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Mark Daniel Maloney, of the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2019-20. He will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested.

“The clubs are where Rotary happens,” says Maloney, an attorney. He aims to support and strengthen clubs at the community level, preserve Rotary’s culture as a service-oriented membership organization, and test new regional approaches for growth.

“With the eradication of polio, recognition for Rotary will be great and the opportunities will be many,” he says. “We have the potential to become the global powerhouse for doing good.”

Maloney is a principal in the law firm of Blackburn, Maloney, and Schuppert LLC, with a focus on taxation, estate planning, and agricultural law. He represents large farming operations in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States, and has chaired the American Bar Association’s Committee on Agriculture in the section of taxation. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Alabama State Bar Association, and the Alabama Law Institute.

He has been active in Decatur’s religious community, chairing his church’s finance council and a local Catholic school board. He has also served as president of the Community Foundation of Greater Decatur, chair of Morgan County Meals on Wheels, and director of the United Way of Morgan County and the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.

A Rotarian since 1980, Maloney has served as an RI director; Foundation trustee and vice chair; and aide to 2003-04 RI President Jonathan Majiyagbe. He also has participated in the Council on Legislation as chair, vice chair, parliamentarian, and trainer. He was an adviser to the 2004 Osaka Convention Committee and chaired the 2014 Sydney Convention Committee.

Prior to serving as a district governor, Maloney led a Group Study Exchange to Nigeria.

He also served as Future Vision Committee vice chair; Foundation training institute moderator; Foundation permanent fund national adviser; member of the Peace Centers Committee; and adviser to the Foundation’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools Target Challenge Committee.

Maloney’s wife, Gay, is an attorney in the same law firm, and a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Decatur Daybreak, Alabama, USA. Both Mark and Gay are Paul Harris Fellows, Major Donors, and Bequest Society members.

John Chambers - District Governor (Copied form District 6400 Website)

John became of member of the Rotary Club of Detroit A.M. in 2004. He has served as President in 2010-2011, Secretary and Foundation chair in various years. He was previously a member of the Rotary Club of Novi. As President of Detroit A.M. he collaborated with the other clubs in area 1 on an Adult Literacy Project.

At the District Level, he has served on various committees, chaired the District Governor’s Golf Outing and Assistant Governor, Area 1.

John has traveled twice to Haiti on a medical mission, twice to El Salvador for water/school building, and once to Tanzania for church and Rotary. He has traveled twice to Nicaragua on a medical/dental mission. In Nicaragua he has visited “the children of the dump”. These missions have had a profound impact on him. John is a Major Donor and member of the Paul Harris Society. He is a recipient of the COG award.

John is a retired Financial Officer from the Court system and Detroit Public Library. He is a C.P.A. and holds a M.B.A. from University of Detroit. John is currently a board member of the Detroit Public Library Friend Foundation. He serves as Chair of the Oakland County Library Board and Vice President of the Oakland County Library Friends. In Novi, he has served on the City Council, Library Board, various committees- police/fire, storm water, regional and statewide. He was a volunteer fire fighter and first aid and CPR instructor.

He and his wife, Sandy, enjoy traveling, golfing, playing with grand children, and church. John along with Sandy are looking forward to serving Super District 6400.

RI Monthly Themes

August

Membership and New Club Development Month

September

Basic Education and Literacy Month

October

Economic and Community Development Month

November

Rotary Foundation Month

December

Disease Prevention and Treatment Month

January

Vocational Service Month

February

Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month

March 2018

Water and Sanitation MonthApril 2017

Maternal and Child Health Month

May

Youth Service Month

June

The Rotary Foundation's 100th anniversary

Rotary Fellowships Month

The Adrian Noon Rotary Club is a vibrant, fun, and action-oriented club that is growing their membership and financial capability with strong committed members working towards improving the quality of life within the communities we serve.

Nelson Douglass - Club President

Welcome to our Club!

Service Above Self

We meet Thursdays at 12:00 PM
The Center

Corner of Wolf Creek Hwy and US223
Adrian, MI 49221
United States of America

District Site

Bulletins

Venue Map

Highwire Farms LLC - Eric Kennedy

Melissa Parsons introduced Eric Kennedy, owner of Highwire Farms LLC in Adrian, wo spoke abut his new venture and operations in Adrian. He is originally from Indiana. Eric owns the new retail location on South Main Street (4-acre parcel) as well as the manufacturing facility on West Beecher near the intersection of Sand Creek Highway and Beecher Road. This, he said is a parcel of approximately 38 acres and is a marijuana grow facility of 15,000 square feet where he grows 6,000 plants. “We’re creating jobs there”, he added. The facility employs 80-100 people. That operation requires 5 separate licenses. Starting wages at each location are around $15/Hr.

He spoke about the chemical Turpene Profile, THC, cannabis, distillates and CBD. He spoke about the difficulties he had as a grower and seller with local banks. He spoke about the taxes he has to pay as a business owner in this industry. Eric said that he services customers from a rather wide radius especially from Ohio. At his retail location on South Main Street, Eric said he employs a store manager, 2 assistant managers and 10 other people. For more info, visit their website at https://highwirefarms.com

Rotary Woodworking Warriors – Luke Barnett

Our own Luke B. took to the podium, having been asked at the last minute (Thanks, Luke!) to update members on this flagship program. He began, though, announcing that the Woodworking Festival scheduled for May 2 and 3 has been cancelled due to the virus issue.

Luke said that if anyone would like to see some totally interesting stuff, he has made a Facebook posting and that “you should follow the comments some of which are not very complimentary”. Yet, in spite of the critics posting these negative comments, Luke said he knows that this program has had a huge impact on those who participate in it every single week.

Some of the data he shared with us included: as of last Wednesday some 114 people have signed up to participate at the workshop. Anywhere betwee 25 and 35 (20% participation rate) show up every Wednesday to work on projects or just sit and drink coffee and fellowship with others., Luke said. He said that when 35 of them are there at one time, things can get pretty crowded. Lastly, 97% of participants in the program, Luke said, were men.

Luke said the annual cost to run this program is about $50,000. “When you take the number of total number of people signed up, that comes out to be $7.14 per person/day. It gets them free education, free wood and other materials, can use every piece of equipment, and free coffee! So, it’s working out very well for us”, Luke said.

Luke shared with the audience the funding information saying that as of today they have received $33,000 in cash. When they reach $35,000 that is the bare minimum needed to continue the program, Luke said. They have set a goal of $50,000 which is the ideal amount and annual goal so as not to “have to run on a shoestring budget”. With some veterans requiring more needs than others, he said, they have had to purchase items like walkers and other necessities.

One of the audience members asked Luke how he got involved in this to which he answered that he actually tried to launch this 4 years ago but it “just didn’t take” at that time since they didn’t have the infrastructure. Luke felt that the workshop was a good thing for the community and he wanted to “share it with as many people as possible and especially with veterans who are in need which seemed like a really great fit”. “Because the environment is not too formal, not too sterile, it’s actually therapy disguised as woodworking”, he said.

Some of the participants, Luke said, come as far as one and a half to two hours away every Wednesday! Luke said that while most of the participants won’t come right out and say how this program has changed their lives, he did say that a Veteran Navigator from the VA told Luke personally that he heard a couple of the guys in the program whose names he could not divulge said that they were contemplating suicide and that the Rotary Woodworking Warriors program helped pull them out of it!

Luke concluded by responding to a question about whether or not he was looking for a larger building to which he responded “yes”. He also said he was in contact currently with Aget Manufacturing for a new dust collection system. By itself, he said, it would cost over $50,000!

ASO Update - Libby Watson & Bruce Riesling

Libby spoke first and thanked us for inviting them to speak so they could update members on the upcoming schedule of performances. Music Director, Bruce, then went on to talk about the first half of the season mentioning the concert last October – The American West; last November – Tchaikovsky; the Christmas Chorale last December. The second half of the ASO season will feature Marvel-ous Heroes on February 15; Mendelssohn & Mozart on March 13; Picture it! On May 1; Old Friends on June 5.

Bruce was able to tell some very colorful stories around each of the concerts to put us in the mood to attend! Always great to have them visit our club and how fortunate we are as a community to have such a renowned group of total gifted and professional musicians.

Extemporaneous Presentation - Gerry Burg

Here are Gerry’s fine comments (word-for-word) at today’s meeting:

“We don’t often get to thank each other for all of the difference you make. You’d be amazed at the number of times I hear individual names and many of whom are sitting here today from kids who I run into at Adrian High who say ‘Do you know so and so? They made a difference in my life.’ We often hear the difficult stories but you’d be amazed at the things that have happened with our Junior Rotarians and what they say about this group to their friends. There are great kids in Lenawee County and in Adrian Michigan. And you’re making a difference. And I can site each one of you and say ‘This is what I’ve heard. This is the difference you made’.

So, my program is, any chance you have to work with kids, and many times have to work with kids who have serious problems – there’s no doubt about that, but also there are a lot of kids are, for lack of a better term, BC kids who are going to be then salt of this earth, they’re going to make good citizens and anything you can do to help them along the way – be a mentor – doesn’t have to be time intensive, just be a mentor by just asking them ‘How you doing?’ you’d be amazed at the feedback that I hear out of the Rotary Club of Adrian. It’s simply amazing. The scholarships that we give have gotten tremendous feedback as a way of promoting the 4-Way Test.

Monday I was sitting with four of the Junior Rotarians and an item came up and I hear out of two of them ‘Is it the Truth, Is it Fair……..’ But you wouldn’t necessarily know that. So, as a retired educator, thank you for everything this club does and anything as small as you might think it is, has a tremendous ripple effect . So, that’s my point! Thank you!”

Lenawee County Child Advocacy Center - Kelly Castleberry

Sue Lewis came forward to introduce today’s speaker, Kelly Castleberry, but before she did she thanked members for their past support of the Child Advocacy Center and announced that they have achieved full accreditation through the National Children’s Alliance – all within 2 years in operation!

Kelly, she said, is the newest addition to the CAC and is a Victim’s Advocate (Kelly prefers to use the title Family Advocate). She is a native of Adrian and the daughter of Terry Collins. She entered the military following high school where she traveled the world and returned to work for Mary Murray at Bigby Coffee. She was involved in human trafficking work and from there went to the Child Advocacy Center.

She provides services to children who have been abused physically and sexually, she said. It is a multi-disciplinary team effort involving law enforcement officers, Child Protective Services and other key players. Assessment interviews are held with victims as well as the parents to understand exactly what happened.

The center, she said, had started to set up a Needs Closet to provide basic items should people need them. Following the interviews with the children, they are given a snack and a blanket since the interviews can be quite emotional and tiring. Debriefing by staff occurs after every interview, Kelly said.
Children, she said, are screened for special needs. Kelly said she gives victims her personal cell number so they can stay in touch. The center also is involved in all aspects of placement in coordination with CPS for such things as therapy and with foster homes in the county. In the event children as victims are required to appear in court, Kelly said she will go with them which does not happen very often.

The CAC, she said, builds resiliency in children to help with the on-going effects of the trauma they experienced all in an effort to reduce the chance they will engage in juvenile crimes later on and decreasing school dropout rates. On a typical day, she said, the center will see 3-4 children a day Monday through Thursday, There are days they will not see anyone. In 2019 alone, the center saw over 200 children!

Lenawee Now - Randy Yagiela

President Nelson introduced Randy who is a former Adrian Noon Rotarian, the father of 2 children with 3 grandchildren and has 30 years of experience in workforce and economic development and has secured over $12M in grants over the course of his career. Randy worked in Hillsdale prior to coming back to Adrian in 2015 to work for Lenawee Now.

Randy began by paying special tribute to his long time mentor, Frank Dick, and Greg DuMars who served on Randy’s LTEC board some years back. “Talent” he said, “is THE #1 economic development challenge today not just across this country but internationally”. Randy said that Lenawee Now’s primary focus is on building a talent pipeline “because there are more jobs than there are people” which equates to what is called a “talent disruption” – now a nationally-used term. Their focus is more on “labor participation” (those who are working or looking for work) than on the “unemployment rate”, Randy said. In Lenawee County that rate is 62% (lowest level since 1941) which means that for every 100 people, 62 are working or are eligible to work, while 38 people are not working. This is impacted by transportation – people who just can’t get to a job consistently, Randy said.

Lenawee Now, he said, enjoys partnerships at the local, regional and state levels which include Michigan Works, and LISD. Lenawee Now has won major awards over the years through the International Economic Development Council for their work in marketing.

“We continue to lose people to other states for jobs which was a net loss last year in Michigan of 31,000 people”. This, of course, negatively impacts employers in Michigan looking for qualified people. By 2030, Randy said, it is projected that overall deaths will outnumber births. The turnover cost per employee earning minimum wage, he said, is about $4,000 - $5,000. Through Lenawee Now’s Talen Pipeline program the focus will be to inform employers of this statistic while working with local schools to insure people have the necessary skills to find viable employment. Randy then shared retirement statistics stating that more Baby Boomers will be retiring soon further negatively impacting the number of people who will be looking for work.

Then, he said, there’s also the issue of drug abuse and the fact that opioid abuse is “really affecting job candidacies”. It ranks second in the nation in terms of the state with the highest opioid rate next to Washington DC. “In Michigan most recently, the state is telling young people it’s okay to smoke dope at 21 but not if you want to work!”

Randy said he was at Madison schools last week talking to parents and students and told them that it was an awesome time to be a young person and a junior and senior in high school because of the scarcity of people currently in the job market. “This is one of the best economies ever”. Colleges in general, he said, are going to be in trouble with this declining population. Some in the state have already cut back their curriculum. Central Michigan University, for example, has already cut a third of their curriculum out. Yet, manufacturers are still looking for qualified people. Factories today, he said, are not dark, dirty and dangerous places like their parents have told them. They’re incredibly clean and well organized. Lenawee Now is trying to change the image that people have of manufacturing facilities.

Lenawee Now is scheduling a Carrier Con on March 24^th at Adrian High School’s Performing Arts Center geared primarily to parents who once thought the worst about factories and to let them know their kids can make a lot of money working in a factory. “The message will not be ‘we don’t want you to go to college’ but rather than going there and running up a huge bill for a degree when you don’t know what you’re doing there”. Many employers, Randy said, offer tuition rebates. “If you don’t have the means to go to college, don’t give up on that, but find a job with an employer who can give you $5,000 a year to go to college”. Randy said that he doesn’t think parents are aware of these options and he’s convinced the students don’t either because he’s talked with them.

Randy concluded his presentation by saying that Lenawee Now secured three grants last year totaling $1.4M and will be working with the LISD and various districts to talk about certification and credentialing. Current pilots, he said, are in Adrian, Madison and Sand Creek. Lenawee Now is trying to get employer reps into schools systemically as well as students going out to employers’ locations to have more common conversations about skills.

Lenawee County Update - David Stimpsom

David Stimpson from Tecumseh and represents District 1 and chair of the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners spoke to members today about a myriad of issues facing the board. Dave has served on the County Commission since 2005. Dave also runs a law practice in Tecumseh and Ann Arbor. He has been in the area for the past 20 years, is married and has four children.

Dave spoke about the different county departments. Dave passed around copies of the county’s monthly newsletter. The commission, he said, was basically the Legislative and Judicial branches of Lenawee County. Public Safety (70% of the overall budget) and General Government are their responsibility. The county budget is just under $30M. Their source of revenues is from property taxes. Dave made it clear that the County Commission does not have authority over the roads in the county and that it is the responsibility of the County Road Commission who are all elected officials.

Regarding the Department of Human Services, Dave said that there are about 300 investigations per month conducted in conjunction with the State of Michigan on cases of child abuse. WIC and housing programs are also the responsibility of this county department.

Dave spoke about the issue the county’s Health Department has had to deal with of late and that is the raw sewage that has been found to exist in a section of the county and with fourteen property owners specifically. They are now forced to pursue condemnation procedures, he said. This case is currently moving through the court system.

When he heard about our Woodworking Warrior’s program, Dave mentioned that the county’s Veterans Affairs office has, in the past, levied a Relief Fund Millage. While it has not been levied for the past 4 years, there are funds available organizations can access.

Dave concluded by speaking about the new Sheriff and their new Sheriff’s Department offices. He also spoke about the county’s Landbank and its impact on blighted property which rests under the auspices of the County Treasurer’s Department, he said.

Share the Warmth - Helen Henricks

Posted by Chuck Chase

Helen Henricks, president of Share the Warmth shelter at 427 W. Maumee St. (the old Moose Lodge) spoke to us today and said that her father was a Rotarian! She thanked for our past support of the outdoor enclosure as well for the effort serving meals at the shelter every other month. The Noon and Morning clubs, along with folks from the NAACP, Helen said, were the only service organizations helping with this. Others, however, are helping out financially.

Helen refers to it as an emergency shelter since no ID is required nor is a criminal background check. “That is the reason that we can’t serve families”, she said. Rather, they are put up in hotel rooms to assure their safety. Some guests “could still be active in their addictions”. Guests are told they will never be kicked out of the shelter because of their addictions but because of their behavior (threatening or disruptive behaviors). If anyone is asked to leave, they will be off for three days the first time, seven days the second time, and thirty days for the third time. Even then, she said, it is not an automatic return, the individual would have to meet with a staff member and stipulations are imposed.

The shelter operates on an all-volunteer staff except for one paid fulltime employee who is a case manager, she said. She works with setting a number of very small goals for some of the guests and does collaborative work with other agencies like Community Mental Health and Pathways.

The shelter has been in operation for one year now. Up to that point, 275 people were served representing 13,000 bed nights, 13,000 dinners, 13,000 breakfasts! Capacity at that time was 55 guests per night, Helen said. Total allowed is 60 guests per night. Presently, they have served 292 individuals for a total of 15,000 bed nights and they have had to turn people away, she said. Over 5,000 hours have been provided by volunteers the past year, she said.

Recovery meetings are held on site for guests with addictions. During the Phase 2 building project rooms were added in the downstairs area that included an activity center, office for agency reps to come in and meet with guests, board room and training room for the volunteers. There are also classrooms for budgeting training and a recovery room for meetings with AA representatives and Celebrate Recovery will begin soon there.

Some people stay for a while, she said. The meals are great and many times there is leftover food that will be distributed to local area food banks and The Daily Bread, Helen said. "We are all extremely proud of Share the Warmth and could have not doe it without the help of Lenawee County. Ninety percent of the money for the building came from Lenawee County.

Water Quality - Nathan Burd & Will Saddler

Posted by Chuck Chase on Nov 10, 2019

City Administrator, Nathan Burd, spoke first and said from the minute he joined the staff, he’s known about the water quality issue the City has faced. This past March the City began conducting sampling of Wolf Creek followed by weekly samplings in the River Raisin. It was from this data that our club was advised not to make contact with the River Raisin due to increasing levels of E-coli (from fecal contamination from cattle waste in farm fields, failing septic systems, algae blooms, etc.) during its annual cleanup that was in September. Nathan then asked Will, the City’s Director of Utilities, to speak about their findings.

Will said that the data collected was sent to the state for further analysis. Numbers were initially low, he said. When spring came it was unusually wet which caused a lot of run off and consequently the numbers started to elevate. 300 E-coli per 100M parts, he said, was the standard. By April of this year, the numbers did start going up. Fortunately, Will said, there have been no algae blooms occurring this year. The City worked closely with the Loch Erin Property Association this year, he said. “Yet, it is difficult to track where the actual contamination is coming from”.

Will said that about 80% of Adrian water comes from the well field (ground water source) off Hamilton Highway and 20% from Lake Adrian (surface source). It was the water, Will said, from Lake Adrian that caused to bad taste. Will said that invariably the City always gets complaints about the water every year. It picked up a bit in 2017 though.

For more information about this issue please visit the City of Adrian’s website.

Michener School Choir

In keeping with the holiday season, the Michener Elementary School entertained the audience today by singing a medley of Christmas songs. Following their performance, Susan Tobey asked a number of holiday trivia questions and she was followed by a written test to see what our knowledge was relative to the titles of popular Christmas songs given on one line or less of lyrics.

Auto Insurance Update - Chip Moore

Posted by Chuck Chase on Nov 02, 2019

Resident expert and club member Chip Moore enlightened the audience today on the recent changes to the state’s car insurance law to take effect next July 1. Chip said he was glad he was speaking on Halloween because insurance was a scary topic!!! Boooooo!

Already there have been lawsuits against the State of Michigan, he said, and it hasn’t even gone into effect! Chip gave everyone a handout with details of the new law. Ratings, he said, is an important issue when it comes to auto insurance and starting July 1 of next year, insurance companies will no longer be able to do that. Chip interjected that he really didn’t think insurance rates overall would come down with this new law due to the new “minimum liabilities” available in this new law. He said he saw more of an opportunity for lawyers to litigate any number of cases that would now occur.

Any driver in Michigan who is hurt in an accident when the new law takes effect will have unlimited coverage in terms of medical expenses, help from others who will need to do work for you, build a ramp, or take care of you because of your injuries not normally covered by their regular health insurance. Starting July 1 you will have a choice: choose unlimited coverage, select $500k of coverage, or $250k, or if you are on Medicaid, it can go down to $50k. Chip suggested that you review what you’re paying now for your liability since he anticipates that figure going up next year.

Starting next year, Chip said, every time your auto insurance renews, you will have to sign a paper stating your limits of liability, and what kind of PIP coverage you want which involves a lot of paperwork compared to how we do it now. Regarding Long Term Care coverage, your current policy covers it. Next July 1, if you choose any other coverage option except “unlimited” that goes away.

Another important but often overlooked issue regarding your car insurance, Chip said, was “the name of the insured”, Chip said, includes the names of everyone in your household. Currently, if you have a child who is named as an “insured” but they live in another state, they would still be covered under your policy. However, next July they could be named as an insured but could be denied coverage because they do not live under your roof!

Chip concluded his presentation by saying that the “mini tort” language will change with the new law. Currently you may sue the driver who caused your accident up to $1,000. Under the new law, the amount goes to $3,000!

World Polio Day - PDG Bob Gallagher

DGE Noel Jackson introduced PDG Bob Gallagher who was the keynote speaker at the annual World Polio Day luncheon. Bob spoke about a critical cause of RI’s since 1985 – Polio eradication. Polio myelitis actually dates back to the time of the Egyptians, he said.

The March of Dimes campaign was one of the original organizations to raise money to eradicate polio. In 1979, he said, Rotary spearheaded a program in the Philippines with over 7,000 islands to eradicate polio in that country. They were eventually successful with vaccines in that country and thought that they could do the same throughout the world where the disease existed.

“So, in 1985, Rotary had this great idea to conduct a world-wide effort.” At that time 125 countries were endemic with over 300,000 cases every year. “The governments across the world teamed up with the World Health Organization, RI, UNICEF and the Center for Disease Control in 1988 to start the process of eradicating polio. Joining a bit later was the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that finished the process.”

The original budget, he said, was $144M yet raised $247M! Louise, Bob said, was the last case of polio in the America’s and was at his District Conference in 2002-03. RI is responsible for 144 laboratories around the world in order to contain the spread of Polio other contagious diseases like SARS and Ebola and will have a very positive affect well after polio is eradicated, Bob said.

The polio vaccine must be kept at a temperature below 50 degrees. It is packed in Styrofoam containers to be shipped in order to be ready to immunize individuals across the world. Each person is given two drops. Bob suggested if anyone wanted to participate in a National Immunization Day event, they should do so now. “It’s a limited time offer” since polio has almost been eradicated in the world.” Nothing, he said, has been more rewarding than to immunize a child against polio. The pink pen is then used to color the fingernail to confirm that it occurred. Bob said that on one immunization day, 124 million children were vaccinated in a 24 hour period!

By 2008, Bob said, there were only four countries left that still had polio cases – India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. By 2011, there were no more cases in India! In 2016, there were only 4 cases of polio in Nigeria! Today, there is not a single case of polio in Africa, Bob said! There are only two countries now where polio still exists – Pakistan and Afghanistan. In 2017 there were 14 cases in Afghanistan and 8 in Pakistan. Today, the number in Pakistan, Bob said, has gone up to 72. These are primarily in the north, the area still controlled by the Taliban.

Total cases currently is 88. This is a far cry from where it all started representing a 99.7% cure rate thanks to RI who “has been the driving force” behind this effort”, Bob said.

Hospice of Lenawee - Anne Sherman

Posted by Chuck Chase on Oct 18, 2019

Our own Anne Sherman who has been at the organization for over 13 years as a nurse and in different capacities was our featured speaker today. She has given many talks the most recent one titled: “Why We Think Death is Optional”. She said that Hospice was fortunate to have as its Medical Director, Dr. Voorhees who is actually Kevin Keller’s son-in-law, on staff who understands that people are mortal and that we’re not going to cure all diseases.

Anne said that Hospice has changed over the last 5 years in our county as they were the only one that did what they did. Today, however, others have come into the county professing to offer the same care yet Hospice, she said, was unique. Hospice started during the Crusades by Cicely Saunders, a nurse who became a physician in England and started the first Hospice – St. Christopher’s. Anne mentioned that the late Dr. Bruce Jones went there to see what they did and upon returning felt that it was something Lenawee County needed to have.

Hospice grew in the US in the 70’s and 80’s, she said. Hospices’ philosophy, Anne said, was “comfort” and has been aggressive with its “symptom management”. Most of the costs (i.e. medications, durable medical equipment and services) associated with Hospice care are covered by most all insurances. Two physicians have to agree that the patient is terminally ill and will not live beyond 6 months, Anne said, to be admitted. Both the patient and family must also give their consent.

Anne reminded the audience that in 2008 the Hospice board made a decision to begin a capital campaign to build a brand new in-patient facility in Lenawee County. Donors came together in spite of the economic conditions to raise $5M to make Dr. Jones’ dream a reality. Ann said that she was the first manager of the Hospice home when it opened. All rooms in the home are private and have large, long windows so that patients can enjoy the view on the outside, birds and wildlife.

Anne mentioned that Hospice staff can be dispatched to a patient’s home without residing at the facility. A nurse (case manager) is assigned to that person to make periodic visits to provide care as needed, she said. There are also staff on-call at the facility should the patient living at home have an emergency. Nurse’s aides are also available to assist home-bound patients as well as those in nursing homes. Chaplains and social workers are also available to make visits as necessary. They have many volunteers, Anne said, and encouraged all members to check out assisting this great cause. Currently there are about 130 volunteers, Anne said, who work at Hospice and put in 13,000 hours!

Child Advocacy - Becky Roller

Posted by Charles Chase on Oct 11, 2019

Crime Victim Right’s Advocate, Becky Roller, from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and Morgan Torres were on hand to tell members that their job is to assist victims through the prosecutor’s office by attending court hearings with victims and even provide areas for them to stay while in a courthouse and insure that their rights are met. "We want to be part of the healing process", Becky said.

Their office is 100% grant funded through the State of Michigan. Victims, she said, have the right to restitution and submit the orders to the restitution department in a timely manner. They also have a right to compensation. If victims are physically injured in an incident and required care by a hospital or physician, a form can be filled out requesting payment for those expenses so there won’t be late fees. The victim still needs to reimburse the office for those charges.

Every year there is a Crime Victim’s Awareness Week usually every April to honor victims and those who serve them. Awards to law enforcement officers are presented at a regular Board of Commissioners’ meeting. An art contest was even set up for local high schools students. The office also sponsors the Annual Hot Dog Fest that provides clothing and hygiene items for victims of sexual violence.

Becky said that she is currently working on “A Courthouse Guide for Children” which victims of abuse can take home and work on the activities in it. Becky concluded by saying that she had been trained in Mass Causality Assistance and even was involved in the incident this past summer in Las Vegas.

Launch Lenawee - Mark Murray & Tim Roberts

Posted by Chuck Chase on Oct 03, 2019

Mark Murray kicked things off by mentioning that Hospice of Lenawee’s Candlelight Event will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on December 15^th in tribute to loved ones and friends who have passed. It will start at either 5:30pm or 6pm.

Mark introduced Tim Roberts who a business owner and will soon be moving his business to downtown Adrian called Acropolis Games and a member of the 2^nd Launch Lenawee class that will graduate on November 1^st. Tim highly praised the Launch Lenawee program and couldn’t say enough about the networking opportunities it provided. Tim said that there will be an open house at his new business on November 9 and 10 and invited all to attend. The DDA is hosting a meeting next Wednesday (October 9) at 5:30pm in the City Commission Chambers.

Mark then returned to the podium and told the audience that the year old Launch Lenawee program is a Rotary-based program similar to and patterned after the Launch Detroit model supported to a great extent by the Lenawee Chamber, Lenawee Now, and many volunteers who serve budding entrepreneurs to help them get up and running with their businesses. The program, Mark said, consists of education, networking, mentoring and micro-loans. The overall goal, he said, was to support people like Tim who are the next generation of entrepreneurs in our community. Mark said that he was looking to strike up a possible partnership with SHU as well as Adrian High School to provide core entrepreneurial services to folks that would connect them to local bankers who could support them financially and help grow them into successful businesses. The Adrian Armory and Events Center, he said, was pleased to announce that they have opened their facility hosted just this past year over 150 events to the public. He thanked our club for our donation to the Community Kitchen and other services clubs and organizations for their support.

Mark said that they will be starting their third class this January. Half of the volunteers in Launch Lenawee are Rotarians, he said. The first 10 weeks of the training is called Fast Track which is a blended on-line program. Participants, over time. Are expected to have a formal business plan from which to launch their business, Mark said. If you would like to volunteer to help set up meetings, be a business mentor, etc. just call Mark or Mary.

Boy Scouts of America - Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson, a Unit Services Director for the Boy Scouts of America who lives in Manchester actually grew up in Hudson. The BSoA is broken down into 4 field offices in Michigan, she said and serves the Southern Shores Field Service Council encompassing Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties.

To prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Cub scouts serve the youngest population (Kindergarten to 5^th grade) and belong to dens and complete various projects and work with their families to earn rank, she said.

The next level is Scouts USA – 11 to 17 year olds and the program is guided by adult volunteers. Their Venturing program is for youth (up to 20 year olds) who earn badges and awards. These individuals focus on leadership, personal growth and service.

Exploring is part – a career exploration program for youth ages 14 through 20 years old. Some Exploring posts are housed within several fire departments, she said, and give them experience with firefighting so they may consider making it their career in the future. Trade skills that used to be taught in our local schools is not part of the BSoA programming, Rachel said.

The Boy Scouts is now named Family Scouting since it is no longer limited to just boys. This started back in 2018 with the Cub Scouts, she said. It was in February of this year that the program allowed girls to join.

Rotary Woodworking Warriors - Luke Barnett

Posted by Charles Chase on Aug 31, 2019

Our own Luke Barnett update members about the unique and very impactful Rotary Woodworking Warriors program sponsored by our club in conjunction with the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute. Luke showed members a video he had produced and edited himself showing various vets who have benefited from the program.

A tri-fold brochure was developed by the club with important information about the program: The Rotary Woodworking Warriors program is an effort to provide veterans with opportunities for personal and professional growth. It is also a program that provides year-round support and technical education for veterans. The goals of the program include peer mentorship, PTSD support, vocational rehabilitation, comraderie, peer support, transitional support, and education. The program is in partnership with the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) of Adrian, Michigan.

They will benefit emotionally and socially by gaining a sense of competence, confidence, responsibility, respect for self and others, and respect for materials and safety. Physical benefits include eye-hand coordination, strength, and fine motor control. Studies in neuro-imaging have recently shown that there are strong connections between the cognitive thought and motor control areas in the brain, Veterans will also learn cognitive skills like mathematical thinking (size, shape, and measurements), engineering skills, creativity and inventiveness. Aesthetically, students will experience the smell and feel of wood, the dusty friction of sanding something smooth, and the contrast of warm wood and cold metal. This combination of cognitive and hands-on education will be extremely beneficial to participants of the program.

The Woodworking Warrior’s Mission Statement: “Promoting positive outcomes for veterans through peer mentorship and technical education.” Be sure and visit their official website at: https://www.sambeaufordwoodshop.com/warriors

Luke received special recognition when District Governor made his official visit on August 15. Thanks, Luke for your vision, insight and work on this important program!

Hidden Lake Gardens - Paul Pfeifer

Posted by Chuck Chase on Sep 06, 2019

Al Brittain, retired local businessman, community leader and bank CEO and board member of Hidden Lake Gardens gave a brief history of Harry Fee and his gift of the property to what was then Michigan State College and the organization’s current association with Michigan State University, introduced today’s speaker – Paul Pfeifer, director of Hidden Lake Gardens.

Hidden Lake Gardens is owned and operated by Michigan State University under the division of Land Management, but supported through admission fees, endowments, gifts and the "Friends of Hidden Lake Gardens" membership program. The Gardens is open 360 days of the year. HLG is located within the Highway M50 corridor linking the Irish Hills with Lenawee, Jackson and Washtenaw Counties.

Paul spoke about HLG’s capital campaign - $2.2M Reach for the Sky project. The Tree Tower and

Canopy Walk will provide persons of any ability to have a complete forest emersion experience. It will include a 500 foot long “walk” through the tree canopy some 65 feet above the ground via the wheelchair friendly boardwalk and suspension bridge canopy walk; a 100 foot tall “climb” up the tree tower via stairs and ADA compliant elevator – the only one of its kind; a direct connection with nature to escape the stresses of everyday life and to improve general health and well-being naturally.

HLG offers visitors many educational programs for all ages. HLG attracted over 57,000 visitors in 2017.

Official Visit - DG John Chambers

Posted by Charles Chase on Aug 15, 2019

AG Marilyn Kremer introduced DG John along with his wife, Sandy, and gave members a brief bio: became a member of the Detroit AM club in 2004; was club president in 2010 and 2011 and held other officer and committee posts. He was previously a member of the Rotary club in Novi. At the district level he has served on various committees among them an Assistant Governor for Area 1. He has traveled oversees extensively to participate in international programs for RI. John is a major donor to the RI Foundation and a recipient of the COG (Council of Governors) Award. He is a retired financial officer from the court system and the Detroit Public Library. He is a CPA and holds an MBA from the University of Detroit. He serves on a number of boards in the Detroit area. He was a city councilman for the City of Novi. John enjoys golfing, traveling and spending time with grandchildren with his wife Sandy.

John spoke about RI President Mark Maloney’s focus this year which were Grow Rotary and Families – they work together. Rotary membership in the US, he said, was going downward and mentioned that Mark was the first RI president in 20 years who admitted he didn’t know why this was happening. His advice to growing membership was to (1) “grow our own club” with younger members in particular (2) starting an e-Club, he said, and that District 6400 already has one – sponsored by Windsor 1918 (3) “add yet another club in our district which we have with Kingsville South Shore with 25 members who meet in the evening” and (4) to add Rotaract Clubs and he commended our club for having two.

“Families”, he said “are very important. You have your own family and the family of Rotary”, John said. “How big is our family? There are 1,218,311 Rotarians worldwide as of June 26, 2019 in exactly 35,963 clubs.” John emphasized the importance of wearing our Rotary pins wherever we go since we don’t know who we’re going to run into and also be sure and put the Rotary app on our phones so we’ll know when various clubs meet in the event we want to make one of their meetings.

John said his theme this year is “Do the Right Thing” which he got from former astronaut, Mike Foreman, who has flown on two missions and lives in Houston and is John’s cousin and a new Rotarian. Mike will be the keynote speaker at John’s District Conference next May in Sandusky at the Kalahari resort. John also announced that at the District Governor’s Golf Outing at the Fox Hill Country Club on September 24^th, there will be a surprise from Jack Nicklaus. On November 2^nd is scheduled the Annual RI Foundation Dinner also at Fox Hills with clubs from District 6380 and their DG – Sparky Leonard.

John closed by saying how important it is to thank people for what they do. Thanks you John and Sandy for coming to Adrian and share your knowledge and friendship with us. May you have much continued success!

Club Assembly – Committee Breakout Sessions

Posted by Chuck Chase on Aug 09, 2019

Thanks to everyone who participated today as several committee chairs met with their respective committees and discussed their specific responsibilities as well as other programs we should be involved in. Committees that met were: Community Service, Membership and International.

Those gathering to discuss “Community Service” suggested that: we participate as a club in various holiday parades so that we can promote our club, look at doing something again in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club, possibly participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s with members who participate in the walk wearing their Rotary shirts, possible project with Hospice of Lenawee, involvement in the Appleumpkin Festival and pitching the Rotary tent as a possible fundraiser, participate in Chamber Expo to promote our club as well as Associated Charites and Salvation Army events. The committee rounded out their discussion suggesting we think of more programs we can do as a club involving veterans.

Chip reported out what the “International Service Committee” discussed which included programs to deal with the current immigration problems particularly in Mexico and the Central America region where we could donate clothes, books, etc. Since there will also be 15 international students coming here to attend Adrian High School, this will give our club an opportunity to interact with them somehow that we’ll want to look into. It might even include a social gathering with them so we can show them what we do as a club. Another suggestion was to connect with the international students at Adrian College and Siena Heights University. The committee suggested another idea they had might be to have a program to raise money to purchase bicycles for people in countries that need them in Africa. Another idea was to schedule an international dinner.

Last to report out was “Membership Committee” chair, Mike Tobey, who said that a “cocktail hour” (every quarter) possible at the Adrian Armory that would be advertised in advance through various media outlets. Retention, Mike said, was also discussed and that he hoped his committee could get a list every week of members who attend our meetings regularly and those who don’t so they could be called and encouraged to continue attending again through a simple phone call, email, etc.

Thanks everyone for you input and participation!

New Member Induction

District 6400’s Assistant Governor graced us with her presence today to induct the newest member of the Adrian Noon Rotary Club – Matt Swartzlander. Matt is s former member of our club and the Executive Director of the Adrian Area Chamber of Commerce. Former past president and club member, Dennis Swartzlander, is Matt's uncle. We promised not to hold that against him!!

During Marilyn’s remarks she emphasized the facts that Matt was joining THE oldest service club in the world with 1.5 million other members who work hard to build water wells, schools, infrastructure, etc. Rotary is not just work, she said. It is also fellowship and fun. His sponsor, Immediate Past President Kathye did the honors of placing his new Rotary lapel pin on him. Congrats, Matt, and welcome to our club!

The Hope Center of Adrian

Fallon Bull, the Program Director of the Hope center said that the organization was formed 42 years ago to meet the needs of adults with developmental disabilities. One hundred different members are served each week to participate in their structured programming, she said. Those served, if they choose not to participate in a program can “hang out on the computer or talk a walk, or travel to various non-profits to do odd jobs there.” Fallon said. Hope has a garden that produces vegetables that are donated to local pantries and soup kitchens. Jerry said he especially likes to play pool and has helped pack snacks that members share in throughout the day.

After hour programs include their Hoopster Basketball Team where members can play some 20 games per season. Members go to Mud Hens and Pistons games, she said, in addition to Hidden Lake Gardens, etc. to “provide them with experiences they would not otherwise have”. At Hope there are various Job Teams that members can engage in to teach them responsibility. Jerry said he goes out and gets the mail and paper each day. Job Teams also give members the opportunity to talk and socialize with others which is so very important to a person’s development, Fallon said. “Members need to feel they have a purpose and are valued”, she said.

Mary Martin, Developmental Director at Hope, spoke a little more about the history of the center which began as a “walk in” center and grew to what it is today. Civitan of Adrian raised over $1M in 1988 to build the very facility they occupy today, she said. Mary provided statistics about their members and they are prone to being victims of crime and why it was important to teach them at Hope what to do to prevent that and how to take control of their lives including nutrition, participating in life-long learning activities, etc. “Hope provides a reason for people to get up and put each day”.

Mary finished by announcing their big fundraiser – A NIGHT FOR HOPE event – Friday, November 8^th from 6pm-8:30pm

Remarks - New President Nelson Douglass

Posted by Chuck Chase on Jul 14, 2019

This was Nelson’s very first meeting as the new president of the Adrian Noon Rotary Club! Congrats, Nelson. It’s going to be a great year! He took this opportunity to thanks Immediate Past President, Kathye, for a tremendously successful year and everything she, the board and fellow members were able to accomplish. Nelson gave a rundown of each of the 13 standing committees His summary and the programs each committee will be responsible for is as follows:

Adrian Rotary Foundation; Club Service Committee; Community Service Committee - Programs responsible for: River Raisin Cleanup – September; Salvation Army Kettle Drive – December; Lenawee Bike Tour – September; Christmas Wreath Sale – December; Comstock Park Christmas Walk – December; Onion Sales – May; ERaceStigma 5k Run; Great Lakes Woodworking Festival – May; International Service Committee; Membership Committee - Programs responsible for: ; Fireside Chats (2-3 per year); Luncheon with former members of the club – October 24; New Member Brochure Revisions (Annually); Program Committee - Programs responsible for: Monopoly Game Project (Funds to go to 100^th Anniversary Celebration); Christmas Club Social – December; Other Club Socials (2-3 per year); Junior Rotarian Day – May; Public Relations Committee; RI Foundation; Rotaract Committee; Scholarship Awards Committee - The charge of the Scholarship Committee will continue to oversee the annual 4-Way Test, Bob Brady and to ensure the timely and fair disposition of scholarship funds; Vocational Service Committee - Programs responsible for: Launch Lenawee Mentor Program; Networking Event (aka – Art of Mingling) – February; Youth Services Committee - Programs responsible for: Fluency Friends - September – May; R.Y.L.A. Conference – November.

Nelson closed by encouraging all members, if they have not already done so, to join a committee.

Membership in Rotary – District Committee Member Steve Ahles

Posted by Chuck Chase on Jun 22, 2019

PDG Sue Goldsen officially introduced our speaker today, Steve Ahles, who is past president of the Southgate Rotary Club and will be District 6400’s Membership Chair in 2019-20. The committee exists, Steve said, to “help strengthen Rotary”.

Steve spoke about membership flexibility – “the most important aspect of everything we do”, he said. Finding and engaging members makes everything we do easier. Talk to people about the things we do as a club. Always talk Rotary, he said. Do it at family gatherings, parties, meeting, etc. “You never know where you’re going to get your next member”. “You just need to ask”. Keep a list of who potential members are via their contact info, Steve said. And, be sure and follow up with them once you make the initial contact. Don’t overlook obvious people like spouses, former members and past Youth Exchange participants either.

Also, make a list of the most important things (i.e. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions) about your club, Steve said, so you can talk to potential members about what is important to us. List things like our dues structure, our expectations for new members like meeting attendance and program participation, how many members we have, members who stand out, etc. This is information that will enhance the prospect of people joining our club, he said, because they really don’t know what we do. This could even be emailed to them, Steve suggested. “It gives prospects a factual base from which to work from”. An example, Steve said, is available from a fellow Rotarian who originally formulated it that he would be happy to share.

Steve said he originally joined Rotary because he “wanted to make a difference in peoples’ lives.” Remind prospects that in Rotary we Join Leaders, Exchange Ideas, Take Action – it is our motto, he said. Know your strengths. If prospects that have want something you can’t offer, he said, direct them to another club in the area. “This has paybacks”.

When you get a new member, he said, be sure and celebrate it. Make sure that person feels welcome in our club and is appreciated. At his club’s meeting, he said, we periods during the meeting called MOM’s presentations – Meet Our Members – that give new members an opportunity to tell others about themselves. He said that in a past issue of The Rotarian Magazine he saw the idea to post new member pictures on a poster board along with a bit of info on each person.

Be persistent, Steve said. One or two times when you ask a prospect isn’t really enough, Steve said. Your club might not be a priority to them at that time because everyone is busy so keep asking when you think the time is right. “But, don’t let them fall through the cracks”. Think outside the box. Steve said that he asked a friend who was not a Rotarian to attend a District Convention with him and after that he joined! Whatever works for you.

Clubs lose members, it’s inevitable, he said. So, be constantly recruiting. “You’re either growing or dying as a club”, he said. There is no other way to think about it. Steve said that he keeps a “Friends of Rotary” list that he constantly refers to in order to identify prospects who might want to join. Steve said he asks them on occasion to help out with various club projects in an effort to get them to join. “Stay connected”.

Steve said that when we talk about “vibrant clubs”, we need to reflect on what clubs actually do. It important to do a club health check, he said. “Sit down at the start of your new Rotary year and do a club health check with your members at the next Club Assembly. Assess all aspects of what you do from your meeting room to all your projects. ”If you want to be a vibrant club make sure you know how you appear to new members. Think of all members as your customers”. “Make things comfortable and exciting for them. Get their feedback”.

“Offer different types of membership if you can”, Steve said – business memberships, family memberships, senior memberships, etc. They allow others to help clubs out, he said. Steve said that his club belongs to the local Chamber of Commerce. It allows club members to interact with Chamber members.

One of the questions Steve was asked was about retention and the fact that members in North America were leaving at a faster rate than new members coming in! It’s critical, Steve said, that we do what we have to as a club to keep the members we have.

Thanks, Steve, for your time and some great suggestions.

Habitat & AmeriCorps Presentation

Posted by Chuck Chase on Jun 14, 2019

Maher Mualla from the Adrian Morning Club was on hand at our meeting today and bought with him Deangelo from the local Habitat for Humanity (Community Outreach Director) along with Isaiah and Bushra representing AmeriCorps who had been assisting Habitat with home restorations in the area. Bushra, who is from the Detroit area, and Isaiah who lives in Baltimore, shared their experiences with us while they have been working in Adrian. Most recently, they said, they had been working on property in Adrian on Church Street in conjunction with the local Habitat for Humanity.

AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members bring passion and perseverance where the need is greatest: to organizations that help eradicate poverty. AmeriCorps members serve as a catalyst for change, living and working alongside community members to meet our nation’s most pressing challenges and advance local solutions.

Since 1965, over 220,000 VISTA members have served with the mission to strengthen organizations that alleviate poverty. VISTA serves in each of the 50 U.S. States and in all U.S. Territories. VISTA members go where they are needed and make a difference through volunteering and the mobilization of resources.

They said that volunteers can spend one year serving full-time and make a difference at home. AmeriCorps, they said, is a unique opportunity to improve their own lives and the lives of fellow Americans. From Alaska to Puerto Rico, AmeriCorps VISTA members are building capacity, strengthening communities, and developing their careers. Isaiah also mentioned that volunteers also qualify for a scholarship by volunteering.

As they complete their assignment here in Adrian, they suspected they would be traveling to Florida soon to assist in projects there.

Nelson Douglass - Club President