Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast held our annual club assembly on Thursday evening, July 15, at the home of Kim and Patrick Harrington just east of Springfield. Members gathered for drinks and conversation at 5:00, then took a group photo and enjoyed a meal of Caesar salad, boiled shrimp, and toast.
Afterwards, we gathered in small groups for discussions about operations of the club so the board can make plans and priorities. Fortunately, the rain stayed away during the assembly.
It was good to be able to gather for the annual event, which was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. We name our assembly the John Simpson Memorial Shrimp Feed in honor of our late charter member who hosted the assembly at his home, and helped prepare the food, for nearly 50 years.
Dan Emrie took these 77 photos.
Awards and Installation Banquet
Springfield Southeast honored its club officers and committee chairs of 2020 - '21 on Thursday at its annual awards and officer installation lunch.
Those leaders guided the club through a challenging year that started with no in-person meetings because of COVID-19 protocols, and ended with many members still reluctant to attend or out of the habit of going to meetings.
The '20 - '21 officers are President Rusty Worley, President-Elect Lisa Blumenstock, Secretary Scott Rose (first year of two-year term), Treasurer Scott Haney (second year of two-year term), Past President Patrick Harrington, and Board members Brian McDonough, Mike Pessina, Adrienne McCoy, Mark Walker, and Ken Williams.
In his farewell address, Worley thanked the officers for keeping the club together financially and psychologically. He highlighted the creation of the ROAM app that is designed to fight obesity in the Springfield area by challenging and encouraging people to exercise more.
The '20 - 21 officers are President Lisa Blumenstock, President-elect Lori Johnson Murawski, Past President Rusty Worley, Secretary Scott Rose, Treasurer Greg Beck (first year of two-year term), and Board Members Judy Bilyeu, Randall Gammill, Michael Kolstad, Adam Toth, and Jim Wilson.
(Photos by Dam Emrie) [Click on a photo to enlarge it and to see the edges that get cropped by the gallery program.]
Judy Bilyeu introduces the club's last new member of '20-'21, Kirk Elmquist, a former 13-year member and sergeant-at-arms.
"St. Agnes" Sawyer issues her last blessings as sergeant-at-arms for the 2020-'21 Rotary year.
President Rusty Worley talks about the challenging Rotary year, and thanks his board members and committee chairs.
Registrar Ray Meyer disregards Kenny Rogers' advice and counts his money while he's sittin' at the table in the back of the meeting room.
Founding President Sam Hamra ('67-'68) and past presidents (left to right) Rex Johnson ('84-'85), Jerry Stiefvater ('85-'86) [holding gavel], Steve Scott ('90-'91), Danny Correll ('91-'92), Mike Williamson ('92-'93) and David Caffey ('93-'94) start the ceremonial gavel on its way to our new president.
Past presidents (from left) Mike Williamson ('92-'93), David Caffey ('93-'94), Steve Rice ('96-'97), Steve Benton ('89-'90), Brad Bodenhausen ('03-'04), Bob Hammerschmidt ('05-'06), John Horton ('10-'11), Jim Conley ('13-'14), Heather Ramsey ('14-'15), Bill McNeill ('16-'17) pass the ceremonial gavel.
Past presidents Bill McNeill ('16-'17), Lori Barnes Miller ('18-'19) and Pat Harrington ('19-'20) continue passing the gavel.
President Rusty Worley ('20-'21) passes the gavel and the presidential responsibilities to Lisa Blumenstock ('21-'22).
New President Lisa Blumenstock promises to hurl the gavel at the first person who says Springfield Southeast Rotary can't do something because of COVID-19.
Past President and District Governor-elect John Horton swears in '21-'22 officers,
2020-'21 President Rusty Worley and his wife pose at the end of his term.
2021-'22 Board members smile now, before the hard work begins of leading 220-member Springfield Southeast Rotary Club, the largest club in District 6080.
Welcome new (and returning) member Kirk Elmquist
Judy Bilyeu introduced Kirk on June 24. His cosponsor is Agnes Sawyer.
Kirk is a former 13-year member of Springfield Southeast, and a former sergeant-at-arms and Rotarian of the Year for 2011-'12. He left the club when he took a job in Branson under Bass Pro owner Johnny Morris as organizer of the Legends of Golf Tournament. He later worked for the Branson Area Chamber of Commerce as vice president of sports development. He now is vice president of business development for HHM Facility Management and still does some part-time work for the Branson Chamber.
Kirk has done volunteer work for Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, Boys and Girls Clubs and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. He's also been involved with the Taney County 100 and Springfield Barons. He is a member of the Hill City Church that meets in the Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield.
Kirk is a native of Ohio and a graduate of Liberty University in Virginia. He has been in the Ozarks since 1994 when he came here to work at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. He and Kretia have been married for 27 years. They have a daughter, Chloe, who is a recent graduate of Missouri State University. They also have a son, Cross, who is a sophomore at MSU.
In his free time, Kirk enjoys golf, Frank Sinatra music, The Ohio State Buckeyes football, and fine dining.
Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast 2017-'18 President Lori Barnes and 2018-'19 President Bill Squires discuss what people should know about Rotary and why it matters.
