CONCORD ROTARY CLUB

Guests at the Aug. 8 meeting included Harrison Kemper (grandson of Dick Kemper), Richard Miller and Merle Nofziger, both of Goshen Noon Club, PDG Bob Richardson, Ross Swihart of Elkhart Noon Club, ADG Cliff Van Gilder of the Nappanee club, DG Judy Walker of the Hammond club and Dennis Wentzel of the Plymouth club.

The club added Dr. Emily Stout as a new member. Stout was sponsored by John Stewart and was indoctrinated by Judy Walker, district governor. Stout has her practice at 805 Waterbury Park Drive, Elkhart, in Waterbury Professional Park.

Walker said meeting the people at the various clubs in her district was among her greatest joys as Rotary district governor. Walker has five children, including a set of twins. She has taught vocal and choral music at Purdue University and enjoys studying and playing the harp. Walker began the meeting by discussing the club’s “Rotary Story.” The story she is referring to is the signature events that publicly display what the Rotary Club of Concord wants to accomplish. Some of Concord Rotary’s annual events are the yearly incoming and outgoing exchange students the club sponsors through Concord High School, the annual clothing purchase for students and the annual play sponsorship with Elkhart Civic Theater at Bristol Opera House. Walker made a statement that the district administration exists to benefit and service the local clubs and not visa-versa. She said membership and fundraising were always key elements in the annual goals of the Rotary International organization, but that grant writing to the local clubs was also a key element.

Walker spoke about Rotary International’s six areas of focus for the current Rotary year. They are peace and conflict, disease prevention, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education, and economic and community development. Walker said people become involved with Rotary and donate money to help with worthwhile efforts and not simply to be a member of a club. Rotary International is a group of professional people who focus on sponsoring activities that benefit those less fortunate. Financial donations made to Rotary International are used to support those efforts.

Meetings are at noon Wednesdays at Adam’s Catering and Conference Room located at the Concord Mall. Visitors are welcome.

ELKHART BREAKFAST OPTIMIST CLUB

Abbie Allbaugh was a guest of Prudy Holzhausen at the Aug. 7 meeting.

Mike Whicker and Jim Carrico provided a report from the convention at Bear Creek, which included some side stories and a slide presentation.

The updated club bylaws were ratified by the membership.

Diana Nye gave the Mr. Handshake award to Mike Whicker for doing a great job as president.

Upcoming: Sept. 29, installation banquet; Dec. 1, Breakfast with Santa

Meetings are at 6:45 a.m. Tuesdays at Pumpernickel’s.

Information: Prudy Holzhausen at 264-7172

ELKHART LIONS CLUB

Herb Bultemeier, Marty Juel and Carl Robinson were recognized Aug. 8 by Lions Clubs International for achieving membership milestones of 55, 40 and 15 years, respectively. On behalf of Elkhart Community Schools nurses, John McClure delivered two large boxes of eyeglasses just in time for the Aug. 11 Wash-a-Thon.

Juel, second vice district governor, made a presentation regarding membership recruitment. Newspaper ad order forms and chicken BBQ tickets were distributed.

Guest speaker Tim Farwig detailed his rise through the ranks of baseball umpiring. By attending camps and clinics, umpiring hundreds of high school games, and reading a lot, within 12 years he went from umping his son’s Little League games to working a college world series. He has been a Division I umpire for five years, working in several conferences, including Mid-American and Atlantic 10. He’s proud that his son has opted to follow in his footsteps.

Upcoming events: Saturday, District 25G Banner Night, Camp Mack, Milford; Sept. 13-15, USA-Canada Forum, Tampa; Sept. 29, Chicken BBQ, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Six Span Marathon

Upcoming programs: Wednesday, Diana Lawson, SoMa; Aug. 29, Eric Amt, Wellfield Botanic Gardens; Sept. 26, Ann Hafner, district governor

Meetings are at noon Wednesdays at the Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center and are open to the public.

Website: www.elkhartlions.org

ELKHART MORNING ROTARY CLUB

Scott Franko spoke Aug. 9 about the history of US Signcrafters, how it has expanded into five divisions and his thoughts about possible directions it could take in the future. US Signcrafters, Building Impressions, The Sign Store, Franko Design Concepts and FDC Publishing all keep Franko busy. He shared that he has been writing “Pay Notes” since 1997 and that he usually writes them the week they come out so they are relevant. Franko also has two books, “Lessons from a Pair of Old Gloves” and “Building Impressions: A True Business Transformation Story” coming out this fall.

Upcoming speakers include Mary Eastman, Wabash Electric, speaking about new alternatives in lighting on Thursday, and Doug and Sharon Risser will speak Aug. 30 about their trip to Hong Kong for the RI Convention, but also focus on the expanded trip to southeast Asia.

Upcoming: Monday, Elkhart Rotary’s golf outing; Saturday, District Membership Training and Taste of the Gardens; and Group Study Exchange

Meetings are at 7 a.m. Thursdays at McCarthy’s on the Riverwalk. Guests are welcome.

Information: Kristi Bly at 312-0822 or outdoorkristi@gmail.com

ELKHART NOON EXCHANGE CLUB

On Aug. 7 Tom Graber introduced his guest, Greg Mercer, and Gary Secor introduced his guest, John Hogsett, who is the new senior pastor at Faith United Methodist Church.

Secor was the fickle phantom of fellowship and awarded the handshake dollar to Lawson for no apparent reason. He then fined everyone who did not know which political figure his guest was related to. Jon Badur and Kyle Hannon avoided the fine by knowing his guest was distantly related to Joe Hogsett, former Indiana Secretary of State.

There was a fair project wrap-up meeting on Aug. 8 at Fat Tomato. Club members discussed what to do with the extra money the club raised to feed the Chinese dancers. Those dancers had been subjected to too much American food and decided not to partake (even though the lean bison meat might have been fine for them). Various ideas were brought up. The board will discuss this at their next meeting.

Dr. Gerber, a Bible scholar who still teaches a class at Bethel College, discussed the evolution of biblical translations. Originally, the Old Testament was in Hebrew, which most cannot read. The New Testament was mostly in Greek, which is also unreadable by most. The first English translation was in 995 A.D., but it was Old English that is unreadable. Eventually, English translations began to appear, even though they were created at the authors’ peril. Church leaders threatened to execute anyone who translated the Bible. Dr. Gerber then discussed the various translations that were eventually created. He differentiated the translations between word-for-word or phrase-for-phrase.

Meetings are at noon Tuesdays at Christiana Creek Country Club. Visitors are welcome.

ELKHART NOON KIWANIS CLUB

On Aug. 14 the Elkhart club welcomed the Goshen Kiwanis Club, who had 12 members visiting.

Sam Reschly was greeter and Doug Mulvaney, president, called the meeting to order and gave the invocation. Richard White led the club in singing “God Bless America.” Jackie Clindaniel entertained as the K-Comedian, and Chris Spataro emptied pockets as fine master. All fines benefit Riley Children’s Hospital and the new Kiwanis International World Wide Service Project, ELIMINATE, which seeks to eliminate neonatal and maternal tetanus.

Mulvaney gave the club an update on fundraising programs and upcoming surveys of club members to help identify club strengths and concerns as well as identify community needs.

Upcoming: Tuesday, Lori Harris from Kettleball Gym; Sept. 17, golf outing at Christiana Creek Country Club. Price: $50 per person or $200 per team of four. Contact Doug Ganger at 875-5117 (work) or 202-7438 (cell) for more information.

Meetings are at noon Tuesdays at the Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center and are open to the public.

Information: Doug Mulvaney at 266-8500 or douglas.mulvaney@frontier.com

ELKHART ROTARY CLUB

Lisa Gilkey Schoetzow was sergeant-at-arms at the Aug. 13 meeting and fined Mel Jacobson for his passion for high heels. Nate Stemm was fined for answering an email from Schoetzow during the meeting. The sergeant’s committee raises more than $18,000 a year in “fines,” which are donated to local charities.

Interact students briefed the club about their recent trip to Nosara, Costa Rica. This annual trip by Interact student members assists the David S. Kitson Library with many chores during their visit. They also presented a check in the amount of $3,000 to the widow of Kitson to be applied to operational costs of the library. For more information visit http://www.discoverypress.com/library/index.htm.

Upcoming: Saturday, Taste of the Gardens

Meetings are at noon Mondays at the Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center.

Information: Visit www.elkhartrotary.org or contact Tom Shoff at tom@shoff.com

GOSHEN NOON KIWANIS CLUB

Craig Yahne and Doug Von Gunten were greeters at the Aug. 7 meeting. Mary Humphrey introduced co-worker Lori Keenum, and Dave McQuire brought daughter Claire. Paul Hintz, a Kiwanis member from Kewanee, Ill., was also present.

John Allyn reminded members the club was chartered on July 24, 1969.

Dorothy Shirk recognized Gregg Nussbaum for six years perfect attendance and Tim Doyle for 23 years.

Glen Kauffmann introduced Sheriff Brad Rogers, who spoke about the jail chaplaincy program at the Elkhart County Jail and about the many programs they offer to try to help those released from jail to integrate back into “life on the outside.” Rogers said Mike Kupke does a great job as chaplain, but there are about 800 volunteers who help in various ways. It costs between $25,000 to $40,000 per year to care for one inmate in the county jail, and reducing recidivism is key to controlling these costs. With no programs in place to help inmates and former inmates, recidivism is almost 70 percent (re-entry within two years). With the programs that are now in place that number has been reduced to about 20 percent.

Upcoming: Tuesday, Membership Roundup; Aug. 28, John Yoder, Pumpkinvine Nature Trail; Sept. 4, Pastor Appreciation Day and Diaconia Award at Greencroft; Sept. 7, First Fridays corn hole tourney

Meetings are at noon Tuesdays at Maplecrest Country Club and are open to the public.

Information: Jason Lehman at 596-7284

HUGS PROJECT BLUE OF ELKHART COUNTY

Nancy Mast led the members Aug. 13 in sewing and packaging cooling ties for soldiers. Sondra Resen led other volunteers in packaging Q-tips, body wash, Bio-freeze, drink mixes, wet wipes, toothpaste and hand soap. Deb Tipton led the packing and shipping Aug. 9. Mast reported donations are needed to start the benefit quilt with proceeds going toward shipping cost and items. A big thanks to the group from River Oaks who came to help.

HUGS’ desire is to put a “HUG” (neck cooler) around the neck of every American military member serving in the Middle East. Along with the HUGS, other needed items are packaged and sent. Twenty-nine boxes were shipped so far this month.

HUGS meets the second and fourth Monday of each month Two sessions are held: from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m., with packing and shipping done at 9 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays. Workshops are held at River Oaks Community Church, 58020 C.R. 115, Goshen. Volunteers and supplies are welcome and needed.

Information: Nancy Mast at thpelkhart@frontier.com or 293-2810

MAPLE CITY KIWANIS CLUB

Lynda Hershberger welcomed 25 members and two guests, Tony Harl, guest of new member Kelly Whittaker, and Richard White, to the Aug. 9 meeting. Ed Gerwels won the drawing, and Bob Duell collected happy dollars. Jim Bare, Phil Berkey and Roger and Earlene Nofziger gave the program on their experiences at the Indiana District Kiwanis Convention in Vevay, Ind.

Upcoming: Sept. 15, chicken barbeque fundraiser

Meetings are at 6:30 a.m. Thursdays at the Goshen Salvation Army. Guests are welcome. Information: Tom Kercher at 533-2048

Email: jkaylentz@aol.com

Fax: 294-3895

Mail: The Elkhart Truth, Attention: Clubs and Organizations, P.O. Box 487, Elkhart, IN 46515

Drop-off: Elkhart newsroom, 421 S. Second St.

Deadline: Noon Tuesdays