On Saturday, April 29, 2017, the American Red Cross of Michigan is participating in the nationwide Smoke Alarm Installation “Mega Blitz”. The goal is to install smoke alarms in local homes to help reduce our community’s chances of dying in a fire by nearly half. On the event day, volunteer teams will meet and receive training over breakfast and then the teams go door to door for installation. Each visit takes about 20-30 minutes and Red Cross vehicles travel through the neighborhoods to provide support to the teams. The teams are usually out installing for 4 hours and return for a celebration lunch to conclude the project.

 

Our Rotary Club Hands On Committee will be volunteering for this event and all Rotarians as well as their families and friends are welcome to join the team to do some amazing work in the community! Please contact Julie Pingston at jpingston@lansing.org or 517-377-1412 if you would like to join the Rotary install team on April 29. Thanks!!!

A “blast from the past” was in the house as Past President Guter called the meeting to order at the Lansing Center. Spring break made the crowd a big smaller than usual but the camaraderie at the meeting was great! The invocation was presented by Lesa Smith which was followed by the singing of God Bless America led by Mark Hooper.

 

Guests and Visiting Rotarians were introduced and welcomed.

 

Diane Sanborn provided the Remembrance Report and reported that Jeff Detloff has stitches and a shiner on his eye from a competitive game of disc golf with his grandson. Past President Lisa Smith’s husband Ed should be able to come home real soon if not already. Prayers for a smooth transition for them.

 

Donna Gardner provided another informative update about Paul Harris contributions to the Rotary International Foundation. She created a fun trivia game to showcase the ways Paul Harris contributions are used by Rotary International throughout the world. Get your contributions in by the end of the month! The goal is 100% participation! Thanks Donna for all your efforts!

 

Julie Pingston provided information about the upcoming volunteer opportunity from the Hands On Committee. Lansing Rotarians are invited to join the Smoke Alarm Installation blitz through the American Red Cross on Saturday, April 29. It would be about a 4 hour time commitment with training over breakfast and a celebration lunch. The team will install the smoke alarms with Red Cross support during the process. Contact Julie at jpingston@lansing.org to sign up and bring your friends and family too!

 

There was no special music today, however, Camron Gnass provided a preview from the Capital City Film Festival. The 7th Annual CCFF kicked off with the Symphonic Cinema which an outstanding performance by the Lansing Symphony Orchestra featuring Disney animated films and over 1500 people came out for the free event. Over the course of the festival, films will be shown from 34 countries in 5 different venues. Camron then showed three short movies from the CCFF: 1) Wonderful Nature which was an animated short from Germany; 2) the comedic short Slow Wallet; and 3) Pleasant Peninsula which was created by Camron’s son and his friend to showcase Michigan.

 

Past President Guter turned the program over to Umakanth who introduced our speaker Becky Douglas from the Rising Star Outreach.

 

Becky provided an amazing presentation about the work of the Rising Star Outreach in India. First and foremost, she thanked Lansing Rotarians for the contributions made by our Club as well as donations made by individual Club members.

The Rising Star Outreach began after Becky travelled to India to visit an orphanage her daughter supported before her death. Becky witnessed so many people begging in the streets with leprosy and she wanted to do something to make change.

 

The organization takes an holistic approach to helping people with leprosy. They have mobile clinics that go out every day to 54 leprosy colonies in India reaching 29,570 people. Throughout India, there are over 800 leprosy colonies. Their work in the colonies inspires the people to take responsibility for their life and affect change. The mobile medical facility has provided over 34,360 medical treatments for leprosy patients. Volunteers are always needed to help.

 

The Rising Star Outreach also offers a microfinance program to provide employment opportunity. Loans are provided, a computer lab is available and education is encouraged. Businesses have developed from loaning money for an iron or business assistance to create a new tea business.

 

In terms of education, the program offers a school on 16 acres of property to encourage problem solving and critical thinking, nutrition, medical treatment and on campus housing. The students are taught in English. Each child needs 4 sponsors through donations from around the world. It is only $30 per month to sponsor a child in the school. Currently, there are 350 students in the school. Becky can be contacted if anyone would have an interest in being a sponsor.

 

Past President Guter thanked Becky for her presentation and thanked her for all the work being done by Rising Star.

 

There will be no meeting next week (April 14) due to Good Friday. Our next meeting will be at the Country Club of Lansing and our speaker will be Rebecca Poynter from the Lansing State Journal. See you then!