Visit From a Greyhound!

The Rotary Club of Sierra Vista held its weekly meeting on August 10^th. Paul Harris committee Chairman, Les Orchekowsky awarded Paul Harris Fellow pins to six members;

 Rick Shelley, Brian Barkdull, and Ray Morace received their first awards,  Frank Gonzalez and Mike Strange received their Paul Harris plus four awards. Charlie LaClair received his Paul Harris plus seven award in the name of his second grandson, David.

 

Ray Morace and Mike Strange were not in attendance and will be recognized in the future.

 

Paul Harris was one of the founders of the Rotary Club in 1905.  In 1956-57 the concept of a special award and recognition to those members who have contributed $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation, during a one year period was initiated. As $1,000 was a considerable sum then, the award was changed so that anyone contributing $1,000 over several years would become a Paul Harris Fellow and then receive a certificate, neck ribbon with medallion and  a pin recognizing their contribution. Subsequent donations in one thousand dollar increments  are recognized with colored stones added to a new pin; blue sapphires for the first five additional contributions and red rubies for the next three contributions. Subsequent contributions are recognized as well.

 

The first year there were only 500 world-wide members who qualified.  Today there are 700,000

Paul Harris Fellows who have  accumulatively contributed $700,000,000 to The Rotary Foundation or

Polio Plus (Eradication). This money is used to fund worthwhile projects world-wide, such as clean water,

education, eradication of polio and other diseases, and disaster relief.

 

The Speaker today was Dave Breen, President of AZgreyhounds.Inc.  Dave was accompanied by his wife, Nancy (Wendy) Breen, and a fawn colored greyhound named “Jay”.  Dave explained that no Greyhounds are really grey.  They have 16 different colors which range from light tan to bluish black color. They have been associated with royalty for thousands of years, going back to ancient Egypt. They often appear in family heraldry. They were used in hunting and sometimes there would be hundreds of greyhounds helping in deer hunts.

 

Today they are raised to race.  They go through training for six months or so at special training

facilities in Colorado and Oklahoma. Then appear at different race tracks at many locations for approximately

two years, at which time they are “retired”.  At the race track they chase an artificial “rabbit” but really they

are chasing the motion as they typically ignore a real-life rabbit. The races only last 20 – 30 seconds.

 

After retiring they are put up for adoption. Greyhounds are unique in many respects. They don’t shed, seldom bark, don’t jump up on people, and are good with children and other dogs.  They make ideal pets. Interestingly when excited, their teeth chatter.  They are also famous for having very broad smiles, showing their teeth but only when they are happy. Arizona has a state program to temporarily put these retired animals in foster homes, until they can be adopted. Many foster home people grow so fond of the animals that they in turn adopt them.  There is a $350 charge to adopt, but this covers their vaccinations, and the cost of a micro-chip implantation.

 

Here in Sierra Vista Dave and Wendy Breen hold an “Adoption Day” on the last Saturday of each month at the Cal Ranch store. The hours are from 10 am until 2:00 pm. For further information about serving as a foster

home or to adopt one of these beautiful dogs, you are invited to contact Dave at (520) 378-1763.

 

The Rotary Club of Sierra Vista meets each Monday at the Pueblo Del Sol Country Club for lunch.  For more Information, please contact President Emily Scherrer at www.rotarysv.org.