Club Contacts Board Officers: President: Pat Boy President-Elect: Mike Hackett Vice President: Bryan Protratz Secretary: Dennis Boy Treasurer: Pat Harris Past President: Jim Welborne Committee Chairs: Rita Daygs, International Service Tom Keene, Sargent at Arms Larry Middleton, RI Foundation John Regetz, Membership Terry Sammann, Club Administration Jim Welborne, Club Foundation Julie Wozniak, Public Relations Photos from the meeting by Bruce Smith.

FOGHORN
March 13, 2008
CAROLYN SAXTON, EDITOR
 
President Pat Boy called the meeting to order and gave Jim Welborne an Atlas for his program last week.

Announcements

Never shy, Julie Wozniak took the floor with several announcements:  She asked members to notify her of any upcoming activities or events that she could use to promote the Club in the press.  She also reminded everyone that the Club guarantees 40 members for lunches at each meeting, and she reported that last week’s meeting had only 27 members in attendance.   She asked everyone to try to attend each meeting. Julie continued her announcements by reporting that Tom Stokes would be chairing the project of gatekeepers at the Lake Front Art Festival sponsored by the Lubeznik Center.  Carolyn Saxton added her two cents to report that the gatekeepers will only be needed at one gate, but volunteers will also staff the water sales within the Festival grounds.  Remembering the chill in the air last year, there were comments about the need for hot chocolate instead of water.

Bob Rose, although absent, had Mike Hackett stand in for him to say that he saw his name backwards in last week’s Foghorn and qualifies for a $5 certificate from Top Dog.
Suzy Vance, Carmen Lynes and Ydnas Htims gave their rendition of the three little pigs, a promotion to raise money for community/international projects. Green pigs, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day (and National City Bank) were donated to each Rotarian, with the directive to fill the pig each month with pocket/purse change.  On the last Thursday of each month, the pigs should be brought back to the Rotary meeting, where the change will be emptied and totaled.  The person with the heftiest pig will win a free dinner at one of the local restaurants.  The pigs will be returned to the Rotarians where the process will begin again for the next month.  FEED THE PIGS AND THEY WILL FEED YOU.

John Regetz distributed the tallies for the membership contest.  The teams of Andy Sperling, Curt Cipares and John Regetz each have two new members, while Lance Werner leads with the a total of 14.  Jim Welborne reported that the Club now has 70 members.

Suzy Vance announced that Lance Werner and his STRIVE student, Johnny Hernandez, had developed a logo for STRIVE and that future items would be available with the new signature.

Carmen Lynes gave her classification presentation.  She started by telling the Club that she graduated from Western Michigan University and is the Branch Manager for National City Bank (thus the free pigs).  She married her childhood sweetheart, whom she met at summer camp when she was 15, and has been married for 21 years.  She plays golf and has a 28 handicap (Editor’s Note:  See Ed Lysaught’s response about his golf handicap in the Sarge section).  For its unusual nature, of particular interest is that Carmen and her husband are foster parents for guide dogs in training to provide assistance to the blind.  One of the dogs they raised was a bomb dog at the Republican National Convention (but did not vote, we are told).

Pres Pat reminded the participants about the Spelling Bee scheduled for March 27 at the Holiday Inn.  Suzy Vance reported that a cheat...er...study sheet had been distributed.  Pres Pat also reported that she has ambassadorial scholar applications for anyone interested.

Sarge

Sarge Mike Hackett introduced visiting Rotarian Judy Jankowski.  Suzy introduced guest Idene Goldman, and Carmen Lynes introduced Shana Curl.  Infrequent attendee Rotarian Matthew Kubik was visiting (and will be giving workshops at the Lubeznik Center on several week-ends during the Green Architecture exhibit).  Curt Cipares introduced MCHS Students of the Month America Zahn and Kevin Flowers.  America is daughter of former Club President Bruce Zahn.  Bruce Smith announced that his daughter Isabella was celebrating her 4th birthday and was his guest.  Pat Boy tossed in a buck to honor the celebration.  Dennis Boy commented that Suzy Vance was that same age when her father first took her to a Rotary meeting.

This was once again a convoluted day for the Sarge.  Mike Hackett took the floor, but Curt Cipares thought he was supposed to have that role.  Mike reported that it was his first time as Sarge in his 12 years of membership with the Club.  After a few minutes, Club members were not surprised he had not been asked before.  As the meeting went on, members were willing to pay to insure he was never Sarge again! 

Curt Cipares was celebrating his birthday.  When Mike challenged him to either pay a buck for every Rotarian in the room or provide a program, Curt opted for the program.  (Editor’s Note:  Why, oh, why, Mike, did you offer that option?)  Curt described the bull-riding contest he and his girl friend attended in Kansas, called PBR or pro bull rider.  He said that bull-riding prowess requires that riders hold the reins with one hand and stay on the bull for 8 seconds (Editor’s Note: Rotarians may not have had reins to hold, but it felt like a ride all the same, Curt).  The winner of the riding contest was from Brazil (Editor’s Question:  was that Brazil Indiana or the country?  It’s rhetorical and I really don’t want the answer, Curt) regardless, there was enough bull flying at this meeting to have everyone high steppin’!

Getting back to the normal pace of things, Dolly Marshall contributed a Rotary songbook from 1925 that her mother-in-law found at her home.  Ed Lysaught (See last week’s Foghorn and comments from John Lake) defended himself and his golf handicap.  Maggi Spartz announced that the Unity Foundation would celebrate its 15-year anniversary on April 16.  She also commended Scott Baldwin for coming to her home to care for their elderly dog.  Norm Ryding celebrated his grandson’s chess aptitude, and Kris Krouse celebrated his son’s birthday.

Suzy Vance tossed in some cash in honor of the programs by Carmen Lynes and Curt Cipares.  Dale Engquist reported on the Image Makers on display at the Lubeznik Center, and said that this Rotary meeting was the strangest he had attended in his 25 years of Rotary...filled with a lot of bull.  Jim Welborne added that the meeting should have been termed the PBT for Pro Bull talkers.  Jim also stated the club should celebrate the fact we have reached 70 members as a result of our membership drives.

After a Sarge quiz on Presidents, Sandy Smith pulled the 9 of Clubs after having her ticket chosen to try for the Queen of Hearts for $771 or the Joker for $100.

And on that note, Rotarians left exhausted but ready to get back in the saddle next week.

Program

Club assembly, report of Board and fellowship

Next Week

Student Pick-up -- none
Invocation – E. Lysaught
Sarge – B. Protratz
Speaker and Sponsor – Australia Compared to U.S., GSE Rotarian Steve Barker (D. Boy)

Spot your name backwards in this issue and win a free lunch at Top Dog. See Carolyn or Dennis before the Sarge Program at Thursday's meeting.

Invocation Schedule
(To volunteer, please contact Julie Wozniak.)

20 MAR – E. Lysaught 27 MAR – Rod Bensz 03 APR – J. Scott 10 APR – OPEN

17 APR – T. Allen 24 APR – P. Harris 01 MAY – T. Sammann 08 MAY –  M. Hackett

15 MAY – R. Fagg 22 MAY – J. Hollingsworth 29 MAY – S. Pound

Sergeant-at-Arms Schedule:
(To volunteer, please contact Tom Keene.)

20 MAR – B. Potratz

27 MAR – K. Krause

Student of the Month Driver Schedule (Jim Bell, Coordinator)
1 = Duneland Lutheran (874-5103), 2 = Marquette (873-2044), 3 = M.C.H.S. (874-5103)

17 APR – M. Gallas-2 24 APR – D. Engquist-3

01 MAY – T-Samman-2

08 MAY – B. Rose-3

STRIVE Calendar(Suzy Vance,Chair, All Dinner/Meetings, Monday, 5:30-7:30 PM )