Centennial Past President pin presented
Rotarians Say Hello to New Prexy Ralph Knop, Goodbye to Scholar Anna Pleth
Goals for Next Year Include Membership Retention, New Area Club
July 10, 2005
By: Dave Rogers
PROGRAM THIS WEEK: Anna Pleth, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar from Denmark, says goodbye.
LAST WEEK: Passing of the gavel: To Ralph Knop, from Mike Stoner.
New president Ralph Knop started the new Rotary year off with his own "Ten Minute Rotarian," a presentation that has been long promised, after ritual swapping of pins and the gavel with past president Mike Stoner.
President-elect Gina Gates also got a special pin designating her new status.
"I'm very honored to be here today," President Knop allowed, "and to assume the responsibility that goes with the title."
The new president was born and raised in Bay City and was graduated from T.L. Handy High School. He earned a BA in Science and Chemical Engineering and an MA in Environmental Engineering from Michigan State University.
"My family is almost all MSU grads," said Mr. Knop, "they're definitely green and white."
Mr. Knop worked 32 years in the engineering field, retiring recently from Wade Trim, Inc., of Michigan.
He is looking forward to the challene of being president of the Bay City Rotary Club. The first job is to keep existing members and attract new members. Attendance will be tracked closely, he said, and pins for perfect attendance willbe reinstituted. New district governor Dalton Coe has challenged the district to add one or two new clubs during the next year since the dissolving of the Hillman club puts the district near the level needed to maintain a separate district.
International programs to be supported include Polio Plus and water treatment programs in Honduras where about 50,000 children ages 0-12 die each year due to contaminated water. The once monthly 50-50 drawing for Rotary International will be continued, he said.
A local program will be providing dictionaries to third graders.
"I want to advance the work of the club and have some fun doing Rotary work," he concluded.
Program chairs Eric Jylha and Ed Keating announced the following schedule:
July 19: Sidney Dreasky, U.S. Secret Service, counterfeit currency;
July 26: Group Study Exchange team headed to Japan;
Aug. 2: Community Sailing Program boat building, with Brian Donaldson.###
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The Bay City Rotary Club meets at Noon each Tuesday at the Lumber Barons resturant on the West Side.
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