An Introduction to the Rotary Club of Elk Rapids
The Rotary Club of Elk Rapids Michigan A Brief Historical Summary by James G. Sak The Elk Rapids Rotary Club was chartered on June 9, 1950. There were 29 charter members. The club is part of District 6290 which includes all of northwest Michigan and several cities in Ontario, Canada. As such the club is part of an international district! In the 58 years since receiving its charter, club membership has fluctuated between 10 and 59 members. Currently membership stands at 50. Following the change in Rotary International By-Laws, women have been part of the club membership since 1992. Three women have served as club president. Currently the Elk Rapids Rotary Club meets every Tuesday evening at the Historic Elk Rapids Township Hall from 6:00PM to 7:30PM. During the summer months the club meets in the pavilion at the mouth of the Elk River harbor. Several times each year members are encouraged to bring their spouse or friend to meetings that feature a special speaker or event. The club has an excellent history of outstanding speakers from both near and far. Old Elk Rapids Township Hall 1
New Pavillion at the Harbor Club meetings tend to be informal. After dinner members sing a few old time songs and then have a chance to tell a few jokes or take good humored shots at their fellow members. The club prides itself on supporting constructive projects for the local community and beyond and having a lot of fun along the way. Sargeant-at-Arms Mel Matchett levying fines at a summer meeting The club has two major fund raisers each year---a chicken barbeque and a musical variety show. The barbeque is held during the annual Elk Rapids Harbor Days celebration in early August. In recent years approximately 1,200 chicken dinners are served to young and old. The musical variety show is held in May of each year. The first show was performed in 1955 and every year since. Performers are club members as well as citizens 2
Barbecueing chicken at Harbor Days from the broad Elk Rapids community. Money is raised from selling ads in the show program book and from ticket sales. Approximately $40,000 are raised each year through the variety show. In addition to these two major fund raisers the club supports several smaller events such as a blind Christmas gift auction at our annual club Christmas party and occasional joint projects with the Elk Rapids Lions Club. Rotarian Bernie Johnson as Santa Claus auctioning gifts at our annual Christmas Auction 3
As with all Rotary clubs money is raised so local and international projects can be supported. Requests for money and or hands on help are reviewed by the clubs good works committee. Projects supported by the good works committee and that are over $500 are presented to the general membership for discussion and a vote. Over the 58 year history of the club numerous small to medium size projects have been supported. Several projects have had a significant and lasting impact on the Elk Rapids community. For example, the club was the initial sponsor of the annual Harbor Days (mentioned earlier) celebration. Harbor Days has grown from a one afternoon picnic to a 4 day community celebration where thousands of visitors join local citizens in parades, picnics, carnivals and evening fireworks. Harbor Days was originally organized to raise money to build a harbor at the mouth of the Elk River in Elk Rapids. Today that harbor is one of the finest on Lake Michigan. In recent years the club has contributed ~$45,000/year to local and Rotarian Ron Yocum screwing down plastic sheeting over poorly insulated windows at a Home Weatherization site Past President Jim Nothoff inspecting weather-stripping at a Home Weatheriazation site 4141
Rotary Park international good works projects. In addition club members donate hundreds of man-hours of hands help on local projects such as days of caring (helping the elderly or ill with yard work) and home weatherization (helping those in need with improving insulation in their homes prior to winter weather). Another major project has been the construction, maintenance and improvement of Rotary Park. This project, started in the early 1960 s, involved developing swampland along the Elk River into a usable strip of land. Over time the club built (with money and volunteer labor) a visitor center and Chamber of Commerce building, a picnic pavilion with a walk-out deck over Elk Lake, a paved drive and parking area. In 1971 the Village of Elk Rapids, in appreciation for the contributions made by Rotary to the village, officially named the area Rotary Park. As a result a large 10 foot diameter Rotary wheel is mounted on a concrete base with the inscription, Rotary Park----Elk Rapids. Today the club still maintains much of the property and makes improvements when appropriate. Probably the largest recipient of financial help from the club in recent years has been the local school system. The club has funded playground equipment, audio visual systems in the high school auditorium, teaching aids such as computers and infrastructure for athletic programs. In 5
Rotarians in the stands at the new Elk Rapids football stadium addition, quite some years ago, the club started a college scholarship program. The program has grown to a community wide effort with many groups contributing funds and participating in the selection of worth candidates. The Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) program has been a major priority of the club since 1972. In most years the club has sponsored one inbound student but on occasion 2 or 3 have been sponsored. A similar pattern has existed for outbound students. Through 2008 the club has received 42 inbound and sent 48 outbound students. Supporting Rotary International has been a focus of the club from its beginning. Several club members have participated in polio National Immunization Days. Like most Rotary clubs, the Elk Rapids Club has been generous with financial aid for the effort. In recent years the club has built a school in a remote village of Malawi, built water wells and supplied satellite internet access for that school, provided books for a school library in South Africa and supported clean water projects in India and other countries 6
Officers for 2008-2009 President Nick Hein Secretary Bill Holdsworth Community Service Jeff Lane Program Chairman Dean Branson Treasurer Dennis Fitzpatrick Vocational Service Terry Miller 7 Past President Jim Nothoff Good Works Chairman Jerry DeGrazia International Service Tom Klingler
Other Officers Membership Chair Amanda Brink Club Service Co-Chairs Richard McCaghy Jim Hockin Club Historian James G. Sak Music Director Joe Yuchasz Sargeants at Arms Bernie Johnson Mel Matchett Assistant Treasurer and Foundation Chair Paul Fitzpatrick Variety Show Chair Jim McKimmy Harbour Days Chair Blaine Ackerman World Community Service Joanne Kreag Youth Exchange Director Shannon Williams Club Roster Blaine Ackerman Keith F. Hubbell * Earl F. Rafferty Mark Blackmore Bernie Johnson * Kent S. Reynolds * Dean Branson Leonard L. Klein Howard Richter Amanda Brink Thomas C. Klingler Paul J. Ryan Gerald DeGrazia Wesley Knecht James G. Sak * William R. Donberg * Joanne Kreag Louis H. Sanford Dale Dorgan Jeff Lane Ed Schindler Charles R. Ellinwood Melvin R. Matchett * Jack Sisson Angelic Esser John Mc Avoy Norman R. Veliquette * Dennis Fitzpatrick Richard McCaghy Donald Watkins Paul Fitzpatrick James A. McKimmy Michael Weitschat Merris M. Fox (H) James M. Merenda * Shannon Williams Nickolas D. Hein Stuart C. Merillat * Mary Judith Wonacott James D. Hockin Terry Miller Ronald H. Yocum William M. Holdsworth Carol Mitchell * Richard W. Young (H) Jon Hoover Edson W. Murray Joseph W. Yuchasz * Ralph H. Houghton Jr. Jim Nothoff * * Indicates Past President Visit our website at www.elkrapidsrotary.org 8