As growing groups of bright-eyed prospective UM students (and their equally wide-eyed parents) massed outside by the Cube, 66 Rotarians and guests met in the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union. President Dawn Johnson rang the bell to begin the meeting and pianist extraordinaire Jody Tull de Salis played our National Anthem as we sang along. President Dawn led us in the 4-Way Test, and Rotarian Arthur Williams inspired us as he did when Principal of Huron High School. He began with a message from Nelson Mandela that you can teach children to love, and a second message from James Baldwin that every child is a child to each of us. Williams concluded with a mantra he used at school: “You have the power to make it a great day … or not.”

Song Leader Don Duquette led us in a rousing rendition of Tomorrow from the musical Annie.

President Dawn returned to the podium to thank incoming Club president Roy More for leading last week’s meeting. Guests of John White, Dennis Burke, Rob Shiff, Barb Dawes and Dennis Powers were introduced. President Dawn thanked this week’s meeting team: Bob Buckler, Elliott Greenberg, Rona Hu, Dan Romanchik, Tucker Rossmaessler, Rick Sheridan, Mary Steffek Blaske, and Jody Tull de Salis.

Birthday balloons to Susan Smith, Roger Fraser, Eli Savit, and Ben Bolen. Congrats to Barbara Niess-May for being a Club member for these 17 years.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
With sadness, President Dawn shared that Laura Livingston, wife of past Rotarian Bob Livingston, has died. More information will be available next week.

Food Gatherers has completed the food donation portion of the drive. You are still able to make all-important financial gifts to help feed hungry Ann Arbor kids. See the AARC website.

There are currently 20+ participants registered for the 3rd Annual Yoga Retreat, and $8,350 has been raised. President Dawn attests that this restorative retreat is a must for Club members. Questions? Contact Jody Tull de Salis.

Survey: President Dawn announced that there are 103 responses to the member survey. Many thanks to Rona Hu and John White for their work in this survey. Out of this work will include a Prospective Member Survey.

Strategic Plan: President Dawn distributed a colorful RCAA Strategic Plan Dashboard showing the progress and status of the multiple areas of service and measurement of that service. It will be also available to all Club members on the RCAA website. “We are working the Plan,” stated President Dawn. Your continued help as a Club member is important.

Board Meeting: At this month’s Board Meeting, our Club’s budget was approved. The Club’s Foundation budget is in progress and will be voted on in May. Policy Review is being reviewed by Rob Shiff, Kathy Waugh, and Dawn Johnson before it goes back to Committee and then to the Board. The goal is to make the policies more succinct and thereby more usable.

Environmental Action Group: Paul Webb and Don Duquette gave our Club this month’s Quiz on how Nature is Serving You. Winners of the 5-question quiz were treated with Kisses from Tom Millard. Hershey Kisses.

Corporate Membership. Barbara Eichmuller took the podium to share with Club members the newly adopted Corporate Membership level to our Club. This membership level is designed for companies who want to participate in the activities Rotary offers in the community. There are Corporate-level as well as Non-Profit or Governmental Organizational level rates. As Eichmuller aptly stated, “We are all members of the membership committee,” so please share this new membership level along with the other membership levels. See membership@a2rotary.org.

GPO: Kristin Giant, sporting a Super Mom sweater, invited help from Club members to serve on the GPO’s silent auction committee. Thirty percent of the GPO’s revenue comes from the silent auction. Using Giant’s maxim, “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person,” you are needed to help this year. Contact Kristin at the luncheon meeting, or attend the first planning session on April 8 at 11 a.m. in the Anderson Room.

ANN ARBOR’s PREMIER STUDENT BUILDING INDUSTRY PROGRAM

After a warm introduction from Ann Arbor Public School’s colleague and AARC’s David Leach, keynote speaker Mark Valchine presented an overview of the Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Student Building Industry Program. This program is one of the most successful home-building programs in the country. Established in 1970 by a group of local business, labor, and school leaders, the program has constructed 56 homes over the past 56 years. In this program, students gain valuable expertise and life skills, based on the principle that with proper supervision and instruction, students can build quality homes.

This award-winning program has trained thousands of students, all while maintaining a 90%+ attendance rate. It serves 32 students per year across five high schools in Ann Arbor, Milan and Dexter. Students do everything with active supervision from licensed trades workers – from the initial excavation to the final brick landscaping. All of this is done within one academic year! The most recently built home sold for $900,000. Funds from home sales support land acquisition and program costs through a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Students receive scholarships for post-secondary education, tools and even a vehicle.

The program has produced successful competitors in SkillsUSA competitions, including a female student who placed 9th nationally. She has earned a spot as a candidate in the world competition, this year taking place in China.

After a robust Q & A session with Club members, Valchine was given a warm round of applause.

The meeting was adjourned when President Dawn rang the bell.