Doing good in New Mexico and around the world. May 21, 2014

Transcription

1 Doing good in New Mexico and around the world Del Norte Rotary NorthWind The official bi-monthly online publication of the Del Norte Rotary Club of Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Vol. 26, Issue No. 9 May 21, 2014 Editor: Ed Hughes 29 honored as Paul Harris Fellows All are cited for their support of the club s Del Norte Foundation Page 3 Rotarians dig deep to help out at The Ranches Page 5 First time Fellow F irst-time awarding of a Paul Harris Fellow is a big moment in the life of a Rotarian. Scott Stafford, center, received his first PHF award at the club s May 7 meeting along with Billie Adams, and John Perner. Scott is shown here with Dave and Maureen Anderson who donated points they had earned from their long -time RI Foundation giving to help Scott and others receive a Paul Harris Fellow award as thanks for contributing to the club s Del Norte Foundation s endowment fund. See story on Page 3. Engage Rotary, Change Lives I m glad to report that the End Polio Now Make History Today campaign is going well. Rotary met the terms of the new agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and received $70 million in matching funds. We have four more years of this agreement remaining, in which the Gates Foundation will match two -to-one every dollar Rotary spends on polio. I know that together, we can engage Rotary to end polio and change the world, forever. Ron D. Burton, President, Rotary International Foundation. Candid Camera: Work Day at the Ranches Page 6

2 Del Norte Rotary NorthWind May 21, 2014 Page 2 Inside Del Norte Rotary Rotary International President: Ron D. Burton President-Elect: Gary C.K. Huang Rotary 4-Way Test winners Rotary District Governor: Christopher Kit Turpen Governor-Elect: Lonnie Leslie Exec. Director: Loren Kuehne Del Norte Rotary Club of Albuquerque Club Officers President: Gene Gaik President-Elect: Kathie Williams Vice President: Tim Salazar Board Secretary: Sally Casey Treasurer: John Wright Sgt.-at-Arms: Les Smith Past President: Darcy Savage Directors Club Service: Dan Regan Community Service: Barbara LaGree International Service: Tom Krekel Membership: Marty Padilla New Generations: Michael MacDonald Program: Carol Rickert-Asbury Public Image: Sonia Torres Vocational Service: Nick Ritz Executive Secretary Edwin S. Hughes Office Information P.O. Box 3951 Albuquerque, NM secretary@rotarydelnorte.org el Norte Rotary s New Generations Director Michael MacDonald, far right, D poses with Wilson Middle School s Rotary 4-Way Test Essay winners and the school s principal, Ann Piper, far left. First place winner was Maiyah Ryan (next to Michael), second place winner was Baylee Adair (next to Principal Ann), and third place went to Emmarose Heath (center). Four APS middle schools competed in the essay contest this semester. The winners at Hayes Middle School will be presented today (May 21) at 1:30 p.m. Friendship Exchange to Canada set for August 1-15 It s time to get serious about who would like to participate in the Rotary Friendship Exchange to Canada from August RFE district chair Donna Pedace said Canada s RFE group visited our state in March of 2013, so this will be our return visit. She says there are a few more slots available for either couples or solo travelers, so please let Donna know if you are interested and would like further info. Club Service Director post open for 2-year term Looking for a way to serve your club in a very special way? You might consider a position on our Board of Directors as the new Club Service director. Dan Regan, with a new job, has decided not to serve another 2 -year term starting July 1. President-elect Kathie Williams is expanding the role of the Club Service Director to include club operations in addition to social activities and special events. If interested, contact Kathie. Krekel resigns as director and member Tom Krekel, the club s director of international service, has resigned due to increasing demands on his job and out-of-town assignments. He has been a valued member of Del Norte Rotary since Come July 1, Kim Helm will take over as director of international service.

3 Del Norte Rotary NorthWind May 21, 2014 Page 3 Who says you can t get 20 Rotarians together in a picture? Well, it did take three photos to get most of our PHF honorees. Photos by Ruth Ronan 29 Rotarians honored as Paul Harris Fellows All are cited for their support of our club s Del Norte Foundation I t was a magnificent moment in Del Norte Rotary Club history. No one can ever remember a time when 29 members were honored at the same time with the awarding of Paul Harris Fellows., and even though nine members couldn t make it for the actual presentation. 20 award presentations can take a lot of time, and it created a real problem for those wishing to capture it photo-wise. Most of the awards were in response to members who had committed to making at least $2,000 to the club s Rotary Del Norte Foundation and its goal to reach a million dollars in its endowment fund. In order to thank those members, Paul Harris Fellows were awarded thanks to RDNF board members and long-time RI Foundation contributors like Dave and Maureen Anderson who donated points they had earned through many $1,000 donations to the RI Foundation for which Paul Harris Fellow pins and medallions are awarded for first-time Fellows, and pins with sapphires and rubies for those who have continued to make multiple $1,000 gifts to the RI Foundation. Brooks LaGree, vice chairman of the Rotary Del Norte Foundation, presided over the ceremony, filling in for Foundation chairman Charlie Ofelt, who was out of town. He even presented himself with a PHF award. For the record, those honored with PHF awards, whether present or not, were: Ken Abbott, Billie Adams, Carol Asbury, Frank Bird, Terry Boulanger, Fred Bryant, Rob Butler, Greg Chalmers, Mike Creedon, John Freeman, Craig Hinnen, Scott Honsowetz, Ed Hughes, J.J. Jimenez, Tom Krekel, Barbara LaGree, Brooks LaGree, Bob Maruca, Alice Mehlberg, Jim Mehlberg, John Perner, Marc Powell, Tony Royle, Tim Salazar, Sandy Seligman, Scott Stafford, Don Wagner, Carol Wright and John Wright.. Paul Harris Society: Challenge grant nets 50 new members here is the Paul Harris Fellow award, to those who give $1,000 to the RI T Foundation. There is the Paul Harris Society that signifies that such a member donates $1,000 to the Foundation each year. There are 28,000 RI donors who are members of the Society, and 111 of them are from our District, said Yale Jones, the Paul Harris Society chair for the district. I am pleased to announce that a $50,000 challenge grant by your own Dave and Maureen Anderson has resulted in 50 Rotarians signing up to be Society members. Your club is the epitome of a great Rotary club, he said. Events & programs for the coming weeks May 21 David Williams, director Border Security Management Southwest. 28 TBA. June Note: On June 17, there will be a joint meeting of the current board and the new incoming board. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.

4 Del Norte Rotary NorthWind May 21, 2014 Page 4 Luncheon Notes: Meetings of May 7 and 14 Blowin in the (North) Wind... A breezy collection of luncheon bites from NorthWind Editor Ed Hughes. May 7, 2014 R andom note-taking while wondering if here is a country-western song with the catchy line, One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor!? Ruth Ronan, before she left for places unknown, led Rotarians in singing My Country Tis of Thee. Finally figured out this patriotic piece is always played on the first meeting of the month. Duh! Thanks to Gary Williams for being the greeter, Maureen Anderson for leading the Pledge to the Flag, and Chuck Brown for giving the invocation. Almost missed all the big whoop-de-doo on the presentation of 29 Paul Harris Fellows while performing my new job as Executive Secretary. Did you know how many missing Rotary badges there are? Thanks to Ruth Ronan for taking my camera and trying to catch nearly two dozen people in one shot! Not even an 18mm wide angle lens is that wide! Speaking of Ruth (again), she announced that she would play a hand-bell solo at her church, Faith Lutheran, the following Sunday in honor of her 30 years as a hand-bell choir director. What she didn t know is that she would be presented with a framed copy of a hand-bell score that was specifically written for her, and played by her hand-bell choir. Fill-in-for-the-month Sgt.-at-Arms Mike Creedon pulled a lot of sneaky ways to empty Rotarian pocket books like asking for everyone who didn t have a Rotary 4-Way Test coin on their person to pay up. No wonder he collected $111 for 10 minutes of slave-driving work. A lot of folks had reason to celebrate, though. Fred and Evelyn Bryant were celebrating their 20th anniversary today. One tequila, two tequila May 14, 2014 ore random jottings while wondering if vegetarians eat animal crackers? Volunteers in action: Les Smith and Maureen Anderson jumped in at the last minute to be greeters, and Fred M Bryant was roped into helping with the raffle ticket dispensing job. Meanwhile, St. John s United Methodist Church organist/pianist Maribeth Gunning got the meeting going with a sterling rendition of The Star Spangled Banner, Michael Madanick led in the Pledge of Allegiance, and yours truly offered the invocation, a poem titled Thy Will Be Done. Caring Hearts guy Steve Becker reported that ailing J.J. Jimenez is doing a mite better, but would welcome calls or cards of encouragement. Sgt.-at-Arms Mike Creedon continued to raise money to solve the U.S. guv ment debt. He even fined a couple of Rotarians who were pictured doing their best to support United Way but weren t wearing their Rotary pin. UNM Coach Bob Davie had the best line of the day. Looking over the crowd of Rotarians, he remarked: I spoke to this club two years ago, and I think I m the only one who has aged! One of his players, David Anaya, had the second best quip: When we went down to play Texas, I saw some of the biggest football players I ve ever seen in my life! For the record: Guests of Rotarians and visiting Rotarians May 7: Guests of Rotarians: Holland Sutton (guest of Marc Powell). Club Guest: Yale Jones, District chair, Paul Harris Society (program). Visiting Rotarians: Evelyn Bryant (Metro); Yale Jones (Taos-Milagro). May 14: Guests of Rotarians: Joe Wiseman (guest of Bobby Wallace); Chris Van Dyck (Scott Stafford); Dave Benoy (Michael MacDonald); Ramon Carroll and Ray Shortridge (Tim Salazar); Bruce Seligman (Sandy Seligman). Club Guests: UNM Coach Bob Davie (program), along with David Anaya (UNM football player) and Jacori Greer (UNM assistant football coach). Visiting Rotarians: James Morrison (Sandia).

5 Del Norte Rotary NorthWind May 21, 2014 Page 5 Rotarians dig deep to help the Ranches There is more to supporting a New Mexico jewel than dollars R otarians in Albuquerque have always had a passion for education, for kids, and for nonprofits who give a helping hand rather than just look for a hand-out. That is the reason that Rotarians from three Albuquerque area clubs Del Norte, Del Sol and Rio Rancho Sunrise recently pooled their talents and dug deep to help out the storied New Mexico Boys & Girls Ranch located along the fertile fields of the Rio Grande near Belen. Last Saturday (May 17), the three clubs turned out in good numbers 36 strong to plant new flower beds, build picnic tables, and do a little painting of buildings that have weathered a lot of cold winters and hot summers since The New Mexico Boys Ranch opened 70 years ago, at that time just a facility for boys. Rotary means a lot to the Ranches, because we have taken many a day and weekends to do what we can to keep this facility a welcome place for kids who really needed guidance and something to do with their lives, said Rick Akins, Rio Rancho Sunrise Rotarian, who is a past Rotary District Governor, and development coordinator of the Ranches Foundation. Del Norte Rotarian Bobby Wallace, also a past District Governor, is president of the Ranches Board. The Ranch here means a lot to Rotarians, too, Bobby noted. When Rotarians come here, they meet the staff and they mingled in work groups with the kids, and it really comes home to a lot of us that, except for the grace of God, we could have needed the same help that these kids get here to learn, to work as a team, to get their lives back in order. For many of their work details, the Rotarians dug deep to plant trees and flowers, and to freshen up some of the Ranch s weathered buildings. But they have also gone together to raise funds, and a matching grant from Rotary International will go a long way to help refurnish the kitchen hall. That is why local Rotarians will be coming back several weekends in June to put in some sweat equity along with the dollars they helped raise. Heading up last Saturday s work detail was Del Norte s John Freeman, Del Sol s Tom Cullen and Rick Akins of Rio Ranch Sunrise. Our 100% attendees for the month of April We had 39 members who achieved perfect attendance for the month of April, including make-ups for missed meetings. Congratulations to: Ken Abbott Frank Bird Gene Gaik Michael MacDonald Ruth Ronan Bobby Wallace Billie Adams Terry Boulanger Kim Helm Michael Madanick Mike Skolnick Kathie Williams Andy Anderson Chuck Brown Ed Hughes Bill Michael Les Smith Carol Wright David Anderson Fred Bryant Art Humphries Marty Padilla Scott Stafford John Wright Maureen Anderson Sally Casey Barbara LaGree Donna Pedace Jeanine Steffy Carol Asbury Richard Follingstad Brooks LaGree John Pierucki Sonia Torres Steve Becker John Freeman Norm Liss Nick Ritz Donette Wagner

6 Del Norte Rotary NorthWind May 21, 2014 Page 6 Candid Camera: Work Day at The Ranches Rotarians and their family members who volunteered at The Boys & Girls Ranch pose for a group photo. Building a picnic table? Read the directions first! Katy, 2, says: I can help, but help me put these gloves on! Two past District Governors try their hand at grilling the burgers.