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District Conference: President Kathy said the District Conference was fabulous. Governor Larry Lohman did a great job. Dave Hansford served as operations chairman for the conference for the 22nd year. Kay Hansford received the Gary Neiman Award, presented to a non-Rotarian for their assistance with the conference. New Member: Bill Childers introduced Tammy Hunter, CEO of Townhall II. Tammy has been at the helm of the service organization for 16 months. She is a Kent State graduate and played softball for Kent. She holds a masters degree from Walsh University in Human Development. She and her husband have four children and live in Twinsburg. Speaker: David Dix introduced Dr. Paul Gaston, retired Provost of Kent State University. Dr. Gaston is an ordained Episcopalian minister, currently serving at St. Paul’s in Akron. His vitae includes numerous articles and books. A man of many talents and interests, Dr. Gaston spoke to the members about his book Ohio’s Craft Beers published by the Kent State University Press. Dr. Gaston said there has been astonishing growth in craft breweries in Ohio. In 1988 there was one, Great Lakes Brewery. In 2022 there are 400. He said he has great appreciation for the three craft breweries in Kent, North Water, Belltower and Mad Cap. [Guests at today’s meeting were North Water Brewing owner Don Schjeldahl and Belltower Brewing partner Benjamin Tipton.] He encouraged patronage of these breweries. To research his book, Dr. Gaston visited 40 breweries or as he described it his “pint by pint” tour. Some of the breweries on the tour were Portsmouth Brewing Company, Jackie O’s in Athens, Moerlein in Cincinnati, Toxic Brew Company in Dayton, JAFB in Wooster and Maumee Bay in Toledo. Historically, Ohio had numerous breweries in the 1800s, most producing a pilsner. Prohibition curtailed these businesses and it wasn’t until the 1950s when large breweries came into fashion. He said craft brewing has created a new kind of culture. The brewers are constantly experimenting, exploring a range of styles. They respect the architecture by rehabilitating properties. They are setting an ecological example and look for local sources for their ingredients. Dr. Gaston said that while they are competitors, they are also collaborators. Craft brewers have a commitment to quality and enable their customers to learn more about their products. They also frequently cooperate with the local community on special projects. He said the breweries have a welcoming atmosphere and interesting food selections. He said Wolf’s Ridges in Columbus has a gourmet restaurant. His rules for his research were that he would not drink more than three ounces of their product and that he would photograph but not eat the food. Two breweries would not play by his rules, Great Lakes Brewery and Market Garden, both Cleveland breweries located almost across the street from each other on the near west side. An enthusiastic response was given by Doug Fuller. Respectfully submitted by Anita Herington
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Opening of the Meeting: Our patriotic song played by David Dix was The Star Spangled Banner. Nelson Burns provided the Invocation. David Dix chose Auld Lang Syne for our second song.
