SPOKES VOL.LXXVI NO.36 March 27, 2018
Greeting us this morning were Bob Copping and Don Kitchin.
President Renner called the meeting to order at 7am, and we began with the singing of “America the Beautiful”. Art Ayers followed with our invocation.
Guests:
*Bob and Sandy Duke, Stan Wakild, Tom Breen, and Kris Ayers
Spotlight:
*This morning’s Spotlight featured Post Commander Stan Wakild and Adjutant Tom Breen from American Legion Post #49 in South Haven. Stan and Tom spoke of the continued support that is needed to assist with expenses related to their Retaining Wall Project, which was authorized in December, 2010. Such a project was a necessity to immediately stop the soil erosion; otherwise, the War Memorials and the entire building would have slid down the hill into the Black River. It was a beautiful but very expensive project-completed at a cost of $361,821.00. Our Rotary Board recently authorized a donation of $300 to assist in their efforts, and Art Ayers presented them with the check.
Songs:
Due to program length, it was decided that we would forego our songs this morning.
Announcements:
*An Application for Membership has been received from Scott Smith, and the Board will take action on his membership at the April meeting. Jerry Portman is Scott’s sponsor.
*Scott Mark announced that silent auction items are needed for our spring fundraiser. Please contact Scott if you either have items, or are willing to contact merchants concerning donations.
*Tomorrow, March 28th, our Rotarian Snowbirds will be gathering again in Florida.
*Bob Copping announced that SHOUT invites everyone to attend an exploratory meeting, this morning at 10am, at Café Julia’s, related to bring quality live theatre productions to South Haven.
*Members in attendance received their formal invitations to our Education Fundraiser, to be held on Saturday, April 28th, at the Lakeshore Ciao Events Center at 6pm. Invitations not picked up today will be mailed.
*President Renner announced that Rhonda had to leave early since Harold McColl was undergoing some serious surgery today. Please keep Harold and Rhonda in your thoughts and prayers.
*So nice to have Glenn Pietenpol back from Florida!
50/50
*Our Sergeant-at-Arms, Stuart Comiskey, chose today’s Spotlight speaker, “honest and reliable” Stan Wakild as the one to draw our first winning ticket. Dan Thompson had the winner but proceeded to draw the #7 card; thus, no big winner today. Jean Stein had the next winning ticket, so Jean garnered the $2 prize.
Fines:
*Birthdays and Anniversaries reported today:
-Jim Davis, in the last two days, celebrated birthdays for two great-granddaughter twins, a great-grandson, and a daughter-in-law.
-It was a silent Happy Birthday which was offered today.
-As with the songs portion of our agenda, the basket was passed due to program length.
Art Ayers, Program Chair, introduced our guests Bob and Sandy Duke.
Highlights:
*Bob’s background involves teaching and administrative duties in the Galesburg-Augusta Schools, Superintendent of Mendon Community Schools, Superintendent of Gull Lake Community Schools, as well as teaching classes at Western Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University.
*Sandy was a long-time educator and administrator in the Theatre Department at Western Michigan University.
*They currently reside in Hersey, Michigan.
*Our motto, “Service Above Self”, has certainly applied to their lives, especially since forming the band, Smallmouth, with four other friends and area professionals, in 2007.
-The band provides music for non-profit fundraising at NO COST; donating their rehearsal and performance time to assist various causes and communities.
-Drawing songs from America’s folk and gospel history, more current classic rock and alt-country music, as well as their own compositions, their performances hearken back to traditional hootenanny and folk club shows of the past.
*Bob, on guitar, and Sandy, on “fiddle”, engaged us with their music and the background for each of their songs, while offering us the opportunity to join in with voices and/or percussion.
Their selections included the following:
“Mouse House”, “The Old Cider Mill”, ”Bob and Lyndon”, “Snake-Bit”, “Calling of the Trees”, “Streamers”, “Common Thread”, and “Let’s Work Together”.
President Renner, and those in attendance, thanked Bob and Sandy for coming and sharing with us, and presented each with one of our Rotary pens.
Next Week: April 3rd
Our greeters are scheduled to be Melinda Gruber and Dene Hadden.
Program: Pam Pender, from the Van Buren Public Library, will be speaking on Ancestry DNA.
Scott Mark is the Program Chair.
We adjourned with the Four-Way Test.