Bill Reaves is Speaker Chair this month and announced that Pastor Dave (from Bill’s church) is unable to speak, so Bill himself took over the speaker role and told us about “Via de Christo”, a group that focuses on faith, fellowship, and service and has various forms in many denominations. A recent weekend retreat has Bill recharged and energized with enough enthusiasm to sing “The Chicken Song”!

Lt. Gov. Jeff Dennings rang the meeting to order (in the absence of President Phil Holmblade, who may be playing golf in Tennessee in a woolen Civil War uniform!) and asked President-Elect Greg Hilliker to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance and then take over the morning meeting. Jack Proffitt spoke the invocation, and we began the announcements:

Special Olympics are set for May 24th, and the Club will be meeting at 9:30 a.m. at Carman-Ainsworth Junior High stadium for the annual “Softball Throw” (from the competitors’ perspective; “Softball Dodge” from the Club members’ view).

Bill Hentgen listed off a number of cultural activities, including Symphony this Saturday, “Jersey Boys” on the 24th, a number of events at the Capitol Theater (many sold out), and Groundbreaking on the new school on June 12.

Bill also is doing the final tally on the Masonic Temple Chicken Dinner, noting that CANUSA accounted for a large number of tickets but fewer than usual diners attended.

Jeff Dennings reminded us that Saturday, May 11 is the day scheduled for sorting and boxing food from the Post Office food collection, at 11 a.m. at the Swartz Creek United Methodist Church and volunteers are welcome.

Steve Schlott had some nice words to see in honor and memory of Bob Hentgen, who passed away this week.

Peter Venos, long-time member of the Club, announced that today is his last meeting, in light of plans for a move to the Rochester/Troy area, where an assisted living arrangement nearer to his offspring is necessitated by his family’s health issues. (We will miss Pete’s presence and passion!)

When fines finally started, they flew furiously: Pete paid several, including one for an old story referencing a feline in a tree, another for being “technologically challenged”, and two more (for causing us to bemoan his departure from us, and for causing us to to stop that!); King Jeff fined him for “monopolizing the fines” after John “J-Lo” Losinski fined him for being a “grumpy old man”; Bill Hentgen was upset that all the “fine” focus was on Pete, so the group shifted their focus to Bill -for “whining” and for wearing attire that prompted us to overlook him.

Until next time, “Promise Yourself…”