President Mike Frampton closed out his year by noting that he felt his goals for the 1988-1989 year had been met and surpassed and thanked everyone
for their involvement and assistance. Incoming president Dale McHenry took the gavel and awarded Mike his diamond Rotary lapel pin, President's wall plaque, and bound copy of the year's "Rotary Ripples."
Dale noted that Rotary's agenda for 1989-1990 is a team effort—"We Will Do Our Best." He said he hoped members would go beyond the "comfort zone" and become
active in Rotary functions beyond attendance at weekly lunches. He would like club improvement to come from better attendance, increased participation in district
activities, recruitment of a past president as candidate for district governor and increased attendance at international conventions. "In fact, the personal highlight for
me during my year as president was attending the Rotary International Convention in Seoul, Korea," Dale said. He was so convinced about the value of the experience
that he recommended the club also send the vice president each year. The board approved this, and Tom Moran and Bill Fuller attended the 1990 convention in Portland, Oregon.
In September, John McKee received his 50-year plaque. In October, the club was honored by a visit from District 656 Governor Eugene Lacy, who challenged us to
"Enjoy Rotary" by being involved, attending district and international meetings and inviting other qualified people to become Rotarians. In May, the Group Study
Exchange Team from Rotary District 311 in India visited Lafayette. "This group of young professionals was most impressive," Dale McHenry says. "My wife and I
hosted mechanical engineer Ishraq Thomsen one night. The description of his recent marriage with "only" 800 guests and his employment with Lipton Corp. were interesting topics," Dale remembers.
In November, town and gown directors were elected, including: Town—Dave Luhman and Jim Smyth; Gown—Scott Rumble and Jim Turley.
The annual joint Thanksgiving meeting with Kiwanis was held at Purdue's North
Ballrooms, where the speaker was Joe Andrew from the Secretary of State office.
In December, Rotarians were responsible for donations of $13,151 for the Salvation
Army. $2,911 of this was from the bell ringing campaign, the rest was direct donations.
This year the Vocational Project Committee developed an award for vocational
service. In March, chairman Craig Irvine presented the first Lafayette Rotary Club Vocational Service Award to Stella LeBrun, who is owner of The Fifth Season, a
dress shop in downtown Lafayette. Ms. LeBrun is an innovative activist who assists women victims of domestic crisis. She has converted the second floor of her shop
into "The Clothes Closet," where women victims of various forms of abuse or personal crisis come from shelter or other temporary housing to "shop" for outfits to
wear to court appearance, job interviews, or first jobs. Ms. LeBrun thanked the club for the recognition and plaque and challenged members to become involved.
The Scholarship-Citizenship award winners for this year were: Central Catholic—Christopher Berninger and Jennifer Buntin; Harrison—Elizabeth Caputo and Christopher Handy; Jefferson—Wenda Sharp and David Gulbransen;
McCutcheon--Brandon Hollis and Shonda Meyer; West Lafayette—Holly Gossard and Victor Lasic.
Elizabeth Caputo won the $1,000 Frank Burrin Memorial Scholarship and
Christopher Berninger and Christopher Handy won the $1,000 Rotary merit scholarships. "This event best exemplifies Rotary's commitment to community
service and youth recognition," President McHenry says. "The 1990 program chaired and presented by Bill J. Miller and Betty Nelson was extremely well organized and first class in every respect," he says.
For the second year in a row, the club won the District 656 Bob Shoemaker Traveling Award for exemplary service in the international youth exchange area. Kirk Clark, Chairman of the committee, accepted the award.
The board of directors approved these items:
- $500 to St. Elizabeth Hospital for nursing scholarship funds for first year incoming students
- $1,175 to Lafayette Reading Academy to assist with the purchase of a Macintosh SE computer
- $500 to Downtown Business Center to assist with purchase of new decorations
- Approved funding for two representatives from the club to attend Rotary International conventions
- $500 to Murdock Elementary School Playground Committee for playground equipment
- $450 to Leadership Lafayette for scholarship support
- $850 to Sagamore Council Boy Scouts for "Exploring Career Awareness" series
- $700 to Civic Theatre of Lafayette for latchkey program
- $1,000 to Klondike Middle School to assist with providing concession and restroom facilities on the Klondike grounds for recreational use
- $1,000 to Family Services Inc. for equipment for child care program for homeless
- $1,000 to Tippecanoe County Childcare for television, VCR and video library from National Geographic
- $1,550 for camperships and Curtis Hostetter journalism scholarships
- $800 for camperships to Indiana 4H Foundation and Boy Scouts of America
- $500 to Lafayette YMCA for new popcorn machine
- $1068 to Greater Lafayette Volunteer Bureau for new copier
- $1,000 to Lafayette School Corp. to provide "math manipulatives" for children in grades 1 to 5
In other action, the board decided:
- To increase dues from $100 to $120 effective with the dues payment period of May 1990 to October 1990
"Thanks to the persistence of Rotarian Leo Klemme and the resilience of foundation treasurer Jim Backoff, club treasurer Dick Walker and secretary Harley Griffith, the
tax status relationship of the Lafayette Rotary Club and the Lafayette Rotary Foundation was clarified and brought into compliance with the Internal Revenue
code," President McHenry says. "The resulting changes in the budgetary process and semi-annual dues statements could, however, lead to reduced contributions to
the Foundation and thus reduce its ability to support worthy community projects," he says. "This is a concern that merits ongoing review by the board of directors."
Paul Harris Fellows for the year included Dick Rahdert, Eudora McKee, Dick Walker, Bob Hogue, Virgil St. John, Roy Bronson, Ralph Morris, and Marion Steele.
Paul Harris Sustaining members included Marshall Crawford, Carolyn Jones and Ron Needham.
Golden Service members included Jim Backoff, Ken Botkin, Dave Alexander, Hanly Hammel, Jim Risk and Bill R. Miller.
"This was a good year for membership, with 32 outstanding people brought into the club," Dale says. "It is particularly noteworthy that 13 of the new members were women, thanks in no small part to the
leadership example of Jay Wiley, chairperson of the classifications committee." In his first speech as president, Dale McHenry asked the group to suppose Rotary were limited to 150 members. "Would you be
one?" he asked. "If membership was limited to one year and members were only reelected on the basis of service, could you justify keeping your name on the roll?"