The meeting began with President Joyce ringing the bell promptly at noon. We then sang the “Star-Spangled Banner,” accompanied by Jody Tull.

Elliott Greenberg shared a personal inspirational message about the importance of dialogue and understanding between people with different viewpoints. Specifically communication conflicts and the need to learn how to talk to each other to build a better society for future generations.

Don Duquette led us in singing “What a Wonderful World”.

President Joyce then welcomed guests from Washtenaw Community College  – Venessa Brooks, Fran LeFort, Lori Mounton, Casey Penny.  Jake Phillips introduced his guest Shrikar Chiravuri and Ingrid Sheldon introduced her guest, new member elect, Jamie York.

The Environmental Action Group, led by Don Duquette and Dennis Burke presented a quiz emphasizing Rotary’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the impact of climate change. He also shared the board has tasked the committee to investigate what would be required for our club to become a Rotary International climate-friendly club.

Barb Dawes then shared birthdays and anniversaries.

Norma Sarkar announced the ARC and Peace Committee book club meeting, inviting members to discuss “James” a novel that retells Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s perspective as a runaway slave. The meeting is March 26 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm on Zoom. Contact Dave Keren at dfkeren@gmail.com if you want to attend.

Shelley MacMillan announced the Rotary Night Wine, Women & Song XXIII at Kerrytown on April 9 at 7:30 pm.  Seats are still available for the show.

WCC update

Joanne Barrett then introduced Rose Bellanca, President of Washtenaw Community College (WCC). Dr. Bellanca highlighted the college’s significant impact on the community and individual lives. She emphasized the college’s commitment to excellence, offering over 130 academic programs and specialized training in high-demand fields.

Dr. Bellanca also acknowledged the Rotary Club’s generous support, totaling $17,500 in tuition assistance and scholarship programs over the last decade. She encouraged further involvement and emphasized that Washtenaw Community College is a shared resource for the community.  She discussed the college’s affordability and accessibility, highlighting that the tuition is only $99 per credit hour for in-county students. The college offers 73 courses without textbooks, saving students approximately $13 million in textbook fees over the last eight years.

She further discussed the college’s various programs and teaching methods, emphasizing flexibility and the ability to transfer to other institutions. The college has a strong online presence, with over 9,500 students enrolled in online classes. The college also offers non-credit professional development programs, serving around 29,000 individuals.  Dr .Bellanca highlighted the college’s international student base and the benefits of having a diverse student body.

The college has focused on advanced transportation and mobility education since 2014. She presented a video focused on the college’s  participation in the auto show, their $11 million investment in facilities, and their extensive fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles used for training. The college offers programs in various aspects of mobility, including engineering, cybersecurity, and sustainability. Dr. Bellanca also mentions the college’s role in training skilled trades workers, bringing significant economic impact to the area, and their policy, of free tuition for county residents over 65.

The meeting concluded as we recited the Four Way Test.