ROTARY CLUB of GILBERT, ARIZONA May 6, 2021 7 AM on Zoom
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WELCOME TO GILBERT ROTARY
Attendance: George Pettit, Donna Backhaus, David Hutchinson, Bill Nuzbach, Mike Flores, Chuck Holland, Cori Barimo, Jim Schermetzler, Mark Grady, Emmah Njoki and Toyin Atolagbe Visiting Rotarians: Mariel Olson – Camelback Crossroads Rotary and Guest Speaker Vitaliy Bezrodnov, Rotary Children’s Fund/Golden Gates Program
President Elect Mike called the meeting to order. ROTARY MOMENT https://youtu.be/4xblR68HEXU
Mike introduced Mariel Olson from Camelback Crossroads Rotary Club to speak about their project with OCJ – Cases for a Cause. This project assists kids aging out of the foster system. OCJ brings transition dignity for these young adults. Over the past 3 years Camelback Crossroads has donated more than 1000 cases.
Every week, 80 children are removed from their homes. There are 18,000 kids in the foster system and 16,000 calls are received per year at the Child Abuse Hotline.
Camelback Crossroads Rotary started Cases for a Cause, a collection service where we pick up lightly used/ unused bags or suitcases and deliver them to the OCJ Kids warehouse. This project allows some of the 16,000 foster kids in Arizona the dignity of carrying their possessions in something besides a trash bag.
OCJ Kids (Opportunity Community and Justice for Kids), founded in 1992, forming an alliance with the business and faith communities to provide services, resources and caring adults to address the needs of the most vulnerable in our society.
Founders Gary and Tammie Webb’s passion was to reach out to the growing population of unsupervised youth aged 12-18 who were gathering after school with nothing productive to occupy their time and who were being tempted by negative influences, including gangs, drugs, and violent behavior.
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Gary and Tammie knew these youth were making choices that would impact the rest of their lives and were determined to establish a program to offer positive activities and adult mentors who would not only encourage them to take the “right path,” but could show them how through direct assistance and role modeling. In 1994, OCJ hosted its first on campus after school program, and in 1996 opened its first of nine off campus “Target Zone” community youth centers, one serving as a certified Teen Court with the Arizona juvenile justice department.
In 2006, OCJ started the Fostering Connections Program. The goal of the program is to connect the business and faith communities with children and youth placed into the foster care system, with special emphasis on the children and youth currently living in group congregant care in Arizona and throughout the United States.
In 2012, OCJ Kids launched the Transition Success Center project, supplying hygiene Welcome Kits, Transitional Suitcases, Kinship Kits, Emergency Overnight Sleep Kits, clothing items, and visitation rooms for children and youth in the foster care system. OCJ Kids currently partners with the faith community and Child Welfare officials in Arizona, Oregon, South Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Gary and Tammie currently serve on the Assemblies of God Compassion Missionary Council, serving the community across America.
How can we help? need more funding for grants they have a goal for October of collecting 750 suitcases. Thank you Mariel for sharing
Last Week’s Guest Speaker:
Vitaliy Bezrodnov Rotary Children’s Fund/Golden Gates Program
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Vitaliy Bezrodnov definitely LOVES Rotary. The man who wears many hats is originally from Kazakhstan. In 1990 he emigrated from Russia to Cleveland Ohio.
The Rotary Children’s Fund is a 501c3 cultural exchange program named Golden Gates
The Rotary Children’s Fund exists To promote goodwill between countries by funding organizations that contribute to peace, cultural understanding, and appreciation through the arts. They do so by finding young artists, performers, and musicians worldwide to share their cultures through their performances and workshops which feature their talents, traditional costumes, and individual personalities. They are improving goodwill between the people of America and other countries. Developing a better understanding of cultures, music, and traditions. Building Cultural Bridges.
His program is NOT competing with: Rotary Youth Exchange Group Study Exchange Friendship Exchange
The organization is one organization started by a Rotary Club for Rotarians. The greatest program in Rotary, he reminded members, Polio Plus, was started with an idea.
He performs in a group called Moscow Nights -
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The program of Moscow Nights is centered on masterpieces of Russian folklore and represents the diversity of the culture, ranging from humorous songs, to elaborate lyrical suites, to pulsating dance numbers. The concerts have the air of a spontaneous impromptu performance, which is one of the hallmarks of folk music. Moscow Night's lively program presents an authentic picture of Russian folk traditions and culture. Their current program incorporates obscure folk instruments such as percussion and birch-bark whistles in addition to the more common balalaika and bayan. Thus, Moscow Nights is able to bring to audiences a unique program of a culture that had almost lost its original identity.
Moscow Nights is a versatile ensemble of world- recognized, prize-winning musicians from Russia. Led by Vitaliy Bezrodnov (Bayan Accordion), the group includes Yuri Shishkin,(prima balalaikist), and Sergei Ruksha (contra-bass balalaika). The group was initially formed in Kaluga, Russia in the late 1980's where Mr. Bezrodnov attended Kaluga Music Conservatory. Initially touring the Western states and the Hawaiian Islands, the ensemble met with great acclaim due to their considerable talents and natural exuberance. They also initiated a charity program entitled Music in Mission and Rotary Children's Fund, which raises money for the orphans of Russia. https://www.musiccenter.org/education/School-Programs/Artist-Directory/Moscow-Nights/
Vitaliy attended a Russia/USA District Meeting in Denver, Colorado where he was able to present to them about his ideas for cultural exchange and understanding. He knew instinctively at that meeting that he was in the company of GREAT people. He researched, learned about and joined Rotary in 1995. Why did he join Rotary? …Because Rotarians DO things.
From Boulder Colorado to Cleveland Ohio, he became the youngest member in the club. Karl Johnson was his sponsor. Karl chartered a club in Russia and came to the United States on exchanges where he served as a driver/interpreter. Different sides of the cold war became friends; they thought that never could happen, and, because of Rotary, that didn’t matter.
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The Rotary Children’s Fund was started. They wanted to bring groups to the US for multicultural understanding. He was chosen to build the program and to select the young people to participate. They named it Golden Gates – meaning “gate to the heart”– a heart to heart, soul connection.
To date they have reached over 1 million people. They started with Russia and Armenia, and Belarus. Friendships are made and stereotypes are broken. He aims to make sure the young people get the right impression of the United States and break the stereotypes seen in Western movies. While the young people are here they make cultural presentations to schools. It builds goodwill and better friendships by explaining their countries as they are without government propaganda. They perform all over as true cultural ambassadors. Every tour ends in Washington DC. The Rotary connection has allowed them to receive a lot of support. They connect the word and build better understanding. Rotary has helped the organization with funding a new Mercedes transportation vehicle.
He encouraged members to be on the lookout and to come and attend a tour sometime. The tours are powerful and the young people go home changed people.
Check them out on You Tube: Performances by Moscow Nights and also videos about Golden Gates
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RotaryCF/
The Rotary Children’s Fund Website http://www.rotarychildrensfund.org/ https://culturalyouthexchange.org/RCF/Docs/RCF%20About.pdf
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RECAP
Mike asked for a report from Toyin and Emmah regarding the great tour at Sunshine Acres. Toyin was impressed with the visit and the change to visit the homes and meet with the house-parents/counselors about the program and the children. She retorted a young man in her school whose mom was having a tough time raising him and so she referred the mom to Sunshine Acres.
Emmah was also totally impressed and hoped we could add a volunteer effort with the organization on a regular basis.
Cori talked about a referral from Rio Salado College who would like to work with and help the house- parents/counselors with training on Individual Education Plans and helping the kids when they are not in school.
NEW MEETING LOCATION???
Also before adjournment, Mike, Chuck and Jim visited the Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport on Power and Williams Field Road. They reported it was a great site for the future and the hotel if looking to fill a Thursday timeframe for scheduling. It seems Thursday mornings have 7 more openings than any other day of the week for meetings. Another advantage is the parking and the access is all on one level for those with accessibility issues.
Church reminded that any site assessment needs to consider the future needs of the club, particularly when it comes to hybrid delivery. The committee is looking at a few other sites while also not ruling out Superstition Springs.
CAN WE GET A NIGHT MEETING????????
The suggestion of an evening meeting was discussed. Cori will work up a survey to see if a Thursday night meeting might work better for some members. There could be a possibility to have 3 morning meetings a month with one in the evening in person as well as virtual. More to come……
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FANTASY FOOTBALL????
The Packers, 49ers, and Cardinals, oh my!!!! Mike proposed a possible fantasy football group more mostly social, not so much high stakes gambling, but just for fun. Let Mike know if you’re game.
Upcoming Events and Meetings:
May 13, 2021- Regular Meeting – 7 AM – Zoom with Dr.Tanyss Munrock of the Amorock Society – “Teach Mothers to Teach the World”
May 20, 2021 – Club Meeting – 7 AM – Zoom
May 21, 2021 Board Meeting at the Gilbert House & Zoom – 7 AM
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