President Larry Neal called our weekly luncheon to order at 12:15 on another beautiful day to be a Rotarian. Patty Kaufman led us in The Pledge of Allegiance followed by Frank Bernabei with “The Four-Way Test.” Sarah Lee offered a very fine blessing before we lined up for a lunch of roasted potatoes, beans of the green variety, beef stroganoff, everyone’s favorite Caesar salad and a chocolate or marble cake option for dessert.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Larry started his presidential announcement by letting us know there will be a visitation for former club president and district governor, Bob Baker, on Friday, May 10 from 2-8 p.m. at the Lee-Ellena Funeral Home. The funeral Mass will be held Saturday, May 11 at 11 a.m., gathering at 10:30 a.m., at St. Louis Catholic Church at 24415 Crocker in Clinton Township.
Clinton Township is forming a “Complete Count Committee” for the 2020 census and would like at least one representative from our club to participate. There will be two to three in-person meetings for about an hour. The goal is to make sure we get as many people counted in Clinton Township, Mount Clemens, Fraser, etc. as possible. Of concern are at-risk populations. The census count equates to funding and representation for our local communities, the country and our state.
The next club board meeting is May 7 so please let us know if you have nay items of business for us to discuss.
Our May 2 meeting will feature Ryan Lesperance, the son of Keith Lesperance, and he will be talking about his new venture Smash Creative.
FUNDRAISER
Our May 9 meeting will include some FUNdraiser work.
Chuck explained that work would consist of a working lunch to help assemble the envelopes that all attendees of the fundraiser will receive with various Rotary and other material in them.
Kelly Allen updated us on our liquor and wine, gift card and cash donations. Thank you to all who have donated so far and please get with Kelly for those that have yet to donate to the gift baskets.
Kris updated us on sponsorships, ads and other revenues so far which have topped $30,000 and assured everyone the show is coming along great and will very entertaining.
GUESTS AND CELEBRATIONS
Mary Ann Hosey announced our guests and visitors including Olivia Brazer and Julie Koroly from YMCA, guests of Steve Krankota and our speaker today, and Ron Dedenbach guest of the lovely Nancy Dedenbach. Jacob, Jonah and Emmett Pearson also joined us for bring your kids to work day, guests of Eric Pierson.
Jean Bodenstedt announced our birthdays and anniversaries and had a handful of flowers to sell led off by Chuck buying one for Eric Pierson for enlightening him last week on what the Pankow Center was used for when Eric went to school there. Dave Meldrum bought flowers for our guests from The Y and Patty bought one for yours truly.
MUSIC AND SUNSHINE
Kris Howell led our music today and selected “I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover” and “Viva Le Rotary!” As always, the club shined with our vocal talents.
Sunshine Report – Sarah Lee let us know that Tom Davies is undergoing some surgery, so we wish Tom the best during this process and a speedy recovery to get back to Rotary.
Kris Howell informed us she is a grandmother for the first time to a new baby girl, Rosemary Ester Howell for some good will.
In other announcements, Kelly Allen has 50/50 tickets available for the annual L’Anse Creuse Foundation fundraiser available for $20 each.
RECOGNITION
Eric Pierson oversaw recognition and started off by raffling off four tickets to Larry Neal’s library fundraiser which Kris Howell graciously purchased for $20. There wasn’t much travel for Easter, so Eric instead fined those of us who didn’t have to cook, and someone to cook for us.
Next, Glenn Burton was seen on Facebook hatching a giant Easter egg on the grounds of Grosse Pointe South High School which cost him $5. There weren’t many turkey hunters in the room, but Ron Dedenbach paid a dollar for shooting at his neighbor who is a turkey. Kelly Allen was fined $1 for three offenses consisting of causing Eric to nearly drive off the road because he was so tired from eating such a great lunch last week at The Pankow Center, not bringing any kids to work and her plug of raffle tickets.
Kris was fined $5 for her Game of Thrones reference around “Viva Le Rotary” which no one seemed to get except Julie Miller who was rewarded with a $3 fine for understanding.
SPEAKER-PROGRAM
Olivia Beazer from the Macomb YMCA announced our speaker today, Julie Karoly. Julie is the regional director of aquatics for the Metro Detroit YMCA and talked to us today about Detroit Swims. The program was started in 2010 at the Boll Family YMCA in Detroit to address a need where 70 percent of children in Detroit did not know how to swim. Realizing the need in other underserved communities, the program has expanded to other cities and boasts 7,000 kids graduating from the eight-week program over the last eight years and increasing their knowledge of swim safety first and foremost translating to a 98 percent rate of kids saying they feel safe now around water and want to keep swimming. The program looks to remove barriers for kids interested in learning to swim by providing school bus transportation, swim suits, goggles, cinch bags to keep homework dry in their backpacks and a healthy meal to satisfy the appetite after 45 minutes in the water. The instructor pretests kids for both their emotional connection and feeling about water to their physical ability in the water. They also serve special needs kids, 75 of which went through the program in 2018. The cost is approximately $150 per student and each class is capped at 24 students to maintain the proper ratio of instructors to students. The program runs all year long and is especially busy in the spring. What a great program offered by the YMCA and a great beneficiary of this year’s Rotary fundraiser showing what it means to serve our community.
50/50
Today’s 50/50 drawing was won by Glenn Burton for $22 to cover some of his hefty fines today.
Our luncheon was adjourned at 1:17.
Happy Birthday!
4/16 Frank Marella
4/20 Dennis (Valerie) Miller
Celebrating Club Anniversaries!
John Kelley (1); Frank Bernabei (44); Julie Kay Miller (1); Ken Steele (1)
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DISTRICT 6380 CONFERENCE
Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4
Crown Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront
Detroit Princess Riverboat
2 Washington Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226
Register https://www.rotary6380.org/
34401 S. Gratiot Ave., Clinton Township MI 48035
*
6/6
President, Rotary Club of Rome, Italy
Field trip to Villa Penna
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6/13
NO MEETING - see President's Party event
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6/27
Larry Neal
Presentation of checks to fundraiser beneficiaries
and brief "president's farewell"
Larry Neal, President
Karan Bates-Gasior, President-Elect
Sam D'Angelo, Jr., Past President
Chuck Dib, President Nominee
Julie Huttenlocher, Treasurer
Valerie Miller, Secretary
Patty Kaufman,
Member-at-Large
Ryan Murphy,
Member-at-Large
Gloria Murray,
Member-at-Large
Art Niederkohr,
Member-at-Large
Club Administration
Chair Larry Neal Membership Committee
Chair Julie MIller
Future Rotarians Committee
Chair Valerie Miller Social Activities Committee
Chair Gloria Murray
2019 Boat Outing Subcommittee
Chair Bill Patterson 2019 Dick Pierson Golf Open Subcommittee
Chair Eric Pierson 2019 President's Party Subcommittee
Chair Karan Bates-Gasior Service Projects Committee
Chair Art Niederkohr Public Image, Social Media
Chair Karan Bates-Gasior
Weekly Meetings, House, Welcome Committee
Chair Mary Ann Hosey Guests and Visitors Committee
Chair Kelly Allen Sunshine Committee
Chair Mary Ann Hosey Flowers, Birthdays and Anniversaries Committee
Chair Julie Miller
Music Committee
Chair Ryan Murphy Speaker Committee
Chair Larry Neal Recognition Committee
Chair Eric Pierson Bulletin Committee
Chair Ted DeVantier Photographer
Chair Don Carnaghi Club Centennial and Archives Committee
Chair Sam D'Angelo 2019 Spring Zing Fundraiser
Chair Chuck Dib Rotary Foundation, International Service Committee
Chair Sam D'Angelo
Olivia Beazer from the Macomb YMCA announced our speaker today, Julie Karoly. Julie is the regional director of aquatics for the Metro Detroit YMCA and talked to us today about Detroit Swims. The program was started in 2010 at the Boll Family YMCA in Detroit to address a need where 70 percent of children in Detroit did not know how to swim. Realizing the need in other underserved communities, the program has expanded to other cities and boasts 7,000 kids graduating from the eight-week program over the last eight years and increasing their knowledge of swim safety first and foremost translating to a 98 percent rate of kids saying they feel safe now around water and want to keep swimming. The program looks to remove barriers for kids interested in learning to swim by providing school bus transportation, swim suits, goggles, cinch bags to keep homework dry in their backpacks and a healthy meal to satisfy the appetite after 45 minutes in the water. The instructor pretests kids for both their emotional connection and feeling about water to their physical ability in the water. They also serve special needs kids, 75 of which went through the program in 2018. The cost is approximately $150 per student and each class is capped at 24 students to maintain the proper ratio of instructors to students. The program runs all year long and is especially busy in the spring. What a great program offered by the YMCA and a great beneficiary of this year’s Rotary fundraiser showing what it means to serve our community. 
