Speaker: Club Member and U.S.Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City's
Commander Charles E. Webb
The breakout sessions were a big hit!
President Mack opened the meeting and led the Pledge of Allegiance. He also reminded us that Veterans Day is tomorrow.
Randy Kamps offered the words of gratitude and reflected upon our election. He suggests we focus on Service Above Self.
Bob Stow updated us on Rotary Camps and Services and said that the Canterbury Woods parcel has been sold to the neighbors who will allow it to be used for hiking, please see the include note from the new owners. The proceeds will be used to pay down the loan on Discovery Center.
Steve Wade kicked off Christmas Basket season. We will be going forward with it as in past years. There are more families than ever who need assistance, and we will help. You can contribute financially and by shopping. First-year Rotarians have been required to shop for a family in the past, but it is optional this year. Use the form Kathy will send out after the meeting.
Kathy Bussell announced new members’ IM Rotary Youth Services meeting after next week’s meeting.
Katy McCain shared the DDA’s plan for a Light Parade on November 21, Rotary Club is sponsoring a site at State Street Marketplace. The theme is 10 Lords A Leaping. Katy@downtowntc.com Reach out to her if you can help. They need Lords to Leap and decorations and helpers in general.
Jeff Hickman announced for Rotary Charities $334,000 will be donated to local charities and nonprofits, please see the press release included below.
Ken Musson introduced Commander Charles Webb. Chuck came to TC with his family two years ago and is the 42nd Commanding Officer of the Traverse City Station. He comes from Muskegon originally and this is his 28th year of service and was just promoted to Captain.
Chuck thanked Ken and expressed his regret that we aren’t meeting at the Coast Guard Station. He started his slideshow saying that Covid didn’t slow them down, but they did figure out how to make all the training happen. Chuck showed slides explaining their training on water and off. They did 190 rescues this year, which was up from last year. Most of them were on the water. Many cases involved a Good Samaritan who helped and rescued people. This is a great sign that people are willing to help people.
The Coast Guard was deployed five times to help with hurricane rescues. Luckily, they didn’t have to do much – which is a good thing. The crews receive 12 hours of notice before they are expected to be there. It’s good for the younger pilots to practice flying long distances. They did 24 POTUS and VPOTUS missions this year. It is counter-surveillance which involves protecting a bubble around the dignitaries. The campaign stops around TC were provided air support. Marine One was kept at the station for three days.
Chuck explained that the service people’s salaries do not cover their housing needs adequately. It affects the junior enlisted guys the most. He is working within the Coast Guard channels to help. The lack of housing and high living prices up here cause the people to live too far away to be able to respond quickly. The type of housing they find up here is not what the government suggests for service people. TC is still a very attractive posting.
Sunday is the Air Station’s 75th Anniversary. Covid is not allowing for appropriate celebrations. 1945 is when TC began being a Coast Guard Air Station. We are in the 10th year of being a Coast Guard City and it has been renewed for another five years. The City gives the Coast Guard lots of support. There was a cool flyover of the city in May. The Coast Guard is injecting millions of dollars into the community and lots of great talent with the members and their family members. There are 10,000 hours of volunteer service hours to give back to the community.
Several questions were asked and answered.
Ken Musson thanked Chuck by presenting him with a certificate for being part of Wheels of Hope.
Mack reminded us of IM Rotary. And he adjourned the meeting.
