After several weeks of successful hybrid in-person/Zoom meetings, we had to hit a problem day and this was it! Our two main computers locked up. One decided this was a good time to do an automatic update, which it never finished and the other laptop didn’t want to talk to the projector. We apologize to everyone for the inconvenience, and especially to our speaker, Brian Martin, as we were unable to see/hear his presentation, so we asked him to reschedule. 

Several people have reached out with ideas to help and we will make sure we have a third computer and second projector backup in the future!

President Frank Perez welcomed everyone in person and on Zoom to the meeting of the Centerville Rotary Club. Frank led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and Dick Hoback gave a prayer. 

Sofie Ameloot provided these updates:

• We have ordered 528 coats for kids thanks to the generosity of this club.
• Dictionaries and thesauri have also been ordered. We will schedule a labeling session - no more than 4 people at a time due to COVID, so there will be three 1-hour shifts on a date to be determined. 
• Adopt a Family reminder. 20 kids will be available and this year they are asking supporters to simply purchase a $50 gift card from WalMart, Target or Kohls for your student. Please get your gift card to Sofie before the November 23 deadline to turn them in to the schools.

President Frank provided these updates:

• The Golf Fundraiser committee met this week with Carol Hughes (Springboro Rotary) to learn all about the golf outings she has held. Our golf fundraiser is confirmed at Yankee Trace on Saturday, May 8. Details to follow. If you want to help plan, let Brad Huffman or Adam Manning know.
• We determined we cannot do a Pancake Breakfast safely this year, so the Golf Outing is a way to make up for those lost funds. But the Golf Outing won’t replace our Pancake Day. The plan is for Pancake Day to return in October 2021. If the Golf Outing is successful, we may do two fundraisers each year - golf in the spring; pancakes in the fall.

Our Happy Dollars for this quarter are going to the Kaplani School  – please be generous with your Happy Dollars for this good cause that was so special to Robin Parker. You can send your check to the club mailbox:  Centerville Rotary Club, PO Box 41431, Centerville, OH 45458

Brian Hayes served as Sergeant-at-Arms this week.

Susan Schnell was happy to be back at a meeting.

Arnie Biondo was happy to see Dan Johnson back at a meeting.

Dan Johnson was happy to be back at a meeting and announced his business received a business of the year award. Congrats Dan!

Jim Harris was happy to see Dan and hoped we could solve the audio problems today.

Dale Berry was happy.

Elda Gotos-Gay was happy.

Sofie Ameloot was happy her husband’s recovery from toe surgery is going well.

Gerry Eastabrooks was happy for Sofie’s husband.

Brad Thorp was happy but broke, so offered an IOU.

Dick Hoback was happy to support Robin’s school.

Lee Hieronymus was amazed to see pansies planted in the fall (typically a spring planting), and was happy to announce he is engaged! Congratulations Lee!

Mike Wier was happy to see rain coming down this week but not inside.

John Callander was happy that Brian Hayes didn’t need to use a microphone.

Dale Berry was happy it was raining so he didn’t have to rake leaves.

Adam Manning was happy.

Brian Hayes was happy for our potential new member, Martin Huffstutler.

Carol Kennard was happy for the efforts of our club to make hybrid meetings work (despite today’s challenges.)

Frank Perez was happy the Cleveland Browns pulled out another win.

Our speaker today was Brian O. Martin, Executive Director of the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Without a working projector, we decided to delay Brian’s presentation to another time, however, he did share some news. 

Recently there have been challenging times in the Dayton area and for Brian. In March 2019 he lost his wife, and he wanted to thank the Washington Township Fire Department for their help during the medical emergency. Brian was fortunate to find love again and remarried 15 months later. We also lost John Beals, who was Chair of MVRPC at the time. This city and township mean a lot to Brian and his family.

Brian has a lot to share about how resilient the Dayton area is and will come back another day. He did announce that the Centerville-Washington Park District is now a member of MVRPC (of which this editor is very pleased!)

Everyone pray to the IT Gods, have a great week, be safe and stay healthy until next week! Thanks!