The Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant celebrates 100 years of community service

Every Monday at 11:45 a.m., members of the Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant meet at a local restaurant to eat lunch and discuss club business. Meetings begin promptly at 12:10 p.m. with the recitation of the pledge and a prayer. Rotary members have been attending these weekly local meetings for a century.
Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubRotarians help with spring cleaning of the Commission on Aging gardens and walking trail (Spring 2024).

The Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The year-long celebration began on July 1 with the first club meeting of the fiscal year. Several community improvement projects are planned for the centennial, such as a sustainable story walk with a collection of 17 storyboards along a walking path in a local park and an interactive music sculpture to be installed at a yet-to-be-determined location in town.

The group’s first meeting in town was held on April 27, 1925, at the Park Hotel and was attended by 24 members. As the first service club in Mt. Pleasant, Rotary laid the foundation for other groups, including Kiwanis, Lions, Optimists and the Zonta Club. Meetings typically consist of a buffet lunch, networking and socializing, announcements, club news and a presentation by a guest speaker.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubTransfer of office from President 2023-24 Kelly Hudson to President 2024-25 Annie Sanders (June 2024)
New club president Annie Sanders joined Rotary after being active with the Jaycees but losing membership at age 40. The opportunity to network was the reason she joined in 2018, and building lasting relationships is the reason she remains involved.

“Being involved with Rotary has definitely opened doors for me to be more involved in the community,” Sanders says. “Seeing the impact we have as a club locally is a source of pride. The larger impact on the nation and the world… The more you know about it, the more you want to get involved.”

Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubRotarians Mike Pittsley and Mark Stuhldreher carve beef at the 61st Annual Rotary Beef Tenderloin & Turkey Dinner (February 2024 at the Comfort Inn).
The club hosts several fundraisers annually, including the popular Beef Dinner in February, the October online/radio auction where over 100 businesses and individuals donate items for auction, and holiday gift boxes. These events provide the club with the funds to award grants and contributions to valuable local individuals and programs, and allow for participation in international exchange projects.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubRotarians with 2023-24 Youth Exchange student Yuna from Japan.
The Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant is also widely known for its sponsorship of the Golden Apple Award, which honors a deserving Central Michigan teacher, administrator or volunteer. Each month, a Golden Apple Award winner is selected from nominations, recognized on WCFX radio, and receives various gifts from partner organizations, including a $75 gift card from the Rotary Club.

The Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant has been involved in both local and international projects for years and has worked in several countries including the Dominican Republic, Haiti and currently Zambia. Since 2009 they have built three water wells and sponsored a midwifery certification program near Ndola.

The club is currently in the process of raising $50,000 to provide fresh water to a 3,000-student technical high school and to upgrade facilities, including renovating the toilet building and introducing a computer training program.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubA group of Rotarians will volunteer at the Christmas Outreach in December 2023.
Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubRotarians volunteer with the Community Compassion Network.
Rotary’s primary purpose is to serve others – locally, globally, and in the workplace. Rotary is made up of 1.4 million Rotarians in more than 46,000 clubs worldwide and embodies a commitment to the principle of Selfless Service. These clubs welcome people from all backgrounds and are independent of political or religious affiliations.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubRotarians gardening at Hopewell Ranch (Eileen Jennings, Maisha Andrychowski and Dawn Tanner).
Eileen Jennings joined the Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant in 1990, shortly after women were first allowed to join in 1989. When Rotary International voted to admit women, it was a turning point in the organization’s history. The local club, with over 60 members, is a mix of all ages and professions, and now has more women than men as members.

Jennings’ involvement with Rotary has changed her life internationally. Participating in the high school and college global exchange programs opened her eyes to Rotary’s international work.

Jennings says the students the club has hosted have become like family and have given them the opportunity to travel abroad.

“I remember shopping in town with an exchange student from Afghanistan,” Jennings says. “He stopped me in the aisle and asked if he could call me ‘mommy.’ And I ended up standing up at another student’s wedding. Not only did they give me a family, they opened my eyes to international service.”

Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubGroup of Rotarians at the Chamber Awards Banquet (March 2024). Rotarian Rich Fleming and his wife Diane were named Citizens of the Year.
Rich Fleming has been a Rotarian since 1991. He is one of the club’s historians and is gathering background information on the club’s 100 years in Mt. Pleasant, which he will present at the official anniversary banquet next May. Through his involvement in the student exchange program, he met the former president of Finland.

“In 1993, we had a student from Finland visiting,” Fleming says. “It turned out his father was the President of Finland. We were invited to visit them in Finland and introduced to his father. You never know where things will lead or who you will meet.”

Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubRotarians participate in the Care Games (first fundraiser for The Care Store) in May 2024.Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Rotary ClubRotary Foundation Gala in Frankenmuth (November 2023).
The Mt. Pleasant Rotary Club is a dynamic, thriving organization dedicated to supporting our community, youth, and underserved populations locally and around the world. The club is constantly growing and welcoming new members. A common mission of all Rotary Club members is: We Take Action. If you are interested in getting involved, contact Here.