Opening Ceremonies: President Tracy Shaffer called the meeting to order and promptly turned over the gavel to Charlene Churchill who conducted the meeting as part of President Tracy’s “Pass the Gavel” program.
 
Invocation by Tricia Quirk and we said the Pledge of Allegiance.
 
Greeter: Jodie Cushing
 
Sargent at Arms: Julie and Tony Bouchard
 
Guests: Allison and Paul Howaniec; Carolyn and Danny Stwertka
 
Birthdays: Ashley Johnson – December 16, Arlyn Whitelaw – December 23, Irv Hodgkin – December 24, David Wells – December 25, Tracy Shaffer – January 1, and Tony Bouchard – January 5
 
Club Anniversaries:           Linda Fuller – December 31, Scott Kimball – December 31 – 13 years, Alan Baker – January 6 – 34 years, Ashley Johnson, Becky Sargent, Arlyn Whitelaw – all January 6 – 10 years, Cindy Shoppe – January 7 – 16 years
 
Wedding Anniversaries:   Terri Stephens and Marshall Smith – December 27, 2015
 
Rotary Minute:        PDG Lincoln Ehrlenbach shared that District 7790 reported one of the largest gains in new membership for all of Zone 32 last year… PDG Lincoln also shared that the 250 wheelchairs for the DG project to the Dominican Republic have been ordered and 80 Rotarians will be needed for the two distribution trips planned next year.
 
Vocational Minute: Fred Beyer (retired banker) shared his vocational minute base on his volunteer work since retirement. Starting with the Thanksgiving Dinner he initiated after completing his term as mayor of his previous midwestern hometown right through all his volunteer work through Rotary and at the Everybody Eats Program. He invited all to join in on the satisfaction of ‘Making A Difference’ through volunteering.
 
Door Prizes: The following Rotarians were drawn as winners: Jodie Cushing; Carolyn Stwertka; Carl Lusby; Andrea Mason; Gene Pellerano; and Allegra Pellerano;
 
50/50: The drawing was won by Marian Wells who promptly donated it all back as Happy Dollars!
 
Happy Dollars Highlights: All happy dollars this quarter will go towards the Ellsworth Free Medical Clinic. The following Rotarians were ‘HAPPY”: Marian Wells; Jack Frost; Laurie Fogelman; Deb Ehrlenbach; Linda Fuller; Gene Pellerano; Carl Lusby; Clyde Cushing; Dave Wheaton; Jim Vickers; Jodie Cushing; Jo Cooper; Jane Langley; Heidi Omlor; Alicia Johnson; Andrea Mason; Scott Kimball; Charlene Churchill; Dave Wells
 
Rotary Business:  
  1. The final vote was conducted on the new Family Membership Category proposed by the Membership Committee… The vote was in the affirmative and the new membership category was approved.
  2. The club’s annual Holiday Party will be conducted next week at The Grand in Downtown Ellsworth. Come and join in the fun!
  3. The 2019 Auction non-profit partner was announced: Friends In Action will join us this year with conducting the auction and share in the proceeds.
  4. Club Service Director, Clyde Cushing, announced the following service projects: a) Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry volunteer sign-up sheet was circulated;  b) Spirit of Service Pins for their recent volunteer work were awarded to: Deb Ehrlenbach; Laurie Fogelman; Scott Kimball; Tricia Quirk; Charlene Churchill; Gene Pellerano; Ray Williams; Jackie Clough; and Linda Fuller.
  5. Jack Frost and Carl Lusby, Co-Chairs of the Gifting Experience shared how well the the program ran last Saturday and thanked all the Rotarians that participated and volunteered their time supporting the children
  6. Gene Pellerano passed around the sign up sheet for Januray for the Literacy Readers Program being conducted at the More Community Center with the children at the YMCA Day Care facility
  7. Pam Cushing distributed the Greeter at Meetings sign up sheet for the second half of the year and encouraged all to pitch in with this weekly task.
Program/Speaker: Heidi Omlor, Interact Advisor at Ellsworth High School, gave an overview of the club and passed the program to Interactors: Hope; Rory; Jordan; Lauren and Emma who introduced themselves and share a power point presentation on their Service Project which will be two Fridays per month at the Loaves and Fishes food pantry. Their goals and how you can help are as follows:
 
Ellsworth High School’s Interact Club  --  Community Project 2018
Our Project:
  • We will be helping Loaves and Fishes food pantry one Friday night a month, beginning on December 21,  manning the food pantry which will include stocking shelves, placing food in the shopping area, assisting clients, and cleaning up.
  • We will also be collecting plastic shopping bags and egg cartons throughout the school year. This will help the pantry address one of their largest needs.
Our Goal:
  • Our goal is to help Loaves and Fishes as much as possible, and join them in their mission of ending hunger through a collaboration of neighbors
 
How You Can Help:
  • Save those unwanted grocery bags!
  • Drop the bags off at the high school or bring      them to Rotary and Mrs. Omlor will take them from you.
  • Bring clean, undamaged egg cartons to the high school or here to Rotary.
  • Join us on Friday evening at the pantry
  • Help spread the word about these items.
 
President Tracy Shaffer commended the Interact students on their presentation and service project and awarded each student with a book of inspirational stories and quotes in this Rotary year of “Be the Inspiration”
 
Respectfully submitted by Carl Lusby
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