Entertainment Medley Highlights Rotary Christmas Program

Elva Wahlstrom Receives Paul Harris Fellowship; Next Meeting Jan. 2

December 24, 2006
By: Dave Rogers

Song leader Rob Clark and Cindy Chadwick on the keyboard led Bay City Rotarians to a rousing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" in the finale of the club's Christmas program last week.



Eric Jylha read a hilarious holiday parody, "True Facts About Christmas,". Rob Clark and newspaper colleague Ryan Stanton on the guitar did a peppy vocal, "Walking In A Winter Wonderland,".


Lee Newton on the saxophone and Molly Newton on the keyboard kicked off the entertainment program with "Little Jesus Boy" and "O Holy Night."


Barb Fisher read Clement C. Moore's antique version of "A Visit From Saint Nicholas," of which her mother has collected 125 versions. Andy Rogers on fiddle and Midland Rotarian Charlie Walmsley on guitar made the strings zing with "Greensleeves" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."

All in all, it was a rousing Christmas celebration for the club and an appropriate honor for ailing Leo Najar who had planned to conduct the celebration.

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Special Paul Harris Fellow:
A special guest was Elva Wahlstrom, 96, widow of longtime Rotarian P.G. Wahlstrom, who received an honorary Paul Harris Fellowship from Kathy Czerwinski after introduction by Harry Farris. P.G. was the longtime chaplain of the Bay City Rotary Club and one of the first Paul Harris Fellows.

Elva, nee Nelson, recalled teaching Sunday school at the Swedish Lutheran Church, now Messiah Lutheran pastored by Rotarian Rev. Andreas Teich, singing in the choir, and serving as secretary of the congregation (she can take shorthand). She followed Harry's suggestion to say "thank you" in Swedish. Please don't ask us to transcribe it here.

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NEW MEMBERS INDUCTED

Gary Riedlinger inducted two new members, Kathy Dwyer, customer service representative of Home Health Care and Hospice, and Jennifer Carroll, executive director of United Way of Bay County. Congratulations and welcome aboard!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM PRESIDENT GENA:

I thank everyone who participated in making a decision on where our Rotary Club would be meeting in 2007. After two weeks of voting, 74% of those who voted said they preferred to move our meetings to Lumber Baron's. We will make that move effective January 16. An announcement will be made at our January 2 & 9 meetings. I will send postcards to those members who do not attend those meetings and for whom I do not have an email address.

Rob Clark will be contacting Lumber Baron's to make arrangements with them. I will notify the Quality Inn. We will be looking for a couple of volunteers to take all of our Rotary "stuff" from the Quality Inn after the January 9 meeting and transport it to the Lumber Baron's. They have indicated that they have a place where we can store our "stuff" between meetings. If you are able to help with this process, please let me know.

The voting on the Loons fundraising opportunity indicated that we had only enough volunteers, with the help of the Morning Club, to cover about 6 games. The Loons require that at least 10 games be covered. After conferring with John Shankool from the Morning Club, it was decided not to pursue that opportunity.

One final reminder . . . there will be no Rotary meeting on December 26. We will meet at the Quality Inn on January 2 & 9. We will begin meeting at Lumber Baron's on January 16.

President Gena Gates###