The Anderson Room was abuzz with happy conversations, this being our meeting to introduce five new members and to hear our District Governor. President More tapped the bell to start the meeting.
Today’s Choral Director and Pianist, Dr. Richard Ingram, accompanied the 46 Club members and guest sand seven zoomers in the singing of My Country ’Tis of Thee. Club members stood to recite the 4-Way Test together. Susan Froelich then came to the podium to share musical inspirations from Afro-American musicians and authors. Froelich left us with the message, “The Artist is the Voice of the People.”
Song Leader Jim Irwin lead the Club in singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Then, to the lovely 1991 Alan Menken melody Beauty and the Beast, a quartet of singers – Ingrid Sheldon, Downs Herold, Shelley Macmillan and Kristin Giant – each provided a unique verse to the message that “Rotary is Mine.”
President Roy welcomed everyone to today’s meeting. He thanked this week’s meeting team: Glenna Frank Miller, Susan Froelich, Larry Gray, Bob Harrington, Richard Ingram, Jim Irwin, Rob Shiff, and Mary Steffek Blaske. Birthday sparkles to Rob Juergen and a hip-hip-hooray to John Barrie for his 16th anniversary as a Rotarian.
Today’s member trivia contest was offered by Greg Stejskal. The mystery member has BA in Nursing and a Masters in Public Health. This member was a long-time Oakland County Health Officer. A founder of the Haiti Nursing School she won the Women Official Network WONder Woman Distinguished Service Award. She won the 4-H award for the best tapioca pudding, and walked the Continental Divide at 72. She served as our Club President: Rosemarie Rowney!
Guests: Kristin Giant introduced her son Miles who will be attending Angell School as a 4th grader next month. Marlena Studer introduced Ann Dilcher, host mother for Rotary Exchange students.
President Roy gave a shout-out to the happy gathering at Story Point for Lois Jelneck and Fred Beutler. Kudos to Jody Tull de Salis for organizing this ice cream social.
President Roy announced that the Time and Talent service project to collect and recycle canvas tote bags resulted in a donation of 1000 bags – 140 from our Club alone.
President Roy shared that former Club member Roger Fraser has died. Memorial contributions in Roger’s name can be made to the Club.
NEW MEMBERS
Five new members were inducted into our Club:
Greg Gaylor, a former Navy pilot and parachutist (as sponsor Leo Shedden shared “but not at the same time”) is a COO for Gaylor Insurance Company. He specializes in technical and complex risk assessments. He comes from a family of Roscommon, MI Rotarians.
Elizabeth Jahn is the chief administrator for the UM’s Sociology Department. She worked 12 years with Ken Fischer at UMS and helped bring the Royal Shakespeare Company to Ann Arbor. After receiving her MBA she became the Business & Finance Director of the Center for Health & Research Transformation, which was formed as a joint venture between the UM and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Sue Shink, our State Senator for District 14. Shink received her undergrad degree from the UM School of Environmental Sciences, and her JD from the UM. A former Northfield Township Trustee and County Commissioner, Shink carves out time to make jewelry, ride horses on her farm and is a photographer.
Nancy Shore, a graduate of Grinnell College (“conveniently located between two cornfields”), received her MA from the UM in community organizations. She is the Director of Strategic Partnerships with the Ann Arbor Public School System.
Wendy Turner is the Executive Director of Michigan Public Radio. She has 30 years experience in environmental and non-profit organizations, and has excelled in expanding public access to news through radio in Chicago and Kent, Ohio.
GPO: Rick Jarzembowski reminded the Club that our sole and vital fundraiser is only six weeks away. Please volunteer. Please donate auction items. Please invite friends to this fun fundraiser.
Rotary Youth Exchange: Marlena Studer came to the podium to recognize the importance of the Rotary Youth Exchange to create peace. Rose Hood, summer exchange student in Italy, reported on activities she enjoyed while in Sicily and throughout northern Italy. Amelia Tomas was introduced and spoke about her upcoming trip to Japan as a Rotary Exchange student.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 6380 DISTRICT GOVERNOR LEE HALSTED
District Governor, started his connections to Rotary in 1977 in Canton, MI. A graduate of MSU and OSU, he is a pilot, a Great Lakes boater, and a doctor of Optometry. He dove into Rotary International’s theme this year, “Creating Lasting Impact.” (Magnetic lapel pins were distributed to all members at today’s meeting. If you did not receive a pin, please see the set-up team at your next meeting.)
Halsted discussed how his District Governor theme of “Growing Rotary” fits with the international theme because “the more you do for your community, the more you will create change.” He focused on the importance of “belonging” to the growth of any strong community. He urged us to use the eight Rotary pillars to increase: 1) our community service; 2) our membership: and 3) our foundation.
He concluded that Rotary is not a top-down leadership, but is a team with no bench players. “Rotarians are architects and engineers to solve the community’s problems.”
The Club gave DG Halsted a warm round of applause.
President Roy reminded that our next meeting on August 12 is at the Michigan League and ended our meeting with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
