Summary of August 21 Board Meeting

The Board of Director’s Meeting was held on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at the United Way Building. The Club’s membership on July 31 was 282 Active members, plus six Honorary members and eight Inactive Emeriti. Attendance for the month’s four meetings was 29%. Average attendance at each meeting was 82 members plus 5 others. The Engagement Ratio for the month was 53%. Mark and Rose Makulinski, formerly of the Toledo Club and the Foothills, Travelers Rest Club in South Carolina, have transferred their membership to RCAA. Please welcome them to our club when you see them at a lunch meeting. It is with regret that the resignation of John Balbach was accepted. John and his family are relocating to Chicago and we wish him well in his new position. The Club Endowment Investment portfolio on July 31 was $2,180,326.52.

President Rosemarie did an outstanding job of guiding the Board through an ambitious agenda on a beautiful August morning. She reported a new opportunity has been presented for RCAA to partner with the Ann Arbor Public Schools on a playground project. Details to follow.

President-Elect Joanne confirmed that “Purple Pinkie Day” will be on October 23. Our speaker will be Ann Lee Hussey, a Rotarian and polio survivor who has made it her mission to immunize children worldwide with the polio vaccine. You won’t want to miss her inspiring story.

Club Service reported that the Social Committee has organized an Art Exhibition on Friday, September 20 from 6 – 8 pm at the Pierre Paul Art Gallery located at 3252 Washtenaw Avenue. The event is free and will feature original artwork by Shanavas Rahim. Check out his journey from India to Ann Arbor in this week’s Harpoon. Also planned is a New Member Reception Happy Hour on October 16 from 5 – 7 pm.

Club Outreach reported that the Membership Committee has approved two new Member Elects, Sarah Paspal-Jasinski and Becky Pazlowski who is a former Rotarian from both the Saline and Sarasota FL clubs. They will be inducted with the October 2019 New Member Class. New Member Elects wear a blue ribbon, we ask that you take a moment and make these new members feel welcome by introducing yourself. Member Rick Taylor’s membership was reinstated. The RCAA Satellite is now meeting in the Victors Room at the Pretzel Bell. The next meeting is Tuesday, August 27. Social hour is from 5:30 – 6:00 pm and the meeting is from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. All are welcome.

Community Service is busy preparing for the September 9 Annual Golf and Tennis Outing being held at Travis Point Country Club. Go to https://birdeasepro.com/a2rotary/ to sign up for this important fund raising event. On August 16 a group of Rotary volunteers helped our current District Grantee, the Michigan Foster Care Closet, as they staged the Back to School event for 121 foster children.

Public Image announced that the Harpoon has an attractive and streamlined new look designed by member Lauren Heinonen. The Harpoon staff is still actively recruiting volunteer editors to rotate publishing our weekly newsletter. Contact Tom Millard for more information.

Youth Achievement reported that the “Service Above Self” Scholarships have been awarded. Three current students and five future students were awarded $2,500 scholarships for the upcoming year. STRIVE, Rotary Readers and Tutors and Junior Rotarians will be meeting again once the school year begins.

Youth Development reported that the Huron and Pioneer Interact Clubs has a successful Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) last spring sponsoring seven students. The Interact and Rotaract Clubs will be active again once the school year begins.