COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEES

As Rotarians, we strive to improve our local communities in a variety of ways. Our Community Service committees are responsible for planning events like our Gourmet Game Dinner or Rotary Shows, as well as volunteering for Salvation Army bell-ringing and the annual NMC Barbecue.

 
 

50/50 Drawing

This committee coordinates the selling of 50/50 tickets as the membership walks into each weekly meeting. Immediately prior to the featured speaker, the person presiding over the meeting has the winning ticket pulled. As you would expect, the winner gets one-half of the money collected. The 50/50 helps fund the Youth programs which assists the youth in our community. This is a weekly event that many members enjoy and look forward to.
Chair: Al Zelinski
 
 
Adopt-A-Stream
 
A citizen-scientist project of the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, Adopt-A-Stream collects benthic macroinvertebrates (water bugs) twice a year. In June and October, volunteers of all ages collect data on the types and quantities of insects in our streams to track the stream's health and water quality trends over time. Want to know more? Check out The Watershed Center for more information. 

Chair: Andrew Kohlman

Christmas Baskets

Each year Rotarians engage in our Christmas Basket program. Rotarians adopt dozens of families and provide Holiday gifts and food. In the last ten years, the program has collected more than $120,000 directly from Club members and distributed it to over 500 families assisting more them 2,000 people during the Holiday season. 
Co-Chairs: Steve Wade, Dan Rickard, Dale Chilcote

Good Works 

Annually, the Rotary Show raises over $55,000 that the club uses for various “good works” projects. The largest of these projects is an ongoing grant process whereby the Good Works Committee reviews requests made to the club for funds. The committee meets to review grant requests on a quarterly basis, to receive assignments, to meet with grant requesters to learn more about their particular needs and to make the awards.
Chair: Ben Whiting, Miriam Owsley

JJ Becket Access-ABILITY 

The primary focus of the JJ Beckett Access-ABILITY Committee is to assist individuals to overcome limits caused by a disability and improve access to a fuller life. This committee is named in honor of Jim Beckett who established this long-standing club activity.

Kid's Free Fishing Day

The purpose of the Water Committee is to integrate Rotarians into regional water-based activities, primarily through partnerships with area nonprofit organizations and government agencies. This committee works with partner organizations in a variety of ways with Rotarians’ time, energy, and talents. Uniquely, it is a committee made up of representatives from all three local Rotary Clubs. Projects range from work bees to protect our region’s water resources to various strategic initiatives, including Kids Creek Restoration, Adopt-a-Stream and Kids’ Free Fishing Day. The committee is staffed by Rotary Camps & Services and frequently organizes work bees on Camps properties, as well as other places in the region.
Chair: Chris DeGood

Life Leadership 

This committee identifies high school and first-year university students in Grand Traverse County as applicants to the annual District 6290 leadership conference. Those students who demonstrate qualities and interests in leadership are sponsored to go to a three-day event of motivational speakers and panel discussions.

Young men and women throughout the district and internationally enjoy the educational aspects and the opportunity to make many new friends. Selection is made each April for the June conference. Typically, our club sponsors ten participants to attend the conference of nearly 200 attendees. To learn more,  go to Rotary International Life Leadership Conference. 
 
Munson Manor is a hospitality facility at Munson Medical Center that is based on the popular Ronald McDonald House concept. Once a month, members of the committee and their spouses/friends select a menu and do the shopping for a “home-cooked” meal to serve 20-30 out of town guests staying at Munson Manor while their loved one is hospitalized. The Rotarians prepare and serve the meal and mingle with the guests. This is a rewarding and heart-warming experience for all involved. Most committee members handle one meal per year, though some ask to participate more often. Time commitment is approximately three hours on the date of service, plus the pre-meal planning and shopping.
Chair: Benjamin Marentette 

One Way Coat Drive

To describe a man of great character, some say, “He would give you the shirt off his back.” The One Way Coat Day is an opportunity for Rotarians and their friends to give their gently used and new winter outerwear to those in need in our community. Coats, gloves, and other winter wear are collected over the course of three to four Tuesdays at the weekly club meeting. To date, nearly 5,000 coats have been donated and distributed to Father Fred.
Chair: Herb Lemcool

Salvation Army Bell Ringing

Rotarians participate on an annual basis in December with filling kettles for the Salvation Army. Committee members will sign up members, organize assignments and participate in the collection at public locations.
Chair: Haider Kazim

STRIVE

STRIVE is a program committed to assisting area youth with academics, attitude, life skills and community involvement.
Chair: Sakura Takano