Here are the highlights from the December 13th board meeting.
Call to Order Derek Stemen
President Derek Stemen called the meeting to order at 11:38 A.M. with the following board members present:
Derek Stemen, Jeff Fitzgerald, Joel Mengerink, Tim Stanford, Demi Burden, Keith Horner, Jeff Unterbrink, Lesley Fry and Treasurer Tracey Regula. Also, Secretary Anne Decker and Amy Ricker were present.
Secretary’s Report Anne Decker
Approval of the November 8, 2022 Board Minutes
Mengerink made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 8, 2022 meeting as submitted. Unterbrink seconded the motion. Board approved.
Attendance Report for November 2022
One new member joined the club and no members resigned in November. November attendance was 39.22%. The month ended with 139 active members and 4 honorary members.
President’s Report Derek Stemen
Blood Clinics
Tracie Sanchez and Lima Memorial Health System have asked the club to consider holding just one blood clinic a year instead of two until attendance at the clinics returns to its pre-COVID level. Blood clinic attendance was: 2018 – 588 at the spring clinic and 450 at the fall clinic; 2019 – 566 at the spring clinic and 547 at the fall clinic; 2022 – 255 at the spring clinic and 268 at the fall clinic; Stemen will contact Sanchez and Lima Memorial to ask if there is anything we can do to retain two clinics, such as reducing the needed staff and having more aggressive marketing efforts. If not, the club will likely hold the blood clinic in the spring only until attendance increases.
Christmas Party
The Lima Rotary Club Christmas Party Extravaganza is Monday, December 19. There has been good club support in donating auction items. Spencerville Jazz Band will be performing, there will be live and silent auctions, Dan Bucher will draw raffle prizes, and we will once again send the bust of Elvis home with a Rotarian who has not purchased “Elvis immunity.”
Library Books
We have enough children’s library books to last through March to be donated each week in honor of our guest speakers. Horner made a motion to send the Lima Public Library a check for $500 to purchase more books. Regula seconded the motion. Board approved.
Board Approval For Club Projects And Fundraisers
Don Witter is working on a policy that will require board approval for any fundraising or volunteer projects that are performed in the name of the Lima Rotary Club. The policy will be presented for a vote at the annual meeting.
Fundraising Events
Stemen will contact Andy Wannemacher to see if he will continue to chair the Rex Perry Memorial Golf Outing. A team may be recruited to assist.
Conversation was held about the Jay Begg Reverse Raffle. Stemen will put a team together to coordinate the event in 2023. It will most likely be held in May and instead of being an evening affair, it will probably take place over the course of four club meetings with 50 raffle numbers being drawn at each meeting.
Sports Programs
Attendance has been low for the basketball previews, especially the Girls Basketball Preview. Discussion was held about whether or not to continue the basketball previews. It was decided to continue as usual for one more year and reevaluate next year.
Shawnee Country Club
The Shawnee Country Club is closed first two weeks of January. As a result, the January board meeting will be held at The Met.
Rotaract At Bluffton University
Stemen followed up with Holly Metzger to see if Bluffton University would be interested in starting a Rotaract Club on campus. Metzger told Stemen that in order to form a club, at least 5 students have to be interested and an advisory person is needed. She is checking to see if anyone is interested.
Ghana Water Project
Stemen was contacted by the Rotary Club of Montreal who saw that we were awarded a global grant. They asked if we would support the water project their club is doing in Ghana. The board chose not to send funds because of the significant investment we have already made in our own project.
Membership Initiatives
Adah Ellerbrock is planning to contact those who have donated to the amphitheater but are not members and see if they would be interested in joining the club. In addition, the board will compile a list of businesses that can be approached about about having employees join the club.
Goal Review
The club did its first service project during a club meeting Monday, packing senior boxes for the West Ohio Food Bank. Everyone agreed that the project went well and was fun. Another project is planned in conjunction with Children Services in the spring.
Board Reports All Board Members
Rotary Social Demi Burden
Burden reported that the next Rotary Social is December 21st at The Hollander from 5-8. Christmas sweaters are encouraged. A brunch is being planned for the January social.
Special Needs Christmas Party
Burden reported that the Special Needs Christmas party went well. The Liberty Arts Magnet Touring Company performed and their parents filled the room to watch the performance. The Bath High School Interact Club provided tremendous assistance during the event.
Empowering Girls Committee Lesley Fry
There is nothing new to report.
PolioPlus Keith Horner
$2,512 has been donated to the PolioPlus campaign at this point. There will also possibly be another outreach in the spring. More club members will be encouraged to donate.
Bell Ringing
Stemen reported that the club helped raise $2,242.20 from bell ringing for the Salvation Army on Saturday.
Treasurer’s Report Tracey Regula
Regula reviewed information from the financial reports. The club’s total income year to date is $53,600.31, slightly above the same period last year. The club’s YTD expenses are $43,709.68, leaving the club with a net income of $9,890.63 up from $9,262.24 from the same period last year. Brown-Ellis made a motion to approve the treasurer’s report. Fitzgerald seconded the motion. Board approved.
New Business
New Member Applications
Applications have been received from Todd Washam, Miranda Mayer and Ashton Stevenson. Burden moved to approve the applications. Unterbrink seconded the motion. Board approved.
Resignations
Amanda Moonen has submitted her resignation. Stanford made a motion to approve the resignation with regret. Burden seconded the motion. Board approved.
Motion To Adjourn
Stanford made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Regula seconded the motion. Stemen adjourned the meeting at 12:53 P.M.