Cathedral Pines Wildfire Suppression System Explained to Club

Past Pres. John Stewart with Bill Hartley, both residents of Cathedral Pines

 

Thanks to John Stewart, who arranged for the program, we were privileged to have Bill Hartley come to our Prescott-Sunup Rotary Club to explain to us how the 1,700 foot long, high volume sprinkler system they are working to have installed will serve as a fire-suppression barrier to protect their neighborhood from a potential wildfire, being driven in by a wind from the southwest, such as the one experienced with the Indian Fire in 2002.  Bill reminded us that, had it not been for four large tanker aircraft who had made an overnight stop in Prescott, the city probably would have been destroyed by that fire.  He explained how such a strategically-placed sprinkler misting system has been successfully used for fire protection from blowing embers in other places, and he showed us maps to help us envision the location where the systen he has designed will be placed to protect Cathedral Pines, alomg with a nearby mobile home neighborhood.  Once this system has been installed, Bill says it could be replicated in oher locations around the city to protect those neighborhoods, as well.

 

 

 

Rotary International has a 17-member Board of Directors, plus the RI President, the President-Eect and Rotary's General Secretary, John Hewko.  Each Director represents two paired Rotary Zones, and they each serve 2-year terms.  Wyn Spiller (lower left corner) is just beginning serving her 2-year term, rpresenting our Zones 26-27.

 

The Rotary Foundation's Board of Trustees consists of 15 members, who each serve 6-year terms.  The TRF Trustees are seen here being introduced at the recent Rotary International Convention, held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  Also serviong on the TRF Board is John Hewko, the Rotary General Secretary, who is from a Rotary Club in the Ukraine.

 

 

 

 

We promised to include in The Sunupian the Arizona Rotary Plate of any of our club meembers who obtain one.  DGN Joe Sweeney reminded us that he was one of the first to obtain his Rotary personalized license plate.  It looks great, Joe!  Hopefully, you remembered to renew your car registration in January.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seventy-Eight (78) hours later, after leaving Nairobi, Kenya, our Interact Ambassadors to Kenya finaly returned to Sky Harbor International Airport, where they started their Rotary service journey.

 

Why did it take them so long to get home?  They actually had a direct flight from Nairobi to JFK in New York, and had no problem with that flight.  However, once they landed in NYC, that's where they experienced their ultimate frustration with airline travel today,  It took us three (3) days to finally get them out of JFK and on their way home (finally routed through Salt Lake City).  Extreme weather conditions resulted in one flight after another being cancelled, once they got to New York; and if it had not been for seven very kind and compassionate fellow trevelers, who agreed to give up their seats on an over-booked flight to SLC, in order for our weary team to, at last, get out of NYC and on their way back home, they might still be stranded there in JFK.

 

 

High school age Interact members who apply, and are chosen, to train and serve at the district leadership level are required to participate in an intensive 3-day Interact District Council leadership training and planning Retreat.  It is always held the third wekend in July at Camp Wamatochick, located 6 miles south of Prescott.  That IDC Retreat just concluded on Sunday.  This photo was taken on Saturday after our Rotary District Governor, Jim Schmidt (back row, center), had just finished speaking to them.  The Interact District Governor, Derrick Boateng, from Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, is atanding on the far right side of the photo.  He had just returned from serving as an Interact Ambassador to Kenya (as seen in the photo above), the day before the IDC Retreat.