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Monday's meeting was a nice get together despite the frigid temperatures and snow, as well as falling on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. We were a little light on attendance for the aforementioned reasons, but a great meeting, nonetheless. President Andrew welcomed club members and guests, donning his support for Notre Dame in the evening's CFP Championship Game against The Ohio State University.

Eric Amt provided today's thoughtful message to get our meeting started, reading a few excerpts from recently departed President Jimmy Carter's farewell address to the nation on January 14, 1981, his words still poignant in our present time:

"Today, as people have become ever more doubtful of the ability of the Government to deal with our problems, we are increasingly drawn to single-issue groups and special interest organizations to ensure that whatever else happens, our own personal views and our own private interests are protected. This is a disturbing factor in American political life. It tends to distort our purposes, because the national interest is not always the sum of all our single or special interests. We are all Americans together, and we must not forget that the common good is our common interest and our individual responsibility."

Today's scheduled presenter had to cancel, so in lieu of that presentation, Eric Garton and Howard Edwards spoke about the importance of DACdb.com, our club's new database, replacing Clubrunner officially in the new Rotary year beginning January 1. Eric shared DACdb.com images on the screen and scrolled through a few tabs while Howard showed the software's mobile app: IGNITE. If you have not logged in or would like help in doing so, for either the web-based version DACdb.com or the mobile app IGNITE, please reach out to Howard or Eric. Our goal is to get everyone who wishes to use the technology by the end of June.

Elkhart Rotary Club December 6, 2024 - Tolson Center for Community Excellence

On Monday, January 6, our first meeting of the New Year, we welcomed fellow Elkhart Rotarian and Tolson Center for Community Excellence Executive Director Breanna Allen, Ed.D. Breanna shared an update of the center shortly after their one year anniversary and their plans for Phase 2 of the Center's construction plans to better serve the community.

The Tolson Center for Community Excellence's mission empowers lives through inclusive learning, recreation, and cultural exchange, opening doors to bright futures.

Their Vision is to be a centerpiece for an enlivened South Central Elkhart, a premier destination for neighbors near and far, and a pathway to equity and opportunity for all.

In their first year, the Center recruited over 4000 members and has kept a host of demographic data to help advise their programming. Over half of Tolson's members are African American, 14% are Hispanic, and 19% are caucasion. The percentage of female to male is very close, 51% and 49% respectively.

Breanna provided a short history. The Tolson Center for Community Excellence grew out of the Booker T. Washington Center, a community center run by Herbert and Ruth Tolson, located in the former Benham West “village” as many residents called it from 1929-1950. It consistently served the African American community newly arriving in Elkhart. At that time, most of Elkhart was racially segregated through official and unofficial means, including discriminatory lending and housing practices. Under the premise of “urban renewal”, the city demolished the area, destroying the community center, homes, businesses and other community staples, and dispersing the residents. In the early 1990s residents living around the Tolson Center revamped an old car wash and made it into a place for their kids to have recreational, educational, and life formation experiences. Despite the area being socially destabilized and economically distressed, Benham West and its residents abound with innovation, creativity, and community dedication. In 2020, Tolson was named a new independent 501 (c )3 as Tolson Center for Community Excellence which is becoming known in the community. As a new entity, we’re poised to recreate that positive experience for the next generations of youth, and expand programming to serve a wide range of ages. For a complete history visit a timeline on their website here.

Tolson has 17 staff members, growing from Breanna who was hired first as their executive director. Phase 2 plans include sports fields adjacent the new Center and fundraising has begun. To become more involved you can become a member, sign up for programs, or volunteer! Visit their website at https://www.tolson.org/ for complete details.

We were joined by another special guest, Declan Millslagle, who shared a life update after completing his first semester at Purdue. Declan was the most recent recipient of our club's Scholarship Program. The club was happy to learn that Declan had become involved with Purdue's Rotaract Club. Rotaract clubs bring together people ages 18 and older to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service. In communities worldwide, Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to take action through service. Declan is enjoying his Beginning Engineering classes and is leaning toward majoring in Computer Programming. We look forward to hearing more updates as Declan continues his progress at school.

Congratulations and thanks to Mick Faloon who earned a Paul Harris Fellow +2 recognition for his continuing contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Here's Mick being presented with his pin from our Foundation Chair Howard Edwards. To continue working toward your Paul Harris Fellow recognition, make a donation to the Rotary Foundation (or setup recurring monthly gifts). Find more information about how your support makes a difference here.

Elkhart Rotary Club December 16, 2024 - Beardsley Discovery Center

Today we welcome Bill Firstenberger, Executive Director at Ruthmere Campus, who shared exciting news and progress of the Beardsley Discovery Center, currently under construction on Main Street immediately north of Havilah Beardsley House.

The Beardsley Discovery Center project has surfaced at just the right time to fulfill the needs of our community and ripen the fruits of Ruthmere Campus as they celebrate 50 years of museum service. The Beardsley Discovery Center will Improve Visitor Experience and Increase Ruthmere Campus' Capacity. It will significantly improve visitor hospitality at Ruthmere Campus in a number of meaningful ways:

The ease of access from parking to point of entry is shortened
Greeting will now occur with a real person at the BDC info desk
Increased number of parking spots and improved traffic flow
Expanded gift shop space where guests can browse as they wait for tours
Visitor orientation message will improve dramatically
Immediate proximity to greatly increase the tours and usage of the Havilah Beardsley House

The project also increases Ruthmere Campus' capacity, including:

Greatly increased ADA compliant space
Main gathering space will be used for a variety of flexible purposes: field trips, visitor orientation, special programs, catered events
Proximity to the Havilah Beardsley House will allow for the possibility of more large event use for both indoor and outdoor activities
Project includes improvements to an off-site storage facility

To learn more about the project and progress or to make a donation to the Beardsley Discovery Center, visit their website.

Bill projected the target completion date for the project: Mid-summer 2025

We Inducted THREE NEW CLUB MEMBERS today!

Please welcome to the club, pictured left to right with President Andrew Harman: Nancy Miller, Patti Velluci, and Major Tim Nauta.

We're grateful for your enthusiasm to engage with our community and be active members of the Elkhart Rotary Club!

In additional member news, we're sad to report the resignation of longtime Rotarian—celebrating 60 YEARS on December 1—Shannon 'Shan' White. Shan is the club's unofficial historian, making great efforts to share the history of our club and impact within the community. While sad to lose Shan as a regular member, we're thrilled to announce that the Board of Directors bestowed HONORARY MEMBERSHIP to Shan this past Friday. Shan is welcome at our club anytime, we look forward to seeing Shan at meetings in the future.

Today we also welcomed a guest and prospective member Nick Knight, recommended by South Bend Rotary Club President Amber Pulford. Nick is with Everwise out of the South Bend Corporate Office but spends a great deal of time on business in Elkhart and is seeking to engage further with our community.

Thanks to everyone who cast a ballot whether online or in person at the meeting to fill a board member vacancy beginning July 1, 2025. Congratulation to Rob LaRoy, who'll join the board at that time! The ballot count also approved recommended changes to our Bylaws by the Board of Directors in November.

Tony Warning announced the new advertising placemats are in place on our dining tables! Thanks to all who placed ads, the money supports our Elkhart High School Interact Club and their annual service trip to Costa Rica. Thanks to all who participated! Want to learn more or participate next year?... Contact Tony Warning!

Elkhart Rotary Club Meeting December 9, 2024

Today we welcomed Julie Parke, Museum Administrator at Elkhart County Historical Museum. The Elkhart County Historical Museum fosters appreciation and preservation of local history and culture through exhibits, educational programs, and an accessible library and archives.

In 1968, the Elkhart County Historical Museum opened as a partnership between the newly-established Elkhart County Parks Department and the Elkhart County Historical Society. Visitors to the Museum can explore the many people, places, and events that make up the history of Elkhart County. The collection features over 30,000 artifacts reflecting the county’s cultural heritage and help tell the story of Elkhart County in both permanent and temporary exhibits. Begin your experience in the newest exhibit Crossroads which tells the story of Elkhart County in three galleries. The research library contains photos, diaries, family records, plat maps, census lists and more to help researchers uncover the past. Unique and engaging programming is offered year-round. School field trips are available covering a range of topics and grade levels. Information on all Parks field trip options can be found here.

The historic auditorium is available for large gatherings and may be rented. More information is available on their website https://elkhartcountyparks.org/destinations/historical-museum

Three Paul Harris Fellow awards were presented by our Foundation Chair Howard Edwards and District Governor Elect Terri Rickel (left) to (left to right):

Darin Sorg PHF+1
Andrew Harman PHF+3
Mel Jacobson PHF+6

Dave Lehman shared the great news of the Club's generosity when called upon to raise funds for the Elkhart Salvation Army's Thanksgiving Dinner. The Club gave its largest total to date: $3019 - - enough for 150 Turkeys!

Chuck Grodnik shared a special birthday—Eric Garton's 50th! - - - looming on the horizon this week! Chuck also insisted Eric wear that silly little hat throughout lunch, which Eric obliged out of respect for his elders.

Elkhart Rotary Club Joint Holiday Meeting with Kiwanis Club of Elkhart

Today we had our Annual Joint Holiday Meeting with the Kiwanis Club of Elkhart. The meeting was hosted by the Kiwanis Club this year and a welcome was given by Kiwanis President Leatra Scott. All enjoyed the change of pace and a performance by the Concord High School Singers, led by Music Director Jimmy Bennett.