This Fall in Rocky Point has been filled with so many activities! Our local Rotary Club has been busy as usual fund raising along with supporting local projects that benefit the community. I am pleased to report that, thanks to all of your support, we were able to raise nearly $13,000 USD from our “Polio Plus” Dinner. This money will be Puerto Peñasco Rotary Club’s donation to the worldwide cause to combat Polio. All the Rotary Clubs around the world contribute to this effort, which is to keep the dreaded disease of Polio dormant.
I mentioned in my last article that our Rotary District goal was to purchase and place defibrillators around the district. Well, I am pleased to announce that not only was our club able to purchase one defibrillator for our local Red Cross and one for the local hospital, but we were also successful in recently receiving a $60,000 dll commitment shared by other Rotary clubs in Arizona and Mexico. Let me explain how this came to be…Sami Keesecker, a club member recently attended the bi-annual Rotary Friendship Conference/Workshop (which is a conference held every other year between Rotary Clubs from Mexico & U.S.). During the three-day event, foundation chairs presented proposals which required financial support. There were 14 proposals presented and we were given approval for two. All of these requests require an international partner. Sally Montagues Rotary Club in Tucson will be our partner on the defibrillator project and the additional funds will allow for the purchase of more defibrillators along with education and training.
Besides the $60,000 for the defibrillator project, we were also awarded another project which will continue our efforts to combat and prevent Rickettsia/ Rocky Mt. Spotted Fever in Puerto Peñasco. Rocky Point still leads Mexico in the most deaths from this tick carrying disease; this project will receive an additional $56,555. Now we will be able to purchase more fumigators, help produce videos to educate the public about this disease and purchase more medicine to treat the dogs and cats.
Recently the Scottsdale Sunrise Rotary Club visited their adopted La Montaña School. This school serves students with disabilities and special education needs. The Scottsdale Club has purchased playground equipment, all kinds of school supplies and computers, a security system and most recently a large batch of school and cleaning supplies. Sunrise Rotary members: David Leiues, Rick Sutton, and a Rotary from Calgary Canada, Glen Richardson toured the school and delivered their most recent donations. Like I have said so many times, by having a Rotary Club in Rocky Point it allows us to partner with other Rotary Clubs around the world. Our network is huge and brings so many resources to Rocky Point.
The heartbeat of Rotary is the club’s membership. The volunteering and the expectation of Rotary requires members to agree that “Service Above Self” is important. I am so pleased to announce the addition of two new members to our Club: Albert Lewis and Rick Golish. Albert and Rick are both full-time residents of our community. Mr. Lewis is a retired United States Army Lt. Colonel and Mr. Golish is a retired PGA Golf Pro and Director. We are excited to welcome both of these gentlemen.
As always if you are interested in learning more about Rotary, come join us!!! We meet every Wednesday morning 9am at Puesta del Sol Restaurant at Playa Bonita Resort.
