Rotary Meeting Mar 19, 2019

 

                                                                            

 In President Tony Hunter's absence, President Elect Richie Benner began the meeting with the pledge. Foregoing any thoughts or songs PE Benner plunged ahead with the meeting directing all to "sit". Quack, quack, quack. (Inside joke)

 

Members greeted Laura Clymer, a prospective member and friend of Mary Straus, visiting for the second time!

 

Our Tour de Cookie netted $7,900 and substitute Sgt of Arms Brooks may have squeezed another $90 out of those in attendance. John sold a $10 cookie.

 

Rotary Day of Peace scheduled for 4/6/2019. Rotary will partner with ten other organizations this date at 101 W 4th Street in Tucson. "Peace is more than the absence of conflict." will be the theme. For more information and to register go to www.rotary5500.org.

 

Davis Monthan Air Show this weekend.

 

Happy Bucks

Peter-deliriously happy and math. (that is what my notes say) Oh, and gone next three weeks.

John D and John Z-Happy

Harold-Happy and a 51 year Rotary Member

Denise-Happy

Mary-Broke

Maeve-Happy

Richie-Happy & Charlie is 9 months doing well & got first "manly" haircut

Lynne-Broke

 

PE Benner announced approval by members and Board of Jeffrey Pridgett's application for membership.

 

Joke Off

 Maeve-Two men walk into  bar and the third ducks. When the laughter quieted down Maeve tried to make up for this horrendous offering with: Fella awakens in the middle of the night a little hungry. Opens the fridge and the mayo shouts out, "Turn off the light, I'm dressing.".

Give me a few minutes while I wipe the tears from my eyes. Whew. Oh my, when have I laughed so hard? 

 

 Lynne-Two old ladies looking for excitement. One decides to streak the flower show. Stripping then "running" as  fast as her legs could go she entered the building. Screams and shouts were replaced by loud applause. When she exited she held a trophy. She exclaimed to her friend, "I won first place for "dried arrangement".

 

Bonus joke from JD. Maeve's first joke reminded me of this one. A termite walks into the tavern and asks, "Where is the bar tender?"

 

Randy won and lost with the 5 of diamonds. (Peter is calling for an investigation as his ticket gets called about once every twenty years)

 

Rotarian Daniel Stringham addressed our Club regarding Rotary Microcredit project in Sonora, MX. Currently $300,000 has been donated for this project and Daniel is seeking another $100,000. The Microloan project is seen as a "Legacy" project as it lasts as long as the loans are being repaid. Loans from as little as $100 are made with the target amount being $800 and increasing bto $1,500 plus. Loan repayment is touted to be in the 95th plus percentile. Loans are made to co-signing borrowing groups of from four to eight people. This "peer pressure" in this writers words, is seen as the driving force in loan repayment. Interest rate is 4.5% a month. Our speaker explained that this rate is not uncommon in Mexico. To us a 69% APR loan (assuming no principal repayment for 12 months) is unthinkable. These zero collateral micro loans are extremely difficult to obtain anywhere else due to the administrative fees on such small loans and lack of collateral.

 

FinReg, a specialized micro credit institution, has been operating in Sonora for 12 years. Rotary Clubs partner with FinReg by providing funds/capital to loan  and they in turn establish borrowing groups, dispense and collect funds and assist customers to succeed in their businesses. FinRegs operating costs and net profit come from the interest earned on the loans.

 

Requests for tax deductible donations to be used towards a Rotary Global Grant are requested to be sent to Tempe South Rotary Foundation. More detailed information provided in brochure passed out by Mr Stringham.