President Bryan Slaba gave the Rotary Bell a solid whack to bring his last meeting to order as President of the club for 2021-2022. It was enough to make this recorder jump which delighted him. Slaba read a prayer to begin the meeting in the absence of any clergy at the meeting. There was one guest, Maesa Dvorak who is working part time at Bechen & Company this summer.

The members sang “Smile” acapella in the absence of our resident pianist who has moved to North Dakota. If there is anyone who is interested in becoming a Rotary member and is also musically inclined, please contact this recorder.

In the absence of Rotarian Ken Cotton who is our Membership Minute Man, President Slaba read the definition of Rotary.

How do you describe the organization called “Rotary”? There are so many characteristics of a Rotary club as well as the activities of a million Rotarians. There are the features of service, internationality, fellowship, classifications of each vocation, development of goodwill and world understanding, the emphasis of high ethical standards, concern for other people and many more descriptive qualities.

In 1976 the Rotary International Board of Directors was interested in creating a concise definition of the fundamental aspects of Rotary. They turned to the three men who were then serving on Rotary’s Public Relations Committee and requested that a one-sentence definition of Rotary be prepared. After numerous drafts, the committee presented this definition, which has been used ever since in various Rotary publications:

“Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.”

Sergeant at Arms Jerry Weber began writing down fines the minute he arrived at the meeting. After our meal he went to the podium to deliver his last fines for the year: $4 to Jeff Doom for dragging the largest tree down the four lane highway to the dump; $2 each to Jeff Doom and Jerry Henke for remembering to get out the ice cream; $2.50 to Bryan Slaba for bragging about being president for three years when due to COVID it was only two and half years; $2 each to Linda Soukup and Joe Stedronsky for switching tables; $1 to Jerry Henke for his “tree knowledge”; $2 To Gerrit Juffer for being happy about the fine hot sailboat weather; $2 to Craig Krsnak for his haircut which left him very sunburned; $2 each to Jordan Weber and Jamie Soukup for being so excited about seeing each other they almost hugged; $2 to Scott McAdaragh for not having a phone infraction today. Happy Fines: $5 from Joe Stedronsky for the article about him in the recent Wagner Post; $4.20 from Jerry Weber in honor of his 42nd wedding anniversary, $3 from Patty Frei for having three extra kids coming to stay with her, $2 from Amanda Bechen for having Maesa with her today for the meeting.

Amanda was lucky to hold the winning ticket for a chance at the Queen drawing, but she only drew an eight of Diamonds. The Queen seems determined to hide until the end. There are only about fifteen cards left to draw from.

Secretary Treasurer Craig Krsnak reported that the amount of money to be won has jumped to $637.00 That is exactly half of what the winner will get. The other half of the money goes to support our scholarship winners. Krsnak also announced that there had been no miracle to save the Brunsing Attendance Team from buying the steaks, so we will be enjoying a steak meal courtesy of the Brunsing Team.

A Board of Directors meeting was held prior to the regular meeting and the results were announced. The price of food has gone up so therefore the price for our meals will be going up and added to our quarterly dues effective immediately.

Rotarians Jeff Doom and Gerrit Juffer were appointed song leaders for the coming year as Rotarian Kathe Henke has resigned from being the song leader. Rotarian Linda Soukup has also resigned from her position as Chairperson of the Labor Day Float Committee. If no one volunteers for this position soon, we will not be having a float in the Labor Day Parade.

Next week on Wednesday, we will not be meeting at Noon. The membership should attend a picnic meal at the Rotary Shelter at 6:00 PM for a work night of planting new shrubs and perennials. Bring shovels and working tools.

As promised last week here are a few more details about our fundraising project, selling Butternut Trees! The Butternut tree forms a broad rounded crown that will provide shade in the landscape. It likes full sun, no shade! They will grow at least twelve inches a year to a mature 40 to 60 feet tall. They like rich, moist, well-drained soil and can thrive in Zones 3 to 7. We are in Zone 4 to 5. Contact any Rotarian or Rotarian Jerry Henke at his home between the Ft. Randall Casino and Pickstown. He lives in a log home. The trees are $20 each. We would like the public to know that these are available to all nurseries and landscapers as well as the public.

Program Chairperson for the day Rotarian Jeff Doom introduced Rotarian Bryan Slaba who also happens to be the CEO at Wagner Community Memorial Hospital. Slaba briefly outlined the changes coming to the Hospital and Clinic since Dr. Bubak has retired. The area of the Bubak Clinic will become an area for five offices for Behavioral specialists. There is a huge need for counseling in our community and outlying area. This will begin January first. The renovations will be taking place soon. The former exam rooms of the clinic will be outreach clinic rooms for new specialists in Podiatry, Orthopedics, OB, Kidney, and an area for performing colonoscopies.

The present laboratory area will be moving to where the old appointment waiting room was in the Bubak clinic. The Administration offices will be moving to the Lab area.

Slaba has been busy the last few we4eks recruiting new nurses and another Doctor for everyone. He listed several local names that the Hospital has made an investment in by helping to fund their education in return for them coming to Wagner to be employed.

He stated that “WCMH is financially sound and looking forward to these new expansions and bringing more health care providers to Wagner and the area.