Highlights from February 3 Meeting

Welcome - President Dan Coons
 
As members and guests were arriving for the meeting, they were greeted by Steve Ross.
 
President Dan opened the meeting by introducing himself then reciting the Rotary International 2021-22 theme - Serve to Change Lives.  He then reminded everyone of the Rotary Vision Statement:
 
Together we see a world where people unite and 
take action to create lasting change - 
across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves
 
 
Dick Myren offered the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Shelly Romine.
 
Jim Erickson - Rotary Minute - Significance of January 27
  • January 27, 1945 - Soviet Forces liberated Auschwitz.
  • January 27, 2021 - Pakistan had gone one year without Polio.
  • There are currently three cases in Afghanistan and two are in one household.
  • There are still those who have Polio and show no symptoms but can still pass it on to others.
  • But we are THIS close.
 
Introduction of Guests
  • Sean Green introduced his guest Stephen Phair from the Sun Lakes Club.
  • Logan Harper introduced Kevin Foster. Kevin is a guest of both Sean Green and Logan Harper.
Ace of Clubs Raffle - Chuck Flint
 
John Pennypacker had the winning ticket and received $50 from the small pot. He, however, did not choose the Ace of Spades so the $1,000 large pot will continue to grow to over $1,100.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Happy Bucks - Ron Thompson
 
  • Dick Myren gave happy bucks because he learned he has a second wife. Apparently Shelly Myren (meaning Shelly Romine) signed up to do the pledge today
  • Lucinda General had happy bucks explaining why she was wearing her blue blazer with all the Rotary pins on it. She decided to wear a pair of blue slacks to the meeting today and needed a blue blazer. Well, she has one blue blazer, and it is covered in Rotary pins collected from many, many years. (She did look like a Rotary Exchange Student with it on.)  She explained that she’s hosted five Rotary Exchange Students (RYR) in the past. All the RYE wear a blue blazer and they collect pins from not only Rotary but from experiences they have and places they’ve been while on exchange. When Lucinda was District Governor, she got the ideas from the exchange students and would wear this blue blazer when she visited Clubs and would have the opportunity to explain about RYE, plus she had a place to put all those pins.
  • Steve Ross’s happy bucks were for having dinner recently with golfing buddies: Joe and Theresa Creech, Bill and Joanne White and Tim and Sylvia Bennett. Joe is the Rotarian who brought Steve into Rotary. Tom Bennett was the former Vice Principal at West Wood High School and then later the basketball coach at Mesa Community College and at Gilbert High School.
  • Greg Bouslog was happy to be back to our Club meeting after a long absence. He said that COVID really took its toll on his work by making his schedule hard to make our Rotary meetings.
  • Tim Troy was happy that he got to go to the Barrett Jackson event twice. He went the first time with his family but there were not any auctions going on that day – but they still had a great time. When Don LaBarge offered tickets to Barrett Jackson, Tim took Don up on the offer so was able to go again with his son while the auction was happening.
  • Dan Coons was also happy to attend Barrett Jackson.
  • Shelly Romine gave happy bucks to announce that Greg Bouslog will be making the presentation next week at our meeting.
  • Polly Cady announced the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) that was held January 29th, was very, very successful. There were three Mesa West members in attendance:  Sean Green, Logan Harper, and Pam Cohen. She also mentioned that she knows our Guest, Stephen Phair, from his attending RLI. Polly also had a happy buck to show the thermometer Allan Cady uses to measure the Sponsor Program donations. She showed that $10,000 has been received and with the $60,000 goal, we ONLY have $50,000 to go.  Dan Coons added a comment that when Polly came into the meeting, she was in a hurry and told Dan that Allan’s thermometer was at the front of the room. Dan said he knew Allan had had Covid a couple of weeks ago but could not figure out why Polly brought his thermometer . . . . until he saw it!  
  • Ron Thompson was happy he that he attended Barrett Jackson. 
  • Don LaBarge was really happy to learn that Logan Harper’s girlfriend, Taylor, is going to help him sell misting systems! She works in the office for a construction company.  
  • David Brauchler showed us a cutting board made by Ed Koeneman that David’s wife said is too pretty to use. David also pointed to a beautiful plate displayed in the front of the room. It was displayed on something Ed Koeneman made which showed off Ed’s art-man-ship.
  • Penny May’s buck, happy or sad? She said we are falling down on the job here in Arizona. It’s cold!
  • Chuck Flint wanted to know how many of our members went to Barrett Jackson and bid on the 2023 Corvette Z06, first one ever produced and is a convertible hard-top, that went for $3.6 million? The proceeds actually went to charity.
  • Ed Koeneman was happy that David Brauchler’s wife, Lynn is happy with the cutting board. Ed also mentioned that he follows the YMCA Facebook and found that Greg Bouslog has been promoted to Executive Director.  
  • Wendell Jones was happy to be able to rearrange his schedule to be with us at our meeting again. Not only did he need to be here to introduce our speaker, but Ray Smith needed a ride to the meeting.
  • Warren Williamson wanted us to know that after hearing all the interesting stories from our members, he realized how boring his life is EXCEPT the day he was born. Warren was coming early, so they drove to Clinton Illinois.  When they arrived at the hospital, his father ran inside to get help.  Mrs. Abbot, a cousin of Warren's father and Warren's 8th grade school teacher, had accompanied the family.  After waiting longer than she thought reasonable for Warren's dad to return with help, Mrs. Abbot went inside to find out what was going on.  Warren's dad had run into a friend and was visiting.  After reminding him a baby was being born, they went outside and Warren had already arrived.  He was born in the car.  There was no doctor bill or hospital bill.  Warren had truly been born free.  He didn't know if his mother ever forgave his dad, but Warren was the last child in their family.
  • John Pennypacker has two grandchildren who are brothers ages five and seven. The five-year-old was using the bathroom when the seven-year-old asked him what he was doing. The five-year-old replied, “what do you think? I’m not making a sandwich!”
  • Guest Stephen Phair had some happy bucks commenting on our Club’s energy. He said he started a group called Rotary Meets Business and is looking forward to meeting Sean Green and Logan Harper after our meeting to discuss the group, Sean, and Logan possible joining.
  • Tom  Yuser, who was on Zoom, pledged $5 saying it is minus ten degrees in Minnesota.
Announcements:
  • Dan Coons announced that Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) Chair, Donna Goetzenberger, reported to Dan that RYE is slowly opening.
  • Shelly Romine announced that projects are being scheduled but one is in the works at the House of Refuge which is housing for families who need stability.
  • Tim Troy updated the Club with more info on that project saying that the cabinets are ready to be put in and the painting and flooring could be done anytime. The last Saturday in February is slated for this project which is using District Grant money.  
  • Shelly will send out a Save the Date for March projects.  In April we will participate in the Bed Build with Sleep In Heavenly Peace.
  • Dan announced that Bob Zarling has a candidate for a Rotary Peace Fellow scholarship and would like Mesa West to sponsor her. She is from Colorado.
  • Sean Green had an update on the State 48 Rotary T-Shirts members had ordered recently.  He does not have them yet, but hopes to have them at the February 10 meeting.
Program - Dena Kidd, Senior Development Officer, Junior Achievement of Arizona
 
Wendell Jones introduced our speaker.  He said he was thrilled to introduce a very, very dear friend.  He said he and Dena had worked together for years and years and years.  She has been with Junior Achievement for thirty-two years, which Wendell said was quite an achievement for a 29-year-old. She is married and has a 23-year-old son who has recently been admitted to nursing school.
 
Dena said she was very happy to be at the meeting.  Junior Achievement has many partnerships with Rotary Clubs.  Enough members were familiar with Junior Achievement that she was glad to be "talking to the choir."  
 
COVID has made life interesting the last couple of years.
 
It was founded in 1919 in New England.  Families were moving from the country to the cities and kids need to learn how to handle themselves in a business environment.  In 1957, Junior Achievement of Arizona opened in Tucson.  In 1975, they began teaching in K-12 classrooms expanding from entrepreneurship education only to include financial literacy and work readiness education.  In 2001, they launched JA BizTown at their Tempe Learning Labs, and in 2009, they introduced JA Finance Park at the Tempe facility.
 
Before the pandemic, they were reaching about 80,000 primarily low-income students.  During the Pandemic, that number dropped to around 70,000 in a virtual environment.  They expect to reach 90k000 primarily in a hybrid environment low-income students this school year.
 
They have twenty-plus programs addressing four major areas:
  • Financial Literacy
  • Career Readiness
  • Entrepreneurial Spirit
  • Critical Thinking
Went from after-school to in-school programs in 1975 in order to reach more kids.  Volunteers go through training.  In elementary school, kids learn basic concepts using all styles of learning.  In middle-school, they start preparing teens to think about where they want to be and how to best prepare for their educational and eventual professional needs to reach their dreams.  In high school help kids prepare for economic reality.  There are stepping stones that build on each other.
 
JA Learning Lab in Tempe - JA Biz Town
 
4th-6th grade.  practical skills are learned in a little city.  They have to learn a business for a day.  Loan from bank.  Shop has to pay loan off by end of the day.  They get paid twice a day and have to keep track of what they earn and what they spend.  It helps them connect the dots to real world experience.  Comments, 
  • Wow, now I know why my parents are so tired at the end of the day.
  • Wow, I never thought I could be a Mayor or CEO at 10-years old.
They give tours all the time.  During COVID they had to stop in-person volunteering.  
 
JA Finance Park - for middle and high-school students.  They learn how to manage a family budget.   They learn about interest rates and how education can impact their earning potential and how saving today can affect their future.  They put their knowledge into action in their learning center.  They are assigned circumstances that vary.  They have to go around the town to buy what they can afford from their budget.  They receive comments  like these:
  • I had planned to move out of my parents house when I turn 18, but now I think I will stay there a few years so I can save up some money.
  • I don't want to be an adult...
 
JA Inspire - Middle and high school students explore careers of the future.  On-line prep lessons in classroom.  Career identification and educational preparation planning.  100 companies participating.  A great way for students to learn about companies and companies to reach out to students.  
 
Mesa Schools Just met with Mesa Public Schools.  They have committed Middle and High School students will get to participate in the JA Inspire Program.  This represents an approximate $55,000 investment 
 
COVID brought about many changes.  A good change was the development of Virtual components to supplement all their programs.  Developing community partnerships to increase their capacity to reach youth in meaningful ways through their virtual experiences..  
 
Mary - Latina - single mother participated in workforce readiness program.  Through a JA event internship through University of Phoenix.  Completed college degree for free.  She has a great job in human resources, and she and her son are doing very well.
 
JA relies on support from the community.  Volunteer, support, participate, share expertise, make tax credit donation.  
 
She showed a photo of children and suggested we consider helping Junior Achievement empower each and every one of them.  
 
Dick Myren commented about an experience.in 1968, in Iowa, using a Junior Achievement program.   They worked with kids to set up a company, identify a product, produce and sell the product, and produce a report at the end.  The youth his group worked with won a national competition and the team got to travel to New York.  Barry Goldwater was a speaker at the event they attended there.  One evening, they went to a show and were at a table near Joan Rivers and Bob Hope.
 
Dena invited Mesa West Rotary to tour their Tempe facility.
 
Dan pointed out the sling John Pennypacker was wearing and asked for help from members in getting the banners down and put away.    John thanked the members who helped him put the banners up.