Welcome to Rotary!
On another lovely day in Macomb County and for Rotary, President Larry Neal rang the bell at precisely 12:15 to begin this week's luncheon.
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Nancy Dedenbach led us in the Pledge. Welcome back Nancy! Mari Jackson started off “The Four-Way Test” and Sarah Lee offered our invocation.
We observed a moment of silence in remembrance of Mr. Bob Baker.
Then we lined up for our lunch consisting of rolls, roasted redskin potatoes, broccoli/cauliflower medley, chicken Florentine with a white cream sauce which was received very well by the members, salad and assorted cake and breads for dessert.
Larry offered some presidential announcements starting with the district conference coming up on May 3-4 on the Detroit Riverfront and include a cruise on the Detroit River. Karan and Sarah will be attending, and we are hoping other Rotarians will join them.
- The club board will be meeting next Tuesday so please let Larry know if there is anything you would like brought to the board's attention. We will be voting on two director-at-large members for the Foundation board so let him know if you are interested in being considered. We will also be reviewing Jeff's proposed changes to the bylaws.
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- Our own Ellen Lysik will be talking about Bravo Programs next week which is one of our beneficiaries for this year's fundraiser.
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- April 18 will be a field trip to the Pankow Center.
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- Chuck's only update this week for the fundraiser was to BUY TICKETS and have as many people as you can also buy tickets!
Kelly Allen announced our guests and visitors which included former member and past president Larry Powe, Michel Carissimi, daughter of new member Mashell Carissimi; and Elizabeth Viviano, guest of Kris Howell.
Birthdays, anniversaries and flowers were headed by Jean Bodenstedt. Kris bought a flower for her guest Elizabeth for her wonderful singing with the Metropolitan Detroit Chorale. Mashell Carissimi bought one for her daughter Michel. Gary delighted Tina with a flower for the new chicken dish and for the broccoli/cauliflower mix today. Ken Kish bought a flower to welcome back Nancy, and Larry Powe bought one just because. Nancy gave the lovely Luca a flower and Dave Gerlach rounded out the last of the flowers for Steve Krankota.
Kris Howell spearheaded our music efforts picking the very appropriate "Victory for MSU" for their berth in the Final Four, however, neglected the page so as Gary started playing, the members weren't too sure of the words. Except those that went there of course. President Larry was not unhappy with the less-than-stirring rendition of MSU's fight song being a Michigan supporter. "Roll Rotary" on page 43 was a little more invigorated and we ended on a good note.
The Sunshine Report asked for more details on the passing of Bob Baker so the club can pass those along to its members and we ask that everyone keep the family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
There was no Goodwill.
Kris Howell was busy today as she was also 
heading up recognition and began by dinging Jeff Furest $3 for forgetting the tickets he was going to auction off for the library's upcoming fundraiser. Keeping it all in the family, Kris asked Bill Furest to stand and explain his "dessert first" policy which cost him $2.
Kris then went around to each table for a game of "Is it the Truth." The first
player was Steve Krankota who gave us three facts and his table was to choose which one was the lie. Steve did not go to MSU, for those keeping score, evidenced by his lack of singing their fight song, but does rent a pro-athlete for his fantasy draft and has sprained both ankles.
Mari Jackson's family does own a suite at Comerica Park, a coyote did run across her trail while walking her daughter Collins recently, but she does not have a 1962 Mustang (it's a 1963).
Ken Steele told us he was 66 years old (which no one could believe), graduated high school in 1971 and from Eastern Michigan in 1975. His table guessed wrong, Ken went to Western.
Lastly, Jean Bodenstedt gave her table three facts, three granddaughters in college, retired three times and she drove a bulldozer when working in construction. Her table also guessed wrong, she never drove a bulldozer.
Lastly, Kris lined up all Rotarians who were members in 1995 and everyone who guessed wrong on whether or not they actually were members in 1995 paid a buck. Great job Kris!
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Our speaker was introduced by Larry Powe and to our surprise, was actually Larry Powe using his pseudonym Phealen McCoo II.
Larry/Phaelen told us how he got very interested in genealogy in the early 1990s and decided to start writing a memoir of his family. Larry has cultivated a love of writing and research as an attorney over these many years and decided to take on the three-year project to complete his book which is available in a digital Kindle version on Amazon. Larry took some classes to learn how to write not like a lawyer so his readers would understand the writing more. He told us about his family history with the Irish side of the family emigrating to Canada to a farm where his Uncle Joe secretly wrote poetry which Larry discovered after his death, in an old log cabin. Uncle Joe used the name Phaelan McCoo to write so Larry thought it appropriate to become Phaelan McCoo II for writing purposes.
Larry impressed upon us that both of his grandmothers were very strong women in an era where that wasn't quite as common. One of which was so strong in fact, that she fought for legal custody of her grandsons after their father suddenly passed away and won custody from their stepmother. She raised the three boys, Larry's first cousins, and got them through college. She passed after she had done all this knowing that her job was done.
Larry was a shy boy growing up who was bullied and found ways to cope. In fifth grade however, he caught sight of a lovely little girl with blonde hair whom he never forgot. He moved schools and didn't see her again until high school where they became friends through and after college. Larry was devastated and jealous to hear she was going to get married and was asked to stand up in their wedding! Larry obliged but was thrilled to hear the wedding was called off. He would make his move and make that little girl from the 5th grade his wife. Larry's beloved wife passed in 2005. Larry decided to take a ballroom dance class and met his second wife and was married in 2011.
Larry also explained how Rotary was such a big part of his life for many years and still is very passionate about Rotary. We welcome you back any time you would like Larry and thank you for telling us your story today.
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This stenographer forgot to record the exact value and winner of the 50/50 raffle but recalls it was around $30.
Happy Birthday!
4/4 Amanda Oparka
3/31 Tom Davies
3/31 John (Leslie) Kelley
Wedding Anniversaries
3/29 Kris & Brian Howell (4)
4/3 Ray & Gretchen Glime (65)
Club Anniversaries
Korienna Cox (1); Kolby Miller (13)
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Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4, 2019
Crown Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront
Detroit Princess Riverboat
2 Washington Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226
Register NOW: https://www.rotary6380.org/
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Collect items for our two gift baskets for the May 17 fundraiser.
Basket #1: Wine and liquor or a cash donation of $50
Or . . .
Basket #2: Gift card tree/basket
Gift cards to any restaurant, service, experience valued at $100 or more.
See Kelly Allen or Chuck Dib
