Our club has returned to a Zoom meeting format due to spikes in our Arizona Covid numbers. President-Clent presided over our last meeting for 2020. Art Harrington guided us in prayer, Phil Goode led us with the pledge to our flag, and Linda Mast with the Four Way Test. Thoughts of the Day provided by Jerry Fohrman: “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” Plato. The Sunup Community Service Committee was once again honored to present Dennis Light with our annual donation of $300 to the Prescott Fire Fighters Charities. Additionally, the committee thanked Linda and Bard, Bill Mosher and his wife, as well as Laura Vanderberg and her husband for bell ringing for the Salvation Army. Finally, it was announced that our club raised $1600 in additional donations, enabling our club to rescue Christmas for a total of three families. Todd Clancy provided a brief explanation of the ‘Rotary Districts 5495 and 5500 Christmas Food Drive,’ the inaugural Arizona-wide virtual food drive put together by Todd and Jerry Hulm, inviting all Arizona Rotary clubs to partner with Sunup in raising donations for the Arizona Food Bank Network. Our club donation web page will be open for donations until Christmas day: Sunup Rotary AzFBN Drive.   We welcomed PDG Nancy Van Pelt as guest speaker to share with us a brief overview of The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona and a reminder of that this is a 501(C)3 public charity and all donations are eligible for dollar-to-dollar AZ tax credits. Nancy provided examples of how this program allows individuals to lift themselves out of poverty and contribute to their community. Please visit the following website for more information: www.trvfa.org Greg Raskin was our Sgt. at Arms and naturally there were some happy bucks involving the 70-7 shellacking ASU delivered to the U of Arizona football team. Todd Clancy paid to thank Greg Raskin for fixing the Salvation Army bells our club was ringing near his store; however, Greg responded to hold off on thanking him as he would be billing our club $400 for those bell repairs. All members were fined a buck for not sucking up to the Sergeant at Arms when he had a serious mountain bike accident. Linda celebrated her newly achieved status as Medicare cardholder, Clent marked his 22nd anniversary Christmas Day, John Scholl noted his daughter’s Masters in Global Security, Jon Berry was happy to have survived the Pentagon last week, and there were plenty of Holiday happy bucks. Finally, Greg Raskin told his ‘Christmas Story,’ which has become beloved tradition for Sunupians. Dennis Light introduced our guest speaker Dan Russell, Board Member of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew Learning and Tribute Center (GMIHC),  located at the Prescott Gateway Mall at the Dillard’s end of the mall. Along with Dan we welcomed John Marsh, Chair of the GMIHC Board and father of one of the fallen Hotshots. Dan provided the club with an explanation of the origins of the GMIHC, an overview of its mission, and hopes for future changes and growth. For those newer residents who may not be familiar, The Hotshots were an elite, Prescott-based wildfire-fighting team. On June 30, 2013, 19 of the team's 20 team members died while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire. The GMIHC was established in honor of the 19 Hotshots. The mission of the center “is to establish and operate a wildland fire learning center that honors the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew (GMIHC) by telling their story, displaying and housing artifacts/memorabilia, and educating visitors about wildland fire, firefighting, and prevention.” Amongst the many exhibits at the Gateway Mall Center is an exhibition called ‘The Shirts Off Their Backs,’ which displays the huge number of shirts and memorabilia from locations throughout the country and world to commemorate the fallen 19 Hotshots. In addition to operating the center, GMIHC is very involved in the Prescott community, participating in parades, Rodeo Week, Elks Theater events, the Wildland Fire Academy and they have very active Facebook page and website at www.gmihc19.com The Center at Gateway Mall is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am – 4 pm, and Sunday from 11am – 4 pm. Thank you Dan, and thank you John, for your heartfelt presentation and all the time and effort you devote to this noble tribute. |
