The Rotary Club of Chelsea kicked off the 2020-2021 season with an outdoor gathering at the Chelsea District Library Reading Garden. The initial meeting for the fiscal new year beginning July 1 is reserved to honor the outgoing President; Mary Lee Penny, Executive Vice President and Commercial Lending Officer at Chelsea State Bank. It was a challenging year for Mary Lee as head of Commercial Lending during the COVID-19 crisis and the government loan assistance program known as PPP. Chelsea State Bank completed over 200 loans to their customers for a total of $40 million under Mary Lee's direction.
Several club Past Presidents; Gary Zenz, Kari Neuman, Susan Brown, Lorna Tackwell and Tammy Mason were present to award the plaque and gavel to Mary Lee and to "pass the Mallet" to incoming co-Presidents Richard Dice and Robert Swistock. Social distancing and masks were used appropriately and "Greeter" Stephanie Moran enforced the rules when necessary. Ugly Dog Distillery provided an excellent summer beverage and Smokehouse 52 provided pulled pork and coleslaw. Both have been excellent sponsors to
Chelsea Rotary and thanks to Lorna Tackwell and Jordan Beecham for coordinating those efforts.
