It seems like it was only a few days ago when we were planning 4th of July celebrations, summer travel and the beginning of our Rotary year. Now here we are, watching our snowbirds return, planning pumpkin festivals and holiday gatherings. The first quarter of the Rotary fiscal year is soon ending.
Our committee chairs are so busy with exciting projects, keeping the calendar updated is a constant challenge. Our club has been blessed with a steady stream of new members; it has been exciting getting to know them all.
The first three months of my Rotary year has been exciting, challenging and fun!
How have your first three months gone? Are you getting what you hoped from being a member of our club? Are you finding the opportunities you want to volunteer, to serve on a committee to lead a group? Are you finding the programs interesting? What else would you like to see?
This is your club! We all came to Rotary for different reasons. For some it is a great place to grab lunch and visit friends. For some it is a place to log in and hear a speaker who interests you. And for others it is a place to take a leadership role and bring your great community idea to fruition. What you want to get out of being a member of Rotary is a personal choice, there are no wrong way to do this.
But if for any reason you aren’t getting what you had hoped from your membership, please let me know. You can help make this club the best it can be, all you have to do is speak up, raise your hand, share an idea. I want to hear from you! Call, email, or text me anytime. I would love to hear any thoughts you have.
Angel Heart Pajama Project is the vision of Graciela Lopez, mother of the two co-founders, Maria Cuesta Patterson and Marty Croissant. In 1963, these three Cuban-born women immigrated to the United States to escape from political, religious, and economic distress. During their early years of adjusting to a new language and culture, Graciela Lopez, always found the money or the means to purchase new pajamas and books to enrich her children’s lives.
The tradition was something the sisters looked forward to each holiday season. Graciela continued this tradition of giving pajamas and books during holidays and special occasions with her daughters, grandchildren, and now with her great granddaughter.
Present:
Marty and Maria recognized this tradition provided them with stability and a love for reading. Through their professions, they also recognized that Arizona has a record number of children in state custody (over 13,000). These children often go to foster care agencies in just the clothes they are wearing, and many of these children have seldom enjoyed the security, love, and feeling that someone cares about them. Snuggling up in cozy new pajamas with their very own new book gives these children a secure and nurturing experience and the feeling that someone cares.
SaddleBrooke Rotary sent 7 delegates to the 2021 District 5500 Conference. The Casino del Sol was the venue for this year's conference and what a beautiful setting it was. Photos from the event can be found in our photo album on this website. Check our website for more to come on the conference.
Sunday, October 24 at 1 PM at the Oracle Community Learning Gardens Members gathered for the Dedication of the Rotary Peace Pole. We were joined by Past District Governor of District 5500, Ellie Patterson and Peace Initiative Chairman Joe Daniszewski .
As Rotarians, we refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Through our service projects and community outreach, we are taking action to address the underlying causes of conflict.
Sometimes, it’s just a matter of using the right words. A Peace Pole is a monument declaring the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in the language of the country in which it is planted and usually several other languages. Peace Poles were created in 1955 in Japan by Masahisa Goi, in wake of the destruction wrought by World War II and the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Devastated by the repercussions of war, Goi wished to spread a message of peace worldwide.
Rotary is definitely a worldwide family. Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay presented a check for $1500 to the Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke today to support the Rotary Global Grant service project we are doing in partnership with Nogales Rotary Club. Filtered drinking water for kids in 24 schools in Nogales! Rotarians at work again!
Above John Oszust, International Chair of the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay, Hawaii and an Amigo of the Rotary Club of Saddlebrooke presents a check for $1,500 to Bill Demeroutis, International Chair of the Rotary Club of Saddlebrooke and Liese Razzeto President.
Another fun event with The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke partnering with Oracle Community Center!
A special thank you to Wendy Guyton, Linda Howard, Liese Razzeto, Bill Demeroutis, Diane Demeroutis for making delicious chili, cornbread muffins, salad and cookies! We had a wonderful turn out of other Rotarians to help with set up, serving lunch, eating & visiting with Oracle community members and clean up! Fun seeing the commercial stove and kitchen our club donated in action!
FORE FOR KIDS ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT TO PICK UP WHERE IT LEFT OFF
In January 2020 members of The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke were hard at work preparing for the annual Fore For Kids Annual Charity Golf Event to be held in April of that year. This critical fundraiser had been held every year since 1998. Yes critical, because in the 21 years this important Rotary event raised over $1/2 million for local community charities serving youth. As we now know this was not to be.
COVID19 became so severe that the tournament was postponed until the Fall of 2020, thanks in a great part to the on-going support of tournament sponsors. By the Fall of 2020 it became clear that once again the tournament needed to be postponed again as the pandemic continued to rage. Tournament Chairman, Gordon Wainwright appealed to sponsors and once again they reiterated their commitments to support the new tournament date. After much discussion another postponement was felt necessary and a new date, November 22, 2021 was chosen. And here we are, on the way to another exciting charity tournament. This year it will be held at the beautiful Oro Valley Golf Club.
1998 was the beginning of 23 years of successful tournaments. Support from community businesses and individual has been outstanding. Tournaments such asFore For Kids cannot be successful without sponsor support. We have also been blessed with celebrity support. For several years Hall of Fame U of A basketball coach, Lute Olson was the tournament’s Celebrity player. Lute’s support was unending. Lute will be greatly missed.
The Fore for Kids Annual Charity Golf Tournament has become an important event in the community and is also fun for all, Rotarians, golfers, and guests.
Details include:
Tournament Format
The tournament will be a four-person best ball scramble. Registration includes golf, driving range, prizes, an on-course lunch, and an after-play barbeque buffet. There will be special hole-in-one awards on all par 3's. There will be a shotgun start at 1:00pm.
About the Tournament and Rotary
November 22, 2021 is the date. Checks will be made out to the SaddleBrooke Rotary Club Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization. All proceeds from the event will be used to support numerous youth charities serving our community. The balance of your contributions will be used to fund scholarships for local students or distributed to youth-centered organizations in northern Pima/southern Pinal counties.
The registration fee is $150.00 for a single golfer. Register as a foursome ($560.00) and receive a discount of $40.00 per foursome. Registration will be held beginning at 11:00 am on the day of the tournament.
Contact Rotarian Gordon Wainwright for more information; phone: 520-908-6110 or email gwainwright6@aol.com.
If you would like information on how Rotary may fit into your life and schedule please contact: Wendy Guyton, Membership Chair, 520-404-5712 or by email wguyton17@gmail.com
SaddleBrooke Rotarians joined with the Tri Community Food Bank to assemble and deliver 300 blankets. The Tri Community Food Bank provided the funding while the Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke members assembled and delivered the blankets to be given to clients of the Food Bank.
Members participating included: Bre Zientarski, Eric Zientarski, Barbara Barr and family members, Joe Guyton, Chris Millar, Harvey Smith, and Bill Demeroutis.
The SaddleBrooke Rotary Club Foundation awards grants to youth-oriented groups operating in our immediate area. The grants are funded by the annual Fore For Kids Golf Tournament. If you are aware of youth-oriented organization that could use our help, please provide them with our grant application or direct them to the Club’s website, or to grants chair fredlowy@wbhsi.net (360-907-5778). Applications that were received for the 2020 grant process are on file. Those organizations are being contacted for any necessary updates.
At our regular meeting on Thursday, September 30, 2021 members of the Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke welcomed 5 new members. The induction ceremony was led by Membership Chairperson, Wendy Guyton. The new members include: John and Linda Howard of Saddlebrooke HOA2, Linda Chase of Saddlebrooke Ranch, and Dave and Linda Daubers also from Saddlebrooke Ranch.
Shown above (l to r) Wendy Guyton, Membership Chair, Patsy Ticknor (Mentor), Linda Chase (New Member), Barbara Barra (Mentor), Linda Daubers (New Member), Dave Daubers (New Member), Bill Demeroutis (Mentor), Linda Howard (New Member), John Howard (New Member), and Harvey Smith (Mentor).
This induction brings the total number of new member inductions since the 1st of June to 9. Congratulations to all!!
Saddlebrooke Rotary Club is proud to announce our latest partnership focusing on Disease Prevention. On Saturday, October 2, 2021 we joined with the Integrated Wellness Network at Mountainview Country Club to host a very interesting and informative presentation by Dr. Allan A. Anderson the current director of the Toole Family Memory Center and the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Tucson. Dr. Anderson topic was the introduction of the PACT (Preventing Alzheimer's and Cognitive Training study).
On Monday, October 5, 2021 Rotarians joined the Oracle Community Center to host a Night Out at Oracle Community Center. We set up a display of hundreds of books that were for children in the community. Elaine Terry, Chairperson of the Youth Services Committee was joined by Patsy Ticknor, Joe Dylewski, Chris Millar, Wendy and Joe Guyton, Roger Bailey, Linda Chase, Don Terry, and Eric Zientarski. Hot dogs and snacks were provided by the OCC. The event was a lot of fun and served to bring together the Oracle community.
Members of Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke joined together on Saturday, September 18, to help beautify Golder Ranch Road. This has been an annual service project of the club for many years. Always a great fellowship event and a great service to the Catalina community. We would like to thanks the following volunteers for making this project a success again this year:
On Saturday, August 28th, Saddlebrooke Rotary members worked side by side with Oracle Community Center board members at the Oracle Community Center Toy Drive. Our mission was to assist the OCC with this worthwhile event by unloading trucks of donated (by Dollar General) toys at OCC in Oracle. 685 E American Ave, Oracle, AZ 85623. Members of Saddlebrooke Rotary also made cash donations totalling $650.00.
Members of our International Service Committee attended a paella fundraiser of The Rotary Club Nogales Industrial. Fun for all. Those participating were President, Liese Razzeto, Committee Chairman, Bill Demeroutis, and Committee Member Mark Miller.
Five members of the Rotary Club of Saddlebrooke were honored by District Governor, Hank Huisking, with Paul Harris Fellowships. Also present were Club President, Liese Razzeto and Assistant District Governor Marc Snow. Paul Harris Fellows are recognized by Rotary International for outstanding service and financial support for the Rotary Foundation. Those receiving awards were John Ruland, Paul Herr, Chris Millar, Dan Watson, and Mark Miller. Congratulations !!
District 5500 Governor, Hank Huisking, paid a visit to The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke at the regular meeting on Thursday, August 19.
Longtime Sierra Vista resident, Army wife and retired three-term city councilwoman Henrietta “Hank” Huisking has taken office as the district governor of Rotary International District 5500. Hank will be in SaddleBrooke on Wendesday and Thursday, August 18th and August 19th. On Wednesday she will meet with our Board of Directors and on Thursday she will visit our regular club meeting.
Huisking’s area of responsibility and service as DG spans 50 Rotary Clubs totaling more than 1,300 members. Included are clubs in the Tucson metropolitan area, Sierra Vista and Yuma plus Graham and Cochise counties. This area encompasses 50,000 square miles and serves a population of 1.1 million.
Huisking has been a Rotarian for 15 years and her home club is the Rotary Club of Sierra Vista West. She has been an active and action-oriented Rotarian, as evidenced by her participation and support of the District 5500 Rotary Leadership Institute, the Rotary Leadership Academy, and the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy programs. She has served at the district level as the district secretary. She also supports The Rotary Foundation and is a member of the Paul Harris Society.
Hank is married to Peter Huisking, who also is active with the Rotary Club of Sierra Vista Sunrise. Together they have hosted Rotary Youth Exchange students from Germany, Brazil and Peru plus young businesspeople and professionals from Thailand, South Africa, Brazil, Japan, Turkey and Australia who were members of the Rotary Group Study Exchange program.
Huisking has a bachelor of science degree in education from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. She most recently taught water conservation in Cochise County schools for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension WaterWise program.
The Huiskings have three children and six grandchildren living in California. Their favorite pastimes include reading, hiking, cycling, gardening and planning travel adventures with family and friends.
