With a smaller-than-usual crowd (maybe it was travel, hunting or the weather), President Larry Neal got us started by calling on Mark Zuccaro to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem.
Our flags were missing once again and the folks at the center can't figure out who removed the American flag from the storage closet.
Julie Miller, honored as the Rotarian of the Week, started us off on “The Four–Way Test.” Sarah Lee gave the pre-meal prayer.
Lunch was pork spiedini, salad and rolls, green beans and roasted potatoes. Cake was available for those wanting dessert.
President Larry's announcements included reminding members that there will be a vote on Dec. 20 for new board members, thanked Val Miller for working with Interact students on the holiday parade, which was Saturday. There is no meeting Nov. 22, Thanksgiving Day.
New corporate member Annette Momney was introduced. She is the sister of member Keith Lesperance and is employed at Lee Printing. Doc Ryan Murphy announced our 
guests, which besides Annette attending her first meeting, we had Laura Nikkel, guest of Val Miller and Rufus McGaugh, our speaker.
Julie Miller was on flower duty, first with announcements: Partner birthday, Sheree Patterson; club anniversaries: Julie Huttenlocher (23), Bob Baker (46), Glenn Burton (24), Mary Ann Hosey (27).
Larry Neal bought flowers for Nancy D. and our speaker, Rufus. Piano man Gary paid for a flower for President Larry for helping set up his new keyboard. Val had a flower presented to her guest. Sam 
D'Angelo for Gloria Murray for her work on the holiday party and Ray Glime for new bride Sarah.
Doc Ryan was on music and selected “What a Beautiful Morning,” mentioning the weather, and “Roll Rotary.”
* * * * * *
Julie Miller, our Rotarian of the Week, said how proud she is to be a member of the club. Her membership, she said, “comes from the heart.” She also mentioned our community support and “the miracle” of fighting polio worldwide.
* * * * * * *
GOODWILL
Nancy Dedenbach said she has set up a go-fund-me account on her Facebook page for a friend in California who lost her home in the tragic fires. Ellen Lysik noted that Bravo is $2,000 short of its goal of raising $9,000 for scholarship. Check with Ellen if you'd like to contribute.
.jpg)
Nancy D. was a last minute pinch-hitter on recognition and unlike the Tigers reliefers she was up to the job. Dave Meldrum paid $3 for his beard during the holiday season. Nancy questioned whether he was growing it out to get a job as Santa Claus. Steve Krankota contributed a few bucks because the pool at the Y was closed when Nancy wanted to go swimming.
Sarah Lee paid $1 after Nancy questioned which of her three weddings cost the most. Everyone sitting with Ray Glime paid $1 because Ray is headed to Libertyville, Ill. for Thanksgiving. Piano Man Gary paid $2 for bringing his own beverage to lunch and answering his cell phone.
Stephanie, Gloria and Julie were hit for getting seconds at the lunch buffet. Karan was fined for an error on our website and finally it was $1 for those not wearing pins and badges.
PROGRAM/SPEAKER
Our speaker, Rufus McGaugh, is a retired middle-school teacher from Grosse Pointe who has the distinction of traveling to every country in the world. That's more than 180 trips and he has been featured in newspapers across the country, including the Christian Science Monitor.
He proclaimed he had the “Irish gift of gab” and his presentation certainly proved it. He described his best trips, his worst trips and his most dangerous.
He broke both arms while in Cuba and was arrested in Libya. He's a Vietnam veteran, who later came out against the war, and it took him 49 years to complete his journeys to every country in the world, in addition to a few seldom-traveled spots not officially countries.
He witnessed “volunteers” cutting grass in North Korea using only scissors and met a few beauty pageant winners along the way.
If this interests you, his book “Longitude and Latitude, with Attitude – One Man's Quest to See the Entire World” is available on Amazon.
The 50/50, worth $25 (not bad considering the low attendance), was won by Val Miller.
.jpg)
Please support our Foundation when you are shopping on smile.amazon.com. Choose our Mount Clemens Rotary Foundation, there is NO extra cost and we get a small donation from Amazon.
.jpg)