Bay City Morning Rotary Club History

Brief History:

On October 10, 1989, a request was made by the Rotary Club of Bay City, MI, to undertake the formation of a new club known as the Morning Rotary Club of Bay City. The territorial limits were to be the same as the Bay City Rotary Club--that is, all of Bay City and Bay County.

Robert Sanborn was appointed as the Governor’s special representative, and a committee of nine Rotarians was appointed to establish the provisional club.

The incorporating meeting of the Morning Rotary Club of Bay City was held February 1, 1990, at The Lion’s Den with incorporators Robert Fudge, Richard Gustafson, Robert Sanborn and Gerald VanAlst voting for the following slate of directors: Jerry Marchlewicz, Bob Sanborn, Mel Adelman, Dave Quimby as Treasurer, Connie Deford as Secretary, Bob Fudge as President-elect, and Jerry VanAlst as the club’s first President. Our Constitution and Bylaws were adopted at this incorporating meeting.

The names of 34 members were provided to Rotary International as Charter members of the Club and regular meetings commenced in February, with the first board of directors meeting March 1, 1990. Programs were scheduled for the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

On April 25, 1990, the Noon Club celebrated their 75^th Anniversary at the Country Club. On that same day, Rotary International chartered the Bay City Morning Club.

Detailed History: Through The Years - The Bay City Morning Rotary Club

On October 10, 1989, a request was made by the Rotary Club of Bay City, MI, to undertake the formation of a new club known as the Morning Rotary Club of Bay City. The territorial limits were to be the same as the Bay City Rotary Club – that is, all of Bay City and Bay County.

Robert Sanborn was appointed as the Governor’s special representative, and a committee of nine Rotarians was appointed to establish the provisional club.

The incorporating meeting of the Morning Rotary Club of Bay City was held February 1, 1990, at The Lion’s Den with incorporators Robert Fudge, Richard Gustafson, Robert Sanborn and Gerald VanAlst voting for the following slate of directors: Jerry Marchlewicz, Bob Sanborn, Mel Adelman, Dave Quimby as Treasurer, Connie Deford as Secretary, Bob Fudge as President-elect, and Jerry VanAlst as the club’s first President. Jerry was accused of being chauvinistic, but he brought me into the club because he needed a Secretary. You can draw your own conclusions. Our Constitution and Bylaws were adopted at this incorporating meeting.

The names of 34 members were provided to Rotary International as Charter members of the Club and regular meetings commenced in February, with the first board of directors meeting March 1, 1990. Programs were scheduled for the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

On April 25, 1990, the Noon Club celebrated their 75^th Anniversary at the Country Club. On that same day, Rotary International chartered the Bay City Morning Club. Charter members who are still active in our club include Mel Adelman, Connie Deford, Neil Kent, Dave Quimby, Stan Teliczan, Tim Tobin and Steve Welter.

In June, 1990, the first fund raiser was authorized – This consisted of the proposed sale of 200 $100 tickets with prizes of $5,000, $2,500, $1,000 and $500. The projected income from this project was $10,500, although we didn’t make quite that much money. When the prizes were awarded, in December, state of the art equipment was used. The sold tickets were pinned onto a board, and then eliminated one by one, by drawing a numbered chip out of a butter dish. These have been archived for posterity.

Also in June, the first fund raiser for the Women’s Center was approved calling for the donation of all types of towels. The Board of Directors approved sharing costs with the Noon Club for storage of medical equipment to be shipped to Turkey – our very first International project. Three new members were approved in June, including Mike Hanisko.

Charter night was held on July 11, 1990, at the Elks Club at a cost of $15 per person. 91 members and guests were present, including representatives from the Akron, Alma, Bay City, Frankenmuth, Midland, Midland Morning, Pigeon and Saginaw Valley Clubs, as well as Past, Present and Incoming District Governors.

Harry Farris served as MC and Jim Griffiths provided entertainment as “The Great Rotariac,” impersonating Johnny Carson’s character by holding an envelope to his forehead and providing the answer to the question in the sealed envelope. The act was a hit enhanced by the $30 costume rental paid by our club. Those attending received mementos of a Rotary mug and pen, and door prizes were provided by area businesses.

We received gifts from the following area clubs: $25 each from Elkton, Saginaw Valley, Millington, and Vassar; $50 each from Caro, Midland Morning, and Mt. Pleasant; the club banner from the Frankenmuth Club; and from our sponsoring Bay City Club, in addition to the $500 in chartering fees to Rotary International, gifts of our bell and gavel as well as a monetary contribution of $1,000.

Under the leadership of Bob Fudge in 1990, the club continued to meet at The Lion’s Den. A fruit medley (consisting of melon, peaches and grapes) was on the menu each week. The first week it was still frozen, the second week it was beginning to turn brown, and the third week it was fermented. You knew, then, that the next week the fruit would once again be frozen. Rick Lyon was approved for membership.

Interesting programs were provided, including Doug Campbell’s delightful talk about sheep castration in Argentina, and Dr. Pfenninger’s colorful slide presentation showing the results of sexually transmitted diseases.

In August 1990, Suzie Pederson’s application was approved, bringing total membership to 39. The club began assigning new members as Greeters for a period of 60 days. It was reported that six loads of linens had been delivered to the Women’s Center. Classification speeches (now known as the 5-minute Rotarian) were offered when no program was scheduled. In October, the Club purchased our American flag and standard.

In December, Joyce Hardy and Doug Wirt were approved for club membership. Plans begun for an all night Rotary Rock-In for intermediate students at Handy and Western Schools. Due to many complications, however, the event was not held.

Approval was given for President-elect Tim Tobin to attend the PETS conference. The Club agreed to sponsor up to 5 students to attend the leadership camp, Camp Rotary and adopted two miles of highway (M-25) from Euclid Avenue to approximately 3 Mile Road.

The Club approved a bi-weekly publication, The Morning Drift, to be available at our meetings. Our club banner, designed by Scott Friebe, was presented with a view of the City Hall building from the west with the sun depicted by the Rotary emblem rising in the east and the tower clock showing the time 7:15.

In July 1991, President Tim Tobin took over the reigns of the club, still meeting at The Lion’s Den, still dealing with the frozen/brown/fermented fruit issue. Members were making noises about moving to a different location. Sale of a $5 raffle ticket for 20 weeks based on the 3-digit lottery numbers each Thursday was authorized. (This was the forerunner of our Holiday Cash drawing for 20 days in December.) In September 1991, Father Jack Gentner and Kevin Dykema were admitted to membership.

The Women’s Center was designated for monthly contributions from the club. In January 1992, Walt Moore was admitted to membership. On February 22 of that year, a fellowship dinner was held for members and guests at Saginaw Valley State University Marshall Fredericks Gallery with 69 in attendance. In April, Ed Keating’s membership was approved.

Fred Murawski became President in July 1992, and each week regaled us with a story of where he had found a penny the week before (even one on top of the roof of the Central Fire Station). The Board authorized a move for the club to Washington Place, even though the meeting fee might have to be raised slightly for the higher cost of meal, tax and tip. The move was accomplished just one step ahead of the IRS closing the Den.

Club membership was 46. On December 3, three bylaw amendments were adopted dealing with staggering of director terms, time for election of a sergeant-at-arms, and method of voting on club business. The suggestion that members donate $100 annually in lieu of selling raffle tickets or working fund raisers was met with resistance, with Mel Adelman noting that “We are a service club, not a check writing club.”

Food choices at Porky’s (formerly known as Washington Place) were varied, and many times consisted of whatever had been on the buffet the night before, including broccoli salad and butterscotch pudding. Mel Adelman continued his pitch for innovative make-ups and singing at club meetings. The Club assumed responsibility for two flower planters being placed in the Wenonah Park belvedere area.

In July 1993, both Bay City clubs had women presidents for the first time, Pat Vance for the Noon Club and yours truly for our club. This was such a break with tradition that we made the cover of the Town Crier. Our club’s second woman president, Karen Brown, was admitted to membership that year. Members were again making noises about moving to a different location. The President concluded each meeting with a “thought for the week” such as “If you were arrested for kindness, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

A Reserve Fund Policy was adopted, allocating 25% of budget as an Emergency Reserve Fund with the remainder of excess over the 25% reserve to be allocated equally between Major Projects Fund and a Current Projects Fund.

Criteria for our scholarship program were established, and four scholarships were awarded. A bus trip to Le Miserable was a successful fund raising effort. Rick Steele joined the Club, and programs were planned for the first three weeks of the month with committee meetings scheduled on the fourth Thursday. A policy and procedures for community service projects was adopted.

Based on concerns regarding our meeting location and after a research committee had checked with other area restaurants, the Board approved another move in April – this time to the Linden Hof Restaurant with a $2 increase in breakfast cost.

For the first time, our Club participated in the “Paint N Pride” project with ten Rotarians from the Noon Club assisting. The first joint meeting with the Noon Club was held at the Bay County Historical Museum.

The new President in July 1994 was Dave Quimby. Bill Coberly was admitted to membership. Two representatives visited our sister city, Goderich, Ontario, but efforts to establish their club as a Sister Rotary Club were unsuccessful.

The Club participated in a Riverwalk Fest by providing entertainment by a clown who made animal balloons – there was only one problem – there was a mix-up in the dates. The clown worked four hours distributing balloons at the park on August 18, even though the event was September 18. Additional funding assured his presence at the actual event as well as at one of our club meetings. A bus trip in December to see Miss Saigon was a successful fund raiser.

Rick Lyon found the way to get out of providing future Rotary meeting programs by showing the Paul Harris video. Although he suggested donating this tape to the Noon Club, it has been archived so that other women will not be subjected to its viewing.

Members of the Noon Club attended our February 23, 1995, meeting to celebrate Rotary’s 80^th Anniversary. A live window display in the former Knepp’s building was co-sponsored by both Bay City Clubs and won an award for best district celebration of the event. Membership was approved for Sue LaRue and Russ Welchli. Liability insurance was purchased for the protection of club officers and directors.

For the first time, we participated with the Noon Club in hosting a Group Study Exchange team. We also made a major contribution to the Central High School student exchange program with Russia.

President Steve Welter, aka the boxer, Butterbean, began his term in July 1995. It proved to be a year of membership growth with Jerry Coleman, Jane Hagen, John Hiner, Judy Nash, Steve Nowak and Tom Tabor joining the club. Our President learned about using MRSSUN for preparing the board agenda. The spring fund raiser was a bus trip to the Wharton Center in East Lansing for The Phantom of the Opera.

Our President in July 1996, was Walt Moore. On August 8, District Governor Elbert Heath visited our club and proved to be an ungrateful guest – offering unwarranted criticism of our president and our club. That’s why Walt is usually absent when district governors come to call.

Our fall fund raising event for our scholarship fund, “Hacking the Hiner at the Hof” with John Hiner’s locks being shorn by then-member Dawn Davis, raised $1,720. Craig Bishop, Carmella D’Addezio, Kay Salogar, Rita Smith and Shaun Sullivan were admitted to membership during Walt’s term. Jerry VanAlst was made a life member of the club. Dues were increased $25 semi-annually for the purpose of funding community service projects.

In July, 1997, Mike Hanisko became Club President. Doug Wirt donated use of his docks as a fund raiser for viewing of the fireworks. The weekly 50-50 drawing was changed, so that there would be two drawings, one for $10 and the other for a chance to draw the ace of spades from a deck of cards to win the accumulated funds. During the year, Chris Chesny, Kurt Fogelsonger, Bruce Moore, Ken Piotrowski and Bob Wilson were admitted to membership. A bus trip to Detroit to see Riverdance and a planetarium event were successful fund raisers.

President Rick Steele took over the reigns in July 1998. Once again, mostly because of food safety concerns, the club decided to move its meeting location – moving to The Lantern in July 1998. During this Rotary year, Father Peter Cominos, Mike McHugh, Mark Prokopenko and Tom Rinness became members. In March, we participated with the Noon Club on Career Development Day. An Appledore Cruise was a popular fund raiser.

On July 1, 1999, Karen Brown began her term as President. During the past year, Whit Dempsey, Deb Fogelsonger, Tim Kelly, Gene Kramer, Frank Quinn and Mike Staudacher have become members and Sue LaRue and Russ Welchli were readmitted to membership. We currently have 47 members, including our one Honorary Member, Jerry VanAlst.

Our gift this past year to the newly formed Birch Run Club was 30 lapel pins. A Member Incentive Program was initiated, with each sponsor of a new member eligible to win $100 in a drawing held June 29, 2000. For the first time, we approved a Club Strategic Plan, with the committee ably chaired by Chris Chesny. A bylaw amendment changing from an annual audit (which had never been done) to an annual financial review was approved.

Our 10^th Anniversary celebration was held on May 5 at Hereford and Hops with all past and present Club members invited. The gala evening featured entertainment by Bob Bloenk and recognition by our current and incoming District Governors. Officers of the Noon Club were also in attendance.

With budgeted club funds and a generous donation from Monitor Sugar Company, the club purchased an anniversary memento for each club member, which will be distributed today.

It has been an interesting trip down memory lane, reviewing the past 10 years of club minutes. I hope that I’ll still be around to review them for our 15^th , 20^th and 25^th anniversaries – but maybe that’s stretching it!