Year End Celebration

What a whirlwind of activity last Thursday.  It was a great day to be a Rotarian.   We started things off at noon, on the square, for the clock dedication.  Over 25 Rotarians were present and we had about another 25 guests.  Straight up noon the clock started to chime and Greg prepared to dedicate the click and thank the  people who made it possible. Ron, Henry and Betty Bartly took photos.  Recognition was given to the contractors, town employees and county employees helped erect the clock.  Things were wrapped up at the square in short order and preparation for the year end party was soon to commence.  

At 4pm Jenny, Flory and Suzanne started to orchestrate other Rotarians in setting up for the year end party.   Blowup palm trees needed air, tables needed set up, and beer that needed chilled.  Jenny,  Flory and Suzanne make it all look easy. Rotarians and spouses started to gather a little before 6pm bring side dishes and desserts to share. The Blanton House is an ideal backdrop for our party.  Members mingled on the back patio while Chas played music.  Shared Blessings cooked our pork steaks for us and were given $1000 for their Food Pantry along with donated items from the Rotarians.   Amy Elliott kicked things off at 7:45.  Neal inducted two new members and received the Lois J Arnold award for his work this year on the Membership Committee.   Ron and the new board were installed for the 2013-2014 year and Greg was thanked to his service to the club.  Ron recognized his new committee chairs and the meeting was adjourned back to the patio to clean up the left over beer and wine.

It was a good time for all until someone broke the bottle opener. But, like a good neighbor, Mike P. was there with his shoe.  I wish I had a picture of him in action. Folks, that is just something you will have to see for yourselves.

A President Signs Off

This is the last newsletter that I will be pulling double duty on, as Club President.  Next week I will slip into the comfortable roll of Past President and continue as one of the many Rotarians that plug along and do the work that needs done to have a successful rotary club.  As this week ends our Rotary year, it is filled with activity.   We have the the clock dedication this Thursday at noon. We have our year end party Thursday evening. There are committee meetings with the new President and this blog to write.

Clock Dedication.  We will be meeting at the clock at noon to dedicate the clock and recognize those who made this project happen.  The media will be attending.  Please make it a point to join us for this event.

Year End Party.  
There is a meat rubbing party Wednesday night at Ron's house. If you would like to join us,  be at Ron's house at 7pm.  Helping Hands food pantry will be cooking the steaks for us. Please bring a case of food to donate at the door. They are very low right now and there are many in our community in need. As we celebrate the end of a great year, we will be doing so in Hawaiian fashion.  Make sure you are styling with your Hawaiian gear. Drinks start to flow at 6pm, dinner at 7pm followed by recognition and induction of the new board and president.  This is one of the best meetings if the year and you don't want to miss out.  

I want to thank you for making this year a great year for me.   It is a great pleasure to lead the best club in Rotary.  I am very proud of each of you for your dedication to service and to our community. Thank you! 

Least we Forget....

The men and women who put themselves in harms way are our everyday hero's.  We think about sending care packages during times of rife and the media is there when our soldiers come home.  However, there is a story after the story.  Laurie Turpin was introduced by Steve Steinway.  Her organization helps Vets following their active service.  8.9 million Vets are receiving benefits.  1000 of those Vets live in Hendricks County and there is over 40 million dollars in benefits coming into the count from those Vets.  Laurie helps fill out the paperwork for VA claims and pensions.  There are also other benefits like the VA hospital and the Old Soldiers Home in Lafayette.

Welcome to Kevin Hill as our newest member and Kevin Spears will complete his two weeks by the night of our Year End Party.  Happy to have them join us.

The concert on the square was this weekend.  I look forward to hearing more about how things went.

We gave $10,000 to Sycamore Services this week.  The money was raised from our annual golf outing.  It was a great honor to be able to present the check to Pat Cockrum.

Ron will be at the helm this week.... be kind to him.  Don't need him running for the hills before he starts his year.  See you all in two weeks.  Greg

Take me out to the ball game...

A very enthusiastic Danny O'Malia was our speaker representing the Indianapolis Indiana's as one of their speakers bureau. He started by telling us the colorful history of one of the first pitchers "Only" Nolan, Telling us about Hank Aaron being one of the Indians "Clowns" other of the famous names that have gone though the Indians Roger Maris, 41-20 is the current and best record as of today.

185,000 people attended games last year, Bush stadium was named after Donnie Bush in 1967 after having two previous names. He gave away a couple sets of free tickets.

Special thanks to Suzanne for taking notes this week.

Terry trying to explain his past.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Jenny Pearcy family for the loss of her father and to the Dave Coleman family for the loss of his Uncle.

Board Meeting will be this Thursday the 13th and it will be held at NSSB's conference room.

Steak for the winners!!!!

I think he pulled a fast one!

Jack of all Trades

There are time in work and life when you open you mouth and wish something else came out.  This week was one of those weeks for me.  Just in that moment that words escape your mouth and your foot then took their place.  I personally told Brad that I was sorry and now I am coming clean to all of our Club.  I am sorry to have mentioned those words on Thursday.  As Rotarians, we should and need to be conducting business with other Rotarians.  Those business dealings should be "beneficial to all concerned."  Brad has been giving service above self and Rotary is forever thankful.

This week was an adjustment to the schedule.  Needing to come up with a program on short notice, I leaned on a good friend and Coach, Jack Klemeyer.  Jack is the founder of GYB Coaching and Chamber University.  GYB stands for Grow Your Business.  Jack has been working lately with the Hendricks County Economic Development.  Together they have developed Excel.  Excel is for small businesses who need someone to talk to.  Companies can have growing pains.  Jack and his team work to create a network and a MasterMind to help those companies.  CEO Roundtables also help to build that support network.  Scholarships are available through the Chamber of Commerce in all towns in the county.

Tracie is needing people to sign up for Summer Sounds on the Square.  You can e-mail Tracie directly here.

Heath is needing people to sign up to help with the Park2Park Relay.  You can e-mail Heath directly here.

Please sign up for the pitch in for our Year End Party.  Please see Jenny Pearcy for the sign

up sheet.

I received word today the Dave Coleman's Uncle Dick passed away.  Please keep David and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Straight from Heath on the Golf Outing....

As I mentioned in the last meeting, we will be having our celebratory lunch for the winners of the golf outing fundraising competition on Thursday 6/6. The winners will be dining on prime rib. Winners – please bring your appetites.

Here are the final results:

1^st – Claret Jugsmen –   Team Leader Ron Bockstahler

                                 
Members: DonDodson Michael Williams, Danny Rinehart, Charlie Jones, Harold Hiser, Jerry Weed, Max Poynter, and Heath Allen

2^nd – AbsenTEES -                          Team Leader - Doug Catt

3^rd – Mac’sMulliganizers –            Team Leader – Jon McDugle

4^th – Swinging Kilts -                      Team Leader – Terry Kessinger

5^th – Dugan’s Duffers -                  Team Leader – Rex Dugan

6^th – Water Magnets -                   Team Leader – Keith Gill

Board Meeting will be held on June 13th and will be held at North Salem State Bank.

There is a Installation Banquet for Incoming District Govoner Dottie Hancock.  Tickets are available for $35 each.  You can see more info and sign up here.

Just In Time...

Three Rotarians walk into a bar... (I know hard to believe). Rotarians Cromer, Catt, VanLaere and former Rotarian Vornholt walk into a bar... After listening for ten minutes on why Doug Catt is a better golfer than Kessinger my mind drifted.  I realize that I had not donw the blog for the week.  

This last week,  Jennifer McPeak was the program chair.  Her guest was Josh Laycock from Brownsburg.  His family runs a print shop and marketing company.   Josh had spent a number of years working for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Josh gave us a history of the Speedway.   Laycock said that it was his family tradition to work at the Speedway.  He was the third generation to work there.  He specialized in marketing the Speedway.  It was a great precursor to the greatest race on earth over the long weekend.

Heath Allen is looking for volunteers to work a water station for the park2park relay on June 15th. Please see Heath or email him if you can help out.

The board meeting has been moved to june 13th and will be at the boardroom at NSSB.  

As for the three Rotarians that walked into the bar.... Catt is still professing his supremacy over all golfers, Cromer is still telling lame jokes (it's ok... he never reads my blogs anyway) and VanLaere is counting down the days until he is past president.

Alternative ending... Three Rotarians walk into a bar... VanLaere and Cromer duck and Catt takes one on the chin. Out.

Drive for Show, Putt for Dough

Greg Zusan trying to find the pin.

This week was our very own Harold Martin Open.  110 golfers descended on Twin Bridges Golf course.  The beer carts were full of liquid refreshments.  The beer cart drivers (The Hotties and the Cougars) were assigned to parts of the course.  There was a lot of smack talk among the drivers both of the beer carts and those with clubs in the hand.  As golfers arrived, everyone was signing in, purchasing last minute muliagain's, raffle tickets, and the 50/50.  After lunch, golfers hit the putting green and awaited the shotgun start.

Greg VanLaere and Pat Cockrum spoke briefly to the golfers about Rotary and Sycamore Services.  Buford followed up with some rules of the road for our attendees.  The weather held off and it was a great day on the links.  Golfers were laughing and carring on, while others were chasing down the beer cart.  Par or better was the suggestion.  Some say that golf is a wonderful walk spoiled by a little white ball.

I was happy to put together a team of the Hendricks County Rotary Club Presidents.  Greg Zusan, Max Hank, Scott Norris and myself.  It was great Rotary fellowship and quite the swan song as we wrap up our year of leading our clubs.  As the day wound down, golfers made their way back to the club house for the 50/50 and the raffle.  Heath Allen and Flory Phillips lead a active golf outing committee to a successful outing.  Thanks to all who worked to make this a success.

Tonight at the Danville Town Hall Meeting, the Town of Danville made the Mayberry Cafe a landmark, announced that May 20th will be forever a local holiday with parades and laughing children, and gave Brad and Christine the Keys to the Town... well maybe that is not how it all went down, but Brad and Christine were recognized for their assistance in attracting tourists to the Danville community.  Way to go Brad and Christina.