The June 20 meeting found our Rotary club on the road again, this time to a well-organized visit to the Macomb YMCA in our base town of Mount Clemens.
Host Steve Krankota even had children in the summer camp program greeting Rotarians in the Y lobby and escorting them to the meeting room.
After ringing the bell to start the meeting, with 20 Rotarians in attendance, Patty Kaufman led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem. Since there was no large American flag available, Ken Steele held a small flag provided by President Larry Neal. It was a nice touch.
“The Four-Way Test” was led by Steve, since he does such an admirable job. Invocation was given by Tom Davies.
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President Larry thanked Julie Huttenlocher for her splendid job of organizing the incoming president's dinner at Camp Rotary. He also thanked Steve for hosting the meeting and Gloria Murray for being named Rotarian of the Year.
Lunch included a selection of pita sandwiches, macaroni salad, potato chips, cookies and bottled water.
Our visitors, all YMCA activists and guests of Steve, were Laura Bender, Dr. Ken Bollin and Kerry Jantz.
Julie Miller was our flower child. Since we didn't have a regular meeting last week, Julie announced a number of date recognitions. There included: member birthdays, Dorie Vazquez-Nolan, Kelly Dedenbach, Mark Zuccaro, Gloria Murray; wedding anniversaries, Stephanie Mirabile; club anniversaries, Don Oldham, Tom Isett, Kelly Dedenbach, Gloria Murray and Joe Casasanta.
Mark, Gloria and Joe were present to receive their flowers. Other flowers were quickly sold. Patty Kaufman for Steve, Piano Man Gary for Julie Huttenlocher, Larry for Ellen Lysik, and Julie H. for Margo Baker.
Julie H. announced that we will be hosting an exchange student who will arrive in mid-August. Host families and person to assist with welcoming the student will be needed.
Tom, the king of recognition, was at his best. He got Bob Cannon for an injured finger, Steve for eating early, Gloria for having a speech prepared for her recognition as Rotarian of the Year even though she was not notified in advance (Ellen agreed to pay her fine), Gary for arriving late, Scott Chabot as most missed, Ken Steele for wearing a hat meant for a past president and Mark Z. for giving the hat to Ken.
Gloria won the 50/50, worth $26. Seems kind of fitting that our honored Rotarian cashed in.
Although the weather didn't cooperate, the majority of those at our meeting walked through adjacent MacArthur Park to the banks of the Clinton River for the official dedication of the Neil E. Dempsey Kayak / Canoe Launch.
Neil was a longtime member of the Mount Clemens Rotary Club and a former president. When he passed away on Aug. 9, 2016, he asked that donations be made for the facility. More than $60,000 was donated with Rotarians leading the way with an estimated $5,000.
Speakers at the event included Emily Moran, from the Clinton River Watershed Council, which will oversee operations at the launch; Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, our own Larry Neal and Barb Dempsey, the wife of Neil and longtime mayor of Mount Clemens.
Mayor Dempsey mentioned that Rotary was an important part of Neil's community service, which included coaching youth sports and participating in many Mount Clemens city committees.
It was, quite simply, an honor well deserved for a great man and a Rotarian who lived by “The Four-Way Test.”
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