President Len's Wrap Up to His Rotary Year

President-Elect Kelly McKinney introduced President Len for his final presentation to the club as President simply as a man who needs no introduction, and with that President Len took the podium to provide his wrap up of his year as Rotary Club of Belleville President.  The following details President Len's speech to the club with some censoring undertaken to be remembered only by those in attendance.  President Len started by thanking those members who had attended the President's Night dinner on Thursday and expressed some consternation around the rather quick reporting of his speech that night being available in the current Bulletin, stealing some of his thunder for the presentation he wished to undertake.

 

President Len thanked those who were instrumental in providing an enjoyable evening on Thursday night, most notably MC Bernie Ouellet, Dave Allen for leading the music trivia game highlighting Len's life from teenager to today, Kelly McKinney and Sam Brady for their comments, Judy McKnight for coordinating tickets for the evening and Tracy Bray who coordinated the evening.  Len started his presentation by referring those in attendance to the slide show being presented and visual highlights of the past Rotary year.  Len had moved to Belleville in 2000 and had originally joined Rotary for fellowship.  Seeing President Dan Dickinson who was President when he joined Rotary and then Steve McCurdy a couple of years, felt that the President role was something that he could strive to achieve within the club, and yes some artistic license has been undertaken relating to Len's commentary around Dan and Steve's presidencies.

 

In keeping with the good natured ribbing that had occurred on Thursday night, President Len was well prepared to dish out some arrows of his own today and most of them directed to incoming President Kelly McKinney and his digging for dirt on Len for his speech on Thursday night.  He advised Kelly to remember he is at Rotary and not at Sales and Ad and just let the club take you where you want to go.  President Len talked about Kelly's trip to the RI convention in Sao Paulo and that Kelly had missed the District new President roll call as he was out  trying to be a gift to the world in Brazil.  He thanked Bob Clute as Board Chair of Habitat for introducing him to the opportunity at Habitat for Humanity a couple of years ago and thought it was quite strange that Bob gave up the car business for the high paying role of ED of Habitat for Humanity as Len's replacement.  Today officially marked the first day of Len's retirement and after taking some time to relax at the cottage, he will make the Pilgrimage walk in Spain in August.

 

Len talked about the achievements of the past year,  many outlined in the Bulletin highlighting the President's Night dinner, but did want to thank his board for their tireless efforts, with all of them re-elected and one new club member Brenda Snider added to the Board for the 2015/16 Rotary year.  Len advised we had welcomed 6 new members to the club, while losing a few but did see net growth in the club for the year.  Len spoke to some additional achievements -- the establishment of an investment committee to look at Club's investments more directly, and Rotarians John Sherratt and Drew Brown taking over the promotional aspects of the Club with Arie Korteweg's exit due to work commitments.

 

Len closed his presentation with saying that it has been an incredible first class train ride this year as Rotary President, but it is time to get off and look at other opportunities for service after allowing himself a summer off.  He closed with RI President Gary Huang's theme from Confucius for the year as Better to Light One Candle Then To Curse the Darkness.  So LIGHT UP ROTARY!

 

The club thanked President Len for his presentation and his year of service as our club President with a standing ovation.  President Elect Kelly thanked Len for his year as President and not to miss one last opportunity to put a jab in, talked about President Len's seemingly young girlfriend attending the dinner on Thursday night.

 

President Elect Kelly McKinney presented Len with his Past President's badge and a notice of acknowledgement from the RI Foundation of achieving the highest level of Paul Harris fellow plus 9.  President Len followed with presenting incoming President Kelly with the President's Pin and to officially recognize the start of his year as Rotary Club of Belleville President.