August 4, 2026 (Aug. 04, 2026)

ATTENDANCE

If you couldn't join us on August 4th, you were missed! We had 41 attendees, including Kim Ronan, a guest of Mike Dreon, Mark Moorehous, and Dennis Nickelson, golf buddies and guests of Ernie Schaefer.

FIFTEENTH HANDSHAKE

This week’s greeter, Kay Ellen Wilkins, declared Bill Ebinger the lucky member to go fine-free!

ROTARIAN OF THE WEEK

Russ Shelton gave the much-coveted trophy to Jerry Wanket because Jerry is such an easy target.

HAPPY BUCKS

Eric Whipple was delighted to share that he and his wife, Amy Cooper Whipple (yes, Steve Cooper's daughter), are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary! To mark the milestone, Eric presented a $125 donation to Rochester Rotary Charities, earning his next Paul Harris Recognition. Congratulations to Eric and Amy on 25 wonderful years!
Vito Pampalona announced that his 9th Annual Golf Outing benefiting children who have lost a parent in military service was another tremendous success, raising approximately $200,000. Vito also gave a special shout-out to Steve Cooper for his generous support of the event.
Shirley Gofrank reminded everyone who signed up to volunteer for Neighborhood House's Blast Off 2 School program, taking place on August 12, to let her know as soon as possible if their plans have changed so she can fill openings from the wait list. Volunteers should park in the rear lot of the Neighborhood House offices on Livernois and wear comfortable shoes.
Karen Joyce, who serves on the Macomb County Habitat for Humanity Board, was excited to report that a record number of people have registered for this weekend's annual Partner/Family Picnic.
Joyce Joyce was happy to have cast her vote today.
Rachel Aviles was thrilled to welcome family members from Bolivia for a visit. For several of her cousins, it was their first trip to the United States, and they especially enjoyed exploring the shopping malls.
Jeff Duperon shared that his daughter made her debut this past Saturday. While the women in the family handled most of the planning, Jeff joked that his primary role was carrying the checkbook—which, he noted, made him something of a star!
Although Peter Stuhlreyer was unable to attend today's meeting, he is still seeking about five volunteers to assist with the club's annual Golf Outing on Monday, September 21. Golfers can register online, and non-golfing volunteers are also needed to help ensure the event runs smoothly.

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

There were no Rotarian birthdays today, but Ted Roumell celebrated his 58th year as a Rotarian and Alan Smith has been a Rotarian for 8 years.

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS

Great news! Rochester Rotary Charities has been awarded $1,000 in Meijer gift cards through the Meijer Community Grant Program. The gift cards will be presented to the Neighborhood House Food Pantry to purchase fresh and shelf-stable food for local families experiencing food insecurity. To supplement the cash gift, Club members are asked to bring in a can of soup next week. This grant is another example of Rotary's commitment to Service Above Self, helping ensure our neighbors have access to nutritious food. Thank you to Meijer and to everyone who supports Rochester Rotary Charities and makes projects like this possible!
Short notice, but... Walk the Gordie Howe International Bridge on Opening Day
Rotarians from several District 6380 clubs are planning to walk the Gordie Howe International Bridge when it opens to pedestrians on Wednesday, August 5. All Rotarians, family members, and friends are welcome to join at 7:30 a.m. at the Bagley Mobility Hub, 2209 Bagley St., Detroit (U.S. side). Bring an enhanced driver's license or passport, wear red and white (or red, white, and blue), and your Rotary pin if you have one. Celebrate this historic opening with fellow Rotarians!
In an effort to grow our membership, President Tami Salisbury has divided the Club members into two teams: the Blue Diamonds and the Golden Connections. You are asked to help us recruit good people who live or work in Rochester, Rochester Hills, or Oakland Township. Each team will earn 1 point for a first-time visitor they bring, 2 pts for that person's second visit, and 3 points for their third visit. Ten points will go to the member's team if the guest actually becomes a member. The losing team has to serve lunch to the winning team at the last meeting of the year. This week's leaderboard shows the two teams in a dead heat.
Please check your information on Club Runner to make sure we have accurate contact information for your email, phone, and address, etc. If you need help modifying your Rotary record, contact hage.christine@gmail.com. We need accurate information to bill you and to deliver this wonderful newsletter. Silly me, if you have the incorrect email in your record, you won't be reading this anyway. Duh!!

SONG LEADER

Songster Bob Lytle, accompanied by Paula D'Ambrosio, led the group in singing It's A Small Small World and It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.

SHERIFF'S REPORT

Sheriff Bryan Barnett Brings the Heat (and the Fines)

Sheriff Bryan Barnett opened by admitting he arrived worried he wouldn't have enough material. Fortunately for him, Rochester Rotary never disappoints. "When I walked in, I didn't think I'd have much to work with. Man, you people gave me plenty!"

Bob Lytle Misses the Boat...

The first casualty was, naturally, Song Leader Bob Lytle. Apparently there was a last-minute speaker change, and Bob never got the memo, selecting songs centered around "exchange." The Sheriff wondered if Bob thought President Tami Salisbury was our newest exchange student. It was all very confusing.

Vote Counting... Maybe Not Tami's Strongest Event

As one of our club's elected officials, Mayor Barnett takes vote counting very seriously. President Tami briefly credited every membership drive vote to one team before the mistake was caught. The Mayor announced he's considering hiring Tami Salisbury to count ballots when he runs for reelection in two years. Then again... maybe not.

Election Day = Everybody Pays

Speaking of voting...

If you hadn't voted yet—$5.
If you love political ads—$5.
If you hate political ads—also $5.
If you voted absentee—believe it or not... $5.
Apparently democracy isn't free.

Rotary Zones... Who Drew This Map?

Sheriff Bryan recently learned that our Rotary Zone includes parts of the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and France.

His conclusion? "What kind of gerrymandered Rotary district is this?"He suspects someone had grandchildren in Bermuda and France and simply drew the lines around their vacation plans.

Christine Hage's Grandkids Strike Again

Christine Hage was assessed $5 for offering to show everyone pictures of her grandchildren. The Sheriff wasn't buying the claim that there were "just a couple." Apparently the collection has now surpassed 7,000 photos.

Soup, Soup Everywhere...

Things became delightfully confusing during the discussion about next week's Neighborhood House Food Pantry collection. The pantry wants shelf-stable food that isn't expired.

That naturally led to the important question: Should Ernie Schaefer donate his expired soup...or simply give it to the Joyces? Nobody was entirely sure what was happening after that, but everyone seemed to enjoy the debate.

Dog Days... Ask the Vet?

The Sheriff noted we're in the Dog Days of Summer and naturally turned to retired veterinarian Bill Ebinger for an explanation. After fifty years as a veterinarian...Bill had absolutely no idea.

The Sheriff then pivoted to Jeff Duperon, figuring he looked like one of the smart people in the room. Unfortunately for Jeff, he actually knew the answer and ended up delivering an impromptu astronomy lesson.

Never make eye contact with the Sheriff.

Golfers, Open Your Wallets Golf season also generated plenty of revenue.

More than three rounds this year? Plenty of hands.
More than thirteen rounds?
Hello, Tim Crawford.
If you shot your personal best this year...
$5.
If you left the golf course early just to attend Rotary... Congratulations, Ernie Schaefer. That'll be $10.

Jerry Has It Figured Out

Sheriff Barnett had a fine all prepared for Jerry Wanket. Unfortunately, Jerry escaped early. His offense? He strategically chose to sit at a table full of women...then left before fines. The Sheriff admitted Jerry may not have life completely figured out.

Neighborly Expectations

The Sheriff recently moved into Kay Ellen Wilkins' neighborhood. His biggest disappointment? No homemade cookies. He thought that's what good neighbors—and good Rotarians—did. Pay up, Kay.

Eric's Anniversary Math Doesn't Add Up

Eric Whipple proudly announced his 25th wedding anniversary by donating $125 toward his next Paul Harris Recognition. The Sheriff wasn't impressed. "What kind of husband buys himself a Paul Harris instead of buying Amy an anniversary present?" That $125 could have gone toward flowers...or jewelry...or at least dinner.

Detroit Sports... What Is Happening?

The Sheriff confessed he's completely confused by Detroit sports these days.

Players are moving.
Stars are leaving.
Nobody seems to know who's staying where.
His solution?
If you still believe Detroit's professional sports teams know what they're doing...That'll be $5.

Tom Holland Costs You Five Bucks

Hollywood wasn't safe either. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day enjoying a blockbuster opening, Sheriff Bryan noted actor Tom Holland now appears in four of the highest-grossing movies ever. Then came the trap. "Raise your hand if you don't know who Tom Holland is." Several hands went up. Congratulations. That'll be $5.

This Day in History

Sheriff Bryan wrapped things up with his annual history lesson:

1790 – Alexander Hamilton established the U.S. Coast Guard.
1936 – Jesse Owens captured his second Olympic gold medal.
1944 – Anne Frank was discovered in her Amsterdam hiding place.
1958 – The first Billboard Hot 100 chart debuted, topped by Ricky Nelson's Poor Little Fool.
2006 – Talladega Nights raced into theaters.
2015 – Hearts everywhere were broken when Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy announced their breakup on Twitter.

Just another typical Rotary meeting—history lessons, golf, expired soup, questionable vote counting, imaginary Rotary gerrymandering, and enough fines ($225) to keep the Sheriff smiling.

SPEAKER

The Rochester Hills Public Library Makerspace: Where "I Wish I Could" Becomes "I Made It Myself" Matt Grayvin, Rochester Hills Public Library Makerspace Manager

Imagine having access to a laser cutter, 3D printers, photo digitization equipment, a vinyl cutter, and even a machine that converts old VHS tapes into digital files—all without having to buy or store the equipment yourself. That's exactly what the Makerspace at the Rochester Hills Public Library offers.

Recently, Makerspace Manager Matt Grayvin shared how the Makerspace is helping residents learn new skills, unleash their creativity, and solve everyday problems. His message was simple: making things is rewarding, and everyone can do it.

A makerspace is a shared community workshop stocked with specialized tools that allow people to learn, create, and experiment. Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, hobbyist, student, or someone simply curious about how things work, the Makerspace provides the resources to turn ideas into reality.

Many people are interested in creating but face three common obstacles: time, money, and space. Learning new software or equipment can seem intimidating, specialized tools can be expensive, and most people don't have room at home for large machines. The Makerspace removes those barriers by providing both the equipment and the guidance needed to get started.

One of the most popular services is digitization. Staff can

convert VHS tapes, VHS-C, Hi-8 tapes, DVDs, audio cassettes, and even old 8mm film reels into digital formats, helping families preserve precious memories before aging media deteriorates. The Makerspace also digitizes printed photographs, slides, and photographic negatives, ensuring treasured family images can be enjoyed for generations.

Creative opportunities abound as well. Visitors can design and print custom objects using both filament and resin 3D printers. The filament printer is perfect for practical items such as accessibility devices, replacement parts, and fidget toys, while the resin printer excels at producing highly detailed miniatures and gaming figures.

The Makerspace also features a sublimation printer that creates full-color designs for mugs, T-shirts, towels, puzzles, luggage tags, coasters, and other personalized gifts. A laser cutter engraves or cuts wood, acrylic, glass, and other materials to produce signs, cake toppers, decorative pieces, and custom gifts. Other equipment includes a smart cutter for vinyl decals and greeting cards, a button press for custom buttons and magnets, a 3D scanner for reproducing objects, die-cutting equipment, and a vacuum former for creating molds.

Beyond the technology, the Makerspace serves as a place of innovation and discovery. As Grayvin explained, learning how things are made helps people better understand the world around them. It transforms "I wish I could" into "I made it myself."

The Rochester Hills Public Library's motto is "Innovative by Nature," and the Makerspace embodies that philosophy by making advanced technology accessible to everyone. It also benefits from collaboration with GoLM (Guild of Makerspaces), a statewide network of Michigan public library makerspaces that share equipment, training, and expertise.

The Makerspace is open to the community by appointment. Whether you're preserving family memories, starting a business idea, creating a personalized gift, or simply trying something new, the Makerspace offers an opportunity to learn, create, and discover that making is for everyone.