Rotary Club NEWSLETTER
May 20, 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: Gary Baxter
Invocation: Neil Bidwell
A Quote by the Dalai Lama, "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."
Calendar Winners Read Off By: Sharon Schappacher
Calendar Winners May 20, 2026
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Prize | Cal# | Calendar Winner | City | Sold By |
$50 | 2191 | Kayla Cross | Alanson | Petoskey |
$50 | 1508 | Patricia Lindeman | Troy | Petoskey |
$50 | 1100 | Kimberly Liedal-Ross | Cheboygan | Cheboygan |
Visiting Rotarians: Patricia Wimmer, Rochester, MN Now a transfer to Rotary Club of Petoskey; their loss, our gain.
Guests: Heidi Finley, Taylor Stallings, Ben Harpe, Richard Bruder, PM; Terri Thomasma, Speaker
Life Events:
Birthdays:
John Logan
Gary Fedus
Anniversaries:
None
Singing/Song: Howard Richards led us in Happy Birthday and Smile
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Invitations for the Centennial Fund Project will be going out soon — please reach out if you are interested in getting involved.
Centennial Funds Committee - anyone interested in participating on the committee for the re-purposing of the centennial funds, please contact Megan DeWindt.
David Finley thanked the roadside cleanup crew for their hard work last weekend and shared the best roadside finds!
Rotary announced that the newest recipient of the Programs of Scale grant is HANWASH. Our club is a partner with this impactful non-profit!
Liz McKenny recently had a baby boy, Ronan, and could use some extra help. Please sign up for the meal train if you can! Link
The Top of Michigan Trails Council marathon aid station needs volunteers to help with set-up and cheering. See Doug Buck for more info or to volunteer.
June 24th will mark Andrea Coronado’s final luncheon as President of the club. This will be our Officer’s Exchange Luncheon. You may bring guests. Link
Save the Date – Upcoming Rotary Events
Member-Hosted Community Events
Sharon is planning a Rotary get-together at her home on June 10th. Her address is 1070 Grand Ridge, Petoskey
Rotary is also beginning a Grocery Raffle fundraiser. Anyone interested in helping is encouraged to reach out to Karen.
Saturday, August 15: Northmen Food Den – Adult Prom Masquerade
Hosted by Rotarian Liz McKenney
Join the Northmen Food Den for Adult Prom: Masquerade on Saturday, August 15 at the Grand Unity Event Center in Petoskey from 5:00 to 11:00 PM. This fun evening invites guests to relive the magic of prom with grown-up flair and includes signature cocktails, appetizers and a buffet dinner by Sweetwater Catering, a live auction, photo booth, and Prom King and Queen voting. Proceeds support the Northmen Den Youth Pantries.
Tickets and details HERE
Member Spotlight: Dr. David Finley
Born in Angola, IN, David grew up in the Coldwater/Quincy area. He is married to Heidi and they have a daughter Anna and a son Erik. Anna and her husband Stephen live in Petoskey with their son Dean (and have another little one on the way!). Erik lives in Eugene, OR, and recently got engaged to fiancé Blossom.
David started his illustrious career working at an Eckrich lunchmeat distribution factory, which was the most boring job ever. His claim to fame is having run a Frank-A-Matic!
More from his sordid past - David studied atmospheric science at the University of Michigan to be a meteorologist but found upon graduation that there were no jobs! So, he went to grad school, completing his master's and doctorate in chemical engineering at Wayne State University.
David began his career as an environmental scientist in the Ann Arbor area. Major research efforts have included measurement of ambient soot concentrations via photo acoustic spectroscopy, creation of the Landfill Odor Characterization Model, and design of the MMk model to more accurately describe landfill gas generation kinetics.
He launched his higher education career at Trine (formerly Tri-State) University, moving from faculty to dean to vice president for academic affairs. From there moved to Lake Superior State University, where he served as dean and interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. It was while at LSSU that David became a Rotarian.
David has the unusual bragging rights of moving "south" to Petoskey, where he feels fortunate to lead North Central Michigan College as president since 2018.
PROGRAM: Terri Thomasma, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Eagle Aviary
‘Migizi’ is Anishinaabe for ‘bald eagle,’ a culturally significant species for the Odawa and other indigenous people. It is the highest-flying bird, is deeply revered and holds a sacred place in their culture. The bald eagle is also one of our important national symbols.
Terri shared more about the Aviary and Rehabilitation Center located in Levering, which is a 3-phase project. As of 2026, they have completed the first 2 phases.
Phase 1 erected a 20x100 flight pen with a mew on each side to be able to condition birds prior to release. Phase 2 build a facility to house a kitchen, a lab for medical care, and other ancillary activities.
In addition to eagles, the Center can also rehabilitate owls, hawks, falcons, and raptors. They are usually in care to perform lead testing, treat disease, and help with injury recovery.
Eagles are opportunistic feeders, often eating roadkill and carnage piles that can contain lead-based ammunition. When they do eat, they gorge because they eat infrequently, often causing them to ingest even higher quantities of lead. It only takes lead the size of a grain of rice to kill an eagle!
How can you help?
Consider switching to non-lead ammunition and fishing tackle.
What makes their program different?
A commitment to understanding what happens to birds after they are released into the wild.
In addition to rehabilitation, they perform:
- Arial surveys
- Banding and telemetry
- Raptor research cameras
- Follow up flight nesting success
Phase 3 will establish the first tribal aviary east of the Mississippi to provide permanent housing for non-releasable birds. Birds that are non-releasable often have wing loss, vision loss, or other conditions that prevent them from surviving on their own. The aviary will be used for educational purposes, to promote conservation awareness about the human impacts on wildlife, and to inspire future careers in conservation.
The cost for all three phases of the project is $3,130,000. The Tribe has secured funding for the first 2 phases and is fundraising for the remaining $1,000,150 needed to fund Phase 3.
Other fun bald eagle facts:
- An eagle's head and tail feathers turn white after 5 years of age.
- The Tribe has an Eagle Remains Permit, which allows them to use feathers of deceased eagles for ceremonial materials.
- The oldest known eagle in the wild is 38 years old!
Next Week’s Program: Andrea Koch, STRIVE