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Rotary volunteers supporting our schoolkids via the Blessings in a Backpack project. A special thanks to the Steering Committee of LaRae Odland, Anna Rydecki, Dave and Kathy Campbell, Tom Noverr and Mary Sue Lyon. Our faithful Packing Coordinators have been Deb Davidson,

Dan Williamson, Dan Liehr, Anna Rydecki, Pete Swanson, Ross Woodhams, Angelica Gallegos-Dickerson, and Bob Metzen.

Rotarians Deb Davidson, Dan Williamson and Bryan Kurtz helped elementary kids plant salmon fingerlings in the Black River as part of school-year-long project. South Haven Rotary donated the chillers used for the project.

Our Club Hero -- Ross Woodhams
Ross Woodhams is our 2025 Club Hero. He will be honored at the Rotary District 6360 Conference this weekend along with heroes from other clubs in the District. You can count of Ross to pitch-in on Rotary projects, including the important Blueberry pancake breakfast at the South Haven Airport. In addition to registering the event with the Airport Authority and helping with set-up and tear down, he provides a professional and entertaining play by play of the air show participants. Ross is also always there to help with the technical end of our weekly meetings. Whether fixing last minute technical glitches, sourcing new equipment or standing by to be the weekly IT administrator, he does it all. In addition he is very community minded, donating a lot of time to the high school music program and as a member of the Casco Township Band.

In Honor of Rotary International

South Haven Rotarians joined kindergarten students with their shovels to mark Arbor Day with the traditional planting of a tree in a city park on April 25. The generational gathering of students from nearby Lincoln School and members of the Rotary Club of South Haven occurred at the nearby Elkenburg Park with the planting of a Frontier Elm tree selected by city arborist and parks superintendent Aaron Priebe.

It marked the sixth consecutive year that Rotarians have planted a tree in a city park. In addition to marking Arbor Day, the event celebrates Rotary founder Paul Harris who in the early 1900s traveled the world planting “friendship” trees to symbolize goodwill. The South Haven event also celebrated the designation of the city as a USA Tree City, a distinction awarded the community for the past 21 years.

Third grade children who joined the event were also treated to a presentation by “Dr. Liberty Hyde Bailey”, aka Rotarian Dan Williamson who serves as chair of the Bailey Museum, a national historic site. Known as the Dean of American Horticulture, Dr. Bailey was born in South Haven in 1858.

The children were also treated to the unique experience of riding in a bucket truck provided by TREECORE, a local tree service.