The April 27, 2022 meeting opened on Zoom and in person with social time including Agnes Reading asking visiting Rotarians on zoom to introduce themselves. Emily Olson provided Zoom etiquette guidelines to the virtual attendees. We had 48 members attending in-person and 55 via Zoom, for a total of 103.
At 12:29, President Susan Froelich started the meeting by ringing the bell. Maurita Holland led us in “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Inspiration was provided by Collyer Smith who shared a conversation he had about community service hours with Lou Calloway they had several years ago and how important it is to volunteer with Rotary and thank you to Lou for leading by example. Maurita Holland accompanied Marlena Studer with “It’s a Great Day to be a Rotarian” written by Jim Irwin.
President Froelich welcomed attendees and guests. Thank you to the meeting coordinators. Ellen PutneyMoore shared information about the newest fashion trend in Ann Arbor – new RCAA shirts are available for sale with 2 styles: T-Shirt ($22) and a Polo, both in Royal Blue ($24). If this pop-up is successful, we’ll bring it back later this year with more merchandise. Orders can be placed online NOW through May 9th here: https://pogo.undergroundshirts.com/collections/rotary-club-of-ann-arborIf you’d like to place an order but don’t feel comfortable doing so online, we’d be happy to help. Just email publicimage@a2rotary.org and we’ll contact you directly to help.
Anne Glendon shared her story about serving as one of the first women to serve on the RCAA board as President from 1997-98 and how the organization has changed over the years from a top-down club when she began her service. She assisting in launching the strategic planning process which included the first club survey. Other efforts during this time included the first RCAA international humanitarian project, formation of a membership committee, and increasing the endowment.
Maurita Holland shared her history with Rotary starting with her involvement in the Manistique Rotary Club in the 1960’s. She also shared the history of working with Jim Irwin on the development of “It’s a Great Day to Be a Rotarian” song. The centennial playground was undertaken during her tenure and fundraising was a major focus along with how “Rotary Changes Lives”.
Norma Sarkar introduced Robert S. Northrup Humanitarian Award recipients – Dr. Henry Maicki (2021) and Manish Mehta, PhD (2022).
Eric Lipson presented the award to Dr. Henry Maicki who graciously accepted the award. He shared that his life has been a blessing with wonderful parents, wonderful wife & three children. He thanked those who have assisted with the Zambian humanitarian efforts. On his first Mission trip to Zambia, Africa in 2002, Henry recognized great needs of these people. He has since dedicated his life and passion to help the poor and orphaned children of Zambia through his work with the Orphan Medical Network International (known as OMNI). He has gone back for twenty years, serving as one of the physicians in treks out to villages in the bush. In many years he went more than once. Henry has also served on the Board of Directors as the Medical Director for Orphan Medical Network International (OMNI) since 2013.
In Zambia, Henry has served in many of Rotary’s Areas of Focus:
Disease prevention and treatment: Each time the OMNI team went to Zambia, they visited many villages in the bush as well as depressed areas in the towns. At each location they would set up clinics – in unused buildings, or a space under some trees. People would come from miles around to be seen by the 2-3 doctors on the team and received appropriate treatment and medicines that most of us take for granted. Often the team would see 300 to 600 patients a day! The team also provided wound care, and tested for HIV, TB, and pregnancy. At many stops, the team gave bags of beans, new shirts, eye glasses, solar lamps, shoes, and crutches as needed.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene: From the very first trip, it was evident that many preventive measures were needed to help these people. OMNI raised money for wells and latrines, for solar lamps and stoves to replace the kerosene that cause so many burns. They worked with local government to bring immunizations and health education to the villagers.
Maternal and child health: As an Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Henry was drawn to OMNI and its mission. He has always been devoted to improving the health and well-being of the mothers and children in Zambia. His leadership and commitment inspired every new team member.
Basic Education and Literacy: OMNI added education to its medical mission over the years. Henry has played a key role in the development of the George school in Ndola through OMNI. The School in Ndola was started by OMNI when they found a young man teaching multiple orphaned and poor children in an old rundown building, with one piece of chalk and a black board. They sent him to school to learn how to teach, and financed a place for him to meet with the children. Today the OMNI George School has over 300 students grade 1-9, with nearly 100% pass record. The community is very proud of their accomplishments. The students now have an opportunity to learn and lift themselves out of poverty. The young teacher they helped is now the Headmaster, with three degrees under his belt.
Marcia Lane presented Dr. Mehta of Ann Arbor Rotary North. Dr. Mehta is well known throughout Rotary and the community at-large as a great humanitarian and Rotarian. He is an engineer in the automotive industry, a second-generation Rotarian and joined RCAAN in 1995, becoming Club President in 1998-99. He and wife Varsha are Level 1 Major Donors. He has sponsored, led, and fundraised for countless humanitarian projects during his many years of service. He shared what drives his passion on these efforts including a brief presentation entitled “Learning, Earning & Returning in Humanitarian Service.”
Here are few of the many projects he has led and organized:
- Led the well-known Project Dignity (2011-20) with several clubs in Kolkata (India) which involved 3 global grants (totaling $200,000) and achieved over 1,300 in-home toilets awarded to rural women-run households in Sundarbans, India, to stop open defecation.
- He organized a $36,000 Global Grant project during 2018-20 with Rotary Clubs of Chandragiri (Nepal) and Singapore on reconstruction of four girls school sanitation systems and for an environmental pond restoration project (following their 2015 earthquake). He had planned a Club delegation visit to Nepal in 2019-20 (cancelled due to the pandemic shutdowns).
- He enthusiastically worked with Ann Arbor Rotary Club Past-President Ashish Sarkar, Medical NGO Palav and 12 Rotary Clubs in Michigan and Pune (India) (from May 2020-December 2021) to quickly organize and implement the $90,000 Pandemic Relief for Detroit Global Grant Project which distributed needed PPE items and food assistance funds to nearly 20 area hospitals, nursing homes, dental clinics and food banks.
- During April-May 2021, he raised nearly $20,000 funds from area donors and clubs to assist Rotary clubs in Pune with mobilizing new Covid treatment and oxygenation facilities during India’s second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- In 2013-14, Dr. Mehta organized with clubs in Memphis along with the Ann Arbor Rotary North club a $51,000 Global Grant project and Indore (India) to conduct a media and door-to-door information campaign for expediting the eradication of Tuberculosis using innovative mobile phone Aps and IT tools.
- Under Dr. Mehta’s oversight and monitoring, the Club co-sponsored ten years of microfinance projects with Rotary Club of Gbagada in Lagos, Nigeria, to empower small businesses and entrepreneurs; In 2020-21, he organized a $35,000 Global Grant project that awarded loans to 200 Nigerian entrepreneurs.
Next week:
Annual Paul Harris Awards
Quote for the Day:
“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run” – Babe Ruth
President Froelich adjourned the meeting at 1:32.
Respectfully submitted by,
Jennifer Fike
Photography by Fred Beutler
