Pledge: Paul Rentenbach

OPENING

Time: 12:10 PM.

Pledge: Paul Rentenbach

Invocation: Ron Vitale

GUESTS

Tom Cobau, son of Jack Cobau

VISITING ROTARIANS

None

BIRTHDAYS

George Shammas (1/6), Bob Everett (1/7), and Tom Youngblood (1/10).

ANNIVERSARIES

George Koueiter, 25 years. Dave Charvat, 21 years. Peter Henry, 5 years.

ROVING REPORTER

Fred Ollison.

-- Mark Weber’s daughter, MJ, got engaged last week and will soon be receiving her PhD from Cornell.

SUNSHINE COMMITTEE

No report.

OIL CAN

John Conway will be passing it on to an unsuspecting Rotarian who forgets to silence his or her cell phone at a future meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Operation Warm: Diane Strickler provided an update and a list of “thank yous” and acknowledgements.

-- 3,398 coats have been delivered to our service partners.

-- $57,289 was raised, with our Club providing the majority of this.

-- 32 GP Rotarians made donations, most in excess of $100, and two anonymous members made serious

contributions.

-- Steve McMillan’s family gave coats as gifts this holiday and donated 72 to be distributed.

-- Jon Gandelot had his friends and family donate coats rather than buy birthday gifts for him.

-- Chuck Gable and Jon Gandelot provided access to foundations for $15,000.

-- Tom Harwood spearheaded a fundraising campaign through the schools that raised $2,000.

-- Paul Rentenbach went door to door in his neighborhood.

-- Mike Carmody, Yolanda Turner, and Diane wrote 7 grant applications and received funding of $10,000.

-- Mike Carmody encouraged Rochelle Riley to write a column about Operation Warm in the Free Press. Diane believes gifts from around the country were the result of that column.

-- Yolanda and Diane wrote two letters to the editor of the GP News.

-- Operation Warm was the first topic on the cable program “Rotary in the Pointes and Around the World”.

-- Many GP Rotarians placed marketing materials in businesses on Mack Ave.

-- GP South Interact raised in excess of $300.

-- Diane has written 240 thank you notes.

A huge thank you to co-chairs Diane Strickler and Mike Carmody for all of their hard work and to Paul Rentenbach for his leadership.

-- The Club has received thank you notes from Crossroads and the NE Guidance Center for the coat donations.

-- Upcoming Chamber of Commerce

events: Business Before Hours at Metro Detroit Restores on Mack on

1/7 from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM.

Business After Hours at Village Palm on 1/21 from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM. Annual Membership Dinner and Pointer of Distinction Awards at the Country Club on 1/30 from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

-- Volunteers will be needed at the Winter Blast from February 7th – 9th. Mark your calendars.

TODAY’S PROGRAM

GP resident and Taylor Rotarian, Phil Matous, gave a presentation on the Medal of Honor. The medal was commissioned during the Civil War and there have been 3,400 recipients.

A video was shown about Ron Rosser, who repeatedly risked his life to fight the enemy and rescue several wounded soldiers in the Korean War, and Gary Beikirch, a medic, who endured hostile gunfire and serious injuries to save several wounded soldiers in the Vietnam War.

What these two men went through was truly incredible.

FLOWER RAFFLE

$990 in the pot with $495 going to the winner. Steve McMillan braved the cold to buy the lucky ticket but could not locate the joker.

CALENDAR

Jan 13: Michelle Balconi,

Economics – it’s

Elementary

Jan 20: Howard Zhia, China – a

historical review.