Trivia Night - *Date Change*The stars were not aligning for a well-attended April 27 event (not to mention volunteers), so guess what? We've elected to move it to May 11! Please register your team by emailing President@webstergrovesrotary.org. Payment can come later.  |
March Programs 1 - Club Meeting: Rob Wagnon Friendship Exchange 6 - Rotary Coffee Hour, 7 a.m. Clover and the Bee 8 - Club Meeting: Gabi deSouza - Foreign Exchange student from Brazil 15 - Club Meeting: City of Webster Groves; Mayor Laura Arnold and former State Rep. Jeanne Kirkton “Prop W” 15 - Rotary Club of Webster Groves Day! 16 - Centennial Party at Westborough 20 - Rotary After Hours, 5:15 p.m. Llwyelyn's 22 - Club Meeting: Transportation Museum; Dave T 23 - WG Police Officers Association Trivia Night (Rotary receiving 1/2 the net proceeds for student scholarships) 25 - Scholarship Recipients Selected 29 - Intercity Meeting: Webster Groves Rec Complex $20 Westwood Catering - Chuck Weed
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ProclamationThe Rotary Club of Webster Groves received a Proclamation from the City of Webster Groves commemorating our Centennial! It was presented by Mayor Laura Arnold and the City Council Members on March 6, 2024.  March 15, 2024 was designated Rotary Club of Webster Groves Day! If you took your photo by the City Hall marquee, send it to President@webstergrovesrotary.org and we'll post them here!  |
Wine Tasting 2024The inaugural Wine Tasting event was well-received! Great times were had by all, even the non-tasters! Guillo Rodriguez, Rob Wagnon and Susan Fletcher did a fabulous job planning. Thanks go out to Deb Wagnon, Tim Graham, Chuck and Margaret Weed for their help in set-up and break-down, Larry Fletcher for assisting with check-in. There are already calls to make it an annual event. DONE!
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Centennial Celebrations & Programs |
Wine Tasting Coming Up on February 17! |
January Programs |
Welcome 2024 - Our Centennial Year! |
Election Results Are In!As always, Rotary Club Election Day arrived on the First Friday of December, and the results are in! It was an extremely tight race, as we elected four members to the 2024-25 board of directors on December 1: Nikki Lemley, Rob Wagnon, Ryan Whittington, and Claire Winkler. Congratulations to all! We extend our heartfelt thanks to the remaining four candidates, who graciously agreed to serve on next year's Board if elected: Becky Blair, Gerry Kettenbach, Jack Pirozzi, Dick Sant, and Chuck Weed. As is our tradition, the name of the President Nominee was revealed at our Holiday Party held the next night at the home of Janet and Jack Pirozzi: Ryan Whittington will lead us in 2025-26, serving on next year's board with President Ted Domino and Immediate Past President Miki McKee Koelsch, along with the three newly elected Directors. To round out the nine-member Board of Directors, Ted will appoint a Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-at-Arms, with Board approval.  |
December Programs |
UPDATED Nominees for 2024-2025 Board On Friday, November 3, 2023, the Nominating Committee announced eight nominees for the club’s 2024-2025 Board of Directors. At our lunch meeting on November 17, we had the opportunity to nominate other members for the upcoming election. Chuck Weed nominated Nikki Lemley, who could not be considered a candidate on November 3, because she had not been a member of the club at least two years as of that date.The updated list of nominees now includes nine members. Four of them will be elected to the new Board, one of whom to serve as President-Elect. The 2024-2025 Board will also include President Ted Domino and Immediate Past-President Miki McKee Koelsch; Ted will appoint a Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-at-Arms, with Board approval.
The election will be held on Friday, December 1, 2023 at the Annual Meeting. Members in good standing are eligible to vote in person; Bylaws do not permit absentee ballots. If there are any questions, please contact Guillo Rodríguez or another member of the Nominating Committee: Andrew Chao, Tim Graham, Dan Moore, and Dick Peterson. |
WORLD POLIO DAYRotary members around the world are gearing up for World Polio Day this Tuesday, October 24th. Efforts continue throughout the year, but every October 24, we renew our commitment to eliminating Polio forever. You may click here to The Rotary Foundation: https://www.endpolio.org/donate The Rotary Foundation has received the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator 15 years in a row! It's no wonder that The Rotary Foundation remains the first-choice charity for people all over the globe. We "Create Hope in the World."  |
FRIENDS OF KIDS WITH CANCER ON OCTOBER 5On Thursday, we had the honor of volunteering with the Friends of Kids with Cancer Fall Festival at Grant's Farm. Although we arrived from nearby Webster Groves, Chewbacca journeyed from a galaxy far, far away!  |
OCTOBER EVENTS 2023OUR OCTOBER EVENTS October 5 - Hand out wish list items to Friends of Kids with Cancer
October 6 - Pancake Festival October 20 - District 6060 Assembly in Sikeston October 27 - District 6060 Assembly in Wentzville October 28 - Make a Difference Day at Blackburn Park Email Miki at peanut1006@sbcglobal.net for more information or to sign up to help. |
Pancake Festival is Coming!Join your friends and neighbors at the annual Rotary All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Festival on October 6! Options are lunch 11:00 am - 1:30 pm or dinner 4 - 7 pm. Message us for tickets. Go ahead! Invite your workmates, family members and friends! The more, the merrier!
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New Board Installed on June 23Our 2023-2024 Board of Directors was installed on Friday night, June 23 at the Webster Groves Rec Center, following a buffet dinner by Westwood Catering. The new board includes President Miki McKee Koelsch, Vice President Rob Wagnon, Secretary Tim Graham, Treasurer Dick Peterson, Sergeant-at-Arms Becky Blair, President Elect Ted Domino, Past President Guillo Rodriguez, and Directors Jack Pirozzi & Claire Winkler. They will lead us into our year-long Centennial Celebration surrounding our 100th anniversary on March 15, 2024. (Left to right: Guillo, Miki, Becky, Rob, Claire, Dick, Jack, and Ted; Tim could not be with us for the festivities.)
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Beekeeping in Webster Groves Our very own Rob Wagnon brought a great Power Point presentation when he came to tell us all about honey bees last week. Virtually all of our members stayed 20 minutes over, because it was so interesting. What a fascinating program! |
The American Chestnut Tree Needs Our Help!“Under the spreading chestnut tree, the village smithy stands….” So goes Longfellow’s poem about this towering giant that was lauded as the Sequoia of the East, until it was virtually wiped out by an Asian fungus that was introduced here about 1900. For the past fifty years, molecular biologists with The American Chestnut Foundation have been working on a restoration program to save the species from extinction through the miracle of genetic engineering. Webster Groves Rotarian John Dougherty has been one of these dedicated scientists for two decades, and he has been keeping us up to date with the latest news on the development of a blight-tolerant strain. Earlier this month, we learned this Herculean effort has just one more hurdle to cross: the final phase for Federal approval, which involves public comments and endorsements. Time is of the essence, since the window for comments closes on December 27.  Please click here https://www.esf.edu/chestnut/regulatory.htm and look for the official "NOTICE" to read more about it and to click on the blue "Comment" button to post your support. You can also check out the American Chestnut Foundation website to read more about this remarkable scientific endeavor: http://www.acf.org/ |
2022 FINAL ELECTION RESULTSAs always, Rotary Club Election Day arrived on the First Friday of December! Members were presented with a slate of eight nominees and charged with picking four to serve as directors for 2023-2024. Becky Blair, Jack Pirozzi, and Rob Wagnon will serve on the new Board with President Miki McKee Koelsch. along with President Nominee, Ted Domino, who will serve as President in 2024-2025. Congratulations to all! The Nominating Committee contacted every member of the Club about throwing their hat in the proverbial ring for this year's election. Thank you to the remaining four candidates, who graciously agreed to serve on next year's Board if elected: Dick Sant, Steve Tlapek, K Wentzien, and Claire Winkler. |
Identifying Stress and Managing It!
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Make a Difference DayThe Rotary Club of Webster Groves and the WG High School Interact Club made a difference on Saturday, October 22, working with the Webster Groves Parks Department. One group winterized the business district pots and prepared cannas for over-wintering at the Service Center, and another did trail maintenance at Blackburn Park.  |
WORLD POLIO DAYWorld Polio Day is coming up on October 24! The Rotary Club of Webster Groves is one of more than 35,000 clubs worldwide that support the eradication of polio through our contributions to The Rotary Foundation.  |
It's a Wrap for Our 64th Pancake Festival!!After two years of pandemic restrictions, we eagerly resumed our traditional Pancake Festival on October 7, where we served 500+ meals for lunch and dinner. We are most appreciative for the contribution of Webster Groves High School's Rotary Interact Club and Robotics Team, whose members provided much-welcomed assistance in the dining room, as well as members of the High School Jazz Band whose dulcet tones were the perfect background during lunch. AND, we can't forget the volunteers from Webster Hills Methodist Church, whose presence in the kitchen was invaluable! Our 65th Festival will be back before you know it. See you the first weekend of October 2023!  |
Exchanging Banners in Spain Rotary Club of Webster Groves president Guillo Rodríguez (right) exchanged his club’s trading banner with Spain District 2201 Past District Governor Andrés Barriales Ardura during the Rotary Club of Gijón’s meeting on Monday, September 12, 2022. Gijón is a port city in the northern state of Asturias on the Atlantic’s Cantabrian Sea. The Webster Groves and Gijón clubs are collaborating in the rehabilitation of a historic 17th century chapel in Gijón. The project to repurpose the deconsecrated chapel for a community center should be completed in mid-2023. |
Mulching Rotarians Hard at Work!Webster Groves Rotarians were armed with gloves, shovels, and rakes when they showed up at Blackburn Park on Saturday, August 13. They had responded to a call to help the Webster Groves Parks Department staff spread new mulch after a historic torrential rain storm carried away a lot of the mulch in the landscaped beds. Pictured left to right: Chuck Weed, Nikki Lemley, Becky Blair, Margaret Weed, Guillo Rodríguez, & Steve Turner.
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Bygone Commuting by Rail Almost immediately after the Pacific Railroad built its first platform stop on Gore Avenue in 1853, riders began commuting back and forth to Downtown St. Louis. Because commuter trains actually made living in "the country" a possibility, residential development quickly followed all along the rail lines. David Huelsing, Archivist for the MoPac Historical Society, shared the story of commuter trains carrying men to their Downtown offices, highlighted by dozens of photographs of stations, trains, maps, and lots of train schedules. A number of our Members recalled meeting their fathers at one of the ten MoPac and Frisco train stops that served Webster Groves for almost ninety years. |
WKT Rebirth Story Is a Happy One At last week's meeting, we heard the fascinating and heart-warming story of how our very own Webster-Kirkwood Times came back to life after COVID virtually closed it down. Publisher Randy Drilingas and Editor-in-Chief Jaime Mowers presented a lively recap of how they and another long-time employee, Kent Tentschert and Kent's brother Eric came to buy the paper when founder Dwight Bitikofer was ready to retire two years ago. |
Patrick Murphy's Candy MenWe enjoyed a real treat at our meeting on August 5, when Webster's own Patrick Murphy regaled us with tales of his family's "Candy Men." Patrick's book and PBS documentary by the same name tell the entertaining and fascinating story of the Candy Men who created Switzer Candy Company, home of world-famous Switzer's Licorice.  |
Reclaiming, Renewing BarnwoodBarry Kraft came to visit our Rotary Club a couple of weeks ago to tell us about his unique business, Reclaim Renew, which hand-crafts 100-year old barnwood into timeless furniture for home and office. The 15-year old business purchases barnwood milled from a wide variety trees – oak, cedar, chestnut, hickory, and poplar, to name a few. The first step in the process is to kiln-dry the wood to remove any potentially organic material, followed by cutting, planing, sanding, oiling, or staining the wood to highlight the rich uniqueness of each wood grain. Barry also partners with Rise Together Ministries, founded by an Ethiopian immigrant, which ministers to some 4,000 newcomers to our region each year. It offers a range of services, including job training through Reclaim Renew, which provides furniture-building skills and jobs for immigrants and refugees.  |
July 4 Parade Winner |
Good News from Tonga |
Welcome New Rotary MembersWelcome to our most recent new members, who were inducted this spring: Margaret Weed and Steve Graman. Margaret is shown with her sponsor, husband Chuck Weed, who is pinning on her Rotary wheel. Steve (on the left) is shown with his sponsor, Dan Moore (on right) and President Andrew Chao (middle). Congratulations to all involved!   |
FINAL ELECTION RESULTS!The First Friday of December brought Rotary Club Election Day, as always! Brian Corrigan, Susan Fletcher, Miki McKee Koelsch, and Steve Turner were elected as directors for 2022-2023, serving on the Board with President Guillo Rodriguez. Miki is our new President Nominee and will serve as President in 2023-2024. Thank you to the other four candidates who graciously agreed to serve on next year's Board, if elected: Becky Blair, Ted Domino, Steve Tlapek, and Rob Wagnon. |
Surprising 19th Century St. LouisOn October 8, we were delighted to welcome back Webster University's Dr. Kristen Anderson, who was such a hit when she visited with us two months ago. Kristen shared more about St. Louis and Missouri history, picking up where she left the story of St. Louis preceding statehood in 1821. It seems that St. Louis saw such high levels of immigration in the first half of the 19th century that by 1860, the majority of the city’s population had been born outside the United States! Kristen also contrasted the two major immigrant groups ~ Irish and German ~ describing reasons for leaving their homeland; details of the journey to St. Louis; why they settled in specific St. Louis neighborhoods; and what their lives were like in their new homes.  |
Friday the 13th Steamboat Disasters On Friday, August 13, during the week that Missouri celebrated the bicentennial of its statehood, we met again for lunch at the Hawken House Hearth Room and heard retired attorney and historian Jim Erwin talk about Steamboat Disasters on the Lower Missouri River; this is also the title of the latest book by Jim and his wife, Vicki Berger Erwin, which addresses the perils that steamboats, their passengers, and their crews faced on every voyage. Jim is author or co-author of six books on the Civil War in Missouri, the history of St. Charles, and true crime in Missouri, and he is a frequent speaker on the Civil War and local history. Jim and Vicki live in Kirkwood and are currently working on a new book about 19th century Missouri history. He is the Vice-Chair of the Kirkwood Arts Commission, President of the St. Louis Civil War Roundtable, and Treasurer of the Unbound Book Festival.
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Kristen Anderson and Missouri History For the first time in several years, we returned to the Hawken House Hearth Room, gathering in-person on August 6 to hear guest speaker Kristen Layne Anderson present the first of three scheduled Missouri Bicentennial history lectures. Dr. Anderson is an associate history professor at Webster University, where she specializes in 19th century U.S. social history, teaching a wide variety of courses on the Civil War and Reconstruction, women’s history, St. Louis, the American West, the Gilded Age, and the Progressive Era. She is the author of several scholarly publications, including her first book: Abolitionizing Missouri: German Immigrants and Racial Ideology in 19th Century America (LSU Press, 2016). She is currently working on a new book that examines how German immigrants remembered and commemorated their Civil War roles. (We are delighted to report that Kristen has already committed to a return speaking engagement on October 8.) |
Hawken House Concert on August 9 - ROSEWOOD This is a "Fan Favorite" year for the Hawken House Concert Series. The third performer for the 2021 season is a Webster Groves mainstay - Rosewood. They will bridge the gap to the final show with their rendition of 1960s and 70s folk rock... by guys who lived it. Bring a lawn chair, a picnic basket, and a cooler - the entertainment is FREE. The Rotary Club of Webster Groves has been a sponsor of this great community event from the very beginning. This is a perfect networking opportunity for members to talk about Rotary and to enhance our presence in the community. |
Miss Jubilee & the YAS YAS BoysJuly's Hawken House Concert is Monday night, July 12, featuring Miss Jubilee and the YAS YAS Boys on the front lawn of the Historic Hawken House Museum, 1155 South Rock Hill Road (Southwest Park), Webster Groves. Bring a chair or blanket, along with your own snacks and beverages and enjoy this entertaining music of the twenties and thirties. This is a great networking opportunity for us to talk about Rotary and enhance our presence in the community. AND....the weather is expected to be perfect!!  |
Dereck Bastian Visits and We Meet in Person!On June 25th, we held our first in-person club meeting in about 15 months. We met at Olive + Oak on Lockwood in Webster Groves. Dereck Bastian, Director of Webster Rock Hill Ministries was our guest speaker. It was wonderful to all be together and to hear about WRH Ministries and their work in our community. This is an organization our club supports.  Rev. Dereck Bastian speaks to our Club on June 25th  Club members Chuck Weed and Steve Turner present a donation to Webster-Rock Hill Ministries |
Work Day at the Hoener Memorial GardenOn April 14 and May 8, 2021, members of the Rotary Club of Webster Groves and students from Webster Groves High School held a work day in our Rotary Memorial Garden adjoining the Rec Center. This garden was dedicated to the memory of Alan J. Hoener, a beloved Rotarian, whose involvement with Rotary Youth Exchange, and many other projects with our club and in the community, was legendary.  From left to right: Guillo Rodriguez, Phil Moppert, Franceca, and Kerry Arens  |
Webster Groves Rotary Donates to Ambrose Center LibraryThe Rotary Club of Webster Groves recently expanded the Ambrose Family Center lending library. With a $2000 Community Assistance Program Grant, the club donated 165 books that provide greater depth and diversity for young readers. In recent years the Rotary Club has focused its grants on early literacy, providing books to individual families. This year, the club wanted to make books available to more families and, at the same time, provide young people with more books that featured fictional and real characters who reflect the community and give them current and historic figures who make great contributions to society but are often not recognized.  |
Tonga Water Project UpdateThe Rotary Club of Webster Groves has completed the second phase of an international project with the Rotary Club of Nuku’alofa in the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga. This project provided urgently needed water storage tanks for a primary school in the Village of Houma, located on the Tongan island of ‘Eua. This project came about at the request of Lonita Benson, a 2014 graduate of Webster Groves High School, who was serving with the Peace Corps in Houma. For many years, the village primary school was forced to operate with an insufficient supply of potable water, which meant the school was routinely forced to close after lunch, and the fifty young students were sent home. Our club contributed a total of $5,600 to purchase the three water storage tanks having a total capacity of 5,800 gallons, and the Nuku’alofa Club oversaw their purchase and installation. More photos of this project are available in the slide show link "Tonga Water Project" in the lower left column of this website.     |
Rotary Zone Summit What is the Virtual Summit? The 2020 Virtual Summit is what we used to call our “Zone Institute”. It is designed to let Rotarians share information, build connections, and exchange ideas about Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. When will the Summit be held? Saturday, October 10, 2020 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central) 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern) |
Autism SpeaksThree representatives from Autism Speaks (Staci Gerchen, Lisa Radtke, and Colleen Shinny's) presented our program on August 21st. We were pleased to hear about what your organization is doing in our community.   |
International Water ProjectIn January 2020, our club collaborated with the Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa in the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga, to provide an urgently needed water storage tank for a school in the Village Houma. This project came about at the request of Lonita Benson, a 2014 graduate of Webster Groves High School, who was teaching for the Peace Corps in Houma, which is located on the Tonga island of 'Eua. Although the Houma primary school compound had two water tanks, only one of them was suitable for storing drinking water. As a result, the fifty students were routinely sent home after lunch, after all the potable water had been consumed. Our club contributed $2,600 to purchase a 12,000-liter water tank (about 3,200 gallons), which collects rain water for the school children. (This story was updated on March 4, 2021, to include details about two more tanks that were funded in December 2020. More photos of this project are available in the slide show link "Tonga Water Project" in the lower left column of this website.)  |
Rotary Announces Theme for 2020-21 RI President-elect Holger Knaack’s theme for 2020-21, Rotary Opens Opportunities, asks Rotarians to create opportunities that strengthen their leadership, help put service ideas into action, and improve the lives of those in need. |
Rotary Supports School District Food Pantry After learning how the COVID-19 pandemic had severely strained the resources of the Hixson Middle School food pantry, the Rotary Club of Webster Groves sent the Webster Groves School District a check for $2,000 that was earmarked for Hixson’s food assistance program. The money was used to restock much-needed pantry items, since the normal supply chain has suffered during this time of lock-downs and social distancing.Principal Grace Lee responded “It was a big surprise. Thank you!” The Rotary Club was honored to be able to provide this emergency assistance. |
Staying Together Virtually We are staying together via Zoom. More than 30 of us together for lunch today. |
Chelsea Experiential Learning Center Representatives from the Webster High School Chelsea Center were our speakers today on March 6th.
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Supporting Our First Responders Captain Greg Parks (left) with Club President, Chuck Weed (right). Captain Parks was in attendance on Friday February 7th to thank the club for our donation of six defibrillators to the Webster Groves Police Department.
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New Member Induction Our club inducted another new member on January 24th. Welcome Dan Bruzzini. In the photo above, Dan is being welcomed by his sponsor, Steve Tlapek
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Congratulations to Andrew and Our New Board Congratulations to our President Nominee - Andrew Chao! Also congratulations to our 2020-2021 Board Members: Steve Turner Susan Fletcher Chris Berra
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Visiting Rotarian from India TodayIt's always a treat to have visiting Rotarians from other clubs attend our club meeting. It's particularly special when the visitors are international. Today Nithil Jose, from the Rotary Club of Cochin Technopolis (in India), attended our club luncheon and exchanged club banners with our club president, Chuck Weed.  |
Another Successful Pancake FestivalFriday, October 4th was our club's annual Pancake Festival. Lots of fun and pancakes were had by all. Check out our Facebook page to see more photos of our friendly members and happy customers.  |
Project to Save a Historic ChapelOur own Guillo Rodriguez recently visited Gijón Spain where he was hosted by the local Rotary Club and visited a 17th century historic chapel (see photo below). This is the second oldest building in that Atlantic coast city in northern Spain. The chapel, San Esteban del Mar del Natahoyo, is in a precarious state of conservation. Our local club is one of the contributors to repair this building. The project consists of rehabilitating both the chapel and its surroundings so that it can serve as a space available for the people of Gijón as a community center.  |
Our Newest MemberWelcome Walt Schwarzenbach, our newest club member. His sponsor is Andrew Chao  |
Rotary Club Donates AEDs to Police Department"The Rotary Club of Webster Groves presented the Webster Groves Police Department with six Automated External Defibrillators (AED). A donation of $5,850 by the civic organization made the purchase of the AEDs possible. The Police Department will place the devices in vehicles designated for routine patrol." - from a Communications Release from the Webster Groves Police Department.   |
Renovating the Historic Chapel, San Esteban del MarThe Rotary Club of Webster Groves is partnering with the Rotary Club of Gijón, Spain, as they rehabilitate the chapel of San Esteban del Mar. This historically significant, 17th-century chapel is being renovated to use as a community center. Our club provided $1,500 towards the project .
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Remembering Werner Bauer  What an amazing program we had on Friday, December 14th! Club members Seth H Langton and Frank Bloemke gave a presentation on the naval career of a former member, Werner Bauer. Werner was a naval ensign on the battleship West Virginia on December 7, 1941. Werner kept extensive diaries of his military experiences and therefore his first-hand account of that day is preserved. Also present were his son, Bruce, and his nephew, Reverand Ed Zumwinkel. Club members shared their fond memories of Werner, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 91.   |
A Visit from an "Old" FriendOur former exchange student, Flo from Homburg, Germany, joined us last Friday at our Pancake Festival. It was wonderful to see you Flo and thank you for volunteering. She presented our president, James Carlton, with her local Rotary Club's flag.  |
Warren Druschky We will greatly miss our friend and long-time member, Warren. Warren Russell Druschky, 98, longtime resident of Webster Groves, died Tuesday, August 8, 2017. Loving husband of the late Mary E. "Candy" Druschky; devoted father of Kathy, Karen, Jan and Beth, and beloved grandfather and great-grandfather. A Memorial Service at Emmanuel Episcopal Church has yet to be scheduled. Warren joined the Rotary Club of Webster Groves in January 1967 and served as Club President in 1970. |
Kirby Smith Our hearts are saddened by a loss of a friend and long-time member of our Rotary Club, Kirby Smith. Kirby J. Smith, Jr., a longtime resident of Webster Groves, passed away peacefully on June 30, 2017, at age 95. He was born June 7, 1922, in Burt, Iowa, to the late Kirby and Mary Smith. After graduating from Coe College, Kirby earned his law degree from the University of Iowa. He proudly served his country, becoming a decorated Army lieutenant in World War II. Kirby was an elder emeritus at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church and a member of the Webster Groves Rotary Club. He was honored as “Pancake King” in the 2016 Fourth of July Parade. He was the devoted husband of 63 years to the late Eleanor Smith (nee Hall); loving father to Susan Hannah of Atlanta, Ga. (WGHS class of 1967), Kirby Smith III of St. Paul, Minn. (WGHS class of 1970), and David Smith of Cumming, Ga. (WGHS class of 1981); dear grandfather of four and great-grandfather of three. Services: A celebration of life will be held Friday, Aug. 18, 11 a.m., at Laclede Groves Chapel, 723 S. Laclede Station Road. |
Rotary Club Contributes to Spot Vision Screener Katie McKearn from Eye Care Charity of Mid America, President Gail and Linda Neumann display the new piece of equipment - the Spot Vision Screener. Our Rotary Club supported the purchase of this fabulous new tool which will assist with eye screenings for area school children.
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Photos form Gail's Visit to the Fatima, Portugal Rotary Club   |
Hi-Tech Lunch with WG High School Robotics TeamFriday, February 20 was a treat in so many ways. Thanks to Pat Voss and the WGHS Alumni Association for providing a terrific lunch for several dozen Rotarians, along with students from both the WG High School Interact Club AND the Robotics Team. The team's faculty sponsors, Jeanette Henken and Nicholas Kirschman, introduced a half-dozen of the team members, who were there to talk about how the Robotics Team is important to their aspirations for STEM careers. And, of course, there were demonstrations that made most of us realize how mundane our own high school activities had been! Afterwards, Club President Kim White presented the team with a check representing our continued support for the Robotics Team's activities. .JPG) |
Global Therapy Group is a Haitian Success StoryThis morning, our own Rod Cooper posted on FaceBook a great American Red Cross article that addresses the success of Haiti's Global Therapy Group, which has been loyally supported by the Rotary Club of Webster Groves for the past three years. Rod first brought this project to the attention of our club and then set out to locate two structural engineers who volunteered their time to design this much-needed physical therapy clinic that receives major support from the American Red Cross. Here is a link to the article, which shows just a glimpse of the many successes achieved by the Global Therapy Group therapists....with the help of Rotary Club of Webster Groves.
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Club Election Results for 2015-16 Board of DirectorsAt the December Board of Directors Meeting this week, Kim thanked Scott Krejci and the Nominating Committee for their role in the December 5th election that resulted in three Directors-Elect for 2015-16: James Carlton, Gerry Kettenbach, and Chuck Weed, plus President-Designate, Gail Fernandez, who will serve as President-Elect on the 2015-16 Board. James is completing his second term on the Board as Co-Treasurer, while Chuck is the Director of Public Relations, which also includes overseeing the Club committees for Advertising/Marketing, Website/Social Media, Photography, and Special Events. Congratulations to all!
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Bill Lange Remembered It is with great sadness we learned of Bill Lange's death on Saturday, November 29th. Bill was a 17-year member of the Rotary Club of Webster Groves, having joined in June 1997; he served as President in 2008, following in the footsteps of his father, also named Bill, who was President in 1961. A memorial service was held on Wednesday, December 3rd, at Manchester United Methodist Church; interment was private. Please keep Bill's family in your prayers.
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WGHS Choir Is the Very Very Very Best Program |
State of the City Is Great!.JPG) Webster Groves Mayor Gerry Welch attended our meeting last Friday to present her annual State of the City talk. She then fielded questions for about 15 minutes, deftly providing details for every topic, and passed around several timely handouts about the many holiday events to be celebrated in Webster this year. Afterwards, President Kim White thanked Mayor Welch with a Rotary wheel pin.
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Congratulations to Our Very Own Phil Wojak!
Webster Groves Rotarian and high school physics teacher Philip Wojak has just been honored with Peabody Energy's Leaders in Education Award, which presents teachers with a $1,000 prize and recognition at an annual reception. Honorees are chosen by a committee of educators and business leaders. Webster Groves Mayor Gerry Welch said in a nomination letter to Peabody Energy that Phil's “passion and love for teaching and for physics is coupled with a creative ability to take difficult concepts and bring them to life in a unique, thoughtful, and often humorous teaching style.” In this photo, Peabody's Maureen Moore leads applause for Phil during the presentation at Webster Groves High School on October 8. |
LaBarge BBQ Was a Ringer!Sunday, September 14 was a perfect afternoon for a Rotary Family BBQ. Members enjoyed a delicious meal on the LaBarges' patio, complete with a dizzying array of appetizers, hot dishes, salads, and killer desserts. After eating, there was a spirited game of horseshoes for the adults, and a whole bunch of little kids played a pick-up soccer game on the north side of that huge back yard. Thank you Jack and Mary!! It was great. (Check out all the pictures in the Photo Albums Tab on the left of this page.)
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Club Business & Bocci Ball Mix at Milo's on the Hill. |
Welcome New Members, Andrew Nothum and Pat Voss!
President Kim White installed Andrew Nothum and Pat Voss to the Rotary Club of Webster Groves during our August 15 meeting. Kim and Pat's sponsor, Charles Schneider are shown here on the left, next to Pat, and Nancy Battersby, who stood in for Andrew's sponsor, Jim Schleiffarth, stands on the right, next to Andrew. |
Gail Fernandez visits Colorado Springs for PHF
Our club's Rotary Foundation Co-Chair, Gail Fernandez, traveled to Colorado Springs last week to attend a meeting with her former club, where she presented two Paul Harris Fellows awards to Barry and Cass Mullane. Pictured here with Gail and the Mullanes are Warren Hill, the Colorado Springs Rotary Foundation Chair, (left) and Clyde Church, Governor of Colorado District 5470 (right). |
Welcome to Webster Groves from Taiwan
Yueh (nickname York) Lee, our new youth exchange student, presents President Kim White with a banner from the Rotary Club of Fengshaw, Taiwan. Welcome to Webster Groves, York! |
Welcome New Member, Kevin Hough
President Kim White installed Kevin Hough to the Rotary Club of Webster Groves during our August 8 meeting. Kevin his shown here with Kim and his sponsor, Dick Peterson. |
Community Days Parade!
We are leaving the staging area to join the parade led by our District Governor Jill Walker and our own club's Assistant District Governor Dick Sant. The parade theme is "Stars & Stripes" and we are carrying our district's international flag set. Click here for a slide show of our prepping. |
New President Kimberly White
Our new president Kimberly White (2nd from right) on the evening of her installation. Click here for a slide show. |
Eugenia Visits Historic Hawken HouseOur Webster Groves Rotary Exchange Student, Eugenia Arrieta, visited Webster's Historic Hawken House with Ann McReynolds on Sunday, May 25, for the opening of LIFE ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR I. This special exhibit featuring clothes, collectibles, and artifacts from the WWI era will be on display through Thanksgiving. Eugenia was delighted and surprised by the Webster Groves Historical Society's remarkable collection of authentic 19th-Century household items...like most people she was amazed to see how long the famous Hawken Rifle is!
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Phil Wojak, our very own Gingerbread Man
Once upon a time on a walk in Webster Groves, some children saw a home that looked like a giant gingerbread house. With the help of their teacher, they wrote a letter to the people in the house and told them how interested they were in its fanciful decorations. They also invited them to come to their school, the Walter Ambrose Family Center Preschool. The homeowner turned out to be Philip Wojak, who teaches physics at Webster Groves High School, and he accepted the invitation to visit the preschool to bake gingerbread cookies one day this spring. (On 4/18/14, this article was posted on faceBook by the Webster Groves School District.) Perhaps Phil will bake a big batch of cookies for us and bring them to our next Rotary meeting! |
4-Way Test Essay Winner!
"Sometimes the line between right and wrong is blurred, and we have trouble making decisions that are both fair and perceptive of the people around us. The “Four Way Test” is a perfect solution to this classic problem. Following these four steps can help ensure my decisions are well thought-out and considerate of others." |
Ln-4 Hands On ProjectThe St. Louis group of volunteers from God's Child Project just returned from Antigua, Guatemala where they trained the medical staff on fitting the Ln-4 hand prosthetic device. The medical staff will be selecting candidates for the prosthetic in the next few months. the hands will be fitted when a group of volunteer physical therapists will arrive later this year. The group from Washington Missouri Mission Overseas along with some Washington Rotarians just returned from Honduras where they successfully fitted some hands on some lucky Hondurans. (pic insert) |
Light Up Rotary!
The awesome team of presidents, secretaries, assistant governors and Show Me Rotary council members ready to Light Up Rotary in 2014-15! |
Light up Rotary - The New RI Theme
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Coach Jay Blossom Visits the Club Webster Groves High School Basketball Coach, Jay Blossom, visited the club on February 28th. He spoke to us about the Statesmen Basketball, the season to date and hopes for post season play. |
Heart of the Community - Heart of Gold Award
On Friday night February 7, The Rotary Club of Webster Groves was presented with the Heart of Gold Award at the Heart of the Community banquet by the Webster Groves, Shrewsbury, Rock Hill Area Chamber of Commerce. This annual event provides the communities the opportunity to recognize outstanding community service. Rotarian Nancy Battersby received the Rotarian of the Year Award; it was presented by President Scott Krejci, who accepted the Heart of Gold Award on behalf of the Club for its 90 years of service. More than a dozen Rotarians were present for the festivities. |
Congratulations to 2014-15 DirectorsNew directors-elect; Frank Bloemke, Tim Graham, Jim Schleiffarth, and Chuck Weed were elected Friday to the 2014-15 board.
Tim Graham was recommended as president-designate for 2015-16. The officers and directors, so elected, together with Kim White as president-elect and Scott Krejci as immediate past president shall constitute the board-elect. Within one week after their election, the board-elect shall meet and elect from its members a president-designate and a vice president. Within two weeks after the election meeting Kim White as president-elect shall appoint, subject to the approval of the directors-elect, a secretary, a treasurer, and a sergeant-at-arms who shall become members of the board with such responsibilities and privileges of membership as the board may determine. |
Polio Vaccine Campaign Faces Opposition, Apathy in Pakistan |
Gail Fernandez is Heading to Togo, West Africa
One of our club's members, Gail Fernandez, has responded to the invitation to volunteer in October for a trip to Lomé, Togo, West Africa to deliver polio immunizations. The West Africa Project Fair is endorsed by Rotary's Reach Out to Africa Committee (ROTA), to generate greater connectivity between the African and North American Rotarians. This will be a hands-on project that will profound impact on the people served, and on the Rotarians who volunteer. Please congratulate Gail on this wonderful opportunity, and follow her on her blog: gailmfernandez.blogspot.com/ & Photo Album |
WGHS Calculator/Thumb Drive CAP Grant
Thank you Webster Groves Rotary Club from Webster Groves High School! The Rotary club has purchased more than 100 calculators and thumb drives with lanyards for students in need at Steger Sixth Grade Center, Hixson Middle School and Webster Groves High School. In this picture, Rotarians (from left, at table) Charles Schneider, Scott Krejci and Ron Hamberg with some of the calculators. At rear Webster Groves School District social workers Todd Weston, Mary Ellen Trachsel and Pat Ferrugia as well as counselor Anne Gibbs, social worker Jim Griffard and Superintendent Sarah Riss. |
St Louis HELP's Founder, Laura Cannon, Heads a Unique Agency |
Visitor from St. Louis College of Pharmacy |
Latest Water Project in Honduras Complete!
Goals & Objectives: There were three goals of the MOU between Primero Agua and Rotary International: 1. Install five drinking water wells and outfit the wells with hand pumps 2. Conduct public meetings associated with the well to promote health and hygiene and proper operation and maintenance of the wells 3. Use the well drilling activities to provide equipment and train local persons to install additional wells and pumps Toward these goals, four wells were drilled in 2012 during two field sessions (a session in February that installed two wells in La Urca, and a session in August that installed one well in La Urca and a second in Eguerito Central) with El Agua Tu Prioridad members receiving training in all aspects of drilling. Link to Water Project Final Report 4-27-13
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Seven Members of 2013-14 Board
Back Row - Scott, James, & Chuck; Front Row - Ailce, Ann, Claire, & Kim (Tim, Brian, & Jim not in photo) |
Welcome New Member Barb Altman
Ailce Duarte-Fletcher, Pres, Barb, and sponsor Nancy Battersby, Sec. |
Big Bird Comes to Call
Our March 22nd speaker was most unusual....well, he brought along the most unusual companion. Shown here are Jeff Meshach, Director of the World Bird Sanctuary, and a Golden Eagle. The WBS was founded more than 35 years ago and is one of the nation’s largest facilities dedicated to the conservation of birds; its 305-acre site adjoins Lone Elk Park in southwest St. Louis County, near Valley Park. |
Welcome to Our New Rotarians Matt Goban & Susan Fletcher!
Matt Goban (left to right), Dick Sant, Ailce Duarte-Fletcher, and Susan Fletcher. |
Club Presents $500 to SADD at Webster Groves High School
Rotarian Kim White (Left) presents a Big Check for $500 to Claudia Sittmann, WG High School, to provide club T-shirts for Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD); pictured at right is Rotarian Sarah Riss, WGSD Superintendent. SADD is a peer-to-peer education, prevention, and activist group dedicated to preventing destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, teen violence, and teen suicide. The shirts are a simple and effective way to promote peer models and student awareness. Thanks to Claudia for sponsoring this group. |
Club Gives $1,000 to Swimming Lesssons
Rotarian Kim White (Left) presents a Big Check for $1,000 to Lena Eilermann (Right) of the Webster/Kirkwood YMCA to provide swimming lesson vouchers for the Club's swimming and water safety program targeting at-risk children, to make swimming and water safety available to everyone. |
Welcome New Member Ed Beck!
Ailce Duarte-Fletcher installing our new member Ed Beck standing with him is club sponsor Mike Oppermann.(left to right) |
Past President Hosts a Dinner
Rod Cooper, our past pres, had to pay the debt owed from a challenge made to the past presidents of the Crestwood and Kirkwood clubs. Rod challenged Jennifer Bell and Robert Miller to a dinner to be paid by the president who's club brought in the fewest new members during 2011-2012 year. Rod said it really hurt when he had to pay. The meal, however, was enjoyed by all at The BLOCK in Webster. Great restaurant! |
The Latest On Our Water Project in HondurasRotary Club of Webster Groves and local clubs in St. Louis and Honduras along with Engineers Without Borders of Washington University chapter team up with Primero Agua with a $56,000 grant to provide drilling equipment and training for fresh water. |
Bill Massie Receives Special Recognition for Attendance
 Bill Massie received special recognition at the club's 2012-13 installation ceremony for 50 years of perfect attendance. Extraordinary! |
2012 Four Way Test Winners  We received 12 entries from Affton HS, Nerinx HS, and WGHS. Jane Knobbe (left), a freshman at WGHS was the 1st place winner, and Bobby Varghese, a senior was the runner up. Both Jane and Bobby presented their essays to the club. Read Jane's winning essay here. |
2012 Youth Scholarship Awards Photo left to right: Kevin Redmond, Andrea Kopczynski, Cari Hill, Perri Edwards, and Morgan O’Connor. Not in the photo is Andrew Webster. |
2013 Pancake Festival - Another Successful Year
Adam Hughes, expert pancake flipper, at the successful Pancake Festival on October 4th. Click here for more photos taken that day by Rotarian Gerry Evans. |
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