The Rotary of Macomb meets Tuesdays at noon at the First Presbyterian Church.
September 16, 2025 The 12th meeting of the Rotary year commenced with President Seth Minter formally ringing the Rotary bell. The invocation was delivered by Larry Adams, followed by Dennis Danowski leading the “Pledge of Allegiance.”
Nick Knowles reported an attendance of 27 members, including 1 joining remotely via Zoom, representing 52% of the club. Four guests were present: Ayden Staniec, our speaker, from the WIU Food Pantry ; Junior Rotarians for September, Henry Brookman and Ella Hare; and Rotary Exchange Student from Norway, Thea Granheim, bringing total attendance to 31.
Happy Money was contributed by five Rotarians celebrating special occasions this week. Bruce Biagnini participated in the 50/50 drawing but did not secure the $169 prize, as he drew the Ace of Spades rather than the winning 7 of Clubs.
President Seth delivered several important announcements. Two upcoming Tuesday meetings require attention: First, on September 30, 2025, the regular noon meeting will be rescheduled to 5:00 PM to accommodate the 5th Tuesday Social event. Second, the meeting scheduled for October 7, 2025, will be cancelled due to participation by many Rotary members in Legislative Day in Springfield, an event sponsored by the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, the Rotary District 6460 Foundation Dinner for the Central area will be held in Macomb on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at which the club will receive recognition for its outstanding contributions to the Rotary Foundation.
President Seth expressed his appreciation to the eleven members who participated in the 1st Responders event on September 12, 2025. Lastly, the board today also discussed the Pollinator Garden project, which has received District Grant funding; implementation is planned to begin in April 2026.
Emily Gillett introduced the guest speaker, Ayden Staniec, a senior at Western Illinois University (WIU) majoring in Social Work and actively engaged with the WIU Food Pantry. Ayden shared insights regarding his involvement that began three and a half years ago as a volunteer. He now serves as president, overseeing key operations such as outreach, food ordering, and inventory management. Drawing from personal experience with food insecurity, Ayden emphasized the importance of nutrition for student academic success.
The WIU Food Pantry, established eight years ago in a professor’s office, has since expanded its operations. It now receives donations to purchase items from local food banks, although managing large shipments and storage remains an ongoing challenge. The pantry operates on Thursdays and Saturdays, serving approximately 75–90 individuals for the two days. Notably, services are available solely to WIU students and faculty; it is estimated that 20–25% of students experience food insecurity that impacts their academic performance.
Following Ayden’s remarks, Emily Gillett provided information about the pantry’s current location in Horrabin Hall and noted that the pantry has outgrown its present space. Plans are underway to relocate to a larger room within Horrabin Hall, which will accommodate additional freezers, display cases, and dedicated offices for packaged goods, thereby improving accessibility and distribution.
The club members expressed its appreciation to both Ayden and Emily for increasing awareness about student food insecurity and highlighting the essential role of the WIU Food Pantry in supporting the university community.
Last on the agenda was an Early Bird Ticket drawing and an update on the sale of tickets. The name drawn for the free Raffle ticket was Teresa Pierce and Ryan VanDolah announced that 272 tickets have been sold so far.
The club recited the “Four Way Test”, which was followed by ringing the Rotary bell and encouraging everyone to make Rotary Part Of Their Life – and to “Unite For Good”.
Interested in speaking at Rotary or becoming a member, contact Tom Stites at tastites902@ gmail.com.
