Dan Romanchik

President Greg rang the Rotary bell, opening the luncheon meeting. Shelley MacMillan came to the podium and delivered a moving Inspiration replete with quotes from Noam Chomsky, Jimmy Dean, and Lemony Snickett. Jim Irwin then bounded up to lead us (first) in a spirited “Hail to the Victors” which, no doubt, conferred the appropriate oblations […]

The Rotary bell rang from somewhere; probably from a guard tower as it seemed like roll call at Stalag 17. President Greg, left arm cradled in a sling, struck a dramatic pose. With his sports jacket draped rakishly, he peered at our motley assembly much like Preminger from the stoop of his commandant’s hut. He […]

Joan Knoertzer’s lovely piano prelude wafted members and guests gently toward the business at hand. A ring of the Rotary bell by President Emeritus John Ackenhusen, who looked remarkably relaxed from his several weeks of freedom, signaled the meeting’s commencement. James Corey came forward and delivered a cogent Inspiration, opening with a quote from acclaimed […]

After signing “God Bless America,”Wendy Correll invited us to consider the thoughts of Gopal Krishna Sarangi on sustainability. Sarangi calls sustainability “a complex, daunting puzzle…tantalizing but elusive.” This is certainly a lesson that we would learn later from our speaker. Next up was Shelley McMillan, who also inspired us, but this time with song, as […]

After President Greg rang the bell, we launched into a rousing rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner accompanied by Tom Strode. In his inspiration, Eldon Beery reflected on how fortunate he was to have been a minister and to be able to help so many people, even if it was just a little. Downs Herold then […]

President Greg rang the Rotary bell soon after Joan Knoertzer’s beautiful serenade and everyone crowding Weber’s ballroom stood to sing the national anthem. John Sepp stepped to the podium to pinch hit for vacationing Steve Pierce. Commemorating the centenaries of the births of Leonard Bernstein and Nelson Mandela, John shared some salient quotes; of the […]

For the first time, President Greg Stejskal struck the Rotary bell. Ninety Rotarians and their guests stood to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” after which Club Administrator John White came to the podium. “It is my honor to deliver the inspiration on this momentous day in the Rotary calendar for our club,” John began. “It’s a […]

A great civic organization (the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor) marched in a great civic event (the JayCee’s Fourth of July Parade) on Wednesday, and the results were fantastic! Our marchers include Greg and Patricia Stejskal, Ashish and Norma Sarkar, Mary Avrokatos, Ed Wier, Ed Hoffman, Roger Fraser, Agnes and Jim Reading, Art Williams, Art […]

Joan Knoertzer played a wonderful piano prelude, then led the assembly in singing “God Bless America”. President John, presiding over his final RCAA meeting (has the year gone by that fast?), escorted Joanie to the podium. One can always depend on a musician to do triple-duty at a Rotary meeting, and Joanie was no exception, […]

The meeting began with a ringing of the Rotary bell by President John. Tom Strode hammered out our national anthem, with the assembly, a hundred strong in Weber’s ballroom, fighting lustily to keep up. Joyce Hunter came to the podium. “For my Inspiration, I’m going to read a poem, ‘The Carpenter’, to you,” she explained. […]