Rotary Informer

Petoskey Rotary Noon Club NEWSLETTER

September 11, 2024

102 Years of Service Above Self

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Petoskey. President Christian Smith officiated the meeting. If you did not get the chance to attend, you can read about it in this newsletter.

We stood for a moment of silence to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 – 23 Years Ago.

Neil Bidwell stated the following:

Last night; 23 years ago, 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights.  2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning.  343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift, 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for morning patrol and 8 paramedics went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift.

None of them saw past 10:00 am September 11, 2001.  Not one.

In one single moment life may never be the same.  As you live and enjoy the breaths you take today and tonight before you go to sleep in preparation for your life tomorrow, kiss the ones you love, snuggle a little tighter, and never take one second of your life for granted.

Pledge/Anthem:  Howard Richards led us in the Star-Spangled Banner

4-Way Test:  David Finley   

Invocation:  Neil Bidwell

A quote by Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense on September 11, 2001.

 " September 11 reminds us that the American spirit still shines in times of testing. After the attacks, amid the horror and the grief, many Americans felt a deeper sense of duty to their communities and to their country. And all around the country with hearts breaking for the slain and the suffering, Americans looked within themselves and felt called to give back. As the years go by, it may feel that the world is moving on or even forgetting what happened here September 11, 2001. But please know this, we will always, always remember."

Calendar Winners:  Read off by Paul Schemanski

Calendar Winners September 11, 2024

International Insight:  As an example of Rotary’s commitment to disaster relief, Rotary District 2232 (Ukraine) formed a committee to help people affected by the war.  It identified and collected urgent medical supplies to help injured civilians.

Life Events:  Larry Liebler, Nick Liebler’s father is in the hospital at Henry Ford Hospital. Messages can be sent through Caring Bridge: Link

Bill Topham's mother just passed away. She was 100! Bill says she was as sharp as a tac right up till the end.

We missed out on the better half of our Club today as many women were at the Women Can/Women Do meeting. They might have been so thrilled getting away from us cantankerous guys that we can only hope that they decide to rejoin us next week.  

Visiting Rotarians:  Sarah George, Petoskey Sunrise Rotary and also our speaker today

Guests:  Samantha Fee, Prospective Member  

Birthdays:  None  

Anniversaries:  None 

Singing/Song:  Howard Richards led us in singing Smile

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Don’t Pay the Ferryman; Until he Gets you to the Other Side:  There may be an opportunity in September for an evening Ferry Ride with morning Rotary, stay tuned for more info or contact Christian Smith.

Billy Duff Cabin Outing: The hosts will provide a smoked ham from Plath's, beer, wine, ice tea and lemonade. We are to bring a side dish, dessert or salad based on your last name.

A-E - bring salad or appetizer;   F-M - bring a side dish;   N-Z - bring a dessert

There will be lawn games and plenty of time to get to know some of your fellow Rotarians. Please RSVP using the link below. Please indicate what you will bring if you can attend. You are welcome to bring guests. The more the merrier!   PS - There is a cost of $10.00 per person to help offset the cost of food and beverages. Jim Wibby will invoice members post event.

Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

Location: Billy Duff Cabin - 555 Creekside,  Levering,  MI  49755   Signup Link

New Fundraiser:  We are bringing back a fundraising event (along the lines of Diamonds & Denim) in 2024. We will begin planning in September for an event September 2025. If you’d like to join the committee, contact Andrea Coronado.

Roadside Cleanup:  Volunteers needed: On Saturday, September 21, the Rotary Club of Petoskey is hosting our annual fall Roadside Cleanup—and we need your help! Join us for a day of fresh air, fabulous company, and the satisfaction of making our roadsides sparkle. Plus, there might be snacks and definitely a few laughs about the weird things we find. Whoever collects the most mini bottles of fireball wins! We need at least 16 people. See David Finley to get involved. Signup link

Winter Sports Park Project:  Your voice matters! Reach out to your local ward representatives to voice your support for the Winter Sports Park project. A few loud (non-Rotarian) dissenters have raised concerns. This is our time to shine! Let’s support Rotarian Kendall Klingelsmith, Director of Parks and Recreation for City of Petoskey, and this Rotary-backed project that enhances our community! For more info reach out to Kendall at (231)-347-2500 or kklingelsmith@petoskey.us. or your local representatives.

Dues Increase:  Dues will be slightly increasing to $166 a year and will be reflected in your October invoices. For questions or concerns, contact Christian Smith or Jim Wibby.

Rotary Exchange Program:  Joe Blachy shared a heartfelt story connecting the Rotary Exchange program with a silver dollar and his experiences in Germany during WWII. Do you know whose face is on the back of a silver dollar?

Rotary Lapel Pins:  New Rotary lapel pins are available for purchase - $5.00. See Terry if you want one.

Parade of Roses:  Already thinking about ringing in the new year? For more than 40 years, Rotary has been a part of the Parade of Roses. For more information see https://www.rotaryfloat.org/

PROGRAM:  Sarah George, How to Craft a Captivating Marketing Message

Connective Consulting  

Sarah George, founder of Connective Consulting, presented a talk on the StoryBrand guide method of marketing. As a certified StoryBrand guide, Sarah helps organizations clarify their message to engage their audience more effectively. Her presentation focused on using StoryBrand’s proven framework to create clear, compelling narratives that cut through the noise. Sarah shared tips on how to simplify messaging and position the audience as the hero, making the brand's story more relatable and engaging for businesses looking to sharpen their marketing strategy and connect authentically with their customers.

Next Week’s Program:  Carrie Klingelsmith – Manna Project

New Member Notification:  We Voted Samantha Fee into the Rotary Club of Petoskey at the board meeting yesterday. Please get her Fireside Chat and her induction scheduled. She looks to be a very promising new member. Get to know her as she table hops and gets to know our Club as well.