tickets, cash bar after) and will be billed to your account. The dinner is Lucky Wishbone Chicken. Registration is on the Website www.tucsonrotary.org under “Upcoming Events”. Be sure to register your guests. The deadline to register is Friday, October 10th. Hope to see you all there!
Please join the Wine Fellowship at El Corral Restaurant for wine tasting and small bites on Thursday, October 23 from 5:30-7:00p. The cost to participate is $40 per person, payable upon arrival at El Corral. Guests of Rotarians are also welcome.
To assist us in planning, please register using this link. This will allow us to provide an accurate guest count for El Corral. Please register by Tuesday, October 21.
We look forward to seeing you at El Corral on October 23!
Support Our Rotary Club’s Ride to End Polio Riders
YOUR donation gets us to closer to a polio-free world
Update on the Final Two Polio Endemic Countries
PakistanNo new Wild Polio cases reported this week. Twenty-four Wild Polio cases reported in 2025.Seventy-four Wild Polio cases reported in 2024. Six Wild Polio Cases reported in 2023. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 8/02/25. No WPV1 Environmental Samples and no cVDPV2 Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Pakistan.
AfghanistanNo new Wild Polio cases reported this week. Three Wild Polio cases reported in 2025.Twenty-five Wild Polio cases reported in 2024. Six Wild Polio Cases reported in 2023. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 7/25/25. No WPV1 Environmental Samples and no cVDPV2 Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
Rotary Club of Tucson Ride to End Polio Teams 2025
El Tour Team: Matt Blair; Luis Hernandez; Gary Hirsch; Kandy Hirsch;
Dan Kalm; Bob Morken; Lee Olitzky; Alan Rogers; Jonathan Walkup
Indoor Team: Dana Cole; Jo DeChatelet; Rich Flynn; Nancy Gutt;
Charlotte Harris; Gary Hirsch-leader; Jennifer Hoffman; Sean Hoffman;
Dot Kret; Ann Lancero; Bobby Larson; David Lex; David Lovitt;
Jim Lubinski; Ernie Montagne; Steve Pickering; Darrell Stewart;
The Rotary Club of Tucson Cycling Fellowship will start up once again. The dates are November 8th and November 15th. The Ride starts 8 AM at the St Philips Plaza Campbell and River on the South side near the REN coffee shop. We will ride the loop going West. The ride is for all riders of any ability and the pace and distance is entirely up to the rider. This ride is meant to be a fun training ride in preparation for the El Tour de Tucson. Riders should wear Rotary jerseys if possible.
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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ka is the Director of Housing and Community Development for the City of Tucson and has over 25 years of experience in planning and community development. Ann led the Housing Affordability Strategy for Tucson plan, which outlines the city’s goals and priorities to help address the housing demand. Under her leadership the department recently completed 93 units of affordable housing and has another 1,200 units of housing currently in pre-development. Ann has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Arizona and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar.
We had a fun surprise and BRUCE RICHARDSON/Truly Nolan sponsored the cookies however we received cupcakes as a special treat. They were delicious.
Habitat for Humanity was the first to speak. They’ve been in Tucson for 45 years and have built over 530 homes since 1980. The families who receive the home contribute a minimum of 250 hours to the build and ultimately own the home when it’s finished. Each year a home ownership contributes $9,500 to their net wealth. If they won, our donation would buy three homes in the Angel’s Crossing Neighborhood.
Compass Affordable Housing offers housing stability through financial support, job connections and food assistance. $5,200 transforms one life. Our support would help 50 families remain stable and offer a better chance for future success.
Interfaith Community Services is led by TOM MCKINNEY. Their goal is to keep people and families in their homes and prevent eviction. They serve 60,000 clients each year with the help of 750 volunteers. They’ve been in Tucson for 40 years and offered $1 million in 2024 through the Emergency Financial Services to keep people housed. Tom mentioned that 50% of the homeless population is over 50 years old.
JIM MURPHY presented GREG DURNAN with his blue badge. Apparently this was long overdue; the cause - scheduling problems. Congrats to you GREG!
The following New Active Corporate Member application has been submitted for membership in Rotary Club of Tucson:
We had a great time at our first Agave Fellowship last Thursday evening at the Lodge on the Desert! The evening featured an engaging presentation on how tequila is made, along with plenty of laughter, conversation, and meaningful fellowship. Thank you to all who came out for the evening. We'll keep you posted on the next Agave Fellowship Event.
International Project Fair at the Tubac Golf Resort is on Friday, Sept 26. from 10 AM till noon. Elijah Ndoye of RCOT will be Opening it with a 20-minute combination of inspirational speaking (about his journey) and music from his native Senegal. Afterwards, he will be at the RCOT booth featuring the Global Grant. There will be more than 20 other clubs and organizations presenting their projects at other booths too. This Fair is free to anyone who goes; you don't need to register for the District Conference. 
The Car Show Friday Night Dinner will take place the evening of October 17th at the Gregory School, 3231 N. Craycroft, from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Cost Per Person is $20 (includes two drink tickets, cash bar after) and will be billed to your account. The dinner is Lucky Wishbone Chicken. Registration is on the Website 
The Rotary Club of Tucson Cycling Fellowship will start up once again. The dates are November 8th and November 15th. The Ride starts 8 AM at the St Philips Plaza Campbell and River on the South side near the REN coffee shop. We will ride the loop going West. The ride is for all riders of any ability and the pace and distance is entirely up to the rider. This ride is meant to be a fun training ride in preparation for the El Tour de Tucson. Riders should wear Rotary jerseys if possible.
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!
