WELCOME to the newsletter of the Rotary Club of Livonia AM. Our club meets weekly to socialize, discuss the needs of our community and the world around us, and take action to address those needs. Please consider visiting our club or joining us on a service project.

All Are Welcome!

Meeting Notice and Club News

Day of Service at Rotary Park

Date to be Determined

The Livonia noon Rotary Club has asked for our help in the next 2 to 3 weeks at the newly rebuilt Rotary Park pavilion. They have purchased and are awaiting delivery of (24) 6 foot picnic tables and the club needs help assembling them.

Ron Gaffney will be in touch with service dates once the delivery date is confirmed. Ron will have some tools on hand, but please bring your own if you can.

Member News

District Conference - Bavarian Inn Lodge, Frankenmuth, MI

May 1st-3rd, 2026

🌟 Livonia AM Rotary Shines at the 2026 District 6400 Conference

Bavarian Inn Lodge • Frankenmuth, Michigan

This past weekend, club members Erin Dobbins, Sharon Pommerville, Tammy Bonifield, Nancy Darga, Claude Kendrick, Bob Carris, and Bill Friske proudly represented the Livonia AM Rotary Club at the Conference. The theme, “Share Your Story,” set the tone for a weekend filled with inspiration, connection, and celebration.

Opening Ceremonies

The conference began with the Parade of Flags and the singing of the national anthems of the United States, Canada, and Italy (in honor of the Rotary International President). Our own Bill Friske and Claude Kendrick were honored to carry flags, joined by Livonia Noon Rotarian Drew Buatti.

🍗 Friday Evening: Fellowship & Frankenmuth Tradition

Attendees enjoyed a classic Frankenmuth chicken dinner followed by entertainment from songwriter, speaker, and author David LaMotte.

The handcrafted table centerpieces—beautiful teacup arrangements—were created by Erin Dobbins from her personal collection.

Our club hosted one of the two hospitality rooms, offering a “Made in Michigan” spread of snacks, soft drinks, and local adult beverages. Tammy Bonifield curated the entire experience with her trademark creativity and attention to detail. The second hospitality room, hosted by our Canadian friends, kept the cross‑border camaraderie lively all weekend.

🌍 Saturday: Stories That Move Us

Saturday morning featured a powerful keynote from Christina Hassan, a former Youth Exchange student and past District Governor from Calgary. She shared her journey to Uganda as a young nursing student—arriving eager to “change the world,” only to discover the heartbreaking reality that 16 women die each day in childbirth in Uganda. Her experience led her to co‑found an organization dedicated to improving maternal health in Uganda.

Her message was raw, humbling, and deeply aligned with Rotary’s mission of service.

🎖️ Celebrating Extraordinary Service & Generosity

The weekend also included two deeply meaningful recognitions for members of our own club. Sharon Pommerville was honored with a Paul Harris Fellow +6, acknowledging her remarkable lifetime giving of over $7,000 to The Rotary Foundation—an extraordinary testament to her heart for service and her belief in Rotary’s global impact. Tammy Bonifield was also recognized as a Major Donor, celebrating her substantial and ongoing commitment to The Rotary Foundation. These achievements reflect not only personal generosity, but the spirit of compassion and leadership that defines our Livonia AM Rotary family.

🏆 Saturday Evening: Awards & Recognition

Livonia AM Rotary had a historic night.

We received:

The Jennifer Jones Champion of Inclusion Award
Recognizing clubs that embrace diverse thinking and inclusive practices as essential to Rotary’s growth and impact.
and the Overall Dick Hedke Award
The highest honor in District 6400, awarded to the club with the strongest combined performance in:
Club Administration, Membership, Public Image, Service Projects, and Foundation.

This is the district’s top recognition—and we earned it.

🕊️ Sunday Morning: Reflection & Purpose

The day opened with a touching "In Memoriam" presentation created by Erin Dobbins, honoring district members who passed this year, including our own Rick Popa and Bill Fried.

Tammy Bonifield read each name and club, while Bill Friske rang the official Dick Hedke Award bell in tribute.

Tammy then returned to the stage in her role as District Treasurer, presenting the district’s annual financial report alongside District Governor Linda Morrow.

💛 Sharing Our Story: Nancy Darga

One of the most moving moments of the entire conference came when Nancy Darga "shared her personal story" of contracting polio at 10 months old and living with its lifelong effects.

For a room full of Rotarians committed to ending polio worldwide, Nancy’s testimony was powerful, personal, and unforgettable.

😀 Closing Inspiration

The conference wrapped with an energetic and uplifting talk by Martin Lesperance, an educator‑turned‑entertainer who reminded us that our moods, frustrations, and kindness ripple outward. His message was simple but profound:

We can pass along negativity—or we can choose to brighten someone’s day with a smile and a thank‑you.

More Photos

Club Meeting Featuring Kristin Houchins, Director of Communications, Livonia

April 29, 2026

The meeting was opened by President Nancy Darga saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Invocation was given by Dave Stechholz. Sharon Pommerville led Happy Bucks. Two guests were present: Justin Daniels from the Hines Park PM Rotary Club and Jacki Graham from the Livonia Noon Club. It was great to see our member, Marlene Katafias, attending the meeting by Zoom.

Claude Kendrick gave an update on the Touch a Truck event being led by the Churchill Interact Club, and volunteers are needed for the May 2 charity hockey game to benefit “Breaking Barriers” at the Eddie Edgar Ice Arena in Livonia.

President Darga set a process for selecting speakers for our club meetings. Prospective speaker submissions must be given to the club president first, and then the president will pass on the name to the chairperson of the speaker committee.

Those attending the District Conference in Frankenmuth, May 1–3, are very excited. Bill Friske will be in charge of setting up a table to promote the 4-Way-Test soccer balls, and Tammy Bonifield and Sharon Pommerville will be in charge of creating a hospitality room featuring Michigan products.

Other upcoming events were discussed. Several club members are attending Livonia’s Day of Unity and Prayer (May 7), working with our club member Wayne Kinney along with the Livonia noon Club for the Wine Tasting event on June 26, and making gift suggestions to give the incoming Governor, Kim Spirou, at the Meet the Governor event in Ontario. Tammy will be attending the RYLA camp (May 15–17) to help build leadership skills for our student attendees.

We are looking for volunteers for the Passport to Safety event and for the next Road Clean‑up on June 6.

Today’s speaker was Kristin Houchins, currently the Director of Communications for the City of Livonia, a position she has held since May 2017. She is recognized for her extensive experience in strategic communication, community engagement, and event management.

Kristin gave an accounting of all the ways Livonia communicates to the community through 24 social media accounts, the Connection magazine that comes out three times a year, the Livonia Today magazine, and the AM1670 radio station. Kristin made it a point to say that no comments given by residents on city social media platforms are ever censored or banned. The newest offering in the works for residents is the development of a volunteer corps that will be called “The Livonia Office of Volunteer Energy.” The purpose is to get residents involved in city events and projects and provide needed help for the city. It is in the early stage of development.

Take note: If you would like to receive emergency alerts and notifications from the city, sign up by following these steps:

Sign up for Livonia CodeRED online and create a managed account, or
Via mobile phone by texting “LivoniaAlerts” to 24639 and visiting the provided link that comes in a response message, or
Via phone at (866) 939‑0911

Today’s meeting was followed by a Leadership Meeting (new name for Board Meeting).

Victoria Haltom