Roger Dillingham, U.S, Army Reserve; speaker, Ed Deeb
Feb 18
February President’s Letter
Gentlemen,
The 2023 Directory is being included with this month’s Newsletter. The Directory includes significant information about our members and our Club. Please take a moment to review your information. See page 46 in the Directory for a tear-out form and mailing instructions to notify the Club of any changes. You are encouraged to support our sponsors and be sure to let them know you saw their ad, influencing your decision to patronize their establishment. Sponsors placed ads totaling $8,000 in the 2023 Directory, the equivalent of eight full pages!
I would like to put some perspective on where our revenues come from. In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, 34% came from sponsorships, 17% came from voluntary payment of dues by life members, and 14% from member contributions. The remaining 35% came from dues paid by non-life members. The names of life members who have voluntarily paid their dues and members who have made contributions were published last month. Additional dues and contributions received this past month are on page 3. If you wish to pay or contribute before the full list is published in next month’s newsletter, it’s not too late. Mail your check with a notation in the memo section to Treasurer, Men’s Club of Grosse Pointe, The War Memorial, 32 Lake-shore Rd, Grosse Pointe Farms.
Now, for more great news, since last month’s Newsletter, eight new members have joined: Bill Wayland, David Hohfeldt, Greg Hahn, John Swegles, John Krausman, Lee Stevens, Dale Ehresman and Kurt Fish. Pages 13 and 14 of the Directory lists all new members, including their interests, sponsor, and military service.
The Club is rich in traditions. We will continue to face challenges as opportunities and respect traditions while surviving and flourishing.
Best regards,
Jim Hoekwater
January 2023 President’s Letter
Gentlemen:
I hope you are enjoying the Christmas season and wish you a happy and healthy New Year! As we enter the New Year, I see positive signs all around me for the Club.
What about that Christmas party at the newly refurbished Bayview Yacht Club? Ninety-five festive gentlemen and guests enjoyed fellowship, food, drink, singing, and dancing. This is the best turnout for a Christmas party in a long, long time. It was encouraging to see the revived enthusiasm for this tradition. Thank you to Ed and Fran Benz who chaired the committee, committee members Jim Callahan and Tom Kneeshaw, and the chorale. Thanks to photographers Brendan Ross and Ed Benz for memorializing the evening with photos, some of which are displayed in this newsletter.
We returned home to the War Memorial in time to celebrate Veterans Day. A full page of photos and descriptions is dedicated in this newsletter to the first meeting. The service along with the facilities do not disappoint!
New members exceeded deaths from last year’s directory to this year’s. Does anyone know how long ago it has been since that happened? Hopefully, we are on the cusp of growing membership. Everyone is a member of the Membership Committee. Let’s all make a New Year’s Resolution to invite a friend to a meeting. More members are getting involved in committees. Hats off to Ed Wolking, First VP, who has attracted ten members to volunteer for the Program Committee. The Committee had a meeting at The Jagged Fork in early December and is off to a terific start of spreading the workload and the camaraderie that comes with it. I also attended the lunch and walked away thinking to myself, “What a great group.”
A giant step for the future of the Club! Membership records and the Club’s website have been transferred to the Club Express system. The crossing and dotting of t’s and i’s is in process for both. Since 2019 the conversion committee has had various names and members, with one constant, Dave Morrow, chairman. Dave retired from the Board in September 2022 and reduced his club activities. Thank you, Dave, for continuing with the project while holding numerous committee and of-ficer positions. The most recent conversion committee was chaired by Brendan Ross and included members Dave Buckler, Henry Fischer, Dave Morrow, and Jim Regan. We recognize their contribution to getting us to this point. Members of the former conversion committee will continue their contributions as Webpage Committee members. The Webpage Committee also contains officers and committee chairs who will assist in identifying and prioritizing opportunities to enhance communication, increase efficiency, gain access, and improve the information.
The Club is blessed with life members who continue to pay their dues, even though not required, along with members who make voluntary contributions. An honor role list of both is included in this newsletter. If your name is not included and it should be, please contact Dave Buckler by phone or email. If you wish to pay or contribute, it’s also not too late; mail your Check to Treasurer, Men’s Club of GP, The War Memorial, 32 Lakeshore Rd, Grosse Pointe Farms.
The Club is rich in traditions. We will continue to face challenges as opportunities and respect traditions while surviving and flourishing.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
CHRISTMAS PARTY—December 6th—Bayview Yacht Club
Save postage and bring your check to our meeting Tuesday.
$60 per person or $120 per couple, payable to Men’s Club of Grosse Pointe.
Hope you can come!
November President’s Letter
Gentlemen,
Since the last newsletter, board member Steve Wasinger agreed to assume the position of assistant secretary and the board vacancy created was filled by the appointment of Jerry Teagan to the board. For the first time prior to the pandemic, there is a full complement of board members and officers!
Committees are being revived and a complete list of chairmen and members will be published next month. Too many of our committees are a committee of one. More members are encouraged to use their talents in serving the Club. Don’t wait for a chairman to contact you, contact one of them or me. Getting involved is a great way to increase your Festivities, Fun, and Fellowship.
It is appropriate that in November, the month of Thanksgiving, we return home to the War Memorial. The first meeting, which occurs during the same week as Veterans Day, will be a special recognition of our Veterans. Our chorale is preparing music appropriate for the occasion and Vietnam Veteran Richard White will be our featured speaker.
The Club’s veterans’ initiative continues to attempt to identify all members who are veterans, their branch, and their years of service. The Club’s list is an insert with this Newsletter. Contact Chip Rohde, chiprohde@ameritech. net, or 313-259-1010 with corrections or additions.
The Club expresses its thanks and gratitude to The Tompkins Center, The Ark and Fishbones for hosting the Club while the War Memorial was closed.
Looking forward to December, the Christmas party will be held on Tuesday, December 6th, at the newly refurbished Bayview Yacht Club. Chairman of Special Events Ed Benz and his elves, Jim Callahan and Tom Kneeshaw, are busy planning a memorable evening. Make your reservations early with Ed!
December is also the month that the Directory is prepared. If you have an address, phone, or email change that you have not reported, please contact Jim Regan.
The Club is rich with traditions. We will continue to face challenges as opportunities and respect traditions while surviving and flourishing.
Wishing you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving.
Jim Hoekwater,
MC President
Men's Club of Grosse Pointe 