The Spokesperson for March 11, 2021 (Mar 11, 2021)

WELCOME to ROTARY!

Thursday’s meeting was a red-letter date in our club history. After months of isolation we are meeting at our normal time and place. It was appropriate that it was a bright sunny day.

Our happy President Valerie Miller called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m. Chuck Dib led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Steve Krankota helped us recite the “The Four-Way Test.”

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Sarah Lee gave us a beautiful prayer.

Let us Pray
Gracious God of the Universe:

With hope in our hearts and gratitude on our lips, we are excited to resume our weekly meetings once more --- proving that not even a global pandemic can defeat this century-old club from its mission of service above self.
We also acknowledge the hard work of our board of directors and the cooperation of the Italian American Cultural Society that made this day possible.
We ask your blessing, Lord, on those Rotarians who may be traveling or may not feel quite ready to return to meetings just yet.
Please comfort those Rotarians who have lost loved ones to the virus or other causes, that may they know your loving embrace.
Spring is around the corner. There are now three vaccines against the virus! There is much hope. And we have much work to do. So let’s get with it. AMEN

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A delicious lunch was served consisting of spaghetti with meatballs, salad and sliced bread.

PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

President Valerie Miller announced Chuck Dib had a baby boy born last September. Amanda Oparka had a baby boy last week.
The club Board of Directors is back to meeting in person as of last Monday. Among decisions made, we’ll meet every week as was normal before the pandemic. The issue of the price increase for lunch has yet to be dealt with.
Rotary Christmas Presents: Our club provide complete sets of Christmas presents to six destitute families. These families could not afford to have Christmas presents on their own. A total of 52 families in all received gifts from various organizations this past Christmas. Julie Huttenlocher provided for one family all by herself! The six families we benefitted sent thank you cards that were read aloud by club members.
The club is donating to the train station in Mount Clemens.
Thanks to Eric Pierson our Rotary Park is now refurbished. Eric Pierson is this week’s Rotarian of Action. Flowers will need to be planted in the spring. Volunteers will be needed.
Jessie Johnson presented a bulletin board with many small envelopes attached to it. Each envelope had a small piece of paper with a suggested donation to Rotary International’s water project. Ray Glime, Glenn Burton, Eric Pierson, Steve Krankota and Bob Lee were selected by the club president to pick an envelope and make a cash donation. Jessie Johnson is sending the money in as our contribution to Rotary International WORLD WATER DAY, which is March 24, 2021.

GUESTS & VISITORS

Ed Mastry introduced our guests. Tommy Cameron was a guest of President Valerie. Stephanie Mirabile brought us David Zeidan and Kathleen Best. Jessie Johnson’s guest was Brad Sorenson. The club sang our traditional welcome song.

NEW MEMBER

Kathleen Best is our newest member. Eric Pierson did our traditional induction address. Kathleen is a real-estate broker.

BIRTHDAYS

The list will be read next week.

FLOWERS

Bob Lee bought one for Sarah Lee. President Valerie bought one for our speaker. Stephanie Mirabile bought one for David Zeidan. Eric Pierson bought one for Glenn Burton. Steve Krankota bought one for Karan Bates-Gasior. Jessie Johnson gave a flower to Brad Sorenson.

RECOGNITION

Glenn Burton was in charge of fines. He called for members who had gone on trips in the last several months. He fined himself $2 for a trip to Antigua. Eric Pierson who had many trips was fined $5. Sarah Lee was fined $2 for going to the UP last fall. Bob Lee went on the same trip but was only charged $1.

Ray Glime was fined $2 for his “don’t despair” joke. Ray said “There was a nun who received a letter containing a $100 bill and a note from her parents saying “don’t despair”. Just when she got the letter the nun looked out the window and saw a poor man. So she opened the window and gave the letter with the money to the poor man. He looked confused but was thankful. The next day the poor man returned to where the nun lived. He gave her an envelope with $8,000 in it. The nun asked why he was giving her money. He said he went to the race track where he bet the hundred on a horse called DON’T DESPAIR. The horse paid out on odds of 80 to 1!”

Bob Cannon was fined $1 for being a strong supporter of local restaurants.

Eric Pierson was fined $5 for taking up guitar in order to become a rock star.

SUNSHINE & GOOD WILL

No reports this week.

LECTURE

President Valerie met our guest speaker through the nextdoor.com website. His name was Tommy Cameron and he was seeking a “scoby”. That is a yeast/bacteria product used in making fermented foods like sauerkraut. Our speaker set up a demonstration making sauerkraut and a cherry juice product.

50/50: Ken Steele won $32 in the 50/50 drawing.

Meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

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CALENDAR of EVENTS

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March 18
Jimmy Gwizdala

New website

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March 25
Jeff Luzius, Veteran Navigator,

Macomb Services for veterans and their families

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April 1
Hank Wolfe-Rodriguez Forgotten Harvest

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April 8
Brandon Jonas, Economic Development Director

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April 15
Gregg Shipman, Mount Clemens Fire Chief

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April 22
Diane Banks / Phil Gilchrist,

Project at Shadyside Park in Mount Clemens

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April 29
Larry Neal, Library Director - Let’s Build a Library

Clinton-Macomb Public Library Director,

design, construction and opening plans for the

new North Branch at 54100 Broughton Road, Macomb

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May 6
Jack Johns - Project Manager

Macomb County Dept. of Planning & Economic Development

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May 13
Amanda Brey - WAVE Project -

Providing a mobile shower unit for people in need.

https://www.waveproject.org/

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AUGUST 14

THE PARTY of the CENTURY

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SEPTEMBER 16

Dick Pierson Memorial Golf Outing

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