Rotary Informer

Petoskey Rotary Noon Club NEWSLETTER

July 12, 2023

101 Years of Service Above Self

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Petoskey. President Reg 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 God Bless America

4-Way Test:  Kassia Perpich

Invocation:  Chris Hammond

Business strategist Peter Strople wrote that, “Legacy is not leaving something for people. It’s leaving something in people.”

The power of legacies came to mind this week when I read of the passing of Dorothy Zehnder at age 101. She was the co-founder of the Bavarian Inn and the matriarch of the Zehnder family in Frankenmuth.

Dorothy Zehnder was, in her own right, a remarkable person. But as the leader of her family, she left a legacy marked by community service. Contributions from the Zehnder foundations have aligned with those of the Frankenmuth Rotary. Their eldest daughter, Judy, who passed away a couple of years ago at the age of 77, was the first woman member of the Frankenmuth Rotary and served as its president in 2007-08.

When Dorothy Zehnder was asked about the secret to her longevity, she replied, “You eat well, you sleep well, you live a good life, and of course, you eat a lot of chicken.”

Calendar Winners:  Read off by Nikki Devitt

Calendar Winners July 12, 2023

Visiting Rotarians:  Patricia Wimmer, Rochester, MN; Alexander Hope, Griffin, GA; Pat Gallagher, Cereal City Rotary Battle Creek, MI

Guests:  Drew Smith, Bob Denten, Anna McGlashen, Greg Shannon, Prospective Members; Lori Smith, Dennis Foley

Life Events:

Birthdays: 

Neil Bidwell

Doug Buck

Betsy Newton

Sharon Schappacher

Bill Topham

Anniversaries:

Jim Beno – 37 Years

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Karen Ragland:  A special thank you to Karen Ragland and all who volunteered for the 2023 Fourth of July Celebration in Petoskey.

Calendar Sales Update:  We ordered 2,500 calendars, with 1,400 coming to our club. A few members opted out of selling and will donate in-lieu of sales.

Fall Festival:  Fall Festival is around the corner on October 7! If you want to join the committee or help out, please contact Karen Ragland.

Thrive 45 Announcement:  Please join us at a special Thrive 45 engagement event on Thursday, August 3 in the Rose Garden at the Perry Hotel where our very own Jeff Wynder will be performing with Reg Smith’s daughter, Jessica, with their band Lejet.

Leadership Little Traverse:  The deadline to apply for Leadership Little Traverse is Monday, July 17 at 5 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity offered by the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Chelsea Platte & Baby Sighting:  We had a sighting of Chelsea Platte and new baby Timothy! Both mom and baby are healthy and happy, and Chelsea can’t wait to return to Rotary soon.

Vine Ride:  Howard is hosting a Vine Ride with lunch on Monday and they have one spot available – reach out to Howard for more info.

New Member Inductions:  We completed the fireside chats and inducted three new members! Anna McGlashen, Dr. Gregory Shannon, and Drew Smith, and re-welcomed a past member Bob Denten into the club again.

PROGRAM:  Rotary Action Plan

Reg Smith & Georgia Abbott 

Reg and Georgia walked the club through our plan for the coming years, taking a fresh look at our mission and vision and incorporating feedback from club members and community reports. 

To achieve our vision that together we see a world where people unite and take action to create a lasting change across the globe, our community and in ourselves, we have four main focuses: Increase impact, enhance engagement, expand our reach, and increase our ability to adapt. We will first focus on increasing our impact and enhancing engagement. 

Our club members believe the most pressing needs in our community are workforce housing, childcare, mental and behavioral health, basic needs, and workforce education. As such, we asked all members to provide input on which organizations and initiatives in our community serve these purposes and how we can partner with them to make a lasting impact.  

Stay tuned for more updates on our Action Plan!

Next Week’s Program:  David Kaplan – Titanic, Myths and Truths