President Laura presented an overview of the Club Budget for 2023-24, noting that club members can access copies of the complete budget and the club's financial statements via ClubRunner. She explained that the club's operational expenses are paid from a Club Account, and all service projects are funded through the Club Foundation Account.  She noted that all of the requests for funding programs, which were submitted to the board by each of the Rotary Avenues of Service Directors, had been approved by the Board, and that they were incorporated into the final budget adopted by the board.  

 

It was acknowledged that, in addition to its bank accounts, the club's Foundation does also have an investment account, currently valued at approximately $91,000, and that fully-funding the adopted budget will require  drawing upon that account, since this year's Double Down Fundraiser raised considerably less than was needed.  It is imperative that the club sponsor one or more new fundraisers this year which will be capable of producing the income required to fund the scholarships and other services our club members want to see our club provide during the 2024-25 Rotary year.  Richard Hernandez also suggested that we need to begin promoting bequests to our Sunup Rotary Foundation.

 

Lindsay, one of our scholarship recipients from Prescott High School, and her mother were our special guests at this meeting.  Lindsay thanked the club for her scholarship and informed us that she will be pursuing her education at BYU, with a Biology Major.  She said her goal is to become a dental hygienist.  Also in her plans is going on a mission for her church.  

 

 

Thanks to John Stewart for delivering a very fitting tribute in recognition of Stan Steiner's 23 years of service with our Prescott Sunup Rotary Club.  The 20-minute committal service, with military honors last Friday, which was one of nine such services scheduled for that day at the Prescott National Cemetery, provided minimal time for tributes.  However, the  luncheon afterwards at the American Lutheran Church gave John the opportunity to let Stan's family and friends know about some of Stan's man Rotary accomplishments, and how much our club appreciated him and his leadership. 

 

Club Service Director Cassidy Stauffer reminds us that this week is our last opportunity to purchase a $60 business card ad which will appear weekly on our Rotary club's place mats.  Call or email Cassidy at 928 533-9692 or staufferfamily17gmail.com.

 

We have just learned about the recent death of Past District Governor Richard Frank.  Dick served as Governor in 2001-2002.   Working that year with DG Julio Medina, from District 4180 in Mexico, they started the annual Mexico-USA Friendship Conference and Global Grants Exchange.  Still thriving today, it is through this remarkable Rotary projects fair that our club has been able to initiate and participate in so many international projects.  These are our longstanding friends and partners who host our Interact Ambassadors to Mexico teams, like the one we sent this summer.  Dick had lost his wife Esther from Covid a couple of years ago.  Our condolences re extended to his surviving family. 

 

District 5495 Rotary Youth Exchange students are enjoying a colorful night together, displaying their countries' flags, at a D-Backs baseball game.  Rotary Youth Exchange, which had to be totally shut down during the pandemic, is making great strides at rebuilding.  Prior to the pandemic, this "crown jewel" of Rotary Youth Services programs, had more than 9,000 high school age students being exchanged every year between Rotary districts in over 80 different countries.  RYE Chair Donna Goetzenberger reports that our District 5495 has 10 outbound RYE ambassadors this year, and 17 inbound.  A number of our club members are still connected with Gabe Guimaraes, from Brazil, whom our Sunup Rotary Club hosted several years ago.  Our club sponsored both an inbound and an outbound RYE student that year.

 

Edgar Martinez-Aviles, an alum of our PHS Interact Club, and Alondra Macias, both 2022 Interact Ambassadors to Kenya, were the featured speakers this past Friday at the Sun City West Rotary Club.  Edgar is now at ASU, studying toward becoming a Veterinarian, and Alondra is at Pomona College in CA, studying toward becoming a medical doctor.  Both are solidly committed to Rotary, and are willing to speak for, or assist, Rotary clubs in any way. 

 

A bandit made a specialty of crossing the Rio Grande from time to time and robbing banks in Texas. Finally, a reward was offered for his capture.

An enterprising Texas Ranger decided to track him down.

After a lengthy search, he traced the bandit to his favorite cantina, snuck up behind him, put his trusty six-shooter to the bandit's head and said, "You're under arrest. Tell me where you hid the loot or I'll blow your brains out."

But the bandit didn't speak English and the Ranger didn't speak Spanish! Fortunately, a bilingual lawyer was in the saloon and translated the Ranger's message.

The terrified bandit blurted out, in Spanish, that the loot was buried under the oak tree in back of the cantina.

"What did he say?" asked the Ranger.

The lawyer answered, "He said, 'Get lost, you turkey. You wouldn't dare shoot me.'"
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Scientists have finally discovered exactly how much sleep a human needs ... just 5 minutes more.

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I wonder what Facebook employees do to waste time at work?