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President Sue called the meeting at the Lansing Center to order. Bob Hoffman gave a lovely invocation, asking Rotarians to move into the future focused on our objectives for world peace, tranquility and freedom from hunger. He called upon us to reaffirm our commitment to Rotary’s Four-Way Test and to demonstrate high ethics in all that we do. Rotarians sang The National Anthem, accompanied by John Dale Smith on piano. Due to my duties as mic girl, I was unable to write down our guests’ names. And, given that the mic I initially passed around was dead (my apologies, Chris Holman), I only partially succeeded at my mic-handling and editarian duties. Janet Lillie introduced Ed Phillips as her guest, Todd Gute had invited his past exchange student, Minami Ito, Chris Holman welcomed Tara Draper from Treetops and Jacob Sabins introduced Tim Mustapha. Diane Sanborn reported that there was nothing to report on the health of the club. President Sue presented Jeff Crippen with two Spooners – one for the birth of his 4-month-old granddaughter Josephine; another for his 2-month-old grandson, Liam in Denver. Congratulations, Grandpa Jeff! Diane Sanborn announced that the International Grants appeal was open and would be live in a couple of days on Slideroom. Approved grants receive $15,000 and matching funds. For details, email Curt Sonnenberg at attorney@sonnenberglaw.com. By a clever slip of the tongue, President Sue reported that we haven’t had any Rotarians Doing Great Things, then announced that on Sept. 30 at noon at Fenner Nature Center, the Family of Jack Davis was presented with Inaugural Keys to the City of Lansing. For Special Music, Ken Beachler introduced Dan Ewart, who graduated from and has close ties to Lansing Community College. Dan paid homage to Robert Louis Stevenson, and sang in a rich baritone “Wither Must I Wander,” from The Complete Poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson, and “The Vagabond,” from the poet’s Songs of Travel. As both Chair of the Month and Chair of the Day, Cathy Zell, Executive Director of the Lansing Community College Foundation, introduced Bruce Mackley, LCC’s Director of Communications and Marketing. Bruce narrated an awe-inspiring presentation on the transformative appeal of public art and how it intersects with the Lansing Community College brand. He tipped his hat to former LCC President Brent Knight – who spent the better part of his career studying placemaking – and whose vision throughout LCC’s campus was realized in the form of reinvented interior spaces – hallways, classrooms and social spaces, for example – unexpectedly featuring graphics, displays and stories that raise awareness, encourage conversations between students and staff, have positive, limitless effects on the institutions’ brand integrity, and help the college recruit and retain students. Next Friday, Oct. 8, Vern Mesler, Welding Instructor at LCC, will present “Preservation of Iron and Steel in Bridges and Metal Structures.” Lolo Robison's email is: LRobison@cata.org |
Vern Mesler is a retired steel fabricator with thirty-four years’ experience working as a welder, steel fitter, structural steel foreman and materials manager at Douglas Steel Fabrication in Lansing. During eighteen years as foreman, he was involved in the fabrication of many of the state’s highway bridges and steel trusses for buildings such as the Breslin Center. In addition, he was responsible for the direction of welding operations for these and other structures.