Our February 5th Rotary Club of Norfolk meeting focused on Club business: we elected next year's officers, got an update on club finances and an overview of proposed By-Laws changes, and voted to ratify the By-Laws Revision.
Our Club's 2019-2020 Board of Directors was elected by acclamation. Officers elected were Lorna Cochrane, President; Jim Kitz, President-Elect; Michael Desplaines, Vice President in charge of Programs; and Pam Tubbs, Immediate Past President. Directors elected were Rachel Bellis; Jason Drane; Angela Kerns; Chick Robison; Joey Rothgery; Mark Shaw; and Ed Ware. The new Board's term will begin July 1, 2019, and Secretary/Treasurer-Elect Walt Sobcyzk will become Club President three years hence.
Gus Stuhlreyer, Finance Committee Chair, reported that both the Club and Norfolk Rotary Charities' finances are sound. In addition to having a Charities' endowment of more than $500,000, the club has invested additional money in a Schwab account, safely increasing interest earned while keeping funds accessible for a major project or other needs.
Pres-Elect Lorna Cochrane took us through an in-depth slide presentation; she outlined proposed By-Laws changes that included revisions to allow for remote participation, electronic voting and procedures for affiliated groups to set their own schedules and goals.
Questions were raised regarding quorums for voting. Pres-Elect Lorna said that in the By-Laws revision, proxy voting is allowed, when submitted in advance to the Secretary/Treasurer. Proxy voting will benefit the Club by ensuring a quorom is present and encouraging maximum participation in all elections.
Two votes were held, one to nullify the document previously recognized as the Club's Constitution, and the second to ratify the By-Laws revision. Both measures passed easily, although some "nay" votes were noted.
Birthday and Anniversary Report
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!--to the following Norfolk Rotarians with February birthdays:
1st: Bill Lehew; 8th: Bill Eisenbeiss; 13th: Kay Kemper and Fred Walker; 14th: Bob Latimer; 22nd: John Cameron, Stephen Jones; 23rd, Jos Hekking; 24th, Rick Coradi
1st: Bill Lehew; 8th: Bill Eisenbeiss; 13th: Kay Kemper and Fred Walker; 14th: Bob Latimer; 22nd: John Cameron, Stephen Jones; 23rd, Jos Hekking; 24th, Rick Coradi
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!--to the following Norfolk Rotarians with February wedding anniversaries:
Ann Sullivan & Stephen Burgess, 35 years; Ashley & Rob Molinaro, 7 years; Steve & Wanda Jones, 3 years.
HAPPY ROTARY ANNIVERSARY!--to those who joined Rotary as follows:
Marilyn Gowen, 2 years; Anthony Mia, 7 years; Bernie Cohen, 9 years; Lindsay Russell, 13 years; Collins Gooch, 17 years; Joe New, 44 years; Angus Hines, 68 years.
Visitation Report
Jim Allison and Anthony Mia were back at our meeting after being absent for health issues. It was announced that due to her recent brain surgery, our Executive Secretary Jane Dembert needs rides to her treatments. (Note: Jane has been put in touch with Lee's Friends, a non-profit our club supports that exists to help those battling cancer.)
Happy Bucks
Joe New gave happy bucks for the anniversary of his joining our club in 1975. President Pam also celebrated Angus Hines, who joined Rotary in 1951 and acknowledged other members with February Rotary membership anniversaries.
New Member
We welcomed Roger “Jack” Frost, a retired CPA and former director of the Norfolk Botanical Foundation and ODU Educational Foundation. A graduate of the Norfolk College of the College of William & Mary (known today as Old Dominion University), Jack related to us that the best advice he ever received was to "be a gentleman, which always pays off."
Raffle
Jay Kossman won the daily raffle, then drew the Queen of spades to win the Big Jackpot.