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Finding just the right one

The weekend of November 8 was our annual Shoes For Kids program. Around 340 kids were signed up to receive new shoes, boots, hats and gloves from the Clarkston Rotary club. Students at Renaissance High School brought the boxes of shoes to the staging area to be set up for the event. Members and volunteers spend Friday evening arranging the shoes and boots by type and size. It was a rewarding day for all concerned, and after storing the leftover inventory, club members met for a dinner celebration of a job well done.

It Was Quite a Party!

On October 23, the Clarkston Rotary Club celebrated its twenty-fifth wine-beer-whiskey tasting fundraiser. The proceeds help fund the club's projects including scholarships, Shoes For Kids, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and polio eradication. Neighbors and friends looked forward to the annual event where they gathered and visited while they sampled various beverages along with food from the following restaurants: Buffalo Wild Wings, Via Balogna, Parker's Hilltop Brewery, The Fed, Crispelli, Square One Eats and Treats, Hamlin Pub, Kruse Deer Lake Inn and Nothing Bundt Cakes. Our thanks go out to the restaurants and friends who made the evening a success yet again.

Why I Joined the Rotary Club of Clarkston

Why I Joined the Rotary Club of Clarkston
By Matthew R. Senter, CPA

When I first learned about the Rotary Club of Clarkston, I was drawn in by one simple but powerful phrase: Service Above Self. As a business owner and resident invested in the well-being of our community, that mission resonated deeply with both my personal values and professional vision.

Joining the Rotary wasn’t just a networking opportunity—it was a commitment. A commitment to building a better Clarkston, to serving alongside neighbors who care, and to applying my skills where they matter most: solving real problems, right here at home.

The Rotary Club’s initiatives—whether it’s supporting local youth through scholarships, books for kids, shoes for kids, assisting families in need, or participating in international service projects—reflect a boots-on-the-ground approach to community building. It’s not about headlines. It’s about heart.

During the 2021–2022 term while I was president, I witnessed the impact our club had under the “Serve to Change Lives” theme. That year’s focus on compassionate leadership and hands-on service inspired me to go from admiring Rotary from the outside to stepping in and becoming a part of that change.

Professionally, I spend my days helping small business owners gain clarity and control over their finances through accounting, tax and consulting. But I believe that true wealth in a community comes from trust, relationships, and shared responsibility. The Rotary Club fosters all of that—and more.

For me, Rotary isn’t just a club. It’s a way to be present, be useful, and be connected. And if we each take that step toward service, together, we build something far greater than any of us could build alone.

Stampede Park in Calgary. Yahoo!

Clarkston Rotarians Mary and Jeff join 14,000 other Rotarians at “ Pancakes for Polio” at the Rotary International Convention in Calgary. At the five day convention they would enjoy great speakers, entertainment, big events and the company of Rotarians from around the world. Evening entertainment included the “Grandstand Spectacular” at Stampede Park and , “Rockin the Big Four Roadhouse.” Lunches at The House of Friendship provided the opportunity to join other District Rotarians or sit for a meal with guests from 140 countries who are attending the convention.

2024-25 Presidential Project

Rotarian Cassie spread wood chips to support this year's presidential project, while Matt, Jeff and Waylon built beds. Each year the club president has the opportunity to choose their presidential project, and this year President Jim chose to restore and reopen the Clarkston Community Garden. The Garden has a long history in the area and was active until 2020, renting plots to community members who wanted to grow produce. As part of the rental agreement gardeners would donate time to take care of plots that grew produce for personal consumption and for donations to local food banks. Covid forced the garden to close, causing it to fall into a stare of disrepair. Since is was abandoned, nature has run its course and the garden quickly turned into a meadow. The goal now is to restore the plots, purchase and erect a new deer fence, replace gardening tools and equipment and purchase wood to restore the gardening beds. On a recent weekend, club members and community members met to begin work.