A New Member, a new Paul Harris Fellow, and the Second Ammendment

OPENING: Don Pendleton was at his post, providing a friendly greeting while noting the attendance of Rotarians and guests. Ray Robinson led members in “Let There Be Peace.” Kent Dallmeyer led members in a recitation of Rotary’s 4-Way Test of the things we think, say and do. Ken Sizemore invited members to follow him in the Pledge of Allegiance and Jenny McDowell asked for the blessings of heaven on the meeting and the meal.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Ray Robinson introduced David Moore and Robin Jones from the American Cancer Society who shared a request for Rotarians to participate in the upcoming Relay for Life by putting together teams or other avenues. The relay is to be held the last weekend of April. New club secretary, Richard Isom, shared announcements related to the coming weekend's All Clubs meeting including a final plea for RSVPs and a request for help Pat Trujillo make table centerpieces reflecting the spirit of our club. Mayor McArthur reminded members of the grand opening of the new airport Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. and also invited all to attend the city's birthday celebration on Saturday including free root beer floats at the Opera House, free swimming at the Aquatics Center a free rides on SunTran.

CLUB BUSINESS: Phil Hall honored the club's latest Paul Harris Fellow, Les Stoker, for his contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Jenny Lee was inducted as the newest member of the club by board member, Jenny McDowell.

PROGRAM: Allen Hilton introduced Brent Jensen, whom, he joked, "had forgotten more members names than he had ever known." Brent shared about the Southern Utah Shooting Sports Park which provides a facilities for safe training and practice with firearms for sport and for protection. He highlighted the importance of our Second Amendment right to bear arms in preserving freedom, quoting from several founding fathers on the subject. He cited statistics that also show that a citizenry with unrestricted access to guns reduces violent crime. He noted that 38 states have an agreement to honor each other's concealed carry permits. He debated the benefits of requirements for proper training and permits balanced with the need to not infringe on the right to bear arms. He noted that since hunter education was instituted in Utah in 1957 that hunting related deaths dramatically decreased. Last year their were no hunting related deaths in Utah. Education is also a key in teaching kids to be safe around guns and Brent pointed to the Eddy Eagle program which teaches kids to "Stop. Don't Touch. Leave the Area. Go Tell and Adult." He shared a story where this training had protected a little girl and her younger siblings.