Meeting summary
Key takeaways
- The club collected $2,225 from Jim Click ticket sales fundraiser to date
- Tour de Cookie 50% of proceeds will be split between More Than a Bed and the Rotary Foundation Vocational Fund
- RYLA applications are due by November 1st; the club is considering sending two students (one from MCAT and one from VISTA)
- Tucson Bicycle Classic in February will benefit El Groupo Youth Cycling; volunteer opportunities include packet pickup on February 18th and course monitoring on February 19th
- Growing concern about food bank shortages, particularly protein, with SNAP benefits expiring soon
- MCAT has identified families for holiday adoption, including one family with 10 children
Discussed topics
Opening and Happy Bucks
Members shared personal updates and celebrations to start the meeting.
- Details
- Harold: Planning to visit Mount Lemmon to see fall foliage with his wife
- Don: Attended Rotary Zone Institute in Albuquerque but experienced illness; glad to be home
- Kathy: Planning Halloween costume as a bunch of grapes using purple balloons
- Beckie: Carl is home from hospital after cancer treatment; reduced tumor by 30%; recovering strength after her concussion
- Mark: Daughter had unexpected weekend off; attended Battle of the Boot and enjoyed family time
- Michael: Visited daughter in St. Louis with young grandchildren; exhausting but rewarding experience
- Laura: Great Dane celebrated 9th birthday; very busy with work
- Andrea: Enjoying pregnancy; mother made special meal for her
- Beverly: Celebrated birthday with family; grandson gave footprint bee artwork; concerned about hurricane approaching Jamaica
- Bob: Taking care of 5-month-old granddaughter and dogs; enjoying the experience
- Gregg: Wedding planning nearly complete; looking forward to November celebration
- Cindy: Planning trip to Colorado for grandson's swim meet at Air Force Academy and football game at Colorado School of Mines
- Conclusion
- Harold reminded members to contribute happy bucks donations, not just share stories
Financial Report
Harold presented the club's financial status via email prior to the meeting.
- Conclusion
- Fundraising efforts are progressing well
- Members encouraged to continue selling car fundraising tickets
Tucson Bicycle Classic Volunteer Opportunity
Discussion of volunteer opportunities for February bicycle race event.
- Details
- Cindy: Event runs February 18-22 with approximately 600 riders from US and internationally; Packet pickup at Heritage Park on February 18th; Marana race on February 19th from Heritage Park to Cal Portland cement; Additional races in downtown Tucson (20th), Sahuarita (21st), and Oro Valley (22nd); Volunteers needed for packet pickup and course monitoring during timed race; Some riders may need host families; riders bring their own food
- Laura: Questioned target audience fit with Tour de Cookie promotion
- Michael and Andrea: Researched and confirmed proceeds benefit El Groupo Youth Cycling
- Laura: Acknowledged El Groupo as good organization serving underserved populations; Suggested creating standard Tour de Cookie polo shirts for club visibility
- Gregg: Recommended table throw or pop-up sign for better visibility at events
- Beckie: Noted event is only 2 weeks before Tour de Cookie on March 7th
- Andrea: Suggested using event as practice for packet pickup efficiency
- Conclusion
- Event supports El Groupo Youth Cycling, a worthy cause
- Club will consider volunteer participation, particularly for packet pickup
- Timing close to Tour de Cookie may limit registration promotion opportunities
- Visibility materials (shirts, signage) could enhance club presence
MCAT STAR Student and Food Bank Schedule
Review of updated schedule for student recognition and food bank volunteering.
- Details
- Cindy: Revised schedule combines MCAT STAR Student recognition with food bank volunteering; Three dates scheduled for January, March, and May; Recent MCAT Star Student was genuinely sweet and open; his brother may also be future recipient
- Conclusion
- Schedule approved for remainder of year
- Positive experience with recent STAR student and family
RYLA Applications
Discussion of Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program applications.
- Details
- Cindy: Applications due by November 1st for Martin Luther King weekend event; Will contact Beth at MCAT about potential student; asked Mark about VISTA students; Questioned if club would support sending two students at $500 each
- Don: Strongly supports RYLA as excellent leadership opportunity; impressed with program quality
- Mark: VISTA just held first student council election; good timing to identify leaders; Believes RYLA experience helps students develop skills that benefit schools
- Conclusion
- Club supportive of sending two students (one from MCAT, one from VISTA)
- Applications must be submitted by November 1st deadline
- Cost is $500 per student
Short-Term Youth Exchange
Cindy shared upcoming Interact club presentation.
- Details
- Cindy: Visiting Mountain View High School Interact club to discuss short-term youth exchange
- Conclusion
- Outreach efforts continuing to promote youth exchange programs
Peace Builder Meeting
Reminder about upcoming Peace Builder Zoom meeting.
- Details
- Cindy: Meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening with the speaker from Wales
- Andrea: Attended last meeting; available to join tomorrow
- Laura: Interested in attending; joked about potential Welsh ancestry connection
- Conclusion
- Cindy will send Zoom link to interested members
- Meeting time is 6:00 PM
More Than a Bed Volunteer Coordination
Discussion of organizing volunteer visits and activities.
- Details
- Cindy: Difficulty coordinating schedule with Oro Valley, Dove Mountain, and Tucson Sunset clubs; Facility open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday mornings and first/third Saturdays
- Beckie: Visited facility to donate toys and baby items; impressed with organization; Described store-like front area and back donation area with many volunteers; Volunteers immediately helped unload vehicle; very appreciative
- Kathy: Suggested splitting up club visits rather than coordinating all clubs together; Proposed having speaker present to other clubs first, then arrange tours
- Laura: Questioned what volunteer work is needed and how it benefits community; Suggested logical progression: speaker presentations first, then tours, possibly tied to Rotary Day of Service in April
- Kathy: Volunteered at Southern Arizona Community Food Bank; sorted bread for 2.5 hours; noted lack of protein
- Conclusion
- Cindy and Kathy will conduct scout visit to facility
- Other clubs will arrange their own visits and speaker presentations
- Detailed volunteer opportunities to be determined after initial visit
- Timing may shift to after holidays or Rotary Day of Service in April
Tour de Cookie Beneficiaries and Holiday Food Insecurity
Significant discussion about charitable recipients and urgent food bank needs.
- Details
- Cindy: Tour de Cookie proceeds split 50% to More Than a Bed and Rotary Foundation Vocational Fund; remaining 50% for other projects
- Laura: Expressed serious concern about food bank crisis; SNAP benefits expiring end of week; Sister-in-law on ICS board reports food bank out of funds for protein; Estimates 12% of nation facing food insecurity before holidays; Questioned if club should reconsider charitable focus given urgent food needs; Suggested rethinking traditional holiday family sponsorship approach; Proposed considering all three families offered by MCAT (including one with 10 children)
- Beverly: Confirmed 12% food insecurity statistic is alarming
- Kathy: Confirmed no protein available at Southern Arizona Community Food Bank during recent volunteer shift; Supported Laura's concerns; suggested getting clarity on family needs
- Cindy: MCAT has family with 10 children and other smaller families available for adoption; No details available until club commits to adopting families
- Conclusion
- Tour de Cookie beneficiaries remain More Than a Bed and Rotary Foundation Vocational Fund
- Food bank crisis requires urgent attention and separate discussion
- Topic to be addressed at next week's meeting
- Club interested in adopting multiple families for holidays
- Laura will provide contact information for Interfaith Community Services CEO to speak to club
Rotary Foundation Presentation
John Dooling requested meeting time for foundation presentation.
- Details
- John: Needs Tuesday in November for Rotary International Foundation presentation
- Bob: Currently booked through December; will review schedule and respond
- Conclusion
- Bob will work with John to find available November date
Closing Remarks
Meeting concluded with administrative notes.
- Details
- Harold: Reminded members to contribute happy bucks donations, not just share stories
- Laura: Requested 5 additional raffle tickets; staff members purchasing tickets
- Laura: Will be absent November 4th and 18th due to hearings
- Conclusion
- Members encouraged to bring happy bucks donations to meetings
Challenges
- Coordinating volunteer visit schedules across multiple Rotary clubs for More Than a Bed facility
- Urgent food bank shortages, particularly protein, with SNAP benefits expiring
- Limited time before holidays to address food insecurity needs
- Tour de Cookie timing (March 7th) only 2 weeks after Tucson Bicycle Classic, limiting registration promotion opportunities
- Tight deadline for RYLA applications (November 1st)
- Bob's schedule fully booked through December,
Action items
- Cindy and Kathy
- Conduct scout visit to More Than a Bed facility
- Report back to club on volunteer opportunities and facility details
- Cindy
- Send Peace Builder Zoom meeting link to interested members
- Confirm meeting time (6 PM) for Peace Builder event
- Double-check if club can set up information table during Tucson Bicycle Classic packet pickup
- Include happy bucks reminder in next week's message
- Obtain more details about families available for holiday adoption from MCAT
- Mark
- Identify VISTA student candidates for RYLA (Deadline: November 1st)
- Submit RYLA applications (Deadline: November 1st)
- Laura
- Provide contact information for Interfaith Community Services CEO to Bob
- Pick up 5 additional raffle tickets from Harold
- Bob
- Review schedule to find available Tuesday in November for John's Rotary Foundation presentation
- Follow up with John Dooling on presentation date
- Harold
- Bring raffle tickets to next meeting
- Provide 5 additional tickets to Laura
- All Members
- Continue selling Jim Click raffle tickets
- Consider volunteering for Tucson Bicycle Classic packet pickup (February 18th)
- Bring happy bucks donations to meetings
- Prepare for discussion on food bank crisis and holiday family adoption at next meeting.