Get your tickets now for the Lima Rotary Club's Reverse Raffle on February 18. You could win thousands of dollars while you help raise money for the Lima Rotary Foundation.
Your $100 reverse raffle ticket includes a prime rib/chicken dinner catered by Lock 16, complimentary red and white wine on all tables, a Chinese auction, 50/50 drawing, bingo, tips, and much more...all different ways to win money and support the Lima Rotary Foundation.
It’s one of the things the American Red Cross is most known for, and Monday the Lima Rotary Club added to it.
Before and after West Central Ohio Chapter Executive Director Derek Stemen spoke, Rotarians gave blood during a Red Cross blood drive at the Civic Center.
Stemen spoke, and Rotary hosted the drive, marking the chapter’s 100th anniversary this year. The chapter covers multiple counties in the western corner of the state and carries out the larger Red Cross mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and generosity of donors.
Today, the Red Cross has five missions: disaster relief; lifesaving blood; service to armed forces; preparedness, health and safety services; and international service. Out of each dollar, 91 cents is returned directly to communities, Stemen said. The national benchmark is 60 cents.
The history of the International Red Cross dates back to a man who would eventually receive the first Nobel Peace Prize, Henry Dunant. In the 1800s, he advocated for humane treatment of wounded in battle by neutral parties. The American Red Cross has its roots in Clara Barton, a nurse who took the same attitude about treatment of wounded soldiers during the Civil War. She founded the American Red Cross in 1881. By 1917, the West Central Ohio Chapter was founded, focused on service to members of the military serving in World War I.
The work is local, and far-reaching: The Red Cross is first in line to help a local family after a house fire, and it’s engaged in dangerous support of Syrian refugees, Stemen said.
“But it’s not the what,” Stemen said. “It’s the why. The human connection.”
In other Rotar business Monday:
The Lima Rotary Foundation presented checks to Allen Lima Youth Leadership and Soldiers of Honor Boxing Gym. Each group was awarded $2,000 in foundation grants.
President Dave Frost reminded the club about the Chipotle fundraiser from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday. Anyone with a flyer or a photo of the flyer will help raise money for Polio Plus. Chipotle will donate 50 percent of proceeds from those with the fliers during that time.
The Cleveland Indians want to keep a good thing going.
Bob DiBiasio isn’t letting Sports Illustrated anywhere near the Cleveland Indians.
The team’s vice president for public affairs wasn’t kidding Monday when he spoke to Lima Rotary Club. The sports magazine, known for cursing teams that appear on its cover, featured the Indians ahead of the 2015 season, and let’s just say things didn’t go well.
This year, coming off winning an American League Pennant and losing a heartbreaker to the Chicago Cubs in the World Series, DiBiasio wants no SI treatment, because the team has a good thing going.
“We should provide our fans with a heck of a summer,” DiBiasio said.
With four straight winning seasons and now the reigning American League champions, the Indians need fans to support the team with attendance.
“We now need people to come to the ballpark,” DiBiasio said. “It’s our area of growth.”
The club is headed in the right direction: Season ticket holders have increased from 7,500 last year to currently 11,500. The Indians have spent $30 million on renovations in recent years to attract young adults and families and reward season ticket holders. Progressive Field will be 25 years old when it hosts the All-Star Game in 2019.
Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 14 and Opening Day is about two months away. The team hopes to build on last year’s success, adding designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and left-handed reliever Boone Logan.
Outfielder Michael Brantley, who hasn’t seen a healthy season since 2015, continues to progress, DiBiasio said.
“We won’t know until mid-March,” DiBiasio said about Brantley, adding that by then Brantley should be playing regularly if he’s truly ready to go this season.
In other Rotary business Monday:
Lisa Amstutz announced the UNOH Rotaract Club will hold a bake sale during next week’s Rotary Club meeting, to benefit the UNOH chapter’s work. Club members have been busy volunteering at the West Ohio Foodbank, Lima Developmental Center, and Humane Society of Allen County.
Many tickets remain for the Reverse Raffle planned for Saturday, Feb. 11 at Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center. Tickets are $100 and winners do not need to be present to win. See Jay Begg for tickets.
On Saturday, February 11, 2017 the Bath High School Interact Club hosted a “Father Daughter Dance” at Bath Elementary School for grades K-5. The goal was to support a family friendly event and raise money for a Lima Rotary project. The students planned, organized, and decorated for the dance which was attended by nearly 500 people. The Interact members also held a raffle for attendees to win prizes and ran a photo booth for raise additional funds. The Interact club served cookies and hot chocolate to those in attendance. The theme was “Winter Wonderland.” It was a lot of work as many of the students were at the school for over eight hours which included set up and tear down. The girls and fathers in attendance seemed to have a great time. The girls were proud to show off their new dresses and dance the night away with their dads. The Bath High School Interact Club is proud to donate $500.00 of the proceeds to the Lima Rotary Club “Field of Dreams” Abilities Baseball Field project at UNOH. Overall, the project was a lot of work, but a huge success!
Our Valentine's Day Fundraiser at the Rotary meeting and bake sale at UNOH was a great success!
We were able to raise $713 through purchases of bake goods and donations from students, staff, faculty and Rotary members all for a great cause. Our initial costs were $163, which bring us to profit of $550 that will benefit Child Developmental Center of Lima Memorial Health System.
We also recruited 3 more members thanks to this event, so yay to that!
Here are the highlights from the joint meeting of the Board of Directors of the Lima Rotary Club and the Lima Rotary Foundation on February 14, 2017.
President Dave Frost called the meeting to order with the following members present: Rotary Board of Directors: Jill Ackerman, Paul Crow, Anne Decker, Peg Ehora, Susan Hubbell, David Runk, Tracie Sanchez, Paul Swartz and Jeff Tracy. Also present were Treasurer Kevin Bill and Secretary Rita Brown.
Board of Trustees: President, Dale Lewellen, Jay Begg, Elizabeth Brown-Ellis, Drew Fields, Jeff Fitzgerald, Linda Hamilton, Jeff Sprague, Richard Warren. Also Treasurer Jared Walsh and Secretary Heather Rutz.
President’s Report Dave Frost
Red Cross Blood Drive Recap – February 13, 2017
Frost will present a recap next week. The program, presented by Red Cross Executive Director Derek Stemen, was
excellent. This is the Centennial Year for the Red Cross.
D6600 Grant Management Seminar February 25, 2017
Harold Bischoff, David Runk, Bob Ruehl and Chuck Wolfe are currently signed up to attend the seminar with Bob Ruehl
also being a presenter. In the past, the Lima Club had grant money awarded for the update of the Rotary Pavilion in
Faurot Park and for the purchase of the Dictionaries.
Rotary International Conference in Atlanta in June 2017. Reimbursement Policy
The Club has budgeted $4,000 to send representatives from the club to International Conferences and $2,000 for District Conferences. Currently Dave Frost, Tracie Sanchez, Catheryn Sarno and Bob Ruehl are registered to attend the International Conference. Expenses are anticipated to be around $3,500 per member. Hubbell made a motion to award $1,000 to each one planning to attend. Runk seconded the motion. Board approved.
Celina Rotary Club - Costa Rica Cataract Eye Surgery Mission Trip Funding
The Celina Club applied for a Rotary International grant for funding another mission trip to Costa Rica. The Lima Club was included as a participant again. Lewellen or Frost will share the information with the board so that $2,000 owed by the Lima Club can be appropriated.
Presidential Citation 2016-2017 Rotary, Rotaract & Interact
The Lima Club won the Citation last year and we are well on our way again this year. We are lacking in two areas: Membership – we need a net gain of 2 to 4 new members under the age of 40. Also we are short on the $100 per capita per member to Rotary International. Currently, we are at $48 per member at half year. Also there is a Presidential Citation option for Interact and Rotaract clubs and both are working to fulfill the criteria.
4-Way Speech Contest & 4 Way Essay Contest Dave Frost/Jill Ackerman
i. The 4-Way Lima Speech Contest will be held March 4, 2017 at Lima Senior High School. The winner and two runners-up will speak to the Lima Rotary Club on March 27th.
ii. D6600 Contest Essay Contest will be held April 8, 2017. Esther Baldridge will chair the event and has judges in place. The winner and two runners up will recite their essays to the Lima Club.
Little Free Library Update
Frost indicated a number of venues around town have been selected, including the City Parks. Frost is donating the building materials and the Carpentry Class at Lima Senior is building the libraries. The Club will have a book drive to kick off the new project. Announcing the new Little Free Libraries will occur at a Mayor’s Briefing Press Conference.
Lima Rotary Foundation President Report Dale Lewellen
Grant awards
Lewellen stated to-date; the Foundation Board has $27,981.00 expenditures. The Foundation has stayed within guidelines of awarding $5,000 - $6,000 a quarter. Lewellen asked for discussion around the purpose of the Foundation Board and Rotary Board. The purpose of the annual meeting is to create clear vision, and from what we did last year, the practice hasn’t been done. The Foundation Board needs to know where they stand. If the Foundation has unrestricted funds of $10,000 that amount can be spent in one application cycle and the Foundation could go down to one or two meetings with one round of grant applications. The focus appears to have shifted from the Foundation considering local grants to it being Rotary Board requests. The Foundation Board would like clarity.
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Frost stated the goal and purpose of the Club is to raise funds. The goal of the Foundation is to distribute the funds. Frost shared a work sheet for next year and for the Annual Meeting this Spring. Resolution 1 is fund raisers – some have earmarked expenses, i.e. the Rex Perry Golf Outing proceeds go to the Scholarship Fund. Resolutions 2 – 5 are the expenses against those fund raisers. Rotary club projects listed in Resolution 3 are Pet Projects. The Club raises the funds and they get first right of refusal.
What amount do we want for the club projects and what amount for the Foundation to have as unrestricted funds? The Reverse Raffle is to provide the funds as unrestricted to the Foundation. Frost decided to organize meetings with Fitzgerald, Walsh and Rutz from the Foundation and Frost, Sanchez and Brown from the Board to work through the process
Joint Board Discussion
Treasurer's Report Lima Rotary Foundation Jared Walsh
Walsh stated the report presented was as to the standing on Dec 31, 2016. Buenos Niches Fund is from member contributions with no ongoing income. The Scholarship Fund has a great deal of fund raising. The General Fund began with $57,768 and at this time has a balance of $47,315. It has hovered around $50,000 and it may go to the last meeting with very little income. In the past, Boards have gone into the General Fund income and Endowment Fund income. The Endowment Fund shows the disbursement to the baseball field of $100,000. Drum Line has its own fund now.
Walsh stated it is bad business to spend more than is readily coming in and Walsh has encouraged being cautious. The Foundation still has income to come in from the Reverse Raffle, and the Spring Blood Clinic and as stated right now, the Foundation will be spending project income to break even. Historic guidelines have been to stick to $6,000 per quarter and keep the General Fund around $50,000. The Foundation can access the Endowment Fund each year with a unanimous vote of the entire Board. Walsh and Frost agreed that a team should be put together to consider all five resolutions of the Annual Meeting. The Club and Foundation should approve and take the proposal to the members.
Treasurers Report Lima Rotary Club Kevin Bill
Bill indicated the club is pretty much flat in collecting receivables. And the Finance Committee is monitoring those on the 90> day list. At that point a member of the committee reaches out to them to discuss next steps. Bill indicated the club is very close to budget. Warren made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s report and Tracy seconded the report. Board approved.
Board Seat Nominations Rita Brown/Heather Rutz
The Slates of Candidates for both Boards were presented. Three candidates will be elected for each board and each member will serve a term running from July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2020. A combined ballot will be sent to Club Members as soon as next week with a goal of results being tallied by mid-March 2017.
Candidates for the Rotary Board include:
Roy Baldridge
Steve Barker
Ken Dysert
Jed Metzger
Catheryn Sarno
Derek Stemen
Candidates for the Rotary Foundation Board include:
Linda Hamilton Chris Hardesty Matt Otto Tim Sielschott Jeff Unterbrink Andy Wannemacher
Fitzgerald made a motion to approve the slates of candidates submitted and Decker seconded the motion. Boards approved.
President Elect Report Tracie Sanchez
Reverse Raffle Update
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Last minute details are being completed. Currently twenty-five tickets remain to be sold. There are 20 plus package prizes worth from $200 - $1,100. This should be a premier event and hopefully a fun fundraising event that will continue annually.
Golf Outing 2017
The Club is seeking a Chair/Co-Chair for this year’s golf outing. This is our big fundraiser for the Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship Committee will be asked to help with the selection of a new Chairman. The event will be held in June.
Spring Blood Clinic.
The Spring Blood Clinic will be held on May 6, 2017 at the Senior Citizens Center. Memorial Hospital has agreed to do all the blood draws at both the Spring and Fall Clinics. More information will be shared at the March Board Meeting.
Rotary Field of Dreams
The blacktop is ready to be laid as soon as the weather breaks. Thirty days after the blacktop goes down, the field will be processed and laid. The field should open in May. A donors gathering will be held in the Spring and everyone will be invited to an opening game celebration once the field is complete.
Vice Presidents Report Paul Swartz
Polio Plus Campaign Update
The campaign has a goal of raising $6,000 and currently $3,710 has been raised. Member donations are at $1,575. Auction donations are at $2,135. Projected Rottery income is $1,500. Projected auction items are $1,500 with Other Fundraisers at $600. Total projected income is $7,310 with hopes to edge up to $11,000
Past Presidents Report David Runk
The New Member Recruitment Brochure is near completion. New members will be asked to do fellowship with a twist towards education.
New Business Rita Brown
Resignation
Harold Breidenbach
Warren made a motion to approve the resignation with regret. Hubbell seconded the motion. Board approved.
Application
Aaron McLaurine
Ehora made a motion to approve the application and Tracy seconded the motion. Board approved.
New Member Orientation Rita Brown
Orientation is scheduled for next Tues Feb 21, 2017 for the following five candidates
Bob Baxter Mercy Health CEO
Shelly Diepenbrock Realtor – Cowan Realty
Beca Sheidler – Director Goodwill Easter Seals
Susan Crotty - Community Development Director – City of Lima
Aaron McLaurine – Chaplain New Look Fitness “Home of the Soldiers of Honor”
Adjournment
There being no further business, Crow made a motion to adjourn. Brown-Ellis seconded the motion. Board approved.
Respectfully,
Rita Brown, Club Secretary
The eBook version of Doing Good in the World is available. You can purchase, for $9.99, the Kindle version off the RI website. Go to https://shop.rotary.org/, click on the book and it will take you to the page where you can buy the Kindle version through Amazon. It is also published through ePub.
