Editarian Report for April 14, 2023

Call to Order President Courtney welcomed Rotarians and led them in the recitation of the Four-Way Test of things that Rotarians think, say and do.

 

Reflection

Susan Angel, Chair of the Month, presented the reflection. Spring awakens, she said, and enlivens us in a way that no other season can. We remember what new life looks like. We remember that possibilities are just around the corner, and we remember that beauty comes in small packages. It’s a great time for meditation as we grow ourselves – and with spring in mind, she gave us five reflections on how our minds, hearts and spirits are healed during the flowery months.

 

• New life and new beginnings are all around us. Each waking flower is a symbol for something new taking shape within us.

• Everything blooms in its own time. In our lives, just as in nature, patience forms the most beautiful things we experience.

• Color and light are vital to life. Spring feels good, because it reminds us how deeply we need variety and vividness in our surroundings.

• Great things are waiting beneath the surface. Only when the flowers bloom do we realize the potential that existed beneath our feet all this time

• The important things are the simple things. Grass, rainfall, sunlight, a single flower – the smallest things matter still, because no one else can experience them for us.

 

Be mindful, Susan advised, and be present to live your best life.

 

There was no patriotic song today due to not having a musician present.

 

 

President Courtney invited visiting Rotarians and guests to stand for introductions. Saeed Jafaei was on mic duty.

 

The following introductions took place: Bob Hoffman reported that Gideon Francis, vice president of Devcare Solutions in Okemos, has now visited Lansing Rotary twice. He is a member of the Delta-Waverly Rotary Club.

 

Pam Miklavcic introduced Bill Frysinger, sponsored by Julie Thomasma. Today was Bill’s fourth visit. He has served on the Child and Family Charities Board of Directors. He has also served for 25 years with Child Abuse Prevention.

 

Sue Mills was happy to have her long-time friend, Jeanette Elbers, attend Rotary. She has a grandson who plays basketball at East Lansing High School. Sue said Jeanette likes Audrey Dahlgren, today’s guest speaker, so she invited her to attend today’s meeting.

 

Kurt Guter introduced Judy Martin. She founded Solar Circle in 2003. Our club has been supporting projects that Judy does in Africa, about which she later shared.

 

Benjamin Rathbun introduced Joel Conn, president of Friedland Industries, who attended Lansing Rotary today for his third visit. Joel is considering joining Rotary and, according to Ben, would love to hear personal testimonies from Rotarians after the meeting about why he should join.

 

Parker Sessa introduced Kendall Jones, a graduating senior from Michigan State University’s Broad Business College. Kendall is wrapping up her internship in WLNS’s sales department. He wanted to show her where he disappears to on Fridays. Congratulations, Kendall!

 

Ben Rathbun gave the Club an update on the status of Don Colizzi.  His daughter reported that he has some radiation and chemotherapy treatments, and he is doing OK. He meets with his oncologist in a couple of weeks, and they’ll do another MRI soon.

 

President Courtney welcomed Dick Ammons back today.

 

Michelle Lantz asked how many of us reside in the DeWitt School District. The Club is fortunate to be able to host another exchange student this fall. The first family to host a student this fall lives in the DeWitt School District, so Rotary is looking for a couple more host families in DeWitt. This shortens the length of time the exchange student remains with a single family, thereby alleviating the burden. Rotary is looking for three families to host for about three months at a time. For those not familiar with the student exchange program, it is one of Rotary International’s diplomatic programs. They place approximately 8,000 incoming and outgoing students a year around the globe. About eight years ago, Michelle’s family hosted an exchange student from Italy. They remain close to him and his family, and have – along with their extended family – traveled to visit and stay with them in northern Italy. She encouraged Club members to consider this opportunity. Any configuration of family type can host – a single person, a couple (with or without kids); those who have never had kids. You can have kids who are grown and graduated. You also do not need to be a Rotarian to be a host to an exchange family. You’ll go through some background checks, trainings, etc. Michelle reported that it’s a meaningful experience. She is glad that Courtney asked her a couple of months ago to lead the Rotary Exchange Program for our Club, which hadn’t had a leader for a few years. They look forward to speaking further about the program. If you know of someone in the DeWitt School District, please let her know at michelle@glfoodbank.org.

 

President Courtney added that Lansing Rotary also sponsors outgoing students.

 

Heidi McNaughton announced that it is Paul Harris time. We’ve all received letters inviting us to give generously to the Paul Harris fund. We are so fortunate to be able to live the lives that we do. This is an opportunity for us to help other people. So far, we’ve collected $2,050. Last year, we raised almost $22,000 – we’ve got a long way to go. You can donate on our website at https://lansingrotary.org/page/make-a-donation. You can donate appreciated stock. There are any number of ways to give, so please do.

 

Irv Nichols then shared with the Club why he gives. Irv said he wasn’t a member of the Club when Paul started, which generated a lot of laughter, but he joined shortly thereafter. Irv is now going on his 65th year in Rotary. He has given to Paul Harris every year. Early on, he couldn’t afford to give the desired amount, because money was much less available in those first 20 to 30 years, but he’s delighted that Paul Harris came up with the concept. Paul never dreamed that it would go international or would include donations, regardless of gender. He’s delighted that it is an international movement today. Irv said, it’s up to us to maintain it, and he challenged all of us to give generously this year. Even a small amount adds up when given repeatedly.

 

Kurt Guter introduced Judy Martin, who said that the Lansing Rotary Club has been a big help to Solar Circle. About 15 years or so ago, we sponsored her solar cooking project. In Tanzania, they have had, for the past two years, a program right outside of Dar-es-Salaam and another down in Masasi, along the border near Mozambique. Dar-es-Salaam is a huge city of more than 4.5 million people. In the last couple of years, Kurt Guter introduced them to Engineers Without Borders, Chapter of MSU. They installed a rainwater collection system, putting up eaves and downspouts, and installing big 50-gallon tanks. The school will be big enough for 500 kids, starting with preschool and first grade. Kids learn English. We helped them install solar panels on the roof. Electricity is available in the area, but the per-kilowatt cost is the same as it is here in the U.S. The principal of the school earns no more than $500 a month; teachers earn less, so they are unable to afford the cost of electricity. The school has finally opened to K-4 this year. Kids are very enthusiastic.

 

Solar Circle will continue this year with another project in the Masasi-Antwara region. Life there is pretty much the same as it was hundreds of years ago. People in the village live very simply as subsistence farmers. Solar Circle is distributing solar lanterns there. According to Judy, Tanzania is on the equator, so they have 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness. There is no ambient light from nearby cities. Prior to receiving solar lamps, they used kerosene lamps or wood fire at night for light. People love solar lamps. They use them at night for reading, sewing and to work in small shops. They’re distributed through a barter program, given in exchange to those in villages who will do something for their community, like building houses. It takes 15 people a few weeks to build a house – that’s only 15 lamps. At first, they had to persuade villagers to do community projects in exchange for a solar lamp; now they are being asked when they will come again. Last year, Solar Circle spent about $45,000 on the program; our Club donated $5,000 toward the initiative, for which Judy expressed gratitude. President Courtney thanked the Club for supporting the program.

 

Jonathan Kolbasa gave his new member presentation, giving highlights from his life. He grew up in the Detroit area, living with his mom. They lived in government housing. His mom worked. Many of the other moms in the complex didn’t work. He was struck by his mother’s hard work ethic. She made ends meet and was a good inspiration for him. His grandfather was also very inspirational and influential. Jonathan graduated from Farmington High School. Things weren’t working out at home, so he moved out. He dreamed of moving to New York or LA, and making something happen. So he did. He moved to New York and was in a desperate situation, living out of a car, hustling and trying to make things happen. He decided he had to move back, because his circumstances could otherwise get worse. He returned with his tail between his legs, worked construction for a bit and met a girl. She was going to MSU, so he thought that sounded like a good idea, because he could see her every day, so he did. He rolled into East Lansing and thought, “I’ll be here for a very short time, and knock this degree out in a couple of years, then move on to LA.” That was over 20 years ago. He did move away for about five years, working on construction projects in LA, Dallas, Austin – southern Texas – Missouri, Oakland, Calif., and Jackson, Mississippi. Along the way, he and his wife adopted a girl, who is now 13. She was born in LA. She always wanted to be around family – grandparents, aunts and uncles, so they decided to make their way back to Michigan from Austin. Mid-Michigan is one of his favorite places. They drove in on I-496 on a late Sunday night, bought a house, pulled an air mattress out of the back of their U-Haul, and slept on the floor. Monday morning, Jonathan returned to the U-Haul, pulled out a card table and chair, went back in the house and started Value Engineering. That was 10 years ago. He and his wife celebrate their 10-year anniversary in May. He’s made some progress and has had a lot of fun doing it. He’s very happy to be with Lansing Rotary and has been a member for the better part of a year.

 

Melissa Kaplan introduced some cast members of the Lansing Community College Performing Arts Program, who performed a scene from Tartuffe, which is currently performing at the Black Box Theatre through the weekend. There are some passes to the performance available at the reception desk. Tartuffe was written in 1664 by Moliere. It’s a critique on moral hypocrisy. Tartuffe has convinced Orgon, a wealthy landowner that he is devout and pious, hoping to scam Orgon of his entire estate, marry his young daughter – and he appears to be after Orgon’s wife as well. Orgon’s brother, Cleante, tries to convince Orgon of Tartuffe’s treachery. Orgon was masterfully played by Dillon Smith; Cleante is played by Louis Ellison.  

 

Susan Angel introduced today’s guest speaker, Audrey Dahlgren, Sports Director at WLNS, who gave an insightful “Behind the Scenes Look at What It is Like to Work in Sports Broadcasting,” followed by a Q&A session.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

 

Lolo Robison's email is:  LRobison@cata.org