A cold, blustery October 29 meeting blew in former Rotarians just to prove you never know who is going to appear. Our appointed scribe for October discovered she was exposed to COVID and called her favorite sub to write the bulletin. The price: immunity from future Recognition.
President Val Miller called the meeting to order at 12:15. Menu: beef stew, twice-baked potatoes, salad, rolls and butter, spumoni ice cream;
The Pledge: Louise Rallis; “The Four-Way Test”: Ryan Murphy; The Invocation: Surprise! Not Sarah Lee, but Keith Lesperance who asked God to "anoint the tongue" of our guest speaker, Sheriff Wickersham.
PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
- We are having a Christmas Party on Thursday, December 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Gowanie Golf Club. The party is limited to 40 people. YOU MUST RSVP ASAP to Gloria Murray (imgmurray@yahoo.com). If we do not get the 40 people, the event will be cancelled. Entertainment at 7:30 p.m. featuring Jason Abbott, magician, and comedian. The deadline to RSVP is December 5. This party will replace the regular Thursday luncheon meeting.
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- President Val reiterated the board's decision to hold two meetings a month in November and December. The board will decide in January whether to continue biweekly or weekly meetings.
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Tara's Walk: our club donated $300.
Polio Day: 10/24, our club donated $300.
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NEW MEMBER
Kim Jarvis is now a corporate member of McLaren Macomb. Louise Rallis is a regular member.
GUESTS AND VISITORS
Introduced by Scott Chabot: Kathleen Best, guest of Stephanie Mirabile; Dean Belisle; Dave Meldrum; Gary Felts; and our guest speaker Sheriff Wickersham.
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BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, FLOWER SALES
Birthdays: Louise Rallis, Ryan Murphy, and Kim Jarvis
Anniversaries: Bill and Carey Furest (59th)
Flowers: Gary Felts from Ed Mastry, Dean Belisle from Glenn Burton, Sheriff Wickersham and Dave Meldrum from Valerie and Valerie from Gary Felts.
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GOODWILL REPORTS
- Bill Patterson accidentally sliced his thumb that involved a nerve but fortunately surgery repaired it and he will recover.
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- Nancy's granddaughter, Luca (honorary Rotarian) brought COVID home and Nancy is now in quarantine, awaiting results from a COVID test.
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- Ken Steele's uncle is gravely ill and not expected to survive.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bob Cannon broke with party affiliation (he's a Republican) to endorse Sheriff Wickersham (a Democrat) for reelection. There has also been a rash of break-ins by people posing as DTE workers. In fact, Bob was leaving the meeting to be appear on the news about the break-ins.
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RECOGNITION BY ROBERT LEE
For some reason, Bob Lee likes to warm up by tagging his sister Sarah. What for? He was fishing this time. Came up with the profit she is making on her Canadian 
cottage rentals. Since Trudeau closed the border and she could not enjoy staying at her cottage, well, she figured, one might as well make lemonade out of lemons. Cost her $2.
Next, he moved on to Keith Lesperance whom he got for Most Missed Rotarian, $3, and then told him to sit down.
Moving on, he asked the group to decide between Ryan and Jeff Furest who was the Best Dressed Rotarian. Both were fined $3 each.
Dean Belisle, a former Rotarian who for years never came to meetings, earning the moniker, Dean Who, paid $5. Gary Felts, our pianist when we could sing, back in the Good Ole Days Before COVID, was asked if he had been in the soup line. Well, no, he still has his job as music director at Grace Lutheran. He was fined $1.
Finally, the MSU/UM game is this Saturday. The MSU/UM Alumni were asked to stand and decide what should be the loser's fine? The MSU alums pleaded for a point spread. 25 points was agreed. Turned out that was a moot point because MSU beat UM by three points.
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We had a guest stop-in by Fox Detroit journalist, Charlie Langton.
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SPEAKER
Macomb County Sheriff Anthony M. Wickersham, introduced by Mary Ann HoseySheriff Wickersham began his career in 1986 with the Macomb County Sheriffs Office. He has worked in many divisions and held all the ranks until his 2011 appointment in the top job. He won his second term in 2016. He holds degrees or certificates from Macomb Community College, Wayne State University, the FBI National Academy, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety and United States Secret Service. He is part of many professional organizations. Raised in Warren, he now resides in Bruce Township.
The last time Sheriff Wickersham spoke to us – it seems in another century – there was a millage proposal being discussed to build a new jail complex. This was not pork or wishful thinking – it was sorely needed to replace the 1950s era buildings. Ahh, it would have been a jewel in Macomb County's community assets – until that nasty little virus came to town and everywhere else on the planet.
The Macomb County Sheriff’s office has contracted with several communities for police services, saving them the expense of maintaining their own departments. Macomb Township is building a new substation and Mount Clemens is remodeling their substation.
This time Sheriff Wickersham spoke about the positive things – complimenting McLaren Hospital for their COVID protocol, as he and others were shooed out of the ER, after taking a captain there last Friday who experienced a heart episode. Speaking of COVID, his department has been successful in keeping the cases down. They have been able to quarantine all the new inmates. The court released pre-trial inmates, reduced their bail, tethered them, and told them to stay home.
His department is focused on using the latest technology. They introduced body cams over five years ago. The next goal is to install Dashboard, where the community can see what activity the police have done. He was asked about defunding the police. His answer was there is no such thing as to defund the police. Instead, we need to increase funding in mental and substance abuse. His deputies are getting crisis intervention training, autism awareness.
Valerie presented Sheriff Wickersham with a Letter of Appreciation.
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50/50
It pays to return to Rotary. $35 Winner: Dave Meldrum
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
10/26 Louise Rallis
10/28 Ryan Murphy
10/28 Kim Jarvis
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!
10/27 Susan & Thomas Styf (19)
10/28 Bill & Carey Furest (59)
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