WINONA — The Winona Ruritan Club held its May meeting May 26 at the Winona Friends Church.

President Rob Doyle Jr. called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. and led the group in singing “America.”

Homer Althouse gave an update of his wife’s Marilyn recent hospital stay and reported that she is at home and doing well. Althouse then gave the Invocation. The caterer served a dinner of tossed vegetable salad, baked chicken thighs and drum sticks, mac and cheese, a mix of steamed garden vegetables, chocolate chip brownies for dessert, water, iced tea and coffee.

Secretary Elmer Lee Stamp called the roll of members, with 20 answering in the affirmative. There were six members absent. Lee Stamp then read the minutes of the April meeting and the minutes of the May Board of Directors meeting. There were two changes to members married daughters married names. The minutes were approved as amended.

Club Treasurer Bob Doyle Sr. gave his detailed club financial report for the month of April. There were no questions of his report, it stood approved as given.

The club has three members born in the month of May: Bruce Marhefka, Dean Sidwell and Paul Lease. Club members sang “Happy Birthday” to the members.

Doyle Jr. asked for suggestions to celebrate the club’s 70th year of contributing to the community and touching the lives of hundreds of individuals. Tom Sanor suggested that the club have a reading of the names of its original 36 charter members and do a bell ringing for each one in remembrance.

Sanor and Althouse will perform this solemn duty at the club’s July meeting.

To celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary it was decided to enter the Salem Grand Parade on July 3 with large Winona Ruritan Club signs on a trailer pulled in the parade. A few members said they would help loading, unloading and decorating.

The club’s next meeting is on June 23 and is the annual Steak Fry and Chicken Breasts BBQ at the Salem Saxon Club. Members are asked to determine how many of each they will order for themselves and their guests. The club will be presenting its three college scholarships at this meeting to Grace Elizabeth Lance, Will McEver and Olivia Winn.

The club has asked Jen Brown of “A touch of Gracious Living” to come and show how to make flower arrangements as entertainment. All members are reminded to bring thier own table service for themselves and their guests.

Doyle Jr. reported on other events coming up. The Salem Super Cruise, June 11 thru 14. June 14 is the anniversary of the forming of the U.S. Army in 1775. June 21 is Father’s Day. June 28 is the 13th annual Winona Area Historical Society’s Strawberry Festival and BBQ Chicken dinner starting at 11:30 a.m.

Elmer Lee Stamp reported on continuing community efforts to get the blockage of the “Winona Creek” cleared. County Engineer Bert Dawson came and saw first hand a part of the problem. Two presentations have been made to the Columbiana County Commissioners in regard to the property that they own. Columbia Gas has been contacted. Columbiana County Soil and Water has been contacted. Due to this blockage south of the Winona Road bridge the Glenn Bennett WWII Memorial Park was flooded with nearly 2 feet of water May 24.

Doyle Jr. then announced the meeting would be his last and he was resigning as president and also a member of the board due to unforeseen circumstances. He asked for a volunteer to step up and take over, but there were none.

Doyle Jr. led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance to Flag of the United States of America.