The Rotary of Macomb meets Tuesdays at noon at the First Presbyterian Church.
December 16, 2025 President Seth Minter officially commenced the 23rd meeting with the ringing of the Rotary Bell at the First Presbyterian Church in Macomb. The invocation was delivered by Todd Rodeffer and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Ryan Van Dolah.
Attendance was reported by Steve Knowles: 25 members attended in person and 1 on Zoom, which represented 49% of the club’s membership. Eight guests were also present which included: Anne Lepter and Patrick Downing from WIU our speakers, Noel Lindem and Kim McDaniel WIU graduate students, John Vigezzi a visiting Rotarian from the Centennial Morning Rotary Club and Assistant District Governor, Jimmy Koller from Brown’s Shoe Fit, December’s Junior Rotarians: Drew Watson and Addison Clow, and Rotary Exchange Student Thea Granheim from Norway— bringing total attendance to 35.
President Seth proceeded to acknowledge all members who participated in the “Ugly Christmas Sweater” challenge. Several attendees wore festive sweaters, and both Seth and Todd Lester served as judges to select the standout entry. Emily Gillett was chosen for her elaborate elf costume and received an award consisting of an antique Rotary coffee mug and a commemorative 100th Anniversary Rotary Club of Macomb golf ball. She expressed great appreciation for the recognition.
Eight Rotarians contributed “Happy Money” in recognition of recent significant events. The 50/50 drawing had $54 to be won if the 6 of Hearts could be drawn. Steve Knowles had the winning ticket but drew the 2 of Hearts and did not win the cash but did receive a consolation gift of a beautiful Goldfarb Center for the Performing Christmas ornament.
President Seth reported to the club that the Shoes for Kids program, started by Brown’s Shoe Fit in Macomb and the Rotary Club of Macomb with an initial contribution of $500, has now raised a total of $2,740.
A check representing this amount was presented to Jimmy Koller. President Seth further announced that additional donations received since the previous day have increased the total to $3,550, which will provide 71 pairs of shoes for students in local schools.
Contributions have come from club members, community individuals, and corporate partners. Donations continue to be received, marking the initiative as a significant success.
Next, Seth introduced Drew Watson who is one of the December Junior Rotarians and spoke to inform the club of his family, his activities at MHS, and future plans after graduation.
Drew is a senior at MHS and mentioned that he is a three-sport athlete in baseball, football, and basketball. He has a brother and sister and both are two-sport athletes. His brother is attending Monmouth College and his sister is also a student at MHS. His future plans are to attend college and play football.
With Christmas being just a week away, the group was led by Tom Stites in a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells to get the group into the Holiday spirit.
President Seth reminded members that there will be no meetings for the next two weeks on December 23, 2025, and December 30, 2025, to allow everyone to enjoy the holidays. Saturday, January 10, 2026, is our Rotary Scholastic Bowl and there was a signup sheet being passed around.
Seth invited Todd Lester to introduce the speakers, Anne Lefter and Patrick Downing. Patrick, a WIU alumnus and current COFAC Director of Development at WIU, began by noting the significant progress on the Goldfarb Center’s construction. The presentation focused on preparations for the facility’s anticipated opening in 2026. He outlined key features of the center, which include an 870-seat Great Hall, a 200-seat studio theater, and a gallery space distinguished by a 200-foot-long terrazzo floor that serves as an artistic centerpiece. The facility will accommodate the School of Music, Theater, and Dance, and will offer naming opportunities for seats and designated areas.
Anne Lefter, the Director of the Goldfarb Center for the Performing Arts, provided further details regarding various aspects of the building project, emphasizing the impressive scale and seating capacity of the Great Hall, positioning it as a premier regional venue for performances.
The scheduled opening is Fall 2026, and Patrick underscored that the primary function of the center is educational, with its role as a public performance venue being secondary. The center aims to provide students with extensive real-world experience beyond the arts disciplines.
Following the presentations, several questions were addressed. Club members expressed their appreciation to Anne and Patrick for delivering an informative overview and sharing their expertise on the ongoing development of this notable facility.
The meeting concluded with the recitation of the “Four Way Test” and the sounding of the Rotary bell, encouraging all members to make Rotary Part Of Their Life – and to “Unite For Good”.
