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!

Rotary International Convention, Calgary, Canada

June 21-25, 2025

Attending the Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Canada, was an experience I can not compare to anything else. The convention attendees numbered around 15,000, with 140 nations participating. During the parade of flags from these countries at the “Opening Session,” the global reach of Rotary felt expansive. All the participants were there to “Unite for Good,” as stated in the theme for the convention and the coming year. Indeed, roaming the numerous booths at the convention center, which exhibited projects launched by Rotarians, was overwhelming in its reach and commitment. The availability of language interpretive programs on the Rotary phone app was immensely helpful as the global group gathered to support one another.

The current Rotary International President, Stephanie Urichick, of Pennsylvania, USA, introduced the newly elected President Francesco Arezzo of Italy and the President Nominee from South Korea, who gave very heart-warming speeches.

There was an array of well-known public figures, including Geena Davis, an Academy Award winner, who spoke about being “Killed by Politeness,” and an international journalist, Scott Simon from National Public Radio, who talked about reporting the aftermath of war. Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Senior Vice President and Director of Curriculum and Content for Sesame Street programming, was a keynote speaker. She has written books on “Playful Learning,” and her presentation was on how children learn from mistakes. Tawakkot Karman, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Human Rights Activist, was interviewed in the closing general session by Scott Siman on the importance of a free press

Attendees from the Livonia AM Rotary group was Tammy Bonifield, Dave Stechholz, and Nancy Darga. To maximize the learning experience, each member attended different sessions and shared the information they gathered from the speakers. A special event was planned for the Rotarians from District 6400 at the Calgary Zoo. Despite the weather, the gardens and animals at the zoo were fascinating. We also attended a western show referred to as “The Stampede,” where we watched members of the “Blackfeet Tribes” compete in a horse relay race. We laugh at one segment where a group of children is let into the center corral, and they try to jump on little ponies bareback. They ended up very muddy but not hurt.

Nancy Darga

Dave Stechholz created a terrific PowerPoint outline highlighting key moments of the convention. See the presentation HERE.

Wine Tasting Event at the Livonia Spree

June 27, 2025

On Friday, June 27th, a beautiful collaboration between the Rotary Clubs of Livonia AM and Livonia Noon culminated in a civic celebration of community during the Livonia Spree. The opportunity to host the event was given to the clubs as a means to raise money for the Rebuild Rotary Park effort led by Livonia Rotarians Nancy Darga and Deanna Gaffney. The wine tasting had been a long-standing feature of the Spree. Pausing prior to 2020, the clubs had to re-create the details of the event in a very short time as the previous organizers were not available to offer historical data or advice.

A committee was soon formed with duties divided amongst club members. Erin Dobbins embarked on a trip to local liquor stores to solicit donations of wine through their vendors and helped secure the raffle and liquor license from the state of Michigan. Bill Friske set up electronic payment methods and a QR code to add to the flyer created by Wayne Kinney.

Wayne stepped up as a champion for the event using his professional experience in creating a roadmap of the event space and promoting through social media and print materials. He targeted various community connections, which resulted in the Brass Mug Party Store providing all of the wine and staff to pour and describe each product.

Taylor Rotarian, Alice Prusak of Prestige Catering and Banquet Center was called in to serve light fare as advertised and provide a liquor license in case the Foundation’s was not approved in time.

Meanwhile, Claude Kendrick assembled volunteers with faith the event would come together, adding and subtracting positions, and massaging shift times as the event details solidified. Wayne printed lawn signs and postcards made with input from many club members. Wayne and Sharon Pommerville distributed the signs advertising our wine tasting throughout the Spree. We then watched for Bill’s updates on event registrations which climbed each day.

Friday came with a sigh of relief and an air of excitement. The Eddie Edgar Ice Arena, home of the Wine Tasting, was transformed into an intimate space with a fabulous grazing table by Prestige, over 60 varieties of wine to sample, a prominent display of the Rebuild Rotary Park campaign, 50/50 raffle and added entertainment with the quirky, but fun Spin to Win wheel. Wayne emceed the event, keeping the atmosphere alive with announcements of game winners and new wine bottles being cracked open for sample. Bill Joyner and his wife attended the event complimentary, as a thank you” for his ongoing support of Rotary. In all, approximately 110 people attended the wine tasting, including several paid volunteers and their family and friends from both Livonia clubs.

This inaugural opportunity demonstrated our ability to pull together and create a successful and memorable event sure to grow year after year.

"Kudos to all who gave their time and energy to participate in an elegant and fun fundraising activity."

Erin Dobbins

Club Meeting, Featuring: Katie Dodge, Livonia Early Childhood Center

June 25, 2025

Today’s meeting was chaired by our President-elect, Erin Dobbins, as our

outgoing President Dave Stechholz and our current President, Nancy Darga are still in Calgary, attending the Rotary International Conference.

The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by an Invocation by Mike Ladwig, then Happy Bucks led by Sharon Pommerviile. We had a visitor, Diane Janes, attend the meeting. She is a retired Kindergarten teacher from the Livonia Schools. Please welcome Diane to our group.

Our speaker today was Katie Dodge, the principal of the Livonia Early Childhood Center located at 18000 Newburgh Rd.

Katie has been a resident of Livonia since second grade and began teaching in Livonia in 2008. Her PhD is in Special Education and the Gifted and Talented. She has been the principal of the Center for 5 years.

The Childhood Center serves 700 children with a staff of 125.

Programs include Early on Michigan, Child Care for 6 week to 35 months old children, and programs for 3 to 4 year olds. The Center also has 2 speech programs. The Early On Michigan Program is specifically for infants and toddlers, birth to 3 years, whose parents need help finding social, health and educational services that will promote the development of their children with special needs. The programs for 3 and 4 year olds are full and half day programs. Priority is given to children who live in Livonia and program spots are limited.

The remainder of the meeting focused on the Wine Tasting Event that the Livonia Rotary Clubs are sponsoring on Friday, June 27, from 5-7 PM at the Eddie Edgar Ice Arena. This event is a fundraiser for the Rebuild Rotary Park Project and is part of the Livonia Spree Celebration. Details for set-up and volunteer spots were discussed. There will be a 50/50 raffle and a Spin the Wheel opportunity. Tickets are $35.00 per person.

Claude Kendrick reported that plans for Touch a Truck have already begun and the Interact Club is proposing some new and exciting add-ons for this year.

A reminder that there is no Rotary meeting next week on July 2nd due to the 4th of July holiday. The next upcoming volunteer opportunity is Road Clean-up on Saturday, July 19th.

Several members met after the meeting to finalize plans for the Wine Tasting Event. This is an ambitious event—thank you to all who have devoted time and effort to make this a success.

Victoria Haltom

VISIT OUR CLUB IN PERSON

We meet at the

Livonia Senior Center Complex

15218 Farmington Road

Livonia, MI 48154

Every Wednesday, 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

All Are Welcome!