After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Lois Josefson offered our invocation, and we then recited The Four Way Test. Anthony Nordan introduced his guest, intern Camon Landry. A check for $600 was presented to United Way Director Jacklin Steege to support Imagination Library in the Fergus Falls area. Zack Stach, Dean Monke, Mark Bring, Steve Leitte and Wally Cole were all thanked for completing the Highway 210 ditch clean-up this spring. Keith Olson agreed to distribute Lucky Duck Derby flyers in the downtown area to encourage people to buy tickets, available at Lundeens and your friendly Noon Rotarians. Kathy Austvold passed around a sign-up sheet for programs starting in July. For Brags and Fines, Brian Tjaden gave us all a floatable key chain from the Lake Guys, he and his partner John Demuth's real estate business. Kathy Austvold was back from her and Steve's trip to Europe where they visited World War II sights; she also joined one of our club meetings from Brussel's (the home of chocolate delicacies) two weeks prior. Ken Harty made 11 marks on his Brag and Fine card to honor this outgoing president. (Thank you Ken!) Keith Olson marked off six, one each for the trees that blew over on his property in the past week. Mary Pettit bragged about the just completed dance show, Mark Bring's involvement, and sang Keith Olson's praises. Wally Cole was happy he was able to be in the Summerfest parade.
Ryan Welle introduced John Pontius, son of Kathy and Mark Helland. John is in the Fergus Falls High School Hall of Fame, and he recalled it has been 30 years since John MacFarlane brought him to Rotary as a student guest (or athlete?). John was at West Point three weeks after graduating from Fergus and spent four years there, followed by 20 years at various locations across the world, including Bosnia (where he had 33 soldiers under him), Croation, Fort Riley in Kansas (where he was on 9/11), San Diego, Atlanta, San Jose, and ten years in Washington D.C. He spent two years in command, from 2000 to 2002, and in response to questions about problems of female harassment and drunkenness, told us he had seen 36 people out of the Army during those years. John said all of the places where he was stationed left him wanting a sense of community that you can only find in a smaller town. He recognizes that Fergus Falls takes care of its own and appreciates that. He also thanked us for our service to the community.
The Army started using John in the field of applied math, identifying how its resources should be deployed. After his stint in the Army, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel, John returned home and is contracted to do the same type of work for the Air Force. He said he spends a lot of time mapping processes. Technically his office is in the Pentagon but has been working from Fergus for the past two years. It was obvious that John has served and continues to serve his country well and that he is a valuable resource to our community as well.
