Chase Villeret is shown delivering the shoes.
[December, 2025 and January, 2026]
First and Foremost, I apologize for not completing the Rotary Record for December. This will be a combined edition for December and January
These past months have been full of service, fellowship, and progress! Here are some highlights of what our club has achieved together:
Service Hours -- Yes, we do keep track of the service hours we perform. thank to Courtney Gulledge for keeping up with this through the end of the calendar year.
Food Drive -- Happy that our efforts included donation to local food drives in our Parish.
Feed the needy (Covington Rotary Club) -- Our Club members made the luncheon and also helped with the Feed the Needy with the Covington club. I am told the event provided families with over 24,000 meals during Christmas, a time when many children do not have access to school-subsidized meals. Your support ensured no family went hungry over the holidays..
Christmas Party -- Thanks to Tom and his wife Diane for hosting a successful and fun Christmas party. .
SafeHaven -- Larry Burch and crews have begun working on the SafeHaven campus following the receipt of our grant money from 2025.
26th Annual Holiday of Lights - Thanks to all who signed up and volunteered for Holiday of Lights. Although the weather did not want to cooperate, were thankful to those who attended.
Christmas Caroling at Heritage Manor - The Caroling was a hit. It was nice to have a large group of attendees. Thanks for Amy Bouton for coordinating the efforts.
Rotary Mid Year check up - Chase Villeret, Tom Quinn, Renee Surenteen and Thomas Bodin attended this years Mid Year check up. We learned a lot and look forward to implementing some ideas we learned from other clubs in the future.
Mark your calendars! Here’s what’s next for our club:
1) Scholarship Season. Annually we perform the work that is neccessary to help the Northlake Mandeville Rotary Foundation provide over $50,000 in scholarship money to local students attending college. This is not possible without your help. Whether it be soliciting monetary donation or providing something to Scholarship banquet, this is an all hands on deck effort. For more questions on what you can do contact Larry Burch, Debbie Stuart, or Doug Place.
2) Bingo at Heritage Manor - We have a crew heading out on both Feb 3 and Feb 17. Contact Steve Saux for more details.
3) Valentine day luncheon - if you havent already RSVP'd please so here.
4) Safe Haven volunteer opportunity- Larry Burch will be organizing crews to help with the Playground at SafeHaven, TBD.
5) Lancaster Elementary - Last year, Matt Greene and Chase Villeret went to Lancaster Elementary to talk to the service group on campus about what service means to them. They did such a good job, they were invited back again on February 27, 2025. If a couple of other Rotarians would like to attend, please let Chase know.
This month I am recognizing Larry Burch. Larry is a board member, our treasurer, and the Foundation President. I am probably leaving some of his hats undisclosed, but not intentionally. Larry is a long time member and Rotarian who serves in silence - while you won't hear him talk about all that he does for Rotary, I can assure you he does plenty. Currently Larry is co chairing the Scholarship program and he is leading the charge at SafeHaven. Thanks Larry for all that you do.
Teamwork makes the dream work! The Holidays were fun and we enjoyed socializing with one another. We now turn our sights towards what Ted called the Crown Jewel of our club -- the scholarship program. Please be a part of what we do. As I like to say, if everyone does a little bit, then no one person has to do a lot.
Chase
[November, 2025]
This past month has been full of service, fellowship, and progress! Here are some highlights of what our club has achieved together:
The Veterans Day Golf Tournament -- November 10, 2025. It was a cold day, but we had a great time. It was wonderful to have so many Veterans out to play with us for this tournament. We are still waiting on some of the final bills so we can have a bottom line number on this fundraiser, but thanks to all who participated in some form or fashion.
New members -- Kennon is still keeping the membership moving as we have more members joining us each month. Please make sure to welcome our new members and get to know them.
LakeFront Cleanup -- We cleaned up the lakefront on Nov 15, 2025. Special Thanks to all who attended.
Your dedication and teamwork continue to show what “Service Above Self” truly means.
Mark your calendars! Here’s what’s next for our club:
Service Hours -- Yes, we do keep track of the service hours we perform thank to Courtney Gulledge. As you heard her mention at the end of the meeting, keep track of and send your hours to Courtney.
Food Drive -- In light of the Holidays approaching, If you have non perishable food items, you are welcome to bring them to Courtney's office or Chase's office. Or you can bring them with you to a meeting.
Feed the needy (Covington Rotary Club) -- Every year, our neighbors to the North of us run a wonderful program. As we receive more information on volunteer sign up, I will provide the same.
Christmas Party -- Our Christmas party will be at Tom Quinn's house on December 11, 2025. Please RSVP.
SafeHaven -- Our team has ordered more equipment and materials to continue work at SafeHaven. We do not have a delivery date yet, but be on the lookout for workdays in the future.
26th Annual Holiday of Lights - December 5, 6, 12 & 13. Volunteers are needed. Courtney created a link for us which can be accessed here to sign up.
Christmas Caroling at Heritage Manor on Tuesday, December 2nd and Tuesday, December 16th at 6:30 p.m.
This month I am recognizing Courtney Gulledge. Courtney is a board member who has stepped up in many ways for our Club, including but not limited to, setting up the signups for volunteering, showing up for the Dictionary Project in October, and most recently, collecting Food items for our food drive - on short notice at that :) Thanks for your hard work, Courtney.
Teamwork makes the dream work! I can believe 5 months of this Rotary year as already gone by. We have accomplished so much in a short period of time including 3 fundraisers and about 10 different service projects. This is not possible without our membership and the work we do TOGETHER! I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!
Chase
This past month has been full of service, fellowship, and progress! Here are some highlights of what our club has achieved together:
Lakefront Cleanup (Sylvia Farley). September 27, 2025.
Silvia and her team cleaned up the lakefront last month.
The Wooden Boat Festival – October 18-19, 2025. Madisonville, LA
Several Rotarians, including Sherlyn and Randy Hancock participated serving beer at the Wooden Boat Festival.
First Responders Luncheon -- October 23, 2025. What a great event this was. We were fortunate to have so many in attendance that we needed to pull up more chairs. That is a good problem to have. Great work to everyone involved, especially Kennon Singley, Adam Smith, Laurie Pennison, and Cindi Raymond.
The Dictionary Project -- Thanks to the efforts of many Rotarians, we have completed the Dictionary Project again this year. What an effort. Thanks to all who participated.
The Gator Tail Run -- October 25, 2025 @ NTCC Lacombe Campus. Matt Faust. Chase Villeret, and Jeanne Schramm attended the event where we donated our tents to NTCC and watch approximately 300 runners and volunteers enjoy a great morning and some delicious red beans and rice.
New members -- Kennon is still keeping the membership moving as we have more members joining us each month. Please make sure to welcome our new members and get to know them.
Your dedication and teamwork continue to show what “Service Above Self” truly means.
Mark your calendars! Here’s what’s next for our club:
The Veterans Day Golf Tournament -- November 10, 2025. Our club is hosting the 2nd Annual Golf Tournament at Beau Chene Country Club. The flyer is attached to this email. If you know anyone who may be interested in sponsoring a hole, donating a prize, or donating food at a hole, please let me, Kennon, or Ronnie know. Courtney will soon be sending out the sign up with time slots for all who want to help and/or participate the day of the event.
Service Hours -- Yes, we do keep track of the service hours we perform thank to Courtney Gulledge. As you heard her mention at the end of the meeting, keep track of and send your hours to Courtney.
Food Drive -- In light of the Holidays approaching and the issues with the Federal Government, we are not going to stop collecting food, until we are told there is no longer a need. If you have non perishable food items, you are welcome to bring them to Courtney's office or Chase's office. Or you can bring them with you to a meeting.
Feed the needy (Covington Rotary Club) -- Every year, our neighbors to the North of us run a wonderful program. On Thursday, November 5, 2025, Club President Kevin Morgan will come to our meeting to tell us more about it.
Christmas Party -- Our Christmas party will be at Tom Quinn's house on December 11, 2025.
This month I am recognizing Matt Greene. Matt is the chair of the Dictionary Project and it went off without issues this years thanks in large part to all of the behind the scenes work that Matt puts in to schedule as at the schools. Great work, Matt.
Teamwork makes the dream work! October was a busy month!!!! The holidays are around the corner, and while we will have time to socialize and celebrate, lets remember to keep on serving in any way we can.
Louisiana State Troopers Madisonville Police Department Mandeville Police Department St. Tammany Sheriff's Office St. Tammany Fire District 2 (Madisonville) St. Tammany Fire District 3 (Lacombe) St. Tammany Fire District 4 (Mandeville)
Rotarians, including five members from the Northlake Mandeville Rotary club packed food packets that will be sent to needy people in the US and around the world. Those packed will feed 237 people for a year. The project was held during the Rotary District Convention in Bay St Louis on June 7.
U. S. Senator Bill Cassidy met with Rotarians at our regular Thursday meeting on March 20. Senator Cassidy briefed the club on several of the major bills on which he had a major role in passing, ie the Infrastructure bill. As Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Senator Cassidy was a key vote on the confirmation of Robert Kennedy. After reaching an agreement with Mr. Kennedy concerning vaccinations, Senator Cassidy was convinced that Mr Kennedy would use his "bully Pulpit" to significantly improve the overall health of America by focusing on areas like reducing processed food intake and others areas. 
Team 2 of the Rotary Bingo callers and helpers sang carols and brought Christmas joy to residents of Heritage Manor on Tuesday, December 17, prior to the regular Bingo games. Team 2 calls on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Team 1 calls bingo for residents at Heritage Manor on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Thanks to Rotarian Amy Bouton for organizing the two Caroling events. Thanks to Dawn Amacker, wife of President Ted Dittmer shown on the far right, for accompanying on the piano.
Service Above Self
Mandeville, LA 70471
United States of America