Our "Rotary @ Night" meeting this week will be relaxed, with an emphasis on fun and enjoying one another's company. Jamesport appreciates having a head count. If you know you'll be attending, please sign up. You can certainly attend if you don't sign up.
Bring your partners and friends!
We will not have a lunch meeting on 10/1/26.
Details . . .
Arrive at Jamesport Brewing Company's Red's Room
Meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.
Spouses, partners, friends and visitors are welcome to attend.
Jamesport staff will take orders for drinks and food in our meeting room. If possible, please help the staff by placing your order as early as possible, so that we can begin our meeting as close to 5:30pm as possible. Hoppy Hour is 4pm-6pm.
Meeting will conclude by 6:30 p.m.
We will not be collecting $12 for the usual lunch fee.
We will definitely do the 50/50 Raffle and Happy Dollars! Paying with a credit card will not be an option at this meeting.
No Zoom
All are encouraged to stay, enjoy a meal, and relax together.
Mostly just relax together!
Meeting Location: Jamesport Brewing Co., Red's Room, 410 S. James Street
Meeting duties are covered for our night meeting.
Lunch: No lunch meeting this week.
No Zoom option this week.
Season #18 begins November 1st for Hospitality INC. We will be collecting items at our meetings on October 1 and October 8 to help get their year off to a great start.
Jason Robins from Hospitality INC is our speaker on October 8.
September 24, 2026
Announcements:
Rotary at Night meetings start back up on October 1.
October 3 - Walk to End Alzheimer's - more info below
Jac and Mary Russell are leaving soon for a 16-day Rotary group trip to Malawi. They will be visiting the Malawi Bicycle Project, coordinated by the Rotary Club of Traverse City Sunrise. Safe travels, Jac & Mary!
Speaker
Katrina Morris, Executive Director Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT) West Shore ESD, Transportation Consultant
More students are transported in one day than airline passengers.
Katrina's take away:
The bus is the safest part of the trip. The risk concentrates outside it - in the danger zone and among passing motorists.
Michigan now has real enforcement tools: stop-arm camera evidence, $100-$500 fines, and revenue routed back to district transportation safety.
The 2026 points exemption keeps camera enforcement civil, not punitive on licenses - a trade-off worth understanding before it is debated again.
Senate Bill 467 is still live and would change who may lawfully transport pupils. Watch the Education committee.
Staffing is the binding constraint. Training, recruitment, and professional recognition are safety measures, not HR measures.
MAPT is where those threads meet: training, standards, and a statewide voice heading into the 62nd Annual Conference.
National School Bus Safety Week - October 19-23, 2026. 2026 Theme: Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes
Save the Date: October 20, 2026
Rotary International President Yinka has encouraged clubs and districts to strengthen connections and try new approaches.
Taking President Yinka’s message to heart, our District Governor, Julie Schumaker, will be holding regional multi-club mixers. These events are a great way to meet with District Governor Julie in a relaxed, informal setting, learn what other clubs are doing, and build connections with Rotarians from nearby clubs. This event replaces our annual Club visit with the DG.
Why Attend?
These gatherings are an opportunity to:
Meet and engage with District Governor Julie Schumaker in your local area.
Join fellow Rotarians, enjoy meaningful fellowship, and build camaraderie.
Build connections with Rotarians from neighboring clubs.
Share service and fundraising ideas between clubs.
Assistant Governor Jac Russell has scheduled a club mixer for 5 clubs on October 20, 2026, in Hart at the Oceana County Council for Aging from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. District Governor, Julie Schumaker will speak to us about the District.
More details to come, but we would certainly like a strong showing from the Rotary Club of Ludington (the FUN Club!).
Last week, I called on a new business to solicit an auction item. The owner asked, “What is Rotary?” Below is an elevator pitch, in case you get the same question.
Focus on what Rotary means to you. What sorts of opportunities are there for service?
Rotary is an international service organization. Members mobilize connections to do humanitarian projects, both globally and locally.
Rotary is the world's oldest and most important service organization with over 1.2 million members in more than 30,000 clubs spread throughout 160 countries. Rotary is a network of people who unite to create lasting change across the globe and in our communities.
October 15 - Travis Walker and Mike Hart - Ludington Schools Update
October 22 - Kate Pearson, MA, Associate Director for Policy and Communication - Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
