BRAINERD ROTARY Darrell F. Schneider  2001-2002

(81) Darrell F. Schneider
     2001-2002

This year in Brainerd Rotary History began and ended with a wonderful Change of Gavel Celebration and Dinner at the Legacy Pavilion hosted by Dutch & Irma Cragun.  John Forrest chaired the exciting golf events.

The next day several Rotarians and their partners, including Hans & Gisela Borgwarth, Jim & Marge Weigel, Jack, Chris, & Ann Ruttger, Dick & Diane Beal, Terri Monroe, John Luce, and Darrell & Colleen Schneider left town for the Rotary International Conference in San Antonio leaving Kevin Thesing to conduct the first meeting of the year on June 26th.

Officers and Directors for the year included Vice President Lisa Paxton, Secretary Terri Monroe, Treasurer Mike Sands, Sergeant of Arms Jill Carlson Ferrie, Past President Kevin Thesing, Dick Beal, Chuck Ostberg, Brian Wermager, Chris Ruttger, and Paula Persons who maintained our Club web-site.  John Luce was Assistant District Governor.

Bob Musielewicz scheduled the weekly programs.  John Turcott kept the Axemen alive.  Penny Nelsen was Club Photographer.  Karen Kirt was Public Relations Coordinator.  Dave Reed is Club Historian.  Dan Brown worked on Volunteer of the Month Recognition.

The summer months of July and August got the year off to a fast start.  Terri Monroe, John Luce, and Marc Halverson led our Rotary Relay for Life participation.  John Gaffney organized the Mille Lacs fishing trip.  Jim Weigel brought Duluth Rotarians to Ruttger's Bay Lake for a golf outing.  Ruth Gmeinder kicked off our Project Literacy Project with a presentation.  Harry Nysather with Marv Campbell presented "Rotary Minutes."  Nancy Hall began the First Interact meetings at the High School.  Jeff Olson led the RYLA program.  Terry Skone & Gary Olson promoted the First Reverse Dinner - Raffle.  Hanspeter Borgwarth began the Roundtable meetings at the Ramada.  We met our new exchange student, Alain Decker, from France.

September began with a report on Mike Overton's brain surgery, Bob Nystrom with his daughter, Quinn, introduced the Diabetes Walk, Bill Blum's Red Cross Blood Drive and Mike Engler & Heidi Funk's presentation on the United Way.  Our rhythm was shaken with the events of 9/11 as the impact of the disaster was well known by the time of our noon meeting.  Before the week was over we were mourning the sudden and unexpected death of Diane Beal, wife of Dick Beal and President of the Morning Rotary Club.  John Fitzpatrick began training Steve Esser to take over leadership of the Trash Socials with Ruth Gmeinder, Dave Ten Eyck, Brian & Deb Thuringer, and Jerry Walseth doing the cooking at Charlie Sheets' Emporium.  A baby boy was born to Penny Nelsen.  Frank Ball was a guest presenter.  Joe Birmingham sponsored by Sally Ihne was our first new member of the year.  Cheryl Gelbmann led Rotary Sponsorship of the day honoring C. Elmer Anderson, Minnesota Governor and Mayor of Brainerd.  

On October 30th, District 5580 Governor, Alan Pepper, and his wife, Sheila, joined us for our meeting at which we presented our club plan for the year.  On that evening the First Reverse Dinner/Raffle was celebrated with a full house at Maddens.  The event was a great success at the culmination of a year's work led by Linda Hanson and the committee of Cheryl Gelbmann, Mark Erickson, Theresa Goble, Gary Olson, Bill Potvin, Kevin Thesing, and Kurt Hanson who developed a terrific slide show on the activities of our Rotary Foundation.  John Kurtzman won the $10,000 drawing.  

Bob Nystrom won an election to the School Board.  On November 27th General John Vessey appeared at our expanded two hour meeting that involved an initial Live Public Radio Broadcast led by Rachel Nystrom involving the National Guard addressing issues of current concern.

Most Rotarians participated in the Annual Salvation Army Bell Ringing on December 8th.  A new format Rotary Holiday Party was led by Lisa Paxton and Jill Carlson Ferrie with emphasis on activities that could be appreciated by the kids attending including a visit by Santa Jim Bedard.

Bill Blum began the new year with a talk on the Rotary International Foundation.  Congressman Jim Oberstar and Senator Don Samuelson were guests at our meeting January 15th.  Dennis Morris led the Haiti Bike Program.  Project Literacy continued with a WCCO radio interview with Don Shelby and the first Rotary Reader Day on January 25th with 27 Rotarians reading in eight schools; Dr. Wayne Little along with Ruth Gmeinder, Jerry Walseth, and Mike McConkey provided leadership for the continuance of this program.

Rick Bricker led the Winnipeg Goodwill Trip where Rotarians from Aitkin, Walker, Little Falls, and Duluth Harbortown joined our bus trip.  Don Ryan and Penny Nelsen led the Silent Auction and Wine Tasting Gala.  Mike Moran provided a bus for a trip to Duluth to see RI President Rick King perform and talk at a Rotary lunch at the DECC; Dick Beal, Conrad Bye, Al Cibuzar, Jim Barry, Dick Isenhart, Nancy Hall, Dan Hegstad, Fred & LeRoy Jarl, Jim & Marge Weigel, Hanspeter & Gisela Borgwarth, Darrell & Colleen Schneider were in attendance Eric Davidge and Ed Fox led the 140 Garage Sale.  Peter Johnson at the AM Rotary continued the Model United Nations program with the High School Students.

The District 5580 Annual Conference was attended by Hans & Gisela Borgwarth, Wayne & Jo Little, Terri Monroe, John Luce, Lisa & Steve Paxton, Don Rasmussen, Jack & Ann Ruttger, and Darrell & Colleen Schneider.  Our Rotary Club was selected for three District Awards:  Best Bulletin Series, Community Service, and Best Club in District Honorable Mention.  Our club received another two awards directly from Rotary International President Rick King; Public Relations Award and Significant Achievement Award for Outstanding Community Service.

John Swanson, Jim Weigel, Mick & Angela Roby, and Darrell & Colleen Schneider went to Duluth for lunch & golf at the Duluth Skyline Rotary Club.

New members for the year included Joe Birmingham, Glen Derby, Maria Stanifer, Nadine Gessner, Brad Persons, James Barry, Loren Bielke, Heidi Funk, Dick Isenhart, Kevin Larson, Yvonne Leiser, Ross Hella, David Krause, Margaret Becker, Mark Dockendorf, and Dave Johnson with General John Vessey and Jim Alderman as honorary members.  Led by Tom Madden with Dan Hegstad, Mick Roby, and Mary Scott, total membership was 140 at year's end.

Club Awards for the year were made at the Change of Gavel Dinner:  PROJECT OF THE YEAR to Linda Hanson for her work on the Reverse Dinner/Raffle.  Linda Hanson did a great job of bringing focus to the Brainerd Rotary Foundation.

PRESIDENT'S AWARD to Nancy Hall for her award-winning Bulletin Series.

SERVICE ABOVE SELF to Paula Persons who was always there to continuously consult on the computer system, maintained the web page and led the submission effort for the awards granted to our club.

ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR to Mark Erickson who has volunteered his skills in making eight trips to Haiti over the years and has made his business available for club projects as well as participating in other club projects.

The membership makes the club.  I can only hope that I have done a reasonable job in recognizing those who have made this year possible and contributed to these highlights.  It was certainly my honor and privilege to serve as President of this great organization for this year.  Thank you all very much!!!  Darrell

07/03/2008