President Lori called the meeting to order.
Dave Peters gave the invocation with a reminder to our commitment to Service.
Kati Johnson led us in songs: #13 Rotary; #20 1st verse of America (in memory of 9/11); #41 Wait ‘til the Sun Shines Nellie (and explained that her middle name is Nell and close friends and family call her Nellie as a nick-name :>)); and, #3 Smile (with our new greeting formation).
Lulie, our new and bright-eyed exchange student from Brazil, was with us.
Keith Olsen opened the Brags and Fines noting (pun intended) that his vocal group “Men of Note” recently sang at Bethlehem Church and raised $1500 for the Salvation Army! His grandson is the 4th generation Olsen to use the same child care (the Claire Ann Shover Nursery School est. 1934)! And, sad news, former Fergus Falls banker and Rotarian Mr. Mark Olson of the United States Federal Reserve Board died this week. There were also several Scooter Bucks put in the pot.
Announcements/business items were:
(1) Randy guessed last week’s baby picture (and so did John MacFarlane and Bonnie Denzel).
(2) Regarding peaches—“Get your money in!”
(3) WINE WEDNESDAY will be at the America Inn Pool on Wednesday, OCTOBER 17th.
(4) The School Board Candidate Forum will be held October 22d at A Center for the Arts (AC4TA).
THE PROGRAM for this week was a briefing by the Club Service Committee. This is an initiative by President Lori that the Club as a whole receive briefings from each of the Club committees to keep the membership informed about all of the activities and initiatives going on in and by our club. Today Lt. Anthony and Ben provided the Service Club briefing. They explained that ideally they would like for the club to be engaged in 12 projects annually—one per month average. Ben appreciated that this year’s logo for Rotary International, “Be the Inspiration” fits and give focus to what the Club is trying to do. Some of the projects the Club (we) do or are planning are:
(1) Backpack program.
(2) Habitat for Humanity.
(3) Bell Ringing.
(4) Fall Adopt a Highway cleaning.
(5) Providing Dictionaries to 3d grade students.
(6) Reading Andy & Elmer Apple Dumpling Adventure story to 2d graders (inculcates the principles of the 4-Way Test).
(7) Proctor the Otter Orations.
(8) Spring Adopt a Highway program.
(9) There is the Josh the Otter in May.
(10) There is the Community Garden in the summer.
(11) Some Community landscaping projects—planting trees and shrubs about.
(12) Ideas needed for an International Project.
Overall the Club is active and moving. Certainly, though we rang bells perhaps only 25-30 percent of the time and locations that the Lions did, we raised 50 percent of the Lions Club total—meaning we raised more per ring than they did (so there, take that Lions Club! :>)
Thank you, Service Club! President Lori is very pleased that we have a plan for what is upcoming and available for us to participate in and contribute to. Contact the Service Club Committee if you have ideas.
