2020 will be remembered as the year of the pandemic, and we all felt the constriction of quarantine and isolation, however Rotary persevered as it has in Frankfort since 1924.
Our board has been amazing, and has worked hard all this year to bring you the interaction and service that are hallmarks of Rotary. Jay Peregrine has been there when I needed to be away and stepped in selflessly. Our finances have improved dramatically in the past year, thanks in good part to our Treasurer Mitchell Jaworski and our secretary Pat Storrer. We collected many past due accounts adding to our treasury. Pat’s messages each week are entertaining and informative, and she does it without any prompting from me. Programs this year were excellent, and a great big thank you to Jon Armstrong for arranging all these week after week. And we would not have our success without our man in the booth, Bill Collin. Zooming was always smooth.
As I have talked with other clubs throughout the district, many have problems getting members to serve as president, not us. We have Jay as incoming president today and look forward to Judy Remmert and Bill Collin to follow in the coming years. Many clubs also struggle to find interesting programs, but not us. We are scheduled out months in advance with interesting and engaging meetings.
Membership has also been successful this year, we started last year with 46 active and one honorary. Four members left the club during the year and another 6 active members joining and we elected Rick Schmitt as an honorary member. Julie Shumaker has transferred her member ship to our club, so we had a gain of 7 for the year.
Rotary’s motto of service above self was very evident at our club this year. A few reminders:
Our eight winter warmth coat drive for BACN generated much needed winter clothing and $1300 cash.
Bike racks paid for by the club were placed in Frankfort last summer
We provided financial support to the Benzie Symphony, Benzie Historical museum, Born to Read and Dictionary project, Rotary Rose Bowl float, Frankfort graduation night party, recognition of the top ten graduating Frankfort seniors,
Our signature program of awarding graduating seniors scholarships to college and technical schools again gave out $12,000. This program began in 1990 with the creation of the Willoughby Rotary Foundation by the club and has awarded over $360,000 since then. Member donations to the foundation were very strong this year keeping our programs alive.
Rotary member Anibal Pepper’s passion for his home town in Peru inspired rotarians to buy his calendar and make donations for his hospital and school in Arequipa, we received a heartwarming letter of thanks from their rotary club for the more that $12,000 that went to covid relief.
We have also joined forces with the Benzie Sunrise Club to raise money for polio, this year we raised a combined $7236 for the Rotary international foundation to help eradicate polio in the world. The combined clubs have also joined to make grants to the Garden Theater this year and BACN next year, both pledges equal $15,000.
The beautiful Rotary park in Frankfort also received a spring clean up by many rotarians and the periwinkle garden club. We also support that club with a financial donation each year.
So although we were confined to home much of the year, we were not sitting on the couch . Congratulations to all in the Frankfort club for making good things happen in adversity. It has been my honor to lead the club this year and looking back we kept the Rotary spirit alive.
Our first live fundraiser will take place on the Crystal Lake Golf Club and we will return to live meetings on August 4. It will be so good to see all of you again and generate even more success for Frankfort Rotary.