Karan Bates-Gasior started the meeting promptly at 12:15 subbing for our traveling President Larry Neal. We had no piano today due to it dun got broke! Joe Casasanta led us in the Pledge and then in our singing our national anthem (not our best rendition) (Canada would probably have been proud! LOL)
Julie Huttenlocher led us in “The Four-Way Test.” Tom Davies (the bionic man) did the invocation.LUNCH - WOW! No chicken! Today we enjoyed pulled pork sliders, with meatballs (?), broccoli, roasted potatoes, salad, and chocolate cake.
Presidential remarks
Thank you . . .
Joe Casasanta for a lovely golf outing. Everyone knows what an effort it is to put something like that on!
Ellen Lysik for visiting our Rotaract club at the International Academy. There were 20 children in attendance who have membership in the newly formed club. This club came about thru the efforts of our own secretary Valerie Miller and her niece who attends the school and attended RYLA thru our clubs support. They are planning to come to our Rotary lunch the third Thursday in October and Ellen would like support in picking up the kids from school and returning them.
Nancy (yours truly) told the group about her wonderful experience getting her teeth cleaned at Baker College for Dental Education. The small packet given out with all the “dental goodies” had a Rotary sticker on it. How clever! The student promptly told me it was on all bags because the Rotary club is a financial supporter of the dental school and they are very grateful.
- Karan then told us our next speaker (October 4) will be Phil Gilchrist of the Anton Art Center.
- We are having a wine and cheese art party at the Art Center Friday, October 12. Tickets are $15 pp.
Patti Kaufman introduced our two guests today. Aaron Meadow from Edward Jones. Aaron is a promising new recruit for membership. He lives in Clinton Township (originally from Columbus, Georgia), Mike Passmore from the Anchor Bay Rotary Club referred him to our Rotary. He attended the University of Georgia and moved to Michigan for more employment opportunities. Michelle Carissimi, owner of JMC, and our speaker today.
Patti went on to sell flowers.
Birthday - Eric Pierson; wedding anniversary - Tom Sokol 18 years; club anniversaries - Patti Kaufman and Karan Bates-Gasior. Jeff Furest bought one for his daughter’s 24th birthday today. Patti Kaufman bought one for Karan for her efforts in putting on a very successful run benefitting Turning Point. Bob Cannon - Ken Kish. Gary (the almost piano player) - Tom Davies. Flower sales by Patti Kaufman continued. Ken Steele - Joe Casasanta for a great golf outing. Patti Kaufman - guest speaker. Nancy (yours happily) - Aaron Meadow, our other guest.
NO MUSIC DUE TO BROKEN PIANO (and NO ONE wants to hear us sing without music to drown it out)
President asked for Goodwill
- Julie glad to have her dad Tom Davies back at Rotary.
- Karan thankful for over 500 walkers in Turning Point walk this past weekend.
- Eric Pierson has free tickets for art auction tonight in New Baltimore, dinner and drinks, just contact him.
- Once again yours apologetically asked for donations of Halloween candy. Each week please bring a bag of candy for Trunk or Treat, being held at the Macomb County parking structure October 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
ROTARIAN OF THE WEEK
Pres. Larry Neal picked Julie Huttenlocher. She is part of the glue that holds this club together. Much of her work is done behind the scenes. Julie thanked our Pres (in absentia.)She is a third generation Rotarian. Her grandfather never believed that there would ever be women in Rotary but she was steadfast in becoming one.
RECOGNITION
Recognition handled cheaply by David (looks like Ted DeVantier to me) Meldrum. $1 per fine. Eric Pierson for free tickets $1. Gary for no piano $1. Then proceeded to give current events quiz table by table.Gloria Murray could name three (only three?) accusers in Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing. $1. ????? Who is current President of North Korea? She said Rocketman. WRONG! $1. Joe Casasanta most recent hurricane - Florence correct. Ken Steele name given to most recent generation $1 - Generation Z. Ellen Lysick name the international golf event beginning this weekend. $1 Ryder Cup. Nancy Dedenbach - Who is largest of the Piersons? Nancy said certainly not Lois! She answered Tim but was wrong. It was Eric. $1. He then fined Jeff Furest - no name on golf trophy this year $1. Bob Cannon - new name on golf trophy $1. Everybody at Tom Davies (“don’t take the cane”) table to welcome him back after his surgery. $1. Julie promptly asked “Dad, can I borrow a buck?” Jean Bodenstedt . . . She didn’t know the Pres of North Korea.
SPEAKER today was Michelle Carissimi from JMC Electrical Consulting. They do commercial, industrial, and residential. Also data, and audio visual security. Her husband was her first employee. He is an electrician, she is not. Her business has grown from out of her basement, to an office building in SCS and currently houses 35-40 employees in Clinton Township. She purchased lots of equipment from auctions when times were rough and companies like hers were going out of business. Her first client was Motor City Casino.She was honored in 2015 for being one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S.A. Her charity work includes BACK ALLEY BIKES, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OAKLAND, and currently sits on the Board of HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MACOMB. She noted that only 3 percent of electricians are women. In the construction industry, women make 100 percent the same as their male cohorts. She speaks to women organizations about work in the construction business. Electrical Engineering program is a five-year commitment where the female gets paid a fair wage, health insurance and many other benefits. Then after five years they have a portable career that every state in the Union recognizes. She is the first woman on the Michigan Board of Electrical Engineers.
50/50 was called once, twice, (call again, call another number were shouts from the audience) then Tom Sokol finally looked in his pocket and lo and behold the winning ticket!
