SGR Hears of Other Rotary Successes

OPENING: The 3780th meeting of SGR found Don Pendleton greeting visitors and guests as Sergeant-at-Arms. To open the meeting, Ray Robinson led the SGR Choir in a patriotic rendition of "America, the Beautiful." June McAfee invited members to follow her in the Pledge of Allegiance and Carl Lamar asked for the blessings of heaven on the meeting and the meal. Dan Strobell conducted Horseplay while Greg Basso collected fines on behalf of the Rotary District Conference golf tournament.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: President Ken Sizemore announced Jim Coleman, Reed Noble and Lowry Snow will be traveling to Guatemala in May, in what Dan Strobell calls a "guys getaway week!"

President Ken encouraged current and next year’s board members to attend the upcoming District Assembly on Saturday, April 17 in Cedar City. He also encouraged attendance at the upcoming Utah Rotary District Conference the weekend of May 13-15 in St. George.

It is time to consider a candidate to serve as Utah District Governor in 2013-14.

Rotary license plates are now available for sale.

Greg Basso announced all monies have been collected for the purchase of wheelchairs. Anyone interested in purchasing chairs are encouraged to contact Greg at 680-5178.

Terance White encouraged participation by all members in a new program to increase membership. Current club members have been divided into four teams (Team Truth, Team Fair, Team Beneficial and Team Goodwill). Teams which bring in the most number of new members in the next 30 days will win prizes, including dues paid for a designated period of time and to the individual club member who brings in the most new members will win two movie tickets and a $50 gift certificate for a local restaurant. Points will be given for new members by age, those recruited to fill vacant classifications or bringing former members back into activity. FMI, call Terance at 669-2125.

PROGRAM: Linda Baker introduced Marla Shelby-Drabner, president of Dixie Sunrise Rotary Club which meets on Thursday morning at the Abbey Inn and Ed Rogers, representing the membership of Red Rock Rotary Club which meets on Wednesday morning at the Abbey Inn (new location). Shelby-Drabner, president for the second time in her 19-year Rotary history, noted her club is heavily involved in fundraising for charitable giving locally, and particularly in the area of public safety. Dixie Sunrise is responsible for the purchase of equipment for the SGPD Bike Patrol and for the local search and rescue organization, including ropes, scuba gear and a drug dog. International service focuses on eye health in Mexico where the Washington County club gathers and distributes used medical equipment. Last year, they were also the "unofficial" host to the GSE team and have recently become involved in humanitarian service in Costa Rica. According to the president, her club has collected books for Purgatory Correctional Facility; been involved in trail clean-up; created and distributed Christmas baskets for those receiving Meals-on-Wheels; created a blog to chronicle the history of the club (see http://rotaryclubofdixiesunrise.blogspot.com) . . . and 100% of its membership are Paul Harris Fellows.

Ed Rogers called his "the little club that could!" Washington County’s newest Rotary Club, chartered 7 years ago, has monthly service projects with most members participating. The most profitable is valet parking at the Washington County Fair which generates enough funding to provide small grants in support of local organizations with a focus on youth. This year, Red Rock Rotary Club will distribute approximately $7000 in grants. Other projects supported by Red Rock include the Utah Academic Decathlon, a dictionary project and the Red Rock Music Festival, scheduled this year on Saturday, May 8 in the Town Square.