Highlights for this week include announcements about The Ride to End Polio, a club trip to Mexico, our upcoming slate of officers and directors plus many other upcoming activities. A fantastic program on Hiking in Arizona was delivered by Dave Baker, owner of The Summit Hut.

President Pat called the meeting to order and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance

Phyllis James offered the Invocation.

Guests and Visitors

Michael Troughton introduced his guests Sean Barry and Drew Dragmire.

Announcements

This year’s nominating committee of Tom Robertson, Bob DeLaney, Anita McDonald and Bob Grady shared a Proposed Slate of Officers and Directors for 2017/2018.

Nominees for Club Officers:

  • President: Bob Grady
  • President Elect: Olivier Fahrni
  • President Designate: Paul Bennett
  • Secretary: TBD
  • Treasurer: Andy Kerr
  • Assistant Treasurer: TBD

Nominees for Directors from the Current Board:

  • Dorice Beren
  • Sharyn Chesser
  • M. Craig
  •  Jeff Hamstra
  •   Michael Troughton

Nominees for New Board Members:

  • Phyllis James
  • Peter Pritz

This year’s Ride to End Polio in cooperation with El Tour de Tucson will be November 18. Kirk Reed, Tom Robertson and Tony Spear will be representing Catalina Rotary as part of the expected team of 100 Rotary riders. Every dollar pledged receives a 2 for 1 match from the Gates Foundation. Please contact one of our club riders if you would like to make a tax-deductible pledge to help Rotary’s dream of a polio-free world.

Jeff Hamstra announced that opportunities for service at the Boys and Girls Clubs Thanksgiving Service are available on Nov. 14 from 5-8 pm and Nov. 21 from 530-830 pm. Please contact Jeff if you would like to volunteer.

Steve Pender announced a Holiday Concert at The Fox Theatre on Thursday, Dec. 21. Tickets are $36 each (a 20% discount!). Deadline for letting Steve know is Dec. 1. Make checks payable to Catalina Rotary Club with a memo of Holiday Concert. And please remember: Once you write the check, the tickets are yours. No refunds or exchanges, sorry.

Barbara Kiernan will hold a meeting after today’s meeting to discuss a Mexico trip scheduled for Jan 12-14. She currently has 10 people signed up for the trip and is considering a 2nd trip at a later date.

Barbara also announced that Catalina Rotarians have once again fulfilled our goal of 50 scholarships for the students of Tepehua, Mexico. Please check your email for your tax receipts.

M. Craig announced that her women’s barbershop singing group is putting on a family friendly concert, “Season in Song”, at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church on Nov. 11. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door.

CRC’s Dec. 15 meeting will be our annual Holiday Party. Please save the date and invite kids, grandkids, spouses, family and friends. More details to follow.

Bob Grady is looking for volunteers to help with weekly treasurer and other meeting duties. Please see Bob if you can help.

Anita McDonald announced that we are bringing back the rotating position of “weekly scribe” (formerly knows as “note taker”) so we can update our club website (www.catalinarotary.org) with highlights of each club event. Please contact Anita if you can help.

Queen of Hearts Game

Tom Jones drew the winning ticket but not the Queen of Hearts. The game rolls over to next week.

Sargent At Arms

Lots of “Happy Bucks” this week. (CRC members are a Very Happy Group!)

  • Jo Anne Westerman – Husband Bob attends military reunion with granddaughter
  • Sharyn Chesser for Hospital Heroes paper featuring CRC Wellness Project
  • Pat Dwyer is back and here until May also for her husband’s reunion event in Las Vegas
  • Al Chesser for Steve Pender’s All Souls Shirt
  • Steve Pender for 4 days in NYC with Halina
  • Norm Rebenstorf for Halloween “Jokes for Candy”
  • Matt Matthewson gave a Leg Up to The Rotary Foundation in honor of a new grandson and recent trip to Rocky Point
  • Pete Walsh for his Cape Cod trip
  • Tony Spear for his new bike and free basketball tickets (thanks, Kirk!)
  • Bob Delaney for a great World Series
  • Bob Grady for not having the mike ready. Be ready for a quiz on the current issue of The Rotarian Magazine next week.
Program

Dave Baker shows the club how to travel light

President Pat Egbert introduced Dave Baker, owner of Summit Hut, to share stories of his adventures hiking in Arizona.

While on the trail, Dave discovered a “tribe” of people who walk. Their impulses to do so are innate and inherited from our history of ancient hunters/gatherers. Walkers are of all ages, genders and backgrounds.

There are many trails scattered throughout The West, ranging from 500 to 1200 miles in length. Three are in Arizona: The Arizona Trail, The Grant Enchantment Trail and the Haydu Trail.

Dave hiked the Arizona Trail, from Mexico to Utah, in 2008. It is 807 miles long and is one of 11 designated National Scenic Trails. His adventure required 55 days between March and May, with 38 days on the trail. Dave and his trail-companion Dale spent a great deal of time in planning and preparation. Most of their route selection, logistics and energy were involved around the procurement of water along the route. Their route started near Fort Huachuca and took them through the

Dave Baker shows Catalina Rotary the view from The Arizona Trail

Patagonia/Sonoita grasslands, the Rincon Mountains, the Santa Catalina Mountains, Roosevelt Lake, the San Francisco Peaks, the Grand Canyon and Kaibab Plateau and ultimately the Utah – Arizona state line. Dave was the 125th person to complete the entire trail.

Dave also shared with us stories and photos from his Klondike to Tucson hike from Aravaipa Canyon to Old Spanish Trail. Dave completed this trip in March of 2012, covering 95 miles in 10 days.

Dave’s tips for the intrepid hiker were simple: go light and don’t carry anything you don’t need. His own “base weight”, defined as the weight of his gear not counting consumables, is only 13 lbs.

Thank you, Dave, for sharing your adventures with Catalina Rotary. “Happy Trails, To You.”

Notetaker: Tony Spear