Welcome aboard and all hail brave Brett
It is fitting on this first post on the new blog for The Rotary Club of Las Vegas West that we pay tribute to our ailing member Brett Grant as he battles complications from his cancer operation in City of Hope hospital in Los Angeles.

I took the photograph of the usual suspects -- and some others -- Sunday, July 4 at the home of President-elect Bill Pierce, the day of his 21st annual July the Fourth barbecue party.

The group gathered to send affectionate well wishes to Brett and his family. If you look closely, you can see the written good wishes held up by spouses Gina Cox and Robin Novotny. Robin is herself a brave cancer survivor. And she, too, is undergoing yet another operation as this is written.

On behalf of the club and all its members, I send our good wishes to Brett and Robin and their families. And I ask those who pray to do so for these two wonderful people and their families.

Among my goals as president of the club for this Rotary year is to help build a closer fellowship between us all. I'd like us to realize that we all are in this together and so are our families. To that end, I have resurrected the moribund Family of Rotary coordinator. Candace Lansberry has agreed to take on the role. Let's all help her to do a great job.

And oh, before anyone asks, let me answer the unspoken question: The young lady in the bikini adding class and glamor to the shot is Bill and Rose Pierce's lovely and indomitable lass Ashley, herself a tough fighter against a vicious disease. The other sweet young thing at the right is her friend.



-- Bernard Hunt