Rotary Informer

Petoskey Rotary Noon Club NEWSLETTER

November 15, 2023

102 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:  Neil Bidwell 

Invocation:  Jeff Wynder

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” A.A. Milne, Author and Poet

Calendar Winners:  Read off by Andrea Coronado

Calendar Winners November 15, 2023

Visiting Rotarians:  Kirk Dornbush Membership Chair Grand Rapids Noon Club

Guests:  Brian Peters, Andrea Koch, Andi Symonds, Prospective Members

Life Events: 

Birthdays: 

Nick Liebler

Paul Schemanski

Anniversaries:

John Scholten – 18 Years

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Calendar News:  Members need to contact Karen Ragland to arrange pick up of calendars.  734-320-0424 or karenmragland@comcast.net.

Also, very IMPORTANT: Calendar Caution:  Members please NO NOT cover up ticket number when applying labels.  It makes it impossible to assign your calendar buyers to a specific number.

Reminder! Calendar sales are due soon. Please submit stubs and funds to Karen Ragland. If you do not submit before the end of the year, you will be invoiced for the cost.

Toys for Tots:  Dave Thomas made a request for Toys for Tots donations to make the holidays happy for families in need. There is a special need for cash (can be used to purchase toys at a discount, and gifts for teens.

Fundraising:  NEW! We are looking to add new fundraising efforts to our calendar. We are considering an “Instant Wine Cellar” event spring 2024. First, we need to form an exploratory committee. If you are interested in joining the committee, please see Karen Ragland. 

Madrigal Singers:  The Madrigals will be joining us on December 20 for our holiday meeting. Please consider sponsoring a student madrigal for lunch for $20. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help. 

Induction:  Andrea Koch, Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan, was formally inducted into the club today and is looking forward to getting involved.

NOTE ABOUT ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Going forward, announcements will be limited to Rotary-specific topics. If you have an announcement for personal or work projects, fundraisers, opportunities, or campaigns, you can email Terry Newton or Andrea Coronado to be shared in the newsletter and on social media. This will aid our efforts to keep meetings to one hour.

PROGRAM:

Dr. Jeffrey Leslie and John Scholten    Vocation: Education

“The Joys of Being a School Superintendent”

John Scholten retired from his position as superintendent following more than a decade at Petoskey Public Schools. Scholten has been involved in public education for 37 years. His first teaching job was in his hometown of Cadillac, before he got involved in administration. Then, following a brief tenure as an assistant principal downstate, Scholten landed a position as a secondary principal at Glen Lake School before becoming superintendent of Petoskey Schools.

Jeff Leslie is the 20th superintendent for the Public Schools of Petoskey (and just the 7th in the last 100 years!). He has worked in education for more than 30 years, teaching high school math, coaching boys and girls basketball, and most recently was the superintendent at New Buffalo Area Schools before moving to Petoskey. 

Both spoke to the challenges and successes of being a superintendent during COVID and a decade of funding cuts for area schools.  

Go Northmen!

Next Week’s Program:  Cindy Okerlund about the biking initiative

Two Week Notification:  Andi Symonds was voted into the Rotary Club of Petoskey on November 14th and this is the first of her two-week notification to the club.

Special Announcement: 

Come join us for our fourth annual Rotary Holiday Party with optional Secret Santa.

We are expanding our holiday party to invite everyone in Rotary and family members to join us for a night of fellowship and celebration regardless if you participate in the secret Santa portion.  Reg wants to “do it up big” this year! It really is a fun night and I would encourage everyone to attend. 

Registration deadline to participate in secret Santa present exchange:  November 26^th

Registration deadline to attend party:  December 4^th

Date:  12/11/23

Time:  6-8pm

Location:  Perry Hotel Reycraft room

Cost:  $10 per person to attend.  Spouses, significant others & family are welcome.  Rotary account will be billed by Jim Wibby.

Cash Bar & appetizers provided. 

Entertainment by Lejet

If you register to buy a present, you will receive an email on 11/27 with instructions to draw your name. Once drawn, you have a couple weeks to purchase a present for your giftee, wrap the present with three clues to your identity, and drop the present off at the Perry Hotel. On December 11^th, attend the party, open your present and try to guess who gave it to you! We have learned some very interesting things about our fellow Rotarians at this event, it’s a night of lots of fun and laughter.  

If you have any questions, please email or call Ashley DeCarteret for more details – ashley@harborbrenn.com or 231-838-0313 cell.

Sign up link.