Tami Salisbury passed the trophy to Mike Dreon in recognition of the outstanding pivot he and the Neighborhood House staff made to meet the food needs of our neighbors.
David Archbold said, “Go Lions!”
Tim Crawford praised everyone who made Lagniappe such a success. More than 50,000 people turned out, without a single incident, to turn on the Big Bright Lights, welcome Santa, and kick off the holiday season. Staying in the Christmas spirit, Tim also encouraged everyone to attend the 
Kyle Johnson and his team of mighty bell ringers were out on the streets for Lagniappe, ringing on behalf of the Salvation Army. If you weren’t downtown last night, you missed a wonderful celebration, helped along by perfect weather and a crowd of nearly 50,000 people filling Main Street. 
We were delighted to induct a new member, Scott Sarvello, Security Manager at Henry Ford Rochester. Scott retired from the Detroit Police Department in January 2024 after nearly 28 years of service, including 10 years as a Command Officer. He grew up in Marquette and is a Green Bay Packers fan, which, unsurprisingly, prompted a lively response from the many Lions fans in the room! Scott’s father was a Rotarian, and Scott brings extensive fundraising experience to the club. He shared that he looks forward to helping in any way he can. 
“Winter in Rochester”
Pat McKay, Museum Manager for the City of Rochester Hills, delivered a fascinating presentation on Winter in Rochester, highlighting the region’s history, traditions, and unique winter experiences.
One of the museum’s most popular publications is Petticoat Surgeon, the autobiography of Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen, published in 1947, and proudly sponsored by the Rochester Rotary. The museum sits on 16 acres and includes nine historic buildings, all part of the Rochester Hills park system.
The museum offers a full calendar of programming, Christmas events, special exhibits, and year-round activities. This Friday, the model train exhibit returns, always a crowd favorite. The museum also houses an impressive collection of 5,000 archival photographs, maps, diaries, business records, many of which are accessible online, and historic structures.
Newberry Hill: Michigan’s Ski Jump Capital
Another noteworthy museum publication is I Got My Thrill on Newberry Hill, chronicling the Newberry Hills Ski Jump (1926–1946), once the ski-jumping capital of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
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At major competitions, 4,000–6,000 spectators lined up—sometimes forming a two-mile line along John R Road—just to watch the jumpers.
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Skiers had to jump at least 90 feet on the junior hill before moving to the large hill.
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When Rochester lacked snow, trains shipped boxcars of snow from Gaylord to cover Newberry Hill.
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Jumpers traveled from around the world to compete, and at one point, nine businesses along Main Street sold ski-jumping skis.
Historic Winter Storms
Pat also highlighted Rochester’s battles with winter:
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The Blizzard of 1886 brought snow drifts up to 12 feet high.
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On April 6, 1918, a severe storm disrupted rail service so badly that it took the Interurban 13 hours to make the 28-mile trip delivering milk to Detroit’s Children’s Hospital—yet they still completed the mission.
Ice Harvesting & Canal History
Pat shared remarkable photographs from the Gerhke Farm, located where Stoney Creek High School stands today, showing workers harvesting ice from the farm ponds. Parke-Davis used the harvested ice to cool horse blood, which was essential for manufacturing vaccines.
He also showed an image of the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal crossing the Clinton River at Yates Cider Mill. Parts of the canal are still visible today. Because the canal was constructed without a perfect seal, water routinely leaked out. One photo from the 1880s showed the leaked water frozen solid along the canal banks.
Pat’s presentation offered a vivid look into Rochester’s winter past—full of grit, ingenuity, and some truly remarkable stories.