SGR Visits DASIA

IN ROTARY we met with Ken Sizemore, Executive Director of the Dixie Arizona Strip Interpretive Association for the past 2 ½ years.  Not a federal agency – although they share space with the BLM - DASIA is a cooperating agency which depends of sales of merchandise, grants and cooperative arrangements with other organizations to keep the doors open, although in just one year after taking responsibility for DASIA, “we were operating in the black!” said Sizemore of the organization founded by Bette Arial with Lyman Hafen and other strong supporters advocating for its future.  

DASIA – whose name was changed from the Arizona Strip Interpretive Association when the Dixie National Forest joined its ranks – operates retail outlets in the St. George office, in Pine Valley, a contact station at Paria and a fourth such outlet in Kanab. 

DASIA has had success toward its mission to “enhance the understanding of the Arizona Strip and Southern Utah region, its history and resources,” with their Brown Bag lecture series where interested individuals can meet together to learn about a great selection of topics every Friday at noon during the time period of October to April.  Field trips – limited to not more than 25 – are held monthly.  In January, those who sign up will explore Silver Reef and the Red Cliffs Recreation Area and in March, participants will travel to the Bar 10 Ranch on the Arizona Strip.

Ken hopes future fundraising and grantwriting will result in the construction of a new building.

County Attorney Speaks at SGR

TODAY IN ROTARY Gregg Whitehead, sponsored by Terance White, was welcomed as SGR’s newest member.  The son of former Rotarian George Whitehead has a classification of Commercial Development and Real Estate. 

Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap, who manages the criminal and civil side of the legal system, is currently involved  in the county’s response to the BLM’s newly released resource management plan … over a 1000 pages of land use decisions.  There are several big concerns from county commissioners, mayors and other government officials relating to the plan Belnap called “the biggest thing we are dealing with at the moment.”

He also told members of SGR about changes to staffing at the Children’s Justice Center since Patricia Sheffield’s recent retirement.  Shelley Teeples is the newly hired Executive Director and Brooke Triplett, a dedicated forensic interviewer, was hired last week whose job will be to analyze information in child abuse cases gathered in interviews appropriate for the child’s age and level of development.

Citing statistics from neighboring states, Belnap identified Utah as the 44^th lowest state in the nation for incarceration.  He announced the new Justice Reinvestment Initiative which is being rolled out to provide services to help those who can be helped develop skills and get help to prevent recidivism … but, “we’re just getting started in this new direction.”

In elections, Rulon Olsen is President-elect Nominee to serve in 2017-18.  Elected to the board are Lynn Beecher and Bryan Wheat. 

SGR Celebrates Christmas at the Ledges

It was a delightful Rotary Christmas party on Friday, December 11 at the Ledges.  It was good food with a choice of steak, salmon or fish.  We had great attendance with members bringing family and friends, great items were donated for a Silent Auction which earned more than $600 and members also filled Santa's sack with toys for Mexico valued at nearly $400.  Beautiful holiday entertainment was provided by the very talented family of Sam McArthur who sang with his daughter Melissa Kesterson and his son Joshua McArthur, accompanied by Gai (Mrs. Sam) McArthur on the piano.  Thanks to Janet O’Riley and all who worked to make this a fun and festive evening ... and, Happy Holidays to all!

SGR Hears Successes of the HWSG's

CEO Kyle Case told members of SGR today, "the 29^th Annual Huntsman WORLD Senior Games can best be described as immense and immensely successful!"  What began in 1987 as a way to increase lodging in area motels in the off-season has now become the largest annual multi-sport event in the WORLD! 

On its way to world domination, the Games – with 27 sporting events and an 80 percent return rate - continues to have representation from all 50 United States and over the years from 73 countries.  In 2015, there are 10,560 senior athletes from 20 countries - including for the first time Iran, Lithuania and Saudi Arabia – registered to participate.  All that remains to achieve this milestone is the recruitment of competitors from Greenland, Argentina, any country in Africa and a handful of nations here and there around the globe. 

When this year’s Games concluded on October 17, planning for next year’s began again after a one-day break and there will be, once again and quite literally, a million details to manage.  There are countless hours of planning and dozens of board and staff meetings during the twelve months between the Games to discuss such issues as safety, talent for two opening ceremonies, awards, making sure a system is in place to track the number of years each athlete has attended and for reporting results, ordering medals, scheduling hundreds of teams and thousands of individual competitors, sign-ups and registration, sponsorships, keeping the website fresh and updated, graphic design changes, insurance claims, finances and budgets, going digital to provide easy accessibility of information around the world and planning for the Global Cup, which this year will feature women’s volleyball teams from German, Canada and the United States. 

Rotary donations for the Veterans Home in Ivins

Then there are the more finite issues of merchandising, socials, seating and parking, soliciting advertising from local businesses to be inserted into nearly 11,000 welcome bags; transportation, pick-up and delivery of supplies and participants, set-up and take-down … even the color of shirts for staff, chairman and those vitally important 2500 volunteers, who work tirelessly to provide thousands of hours of service to make the event memorable for participants and spectators.

The Games economic impact to the St. George area community is $15,767,763 million.  Kyle states, their needs include more qualified volunteers to oversee the results of play for 900+ participants in this sport.  Softball is the biggest of the sports - with 340 teams and about 4000 participants.  

In 2016, the Games will celebrate its 30th year and in 2017 plans are in the works for travel to New Zealand for the world masters games.  Sometime in the future, Kyle notes, "it will be time to build our own building and begin developing an Endowment Fund."  Wanna help, Rotarians?

Linda Baker Speaks on HFHSWU

TODAY IN ROTARY there were a number of important announcements as follows:

·               Rotary Christmas Party will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 11 at the Ledges Golf Course.  Please bring an unwrapped gift for a child and/or donate something to the Silent Auction.

·               Toiletries for an Eagle Scout project at the Veterans Home in Ivins must be turned in no later than Monday, December 7.

·               There are still 6 schools which have not yet received their dictionaries.  See Reed Noble with any questions.

·               Elections will be held on Monday, December 14.  Rulon Olson has agreed to run for the position of President-elect Nominee.  Brandon Staples, Bryan Wheat and Lynn Beecher have thrown their hats in the ring for two positions on the board and Janet O’Riley has indicated her willingness to serve as secretary.

Today’s speaker, Linda Baker is a longtime member of SGR and is currently Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah, an assignment she refers to as “my next great adventure.”  In her presentation, she dispelled many of the rumors about Habitat, including “it is not a give away program … one of the requirements to become a Habitat homeowner is the ability to pay a mortgage payment every month.”  Linda also indicated “this is such a change for me.  In the non-profit sector, I was surprised to learn we have to raise the money to fund our paychecks.”  Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah is one of approximately 1700 affiliates worldwide participating as part of an affordable housing Christian ministry.  In Washington County for 20 years, HFHSWU has built 21 homes for qualified low-income families.  They will soon break ground on the 22^nd home on the last lot they own “free and clear.”  In our affluent community, finding affordable property to build homes on, is “one of our biggest issues.” 

To qualify for a HFHSWU home, applicants must meet the following requirements:

·               a resident of Washington County for at least one year

·               legally able to work in the USA

·               meet 30-60% of the area median income

·               demonstrate the ability to repay a 0% mortgage payment each month

·               partner with the affiliate in providing 250 hours of sweat equity

·               graduate from a financial management program

·               save up to be able to afford a small down payment

Habitat for Humanity of SW Utah also tithes 10% of all ReStore profits and pays $4500 for each home built in Washington County to build another home in a 3^rd world country.  To date, HFHSWU has provided these funds for homes in Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Chile and Haiti.

Linda also indicated her enthusiasm and appreciation for volunteers who willingly come out to help with a variety of projects at the ReStore, assist in the completion of A Brush with Kindness projects and build homes.

There are many opportunities to serve through Habitat.  Call Linda or Lil at 674-7669, ext. 3 or email to director@habitatswu.org or community@habitatswu.org to speak to Lil Barron, Director of Community Development and Engagement.

SGR and the PDG

PDG Jim Coleman’s eclectic presentation on just about “all things Rotary” was preceded by the induction of SGR’s newest members Holly Laird, a recent “transfer” from Grand Junction, Colorado sponsored by Janet O’Riley and Steve Brough, Director of Commercial Banking for Zions Bank in Southern Utah sponsored by Linda Sappington.

Jim’s program focused primarily on his recent attendance at the Rotary Zone Institute in San Antonio, TX but was also punctuated here and there with a reading of a poem he wrote during the funeral service for Evan Woodbury:

I Know You Don't Want to Hear This

With wit and humor, both story and joke

Would come forth without a miss.

Fun and laughter came from all

With: “I know you don’t want to hear this.”

When Evan Woodbury stood in Rotary,

All present would expect a fix

After hearing those tantalizing words

“I know you don’t want to hear this.”

Evan delighted touching others—

There was always a gleeful twist—

When he uttered those branded words

“I know you don’t want to hear this.”

Now with the passing of this great man,

The St. George Rotary club will miss

Our Rotary friend and brother and the words

“I know you don’t want to hear this.”

He also performed a solo or two on his guitar.  This devout Rotarian, who joined SGR in 1984, then presided for six years over the Dixie Rotary Bowl, invited members to take part in a National Immunization Day in February in India and to attend the Zone Institute, held in October 2016 in Salt Lake City. 

“Rotary International has lost more than 50,000 members worldwide in the past five years,” he noted.  “We are in crisis so there are big changes coming.”

For more information, e-mail him at jim@rotarymatters.com.

SGR's 2015 Dictionary Project

Now in its 13^th year, SGR’s dictionary project headed up by Reed Noble, is still going strong despite a concern in past years these paperback wordlists are passé, old hat, antiquated and no longer of value to students.  But last year’s survey of nearly all 3^rd grade teachers in the Washington County School District found educators are still anxious to have dictionaries in every desk in their classrooms – a surprising response in our technology-driven world.

Since 2003 when our project started, SGR has purchased and distributed more than 20,000 dictionaries.  This year, 1629 3^rd graders and 44 teachers in 72 classrooms (a total of 1673 books) were delivered to 18 of the district’s nearly 30 elementary schools (the other schools received dictionaries from Hurricane Valley, Dixie Sunrise, Red Rock and Zion Canyon Rotary Clubs). 

A district grant in the amount of $1800 picked up a portion of the cost-per-book of $2.50 while SGR paid the balance of $2400. Thanks to Reed for his continuing service to this project and to St. George Rotarians willing to take time out of their already busy days to deliver dictionaries to excited Washington County school children and their teachers.  Another successful St. George Rotary Club “service above self” project!