THIS WEEK IN ROTARY

 

Tomorrow at 5:30 PM, in lieu of a Satellite Meeting, President Ed Robertson has announced: 

 

"Freeloaders/Open House/Meet & Greet/Happy Hour or a Happy "Zoom" Year Celebration."

 

All members,  spouses, significant others, children and grandchildren are invited. This will be a ZOOM meeting.   Ed has sent a link to all members.  Please attend with your favorite beverage and enjoy the first Freeloaders of this Rotary Year.

 

As we end this year and look forward to  the New Year it is good to reflect on what happened this year in our Rotary Club.

 

The year started with a lot of excitement.  Past President Dave Simon and his Board decided to leave  our long term venue for morning meetings, Meals On Wheels Cafeteria, to begin meeting at Jimmy's Cafe.  Members were very enthused about the new meeting place and member Steve Reynolds, owner of Jimmy's, made us feel very welcome by allowing members and guests to order off the menu.  

 

Also, through the excellent efforts of  Governors Charity Ball for New Mexico Children co-chairs Tony Pino and Ron Hensley the Ball was going to be bigger and better than ever due to our Joint Venture Agreement with Rotary Of Albuquerque.  

 

Then, early in the year the Covid 19 Pandemic raised its ugly head. First, Wuhan, China, then Italy, then New York and then New Mexico.

By March  there was talk of a shutdown.   After the March 12 Regular morning meeting, it was decided by the Board not to meet in person for a while.  Pursuant to Governor Michelle Lujann-Grisham's March 23 Emergency Order all non-essential businesses and large gatherings were shut down.  The 2020 Governors Ball had to be postponed to 2021 and later the decision was made to do the 2021 Governors Ball as a Virtual Experience.  

 

Thus started our new opportunity with meeting via ZOOM.  We all hoped that this would be  short lived and we would be back meeting in-person very shortly.  That did not happen and as of today we are still having all Morning, Satellite and Board Meetings  on ZOOM.  Thanks to hosts Dave Simon, Ed Robertson, Jeff Weinrach and Davis Riordan, we are getting pretty good at this.  We now have great  guest speakers from as far away as Queensland, Australia.

 

As Rotarians know when the "going gets tough,  the tough get going"  So, as terrible as this Covid Pandemic has been, it has created opportunities for increased Service.  Among the Service Opportunities there was the Navajo Hope Project partially funded by a Rotary International Covid-19 Grant.   Led by member Christine Glidden this became a Joint Service Project of Del Sol, Del Norte,  the Downtown Club and other community organizations and businesses that contributed.  Tons of food, PPE and other supplies were delivered under Christine's leadership to the Navajo Nation which was seriously affected by the Pandemic.

 

 Also under the leadership of Service Chair Chris Van Dyck and with the support of Steve Reynolds of Jimmy's Cafe the Health Care Heroes Project was started to deliver Breakfast Burritos and Cinnabons to front line health care workers at Albuquerque Hospitals.  Club members served as drivers.  One member who really became enthused about driving was Mitch Selking among others.  

 

At the same time other service projects continued.  The Tree Planting project funded by a District Grant and led by Dave Simon was successfully completed.  The Ramps project led by Greg Hallstrom helped handicapped people by building and installing ramps at their homes.  This project was also funded by a District 5520 Grant.  

 

Another area of positivity in the midst of the Pandemic has been Membership Growth.  We are on target to attain our yearly Membership Goal and the year is only half over.  Kudos to the Membership Committee led by Kit Turpen.

 

One of Rotary Del Sol's long term goals has been the 2020 Goal set by the late Don Chalmers.  The goal, to achieve $1Million in the Rotary Del Sol Foundation by 2020,  has been met thanks largely to the efforts of all those who have made the Governors Ball a tremendous success through the years.  

 

Looking forward to 2021 and hopeful that the vaccines solve the Covid 19 issue,  let us all be thankful for all the service opportunities we have had this year and look forward to meeting in-person and having more Service Opportunities in the New Year.

 

Heres  to a Happy, Peaceful and Healthy New Year to all Del Sol Rotarians and their families!!