Regular Meeting, July 22, 2009

(Pictures of Dan while delivering his program on the Tour de France)



The meeting was not well attended with just 12 members and two guests (Linda and Dave) present. That was too bad because Dan gave a stellar performance on the Tour de France. I for one learned a great deal about this major European and world-wide event.

President Jim alerted everyone to the excellent article in this month's Rotary Magazine about the history of the 4-Way Test. It is well worth reading and reminding ourselves of the purpose and practice of Rotary.

Action on ticket sales is flagging and Dan reminds everyone to get out now and make an effort before it is too late. We need the money to fill the till to do the good to help the local and international communities.

Finally, we received a note from Bob Sharkey encouraging members to submit articles for the District 6220 Newsletter:


Good Morning, District 6220 Leaders, Although the July newsletter has not yet been sent, I would like to solicit your submissions for the August Newsletter. Governor Schwaiger and I are attempting to send the district newsletters out earlier in the month. To do this, I ask that you submit your articles to me before the 1st of the month. Ideally, the newsletters will be sent by the end of the first week of the month.

Please send your August article submissions to me at rob_manzke@hotmail.com (copy Mary Schwaiger and Mary Weed-Wheeler) by Friday, July 31. Articles can be written by you or submitted by your club. AGs, feel free to encourage your area clubs to submit articles and pictures!

Regular Meeting, Jily 15, 2009

(Three members were elected to the Board of Trustees of the CLK Rotary Club. They are (r to l) Jeff Primeau and Tom Liljigren, Trustees, and Richard Schaefer, Secretary to the Board. Since Richard had already departed, Tom Scanlan graciously agreed to represent him in the picture and, if I might add, was a credible likeness.)









Attendance was 19 members and 3 guests. Guests were Dave and Linda Grahek and Bob Sharkey. Happy Dollars weer in abundance. Thank you.

Inasmuch as Jim Lowell sent members a thorough summary of the informal business meeting, we won't comment here.

Have a great week and we'll see you on Wednesday.

Regular Meeting, July 8, 2009

(Left: A picture of the Calumet Art Center on Fifth Street.)


The meeting was attended by16 members and four guests. Guests were perennials Dave and Linda Grahek, Katie Curtis, a volunteer coordinator of the Copperman triathelon, and Ed Gray, owner of the Ed Gray Studio Gallery in Calumet who spoke to us about the newly-formed Calumet Art Center.

After lunch and a round of Happy Dollars, Dan Dalquist reiterated his appeal to sell those Tamburitzan tickets. He explained that each member was being given a slip of paper listed the two or three businesses he could call on to sell sponsorships.




From our procedures document, here are the various options open to sponsors:

(1) Businesses purchasing tickets will be listed in the program insert as show
Sponsors. If a sponsor purchases more than ten tickets, he gets them for $13 each or if he buys 30 or more, he gets them for $11.

(2) Sponsors may opt to donate tickets to CLK Rotary for distribution to needy
organizations (e.g., Little Brothers, elder care facilites).

(3) CLK Rotary members will be assigned businesses to contact to encourage
purchase of Sponsor tickets.

(4) Sponsor ticket orders MUST indicate that the sale is to a sponsoring business by checking the Sponsor box on the order form.

(5) Sponsor ticket order forms MUST show the business name as it should be listed on the program insert.

This, Dan assures us, is the quickest way for us to sell all 650 seats. "So go to it," Dan exhorts.

The four sales teams are: Keweenaw Krew, Cal-Laurium Bunch, South Side, and Da Valley Gang. Presently the Keweenaw Krew leads. Good luck!

Following Dan was Ed Gray, representing the newly formed Calumet Art Center. The CAC is a non-profit organization located in the recently purchased Community Church on Fifth Street in Calumet. It will focus on hands-on involvement by artists, mentors, musicians and lecturers, young and old, to develop the arts, culture and history of the Keweenaw.

The CAC asks you to join by becoming a Founding Member. Your time and money are urgently needed to make this a monumental success for Calumet. With a rich and varied tradition of the arts, the CAC can only make the story greater, the draw for people stronger. Donations can be made to the Calumet Art Center, P.O.Box 7, Calumet, MI 49913 or to volunteer, call 906-281-3494.

(Katie Curtis talks with Dan abiut the upcoming Copperman Triathelon on August 1)















(Ed Gray addressing the members and Peter responding followed by Ed receiving the cherished CLK Rotary mug.)

Business Meeting, July 1, 2009

Attending this first meeting of our Rotary year under the presidency of Jim Lowell were 17 members and 1 guest. Our guest was Ass't. District Governor Bob Sharkey (who left the premise before the picture was taken).

The meeting had a relaxed agenda consisting mostly of a discussion of the Tammies' sales. Chairman Dan again issued his challenge to fill every seat in the Calumet Theatre, all 650 of them. Without a doubt, this fund-raiser of may years has done enormous good in our community and we simply have to keep up the effort.

Then, after a hearty round of Happy Dollars, lunch was served.

After lunch, President Jim asked for three volunteers for the Board of Directors, a Secretary and two regular board members. Getting no response from those assembled, he announced that next week he will entertain nominations from the floor and an election will follow. He reminds everyone, "You need not be present to win."

In addition, we asked members to start combing the area for interesting programs as well as programs about Rotary functions and closed by asking everyone to go to the Rotary website and update your personal data. Instructions for doint this will be forthcoming in your email.

See you next week. It should be interesting. Now get out and SELL and make your corporate contacts!

Last Meeting of Rotary Year, June 24, 2009

(It was nice seeing Tom Scanlan back from his long trip around the country and into the Caribbean basin. Here he is greeted by Dan and a membership welcome.)



Attending were 20 members and 4 guests: Guest were Dick Dana, Linda and Dave Grahek, and Tom Schields from St. Louis, Ole's brother-in-law.

This was the last meeting of the Rotary Year and in keeping with tradition, President Kevin wrapped up the year's accomplishments. Indeed, they are impressive and should qualify the club for a Presidential Citation. In summary, they are:



On International Service Projects:

Although it was not initiated by the CLK Rotary, we have contributed $1,000 this year to the polio eradication effort and have pledged to make equal contributions for the next two years. We have also contributed $1,600 to the EREY and have taken the steps necessary to start two 5/5 club which will raise an additional $10,000 towards our club’s Foundation/International contribution over the next five years.

We have contributed (monetarily) to the Districts efforts to supplement the funding necessary to continue with the Flour Power project.

We have recruited 3 new members this year – including one former Rotarian who had recently moved to the area and expressed a desire to become an “active” Rotarian once again. He was re-inducted in February.



On Membership Recruitment

We have addressed membership recruitment through the involvement of the family. Members have been encouraged to bring their spouses/children to weekly meetings and extra events. We have had 6 child guests this year and 11 spousal guests. In addition we have hosted nearly 60 non-Rotarian guests at our weekly meetings this past year. Three of which are considering membership but have yet to join.

Efforts to include representation from local schools and youth-based community organizations have been made as part of our membership recruitment. One new member is the director of a non-profit organization that serves youth through community-arts programming.

On Club Service:

Complimentary Subscriptions to the Rotarian are provided to two local libraries.

Both the current President and Incoming President Elect have attended the 2008-09 and 2009-10 PETS Training.

The current RYE officer has been sponsored to attend the RYE conference/trainings.

We have included members’ families (spouse/children) in various activities including our Adopt
A Highway cleanup, hosting/ushering during our Tamburitzan’s performance, helping serve diners during the spaghetti dinner, and attendance at other events such as the Polio Awareness dinner held in collaboration with the Houghton and Hancock Clubs. We had nearly 50 hours of non-rotarian service from family/friends during our various Rotary activities this year.

On Vocational Service:

Several Club members participated in a “Mock Interview” sessions. This was in collaboration with the CLK Public Schools young business leader’s class and provided real-life interviewing experiences for 20 students.

The CLK Rotary Club has developed and implemented a CLK Rotary Scholarship fund. The first two awards ($1,000 ea) were made to a graduate of both the CLK Public Schools and Lake Linden-Hubbell High School. This scholarship is intended to be an annual award and is funded through our local efforts.

On Community Service:

CLK Rotary supports the Calumet-based Angel Mission “Free Store” which provides food, clothing, and utility expense relief for under-served, under privileged families.

The CLK Rotary Club, with support of a district matching grant, provided over $500 in toys, clothing and other gift items to the “Secret Santa” project. This project is coordinated by Keweenaw County Sheriff, Ron Lahti, and serves nearly 300 underprivileged children in Keweenaw County, In addition to the financial contribution, club members helped Sheriff Lahti in sorting and preparing the gift items in time for delivery for Christmas 2008.

Club members awarded $3,000 in support of a local project intended to memorialize the 74 people (mostly children) killed during the Italian Hall disaster on Christmas Eve 1913. Seventy-four candle luminaries were commissioned to line the walk-way of the now historical landmark on Christmas Eve 2008. The CLK Rotary Club has formed a committee to ensure this continues annually in collaboration with the Village of Calumet and the Keweenaw National Historic Park.

Finally, in addition to all that, we inducted 3 new members into the club.

CLK Rotary, you can be proud of what you have done. But as they say in show business, "you're only as good as your last show," so we face a new year and new challenges that our incoming president, Jim Lowell, will present to us on the weeks ahead.


Winner the new Outdoor furniture set donated by Kevin was, fittingly, Jim Lowell, with 100% attendance, 51 meetings. Congratulations, Jim!

Runners up were: 3rd place with 94%, Patsy Bastian, and 2nd place with 96%, Andy Murtaugh.






With that, Kevin Store turned the gavel over to Jim Lowell and received a hearty round of applause from the members for a job Well Done!

Regular Meeting, June 17, 2009

(Vice President Jim Lowell congratulates Holly Crouch for her acheivement at Lake Linden High School while awarding her one of our first two Annual CLK Rotary Scholarships. Next, Zachary Tervo being congratulated and awarded his scholarship funds to get him started on his career.)


There were but 15 members and 5 guests at the meeting: Guests were Scholarship winners Holly Crouch (LLHS) and Zachary Tervo (CHS), Kay Crouch, Holly's mom and her friend, Craig Koskela, and little Hailey Crouch.


After a round of Happy Dollars and lunch, both Zachary and Holly gave members a brief synopsis of their interests and goals.

Zachary is off to attend Universal Technical School in Chicago to study diesel mechanics. He plans to return to the Copper Country and eventually open his own business as soon as feasible.

Holly will be attending Finlandia University in the Fall to study aspects of graphic design, one of Finlandia's specialties.

CLK Rotary can be proud of their commitment to provide seed funds to get these two young people started toward their future. Inasmuch as they are our first recipients, we will take special interest in their accomplishments.


































(Baby Hailey Crouch also enjoyed her lunch while mom addressed the club. Members soon gave Zachary the sobriquet, Zack, and he responded with a description of his plans.)

Regular Meeting, June 10, 2009

(Andy presenting a check from the CLK Rotary to Ann Spagnotti of the Angel Mission.)


Wednesday's meeting was attended by 16 members and 3 guests: guests were Ann Spagnotti, the Executive Director of Angel Mission, and Linda and Dave Grahek, who have returned to the Copper Country for the summer. Dave reminded everyone that he has tickets for the annual "Flop Drop" competition, a fund-raiser sponsored by his home Rotary club.

After a round of Happy Dollars and two or three renditions of "Happy Birthday" and then lunch, acting president Jim Lowell turned the floor over to Ann Spagnotti who gave a brief presentation of the need for food and other items for the people she serves at her mission. If anyone feels so disposed, send donations of food, clothes or money to Angel Mission, Fifth Street, Calumet. Ann's goal is to make sure that the truly needy are served by your contributions.














(President-elect Jim talks with Jim Lowrie before the meeting and Phil relieves Steve of a couple of 50-50 dollars and generally stands guard over the club's treasures.)






Jim Lowell, who is soon to assume the presidency of the club, said that as a result of the PETS meeting in Wisconsin, he is fired up and ready to offer new challenges to the club. He takes the gavel at the last meeting in June.

See you next week.