Bulletin #4
January 28, 2026

 
"If you don't make time for what matters, life will fill it up with what doesn't matter."
-Club President Ron Auxier

 
The Rotary Club of Saint Joseph met today at the beautiful Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art.



There were around 24 Rotarians in attendance, including visiting Rotarian Lee Robertson of the North Kansas City club. Lee is the Director of Business Partnerships with Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

Please keep a couple of Rotarians in your thoughts and prayers. 

Julie Cobb is still in the progress of healing from her cancer surgery. 

Patricia Williams shared that she had a health scare last week with her cancer, but is doing better.  

The lunch spread this week was green beans in the style of Ralph Schank, salad, a meatloaf with some ketchup but not too much (unless you believe like some do that any ketchup is too much), barbecued chicken, mashed potatoes, and cole slaw. Not shabby. 

Vice President Oakley Coleman passed around a sign-up sheet to collect availability of members to volunteer at the 3/6 Spaghetti Dinner.

Tickets have also been distributed, along with sponsorship forms and lunch order forms. The tickets are $15 for all you can eat spaghetti, breadsticks, salad, and delicious desserts. Kids are $7, 5 and under are free. Carry-out lunches are $8 each. 

Customers and businesses can purchase tickets for lunch, dinner, and sponsorships online at https://rotary-club-of-st-joseph-east.square.site/

Volunteer assignments have begun and Oakley will have a sign-up sheet at an upcoming meeting for everyone to get involved in some way with the Spaghetti fundraiser. 
 
 
 
Black Bowls donations for this quarter (1/1/26 through 3/31/26) go to the Care Portal. which connects churches with people in need to make a difference. Contributions to Black Bowls may be made at meetings with cash or check, or online at our club's Square site. 

Meals on Wheels delivery assignments for 1/29 are Kelly Morris (solo) and Brendon Clark with Nick Gertsema. 

Meals on Wheels delivery assignments for 2/5 are Tammy Rivera with LeeAnn Smiley and Patricia Williams with Kirby Brooner. 
 
Upcoming Key Rotary Dates:
 
  • Wednesday, February 4:  Regular club meeting at Noon at the AKMA... Speaker is Kim Cordonnier, the Children's Director at United Cerebral Palsy 
     
  • February 18:  First wave Rotary Blend candle orders due (Shoes for Orphan Souls fundraiser)
     
  • February 19:  Rotary club fun committee social at the Bunker Club in Savannah (on the square) from 4:30 p.m. to ____? They have indoor golf and a bar. This should be fun. 
     
  • February 21:  Work day for the Life Unlimited garden beds district grant project at Spaeth Construction (2021 St. Joseph Avenue)... bring work gloves, all tools provided
     
  • Friday, March 6:  43rd Annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser at Ashland United Methodist Church- carry out lunches and dine-in or carry out dinners 
     
  • Saturday, March 7:  Sleep in Heavenly Peace lumber cutting and staining work day at MWSU at 9 a.m. 
     
  • Friday, 4/24 and Saturday, 4/25:  District Conference at the Rotary Youth Camp (Shoes for Orphan Souls Roll Call on 4/25)
     
  • Wednesday, 5/6:  Rotary scholarship luncheon for our 5 high school scholarship recipients at Noon at the AKMA
 
"Every contribution you make to The Rotary Foundation strengthens its power as a global force for change that channels your generosity into lasting transformation." -Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Holger Knaack
 
 

Sergeant Kirby Brooner collected Happy Bucks today:

  • Nick for his football defensive coordinator Harry Elder, who has sadly passed away, but left an amazing legacy
     
  • Amy Spaeth for Matt Porter's 66th birthday! 
     
  • Erik for 2,757 burpees in the month of January and the end in sight!
     
  • Barb for the wrong birthday year last week
     
  • Ralph for counting down the days until he leaves for Florida

For this week's program, we heard from 3 members about their lives and Rotary stories. 

Mary Beth Revels:


Mary Beth serves as the Executive Director of the St. Joseph Public Library. She moved to St. Joseph in 1998 and joined Rotary in 2003, after an invitation from Carlos Moya. 

She met her husband Wes when he was in the library researching old maps of the Missouri river. 

She became a Kirksvillian in 2nd grade, and continued on there through her completion of school at what was then called NMSU (Northeast Missouri State University). Despite this, they still sent her a diploma that says "Truman State University". 

Amy Spaeth:

Amy is married to Conrad and together they have 2 boys, 15 and 19 years of age. She grew up in Cosby on a farm and then joined the Missouri Air National Guard. She served in the Guard for 10 years and completed Officer Training School. 

Amy also is a graduate of MoWest with a degree in accounting. She interned for Family Guidance while in school. She attended NWMSU alongside Ralph Schank and earned her MBA, and then went back to work at Family Guidance, where she has now been for 25 years and serves as the Co-CEO. 

Amy joined Rotary about 11 years ago after an invitation from Amy Ryan. The reason she joined was because of her vocation, however she stayed because she is passionate about the service and fellowship of the club. Amy's "great bean counter" status (thanks Ron) was useful during her tenure as our club's treasurer, and she has also served in other leadership roles to include Rotary Foundation Director, Club President for 2023-2024, and current Club Public Image Chair. 

Hod Symes:



Hod grew up along the banks of the Connecticut River, back in the days of FDR. He settled in Wells River, Vermont, and his oldest son still lives in his house there. 

Hod then attended Dartmouth College, and finally escaped New England for New York City. It is there that he met his wife Mabel in the Empire State Building. A series of moves led him to St. Joseph around 1966 to work for A.J. August. He worked for them for 10 years, and then took on some roles in the financial vocation, including for C.D. Smith Drug Company.  

Mabel worked for Quaker Oats. The two of them spent several winters in Florida after retiring in 1996, and summers in Vermont. 

Hod joined Rotary in 1969 after being invited by his neighbor, Bill Stalen, and fellow Rotarian Jim Fitzgerald. At that time, the Eastside club met at the Holiday Inn, which is now the site of the new Quick Trip. 

For a 2 year period around 1989-90, Hod transferred his membership to Club 32. If you missed the reason why, you should ask him for the juicy story. He did come back after it was safe to do so. 

Hod served as our club's President in 1982-1983, and helped to lead the creation of the Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser that has been going strong now for 43 years. 

Hod served as the District Governor for District 603 in 1986-1987, and also served as a delegate to the Council on Legislation in 1989 in Singapore. He served as the President of the Show Me Rotary Council some time around 1993. 

Hod and Mabel have 4 grandchildren and some great-grandchildren. 
 
 
Assistant Shoes Cheerleader Erik McGuire shared that our club remains at 803 pairs of shoes (counting the 70 that Tim Curry has to get turned in) collected. Our goal is to exceed 2,000 pairs this year.