After President “Awesome” Allison Beers called the meeting to order and Homer Nye had us all reflecting on the warmth and light of the beautiful day before us, Al Bonney and the Kingsley Trio brought us all down home with the classic John Denver tune, “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” A great way to start the afternoon’s meeting.
Ken Musson introduced us to our guests and out of town visitors, and Autumn Soltysiak introduced a lovely young man, Kane Williams – this week’s Outstanding Student.
Some announcements:
Rotary Show Ad Sales are closing! Thursday is the drop-deadline at 5:00 pm. Get your ad forms and copy in by then. We still have $12,000 to go!!!
Connor Miller is marshaling the March Madness Bracket madness for the club. It’s a public bracket and you should receive an email from Kathy about signing up if interested.
Hailey Kempf from the Youth Exchange program, who will be heading off to Germany later this year, announced that tickets are now on sale for the International Dinner at the Boathouse coming up in April to raise funds to help the students financially. Tickets once again are $50 each.
Carla Weaver reminded everyone to buy those tickets for the Rotary show before they are gone…get ‘em now, while they’re hot!
Becky Ewing introduced Rotary Charities Changemaker Fellow, Josh Stoltz, the first fellow in this new program who is back in Traverse City on a short hiatus halfway through his fellowship. A program of study and networking that has taken him from his leadership role with Grow Benzie halfway across the world to Britain. There he is working with an international group of individuals on systems; developing tools and their usability and to Russia where they are finding practical applications before returning to put these same systems and tools to work in their home countries. Now he returns to Britain to work yet again on systems from a global perspective. An exciting and challenging time.
Stoltz’ excitement and commitment, first to his home project Grow Benzie, and then to his year abroad meeting and working with like-minded people who are challenged by many of the same questions he sees as driving forces for our own region is palpable and carries through his every move and word. It is evident that he is making the kinds of connections that will not only serve him well going forward but also will likely advance Grow Benzie, his own community and the region for the better. That he will return with a wealth of new tools for the people of the community to work with is clear, and based on what he shared it is also clear that his new international acquaintances have already learned from him and the things that Grow Benzie has already accomplished through Stoltz’ leadership.
Two things I came away with from today’s meeting. One is that this new Changemaker Program is an exciting and potentially game-changing program. Kudos to those who saw the unanticipated bequest of Charles Fultz as a way of realizing the program. Two is that Josh Stoltz is the perfect recipient of the first fellowship. His passion for his community, his work, and his opportunity are infectious.
