June 26, 2024, marked the end of the Wagner Rotary Club’s fiscal year. President Becky Brunsing rang the bell for her last meeting as President. The only guest for the day was Judene Irvine who was invited by Rotarian Amanda Bechen.

Rotarian Rachel Woods gave a blessing for the meal and members. Song leader Gerit Juffer led us in singing the first verse of The Star-Spangled Banner.

There was no Membership Minute, so Sergeant at Arms Jamie Soukup gleefully went to the podium to assess his last fines for the year. $2 went to Bill Frei for poking fun at Jeff Doom last week; $5 will go to Jerry Weber who was not present, and the fine will be explained next week by the new Sergeant. $1 each went to Bryan Slaba, Kathe and Jerry Henke, and Scott McAdaragh for paying with cash for the first time and confusing the Sergeant. Bill Frei was fined $2 for walking in, looking around, and then NOT sitting with his wife Patty and Linda. Finally, Soukup fined every Rotarian with $1 because it was his last week as Sergeant. Soukup stated that “my reign of terror is over!”

Rotarian Craig Krsnak paid a Happy Fine of $50 to the club as his wife won a big prize from Karl’s at Gregory, SD in the District #5610 annual drawing.

Jordan Weber was unlucky and drew the five of Clubs when he had the chance at the Queen of Hearts.

Krsnak announced that the steak dinner attendance will be in suspense for a couple of weeks yet. The Juffer Team had two misses for a total of seventeen whereas the Frei Team, who was ahead the entire quarter, had three misses, giving them a total of nineteen. Members have two weeks after an absence to submit a makeup sheet.

There had been an executive board meeting prior to the regular meeting of the Board of Directors to settle business matters before the beginning of the next Rotary year. Issues discussed were security cameras on the building, a membership drive, tweaking the rules for obtaining new members. President Brunsing gave a big thank you to Kathe Henke who had resigned from the Board of Directors, as she helps with getting the meals out and setting up the meeting room each week.

An election was held for two new Board of Directors. Jeff Doom and Patty Frei were elected by a unanimous vote to these positions.

It was decided to buy at least a hundred new flags for our Rotary Club. Every rotary club has its own flag (small only about 8 x 10 inches). We have been out of flags for some time. Rachel Doom will oversee the ordering and the design of a new flag that will be representative of our Wagner club.

The new officers will be in charge of our next meeting, on July 3rd. President Jordan Weber and officers will be sworn in, and committee appointments will be made.

The membership adjourned and went as a group North of Main Street where the new Apparel Worx is located. Rotarian Rachel Woods was giving the club members a tour. Woods and her husband David who is a construction engineer have been remodeling this location which was the former Wagner Bowling Alley. Woods and her employees have been busy moving from their former location on South Main Street for the last two weeks. The following photos were taken during the tour of the building. They started demolition in October of 2023 and are now working steadily in the new location.

There is a new entranceway to Doom’s business which is located on the South side of the building. There is a small apartment in the rear of the building where one of Dave’s employees’ lives. The portion of the building that contained the alleys has not been remodeled yet. There is a new kitchen where the old kitchen was located, a playroom for employees children after school, a new eating area and two office rooms for Rachel.

The new location is an asset to the community, and we congratulate Rachel and her husband on their accomplishment. Woods sends her products all over the nation. She has come a long way from starting embroidery products in her basement ten years ago!