The new president of the Great Bend Rotary Club for the 2019-20 year is Chad Steffan, president of Central National Bank, Great Bend.
Steffan assumed his duties at the club’s July 8th semimonthly noon meeting at the Classic Inn. (Meetings have now moved to the Great Bend Public Library basement meeting room. They are at noon on the second and fourth Monday of each month.)
Continuing as long-term club secretary is Dr. Bill King, a retired OB/GYN physician. New treasurer will be Devin McMillen, of D. McMillen Chartered CPAs, who replaces Sheryl Schamaun, CPA partner of Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball, Chartered. Schauman has served with distinction as club treasurer for more than 10 years.
Musil, a retired farmer-cattleman-seedsman, has been appointed next year to become a Rotary Assistant District Governor for five area clubs, replacing Dr. Catherine Strecker of Ellinwood, who has served admirably in that capacity for the past five years.
In his remarks to the club, Dr. King pointed out that Great Bend Rotary was founded in 1923, and is affiliated with more than 1.2 million Rotarians in 34,000 clubs in about 200 countries around the world. Our club has served the Great Bend community in countless ways during its 96 year history. Below are some of the club’s accomplishments for the 2018-19 year:
• Celebrated the club’s 96th year by inducting 10 new members throughout the year. Club size is now 40 vibrant members.
• Began development of Rotary Lake as a fishing and recreational site in our first full year of management since assuming responsibility from the Great Bend City Council.
• Dedicated a granite historical marker on the Barton County Courthouse lawn last August to commemorate the planting of the historic and unique Japanese Ginkgo tree by our Rotary sponsored Boy Scout troop in 1940. Retired optometrist Franklin Reinhardt was honored as a Scout member of that troop. U.S. Representative, Great Bend Rotarian and Past District Governor Roger Marshall was the featured speaker.
• Distributed dictionaries to all third grade students in all Great Bend public, private and parochial schools at a cost of about $3,000.
• Hosted 14 GBHS senior honor students as Junior Rotarians throughout the school year at bi-weekly club meetings.
• Hosted a “Rotary Rendezvous” awards luncheon for the Junior Rotarians and their parents at Stoneridge Country Club. Visiting Rotarians from two other visiting clubs also attended. Featured speaker was retired Fort Hays State Hall of Fame Track Coach Jim Krob.
• Awarded two $750 scholarship and one $800 college scholarship to deserving GBHS seniors Jordan Popp, Alysia Keller and Payton Doll.
• Recognized four club members as new Paul Harris Fellows, valued at $1,000 each. Contributions go to The Rotary Foundation to promote Rotary International projects throughout the world. The club now has eight Paul Harris Fellows and four members who are Paul Harris Society.
• Initiated a monthly Rotary reading program for kindergarten and first graders at Central Kansas Christian Academy, assisted by Great Bend Public Library.
• Contributed $418 toward Rotary International’s ongoing program of eradicating polio worldwide in conjunction with 2:1 matching funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Made monthly donations of food and cash to the Barton County Food Bank in excess of $400 to help the hungry and needy.
• Awarded a $150 stipend to the GBHS Madrigal Singers to be applied towards their biennial trip to Washington, D.C.
• Awarded a monetary contribution to Circles of Central Kansas for assisting needy families.
• Cooperated with Barton County Young Professionals one Saturday to collect dry goods in a supply drive for Catholic Charities.
• Amended the club’s bylaws to allow members to have the option of business/organizational memberships to provide greater flexibility in attendance and participation.
• Created a social media chairman and Facebook account.
