President CHUCK opened the meeting and Past President JIM MURPHY gave our inspiration, followed by DAVE EAGLETON with the Pledge and Song – “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” skillfully rendered by GARY HIRSCH on the piano.
RICHARD KELEMEN introduced our guests and Visiting Rotarians (most fleeing the Polar Vortex in the Midwest). We had two Birthday Rotarians:
- STU GOLDMAN is a former employee of Maxwell House and a past “imposter” contestant on “To Tell the Truth”. Stu announced that he had completed his probation of 35 years in the Rotary and was leaving his carnival job of being shot out of a cannon, where they told him they were sad to lose a man of his caliber.
- Immediate Past President CLIFF BOWMAN has two heroes – Nolan Ryan because Cliff was also a pitcher and Abe Lincoln “just because”. CLIFF enjoys being a member of the Best Club in the country and directed his birthday gift to the Scholarship Fund.
Sergeant at Arms FONDA INSLEY filled in ably for BOBBY LARSON… but surprisingly there was no raffle, announcements, or auction.
President CHUCK introduced our program, Car Show Chair BRUCE JACOBS and incoming Chair JASON GRABOSCH delivering the "2018 Car Show Results/Charity Awards & 2019 Car Show Goals/Car Reveal". Bruce thanked everyone for a Terrific 12th, including name sponsor We Buy Houses and MIKE ANDERSON. Additionally, we had great key sponsors, media donations worth more than $300,000, and a Silent Auction that produced $15,772. Final results included 27,387 tickets sold for a net of $175,721.Proceeds are split according to a ratio of 40%, 20%, 20%, 10%, and 5% (due to the Centennial Project timing). Our recipients told many wonderful stories of children, families and individuals whose lives have been changed significantly by the Rotary Club of Tucson Car Show. Recipients included:
Interfaith Community Services (5%) who told the story of a child proud of her mom in school to be a nurse and “I’m going to be a doctor”.
Job Path (5%) told the story of a single mom now making $50,000 a year – one of 1600 helped.
Wright Flight (20%) and ROBIN STODDARD told many stories of behavioral and educational improvement, among the more than 35,144 participants (all of whom know more about the Wright brothers than I do…)
SARSEF (20%) and LIZ BOWMAN told many success stories including an NSF grant winner, founder of a medical company, and others among the more than 10,000 kids who participated.
Make Way for Books (40%) and JENNY VOLPE spoke about a participant in their “Cover to Cover” program to bring books to everyday places who writes that “books speak my heart”. Make Way for Books has helped over 70,288 during the years we have sponsored their programs, while giving away 72,534 books.
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Incoming Car Show Chair JASON GRABOSCH is well up to the task of leading the “Lucky 13th” which is off to a great start with a crimson Corvette convertible. JASON and BRUCE signed a book for our le
nding library: “Be Kind”.
nding library: “Be Kind”.President CHUCK closed our meeting with a quote from Caroll Shelby: “I've always been asked, 'What is my favorite car?' and I've always said, 'The next one.'”
