August 2018 News
 
News
Hello Fellow Rotarians,
 
Greetings from the extremely hot valley of the sun. For those of you at higher elevations, I’m envious. If you read last month’s Governor message, you’ll recall there was discussion of the DG photo – something about my cape being in the wash. There is another photo this month, but you will need to read to the end of this missive to find out how this came about. 
 
August is Membership and New Club Development month. Our District has actually done a fine job recently in getting new clubs started. We are also getting satellite clubs started and some satellites are converting to Rotary clubs. Membership, however, continues to remain a problem. I recently had occasion to review the invoices that each club in the District is receiving this month from RI for semi-annual dues. RI is billing the various clubs in the District for a total of 2,253 members, but seven of those members were in a club that has closed down. So the number is actually 2,246. How many of you can truly say that you actually expected a number that low? I know I was surprised. We will need to increase our overall membership by almost 7 percent to get up to 2,400 members. I think that is an achievable and worthy goal. So you know that person you’ve been thinking about asking to join in Rotary? Why don’t you make the ask?
 
   
 
The Chandler Horizon Rotary Club is a morning club which meets on Wednesday mornings at the Grill 60 of the San Marcos Golf Resort.
 
As per our agreement with the Grill 60 we have a simple buffet breakfast. Every week there is quite a bit of food left over which we pack up and deliver to one of three (3) locations.  
 
1) AZcend
2) My Sister's Place
3) a homeless shelter in Mesa
 
The receipiants are very greatful to have a hearty breakfast any day of the week.
 
We would encourage all clubs to donate any food stuffs to local shelters.
The Arizona Rotary Leadership Academy (RLA) is now accepting nominations for the 2018-2019 class.
 
Arizona RLA is for Rotary Club past-presidents and District leaders only. Students will work (self-paced) with experienced faculty members on leadership, collaboration, the Rotary Foundation, Rotary history, membership, youth protection and fiduciary responsibilities.
 
Nominations must be submitted prior to the August 25 RLA orientation conference call. Information, including the nomination form, class schedule and student expectations, is available at www.ArizonaRLA.org
 
Questions? Please contact RLA Dean Chuck Fitzgerald​ at 623.229.7674 or chuckfitzgerald@gmail.com
My favorite part of each day is enjoying my cup of coffee and, today, it was made better with the August issue of the Rotarian. I loved reading the article by Geoffrey Johnson about membership! Geoffrey shares some fantastic strategies from the Rotary Club of Edina/Morningside where Tom Gump put together 10 tips for increasing membership. It’s a great article and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
 
 
Silver Creek Update
 
The Silver Creek Rotary Club is having a fundraiser to donate 60 backpacks with school supplies to needy kindergarten students in the Concho, Snowflake and Taylor schools. A $15 donation sponsors one backpack. If every club in our District helped with just one, Silver Creek would be rich in backpacks, pencils and scissors and putting smiles on some of the faces that need it the most in Arizona.
 
 
The 4th Annual Arizona Rotary Water Summit will be held in Phoenix on Saturday, August 11. The summit is the perfect opportunity to connect with others concerned with water and sanitation issues worldwide.
 
If you have a water project – and you're looking for help – this event is for you. If you are looking to help others with their water project – this event is for you.
 
The cost is $15 (at the door) and includes lunch. Register at http://2018watersummit.eventbrite.com. Questions, or to request to speak at the summit, please contact Chuck at chuckfitzgerald@gmail.com
The Rotary Club of Winslow handed out $1,000 scholarships this year to three incredible individuals. These young people are the beneficiaries of scholarships named for the specific people who made a real impact on the Winslow community. Pete Kretsedemas from the Falcon restaurant with 50 years perfect attendance who passed away in 2010 , Pinkie Walton was a high school counselor who touched many lives and Hayden Walton his great grandson who was tragically died after being hit by a baseball playing Little league. 
 
The scholarships, $1,000 each went to: Harleigh Scott, who will be attending Trinidad State JC for an Associate Degree in science, then a 4 year university for a BS in nursing. Sydney Clarke, will be attending Northern Arizona University as a Business Major. Caitlin Rundquist, will be attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University/Prescott for a Forensic Psychology Degree.
 
We have speakers for your club regarding The Rotary Foundation
Clubs may need to provide an audio/video set up for speakers.

Why The Rotary Foundation Matters
  • Purpose: To inspire Rotarians and to provide the reasons to embrace all aspects of The Rotary Foundation as the Charity of Choice•
  • Subject: A personal journey from opponent to proponent of world community projects. It will inspire Rotarians to give to The Rotary Foundation.
  • Program length: 20 minutes + time for questions
  • Speaker: DGE David Simmer
The Rotary Foundation – 101:
  • Purpose: To provide some basic understanding of TRF from both the spending and givingperspective. This is good for new Rotarians and a good refresher for all others.
  • Subject: An overview of all that encompasses The Rotary Foundation from how funds are spentand how contributions are appropriated from giving. This program gives both new Rotariansinformation and long standing Rotarians reminders of “how it all works!”
  • Program length: 20 minutes minimum. It always helps to leave time for questions.
  • Speaker: Jim Bissonett, DRFC Chair (and others)
Over the weekend, the Rotary Youth Exchange Program for District 5495 had welcomed 11 out of the 13 students that will be staying in our district. We are so fortunate to have had host families, couselors, and representatives from different Rotary clubs join us at two different international airports making this a very special and welcoming experience for our inbounds. 
 
I am happy to report everyone has arrived safely and is adjusting to their new home here in Arizona. 
 
Kaley Gilmore
Inbound Chair for Rotary District 5495
Happy August District 5495 Rotary Clubs,
 
The Leadership Development Committee is very excited about the educational events being set up for the 2018-2019 Rotary year. Take a look at the events and where they fit to support the strategic plan.
 
Rotary Leadership Institute, will be August 11 (Flagstaff) and January 26 (location TBD). This program is designed for new Rotarians or those who would like to become more familiar with the vast resources and support system for Rotarians and clubs available through Rotary.
Good Morning Fellow Rotarians;
 
As we prepare for this year’s RYLA program, the committee is excited about the various opportunities that are available for the youth in our communities with the upcoming RYLA Camps.  For the past few years, RYLA Pinerock in Prescott has been actively working with The Manzanita Meal Packing Program and this past April RYLA Ponderosa in Heber completed their first meal packing event – together both RYLA camps packed 75,000 meals this year alone! Meals that have ALL been distributed to hungry families here in Arizona. RYLA 5495 has paid for many of those meals through the Arizona Tax Credit. This year, the RYLA 5495 Committee elected to combine our fundraising efforts.  We are “One RYLA with Two Camps”!  Donations received will be distributed proportionately between the two camps.
During our conference at the Wigwam in early June, the clubs in our District voted to 1) adopt an initial version of a Strategic Plan, and 2) to create a new district Strategic Planning Committee.
 
This new committee met on Saturday, July 14, to discuss moving the adopted plan toward a more robust plan that will serve the clubs in our district for years to come. The committee members include PDG Chuck Fitzgerald (Chair), PDG George Wheeler, PDG Charlie Tegarden, Marcy Maslov, Kaitlynn Wilcoxson and Teresa Giarrusso.
 
Please review this Strategic Plan and forward any comments or suggestions you might have to chuckfitzgerald@gmail.com, or to any of the committee's members. If you have any interest in participating in the continued development of the plan, please let one of us know.
 
Lastly – look for another update following the committee's September meeting. 
 
The president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council told a meeting of the Rotary Club of Scottsdale that AZTC has grown into an 800-plus member professional networking organization since it was established in 2002. Steve Zylstra was the luncheon speaker at a recent Rotary Club luncheon at Scottsdale’s McCormick Ranch Golf Club’s Pavilion.
 
Rotarian Scott Miller introduced Zylstra, stating he is responsible for the daily operations and management of the council and oversees a staff of 12.
District 5495 will be taking a group of 6 Rotarians and partners (or single Rotarians) to Argentina with the proposed dates of the exchange starting on or about April 1, 2019. (No it’s not a April Fools Joke) in Buenos Aires.  We will host the team from Argentina on or about October 1, 2019.  
 
Those interested, please contact Frank Wiley at 602-540-5400.
 
Thanks, Frank Wiley and Don Schiller— RFE Co Chairs.
Scottsdale Sunrise Rotary presented a check in the amount of $5,000 to The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona to assist in the great work they do in providing grants to qualified candidates to pursue vocational careers in areas such as welding, health care professions, mechanics, aircraft technology and other vocational programs.  
 
The club challenges other clubs to consider making a donation to this worthy cause. Individuals can also donate by visiting TRVFA.org.
 
Four Scottsdale students have returned from an international service project in Trivandrum, India, where they delivered over $3,000 of needed school supplies to a rural elementary school one hour outside the town.
 
Diane Sterner, faculty advisor to the Interact Club of Scottsdale Prep, reports, “This was a purely student-initiated and conducted project.”
 
Adway Gopakumar, president of the Scottsdale Prep Interact Club, conceived the idea of organizing an international service project of the club. He identified the needy elementary school in southwest India.
 
Adway Gopakumar with four students in their new uniforms with the Liberation Through Education patch.
A variety of colorful backpacks will greet 36 at-need elementary grade students as they return to classes at West Sedona School in August.
 
The backpacks, provided free of charge by the Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks, also contain essential school supplies. Each backpack, suitable for grades K-to-4, holds two spiral notebooks, a dozen pencils, two glue sticks, one wedge eraser, a pair of safety scissors, a box of colored pencils and a set of 24 assorted crayons.
Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks and Friends of the Sedona Library have collaborated on providing a new commercial-grade picnic table to Sedona Public Library. The table is located at the library’s rental property that currently houses the Friends’ used bookstore.
 
The Friends’ used bookstore has operated at the 3270 White Bear Road location since June 2017. Prior tenants had left a picnic table on site but concerns recently developed about its condition, stability and safety to its frequent users.
 
Kent Hammond was recently installed as 2018-19 club president of the Rotary Club of Scottsdale. Kent Hammond is partner at the firm of Rudolph & Hammond, LLC in Scottsdale. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, The American Society of Legal Advocates, and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. He was has also nominated by his peers as a "Southwest Super Lawyer."
 
 
News
Hello Fellow Rotarians,
 
Greetings from the extremely hot valley of the sun. For those of you at higher elevations, I’m envious. If you read last month’s Governor message, you’ll recall there was discussion of the DG photo – something about my cape being in the wash. There is another photo this month, but you will need to read to the end of this missive to find out how this came about. 
 
August is Membership and New Club Development month. Our District has actually done a fine job recently in getting new clubs started. We are also getting satellite clubs started and some satellites are converting to Rotary clubs. Membership, however, continues to remain a problem. I recently had occasion to review the invoices that each club in the District is receiving this month from RI for semi-annual dues. RI is billing the various clubs in the District for a total of 2,253 members, but seven of those members were in a club that has closed down. So the number is actually 2,246. How many of you can truly say that you actually expected a number that low? I know I was surprised. We will need to increase our overall membership by almost 7 percent to get up to 2,400 members. I think that is an achievable and worthy goal. So you know that person you’ve been thinking about asking to join in Rotary? Why don’t you make the ask?
 
   
 
The Chandler Horizon Rotary Club is a morning club which meets on Wednesday mornings at the Grill 60 of the San Marcos Golf Resort.
 
As per our agreement with the Grill 60 we have a simple buffet breakfast. Every week there is quite a bit of food left over which we pack up and deliver to one of three (3) locations.  
 
1) AZcend
2) My Sister's Place
3) a homeless shelter in Mesa
 
The receipiants are very greatful to have a hearty breakfast any day of the week.
 
We would encourage all clubs to donate any food stuffs to local shelters.
The Arizona Rotary Leadership Academy (RLA) is now accepting nominations for the 2018-2019 class.
 
Arizona RLA is for Rotary Club past-presidents and District leaders only. Students will work (self-paced) with experienced faculty members on leadership, collaboration, the Rotary Foundation, Rotary history, membership, youth protection and fiduciary responsibilities.
 
Nominations must be submitted prior to the August 25 RLA orientation conference call. Information, including the nomination form, class schedule and student expectations, is available at www.ArizonaRLA.org
 
Questions? Please contact RLA Dean Chuck Fitzgerald​ at 623.229.7674 or chuckfitzgerald@gmail.com
My favorite part of each day is enjoying my cup of coffee and, today, it was made better with the August issue of the Rotarian. I loved reading the article by Geoffrey Johnson about membership! Geoffrey shares some fantastic strategies from the Rotary Club of Edina/Morningside where Tom Gump put together 10 tips for increasing membership. It’s a great article and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
 
 
Silver Creek Update
 
The Silver Creek Rotary Club is having a fundraiser to donate 60 backpacks with school supplies to needy kindergarten students in the Concho, Snowflake and Taylor schools. A $15 donation sponsors one backpack. If every club in our District helped with just one, Silver Creek would be rich in backpacks, pencils and scissors and putting smiles on some of the faces that need it the most in Arizona.
 
 
The 4th Annual Arizona Rotary Water Summit will be held in Phoenix on Saturday, August 11. The summit is the perfect opportunity to connect with others concerned with water and sanitation issues worldwide.
 
If you have a water project – and you're looking for help – this event is for you. If you are looking to help others with their water project – this event is for you.
 
The cost is $15 (at the door) and includes lunch. Register at http://2018watersummit.eventbrite.com. Questions, or to request to speak at the summit, please contact Chuck at chuckfitzgerald@gmail.com
The Rotary Club of Winslow handed out $1,000 scholarships this year to three incredible individuals. These young people are the beneficiaries of scholarships named for the specific people who made a real impact on the Winslow community. Pete Kretsedemas from the Falcon restaurant with 50 years perfect attendance who passed away in 2010 , Pinkie Walton was a high school counselor who touched many lives and Hayden Walton his great grandson who was tragically died after being hit by a baseball playing Little league. 
 
The scholarships, $1,000 each went to: Harleigh Scott, who will be attending Trinidad State JC for an Associate Degree in science, then a 4 year university for a BS in nursing. Sydney Clarke, will be attending Northern Arizona University as a Business Major. Caitlin Rundquist, will be attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University/Prescott for a Forensic Psychology Degree.
 
We have speakers for your club regarding The Rotary Foundation
Clubs may need to provide an audio/video set up for speakers.

Why The Rotary Foundation Matters
  • Purpose: To inspire Rotarians and to provide the reasons to embrace all aspects of The Rotary Foundation as the Charity of Choice•
  • Subject: A personal journey from opponent to proponent of world community projects. It will inspire Rotarians to give to The Rotary Foundation.
  • Program length: 20 minutes + time for questions
  • Speaker: DGE David Simmer
The Rotary Foundation – 101:
  • Purpose: To provide some basic understanding of TRF from both the spending and givingperspective. This is good for new Rotarians and a good refresher for all others.
  • Subject: An overview of all that encompasses The Rotary Foundation from how funds are spentand how contributions are appropriated from giving. This program gives both new Rotariansinformation and long standing Rotarians reminders of “how it all works!”
  • Program length: 20 minutes minimum. It always helps to leave time for questions.
  • Speaker: Jim Bissonett, DRFC Chair (and others)
Over the weekend, the Rotary Youth Exchange Program for District 5495 had welcomed 11 out of the 13 students that will be staying in our district. We are so fortunate to have had host families, couselors, and representatives from different Rotary clubs join us at two different international airports making this a very special and welcoming experience for our inbounds. 
 
I am happy to report everyone has arrived safely and is adjusting to their new home here in Arizona. 
 
Kaley Gilmore
Inbound Chair for Rotary District 5495
Happy August District 5495 Rotary Clubs,
 
The Leadership Development Committee is very excited about the educational events being set up for the 2018-2019 Rotary year. Take a look at the events and where they fit to support the strategic plan.
 
Rotary Leadership Institute, will be August 11 (Flagstaff) and January 26 (location TBD). This program is designed for new Rotarians or those who would like to become more familiar with the vast resources and support system for Rotarians and clubs available through Rotary.
Good Morning Fellow Rotarians;
 
As we prepare for this year’s RYLA program, the committee is excited about the various opportunities that are available for the youth in our communities with the upcoming RYLA Camps.  For the past few years, RYLA Pinerock in Prescott has been actively working with The Manzanita Meal Packing Program and this past April RYLA Ponderosa in Heber completed their first meal packing event – together both RYLA camps packed 75,000 meals this year alone! Meals that have ALL been distributed to hungry families here in Arizona. RYLA 5495 has paid for many of those meals through the Arizona Tax Credit. This year, the RYLA 5495 Committee elected to combine our fundraising efforts.  We are “One RYLA with Two Camps”!  Donations received will be distributed proportionately between the two camps.
During our conference at the Wigwam in early June, the clubs in our District voted to 1) adopt an initial version of a Strategic Plan, and 2) to create a new district Strategic Planning Committee.
 
This new committee met on Saturday, July 14, to discuss moving the adopted plan toward a more robust plan that will serve the clubs in our district for years to come. The committee members include PDG Chuck Fitzgerald (Chair), PDG George Wheeler, PDG Charlie Tegarden, Marcy Maslov, Kaitlynn Wilcoxson and Teresa Giarrusso.
 
Please review this Strategic Plan and forward any comments or suggestions you might have to chuckfitzgerald@gmail.com, or to any of the committee's members. If you have any interest in participating in the continued development of the plan, please let one of us know.
 
Lastly – look for another update following the committee's September meeting. 
 
The president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council told a meeting of the Rotary Club of Scottsdale that AZTC has grown into an 800-plus member professional networking organization since it was established in 2002. Steve Zylstra was the luncheon speaker at a recent Rotary Club luncheon at Scottsdale’s McCormick Ranch Golf Club’s Pavilion.
 
Rotarian Scott Miller introduced Zylstra, stating he is responsible for the daily operations and management of the council and oversees a staff of 12.
District 5495 will be taking a group of 6 Rotarians and partners (or single Rotarians) to Argentina with the proposed dates of the exchange starting on or about April 1, 2019. (No it’s not a April Fools Joke) in Buenos Aires.  We will host the team from Argentina on or about October 1, 2019.  
 
Those interested, please contact Frank Wiley at 602-540-5400.
 
Thanks, Frank Wiley and Don Schiller— RFE Co Chairs.
Scottsdale Sunrise Rotary presented a check in the amount of $5,000 to The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona to assist in the great work they do in providing grants to qualified candidates to pursue vocational careers in areas such as welding, health care professions, mechanics, aircraft technology and other vocational programs.  
 
The club challenges other clubs to consider making a donation to this worthy cause. Individuals can also donate by visiting TRVFA.org.
 
Four Scottsdale students have returned from an international service project in Trivandrum, India, where they delivered over $3,000 of needed school supplies to a rural elementary school one hour outside the town.
 
Diane Sterner, faculty advisor to the Interact Club of Scottsdale Prep, reports, “This was a purely student-initiated and conducted project.”
 
Adway Gopakumar, president of the Scottsdale Prep Interact Club, conceived the idea of organizing an international service project of the club. He identified the needy elementary school in southwest India.
 
Adway Gopakumar with four students in their new uniforms with the Liberation Through Education patch.
A variety of colorful backpacks will greet 36 at-need elementary grade students as they return to classes at West Sedona School in August.
 
The backpacks, provided free of charge by the Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks, also contain essential school supplies. Each backpack, suitable for grades K-to-4, holds two spiral notebooks, a dozen pencils, two glue sticks, one wedge eraser, a pair of safety scissors, a box of colored pencils and a set of 24 assorted crayons.
Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks and Friends of the Sedona Library have collaborated on providing a new commercial-grade picnic table to Sedona Public Library. The table is located at the library’s rental property that currently houses the Friends’ used bookstore.
 
The Friends’ used bookstore has operated at the 3270 White Bear Road location since June 2017. Prior tenants had left a picnic table on site but concerns recently developed about its condition, stability and safety to its frequent users.
 
Kent Hammond was recently installed as 2018-19 club president of the Rotary Club of Scottsdale. Kent Hammond is partner at the firm of Rudolph & Hammond, LLC in Scottsdale. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, The American Society of Legal Advocates, and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. He was has also nominated by his peers as a "Southwest Super Lawyer."