If you couldn't join us on March 10, you were missed! We had 40 in attendance, including Gail Lucas (self-described as the speaker’s mother and lackey), Mefi Barrera, Tessa Lucas, Marissa Strock, Scott Hartsell, Kayla Jones, an intern with Bree Clawson, and Chris Pass, a potential new member.
INVOCATION
Jerry Carvey gave today’s invocation.
FIFTEENTH HANDSHAKE
This week’s greeter, Stuart Siegner, declared Linda Eastman the lucky member to go fine-free!
ROTARIAN OF THE WEEK
Christine Hage passed the Rotarian of the Week award on to Phil Lowman because he is a fun-loving guy, an easy target for our sheriffs, and adds a lot of joy to our weekly meetings. He makes us all proud to be Rotarians.
HAPPY BUCKS
Vito Pampalona shared that patients are beginning to arrive at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center from the war in Iran. Even though the U.S. does not yet have boots on the ground, it’s a good reminder to keep the injured—and the dedicated doctors, nurses, and caregivers who serve them—in our prayers.
Karen Joyce offered a lighter, fun update: her mother, Joyce Joyce, has been happily glued to her iPad watching the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Joyce has attended the race twice in person and has been a faithful fan for many years, cheering on the teams as they make their incredible journey across Alaska.
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Bob Potere and Don Hobley are celebrating birthdays this coming week, even though they are unable to attend our meetings. Celebrating Rotary anniversaries are Cyndee Andrews, Tom Asmus, Don Hobley, and Brian Griffin.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Don’t forget—Wine Tasting tickets are still available! Special member offers are underway. For $100, members can receive a ticket, a sheet of raffle tickets, and avoid the online processing fee. Watch your email for details, and be sure to check out the great deals posted on the Club website. Cheers! 🍷
Annette Werner will be away from Rotary for about six weeks after a fall that resulted in a shattered dominant right arm. She must keep the arm immobile while it heals and is currently recovering at a dear friend's home in Clinton Township (19314 Mahogany Lane, Clinton Twp, 48038). A note, a card, or a little Rotary cheer would surely brighten her days as she recovers.
SONG LEADER
And it must be getting close to St. Patrick’s Day, it’s time to put corned beef on your shopping list! Jerry Carvey got everyone in the spirit by leading the group in singing Cockles and Mussels, followed by When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.
SHERIFF'S REPORT
The Sheriff Peter Stuhlreyer strutted into the meeting, ready to remind everyone that 150 years ago, on March 10th, Alexander Graham Bell made the first-ever telephone call to his assistant, Thomas Watson, in Boston, on March 10, 1876. Bell’s famous words—“Mr. Watson, come here – I want to see you”—traveled from one room to another through his experimental device. Nine little words… and boom, the world changed.
Which brings the Sheriff to the modern-day miracle of technology at the Rotary table: Jerry Carvey answering his phone during the meeting. Apparently, history repeats itself. Consider it the “Watson Call.” Jerry, that’ll be $5. 📞
Meanwhile, in college hoops, the #3-seeded Detroit Mercy Titans are taking on top-seeded Wright State Raiders in the 2026 Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship for an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. Any U of D grads in the room? Five dollars. Any Jesuits? That’ll be $20. Divine intervention costs extra.
The Sheriff also noted that the zodiac calendar says we’re currently under Pisces, a sign known for being highly emotional. But after witnessing the dramatic (or rather, completely non-dramatic) Rotarian of the Week handoff from Christine Hage to Phil Lowman, the Sheriff initially declared that Phil clearly wasn’t a Pisces after giving Christine what looked suspiciously like the cold shoulder. Correction! The Sheriff later admitted he was wrong—Phil kissed Christine’s hand. So apparently chivalry isn’t dead… just briefly misunderstood. 💁♂️
Speaking of fish (which no one actually was), it’s Lent, and the Sheriff took the liberty of reviewing what club members have allegedly given up for the season:
Bryan Barnett, who conveniently wasn’t present, has given up installing Rochester Hills city signs.
Julianne Morian has given up reading… which, for obvious reasons, should probably not be mentioned anywhere near the library.
Tami Salisbury has given up her golf lessons. Just threw in the towel.
Ron Lichtle has given up his weekly mahjong game… mostly because he looks like a mahjong person.
Looking ahead, the Sheriff reminded everyone that March 15 marks the famous assassination of Julius Caesar—better known as the Ides of March. Naturally, the Sheriff searched the room for someone connected to the number 15.
Linda Eastman happened to be the 15th handshake of the day, which would normally make her the obvious target. Unfortunately for the Sheriff, that technicality made her officially unfineable. So in a move worthy of Roman betrayal, the Sheriff fined her entire table instead. Moral of the story: choose your seating wisely.
March 15 also happens to be the release date of Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan, who plays twin brothers in the film. The Sheriff admitted this fact has absolutely nothing to do with anything… except that it reminded him of Vito Pampalona. Why? Because every morning, Vito looks in the mirror and swears he sees George Clooney staring back at him. And honestly, the Sheriff admitted, they are about the same height.
The Sheriff then attempted to identify the smartest person in the room by grilling Vince Mattina with a tech question: When did the Dot-com bubble reach its peak? Vince confidently guessed 1990… which was adorable, since the internet wasn’t even a household thing yet. The correct answer was 2000, meaning Vince unintentionally fined everyone in the room $1 for the classic “dot-com fine.”
Finally, Sheriff Peter closed in the grand tradition of fellow Sheriff David Blair: with a wonderfully terrible joke. The Sheriff noted that today is National Day of Awesomeness, clearly invented by some very confident Gen Xer. Sheriff Peter thought it would be awesome if everyone gave a little extra to the Club. Someone took him literally, and we collected $149.50.
Not bad for a morning of history, sass, and selective justice. 😏
Hockey has been part of Wyatt Lucas’s life since he was four years old. Through the sport, he developed discipline, teamwork, and leadership, values that would later shape a project with a much larger purpose.
Wyatt first came to speak to Rochester Rotary about community service as a teenager. At just 14 years old, he gave a presentation about raising money for an owl habitat and raised roughly $14,000 for the effort. Even then, his commitment to making a difference was clear.
Years later, that same spirit inspired Wyatt’s Eagle Scout project in 2019, which became the foundation for Hockey Mentors, a free program that introduces individuals with disabilities to hockey in an encouraging, inclusive environment.
When the COVID-19 pandemicmade an in-person event impossible, Wyatt adapted. Partnering with the Motor City Veterans Hockey, he created a hockey parody video and donated the proceeds to Special Olympics Michigan. Although the original event had to be postponed, Wyatt promised participants he would eventually host the skate he had envisioned.
In 2022, he fulfilled that promise by organizing the first Hockey Mentors Skate. More than 100 participants, families, and volunteers attended the event, which was funded largely through grassroots efforts—bottle drives, local business donations, and community support, and was completely free for participants. The success of the event led to an unexpected question from participants: When is the next one? That moment changed everything.
Wyatt soon filed the paperwork to make Hockey Mentors an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since then, the program has continued to grow. The most recent annual event in July 2025welcomed more than 250 participants, and the next event is expected to host over 300.
Hockey Mentors provides opportunities for people of all ages and abilitiesto experience skating and hockey. Many participants, aged 2 to 40, are stepping onto the ice for the first time. The program focuses on learning, social connection, and confidence building. Those who become interested in competitive play are introduced to opportunities such as sled hockey teams and other adaptive programs.
To expand access, Wyatt also secured a grant that launched monthly skates from May through November, creating regular opportunities for participants to gather and practice. These events operate on a smaller scale than the annual skate but continue to build community and enthusiasm for the sport.
One of the biggest challenges for the organization is equipment and ice time. Adaptive sleds used in sled hockey can cost $800-$1,000 each, while specialized training aids can cost several hundred dollars more. As the program grows, so does the need for additional equipment to allow more participants to take part safely.
Despite the costs, Wyatt measures success in a very simple way: smiles on the ice. Many families say their children have never had the chance to skate before. Seeing them experience the joy of being on the ice, sometimes for the first time, makes the effort worthwhile.
Today, Wyatt is a senior at Lawrence Technological University, studying Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Technology. Alongside his academic work, he continues expanding Hockey Mentors and is also pursuing his private pilot license.
Through his leadership and dedication, Wyatt has created more than a program—he has built a community where ability, opportunity, and teamwork come together on the ice.
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Christine Hage passed the Rotarian of the Week award on to Phil Lowman because he is a fun-loving guy, an easy target for our sheriffs, and adds a lot of joy to our weekly meetings. He makes us all proud to be Rotarians.
Wyatt Lucas: 
When the COVID-19 pandemic made an in-person event impossible, Wyatt adapted. Partnering with the 
Wyatt soon filed the paperwork to make Hockey Mentors an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since then, the program has continued to grow. The most recent annual event in July 2025 welcomed more than 250 participants, and the next event is expected to host over 300.
One of the biggest challenges for the organization is equipment and ice time. Adaptive sleds used in sled hockey can cost $800-$1,000 each, while specialized training aids can cost several hundred dollars more. As the program grows, so does the need for additional equipment to allow more participants to take part safely.
Despite the costs, Wyatt measures success in a very simple way: smiles on the ice. Many families say their children have never had the chance to skate before. Seeing them experience the joy of being on the ice, sometimes for the first time, makes the effort worthwhile.