Jun 26 Changeover Celebration

Posted by Tom Kolepp 
on Jun 30, 2014
 

Changeover Celebration:

At our regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday June 26,  Bethlehem Morning Star Rotary celebrated the achievements of our club during the administration of President Jean Searfoss and then conducted the annual changeover ceremony with Jean happily becoming immediate Past President and Tom Kolepp becoming President for the 2014-2015 term.

President Jean Searfoss began the program with a special award to Ronald Burnett for his dedicated service to our garden projects over the last two years. She presented Susan Burnett with a handmade “Rotary Andy” doll replete with plastic gardening tools. Susan gladly accepted the responsibility of conveying said doll to her husband Ron.

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The highlight of the meeting was the “passing of the gavel” through 21 of our 25 Past Presidents:

  • Charlie Incalcaterra could not attend but was capably represented by John St. Clair
  • Geoff Wright
  • Barb Siefert-Sigmon
  • Past District Governor Tore Hartmann-Hansen
  • Claire Rij was one of our distinguished visitors
  • Mike Long
  • Butch Macri
  • Stan Vasiliadis
  • Diane Donaher is now a member of the Downtown Bethlehem Club
  • Tom Hartzell
  • Gary Hartney
  • Past District Governor Bill Jahn now belongs to the Rotary Club of Skidaway Isle, GA
  • Charlotte Hartmann-Hansen
  • Gordon Sommers has been full circle from Downtown Bethlehem, to Charter Member MSR and Saucon and back to Downtown
  • Dee Elliott
  • Tom Mohr
  • Ron Helmuth
  • Dave Cincera
  • Jim Santanasto
  • Eileen Dunn
  • Susan Burnett
  • Jean Searfoss

We were only missing four past Presidents: Charlie (as noted above); Gary Langensiepen;  Dick Roberts; and Don Scanlon (resides in Portland, OR). Thanks to Past President Jean for starting this tradition and recruiting all the past Presidents to attend.

As her last “official act” as President, Jean installed Tom. Tom then thanked those members rotating off the board for their service, including:

  • Past President Susan Burnett
  • Director Marianne Aronson
  • Director Jeff Kiscka
  • Director Gary Hartney
  • Director Ben Tenaglia

Tom then installed the new and continuing board members:

  • Immediate Past President Jean Searfoss
  • President Elect Ron Searfoss
  • Vice president Jeff Kicska
  • Secretary Val Walk
  • Treasurer Sue Reeps
  • Sergeant at Arms Russell Pacala
  • Continuing Director Rafael de la Hoz
  • Continuing Director Robin Metzler
  • Continuing Director Ellen Roberts
  • Continuing Director Barb Siefert-Sigmon
  • New Director Jan Chicka
  • New Director Wayne Achey
  • New Director Cheryl Baker
  • New Director Jess Elliott

As part of the celebration, we welcomed many visiting Rotarians and guests, including those not mentioned in the parade of past Presidents above:

  • Karen Jahn, Skidaway Isle Rotary
  • Lyndsey Frigm, Nazareth Rotary
  • Diane Moody (guest of Todd Heft)
  • Lawson Sipple (guest of Janet Sipple)
  • Susan Sommers (guest of guess who)
  • The Reverend Tony Pompa (guest of Tom Kolepp)
  • Tim Fehr (guest of Tom Kolepp)
  • Carl Kolepp

Please come to our July 3 meeting where new President Tom will tell us about how he will fill the large shoes of past President Jean and continue the great momentum Morning Star has established during 2013-2014.

Light Up Rotary, Tom