The September 22, 2021 meeting opened on Zoom with social time.  Lori Walters opened the meeting and provided Zoom reminders.

At 12:30, President Susan Froelich started the meeting by ringing the bell. Tom Strode led us in a patriotic song.  Inspiration was provided by Jody Tull deSalis who shared her experiences over the past two years exploring Michigan attractions and expressed how we can do something within our local communities to protect our surroundings and environment.  In honor of the autumnal equinox, Dave Keosaian shared Renee Fleming’s rendition of “The Last Rose of Summer”.

President Susan welcomed the attendees & new members & guests with 70 in attendance; thanked the set-up team, the photographer, reporter, and attendance taker. Birthdays for the past 2 weeks were announced.

Dennis Powers & Eli Savit discussed the mentorship program in which Eli shared his experience agreeing to serve as a mentor in order to assist the next generation and encourages other Rotary members to participate as well.  Dawn Johnson announced that World Rivers Day is this Saturday, September 26 (rain date on Sunday) and our Club is conducting a river clean up Argo Park from 9-10:00 am in coordination with the Huron River Watershed Council. Please get in touch with Dawn at dawnlynn@umich.edu if you are interested. Charlie Koopmann said the Golf & Tennis Outing held recently at Fox Hills was a great success.  Thanks so much to the sponsors, attendees & donors.  A full financial report will be forthcoming.

President Susan shared information from the Board meeting that was held his morning.  The Club endowment is over $3 million (great news!) and we have also accepted a transfer member from the Chelsea Club. The Club will be meeting in person starting October 6 and will be a hybrid meeting so there will be a zoom option.  You must be vaccinated to attend in person and are required to mask up except while dining. The Michigan Union requires an attendee count by Sept 28. Oct 2 is Rotary highway cleanup day and Tom Millard used his usual punny skills to encourage sign up for the event which takes place from 9-11:30 am.

Rosemarie Rowney discussed 3 reasons why you should donate to End Polio Now – 1) donating for polio eradication will improve lives, 2) your gift will invest in the future, 3) your gift will make history and eradicating polio will be one of public health’s finest achievements. There are numerous events scheduled from October 18-24. Collyer Smith announced an upcoming event in partnership with Literati Bookstore on Wednesday, October 20 at 7:00 PM, to present a conversation with Jim Tobin, in support of End Polio Now. The evening will feature James Tobin in conversation discussing his books on President Franklin D. Roosevelt including his most recent “Master of his Fate- Roosevelt’s Rise from Polio to the Presidency”. Admission to this virtual event is free, but you are encouraged to donate to End Polio Now’s fundraising.

Dennis Powers introduced today’s speaker – Craig Stow, Senior Research Scientist at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory who discussed “30 years of subsurface observations revealing the heartbeat of Lake Michigan.” The coastline of the Great Lakes exceeds the US Pacific & Atlantic coastlines combined.  Stow provided background about what constitutes a dimictic lake which means the lake mixes twice. The typical dimictic lake has distinct layers that fully mix twice a year. It undergoes stratification in the summer and complete overturn in the autumn and spring.  There are 3 layers of temperatures of the lakes related to the stratification of the lakes due to the density difference of the lakes.

Starting on June 8, 1990 NOAA began measuring the temperature at different depths in Lake Michigan (called the Michigan Thermistor Chain). 84% of Earth’s available surface freshwater is in the 10 largest lakes of which 50% are dimictic.  There is only 1 data record like the Michigan Thermistor Chain. Since these measurements began in 1990, results show that the surface temp and temp at a depth of 110 meters have been increasing.  Since the early 1990’s the overturn of the lake would occur in late Nov/early Dec and now overturn of Lake Michigan is happening later.  The minimum temp is increasing and the stratification period is getting longer. Data is showing that the surface water temp is warming at a rate of .40 degrees Celsius/decade. And at a depth of 110 meters, the water is warming at .05 degrees Celsius/decade.  There is much literature to suggest that the warming of the largest lakes is occurring worldwide. Lake Michigan could experience a regime shift from dimictic to monomictic. The impact of this is still being determined.  There is evidence that warming of the lakes is due to global climate change.

Next week’s speaker is Sally Hart Petersen who will present the RCAA Club Survey Report.  The Quote of the Day from  Ruth Gordon was “Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use.”

President Froelich adjourned the meeting at 1:30.

Respectfully submitted by,

Jennifer Fike