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Rotary Editarian June 2017 Changing of the Guard President Jack Davis called the meeting to order at 12:29. Timing and being “on time” became a theme of both his and the Sergeant of Arms Committee. Incoming Club President Darwin Brewster, just back from the inspiring Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, gave a passionate, ecumenical invocation. We sang God Bless America, accompanied by the talented John Dale Smith. Peter Adieng did the honors delivering the microphone to Rotarians with guests and visiting Rotarians. There were many guests. Guests from the Loomis Law firm took an entire table. We found out that the Loomis Firm honored President Jack for 51 years of being a member of the firm. Why not 51? “Well, that extra year is for all the time we spent waiting for Jack.” Jack’s saint of a wife, Sue Davis was at the firm’s table. After the firm’s introductions Jack said, “I thought that was the roast.” Nope. There is a lot more to come. Sue Hansen gave the Remembrance Report and welcomed back John Stephenson who was back from having broken his arm. She also told us that John Grettenberger, Sr. was in the hospital with pneumonia. John, Jr. reported that he was improving and might be out by Father’s Day. Our Special Music was from the beautiful voice of Haslett High School Senior Mackenzie Jacobs. (Selected “One of the Four Best Singers in the State.”) She sang songs from The Secret Garden and Camelot. President Jack made several announcements. Stretching them out like never before. (It was almost as if he was avoiding something.) July 17 – 21 will be Habitat for Humanity’s “Rock the Block” and Jen Dubey is gathering Lansing Rotarians to help with the effort. Blocks of time will be available. Each volunteer will give a $30 donation. Contact Jen to sign up. Julie Pingston made contact with Michigan State University’s Rotaract Club. There will be more announcements about our club and Rotaract in the near future. President Jack’s weekly “Cultural Activities in Our Community” report featured Lansing Rotary’s own John Dale Smith. (John Dale plays beautiful and subject-appropriate music on the piano each week before our meetings.) John Dale “put together an amazing set of music” which was the backdrop for sensational dancing in Riverwalk Theatre’s “Catch Me If You Can.” Kudos to John Dale and the very talented singers and actors in that successful production. President Jack also announced, (“sort of announced”) the district governor “handover” to be held Tuesday, June 27 at the Woldumar Nature Center Rotary Barn with MSU President Simon as special speaker. “Rotary has a barn?” You would be better off referring to the email message sent to all Lansing Rotarians. Lansing Rotary’s meeting Friday, June 30 will be at the Impression 5 Museum. The ribbon cutting for the new Rotary-sponsored Water Room will be at 10:30. Lunch will be after that ceremony. Rotarians and guests will be able to get “hands-on” with the water room activities during and after the lunch. Be sure to tell Cathy if you plan to attend. Finally… President Jack said, “It’s my extreme pleasure to introduce some of the finest people on earth.” Followed by howls from the audience. However, it was too late for flattery. Chair of the Sergeant at Arms Committee, Dave Marvin, noticing things said earlier, compared previous Rotary speaker and a guest today, Joseph Yang, who spoke to us about Hmong culture. He had told us the Hmong do not have a word for “black.” However, you can tell the “Black Hmong” because they wear red. “Well, that’s a lot like President Jack’s year in office. Impossible to understand and just not making a lot of sense.” Dave quoted President Jack, “I’d like to give you this coin… It has no real value…But it does have [dead pan delivery] the four-way test on it…” Jack ALWAYS read from his agenda. “We start with visiting Rotarians and guests.” No guests and no visitors. “Announcements?” No announcements. Etcetera. Leading up to Jack’s strange announcement that the University Club is in Lansing so when we meet there we will be meeting in Lansing. Dave compared Jack’s speaking style to Ben Stein’s voice in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Instead of “Bueller?” “Bueller?” It’s “Beachler?” “Beachler?” To condense Dave’s discussion of President Jack’s head dropping during speaker presentations, there was a discovery that Jack was doing work in his lap for some “Big Money Client!” Brilliant. Billing clients for work done at Rotary meetings. You had to be there to appreciate Dave’s story of Jack’s snappy Cadillac with its booming bass, thumping out rappers Flo Rida and T-Pain. Who knew? Rotarians were in stiches. Next up was Jim McGillicuddy who was amazed and tickled that Dave invited him onto the Sergeant at Arms Committee. “Has this year been as long for you (Jack) as it has been for us?” “Of course! We’ve been here longer than Jack has!” (Reflecting back on the recurrent theme of Jack being a wee bit late. Chronically.) Jim asked numerous Lansing Rotarians what the Rotary Board could have been thinking to make Jack our president. Yet another attorney? None of them gave a definitive answer. “He’s a father figure but he turned into a grandfather figure.” Then Jim turned to Jack’s patient wife Sue Davis with questions. “What does Jack do on weekends?” “He watches sports. Mostly high school curling and grade school chess.” Jim said that Jack is such a good attorney that if you break a mirror and get seven years bad luck… Jack can get you five.” [Insert obligatory lawyer joke here.] Jim delivered the bad news that there is no pension for outgoing Rotary presidents. Next up was Kelly Rossman McKinney. “As a chick doing a clean-up act who never followed a urologist before.” The biggest surprise of Jack’s presidency? That he gets there in time to “get a steely look in his eye as he rings the Rotary Bell.” “Before this, he never arrived until well after the program started.” “As my mentor Jack introduced me to my first client.” A management company that went out of business in a very unflattering and public way.” “He invited me onto the Boarshead Theater Board. And they went out of business too.” Some mentor. Kelly told us Jack has carved out a niche in sports and entertainment law. It gets him Steve Smith’s box seats at Breslin. Jack proudly tells us repeatedly that he went to Lansing Eastern High School. He is a Quaker. Unlike everyone else, he never tells us he graduated from Harvard. Which makes us think… he didn’t!  Incoming President Darwin Brewster thanked President Jack for the many things he did this past year, including leading the by-law changes, “And Jack made it to every single meeting except one!” Darwin let us know why President Jack talks so slowly. “He bills by the hour!” President Jack told us that it has been an honor to be President of the Rotary Club of Lansing. “I really appreciate the Sergeant of Arms Committee SO much,” He took credit for being the one who told Kelly Rossman McKinney to “speak up.” Jack also thought back on his days at the Lansing School District’s Walter French Junior High School and a song they sang to say goodbye when they graduated. He sang it. Acapella. “So on to senior high. It’s on to college to keep up our knowledge.” President Jack got a standing ovation. He gave the Presidential Rotary pin to Darwin and nobody rang the bell. Nevertheless, Rotarians mingled about and congratulated “Past President Jack” for an excellent year. |
