Ann Arbor Rotarians filled the Anderson Room – and with the wintery chill in the air – the hallway coatracks were filled as well.

President Mark Foster rang the bell and Tom Strode, bedecked in a signature snazzy burgundy bow tie with teeny dots, played the National Anthem as we sang along.   Foster then informed the club that we were remembering Veterans Day early with today’s guest speaker.  With that message, Don Deatrick introduced our club’s eminent motivational inspirer, the late Art Holst.  Holst was reciting the moving poem, Freedom isn’t Free recorded at Hill Auditorium in 2018.  It remains as riveting today as ever.

Songstress and Past President Joanne Pierson called chanteuse Secretary Kathy Waugh to the podium to lead us in a heartfelt rendition of Put a Little Love in Your Heart.  Jackie DeShannon would have been proud hearing our club singing his song.

Visiting Rotarian Past President Alberta Longone Messer exchanged her club’s flag (Long Beach, MS) with President Foster.  She spoke about the compassion and care especially needed now for children, and was impressed with our club’s commitment to help kids succeed.

Foster thanked the set up team including Linda Kentes, Ashok Natwa, Jim Egerdal, Rob Shiff, Barbara Dawes, Dennis Burke, Mary Sutton, Emily Olson, Roy More, Mary Steffek Blaske and Uğur Çetin.   Birthdays were announced, and Lori Walters was celebrated for her 5th anniversary of being a Rotarian.

Waugh returned to the podium to say that in accordance with Article VII, §2, she was there to give our club the slate of 2024-2025 nominees for the upcoming election of officers and directors. The nominating committee is chaired by the Immediate Past President, Mark Ouimet. The other members of the nominating committee are Joanne Pierson, Barbara Eichmuller, Mark Foster, Joyce Hunter and Kathy Waugh.  In accordance with Article II, §1 of the Bylaws, nominees for the proposed slate of officers must be presented “at a regular meeting of the club one month before the annual meeting.”

Those serving a one-year term beginning July 1, 2024

* President Elect: Dawn Johnson

* President: Joyce Hunter

* Immediate Past President: Mark Foster

Directors to serve two-year terms beginning July 1, 2024:

* Director of Public Image: Dan Romanchik

* Director of Club Development: Ryan Peterson

* Director of Club Outreach: Sam Kottamasu

* Director of Club Service is yet to be filled

The entire slate of officers is rounded out with the following members and positions serving the 2nd year of their 2-year term:

* Secretary: Kathy Waugh

* Treasurer: Bill McPherson

* Director of Community Service: Rob Shiff

* Director of Youth Development: Barbara Niess-May

Additional nominations were opened from the floor for these positions. Waugh asked if there were nominations from the floor.  Hearing none, this slate of nominees will be brought to a vote at the Annual Meeting being held on December 6, 2023.

Waugh’s second item of business, in accordance with the Club Bylaws, Article 13, was to announce an amendment change.  Any amendments to the club bylaws must be provided at any regular meeting prior to taking to a vote. Please see the exact language for the proposed amendments that came from Secretary Waugh on Wednesday, Nov. 1 via email regarding the duties of the Treasurer position.

With this notice being provided, our club will vote to consider these bylaw amendments as stated and shown in writing during the Annual Meeting on December 6, 2023.

Community Service Director Rob Shiff came to the podium and proudly announced, “We did it!”  $11,000 was raised and 30,000 meals were made by 175 volunteers on Saturday to help Send Hunger Packing.  In only 90 minutes, 5,000 packets were measured, mixed and sealed.  Volunteers were high schoolers, Rotaractors, Rotarians from our club, Ann Arbor North and Ann Arbor West.  The work was done in teams of 12, and Shiff praised the diversity of each team in age, race and gender.

President Mark resumed the podium to note that the morning spent to Send Hunger Packing was a “ton of fun” and invited our entire club to participate next year.  He then shared a delightful photo from last weekend’s Twisted Sisters Brew HaHa at Joanne and Pete Pierson’s home.  Two dozen people participated and the winner of the costume contest was Uğur Çetin as Paul Stanley!

Don Deatrick introduced our speaker, Col. Nathan Miller, USMC (Retired), speaking on “So, What Now?  My Life in Service.” Miller recently retired from the US Marine Corps and was an F/A-18 Hornet pilot.  He served one tour as a member of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.  He went on to command a hornet squadron and subsequently, the squadron responsible for training Hornet pilots.

Col. Miller began his talk by recognizing those members of the club who served in the military, and then thanking the club’s membership for their active participation in community service.

Removing the microphone from the stand, Miller was able to capture the audience’s attention from the start with his riveting talk.  His rural Lapeer, Michigan beginning was the formative foundation for his philosophy of doing the hard work, of resiliency, and service to others.  Through a series of photos from his life, he shared a fun story of seeing Tom Cruise in Top Gun when he was a kid, and deciding then and there that he too wanted to fly jets.  He attended the Air Force Academy, and there learned the AF’s culture of excellence and intense feeling of brotherhood.  He met a Marine Corps leader there who taught him the concept of Total Quality Management which changed his life – and military trajectory.

So, What Now?    He joined the Marine Corps. He was moved by a quote from John Stuart Mill, “War is an ugly thing, but it is not the ugliest thing.  The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is worse.”  For Miller, this boiled down to: Play to Win v. Don’t Be Afraid to Lose.”

Miller described as solo fighter plane pilot, there was a mantra of constant feedback as “there is never a perfect flight.”  This is where he feels he honed his passion, performance and personality.  He expressed his heartfelt appreciation and trust in his colleagues who prepared the planes as well as for the other pilots.

So, What Now?   He worked as a squadron leader on an aircraft carrier, then as a commanding officer on the Harry S. Truman.  From there he went to serve in the Pentagon, and from there he served in Iraq in a combined task force.  There he learned about the total trust one puts into the interpreter who was there during meetings with political and military leaders.

So, What Now?    In his transition from military to civilian life has not been easy.  It has given him the clarity of the culture of excellence: 1) to trust in the team of right people; 2) to empower; 3) to enable; and 4) to encourage.  Be it positive or negative, having a constant feedback loop is critical.

So, What Now?  Miller invited intrepid Past President Rosemarie Rowney to be his iceman in a demonstration of exactly how close the fighter jets fly and turn in formation: 18 inches while flying at 400 knots!  Each of us in the audience felt a frisson of fear and anticipation as we imagined the fighter jets in such precise synchrony.

President Mark thanked Miller and the audience gave Miller a hearty round of applause.

Next week’s speaker will be Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Music Director Earl Lee speaking about what’s happening with our resident, professional orchestra on stage, in the community, and in area classrooms.

So, What Now?    The club stood and recited the Rotary Four Way Test:

Of the things we think, say or do…

     1. It is the TRUTH?

     2.  It is FAIR to all concerned?

     3.  Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

     4.  Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Steffek Blaske