President Adam Manning welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club and led reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance. PDG Harvey Smith provided the prayer.
Quote of the day: "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
By Michelangelo
Announcements:
- Thanks to Andi Share & Chuck King for being greeters today.
- Welcome to our guests: ADG Mary Nenninger, Joanna Garcia from the Beavercreek Club, Gina Smith’s husband, Aaron, and Ray Merz’ wife, Sue.
New members Gina Smith and Cody Terrell were recognized for completing their orientation and had their red ribbons removed!
Announcements continued:
- Saturday, December 2, District 6670 will have a social event at Carillon Park from 4-7 pm for inbound exchange students. Let Arnie Biondo know if you’d like to attend.
- Saturday, December 2, 6 am-12 noon is the Miamisburg Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast at the Miamisburg High School. Lee encouraged all to attend and learn what they do well! They will be setting up on Friday starting at 3 pm and we can go see how they use electric cookers. Committee is invited to go learn. Enter at back of building.
- Rotary Holiday party is December 14, 6:30-8:30 pm. We need a head count, so please reply to the email from Kelly McDonald or sign up at the table. Invite a friend/co-worker to join us.
- Thank you cards were shared from kids for the dictionary/thesaurus distribution.
- Adopt a Family - deliver gifts today or Monday. Ron Hollenbeck offered to take those who brought to the meeting today.
- Rand Oliver invited all to a Rotary social at his house on January 17 starting at 6:30 pm. Join for pot luck & desserts and bring a guest to learn more about our club. Club paying for beer/wine. There will be a sign-up sheet at the meeting next Thursday.
- Ron Hollenbeck said the next water project for Zambia is a go. We are partnering with District 6690 and Ron is busy giving presentations to other clubs to raise funds for 6 pumps.
- Uriah Anderson announced today is the last day to turn in money to take advantage of the club points match for your next Paul Harris Fellow. So far 13 people are taking advantage of this support of the Rotary Foundation.
- Brian Hayes sent a message - please sign in each week so your attendance is counted and please pay your bill.
Happy Bucks this quarter are going toward the Maui Fire/Disaster Relief fund. Pat Beckel was our Sergeant at Arms with help from Ger Eastabrooks.
Happy Bucks were generously given for:
- Pat Beckel had a joke to share: Why do Norwegian ships have a bar code on the side? So when they pull back into port you can scan de navy in (Scandinavian)!
- Ray Merz for his wife and they love being docents for the Dayton Philharmonic.
- Ron Hollenbeck for ADG Mary, Thanksgiving, and congrats to Gina & Cody
- Lee Hieronymus gave his weekly farm report, asking What is another name for the United Society of Believers in Christ Second Appearance? Shakers! They built round barns as they believed the circle was a perfect shape to keep the devil from hiding in the corners. And he shared how they lined up the cattle for easy feeding.
- Rand Oliver for our speaker Neal Gittleman and for Hawaii.
- Ger Eastabrooks for the new members.
- Jim Harris for the visitors and new members.
- Carol Kennard was happy.
- Gina Smith for Maui.
- Dale Berry announced his first great grandson was born in South Carolina. Congrats, Dale!
- Mary Nenninger for Maui, speaker Neal, and Centerville Rotary.
- Vimbai Mazani was happy.
- Wayne Davis gave an apology dollar for Lee’s extensive farm update.
- Kelly McDonald was wearing his first piece of Buckeye wear.
- Andi Share said she is making an effort to find common ground with people she would not normally approach.
- Chuck King was happy.
- Sofie Ameloot went to NC to visit Greg’s family and had great time, and also for our speaker, Neal.
- Elda Gotos Gay for Maui.
- Harvey Smith offered $20 if we can have Lee’s farm reports stop. Lee didn’t agree but Harvey still donated.
- Uriah Anderson for Maui and thanks for movers and “Shakers” in the club :-)
- Adam Manning said his buddy Mike’s dad passed away on Thanksgiving morning. Many have met Mike before as he’s volunteered at Pancake Day to mix batter.
- Mike Wier noted his Brass Band will have several Christmas performances, including December 10th at Christ United Methodist Church on Shroyer.
Our speaker today was Neal Gittleman, Artistic Director of Dayton Performing Arts and Dayton Philharmonic conductor.
Neal Gittleman is in his 29th year conducting DPO. In that time they have performed all 9 Beethoven symphonies, he has flown over the orchestra for the Philharmonster, opened the new Schuster Center, helped coordinate the formation of the consolidated Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, produced 7 CD’s, and more.
Neal said prior to the DPO, he spent 8 years with the Milwaukee Symphony. He has spoken to several Rotary clubs, but never had the opportunity to give an addendum to the farm report: If one set of cows is facing one way and one the other, the farmer has a completely clear walkway without having to look down!
Neal has announced his retirement after the 2026-27 season, so they are starting to look for his replacement. They do plan far in advance to get all the gears to fit together.
They just finished planning for and will announce the 2024-25 season in February. The new season starts in September and this fall was really busy as he was working on prep for Star Wars, Dayton Ballet Dracula, and Dayton Opera Sweeney Todd all at once.
Holiday pops concert is coming up with the Canadian Brass who’s new trumpet player used to be with DPO and is only the second female in the history of the band.
Prep for Nutcracker starts for Neal the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Kids have been rehearsing since October. On Monday, they move the set into the Schuster and rehearse until opening night. The same production is used for 10 years. Next year Brandon Ragland, artistic director for Dayton Ballet, will create a new production. Neal noted the conductor coordinates the choreography with the speed of the music.
One of Neal’s earliest memories was hearing Handel’s Mesiah when his school music teacher mom took him to a show. He thought it was beautiful.
Neal commented on the Maestro movie coming out soon about Leonard Bernstein. Neal watched Bernstein’s young people’s concerts when he was young and thought it was cool. He was shocked when he first saw a live performance and the conductor didn’t talk to the audience at all. When he was a freshman at Yale, he had the opportunity to meet Bernstein when the Yale Symphony flew to Vienna to perform Bernstein’s Mass. Leonard was there, shook his hand, and before he could say anything, said “I smell dope, is that you?” Neal said, “no” and Bernstein replied. “If you find any, let me know.” He wanted to be hip, accepted, and in with the young folks. That experience never changed Neal's respect for Leonard as a conductor.
Neal noted there will be no New Year’s Eve concert this year. It has been done since 1995. After COVID people were slow to come back and it didn’t do well in box office. Audiences did come back but not until after they had already planned to cancel.
Sensory friendly Nutcracker is available for those on the Autism spectrum. A little less stimulated. Also, no rules in the house. Any reaction is ok.
For more information on the DPAA, visit https://daytonperformingarts.org/
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