CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
A CENTURY OF SERVICE
CENTENNIAL BANQUET
In May 2025, we hosted a dinner & keynote speaker to celebrate 100 years of service. The keynote speaker was Larry Lunsford. Larry is from the Rotary Club of Kansas City-Plaza and is set to be president of Rotary International beginning in July 2027. He has served on the Board of Directors of Rotary International and as a Trustee of The Rotary Foundation.
MUSIC SCULPTURE
The Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant has installed a KinderBells music sculpture at Nelson Park as a centennial signature project. The project encompasses multiple focuses of Rotary, including the environment, literacy, mental health, and the tradition of music in Rotary meetings. The sculpture is made of repurposed oxygen tanks and was created by Traverse City-based artist, Tom Kaufmann.
The club hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the sculpture on August 19, 2025, with the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce along with community members and many Rotarians from surrounding clubs.
STORYWALK
One of the key focus areas of Rotary is literacy. With that in mind, the Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant worked with the Chippewa River District Library to install a Story Walk. The walk-along reading features a collection of 17 storyboards placed along a walking path in Horizon Park.
Read more about this project in EpiCenter.
10,000 TREES FOR PEACE
The Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant has partnered with the Rotary Club of Midland and Rotary District 6310 to provide “10,000 Trees for Peace.” This innovative environmental peacebuilding project will take place in the Gudele area of Juba, capital of South Sudan, within Rotary District 9212.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 and is one of the world’s most climate-challenged countries due to urban growth, deforestation, and development gaps. This project will positively impact living and livelihoods of 14,000 residents, 2,800 small businesses, and members of eight major tribes. Validated environmental research indicates that bringing communities together to engage in facilitated and sustainable projects will restore the environment, reduce the impact of extreme heat during the dry season, flooding during the rainy season, and build cohesion, which supports social, political, and economic stability. The project will be completed within one year.
HONORARY PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS
The Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant is celebrating 100 years of service by recognizing extraordinary citizens. Beginning in July 2024, each month recipients have been presented with honorary Paul Harris Fellow Awards.
Named after Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney and Rotary founder, the honorary Paul Harris Fellow Award is presented to individuals who have a contribution of $1,000 or more made to The Rotary Foundation in their name. Designed to recognize and appreciate citizens who have made a significant impact on their community, individuals selected by the Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant are honored for their meaningful contributions and are described as having enhanced the quality of life in the area.
Named after Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney and Rotary founder, the honorary Paul Harris Fellow Award is presented to individuals who have a contribution of $1,000 or more made to The Rotary Foundation in their name. Designed to recognize and appreciate citizens who have made a significant impact on their community, individuals selected by the Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant are honored for their meaningful contributions and are described as having enhanced the quality of life in the area.
July 2024: Ed & Kara Lynch
August 2024: Elmo Walton
September 2024: Bob & Laurie Peters
October 2024: Mark Smith
November 2024: Stan & Renee Shingles
December 2024: Angie Evans
January 2025: John Klak
February 2025: Lois Breidenstein
March 2025: Dave & Linda Coyne
April 2025: Jodi Stuber
May 2025: Cheryl Gaudard
June 2025: Jerry Morey
Additional recipients to be announced in the near future!
