Don’t “hang down your head, Tom Dooley!” We had another great Club Meeting
Thanks to the Kingsley Trio for leading us in that famous KingSTON trio folk tune.
Homer Nye gave the invocation.
Colleen Paveglio introduced our guests.
Please keep Chris Peregrine in your thoughts. Chris has resigned from the club and has health concerns.
Cindy Ruzak is interested in reviving “fellowship on the water” and wants to know if club members want to participate in the SAIL champion sailing series. The program teaches life skills and teamwork to disadvantaged youth. Two teams could race so our Club could challenge another group like the Kiwanis or Elks. Contact Cindy, if interested.
Our outbound students are still selling tickets for the April 12 for the Youth Exchange Dinner –a fundraiser at the Boathouse.
Reminder: Social Happy Hour on April 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Bistro FouFou.
The Rotary Show President’s Reception is at the Red Ginger. It’s $50 and includes drinks and hors d’oeuvres. There are 75 seats available. Wednesday, April 27th at 6 PM.
The District Foundation is offering a special deal to those who contribute. If you give $500 to the foundation right now, you can receive 500 Paul Harris points.
Don’t forget: The regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 has been cancelled. Instead, the Rotary Clubs in the district will meet on Friday, May 20, noon at the Park Place Dome Room and hear from Dr. John Modlin who leads the polio eradication effort for the Gates Foundation.
The annual Rotary Show is right around the corner, and according to show director Tim Tate, it’s going to be...A-MAZ-ING.
For seven decades, the annual Rotary Show has been boosting spirits and raising money in the Grand Traverse community. In fact, the first Rotary Show in 1942 raised over $500 for good causes. That’s a lot of laughs and a lot of dough! The 74th show continues the same tradition.
Deb Lake and Al Bonney gave us a little preview of the entertainment we can expect at this year’s show, which promises to be a “90-minute display of talent and fun.” Musicians, a magician, the “News Desk,” and of course, the amazing Rotary Chorus are sure to light up the stage this year.
It’s all for a good cause, too. The money raised goes to the Good Works Fund, which supports projects that address unmet needs in our community and helps people who really need it.
Your add sales will have a big impact on the bottom line. Even though we didn’t quite reach our $100,000 goal, we did raise $88,00, which is tied for our best year ever.
Trevor Tkach gave a special shout-out to all the club members who stepped it up this year to sell those ads. He even started a new tradition --awards for the top ad sellers. This year’s winners included Mike Buday (The Top Dog), Cindy Ruzak (The #2), and Bonnie Alfonso (Rookie of the Year –“the Fire Hose”). Thanks for going above and beyond the call of “dooty!” Roof! Roof! Trevor also gave a special shout to Kathy Bussell, who took on way more work this year to make sure things ran smoothly. Thanks, Kathy!!
The Rotary Show team still needs your help. Andy Robitshek is looking for volunteers that can help during the days of the show and during the show. There are quite a few positions to fill including set up, stage crew, tear down, greeters, and more. If you can help out any of the days, please contact Andy.
CURRENT CAREER –Account Executive for Mitchell Graphics. Specializing in print and direct mail marketing.
EDUCATION – Classes from NMC and NMU in marketing and 40+ years in the printing industry.
FAMILY- Wife Lisa, 3 horses, 2 dogs, 6 cats and 10 chickens (and a partridge in a pear tree).
FAVORITE DESSERT - Oban, 18 yr. old
FAVORITE HOBBY, ACTIVITY - Kayaking, gardening and landscaping, small construction/remodel projects and cooking.
LAST BOOK READ – 10 John Grisham books last year.
FAVORITE SONG – “Angel Eyes,” Jeff Healey
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF NO ONE IN THE CLUB
LIKELY KNOWS - I used to be painfully shy. I couldn’t even talk to most of my teachers in school. Now, happy to talk to anyone about anything.
LIFE ROLE MODEL – My Father: be honest, work hard, be responsible, be kind and do good.
MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT – 40 years in the same industry, 25 with the same company.
FUNNIEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU - I was in an elevator in downtown TC; the emergency phone rang; then a telemarketer’s voice came through the speaker. Evidently, they never give up.
SECRET AMBITION - To be a private chef at a small resort in the tropics.
IF YOU COULD BE ANYONE IN THE WORLD FOR A DAY (present or historical), WHO WOULD THAT BE---AND WHY? Richard Branson. I love his approach to life: think big, work hard, bring others along on your climb to the top, have fun and give back.
MOST FAMOUS PERSON MET - Chuck McGee, road manager for the Rolling Stones.
Come join your fellow Rotarians to celebrate the coming of Spring – yes, we’re fairly certain the snow will melt soon, and Spring will actually arrive!
Monday, April 11th, at Bistro FouFou in downtown Traverse City (118 Cass Street)
From 5-7 – happy hour discounts for the entire two hours
See the menu below for special pricing on delicious appetizers & snacks, house wines and beer
For those of you in the chorus, there’s plenty of time for a bite to eat and a cocktail before practice.
Friends, family, all Rotary clubs -- everyone welcome.
A Rotary Yachting Fellowship Fleet is being organized by Cindy Ruzak and Sunrise member Nancy Thornton. The main qualification for participants is a desire to enjoy activities on the water, with no boat ownership is required. The plan is to have 3 gatherings each year of a social nature plus one that would serve as a fundraising event for some non-profit boating related cause. For more information about the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians please look at the website
In conjunction with the formation of this primarily social group, is that Cindy would like to see if there is interest in making the first fundraising effort a commitment to support the Maritime Heritage Alliance Sail Champion program for disadvantaged youths one of participation in the New Champion Challenge series. The sail Champion program takes a small group of youths selected by Child and Family services or similar organization out sailing on Grand Traverse Bay for 4 consecutive day sails with a certified psychologist and captain teaching them life skills and confidence by performing teamwork tasks aboard. For an entertaining and informative video about the Sail Champion program please link to www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSguCIn0n6M
The purpose of the Challenge series is to raise money for MHA’s Sail Champion program to help underwrite the cost so that Child and Family Services and others will be able to schedule more of these programs. The Challenge series will involve two teams racing a set course against each other with time trials, over 3 separate 2 hour sails on flexible dates and times during the summer. If anyone has a company that would like to participate as their own team please let Cindy know, but she would like to see if there are enough Rotarians that would like to participate as a Rotary Crew (no previous skill is required since there will be a trained crew aboard as well) that could then challenge either the Kiwanians or Elks Club to compete against us; much like we do with the annual golf competition.
The cost, or requested donation, is $2000 but if we can get 18 people (3 groups of 6 people each), each of whom could go on one of the races, then the cost would be just $100 per person (Cindy will make up the difference personally); not much more than a round of golf or even a day sail on the bay. But in this case we gain bragging rights as well as contributing to a tremendously successful and much needed program.
Trevor Tkach gave a special shout-out to all the club members who stepped it up this year to sell those ads. He even started a new tradition --awards for the top ad sellers. This year’s winners included Mike Buday (The Top Dog), Cindy Ruzak (The #2), and Bonnie Alfonso (Rookie of the Year –“the Fire Hose”). Thanks for going above and beyond the call of “dooty!” Roof! Roof! Trevor also gave a special shout to Kathy Bussell, who took on way more work this year to make sure things ran smoothly. Thanks, Kathy!!
CURRENT CAREER –Account Executive for Mitchell Graphics. Specializing in print and direct mail marketing.
The purpose of the Challenge series is to raise money for MHA’s Sail Champion program to help underwrite the cost so that Child and Family Services and others will be able to schedule more of these programs. The Challenge series will involve two teams racing a set course against each other with time trials, over 3 separate 2 hour sails on flexible dates and times during the summer. If anyone has a company that would like to participate as their own team please let Cindy know, but she would like to see if there are enough Rotarians that would like to participate as a Rotary Crew (no previous skill is required since there will be a trained crew aboard as well) that could then challenge either the Kiwanians or Elks Club to compete against us; much like we do with the annual golf competition.
