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Club members join President Laura in presenting our donated school supplies for students of the Mayer School to Gina Lloyd, the Family Resources Director. Gina Lloyd shared with us the economic circumstances under which many of the children live in Mayer, and consequently how appreciated our donations of school supplies will be by those children and their families. In last week's issue, we referred to The Rotary Foundation as being "the enabling arm of Rotary." But how did it get started? In 1917, during the Rotary Convention held in Atlanta, RI President Arch Klumph told the delegates, "It seems eminently proper that we should accept endowments for the purpose of doing good in the world." While most of them thought the idea was probably a good one, it got off to a very slow start. It wasn't until a year later, when the $26.50 profit from the Kansas City Convention was donated to the Rotary Endowment Fund, as it was called then, by the Kansas City Rotary Club. After six years, the donated funds still only totaled $70. Ten years later, the 1928 Minneapolis Convention officially established The Rotary Foundation; and over the next four years, the fund grew to $50,000. In 1937 a Foundation goal of $2 million was set, but those plans were interrupted by World War II. However, upon the death of Paul Harris in 1947, a flood of memorial gifts to our Foundation were received, in honor of the esteemed founder of our organization. With the increased funding, our Foundation was able to begin, through its matching grants for club and district projects, to help Rotary achieve its noble objective for the Foundation of "doing good in the world." By 1954, our Foundation received, for the first time, single-year contributions of a half million dollars. By 1965, Rotarians were funding our Foundation at the rate of one million dollars each year. And from these humble beginnings, in 2021-22 our TRF funding was $434.7 million. CLUB SERVICE A couple of the Rotary fellowship groups captured during our Dec. 20th evening social meeting.
COMMUNITY SERVICE Our club has featured three programs relating to the Granite Creek Trail Project and the Granite Creek Trail Mural. The Mural is now complete, and the final protective coat was applied on December 21, 2023. Barbara Nelson, President of the Board of Directors of the Granite Creek Trail Mural Project is excited to announce that “We are now focusing our attention on wrapping up a commemorative book that documents the entire mural process: ‘Making the Mural: Arizona’s Longest Mural by One Artist.’” “’Making the Mural’ chronicles the creation of the Granite Creek Trail mural, the longest outdoor mural by a single artist in Arizona. Through the medium of photography, the book tells the story of the mural from start to finish. For those unable to watch this public art project come to life from April through December 2023, the book documents the full scope of the project and can be used as a guidebook to explore the Granite Creek Trail Mural Project,” Nelson, also founder of the Project, continued. The mural is now a permanent part of the Prescott landscape, and the book is another way to document it and add to the sense of pride for the hundreds of community members and businesses who supported its creation. The book is also designed to thank and recognize those donors and sponsors, with special sections describing all the contributions that made the mural a reality. The book is in production and is expected to be more than 150 pages in length. It may be pre-ordered on the Project website www.trailmurals.org for a donation of $25: $20 less than the postproduction donation of $45. YOUTH SERVICE District 5495's RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) is happening here in Prescott at Camp Pinerock on Jan. 12-15. Rotary's world-renowned leadership development camp is a life-changer for teens. It's impact on them from a single camp experience is legendary. And since the inception of this RYLA program in our district, Prescott Sunup Rotary has played a leading role in making it happen each year. This year, our own A.J. Sheridan begins a 3-year term as the RYLA Chair. You see, pictured above, his theme logo, which will be used over the next three years. A.J. is expecting 130 high school age youth to be RYLA delegates this year. Our Prescott Sunup Rotary Club annually budgets to provide four scholarships (this year $425 each) to help underwrite this proven winner of a Rotary Youth Services program. While our cub members have served in many different capacities with this program over the years, one of the easiest and most convenient ways has been to drive a pick-up, with a load of kids in the back, a short distance from the main camp to the high-ropes challenge course. Drivers are needed again this year. If you have a pick-up, and are willing to plug-in as needed for a few hours, please let AJ know as soon as possible (AJsellsprescotthomes@gmail.com; 928-308-6780). You will also need to go online to the RYLA website and fill out an application. Since program expenses continue to rise and, unfortunately, RYLA receives no Rotary district funding, A.J. is challenging business owners and professionals to consider personally sponsoring one or more of these $425 scholarships. A.J. is leading by example, having committed to personally fund two scholarships this year. INTERNATIONAL SERVICE GOOD NEWS!! Polio is now restricted to just seven districts in Pakistan and two provinces in Afghanistan, the Taliban has reversed course and decided that elimination is now a priority, and in December, world leaders committed $59 million for 'last mile' efforts, with a view to complete elimination by 2026. Rotary has been leading the way in the effort to wipe out Polio from the face of the earth since 1985, when there were 1,000 new cases around the world every day at that time. It appeared to be "Mission Impossible" to most of the world; but Rotary specializes in making the seemingly impossible happen. We have refused to give up, until we reach this long-sought goal. Polio eradication has become a part of Rotary's DNA.  It was the day after Christmas at a church. the pastor was looking at the nativity scene outside when he noticed the baby Jesus was missing from the figures.
Immediately, the pastor turned toward the church to call the police. But as he was about to do so, he saw little Jimmy with a red wagon, and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus.
The pastor walked up to Jimmy and said, "Well, Jimmy, where did you get the little infant?"
Jimmy replied, "I got him from the church."
"And why did you take him?"
With a sheepish smile, Jimmy said, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to little Lord Jesus. I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride around the block in it." __ In class little Johnny drew a picture of his favorite Christmas carol, Silent Night.
His Sunday School teacher said, "Very good Johnny. I see the manger with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the star, and the shepherds, and three wise men. But who is the overweight gentleman over in the corner?"
And little Johnny replied, "That's round John Virgin."
__ To everyone who received a book from me for Christmas, they're due back at the library next Friday. __ WHY WE WOULD LOVE TO BE SANTA CLAUS
• You could grow a massive gut and consider it a job requirement.
• Everyone would be extremely nice to you, even if you weren't.
• You'd never be asked to take an early retirement package.
• There'd be no need to play office politics; a hearty "Ho! Ho! Ho!" would remind everyone who's boss.
• No one would dare ask for a ride to work.
• No more trips to the vending machine...you'd just snack on milk and cookies all day.
• Age discrimination wouldn't be an issue.
• Your co-workers would be on notice that they'd better not pout.
• You'd never be expected to make the coffee.
• One big black belt - accessorized for life!
• Juggling work and family would be a breeze because your children would adore you; even your teenagers would want to sit in your lap.
• You'd never grab the wrong coat on your way out the door. |
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