President Rosemarie Rowney called our meeting to order at 12:26pm with an invitation to rise up and sing our Patriotic Song. She thanked those who served at the meeting, including John White and Danil Babushkin who served as greeters, John White who also took attendance, Marlena Studer who served as Reporter, Fred Beutler who took photos, Norman Herbert and Bryan Smith who managed the Audio/Visual needs, and Wendy Correll, Claire Foley and Dave Schmidt who were Mic Runners.
We were reminded of the upcoming BIRTHDAYS of Club members Barbara Niess-May , B Yawson , John Hieftje and Vic Stoeffler.
An inspirational quote by the esteemed Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King was offered by Ryan Peterson. Consistent with Rotary’s core mission of “Service Above Self,” we were reminded of how Dr. King emphatically stated, “Life’s most Persistent and Urgent Question is, ‘What are you doing for OTHERS?’ “
Jim Irwin gave us a chuckle with his story about chanting monks in an effort to rouse us to sing, “Try to Remember.” Ingrid Sheldon acted as a songbird in the side of the room, performing the echoed response to the verses. Tom Strode accompanied the song on piano.
Bob Buchanan presented the Emeritus Award to Sue Beutler, extolling the many contributions Sue has made in her very full life, exemplifying Rotary’s “Service Above Self” mission. Sue’s service started when she was a mere teenager back in World War II and continued with a teaching career in the Ann Arbor schools where she received several Outstanding Teacher of the Year awards. Exemplifying her commitment to education, she pursued her own higher learning, earning a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan School of Education and (after retirement!) a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in painting. Her service commitment also continued; she volunteered at the Turner Senior Center to initiate art activities for memory care individuals and served as a First Presbyterian Church Deacon for 8 years, as an Elder for 3 years, and sang in the Chancel Choir.
As a Rotary Club member, Sue has mentored a number of STRIVE scholarship winners, participated in the International Humanitarian Projects Committee, made visits to projects in Brazil, Mexico, India and Guatemala. Her Rotary service was recognized with a Distinguished Service Award in 2015 and several Paul Harris awards. Our Rotary Club recognizes Sue for her unselfish service, always offered with a warm smile and calm demeanor. The full presentation can be read here.
Tom Millard then stepped up to the microphone to tell us that it’s not every day he gets to talk Trash! He reminded us of the State of Michigan’s “ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY” program that is designed to help keep the state’s highway roadsides clean and attractive. Our Club has been assigned a 2.1 mile stretch of I-94 from Platt Rd. to State St, with signs identifying the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor as responsible for clean-up of that stretch of I-94 being placed at both ends of the 2.1 miles. With a traffic volume on that stretch of I-94 estimated at 95,000 vehicles daily, it will be a sure way to drive home this Club’s good deeds in the community, all the while enhancing its public image. Tom asked that we join the Rotaract group and put the clean-up dates on our calendar; Spring clean-up will be April 18-26, 2020 while Fall clean-up will be September 26 to October 4, 2020.
Representing Committee Chair Todd Kephart, Chris McMullen reminded us of our Rotary Club’s Food Drive March 9 to 20, with a goal of providing 90,000 meals to fight summer hunger in our local area. Donations are accepted in cash, online and by check or “in-kind” through collection boxes distributed in 160 places throughout the city.
We were also reminded by the Social Committee that the Spring Fling will be taking place on Sunday May 17th at the Michigan Union. Mark your Calendars!
Paul Smith introduced our speaker, Reverend Faith Fowler, Executive Director of Cass Community Social Services. Rev. Fowler impressed us with humor-laced stories about her tenacious efforts to build a sense of community and fight poverty in some areas of Detroit that suffered from severe neglect and abandonment. Clearly, her leadership and service orientation has resulted in a transformation of several city blocks of Detroit into a “Campus of Social Services” which now serves as a recognized model of sustainable, community-centered housing. Meals, housing and employment are provided to thousands of homeless and needy men, women and children on an annual basis. Rev. Fowler described the “Tiny Homes” project, in which multiple “tiny” homes (approximately 300 sq. ft. each) have been built in vacant lots in Detroit between John Lodge Freeway and Woodrow Wilson in order to provide an affordable avenue toward home ownership for the “poorest-of-the-poor” Detroit residents who might not otherwise be able to qualify for home mortgages. Since 2016, nearly 30 homes have been built with the contributions of local tradespeople, interior decorators and architects (such as our own Rotarian, Ed Wier). In their community-focused commitment to sustainability, they have turned to the Green Industries Program to integrate solar panels into their homes. As they develop these models of Community, the staff of Cass Community Social Services make efforts to visit other communities around the world to share their knowledge and provide international service connections. For more information on this commendable project, go to www.casscommunity.org or email ccumcac@aol.com.
