Meeting start time 12:16 – meeting end time 1:30. Pledge led by Patty Kaufman; “The Four-Way Test” Steve Krankota Jr.; blessing given by Tom Davies; lunch included chicken in a lemon mushroom sauce, Rollatini with marinara, green beans, rolls and salad, dessert white cake.
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PRESIDENTIAL MOMENT GIVEN BY PRESIDENT-ELECT KARAN BATES-GASIOR
1) Thank you to Valerie Miller and Steve Krankota for securing a flatbed trailer for the Rotary Float to be used in the Santa Parade.
2) Club received a $2,500 district grant for the “Push for Prevention Program,” a collaboration between Turning Point and Macomb County Child Advocacy Center. Sam D’Angelo and Sarah Lee will be accepting the grant on behalf of our club at the District Gala on 11/3. Looking for other members to join them.
3) Next week’s speaker is Patti Courtney, Rotary district youth exchange inbound coordinator. We could host a student for the 2019/2020 school year.
4) Elections are coming up December 20. We need a president for the 2021/2022 year, for the 2019 year, two directors-at-large to serve two years.
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GUESTS AND VISITORS WELCOMED BY RYAN MURPHY
Scott Chabot, guest of Bob Cannon, and Speaker Nicholas Sinishtaj
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PROPOSED NEW MEMBER
Scott Chabot, Civil Engineer,
is ready to be inducted November 1.
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FLOWERS PRESENTED by CHUCK DIB
Birthday Louise Rallis 10/26, club anniversaries Paul Woodring 29 years and Louise Rallis three years
1) Beth to Mary Ann for being a grandma again!
2) Valerie to speaker Nicholas
3) Patty to Nancy for Trunk or Treat chair
4) Ryan to Karan for leading the meeting today
5) Gary to Tina for all her hard work serving us
6) Ray to Mary Welcome
7) Kris to Chuck for the fundraiser meeting today
SONGS LED by STEVE KRANKOTA JR.
Started off smoothly with a rendition of “Hail to the Victors” but then deteriorated with “Hail! Cherished Rotary” Wow, how does that song go? Bob Lee informed us that it is to the tune of “God Save the Tsar.” Really!
Rotary Minute given by Steve Krankota Jr. Director of the Mount Clemens YMCA which is far from his roots with an education in sports talk radio. Happily, he gets to talk every day with good friends and family. Steve shared that our visitor last week, Mellissa, said our club was the most entertaining and lively group she has been to. Yay us! Steve also directed us that if you ever find yourself at a Rotary table with nothing to say, just ask an opinion on green beans. People have strong opinions of the subject and it is a great conversation starter! Thank you, Steve, quite a week for Goodwill and Sunshine Reports.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Chuck Dib - May fundraiser “Cabaret ‘n’ Cuisine” committee meetings are in full swing.
- Next meeting is Thursday 11/1 at 11 a.m. Wow 11111 seems auspicious; better join the group!
- We are looking for help on the publicity committee led by Karan Bates-Gasior.
- Kris Howell shared that the Metropolitan Detroit Chorale (MDC) has already started advertising the event in their annual season bulletin. The bulletin was mailed to 3,278 individuals and organizations.
Nancy Dedenbach Trunk or Treat this weekend! Come join the fun.
Also, the next social event is euchre tournament held at Madison’s at 6 p.m. on Nov. 5.
RECOGNITION BY TOM DAVIES
Gary $2 – problem with the pedals and the tune of our awful rendition for the Rotary song this week. And on a NEW piano too. Also, the green and white “S” on his license plate didn’t help! All MSU losers - $5 for losing to UofM on Saturday.
Mary P. - $2 yes, she is collecting fines but would not choose M or MSU – She is a Notre Dame Girl!All Rotarians who did not bring in candy or give money to Nancy – paid to Nancy $4 to help buy more.
Kris - $4 for announcing HER “Messiah” performance at Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. Yes, I am singing Handel’s “Messiah” on Nov. 25. But it is true, a few people will be joining me – a 90-voice choir and full orchestra. Come to the concert; a great way to kick in the holidays.
All Rotarians without a pin: $2.
Eric - $5 for going hunting but no deer. What’s up with that? Hunting for the joy of being in the woods?
Bill Furest - $1 for adding “If it flies, it dies, and if it’s brown it’s down!” You boys . . .
50/50 Chuck Dib $31. Hey Chuck, take me to lunch!
SPEAKER
Will be honored with a plate on a book in his name that will be donated as part of an elementary school classroom library in appreciation of his presentation today.
Nicholas Sinishtaj is a realtor in the Bloomfield Office of Signature Sotheby’s international realty. Previously he served in the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania. Nicholas has just started his life as a newlywed.
Nicholas was born in Rochester Hills on June 8, 1986. His family is ethnically Albanian and immigrated to the United States from communist Yugoslavia in 1968. He was raised in Michigan and completed his bachelor’s degree at Oakland University and master’s from Wayne State University in political science.
His writing on regional security titled “the proliferation of regional organizations in the Balkans: RACVIAC as a potential collective security organization in Southeast Europe” was featured at the sixth international conference on European studies. Nicholas served at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania at the political and economic section from February 2016 to May of 2018.
Nicholas was 26-years-old when he began his two-year service at the embassy. The embassy employed 100 Americans and about 100 Albanians. Nicholas was chosen for this position because of his educational background, his family heritage and his command of the Albanian language.
During his term at the embassy he worked on the following projects:
1) The Demilitarization and Demining Activities:
During the Kosovo war in 1998-1999. Albania was the most heavily armed country per capita. Also, the border of Albania was covered in land mines.
The extra weapons have been sold to American allies and Albania is now NATO-ready and serves alongside American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The mines were killing and maiming Albanians.
The American and German embassies helped to develop, fund, and implement a prosthetics department at Kukes General Hospital. The country is not “handicapped” friendly but this is being improved.
During Nicholas’s term at the embassy the area covered in unexploded mines was cleared and he was present at the ceremony where the land was given back to the people to farm, graze, play and walk to school.
2) Border control for Nuclear and Radiological Security
Albania is the gateway to Europe and its borders need to be extremely secure. The Albanian border has high traffic of refugees and the potential for contraband is high. Even the tracking of medical nuclear devices must be monitored so that they are not stolen and repurposed into bombs. The embassy also helps in developing emergency readiness in the region.
3) How does Albania protect itself, combat anti-corruption and counter violent extremism?
The U.S. Embassy works with a Multi-Advisory Group to develop and implement strategies using the success of Croatia and Georgia to see it this can be applied to Albania. Nicholas was a featured contributor at the 35th MAG Meeting on the subject.
The Albanian people like the U.S. and the country is stable now. U.S. needs to stay engaged in Albania to ensure the progress and safety of the region.
Nicholas is currently in Michigan taking a break and enjoying being a newlywed husband. He does plan on applying for another embassy appointment in the future.
