4-Way Test Essay Contest Winners Announced

Winners of St. George Rotary Club’s 4-Way Test Essay Contest are, from left, Ammya Scott, Spencer Duell, Maggie Cook, Daryn Ham, Ali Stum, Lyndsi Graf.  In the back are Durant McArthur, contest chairman and Phil Hall, SGR President.

In the 9^th year of competition, 115 students participated  in SGR’s  4-Way Test Essay Contest.  To participate, students in intermediate schools throughout the Washington County School District were invited  by Chairman Durant McArthur and his committee, to compose their thoughts in writing about someone they know who best exemplifies Rotary’s 24-word test of ethics in all aspects of life:  is it the truth?  Is it fair to all concerned?  Will it build goodwill and better friendship?  Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Awarded a $50 first prize at Fossil Ridge Intermediate School is Ammya Scott, daughter of Travis and Kim Scott, who wrote about her grandmother.  A second place prize of $25 went to Spencer Duell, son of Larry and Julie Duell who shared respect and admiration for his own father.

At Lava Ridge Intermediate School, first place honors went to Maggie Cook, daughter of Alan and Karen Cook and Daryn Hamm, daughter of Gwen and Jeff Ham , was the second place recipient for her essay about her teenage sister Hannah who she noted “is a perfect example of Rotary’s 4-way test.”

Ali Stum, daughter of Justine and Kristen Stum, a student at Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School, was recognized for her well-written thoughts about a dance teacher who lives both the letter and the spirit of the 4-way test.  Also at Sunrise Ridge, Lyndsi Graf, daughter of Pam and Jeff Graf, noted her parents set the most ethical tone “in our home and in their lives.”

Language arts classes in the WCSD, with at least a 30% participation in the contest, were also awarded $200 to use in whatever way the teacher deems appropriate.  Recipients included Teresa Southwick from Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School, Rosemarie Swallow from Lava Ridge Intermediate School and Marvalee Lund from Fossil Ridge Intermediate School.

District Conference "The Best Ever!"

Representatives of SGR, along with members from 46 other Utah clubs, attended the amazing, inspirational, motivational Utah District Conference in Ogden on the weekend of May 3-5, 2013.  Considered “perhaps the best conference ever” by those in attendance – including Linda Baker, Jim Coleman, Gil Trujillo, Durant McArthur and Linda Sappington – the gathering included outstanding speakers and well-planned break-out sessions at the Eccles Conference Center and an impressive interfaith service at Peery’s Egyptian Theater, all under the direction of conference chairman Brent Parkin (Ogden Club) and District Governor Jerry Summerhays (Murray Rotary).

Those outstanding speakers included Past RI President Bill Boyd (Australia), RI President's Representative Jeffry Cadorette, Katie Ehlis (in the blogmaster's opinion "the BEST presenter of the BEST conference ever"), Jana Farr Scott and Brian Farr, father-daughter Peace Fellow Team and District Peace Chair with entertainment provided by David Osmond (2nd Generation) and the One Voice Childrens Choir! 

Also attending, at least a portion of the conference, were Dan Strobell, Nick Lang, Reed Noble and Lowry Snow.

Next year’s conference will be held May 15-17, 2014 in Logan.  Plan to enjoy this wonderful experience.

Update from Alex

Alexandria Meyer, SGR’s youth exchange student, spent her Thanksgiving in school – since this purely American holiday is not celebrated in Belgium.  She was supposed to be thinking about her school work, but instead was imagining all the good food being enjoyed by her family back home in St. George while trying to explain the holiday and its traditions to her friends in Belgium. 

December 1 brought snow – but as in St. George – the white stuff was pretty for about an hour, then turned into slush. 

Alex reports she attended the 18^th birthday celebration for one of her friends.  “The party was formal.  Picture a fancy wedding reception . . . and that was her birthday party.  I pretty much understood what was being said in English, but many of the guests were from other countries so the party was a mix of Dutch, French, English and some of the languages of the Philippines.” 

December 6 is St. Nicholas Day - a major holiday for children.  They receive gifts, candy and other stuff.  “It was also good because we got out of school at midday!”

Thanks again to SGR for this wonderful experience.  I will never forget you for making this possible!

SGR Celebrates Christmas

SGR's Christmas party - held Wednesday, December 12 on the upper floor of the City Art Center on the corner of Main and 100 South - was a fun opportunity for social exchange, music and dancing, good food and fundraising!  Club members and family members were entertained by Jim Coleman who played a guitar solo of his own Christmas song and by the a capella Dixie High School Madrigals, directed by Sheryl (Mrs. Lowry) Snow.  What an outstanding group of young - but polished - vocalists!!!  The silent auction activity and the sale of table top Christmas trees raised about $900 in support of club needs.  The evening concluded with dance lessons - taught by Dan and Cindi Strobell and Phil and Rene Hall - and dancing! Fun, fun, fun . . . and thanks to all who participated and organized the event including Mark Stoddard, Linda Baker, Dan Strobell, Phil Hall and Cindy Loeber.

Dictionary Project Another SGR Success

Seventeen is the number of Washington County public schools receiving Rotary dictionaries in 2012 . . . 67 is the number of 3^rd grade classes visited by enthusiastic Rotarians delivering the books . . .1600 is the number ordered by Reed Noble, chairman of the project again this year . . . and nearly 15,000 is the number of dictionaries distributed to Washington County 3rd graders in the 10-year history of this SGR project! 

Ray Robinson received several “thank you” notes from students at Bloomington Elementary. One student expressed, “Thank you for the Presidents of the United Stats page so we can outsmart mom and dad and family.” Another noted, “it is so so nice for a guy like you tell your member there nice. Thank you your club is nice.” Sally wrote, “I want to be in the Rotary club when I grow up” and Savanna said, “you are the best Rotary club ever,” but the best letter of all was from McCall who wrote, “thank you for my new bich a naire. It will help us all throew life and now we know how to pronounce word’s and I alrete storteb it. You helpt us lrne a lote. You are so nice. I wish I cood tell this in prsen. You rock. I hope I can see you gis ugen.”

Thanks to all club members who “helpt” make this project another SGR success. We “coodn’t” have done it without you “gis (and girls)!”

SGR Supports the Jubilee of Trees

 

SGR made their annual visit to Dixie Regional Medical Center’s Jubilee of Trees on Monday, November 19 for lunch and a fashion show.  Club attendance was down but the spirit of the event made for a pleasant day and the trees were beautiful, as usual.  Thanks to club secretary Richard Isom for making all the necessary arrangements and for those who came out in support of the activity.

Raging Red Entertains SGR

“Not just a program, but a program and a half!!!” 

That’s how members of SGR felt about the musical ability, high energy and spirit of Dixie State College’s “Raging Red” show choir who performed at today's meeting.  Led by an enthusiastic  Choral Director Merilee Webb, the 30-voices of Raging Red – some who had at one time been in detention centers, homeless or who come from families with societal problems – find fun,  camaraderie and a feeling of belonging on the “inviting and unimposing” Dixie State College campus, where a full third of the student body is considered “non-traditional”.  Patterned after the original Dixie College Program Bureau, the group sang with gusto a few new numbers and a few from the days of PB Director Roene DiFiore, inviting Sam McArthur – a former member of the PB – to join them. 

The group – who sing, dance and recruit for the college they love in a variety of settings – has traveled at their own expense to China where they shared their Dixie spirit 9 times before large crowds.

“Thanks for supporting us and our college,” said one member of the choir to those in the club who have given generously to the school  and its programs over the years.  “Dixie lives in us!”