December 17, 2008 - Lunch

Volume XXXVI No. 12

Ray Arnold and Kathy Haugner greeted us as we arrived. House Committee members Max Link and company set up for us. Kirk Wilson offered our Invocation before Rich Saunders and Lloyd Meyer led us in singing God Bless America. President Dave Bell led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Dave Bell and Susan Vanik then treated us to a duet – a Sonoran Desert version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Please see below for the words to this version.

Click on the pictures above to enlarge or download the photos.

Congratulations to raffle winners Bob McBreen and Gregg Smith. They’ll be greeting us when we next get together on January 7, 2009.

Guests
Numerous Kiwanians invited their spouses, including Ray Arnold (Shirley), Dave Bell (Janet), Gary Hayward (Amy), George Hofer (Joan), Rich Saunders (Margo), Jay Christensen (Marie), Ralph Pipp (Faith), John Skarda (Darlene), Mike Sloan (Margaret), Hugh Stevens (Ruth), Bob Swan (Kathy), Hans Thiele (Gail), Kathleen Westgard (Paul). Other guests included Ron Baumann, guest of Chuck Hoch; Ron and Kathy Cacini, guests of Herb Hayde; Beth Duckett, guest of Ralph Pipp; Mayor Wayne Fulcher, guest of Lloyd Meyer; Lyle Golay, guest of Dave Bell; Bob Haas, guest of Paul Schilling; T.J. Harkness and Todd Rogers, guest of Paul Christopherson; Lea Hilsee, guest of John Skarda; Lee and Barbara Johnson, guests of Jay Christensen; Dick Jones, guest of Ed Knight; Marc Paquette, guest of Bill Chester; Peter Privette, guest of Bob Leininger; Rick Schlater, guest of Bob Curley; Eric Schulze, guest of Bill Schulze; Gregg Smith, guest of Kirk Wilson; Arch McGill, guest of Hugh Stevens; Alina Wagner, guest of Kathy and Allen Haugner; and Susan White, guest of Dieter Loeper.

Wellness Report
Lou Snodgrass was ill, but we were glad to welcome back Bill Rintelmann.
Announcements.

AZ Tax Credits
Dieter Loeper reminded club members that the state of Arizona offers tax credits for persons who contribute to a variety of social service and educational enterprises in Arizona including Habitat for Humanity, Foothills Food Bank, the Cave Creek Unified School District, and Career Success School.

Salvation Army Bell Ringers
Jim Shaw reminded us that Kiwanis members are ringing the Salvation Army bell at local supermarkets and stores throughout the weekends of December. All money raised stays in the Desert Foothills to help neighbors in need.

Program
Senator Jon Kyl was our special guest. Jon Kyl was elected to the U.S. Senate from Arizona in 1994 and re-elected in 2000 and 2006, after having served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. As the Republican Whip, he is the second-ranking member of the Senate Republican Leadership. He serves on the Senate’s Finance Committee, where he is the ranking Republican on the Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight, and on the Judiciary Committee, where he is the ranking Republican on the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security.
After speaking briefly on legislative efforts to address the economic crisis, Senator Kyl concluded his brief remarks by offering a positive note in commemoration of Monday, December 15th’s Bill of Rights Day. The United States, the Senator reminded us, is still the land of opportunity, a nation founded upon the idea expressed in the Declaration of Independence “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” Though at times choices have been made to constrain these liberties in order to protect or preserve the public good, “the default position” for our nation has always been individual freedom to pursue “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Senator Kyl expressed his conviction that if we “stay the course” through these tumultuous times by promoting and preserving individual freedoms, self-reliance, and self-responsibility, our nation will once again enjoy the prosperity and peace the framers of the Constitution envisioned.
After fielding a range of questions from club members, Senator Kyl thanked us for the invitation to be present and wished us all a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year.

Reporter David Shirey and Photographer Tim Pitel contributed to this issue of the Sundial.

The Twelve Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A Saguaro for a Christmas tree
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for a Christmas tree
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
3 Cactus Wrens, 2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for a Christmas Tree
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
4 Roadrunners, 3 Cactus Wrens, 2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for a Christmas Tree
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
5 Gooooolden Sunsets, 4 Roadrunners, 3 Cactus Wrens, 2 Bobcats, and a Saguaro for a
Christmas Tree
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
6 Rattlers rattling, 5 Gooooolden Sunsets, 4 Roadrunners, 3 Cactus Wrens, 2 Bobcats
and a Saguaro for a Christmas Tree
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
7 Javelina, 6 Rattlers rattling, 5 Gooooolden Sunsets, 4 Roadrunners, 3 Cactus Wrens,
2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for a Christmas Tree
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
8 Coyotes howling, 7 Javelina, 6 Rattlers rattling, 5 Gooooolden Sunsets, 4 Roadrunners,
3 Cactus wrens, 2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for a Christmas Tree
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
9 Scorpions stinging, 8 Coyotes howling, 7 Javelina, 6 Rattlers rattling, 5 Gooooolden Sunsets,4 Roadrunners, 3 Cactus Wrens, 2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for a Christmas Tree
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
10 Lizards leaping, 9 Scorpions stinging, 8 Coyotes howling, 7 Javelina, 6 rRattlers rattling,
5 Gooooolden Sunsets, 4 Roadrunners, 3 Cactus Wrens, 2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for Christmas tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
11 Gambel Quail, 10 Lizards leaping, 9 Scorpions stinging, 8 Coyotes howling,
7 Javelina, 6 Rattlers rattling, 5 Golden sunsets, 4 Roadrunners, 3 Cactus Wrens,
2 Bobcats and a Saguaro for a Christmas Tree
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
12 Social Security Checks
11 Gambel Quail
10 Lizards leaping
9 Scorpions stinging
8 Coyotes howling
7 Javelina
6 Rattlers rattling
5 Gooooolden sunsets
4 Roadrunners
3 Cactus wrens
2 Bobcats
and a Saguaro for a Christmas tree