Rotary Informer March 4, 2026

Petoskey Rotary Club NEWSLETTER 
March 4, 2026
104 Years of Service Above Self

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Petoskey. President Andrea Coronado officiated this week’s meeting. 

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

Patriotic Song:  Howard Richards led us in God Bless America

4-Way Test:  Jane Millar

Invocation:  Neil Bidwell

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

Calendar Winners Read Off By:  Sarah McDonnell

Calendar Winners March 4, 2026

Visiting Rotarians:  

Guests:  Chrissy Woodbury, Huntington Bank, Prospective Member

Life Events:  Andrea Koch’s father passed away this past week. Please keep their family in your thoughts and prayers.

Birthdays: 

Steve Brown in Hoolihoo, Arizona

Chris Etienne

Anniversaries:  

Maggie Steffy – 2 Years

Patrick O’Brien – 2 Years

Singing/Song:  Howard Richards led us in Happy Birthday and Smile. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Save the Date – Upcoming Rotary Events 

Jane Millar announced that Northern Community Mediation will host an Oscar Party on March 16 at Odawa Casino. Tickets are $30 and available online, and Rotarians were invited to attend for a fun evening supporting the organization. – Join us March 16 at 5:30 PM for a fun evening of food, trivia, raffles, and what might be the best deal in town! Give Better Campaign – Jane will be sending out the signup link soon.

Spaghetti Dinner – Spaghetti Dinner planning is underway with sponsorships still available and volunteers needed, so members are encouraged to sign up. If anyone is unable to use their tickets, please let Karen Ragland know so they can be distributed to community members or local nonprofits who could use them. New this year, we are offering a “Dine-In to Win” promotion where guests who choose to dine in will be entered to win one of three great gift baskets, helping encourage folks to stay and enjoy the evening together.

Member Induction:  None

Member Spotlight – Ashley DeCarteret – Centennial Project Update – In 2021 our club selected the Winter Sports Park Pavilion as a legacy project for the centennial celebration. We granted funds through our Parks and PRCCI donor-advised funds and generous pledges from past presidents, intending to build a year-round pavilion over the outdoor rink. Despite the tireless efforts of Parks & Rec Director Kendall Klinglesmith and strong support from members, the City has decided not to proceed. Cost estimates ballooned to more than $3 million, and the council declined to move forward. Only $167,315 was transferred out of our donor-advised fund; the $40,000 challenge grant, $10,000 PRCCI commitment and $60,000 in past presidents’ pledges remain in their accounts. The board will be voting to cancel the grant since the project is not moving forward.  With the grant canceled, we now have two options: (1) redeposit the $167,315 into our combined donor-advised fund, increasing earnings for future grants; or (2) set aside all centennial funds for a new “to be determined” shovel-ready project. We will be voting on these options on March 25th – if Option 2 passes, we will form a committee to review potential projects before full club vote on final outcome later in the year.

PROGRAM:  Melanie Leaver (NCMC)

Program: AI Essentials
This week’s program introduced the basics of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is best understood as a prediction tool that can assist with many tasks—but it’s important to verify information, as it isn’t always accurate.

Some of AI’s key strengths include:

• Summarizing information
• Drafting content
• Organizing and brainstorming ideas

It can also help with everyday tasks such as meal planning, trip planning, generating questions, comparing options, and even preparing students for job interviews.

A helpful framework for using AI effectively is RC-TFC:

• Role – Tell the AI the role it should take
• Context – Provide background information
• Task – Clearly define what you need done
• Format – Specify the desired output
• Constraints – Set limits or requirements for the response

And remember: you are still the expert. Always review results carefully and never share personal or sensitive information.

AI is here to stay, and understanding how to use it responsibly will help guide how it supports our communities in the future.

Next Week’s Program:  Jeff Leslie- Career Day

The reason the bulletin is so late is the direct result of the Newton’s having way too much fun. They went to Ft. Lauderdale to see Rod Stewart who, at 81 years old, is still flitting around on the stage like a 20 something, rather than an 81-year-old rock star. Terry has also spent a good amount of time riding with 82-year-old Gary Baxter. They have recorded well over 225 miles so far and they still have another 30+ mile ride together scheduled for tomorrow.