SPOKES VOL. LXVIII NO. 8
President Bill Roberts called our meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance. Jeffrey Dick provided our invocation, praying for our call to service and asking for prayers for Bob Copping.Our guest this morning included prospective members Dan Hullinger and John Mellein, transfer in waiting Sondra Reno and our speaker Dr. Richard Ray via Zoom..Announcements:
September 21st will be the Rotary District 6360 run visioning session for the South Haven Rotary Club. The Rotary Club Board and some selected members will participate in this look into the future for the South Haven Rotary Club. We have decided to take advantage of this District offered event. The event cannot accommodate all of our club members so the board members will attend and each board member has asked another club member to participate.
Sondra Remo will become our new Editarian, transitioning in over the next few weeks.
2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship Harbor Shores Golf Club Bob Straits or Mark Odland Need one more marshal needed – Rhonda volunteered!
Golden Trowel Nominee for our Club – Dan Thompson Deadline is September 18, 2021
Discover New Horizons. Rotary International Convention will be in Houston Texas USA, June 4-8, 2022. Register today at convention.rotary.org
Need someone to lead the Salvation Army bell ringing project. Stickland/ Frost – Kettles may have been retained by Ralph Frost?
Rhonda – “Blessings in a backpack” will resume soon.
No information yet on the monthly open door dinner assist?
Shout Bridge flowers removal in October.
We Care Golf Outing in October.
50/50 and FinesSondra Reno graduated from the $2 winner last week to the winner this week, including drawing the “4” to take home the whole pot, which was rather meager having been drained two weeks ago and half drained last week. The team of Dene Hadden and Tony Martorano won the $2 prize.Kaleigh Eddy is celebrating her dad’s 80th birthday this week.
Deb Davidson is celebrating her grandson’s 3rd birthday.
Richard Swanson’s daughter turns 50 this week.
Jeffrey Dick’s mom was 88 last week.
Tom Fleming spent last weekend attending the 89th Fleming Family reunion!
Larry Wittkop arranged for Louis Armstrong to sing our Happy Birthday song this week.
In Happy Buck News:
Dave Campbell was happy to take his grandkids to the Splash Pad for the first time.
Melinda Gruber is celebrating her husband’s completion of a Half Iron Man.
Jean Stein hosted the celebration of her grandson’s 21st birthday this weekend.
Larry Wittkop was a pleased South Haven and MSU football fan this weekend.
Larry Wittkop was pleased that ¾ of his favorite teams won this weekend – the Lions surprising no one.
Rhonda Wendzel will be fined for her picture not in the paper, but on a huge billboard!
The Disc Golf Course (we sponsored hole Number 14) is now open for family fun!
Dave Campbell introduced our speaker, Dr. Richard Ray, Director of the Hope Western Prison Education Program. Dr. Ray spent many years as the athletic trainer at Hope College and teaching there. He has published many peer reviewed articles. He has been the director of the Prison Education Program since its inception.
The Hope-Western Theological Seminary Prison Education Program began three years ago, offering non-degree college courses to select inmates at the Muskegon Correctional Facility. This year they will have their first cohort of 20 students begin taking courses leading to a degree for these students. When full, the program will have 80 students enrolled.
Students are selected to the program by application and if they qualify, they are transferred to Muskegon. Those inmates selected have life or long-term sentences. They are looking for students who can be change agents in prisons. The degree offered provides a major in Faith, Leadership and Service. The Christian Liberal Arts education provided by the program has the goal of extending this mission to other prisoners via the students, Transform the hearts and minds of the students, ease the burden of the prison system on society and bring together persons of good will. There are many education programs in prisons, but this is one focuses on long termers with the goal of improving life for those in prison. They believe that programs like this will eventually reduce recidivism. He reminded us that incarceration in Michigan eats up 20% of our state budget, and Michigan actually has a lower recidivism rate than most states. Dr. Ray also emphasized the attitude of the students and how they love to learn and are great students. One student read a very difficult book four times in a week to help him understand what the author was saying. In another instance, the roommate of on student did all the reading and homework required by the class even though he was not in the class.Here is how we can get involved:
Get Informed – sign up for their newsletter
Provide financial support as this program is funded by donors
Express your support whenever and to whomever you can
In your Prayers
The programs website, where you can sign up for the newsletter or learn how to donate is: Hope.edu/HWPEP
President Roberts thanked Dr. Ray for his very informative presentation and let him know that our speaker’s gift is in the mail!Bill adjourned the meeting with the Four Way Test at 8:00 AM
NEXT WEEK: Jen Sistrunk, Director of the Visitor and Convention Bureau will update us on the summer season.
Editarian: Dene Hadden