Westlake Bay Village Rotary Club Meeting: Project Updates, District Initiatives, and Westlake Recreation Center Presentation
Transcribed & Edited Notes from Audio Recording (Full notes are available upon request.)
Opening Formalities and Member Welcome
The first meeting of the year opened with attention to the newly installed audio-visual system. Brian provided a device to support online participants, and after noting the microphone was initially positioned too far away, Andrew confirmed the club was using the new sound system for the first time. Members commented positively, describing the experience as “surround sound,” and expressed gratitude to Andrew for the upgrade. The system includes microphones tied to the green panels overhead, fixed-mounted cameras with zoom capability, and side screens to improve viewing; minor tweaks are anticipated (e.g., Zoom name announcements). The ease of setup—“about 15 seconds” with a few button presses—means others can start it if Andrew is absent.
Mr. Kraft led the year’s first prayer, and members then recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test. The meeting’s inspirational quote set the tone for 2026: “let’s commit to serving boldly, leading with kindness, and making a meaningful impact together.”
Prospective members were warmly welcomed; most have attended more than three meetings and all applications are submitted. The club plans to hold a foundation or club business meeting in the next couple of weeks to vote them in, following which they will become the newest members of the Westlake Bay Village Rotary Club. A brief note on meeting customs highlighted that seats are not assigned, though members gravitate to familiar spots; mixing up seating was encouraged to keep interactions fresh.
Club Project and Administrative Updates
Old business focused on the Epiphany Project, where volunteers packed boxes on the 29th and 30th with such efficiency that second and third shifts were not needed either day. Distribution day occurs at Christ the Redeemer. The project’s origins were noted: Mary, now in her late 80s or 90s, began it years ago out of her garage, and it has since grown to engage the entire church community.
Operation Full Plate is approaching its closing window. Donations at the holiday party were recorded. Members discussed renewed food bank volunteering at the Waterloo location; multiple email requests seek 10–15 volunteers, and the timing is seen as especially fitting this season.
Tim Opsitnik, a multiple Paul Harris fellow, will receive his pin after Andrew obtains his address.
Finances were reviewed. Year-end investments totaled $371,509 (rounded to $372,000 in discussion). The club withdrew $25,000 for the Lake Erie Science Center and $20,000 to support contributions throughout the year. Despite withdrawals, the balance grew in market value; however, dividends and capital gain distributions were about $5,000 less than previous years. Unrealized gains at year’s end were $102,000.
The club has open meeting dates in February and March; one will be filled by Big Brothers Big Sisters (to be confirmed). The club decided to fund a truck sponsorship up to a certain amount, with more details expected in spring.
District-Level Initiatives and Governance
The President-elect’s service project partners with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Ohio to fund monthly books for children from birth to age five. In Cuyahoga County, the Literacy Cooperative administers the program
Grant Management Seminars are upcoming for clubs seeking district grants next year. Terri will attend (counting as one of the two required participants), and Katie will likely attend as well. Seminar dates are February 21 (Saturday), March 4 (noting attendees should be at speech contests that day), and March 21 (another Saturday), with details posted on the district website calendar.
Internationally, district governor-elects convene in Orlando starting Sunday for the International Assembly. Terri expressed excitement to meet cohorts from South Korea and India, noting some do not speak English. Rotary’s new theme will be revealed Monday, and Terri will relay it back to the district for publication.
The Assistant Governor outlined responsibilities: hosting quarterly cluster meetings among six clubs (two in Rocky River/Lakewood, Westlake Bay Village, North Ridgeville, West Shore/Fairview Park, and Berea), with typical attendees including past presidents, presidents, president-elects, and secretaries. The next cluster meeting is Thursday, January 22, at BJ’s in North Olmsted at 6:30 p.m. The district is exploring a membership-focused event (likely a Saturday forum), soliciting topic suggestions such as companion clubs, retention and engagement strategies, increasing new member engagement, attracting new members, targeted recruiting, and best practices for prospective member events. The Assistant Governor is visiting clubs and attending meetings to learn the role; incoming District Governor Bob Oborn will attend several meetings across the cluster. District 6630 spans from the Pennsylvania state line near Conneaut to the Lorain border and south past Strongsville, comprising 53 clubs (or 47 without the three Rotaract clubs). Dale from the district membership committee reports ample funds remain for membership initiatives; clubs can submit plans for reimbursement if hosting membership events.
Guest Presentation: Westlake Recreation Center
Rakela Iwis, Recreation Manager for the City of Westlake, presented an extensive overview of the Recreation Center. The center has been voted Best Recreation Center by Cleveland Scene Magazine and Best of Clee for two consecutive years. Director Paula Horner has led the center for six years.
Membership eligibility includes Westlake residents, people who work in the city, and residents of neighboring communities without their own rec center (Bay Village, Avon, Avon Lake, North Ridgeville); Fairview residents also retain access via a reciprocity arrangement from a prior pool outage. Silver Sneakers and Renew Active members receive free memberships through their secondary health insurance. Programs are broadly accessible: most are open to anyone with tiered pricing—members at the lowest rates, then residents with discounts, and non-residents at standard rates.
Fitness: the center has new equipment; group exercise classes are free for members and $10 for non-member drop-ins, running from 9 AM to 5 or 6 PM. Small group and youth training classes are offered. Prescription Fitness provides personal training with a free initial assessment. Silver Sneakers classes are available, with some silver senior offerings via Zoom.
Special events:
Summer Concert Series on Sunday evenings (5–8 PM), free to the community; location may be TBD due to field renovations.
Rakela oversees the 4th of July parade, targeting a “bigger and better than ever” celebration for America’s 250th, with new activities planned between the morning parade and evening fireworks.
A Safety and Wellness Fair paired with a 5K community run and pancake breakfast occurs in September, in partnership with St. John’s.
Seasonal events include Breakfast with Santa (December), a father-daughter dance (February), dive-in movies at the indoor pool, a summer family campout, and Christmas in July at the Aquatic Center.
Capital improvements and facilities:
Parkside fields redevelopment is complete with two turf football-sized fields, a new playground, and a concessions/restroom building.
The Rec Center park and playground are under construction for redevelopment, including a new playground likely to attract attention from “Cleveland Kids”/“Klee Kids” on social media.
Indoor pool upgrades include new bleachers and flooring; lighting and ventilation fixes are scheduled next year.
The women’s locker room received a “huge facelift”; the family locker room is next, with a grant for a changing table and newly added automatic door openers for disability access.
Athletic field expansion at the Rec Center campus will add baseball fields with 90-foot bases, artificial turf infields, new dugouts, and lights, plus multipurpose turf fields for football and soccer.
Grass fields near the “non-sledding hill” were stripped, regraded, and improved for drainage; the hill is not designated for sledding for insurance purposes.
Meadowood Golf Course will add a large driving range (bid released before the holidays). The course will likely shift to a 9-hole par 3 by adjusting the red and white courses and removing most of the yellow course (par 4s).
Closing Remarks and Fellowship
Members shared “Happy Bucks.” The meeting adjourned with gratitude and fellowship.
Action Items
- Email Rachel to confirm receipt of the food bank volunteer messages and coordinate participation - [TBD]
- Coordinate with Bob (membership committee) to advance the club’s membership event funding plan for district resources - [TBD]
- Confirm Big Brothers Big Sisters will take one of the March meeting slots - [TBD]
- Check whether you still have time remaining for the high-level grant management certification - [TBD]
- Send the cluster meeting date (Thursday, January 22 at 6:30 p.m., BJ’s North Olmsted) in an email to relevant club leaders - [TBD]
- Pass along desired discussion topics for a district membership event to the district - [TBD]
- Deliver Tim Opsitnik’s Paul Harris Fellow pin after obtaining his address - [TBD]
- Bring library laptops for the grant management training sessions - [TBD]
- Send an email to collect Operation Full Plate volunteer efforts and any additional contributions for proper credit - [TBD]
- Verify whether the district’s grant management seminar links expire - [TBD]
Send the grant management training link to all members approximately two weeks before the seminar(s) - [TBD]