June 2024 Message from Mike McGovern

Message from former President Mike McGovern

Thank you for the opportunity to serve this great organization

As many of you may know, I have made the difficult decision to tender my resignation effective June 1 as Mill Creek Rifle Club President.

It has been an honor to serve the membership, first as construction director and then as club president. My goal was to always have an open door to all members and guests, and to treat everyone with respect and equality. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to meet several members, share their ideas and have their support as president. I truly miss the interaction of great friends and allies that have gone before us, including Coach Mike Van Dyke, Bob Hodgdon, Chet Whitebread, and most recently the loss of a dear friend, Dr. Bill Kinsey.

I have two accomplishments I am most proud of from serving on the Mill Creek Rifle Club board. In 2018, I started as your construction director. For several previous years, Mill Creek had a broken flag pole in the center of the Benchrest Range with no US flag flying. That had always bothered me, because my wife and I have three sons, all Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scouts, with two serving in the military. In addition, we have other family members either current or retired military and/or law enforcement. Therefore, my first and best accomplishment as construction director was to install a bigger 5-foot by 8-foot US flag and taller flag pole to give the club the ability to proudly fly both the US flag and our Kansas state flag on a daily basis. Every time I drive onto our club property, I look toward the US and Kansas flags, and I have a sense of pride being a member of Mill Creek.

My best accomplishment as Mill Creek president was to add an invocation along with the Pledge of Allegiance to the beginning of every board and membership meeting for the past two and half years.

Historically, during our First Continental Congress in 1774, Sam Adams requested that sessions be opened with a prayer. The humble request to ask our Lord, our Creator, to assist us in doing our duties was first resisted by some, but finally carried the day. It is now a US tradition. We're stronger when we pursue the goals of the membership rather than our personal ones by asking our Creator to help us stay focused, watch over us, and give Him thanks.

Mill Creek is only as good as those who choose to serve. Our youth today will be our leaders tomorrow. Who better to watch over them than our Creator? As Mill Creek moves forward, we pray the Lord watches over all, gives us guidance, and protects those who help protect us through His daily blessings.

God bless our great Nation and the Mill Creek community!

Respectfully,

Michael A. McGovern
Past Mill Creek Rifle Club President

You are here: Home Member News June 2024 Message from Mike McGovern