Ten Hens Farm is a year-round, sustainable farm located just outside of Lansing, in Bath. It is born from the work of Dru and Adam Montri. A family of four living and farming in Bath, Michigan - 10 miles Northeast of Lansing, they grow a variety of vegetables on 3 acres, in six hoop houses totaling just over 17,000 square feet, and in one heated greenhouse.

 

Ten Hens Farm sells their produce through a 25-week Farm Box subscription program (Mid-May through early November) that includes pick-up on the farm, home delivery, and Lansing-based business pickup locations at the Bath Township Farmers Market (Thursdays from Memorial Day through October), through the Allen Neighborhood Center's Veggie Box program, to Owosso and Charlotte School District Food Services, at pop-ups on the farm, and to the Red Cedar Lodge Senior Living Facility. 

 

In addition to farming, Adam coaches soccer as part of the Bath Soccer Club; is a co-founder of the new Bath Middle School Drama Club; teaches poetry workshops in Lansing area schools; and is involved with The Poetry Room, a Lansing-based non-profit with a mission to provide space for People of Color and others to tell their story through monthly open mic events, special ticketed events, and poetry workshops.

Growing our club ensures we’ll be a vibrant, impactful organization for decades and generations to come. Recruitment is everyone’s responsibility! Not sure where to start? Consider sending an email like the one below to someone you know - a friend, a business colleague, a client or a community member. (KUDOS and copy-credits to Courtney Millbrook on Sample 1 – we’re poaching her email for a good purpose.)

                                                                                                   

 

SAMPLE #1: Send to a prospective guest or member!                                                          

 

Hi Deb,

 

It was great to see you last week. Thank you for inviting me to the Client Appreciate event. I am writing to follow up on our quick conversation about Lansing Rotary. We would love to have you explore joining our club. I would be happy to explain to you more about the process and responsibilities of membership, but first – you should come check out a meeting or two!

 

On Fridays, we meet at LCC downtown in the Michigan Room on the lower level of the Gannon Building. There is free parking in the Gannon Parking Ramp. Our meetings start at 12:30 BUT lunch is served starting at noon so you’ll want to arrive in time to get some food and meet people.

 

Here is the upcoming schedule: You can also find it at www.lansingrotary.org

Nov 10: Speaker is Adam Montri, Owner of Ten Hens Farm

Nov 16: Social Gathering on THURSDAY 11/16 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Lansing Brewing

Nov 24: No Meeting due to Thanksgiving holiday

Dec. 1: Speaker TBD

 

If you know in advance that you are coming, let me know so we can connect and I will introduce you. I am also copying Michelle Reynaert, Nick Heriford, and Rebecca Bahar-Cook on this email so if I’m not there one of them can make sure you get introduced! And of course, they will also bug you to visit and join our great Club!

 

Thanks, 
Courtney

 

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SAMPLE #2:  Send to a recent guest!

 

Hi, Dione!

 

Thanks again for joining me at a recent Rotary Club of Lansing meeting. I'm delighted that you are interested in learning more about the club.  You can come as a guest again any time you wish. Joining is simple; https://lansingrotary.org/page/becoming-a-member. I'll be your sponsor, and will be happy to answer any questions you have!

 

You need to attend two more meetings as a guest before you can submit your application. Here is the schedule of upcoming opportunities:  https://lansingrotary.org/Events. Let me know when you're planning to attend; I'll be sure to meet you there or connect you with one of my fellow Rotarians to do so if I can't be there myself. That's the great thing about Rotary - while we'd love you to be there every week, we know that life happens. Membership is flexible and being a Rotarian means you catch a club almost anywhere in the world if you're not in town for your own club meeting.

 

I truly think the Club will fill both your personal and professional 'buckets'. See you soon!

 

Michelle

As you know, we have a smart, lovely, funny exchange student, Sophia, from Brazil hosted by our Rotary Club. She’s half-way through her first host family stay and we desperately need to find her a second host family for the second half of the school year starting in January. Rotary’s commitment is to help students experience different customs, family traditions and even travel.

 

The commitment is simply to provide a safe, loving space, meals and moral support as the student navigates school, friends and youth opportunities in America. Students have their own spending money and receive a monthly stipend from our club. You can be single or a couple, with or without children, and will need to undergo a background check, some training and a home visit. If you are interested, please contact Michelle Lantz from our club at michelle@glfoodbank.org. Michelle’s family hosted a Rotary exchange student who they remain close to, so she can provide insight into the experience. Please consider being a host family!

   

 

A top priority for Rotary is growing and diversifying our membership to make sure we reflect the communities we serve and are inclusive of all cultures, experiences, and identities.

 

We're creating an organization that is more open and inclusive, fair to all, builds goodwill, and benefits our communities.

 

To help us achieve our goal, the RI Board of Directors passed a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement:

 

 

President Nick Heriford called the meeting to order in the Michigan Room of Lansing Community College and led all assembled in the 4-way test. Judi Harris provided a participatory reflection, inviting us to breathe and center on love of self and others; singing of Our Country ‘Tis of Thee followed. Raeanne Mardigian facilitated the introduction of visiting Rotarians and guests. The membership committee gave two MSU basketball tickets for Monday night to four lucky people; remember that when you bring guests and prospective members, you MAY be awarded with fun and prizes!

 

• Kurt Guter reported that October birthdays are at 95% and $2,300+ and there’s still time to give to ensure 100%. Looking at you, Libras.

• John Shaski gave a holiday appeal reminder; this is one of three occasions for which we ask Rotarians to give a financial contribution – watch for a letter and plan to attend the holiday party on Dec. 15th. Festive sweaters are encouraged.

• Michelle Lantz announced the Governor’s Service Awards this year will honor our fellow Rotarian, Bob Hoffman! And, reminded the Club that a host family is still needed for Sophia, a lovely young lady here from Brazil who is attending DeWitt High School, starting in January. Contact Michelle@glfoodbank.org if you can help in any way.

• Meghan Martin, former Rotarian, reported on Arts Night Out, one of our Club’s grant-funded initiatives, and extended her thanks from the Arts Council of Greater Lansing for our support. The event featured 21 Old Town businesses, 92 exhibits/activities, and more than 100 artists.

 

John Dale Smith introduced Johnathan Gewirtz for special music on saxophone, then joined in from the piano on “When Sunny Gets Blue” a favorite of Pat Munshaw and other selections that had toes tapping all over the room.

 

Nicole Szymczak, serving as chair of the month and day, introduced Dr. Norman Beauchamp, Jr., Executive VP for MSU Health Sciences, an esteemed leader, scientist, and clinician, to speak on Health, Hope, and Healing for All. Dr. Beauchamp is a problem solver and convener, making great things happen locally, regionally, and beyond.

 

Dr. Beauchamp began with his journey as a child from Boston to St. Johns, MI, where his family had a farm, chickens, and other animals. He shared how his mother inspired him to do something about the issues that plague our country. His undergraduate and graduate years at MSU, then beyond at Johns Hopkins, all supported his work today. He gave credit to the late Dr. E. James Potchen, M.D., J.D., MBA, who was instrumental in teaching him that half of what he studied should be outside of medicine. Dr. Beauchamp’s excitement for the interface of sciences is evident. His grandmother’s stroke was another teachable moment for his career path; his work helping extend the treatment window for stroke has no doubt impacted many lives (and QUALITY of lives). He spoke of discovery, education and clinical education being an important Innovation Cycle, of Academia & Industry Partnerships, Innovation Parks that drive greater transformation of care, and of an experience in Seattle that brought together healthcare, civic agencies, non-profits, private businesses and volunteers across the State of Washington to produce a giant free health clinic at Seattle Center. The 4-day event gave free dental, vision, and medical care to those in the region struggling to access/afford healthcare; 4,000 people showed up. 97% reported they felt cared about. The event is now in year nine. In a nationwide look at least to most healthy states, it’s clear that Michigan can do better/be healthier; MSU Health Sciences is working to mobilize the university and beyond to make that happen. Care closer to home is one aspect of that; most people can’t afford to travel for care. He also touched on the public health focus in Flint being about more than clean water, and the partnerships MSU has with Henry Ford, Sparrow, McLaren, Corewell and others. He noted that Greater Lansing has $1.5B in ongoing or recent investment in research, manufacturing, and health tied to life sciences. A robust Q&A ensued.

 

President Heriford thanked Dr. Beauchamp for his time and noted that in lieu of a speaker’s gift, we’ll donate to a local organization through our Lansing Rotary Foundation (which has, through the history of the club, given more than $2.5M to local organizations and projects).

 

 

Respectfully submitted by Michelle Reynaert, michelle.reynaert@sparrow.org