Petoskey Rotary Noon Club NEWSLETTER

January 8, 2020

No music man/woman today so we recited the Pledge of Allegiance

Four Way Test:  Mike Spencer

Invocation:  Stuart Fenton

Singing/Song:  No piano player. Bummer! We did have Georgia Abbott lead us in Smile

Calendar Winners:  Read by John Emley

Calendar Winners January 8, 2020
    
 
 
 
 
Prize
Cal#
Calendar Winner
City
Sold By
$50
1880  
Dick & Penny Vokes
Harbor Springs
P. Sunrise
$50
2041  
Christie Grams
Petoskey
P. Sunrise
$50
3013  
Joel Jason
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids North
$50
406  
Savannah Henlin
Harbor Springs
Petoskey
$50
395  
Scott Emley
Bee Cave, TX
Petoskey
$50
2448  
Samantha Stover
Midland
Gladwin
$50
1852  
Lauren Bugera
Portland, OR
Petoskey

Visiting Rotarians:  None

Visitors:  Ryan Brummeler, Laurie Fenton, Corrina Bergeon

Life Events:  Liz Ahrens announced that she is resigning from her role as Executive Director of Crooked Tree Arts Center. Liz recently accepted a new job as Executive Director of the American Impressionist Society. Fortunately for us, Liz will be based at a home office in Harbor Springs, so she intends to continue with our club.

Birthdays:  None

Anniversaries:  

Nikki LaDeur 3 Years

Kassia Perpich 3 Years

Melissa Thompson 4 Years

Karen Ragland 10 Years

Robert Howse 16 Years

Tom Erhart 23 Years

Care Committee: 

Announcements:

Spaghetti Dinner:  Mike Snyder discussed spaghetti dinner which will occur February 20th with Sauce Night occurring the night before on February 19th. Work assignments will be forthcoming as all are expected to participate. All members are responsible for selling a packet of $90 worth of tickets to this event. A big THANK YOU to those who stepped up to help sponsor this event! After last week’s meeting, Mike received donations and pledges totaling $1,200. Thank you!!! This makes a big difference in offsetting event expenses. Please see Mike if you would also like to sponsor the event.

Calendar Sales:  Ideally all calendars should be sold by January 15, 2020. This will net our club about $19,000. Remember it’s not just a calendar—it’s a raffle ticket too!

Paul Harris Fellowship Pool:  A new pool is starting! Sign up by January 15, 2020 to be included in the pool. Each quarter, starting with the first quarter of 2020, pool participants agree to make a $50 donation to the Rotary Foundation. Once a total of $1,000 has accumulated in the pool, one name will be drawn and a Paul Harris Fellow will be designated. This will continue until each person in the pool has paid the full $1,000 and all the names in the pool are drawn. Contact Dibby Smith with questions.

Petoskey Chamber job opening:  As many of you know, Sunrise Rotarian Carlin Smith resigned from his role as director of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is actively recruiting for his replacement and hopes to have a robust pool of qualified candidates. If you know anyone who might be a good fit for this position, please encourage them to view a job description on the Chamber’s website and submit an application ASAP.

Program: 

Karen Ragland

We began our program with an introduction to Karen Ragland, who recently transferred to our club from the Rotary Club of Saline. Walt Byers made introductory remarks. Karen then spoke about herself. Among other things, we learned that Karen is Canadian (originally from Toronto). She has 2 grown children and 1 grandson. Her professional background is in marketing/communications—particularly project management and event planning. Eventually Karen and her husband moved to the Detroit area, where they started (and eventually sold) a successful business.

Following the sale of their business, Karen and her husband travelled for a year. A favorite memory of Karen’s is of being in Alaska and seeing a mother grizzly bear feed her cubs. “It was a National Geographic moment!” she said. Eventually Karen and her husband decided to permanently relocate to Petoskey, as they have many friends and family in Bay View.

Karen also noted that she is a breast cancer survivor. We are so pleased that Karen has chosen to share her kind heart and can-do spirit with our club and community!! Glad to have you, Karen!

Major Donor presentation | Joe Blachy

Jane Millar then gave touching remarks in honor of Joe Blachy, who has received Major Donor status in The Rotary Foundation. A Major Donor is someone who contributes an outright or cumulative gift of at least $10,000 to the The Rotary Foundation.

Joe received a special pin as part of the ceremony, and a much-deserved standing ovation. Congratulations, Joe, and thank you!!! MANY of us have been touched by your generosity over the years.

Kelly Atkins Pellston Regional Airport

Today’s speaker, Kelly Atkins, told us more about the Pellston Regional Airport—which is county-run. The airport had a record 62,000 passengers last year. This sounds like a lot, and it is for our area, but to compare: Cherry Capital Airport had 70,000 passengers in its busiest month (not year)!!! It’s estimated that Pellston Regional Airport contributes $60 million back into our local economy each year.

The airport also works with Char-Em ISD to offer an aviation training program for high school students interested in aviation careers. Nationally there is a shortage of pilots and plane mechanics.

Next Week’s Program:  Ashley Brower Whitney New Insurance Laws

Two-Week Notification:  This is the second of a two-week notification required for Nikki Devitt who was voted in for membership to Rotary Club of Petoskey at the January 2, 2020 Podium Board Meeting