Meeting Highlights: Make sure you've signed up for the Christmas party!
New members Linda Mast and Brian Bretco were inducted. Welcome to the club! Linda is originally from St. Louis, MO, she was a nurse in the Army Nurse Corp, has worked in healthcare and education for most of her life. She is currenetly a profesor at an online university. She’s married and has one daughter.
Brian Bretco is not a morning person. He’s originally from North Dakota; until his family decided to live part time in Prescott and part time in ND. He went to PHS, and then on to U of A. He was a citty planner for 3 years and currently owns an assisted living facility in PV. His children have participated in RYLA.
Thought of the Day: “Talk is cheap until you have to hire a lawyer” – Art Harrington Sgts. at Arms: Sergant duties were taken on by President Jerry. The Wheel was spun many times; with Barbara Oemke contributing the most. Happy Buck commentary was skipped but everyone threw in their bucks anyway.
Sunup in action - Volunteers needed!
*Christmas Parade Tour Greg Barstad requested signups to help with folding chairs for the Christmas Parade tour 12/7 from 9am to noon. Sunup gets $300 for this work!
*Prescott Area Shelter Services (PASS) signup to help with meals, Talk to AJ!
*Home hosts are needed for the Russian dance troupe coming in January – we need to home 15 people, please sign up if you have rooms! Talk to AJ!
* T-shirts in bright yellow featuring Rotarians at Work on the back, and the Sunup logo on the front are available for free! Talk to Terri Smith about ordering yours!
Last Week’s Speaker: Brad Newman, YEI
Brad Newman is a Prescott icon! The Executive director of YEI (Yavapai Exceptional Industries) is well known for his role at YEI, as well as a Grand Canyon and Glenn Canyon tour guide, musician and celebrity.
Ask anyone who works at YEI where Brad currently lives, and they’ll say “Brad lives in a cave in the Sierra Prieta Mountains with a panther.” Brad has worked for 46 years at YEI helping people with special needs to work. Their workforce consists of more than 200 people, who are hireable to fulfill all kinds of tasks! Some of their major projects include making picnic tables and outdoor furniture, blending seed for Jay’s Bird barn, and so much more. It’s known as the “Happiest workplace in the central highlands”. YEI has three employment centers in the quad city area. Besides the main multi-building facility on North Washington Avenue in Prescott, Newman and his staff supervise two other sites - Antelope Point at Eastridge in Prescott Valley and Ruger Airpark Industries north of Prescott near the airport. They are where YEI workers learn on-the-job skills and produce products either for sale or for local merchants who employ them. Newman says, “We’re proud to say our jobs give developmentally challenged adults opportunities for learning mechanical assembly, packaging and kit-building, mail management, bench assembly, fabrication, warehousing and shipping and fulfillment and drop-shipping.” YEI also has several Family Homes where their employees can live as independently as possible. They will be adding more new family homes for men and women in the near future!
Brad will be playing live at the Gurley Street Grill for Acker Music Night on the 13th.