July 1, 2020
Since West U Airways (f/k/a West U Rotary) took flight on July 1, 2019, our club has accomplished numerous things but here are a few destinations that connected with lots of people and will resonate in future years:
- Trade School Scholarships will help five (5) people at $1,000.00 each through Houston Community College.
- The dues were readjusted and approved by the club and club board to be effective April 1, 2020. The dues were reduced from $1,130.00 to $870.00 which is a savings of $260.00 a year for our members. This resulted in the dedicated social at Skeeter’s on the fourth Thursday of each month, or currently a Zoom social call during our COVID-19 crisis.
- Since COVID-19, West U Airways had to modify the Board Meetings via Zoom and President-Elect, Gerard Simon will conduct all his board meetings via Zoom. I’m sure the subsequent Presidents will follow suit as this is extremely cost-effective.
- RI President Mark Maloney in his Presidential Citation requested more social media posting. As a result of his request, a social media task force was organized. Since July 1, 2019, West U social media has taken flight in the West U Paper, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked-In, and even YouTube. The social media task force will continue for years to come as this has brought more family members to our club and to our service projects.- The Club Runner site for West U Rotary Club has had a badly needed makeover and now looks amazing! Thank you, Cecile!!! There are tabs for stories, good news, comments, past postings and zoom meetings, etc. I am confident this will remain updated and maintained for subsequent years.
- A proud moment was October 24, 2019, which is known as World Polio Day. Rotary Club of West U held its first successful fundraiser – “Pints for Polio, Tequila with Terry and Sangria with Stacy” on October 24, 2019, at Little Woodrow’s. In only two weeks, President-Elect Gerard Simon, Terry Ziegler, and I raised over $3,800.00 by selling tickets for a chance to win a pair of hand-made custom boots and belt personally made by Al’s Custom Boots. Our very own DGE Scott Rainey won the hand-made custom boots and belt. I have been assured this will remain a fundraiser for Polio for West U Rotary.
- A spectacular moment for our West U Family was Thanksgiving wherein Extreme Project Turkey was born. Together with Skyline, Cy-Fair, and our West U Family we raised over $5,700.00 which bought 300 turkeys for 300 families! As a last-minute surprise, President-Elect Nominee Nominee, John Thornton coordinated with Second Servings of Houston to provide bags of onions, bananas, and potatoes that were given out to these beautiful families. This Extreme Thanksgiving will remain in the hearts and minds of West U Rotarian for years to come.
- In the time of a crisis, like COVID-19, our West U Family became stronger and relentless in maintaining our Rotary motto – Service Above Self. Even though Harris County was shut down, our West U Family still kept true to the community and helping others by our daily bagel runs which included picking up bagels from the Hot Bagel Shop and dropping off bagels to either the Women’s Home or the Salvation Army. In addition to the daily bagel runs, some of
the Rotarians in our club are helping Second Servings of Houston by picking up food from various stores, restaurants, or hotels and taking the food to feed people in our community at various homeless shelters. Finally, a Rotarian in our club immediately started making masks for first responders. I am positive if another crisis occurs, our West U Family will jump into action to help serve others.
For the 2019-2020 year, I have taken to heart the role that People of Action can have on a community – both here and afar. I hope my legacy as the 2019-2020 President for West U Rotary Club has impacted and connected with tons of people to make a lasting change in each of their lives regardless if it’s an education, a greeting card, or a Thanksgiving meal. I’m proud to be a Rotarian who can help to make a lasting change for the greater good. Remember, each and every one of us as Rotarians are people of action — people who not only want to change the world but also have the ability to turn inspiration into real and lasting change. We have that ability because of who we are and because of what Rotary allows us to do. Rotary allows us to connect. It allows us to connect with each other, in deep and meaningful ways, across our differences. It connects us to people we would never otherwise have met, who are more like us than we ever could have known. It connects us to our communities, to professional opportunities, and to the people who need our help. The connection is what makes the experience of Rotary so very different from the experience of meeting people on the street or in a mall. Thank you, West U Rotary, for allowing me to grow personally and professionally and more importantly, to make an everlasting change within myself. Love you, Stacy