President’s message:

I am officially a quarter of the way into my term as President. When I accepted the position I indicated that I would be willing to accept if I had assurances that those who nominated me would promise to stick around and help. The assistance I’m given has been remarkable to date. Even this bulletin is finalized and formatted by member Bob and Phyllis. The fund raising organizing has been put together by Doug, Blaine and Sherry. All of our Committees are run by the Chairs and their committee members. Our officers are all eager to help in any way possible. Most members are stepping up when required. No one has complained, I have had a few constructive comments and they have been appreciated. All in all, my experience to date has been very positive. Thanks to the support and actions of the members. Thank you to all of you and I foresee the future of our club as bright, not because of me but because of our strong membership.

September 30 meeting:

A presentation by members of the Elk Rapids Robotics team was delivered. These young adults are very impressive. Of course the Robotics program assists these folks in preparing for a bright future in technology. I was impressed with their confidence and ability to present to our group. Beside the technology aspect, this program gives them great insight into the business world. They have the thoughtfulness to be reaching out to the younger kids in Middle School which will strengthen the program while also positively affecting the future of these younger folks. The Robotics program has some significant costs and I am happy that we are able to assist in this worthwhile project. Member Bob Chaphalkar has spent time mentoring these young adults and I’m sure if anyone else is interested in helping can give Bob a call. These young adults in turn, have “mentored” Bob in many respects.

Lisa Cooley and Pam Forton have volunteered to coordinate the Salvation Army Bell ringing for this Holiday season. Hopefully we can all help make their job easier.

Our meeting on October 7 was another very informative meeting. Samantha Ogle, the biologist with the Elk Skegemog Lake Association gave a summary of some of their projects. ESLA is a non profit, funded by their member donations. Their mission is to watch over the health of the Elk River, Elk Lake, Skegemog Lake, Torch River and Rapid River. This organization benefits our region significantly. The health of our waterways cannot be taken for granted. The number and scope of their projects are too numerous to mention but all seem worthwhile.

Finally, our meeting concluded with a beautiful moon set over the bay. Never let us forget to appreciate the beautiful place we live.