The first Rotary meeting of the year 2023 was held on Wednesday, January 11th. The first Wednesday of the year everyone was still digging out from a long blizzard which left us plenty of snow for the remainder of winter. President Rachel Woods called the meeting to order with a weak rap on the Rotary Bell mostly from not having much practice ringing the bell given our bad weather for the previous weeks.

President Woods gave a prayer of thanksgiving for the food and fellowship which strengthens us to go out and spread peace and good will in our community.

Song Leader Gerrit Juffer chose “If You Are Happy and You Know It” for our Rotary song. Bluetooth is a great accompaniment.

A Membership Minute was given by Rotarian Ken Cotton about Rotary’s Areas of Focus. Rotary’s 34,000 clubs and 1.2 million members serve communities around the world, each with unique concerns and needs. Rotarians have continually adapted and improved the way they respond to those needs, taking on a broad range of service projects. The most successful and sustainable Rotary service tends to fall within one of six area, which Rotary has designated as its areas of focus: peace and conflict prevention/resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and economic and community development.

The needs spanning these service areas are vast, ranging from lack of access to clean water to the need for immunizations that prevent deadly diseases. RI and The Rotary Foundation recognize that focusing service in these areas can provide direction to Rotarians interested in developing service projects, improve Rotarians’ capacity to address needs, and show the world that Rotary is a global leader in humanitarian service.

The areas of focus form an integral part of The Rotary Foundations’ Future Vision Plan and the RI Strategic Plan.

Sergeant at Arms Jordan Weber made up for missing a week of fines by doubling down on everyone: $2 to Gerrit Juffer for taking two spots in parking and another $2 for wearing a new Cowboys Jersey and talking like he was an owner of the Cowboys; $2 to everyone who didn’t watch the huge football game between SDSU and NDSU; $2 to Linda Soukup for bringing frozen cheesecake for Becky Brunsings birthday; $1 each to Rachel Woods and Becky Brunsing for spilling water all over Table #1; $5 to Jeff Doom for not shoveling the snow off of the Rotary steps and entryway; $2 to Jerry Weber for the quietest entrance he has ever made into Rotary and another $2 for talking about the Hoosiers; $2 to Craig Krsnak for wearing a golfing shirt in January; and $1 to Ken Cotton for taking a discount on the Queen of Hearts offering. HAPPY FINES came from : Jerry Weber $5 for a piece of cheesecake, and $10 from Jamie Soukup and $10 from Jordan Weber for the great win by SDSU in the National Football Championship; $12 from Patty Frei for getting away from the Dakota Blizzard; $12 for Bill catching a 105 pound Marlin; and another $20 for gaining another boy as daughter Callie got engaged over the Christmas break.

The guest Cayla Nelson drew the lucky ticket for a chance at the Queen of Hearts but if was just a nine of Spades.

Secretary/Treasurer Craig Krsnak announced the new total in the Hearts drawing $226.00. The attendance teams of Weber and Soukup became tied at the last minute with a boost from Rotarian Joe Stedronsky making up two meetings. It was decided that Rachel Woods would break the tie with the cards left and Jamie Soukup drew the high card so the Jordan Weber team will once again have to buy all the steaks.

Other business: There were no Football Book winners due to the weather so a decision was made to give out two $50 winning amounts to two books at the next meeting. Predictions will be made at one of the future meetings and Jamie Soukup will be in charge of the topics. President Rachel asked for volunteers for the recording position for the next eight weeks. If no one volunteers she will appoint someone.

Rotarian Amanda Bechen introduced her program which was Miss Cayla Nelson a former student at WCS. Cayla is the very first winner of the crown from South Dakota by participating in the National American Miss Pageant. The NAM is a program based on the foundational principle of fostering positive self-image by enhancing natural beauty within. It is a program designed for today’s girl which celebrates American’s greatness and the individuality of American girls. It is centered around helping young ladies grow and expand their ideas about who they are and what they want to achieve.

In order to participate Cayla had to announce a platform which involved her passion, give a personal introduction, have a personal interview and give a personal speech and perform an act of service. She participated in the pageant at Orlando Florida. South Dakota had never had a participant in this pageant before. She did very well and brought home the title with the crown.

Her passion is to influence young children and youth. Her Platform was titled “Little Minds Dream Big”. She was very shy as a young girl, endured bullying, and looks forward to graduating from WCS a year earlier. She is being home schooled and her plans are to attend a school and become an Esthetician and would love to come back to her home town and start the business here.

Cayla gave an interesting presentation of her experience, and her speaking skills were obvious to all. We wish her well in all she does in the coming year.

The club adjourned in its usual fashion: OF THE THINGS we think, say or do: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned.