Here are the highlights from the November 8th board meeting.
 
    Call to Order
President Dave Frost called the meeting to order with the following members present:                            
Jill Ackerman, Paul Crow, Anne Decker, Peggy Ehora, Susan Hubbell, David Runk, and Tracie Sanchez.  Also present were Treasurer Kevin Bill and Secretary Rita Brown.
 
   Secretary’s Report    Rita Brown
   Attendance Report
Brown shared the October Attendance Report which shows membership at 171 with limited membership changes – one termination in October.  Brown also included two membership graphs.
Makeup of the club indicates membership is:           Mix of male and female is:
10% under one year                                                    75% male      
25%    1 – 5 years                                                       25% female   
15%   5 – 10 years
25%  10 – 20 years
20%  over 20 years
 
On a very positive note:  Attendance in October was 54.02% which indicates nearly a 7% increase since July.
                      
     President’s Report Dave Frost
World Polio Day, celebrated on October 24, went very well.  The Polio Day flag is still flying in downtown Lima.  Fifty –one members of The Lima Club contributed to Polio Plus that day in the amount of $2,430.  The program will be continued in the future.
 
     Lima Rotary Coat & Canned Food Drive 
A flyer will be emailed out in November to club members announcing a Coat and Canned Food Drive.  The coats will be donated to the Salvation Army and the canned food will be donated to the Food Bank.  Presentations will be made at the Club Christmas Party on December 12, 2016.
 
     Interact Update   
The Interact Students from Bath High School will attend a club meeting to have a “Pinning Ceremony” similar to the Rotaract Club event held at the November 7 club meeting. 
 
     Rotaract Update
The club is undertaking projects and will be helping with the Food Bank once a week.  They will be active in the Tutoring Program at the Lima Schools.   They are also active with Lima Memorial Hospital and at the Animal Shelter.  They have asked for an opportunity to do Job Sharing with members of the Rotary Club in like professions.  Frost will reach out to Rotarians.  Also Rotarians will be asked to reach out to the students who will not be going home for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and to have the students with them for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas meals.
 
     Little Free Library Update
Ackerman brought a nearly completed example made by the Lima Senior Shop Program!   Frost has been working with Rick Stolly from the City Park District about locating them in City Parks near the playgrounds.  Currently, the Park District has eight playground sites located around the City of Lima.  The Park District has given the Lima Rotary Club the green light to proceed with those eight locations.  Also one will be place at Bradfield Center and at the Health Partners of West Central OH.  Other locations mentioned include the Gazebo in downtown Lima, Art Space and the Senior Citizens Center on West Elm Street.  The Club could place 12 – 15 immediately.  The Board discussed painting them in bright colors with the Rotary Logo design included on the structure.  Wording could also include “Take a book – Leave a book.”
 
     Speech contest
Ackerman updated the Board on the Rotary 4-Way Speech Contest.  Four area high schools have agreed to participate.  They include Lima Central Catholic, Shawnee, Elida and Lima Senior.  Three students from each school will be advanced and will present at a Rotary Club meeting. 
 
The 4-Way Essay Contest will also include Middle School Students from those schools districts.
 
     President Elect Report            Tracie Sanchez
Dictionary Distribution Recap - the one day blitz on October 26 at fourteen schools was a great success.  Seventeen Rotarians distributed 1007 dictionaries to 3rd graders in Allen County.
 
     Fall 2016 Blood Clinic Recap
The Blood Clinic was held this past Saturday November 5 with revenue of $25,475.  The Club is waiting for the invoice from Lima Memorial Hospital for the testing before the profit can be determined.  In 2014, revenue was $18,252 with 371 patients; in 2015, revenue was $31,315 with 487 patients.  Number of patients at this clinic is not currently known but fourteen Rotarians volunteered their service. 
 
     Christmas Auction
The Club will hold the Annual Christmas Raffle chaired by Dan Bucher.  It will be held on December 12 and tickets will be out soon.  The OSU Acappella Group will perform.  They will sing from 11:30 – 1.  We will have a Christmas luncheon and dessert.
 
     Special Needs Christmas Party 
Esther Baldridge reports the party planning is on schedule with a date set for December 10.  Participating children will be signed up within the next couple of weeks.  Next committee meeting is set for November 28 at 11:30 AM in Room 6 at the VMCCC.
 
     Salvation Army Bell Ringing
The date has been set for Saturday December 17 from 9 AM – 5 PM. Rotarians will be working two-hour shifts at four locations in the Lima Mall.  Drew Fields will be looking for volunteers and making announcements to the Club starting the week of November 21.
 
     Past Presidents Report           David Runk          
New Member Drive Ideas - John Ficorilli indicated he is working on a Membership Brochure and will have a final draft by the end of the week.  The Young Professionals will be invited to club meetings.  And it was also suggested that members of the Allen Lima Leadership Group be invited to a meeting.
 
     Member Retention Ideas   
A script is being put together for the Membership Committee to use when calling members who do not regularly attend club meetings. 
 
     New Business                  Rita Brown
A resignation was received from Tom Biddle who is moving to Florida.  Runk made a motion to accept his resignation with regret and to zero his balance.  Decker seconded the motion.  Board approved.
                                                                                   
     Adjournment
A motion was made by Crow to adjourn and seconded by Ackerman.  Board approved.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
 
Respectfully submitted
 
Rita Brown
Lima Rotary Club Secretary