03/20/2025
Marie Nemes-Crawford, Editor
Mar. 27 – Jim Gillespie with Disaster Aid USA – Grove City
—-
- Presiding: President-Elect Rob Radcliff
- Prayer: Assistant Gov. Jim Rogers
- Piano: Ellery Elick
- Song Leader: Brenna Gibson ”Better Than Ever This Year”, “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”
- Attendees: Carder, Catlos, C.Chamberlain, Crawford, Driesbach, Droste, Elick, Foll, Gibson, Hedges, Horning, Justinger, Lambert, Logan, Maroscher, McCrady, McNemar, G&S Montgomery, C.Neff, Nemes-Crawford, Poling, Radcliff, Rawlins, Robinson, Schreiner, Searls, Sneed, Spangler, B.Tootle, T.Tootle, I.Webb, D.Webb, Weller, D.Wolfe, R.Wolfe
- Guests: Julia Weller guest of Betsy; Nicole Allen from Grove City Rotary introduced her daughter Abi Bretthauer who has a request to help support Pickaway-Ross students attending Business Professionals of American conference. This year the school will not be sponsoring and the students are trying to raise the funds needed. Cost is $850 per student.
- Students: from New Hope Seniors Landen Parker going to be an electrician and Carter Engen who will be studying in Budapest Hungary
Announcements:
- 4-way speech contest – Westfall was the big winner with Layla Yoe and Jaelyn Pounds competing at District Conference, April 26th! Tony thanks Warren, Kevin and Sandy for being part of the team!
- District Fundraisers:
- Soles4Souls – Rob thanks us for our club donations $1,070! Our district won the per capita giving trophy
- Women Products drive: Paula Routt & Brenna Gibson chair- donations have already started being collected. Our final collection date this year will be April 17th and winner announced at the District Conference – April 26th! Please donate products or money and come to the conference to see Heidi hoist the trophy!
- Invoices for July 2025-June 2026. Please pay Daryl before June 1st. We need to have membership finalized before Rotary International sends us a bill based on June membership numbers.
- Soup Kitchen – Presbyterian Church on Monday
- After Hours – Ashbrook Distillery – RSVP Jan Shannon April 3rd
- 2025-26 – Membership Survey please check how you would like to help our club. Return to Rob or Daryl
- Rotary Zone Institute – 14 states consist of our zone. Columbus is the closest it will ever be, open to all Rotarians and guests. Sept. 4-6, 2025 or just Saturday, Sept. 6th. Hyatt in Columbus.
- Board meeting highlights:
- Disaster Aid USA will drive through the Friday Pumpkin Show Parade and we will be their sponsor. They will receive a donation next week.
- Piano player is authorized to purchase a digital piano which can be locked
SAA: The King – Bob Sneed (it is an honor to be recognized by the SAA)
- CHS Bronze Tiger donators – Tootle Family, Roger Wolfe, class of ‘66 and ‘72, Dave Webb, Larry Logan on his brother’s behalf
- First Day of Spring; National Proposal Day; National Incredible Kid Day;
- Rock your Socks – (Rotary challenge for next week) 3-21 is Down Syndrome Day, during this Disability Awareness Month. A picture will be taken next week of everyone Rocking Their Socks!
Scholarship Drawing: This weeks winner is Ian Webb for $18 – Big Bean is holding at $605.
Program: Certified Master Chef Alfonzo Contrisciani
- Owner/Manager/CEO of Alfonzo’s Italian Eatery & Event Center (Lancaster) as well as Alfonzo’s Kitchen & Bakery (Nelsonville)
- Owner Oliver Farms LLC – in Thornville
- Cookbook author and soon to be TV star!
- Partner with Brett Adams development company
- Consultant with Abigail Wexner for the New Albany Organic Farm
- Past Dean of Hocking College Hospitality Program
- Sustainability advocate
- Alfonzo’s Black Diamond Steakhouse will open in the old Gibby’s location on Main St. in late May. The Black Diamond Pub & Taproom already open
- Tuscan style steakhouse
- Bourbon Pecan Pie – baked in Nelsonville
- Dinner Trains out of Nelsonville is another of Chef’s adventures
- All dietary restrictions are recognized
- Twelve Mangia Bene! TV episodes have been taped in NYC and cookbook of the same name with 100 recipes he grew up with is in final production!
- Next cookbook – My Plate to your Plate – 300 recipes and memoir is still in the works
- He has cooked for 6 presidents, ran DC convention center and cooked all over the world
- Back of the house staff is hardest to find. Develop the staff is Alfonzo’s way
- What steaks will be featured? Flat Iron, petit filet, bone in rib-eye, sirloin strip, Berkshire pork chop, and fish are coming to Main Street!
****************
In appreciation for the speaker today, a donation will be made to Anne’s Smiles of Ashville