Pres. Russ Davis presents plaque and gift card to Emmett & Tiffany Jones

 

Our Sunup Time club meeting this month featured the unveiling by Pres. Russ Davis of several new programs designed to better appreciate, increase, and retain our club's members.  One of these new features will be the recognition of a Rotarian of the Month.  This month, Russ chose the dynamic duo, Emmett & Tiffany Jones, to be the first to receive this new award. 

 

Pres. Russ presented to Eric Chester the Unsung Hero Award 

 

The second special monthly recognition established by Pres. Russ is an Unsung Hero Award. In spite of being a lawyer, certainly no one deserved to be the first recipient of this new award more than Eric Chester.  The behind-the-scene services which Eric has continued to faithfully provide for many years, helping to keep our club solvent, is greatly appreciated!

 

A third new club feature, which Pres. Russ announced, is the initiation of a Buddy System.  In a nutshell, every club member is paired with another member to become Best Buddies.  You are responsible for checking on, and keeping track of, your assigned Buddy; because, come club meeting time, if you can't tell the club where your missing Buddy is, it will cost you a fine.  If you don't know yet who your assigned Buddy is, be sure to read Russ' Prez Says column in this isue of The Sunupian.

 

 

 

John Hewko, Rotary's General Secretary, said, "Dolly Parton understood something powerful: a child's future can change with a single book."

 

Dolly Parton singing at the 2010 Rotary International Convention in Montreal

 

In 2009, Rotary collaborated with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to expand access to books for young readers, in line with Rotary's longstanding goal of achieving worldwide literacy.  Dolly believed that literacy should never depend on a family's income or circumstances.  Rotary has been honored to work alongside her, and we had the privilege of welcoming her as she performed for our 2010 Rotary International Convention, held in Montreal, Canada. [Editor's Note: Sharon and I were there and heard her.}

 

Her legacy lives on in the millions of children who discovered the joy of reading, because she believed they deserved that opportunity.  Sunup Rotary, together with the other two Rotary clubs in Prescott, initiated the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in the Prescott area. With the help of the Rotary Clubs in Sedona, and others who have joined in supporting the program, now every child in Yavapai County, from birth to 5 years of age, is able to receive an age-appropriate book by mail every month.

 

We join John Hewko in saying, "Thank you, Dolly, for reminding us that literacy opens doors.  Your generosity and optimism will inspire generations to come."

 

 

 

Snack Shack work crew on first day of Fall Ball 2026

 

Robert Smith and Emmett Jones assembling new shelves for our Snack Shack

 

Jane, John and the Clancys picured in the upgraded Snack Shack

 

Yes, Pres. Russ was also there lending a hand, along with Jane and the Clancys

 

You can be in the pictures, too!  Here's the link to sign up to help with our Snack Shack:

 

 

You can participate in Rotary's response to the Flash Floods in Nepal by donating via this link:

 

 

Your contribution empowers Rotary clubs to address urgent needs through disasater response grants from The Rotary Foundation, providing critical resources to people affected by the floods in Nepal and other disasters around the world.