Rotary Informer

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Petoskey. President Christian Smith officiated the meeting.

If you did not get the chance to attend, you can read about it in this newsletter.

Pledge/Anthem:  Howard Richards led us in My Country tis of Thee

4-Way Test:  Bob Denten  

Invocation:  Drew Smith

It’s our core foundation, men. Grit,” Campbell went on to explain. “And what does it mean? Really, in a nutshell, I think it means this: we’re going to go a little bit longer, we’ll push a little harder, and we’ll think a little deeper, and a little sharper. To me, it means, we’ll play you anywhere. We’ll play you on grass, we’ll play you on turf, we’ll go to an (expletive) landfill. It doesn’t matter.

Dan Campbell, Football Coach, Detroit Lions

Calendar Winners:  Read off by Karen Ragland

Calendar Winners January 15, 2025    

Visiting Rotarians:  None

Guests:  Taylor Fee

Life Events:

Birthdays:

None

Anniversaries:

Dennis Myers – 10 Years

Paul Schemanski – 19 Years

Bob Howse – 20 Years

Singing/Song:  Howard Richards led us in Smile. We sang in perfect harmony of which people in Petoskey and Harbor Springs expressed immense gratitude.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rotary Night at North Central Michigan College: Join us for the 2nd Annual Rota-ry Night on February 12, 2025, as the NCMC Timberwolves take on the Kirtland Com-munity College Firebirds in an exciting basketball doubleheader! Women’s game starts at 5:30 PM, and the men’s game follows at 7:30 PM. Wear your Rotary gear or pin and receive a free popcorn.

Curmudgeon Badge Award: Terry Newton presented Herb Carlson with his official "Curmudgeon Badge" today—a lighthearted, good-natured acknowledgment of Herb’s long history and unique contributions to our club.

Lunch Price Increase: Starting January 2025, lunch prices will be adjusted to $17.50 for members (including tax and a 22% service fee) and $22 for guests.

PROGRAM:  Club Assembly

There was a Club vote for merging the two Rotary funds; PRCCI and the Rotary Park Fund. We had 49 Rotarians voted and the vote was 45 – 4 in favor of merging the funds so the vote passed.

Club Assembly Recap

Representatives from each committee shared brief updates on their work:
•    Secretary – Terry Newton: Manages meeting minutes, the club website, and weekly bulletins.
•    Treasurer – Jim Wibby: Oversees club finances, invoices, and dues.
•    Club Administration & Membership – Sharon Schappacher: Focused on growing membership and recruiting new prospective members.
•    Community Service – Doug Buck: Leads projects like highway cleanup and Salvation Army bell ringing.
•    Public Relations & Image – Andrea Coronado: Manages social media, press releases, and assists with the website and newsletter.
•    Rotary Foundation & International Service – Drew Smith: Shared updates on the club’s contributions to global initiatives.
•    Charitable Events & Income – Karen Ragland: Announced that Rotary Calendar sales raised $15,000! The Spaghetti Dinner Committee will begin planning soon; the dinner is scheduled for April 10, 2025, at Petoskey High School.
•    Youth & New Generations – Georgia Abbott: Delivered a heartfelt update on STRIVE, our youth mentorship program, which positively impacted 24 students this past year.

Let’s continue to support and celebrate the amazing work our committees are doing! You can join a committee by reaching out to any board member or committee lead.

Next Week’s Program:  Adam Damm, Robotics Program