President Rosemarie couldn’t keep a secret – the success of the World Polio Day community event was too much for discretion so our first glimpse of her purple hair trumpeted the success.
After we sang the Star Spangled Banner, Amy Goodman inspired us to be kind:
“…as leaders, we must practice intentional acts of kindness…Strong leadership and kindness are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they fit together effectively.” Here are four “opportunities for purposeful kindness: 1. Recognize kindly; 2. Support kindly; 3: Give feedback kindly; 4. Care kindly….Kindness is the most powerful. least costly, and most underrated agent of human change… .There is no such thing as a small act of kindness; we rise by lifting others.”
Don Duquette tuned us up again with The Happy Wanderer and I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover.
President Rosemarie thanked the people who make the meeting run smoothly, introduced guests and celebrated birthdays. She then turned the podium over to Incoming President Joanne Pierson
Joanne had two happy announcements. Donning her purple wig, in her role as chairman of the World Polio Day event she was proud to announce that we raised just under $20,000. This almost doubled the $10,000 match from our generous anonymous donor, so with the 2:1 match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, our efforts will send just under $90,000 to fight polio.
Incoming President Joanne announced the slate of club officers for 2020-2021. Club by-laws specify that the slate must be presented at at least 30 days before voting at the Annual Club Assembly, which will be December 4. The slate included
Sergeant-at-Arms: Karen Wasco
Director of Public Image: Lauren Heinonen
Director of Youth Achievement: Steve Pierce
Secretary: Barbara Eichmuller
Treasurer: Mark Ouimet
President Elect: Susan Froelich
Incoming President Joanne also announced that at the Board Meeting that morning, the Club will nominate Collyer Smith to be District Governor. Collyer agreed to be nominated – in French! Accompanied by his dog (Paulie the End Polio Bear that he bought at our Polio Fundraiser auction for $2,000)! And in his top hat.
Lauren Heinonen showed pictures of some hardy Rotarians working to help rebuild the playground at Eberwhite School. This was a week long effort by the neighborhood and volunteers, aided by 10-15 skilled workers and many more unskilled volunteers. The Rotarians worked the last three days assembling the climbing structures, putting on finishing touches and planting trees. The neighborhood recognized and appreciated the Rotarians’ participation.
Tom Millard is looking for 3-5 people to share the writing and production of Harpoon. The idea is to have enough people so that the task will be only one time a month. Lauren Heinonen is also looking for people to help with the website and Social Media. She has created step-by-step directions to make the task simple, well within the capabilities of people who use their computers only as terminals. Contact Tom, tam2@provide.net, or Lauren, heinonen.lauren@gmail.com, to pitch in on this important project.
Karen Kerry updated us on the Fisher House project and announced that Stories of Service will be November 6. Five Army, Navy and Marine veterans will tell their stories – veterans of Iraq, Vietnam and World War II. There will also be music by the Concordia University Choir. This year the event will be at the Michigan Theater. Doors open at 6:30pm and the program begins at 7:00pm. Tickets are $15.00 and donations are gratefully received. Construction on the Ann Arbor House is ahead of schedule and at this time the house is projected to be ready for families in February. More funding is still needed to complete the Ann Arbor House. There is an anonymous corporate match up to $1M for our Patriots Pledge through the end of November so your donation will be doubled. Tickets can be purchased and donations can be made at storiesofservice.org.
Notes from the Program
Remy Long began his remarks by telling us that he is a contract employee, being employed by the Conservation Fund. He laid the groundwork by recounting that in 2003 voters approved a 0.5 30-year millage for open spaces and parkland preservation. Parks inside the city and properties outside the city are candidates for greenbelt funding. Outside the city, either development rights that restrict development in perpetuity are purchased separately from the land itself or the land is purchased for public use as preserves or recreation areas. To date, 5715 acres in Washtenaw County with a fair market value of $64,188,393 have been purchased for $23,184,601. The city partners with other governmental and private entities to locate and purchase the properties.
There are three foci of the greenbelt project. First, they look at farms and farmland. There is an intergenerational crisis among farmers because the older generation is ready to retire but younger farmers do not have the means to purchase farms. When the development rights are removed, the farms become much more affordable. Many young farmers have taken advantage of the program, which includes educational and support services as well as help locating and purchasing farms. Our local community benefits greatly from the availability of locally grown produce.
A second focus of the Greenbelt Project is to protect our waters. Fifteen thousand acres of wetlands have been protected, covering 19 miles of the Huron River Watershed. The third focus of the Project is to preserve open spaces for public enjoyment and recreation. Since inception of the program, ten new nature preserves have been established, containing 6.25 miles of walking and biking trails.
