(Note: An anticipated timeline for committee activity is located here.)
CLUB ADMINISTRATION
Co-Chairs: Lori Neidel and Bette Wordelman
The Club Administration committee supports the executive committee with various reports and administrative tasks associated with the effective operation of the club, including those related to the Rotary citation and grant applications. It also drafts policies and procedures as requested, prepares announcements and assists with technology for club meetings, coordinates club member assignments for the raffle, invocation, and pledge of allegiance at weekly club meetings; and conducts orientation and other training.
Members: Rebecca Knipp, Heather McArthur, Sarah Read, Cindy Whaley
COMMUNICATIONS
Chair: Jim Cherrington
This committee is responsible for coordinating the club’s internal and external communications. This includes compiling and distributing the club’s weekly newsletter, overseeing the Metro website and all interactive/social media communication tools of the club, as well as issuing press releases and placing announcements, pictures, and articles in the printed press, district newsletters and on Rotary platforms.
FOUNDATION & RI
Co-Chairs: Jean Leonatti and Sandra Logan
This Foundation committee promotes and supports the mission and ideals of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation through education about RI’s programs, and through soliciting financial support. Meets quarterly, provides a monthly announcement showcasing an aspect of RI programs and services, and assists with club programs during Foundation month.
Members: Ron Bodenstab, Karen Brown, Marnie Clark, Susan Hart, Michael Kramer, Audrey Spieler
FUNDRAISING
Chair: Shane Winter and J.D. Moran
The Fundraising Committee plans, promotes, prepares for, implements, and evaluates the Club’s annual major fundraiser and any supplemental fundraising opportunities throughout the year. Meets primarily during the months of September through February, as needed.
Members: Charlene Boyes, Mark Claypole, John Fabsits, Ron Fauss, John Fierke, Rebecca Knipp, Sherry Major, Carl Neitzert, Tom Rose, Josh Stanfast
MEMBERSHIP
Coordinator: Sarah Read
This nested set of subcommittees oversees all aspects of the recruiting, retention, and support of members. The subcommittees meet separately, but the overall committee will try to meet twice a year. Subcommittees include the following:
Application Review & Member Recruitment – Victoria Brees, Chair and Valorie Livingston, Co-Chair
This subcommittee oversees the implementation of the process for recruiting and receiving new members into the club including the assignment of members, reviews and investigates applications for membership and advises the board on those, reviews and assigns classifications, and develops plans for the recruitment of persons to fill underutilized classifications. Through coordination with the Fellowship and Community Service committees it identifies and helps identify events and activities that promote the recruitment and retention of members.
Members: Mark Claypole, Jaime Freidrichs, John John, Penny Kuhns-Knarr
Family of Rotary – Shelley Sigholtz, Chair and Jan Beckett, Co-Chair
The Family of Rotary committee helps the club to care for Metro Rotarians and members of their extended families. We do this by acknowledging birthdays and anniversaries, assisting members who are sick or having other difficulties; sharing grief after a death in the family; and celebrating births, weddings, graduations and other public and personal achievements. This committee also, under the leadership of the Co-Chair and working with Fellowship, identifies and encourages informal small group activities and personal interaction outside of club meetings.
Members: Susan Clark, Penny Kuhns-Knarr, Elaine Martin, Laura Royse, Loretta Schouten, Joy Sweeney
Fellowship – Valorie Livingston, Chair and Shane Winter, Co-Chair
This subcommittee furthers the club’s goal of “development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service” by hosting fellowship events that promote fun, friendship and service; and planning and coordinating the annual Charter night celebration of the club’s anniversary.
Members: Karen Brown, Sara Jeffrey, Rose Lloyd, Bryan Stockton
PROGRAMS
Chair: Margaret Conroy
This committee selects and schedules the programs for our weekly club luncheons. Committee members generally are responsible for arranging programs for a particular month, and coordination is largely online.
Members: Adam Blumhagen, Casey Buckman, Bill Costello, Barb Danuser, Anna Drake, Jaime Freidrichs, Pat Hostetler, Warren Prost, Sarah Read, Tim Sullivan
PEACEBUILDERS
Chair: Jaime Freidrichs
This committee generally meets online and works to educate and empower Rotarians and others in our area regarding peacebuilding principles and strategies and individual opportunities and responsibilities for peacebuilding. It has been responsible for coordinating with external community partners and relevant club service committees and managing several of our larger grant-funded projects that build resilience in the community. These include community based dialogue projects, work with refugees, the peace pole at Battle High, and the cooking and gardening projects referenced under Service below. It has also sponsored international speakers and community programs. Metro is recognized as an official Peacebuilder Club by the Rotary Action Group For Peace.
Members: Adam Blumhagen, Susan Brandt, Scott Christianson, Sarah Read, Josh Rickard, Loretta Schouten, Wade Schuette
SERVICE COMMITTEES
Coordinator: Loretta Schouten
This nested group of subcommittees is responsible for providing a range of opportunities for club members to pursue the Rotary goal of “Service Above Self”. Our club’s service work is primarily focused on youth, education and the environment. Our club’s vision, as stated in our strategic plan, is to be a transformative influence in the community and known for what we have given. Since April 2003, Metro has been a Partner in Education with the Columbia Public Schools’ (CPS) Title I Program which has included the development of a library at the CPS Center for Early Learning-North (CELN), funding the award-winning “Feeling Buddies” program, installation of grow stations in classrooms, and weekly readers in the classrooms. We have worked with teens through our ReachOut program, at Battle High, and through a partnership with JobPoint’s YouthBuild programs. In 2011 we helped fund, provide tools, and obtain bikes for the Douglass High School Bike Project through which students could earn their own bike (often needed for getting to jobs) by completing training in bike safety and mechanics.
Many of our projects can be viewed around our community. In 2010 we installed a rain garden at the Park Ave Preschool which, in addition to providing a learning resource, eliminated flooding of their playground in bad weather. In 2012-16, we partnered with the other Rotary Clubs in Columbia to install a fitness trail and learning gardens at Douglass High School and we later partnered with other clubs to build the Farmer’s Market playground. In 2021 -2022 we worked with First Chance for Children to build their playground. More recently we worked with the COMO Interact Club to place a peace pole at Battle High. In 2026-2027 we will help refurbish the nature playground at CELN.
Service Committee subcommittees include:
Community Service – Laura Royse and Lisa Royse, Co-Chairs
The Community Service subcommittee focuses on planning and executing hands-on short term service projects such as garden planting, service at the Food Bank, trash pick up, and holiday gift projects. It also administers a small grant fund benefitting area nonprofits and coordinates as needed with other committees on larger grant-funded projects.
Members: Joy Block, Maizie Brown, Michael Kramer, Rose Lloyd, Jim Stock
International Service – Tom O’Connor, Chair
The International Projects committee supports international service projects sponsored by Rotary International. Committee activities include fund development, educational programs and work on the actual projects. Our international service projects have included several projects providing water and sanitation to schools, and we have partnered several times with clubs in India.
Members: Susan Hart, Warren Prost
Partners in Education – Les Gelband and Shane Winter, Co-Chairs
This committee coordinates the activities for the 20 + year partnership between Columbia Metro Rotary and the Columbia Public School’s Title 1 program. Committee membership includes both club members and Title I teachers and staff. The purpose of the partnership is to promote literacy development in young children through individual and group reading assistance and financial support.
Members: Jan Beckett, Win Burggraaff, Jim Cherrington, Susan Clark, Susan Johnson, Jean Leonatti, Tom Trabue
Vocational Service – Cathy Scroggs, Chair
Vocational service involves providing club members service opportunities to use their vocational skills and expertise and raises awareness of how the Rotary 4-Way Test guides us in our vocations. This committee coordinates the nomination and selection of the recipient of the club’s annual Vocational Service Award. Working with Youth Services, the committee has also supported the “Meet the Managers” and other career related programming in the community.
Members: Sarah Read
Youth Services – Sarah Wolf, Chair
Youth Services encompasses several programs including Youth Exchange, recruitment for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards academy (RYLA), and our youth mentoring programs in the community.
Members: Rob Christensen, Lori Dobry, Susan Johnson, Sarah Read