President Peter Norton opened the meeting and introduced Bill Rieth who shared inspirational words, led the Pledge, and our Four Way Test.
With a packed schedule and important program to get to, we had no announcements and guests were as follows: Stacey Legault (Sheila Sieradzki), John Borles(sp?) (Dick Brotherson), Libby Eisele (Tom Eisele), Veronica Acosta, Joshua Ekema, Robyn Loughram (Stu Basquin), Garret Lankford (Bill Burton), Heather Edds (Matt Lentsch), Melissa Kinsey (Eric Garton), and Debra Hughes (Tom Shoff).
This spring's third recipient of a Rotary Grant is Ruthmere. Bill Firstenberger, Executive Director, was introduced and received their check. Bill described how the Rotary grant will help with their education and exhibits. Thanks to Rotarians for their weekly contributions through fines and thanks to Ruthmere for their excellent programming that makes our community a better place.
Today's Sergeant was Jim Rieckhoff who found a majority of his material from our local newspapers - -plenty of Rotarians doing good in our community! Another great day of FUNdraising as Rotary fines are collected weekly and are pooled into a fund. In the spring more than $10,000 is distributed as grants to not for profit organizations around our county.
Today's program featured the committee formed to propose an Elkhart Boat House, rowing program, and Portage Park located at the old Alick's property along the south side of the St. Joe River. The committee is comprised of Tom Shoff, Tripp Bradford, and John Banks. Joining the committee today were Jill Sigsbee, who discussed the project as improvement in our quality of place, Libby Eisele who read highlights from letters of support for the project, and Jeff Helman from Helman Sechrist Architecture who provided both still and 3-D imaging of the proposed structures.
For more about the project, check out this story from the South Bend Tribune.
To learn more about the Elkhart Rowing Club and its plans, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/elkhartrowingclub/
About Rotary:
- April 15: Contested Mayoral Primary Candidates Forum - Ashley Boling Molyneaux and Rod Roberson
- April 22: Magistrate Deborah Domine; Child Abuse Prevention Month – CAPS and Elkhart County
- April 29: Jessica Payne, University of Notre Dame; Sleep on it! There's More to it that Just the Old Adage
- May 6: Bryan Ritchie, VP and Associate Provost; University of Notre Dame Idea Center