While no birthdays were celebrated this week, Steve Cooper was recognized for his 50th Rotary anniversary. It's too bad he wasn’t in attendance to receive his recognition. We had a huge cash bonus for him, but you had to be present to win.
Jay Eastman was happy to announce that Casa Colibri was recently given a Charity Navigator Four-Star rating. A four-star rating is given to organizations that score 90 or above in Charity Navigator’s review and are considered “Exceptional.” Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that Casa Colibri adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way.
Linda Eastman thanked Roger Roller for giving her group an outstanding tour of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Roger is a relatively new docent at the DIA.
Carol Franciosi and Tom Neveau encouraged people to drop off hurricane clean-up supplies at Lino’s North at Silver Bell and Adams. Lino’s is filling up a second truck to go down to people in North Carolina.
Ron Lichtle was happy to be heading north for some hunting this coming Thursday.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ernie Schaefer presented a Paul Harris Award to George Krozier who now has his second Paul Harris Award. The Club will match member donations up to $500. Contact Ernie to check your account status.
Rotary Gateway Park cleanup is Saturday, October 19th, from 8 to 11 a.m. All are welcome!
Vern Pixley was recognized for his generous annual contribution of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation’s efforts to eradicate polio. Vern’s late father, Don, a Rotarian, was a polio survivor and lived with its impacts throughout his life.
Several Rotary social events are planned for 2024 – 2025, including
- Octoberfest at Rochester Mills Beer Company on October 23 from 6 – 8 p.m. The Club will supply the appetizers; you can order drinks from the cash bar.
- Mark your calendar for the Club’s annual Christmas Party on December 12th.
- There will be another Charcuterie Party in February
- The Beer and Wine Tasting will be held in April, and
- In May, there will be a Happy Hour at the Rochester Corner Bar.
The Club Board proposed a bylaws amendment to remove the Assistant Secretary position. A vote will be held on October 22. Questions can be directed to any board member.
Frank Rewold will serve as guest pizza chef at Parc 600 in the Royal Park Hotel on Tuesday, October 15th, from 5 to 7 p.m. Ten percent of the evening's proceeds will benefit Rochester Rotary Charities. Reservations can be made by calling 248-453-8732.
Linda Eastman is looking for volunteers for the Shred Polio event at Bordine’s on October 28th, from 9 a.m. to noon. Posters are available to help promote this recycling event.
The club will once again host an informative event on the Rotary Youth Exchange at the Rochester Hills Public Library, upstairs in Room A, on October 14, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. This presentation is designed for students and parents to learn about the 2024 program and ask questions. A former student from Rochester Community Schools will share her experiences and insights to help folks understand what to expect.
SONG LEADER
Bob Lytle and his mighty band of singers led us in singing the Rotary Song to the tune of the Irish National Anthem. We sang the relatively long song twice, which sounded pretty good!
SHERIFF'S REPORT
Sheriff David Blair wanted to send a pitch pipe to songsters Tom Townsend, Pete Duhamel, Jerry Carvey, Bill Ebinger, and Bob Lytle.
Anyone who did not graduate from Rochester Community Schools was hit up for a fine.
Anyone held back a grade in school was charged a holding fee.
Anyone using/drinking/eating pumpkin spice or anything was fined.
Vince was fined for his Halloween costume as a spreadsheet man. We hope it was a fitted sheet!
Sheriff David went on to fine anyone who has already voted, plans to vote early of plans or to vote on election day. He’d be singing a different song if he was up for re-election this year.
A total of $216 in fines was collected, benefiting our scholarship fund.
SPEAKER
Nick Russo, is the new Superintendent of Rochester Community Schools (RSC) Nick came to the District from the Walled Lake Consolidated School District, where he was Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources.
RCS has thirteen elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools, and one early childhood center, serving over 15,000 students. Its annual operating budget is $233.4 million.
The district recently completed a five-year strategic plan that focuses on five key areas: learning, teaching, leadership, professional development, and community engagement.
Several improvements have been made in the areas of safety and security, including door access controls, improved communication with first responders, the installation of security cameras, and improved lighting.
The district partnered with law enforcement to begin the Handle with Care Program, which supports students who have had a traumatic or troublesome situation while away from school.
97% of RCS students graduate, which is the highest public school graduation rate in Oakland County.
Seven out of ten 11th and 12th-grade students have at least one AP® course on their schedule.
Adams. Stoney Creek and Rochester High Schools ranked in the 95th percentile or above for SAT performance in Michigan.
RCS offers a variety of innovative special education programs and services for students from birth through age 26. They offer the most extensive special education program in the county, addressing students with
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Cognitive Impairment
- Deaf-Blindness
- Early Childhood Development Delay
- Emotional Impairment
- Hearing Impairment
- Other Health Impairment
- Physical Impairment
- Severe Multiple Impairment
- Specific Learning Disability
- Speech and Language Impairment
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Visual Impairment
The district has 1,092 certified teachers and administrators, 1,872 employees, and works with five labor groups.
RCS serves 1,800 breakfasts every day and 9,500 lunches.
The school board does not have a cell phone/personal device policy but is working closely with State Representative Mark Tisdel on the statewide legislation he is drafting.
Ron’s good luck continued as Bill Ebinger passed the prized Rotarian of the Week trophy on to Ron DiLiddo for his outstanding job taking care of his wife after her successful surgery.