http://www.southhavenrotary.org/
 
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
 
We were greeted by Larry Wittkop and Don Kitchin
 
President Ayers presided.
 
Our attendance today was 24. We miss our snowbirds.
 
President Art led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and offered the invocation.
 
Our guests were speaker Karen Reiner (?) and prospective member Jerry Portman.
 
Stu Comiskey served as our Sergeant-at-Arms.
 
Music:
 
Larry Wittkop led us in singing – “By the Beautiful Sea”, “Stoodola Pumpa” and “Rotary My Rotary”
 
Announcements:
 
* We received a “thank you” from the high school Robotics teams and an invitation to their demonstration open house this coming Thursday evening.
 
* Scott Mark again encouraged us to submit nominations for the Club Hero Award.
 
* Is Saturday, April 29 circled on your calendar for the Club’s annual Scholarship Fund Raiser?
 
* Marty reported he will return to Kenya on March 8 and be back in the States on May 4. We are so happy that he will be able to attend the District recognition event on May 13.
 
* Rhonda is seeking volunteers for the March 10 Blessings in the Backpack service project.
 
* President Art announced he will be absent from our March 7 meeting.
 
* Tom Renner encouraged members to put the Clubrunner App on their portable devices.
 
* Jerry Gruber gave us an update on the Florida snowbird event, including a Bob Copping-like joke. Hurry back Bob!!
 
* Don Hodgman encouraged the club to consider a reduction in the number of pancake breakfasts we sponsor. President Art said there would a Club Assembly at our April 4 meeting and that topic would be on the agenda.
 
 
50/50
 
* Prospective member Jerry Portman drew the number, HIS own (791) and then turned the four to claim the $206 jackpot. To add insult to injury, he then drew HIS own number again (790) but he graciously drew another (764), giving Richard Swanson the two bucks!
 
Happy Dollars:
 
- Only three more weeks of winter
- Several well deserved tributes to Marty in recognition of the article in Sunday’s Herald Palladium.
- Ted Weber quietly marked Julie’s birthday, his own birthday and Paul Hemmeter’s birthday.
- The accomplishments of the high school boy’s basketball team was recognized.
- Jerry Portman returned a generous portion of his jackpot to the Happy Dollars kitty.
 
Program:
 
Our program today was two-fold.
 
Karen, provided an update on the South Haven Area Diversity Coalition which has been a part of our community since 2003. The coalition has successfully fostered a sense of community among our diverse population. Over the years the group has sponsored stimulating conversations on topics such as our cultural differences, gun control, sexual orientation, immigration, tolerance and end of life issues. She invited topic ideas for future events. President Art presented a $250 SH Rotary grant in support of the Coalition’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. event in which 2,000 pounds of rice was repackaged for our community’s food pantries. Several of our Rotarians participated in the MLK event.
 
Marty Graber brought us up-to-date on his work in Kenya. He opened by expressing his appreciation for the support he has received from Rotary. Marty also paid tribute to John Harding for his commitment to the project. He explained that phase two on the construction of the health facility is nearly complete and that he hopes during his upcoming visit to install the health-care equipment now on-site in storage containers.
 
We closed the meeting with the “Four Way Test”.
 
Next Week’s Program:
 
Our program is to be announced.
 
Next Week’s Greeters:
Mark Odland and Paul Hix.
 
Editarian Pinch-Hitter: Tom Renner