Guests
Youth Programs
Weekly Program Speakers
Dec. 12 - at the Delta
Claire Root-Benson introduced her guests from Muskegon Public Schools, instructor Ebony Davis and Muskegon Interact Club member Akyla Lewis, one of our presenters
Jay Wallace brought just about his whole family: From left, in laws Brenda and Steve Leafer, wife J'Nai, parents (former Rotarian) J.D. and Linda Wallace and Jay and J'Nai's daughter Findley. She is president of the Mona Shores Middle School Interact Club and was one of her presenters
Please save your returnables this holiday season to help Rotary Interact students with great financial need for upcoming international service in El Salvador, Honduras and Youth Exchange costs.  Our goal is to raise $1,000 by mid-January so please start collecting and share with your friends and family.  Feel free to bring your pop cans to noon Rotary meetings on Dec. 5, 12, 19 and January 9.  If you have a large amount of returnables or can’t bring them to the specified lunch meetings, let us know and we will pick them up from you.  Please contact John Noling at johnnoling65@gmail.com or call/text at 231-670-3740 or Esther Ricco at riccoe@gvsu.edu  or call/text to 616-283-1810 to arrange a pick up. Thank you for your continued support of our Interact students!!!
Carla Flanders gave us a "by the numbers" summary on the successful Oct. 24 Harvest Fest event at Baker College's Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM). 
  • 32 Silent Auction items
  • 263 event tickets secured which includes sponsors and volunteers, with 250 attendees showing up.
  • raised $2,500 to for CIM student scholarships and $1,000 for the Baker Rotaract Club.
  • More than $21,000 Net Income that will go to the Rotary Foundation to help support the many community activities we participate in. That compares to $14,000 Net Income from last year's inaugural Harvest Fest!!
  • Stay tuned as we finalize a late October 2025 date for our next Harvest Fest and check presentations to Baker's students!
President Tim called the meeting to order and as everyone stood, he joked we could give ourselves a standing ovation for making it on such a snowy, blustery day!
Doug Wood introduces our Peace Builders program of young leaders talking about what peace means to them
Meredith Smillie introduces her husband Trent and their son Connor. A videotaped interview of Connor, past president of the Mona Shores High School Interact Club, was part of the program but he was able to also attend in person because of a snow day for school!  
Jason Piasecki introduces his guest Bari Dexter
Muskegon High School Interact Student Akyla Lewis reads her poem about what peace means to her.
Mona Shores Middle School Interact Club President Findley Wallace shares what peace means to her.
John Noling shares with us details about a special pop can drive organized by our ReWine Satellite club to raise $1,000 to help two Muskegon High School students who have demonstrated financial challenges but are working on raising money to participate in Rotary leadership programs. One is looking to be an international exchange student next year and the other intends to go to El Salvador. Please see John (with more info in the RIM) if you have cans you can donate!
Put all our members on your smartphone for a quick dial connection. You will be glad you did.
Andy Buelow provided the reflection
Pete DeBoer introduces his guest Kayla Kolbe
Tom Palmer introduces his guest Jerry Conrad. Jerry is a past Rotarian and is interested in rejoining our club
Meredith Smillie shares with us what Brave Rotarians who were "kicked off the island" this week as Mike Vogas spun the wheel of misfortune. Each of the Brave Rotarians originally in the contest contributed $100 to the Rotary Foundation. After a couple more weekly spins, the two remaining Brave Rotarians will have a $1,000 Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow granted to them in their name.
After being introduced by his Pioneer Resources colleague Jill Bonthuis, new member Greg Sischo is formally inducted into our Club by President Tim.
Cathy Brubaker-Clarke, a member of the Peace Builders Committee, thanks the students for their participation and led a table discussion on the topic of peace.
Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga shared with us there's still room for more participants in the February trip to Honduras to work on a new library.