It is always cause for celebration when Mesa West Rotary gets to welcome a new member. Carla Krzmaric is an Allstate Insuance agent, operating out of an office in the same business complex as President Dan Coon. It was a pleasure for Dan to be able to officiate her formal induction into the club. Carla's husband, Kevin Fleege was standing by her side and supporting Carla in this new chapter of her life. Carla's enthusiasm is apparent. She has already delivered a Rotary Minute at a weekly Zoom meeting, volunteered to present another, and participated in a service project. This photo is of an emerging Rotary leader who saw the opportunities offered by Rotary.The other celebration on December 5 was the culmination of a dream of PDG David Simmer to raise a lot of money for The Rotary Foundation during his year of DG service - 2019-20l He far exceeded his goal with the money raised, but was disappointed not to be able to celebrate with the donors at a special event that was planned at The Sanctuary in Paradise Valley.
To qualify for the celebration, donors had to pledge or donate a new gift or new commitment in an estate plan to any program of The Rotary Foundation in the amount of $10,000 or more. PDG David created a Connect Through Giving committee which included Barb Feder, Polly Cady, Jim Bissonett, Mark von Hoepzendorff, and himself . They followed a plan to solicit and secure donations. Barb had been part of a similar endeavor when she and Greg Podd co-chaired a Million Dollar Dinner to raise funds for TRF during the year Don LaBarge was District Governor in 2008-09. They used a model Barb had learned about from a California Rotarian. There were 25 donors in District 5495 who accepted and met the challenge. Members of two clubs accounted for 32% of that total. Mesa West had four qualifying households, as did the Rotary Club of Sedona Village.
One big disappointment for PDG David was that the planned celebration honoring donors at The Sanctuary had to be cancelled. He searched for a way to try to give a tangible acknowledgment of the generosity of each donor. Lovely gift baskets were created by the Great Harvest Bread Company in Tempe for each household represented and a unique card for each donor inserted in their basket. At the December 5 gathering, Barb Feder delivered recognition gift baskets to the following Mesa West Rotarians:
Alan and Polly Cady
Chuck Flint
John Pennypacker
Bob Zarling
They may not have been able to celebrate together, all involved in fulfilling PDG David's dream should have great satisfaction in knowing that thousands they will never see will have a better life because of their generosity.