Today’s sunny warmth brought out 61 in-person Rotarians and guests to the Union’s Anderson Room. We were also joined by 11 members via zoom. President Dawn Johnson rang the bell to start the meeting and Jody Tull de Salis, pianist extraordinaire, accompanied the club as we sang our National Anthem. Members recited the 4-Way Test, and Victor Stoeffler came to the podium for our inspirational welcome. He asked the club, “where do you get your inspiration from?” Be it from the indomitable spirit of people we respect or of lives lived, he counseled to find it wherever you can get it.
Marlena Studer and her scientist-guitarist husband, Steve Ragsdale, led us in singing “What a Wonderful World.”
President Dawn returned to the podium to welcome everyone to the month of October – and advised it was time to pull out the Halloween decorations. Guests were introduced: Melinda Colquitt, Ella Larsen, and Lisa Genova. Today’s meeting team was acknowledged: Dennis Burke, Michael Field, Melissa Foster, Larry Gray, Rick Jarzembowski, Karen Pancost, Dan Romanchik, Tucker Rossmaessler, Mary Steffek Blaske, Mary Sutton, and Jody Tull de Salis.
Birthday greetings to Steve Kesler! Alexis Antracoli! Michael Barg! Matthew van Besien! And congratulations to Ron Slagell for 19 years, and Ed Wier celebrating 24 years, as Rotarians.
Business Topics
Do check the Club’s website for programs and add your committee’s upcoming meetings on it. Not sure how to do so? Contact President Dawn.
Please sign the get-well card to club member Fred Beutler who is in the hospital.
Bylaws: The Bylaws Subcommittee is reviewing the Bylaws per our Strategic Plan. The Bylaws will then go to the Board and to the general membership for review before voting on them at the December meeting. Policies will be next in line per our Strategic Plan, for review.
Pennies for Polio: To date we have collected $373.05 which translates to more than 600 polio vaccine doses! Keep those pennies coming!
New Members: Barbara Eichmuller came to the podium to introduce new club member Kennan Robins; Collyer Smith introduced Mary Neff; and Mary Avrakotos introduced returning member Lois Stenger. A warm welcome to each of you.
Recognition of Wayne Colquitt Tom Millard came to the podium to remember longtime club member Wayne Colquitt who died August 6, 2025. Colquitt was a much-respected dentist, a dental faculty member, an advocate for affordable dental care, and actively supported youth development and international humanitarian efforts. He was a multiple time Paul Harris Fellow who loved his motorcycles and roadsters. We will all miss our exemplary friend Wayne who left Rotary and the world a better place for him being here.
Highway Cleanup
Ed Johnson reported that 19 Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends worked together on Saturday, Sept. 27 to collect 69 bags of trash from the State Street/I-94 exit and entrance ramp.
Rotary Readers/Tutors
Jim Egerdal sobered the club with the “5-Alarm Fire in Michigan education.”Michigan’s math, reading and science scores are dismal: ranking #44 in the country as reported in the Casey Foundation’s annual evaluation. However, we can help. Ann Arbor Public Schools are looking for volunteer tutors, and our club has Rotary Readers and Tutors who work directly with students at several Ann Arbor elementary schools. Reach out to Jim Egerdal with any questions of how to engage at 734 612-9887.
Michigan Environmental Council
Don Deatrick introduced speaker Conan Smith, President and CEO of the Michigan Environmental Council. Smith, no stranger to today’s welcoming audience, is the grandson of former Ann Arbor mayor, Al Wheeler, and son of Alma Wheeler Smith, a long-time member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Smith informed the Club that the Michigan Environmental Council is the umbrella organization for 750 Michigan environmental and conservation organizations working collaboratively to combat our state and region’s critical issues such as climate and energy, democracy and good governance, health and justice, Land and wildlife, waste reduction, wildlife and water. He stated that 70-80% of Michiganders all agree on public policy that cares about the environment.
Smith spoke to stepping away from traditional preservation strategies in order to build lasting and inclusive solutions. By using an example of reducing the annual cost for landlords who are in perfect code compliance, he advanced that same type of rethinking can be used for current delivery systems, using DTE as an example.
There is a staff of 10 who actively steward the 750 organizations. Many of these organizations have only a few volunteers working on them. Many are volunteers. The staff works on unified communication, building capacity and creating lasting protections to create “durable public policy on interested-based outcomes.”
He concluded that “it’s not what we do, but what gets delivered.” Smith welcomed questions and was thanked by a warm round of applause for his informative and ebullient presentation.
