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Next Meeting - January 4th, 2019
We will not meet for the next two Fridays, December 21st or December 28th due to the Christmas Holiday and New Years Holiday.
 
  Our next meeting will be January 4th, 2019 at the Lansing Center.  Enjoy your families!
Save the Date for Rotary Cheer!
Plan to start January off with fun and fellowship with Lansing Rotarians!  The Club will be hosting a social reception for Rotarians and a guest on Wednesday, January 23 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in the Red Cedar Room.  Please RSVP to Cathy if you're able to join in the camaraderie with fellow Rotarians.
 
Julie
Maximizing Your Giving Under the New Tax Law
With the passage of the tax reform act that basically doubles the standard deduction, and limits the deductibility of state and local taxes, many donors may no longer be able to benefit from itemizing their deductions each year. However, many such donors can benefit from “bunching” multiple years of gifts into one year, thereby pushing that year’s deductions above the standard deduction amount.
 
For example, if a couple filing jointly customarily donates $15,000 annually to a variety of charities, they could modify that pattern by donating $30,000 every other year. That way, their standard deduction will be utilized in the off years, but in the years in which they have “doubled down”, they will have comfortably exceeded the standard deduction and derived a meaningful tax benefit from their donations.
 
If you are at least age 70 ½ and have a traditional IRA account, you can utilize another helpful tax strategy by having qualified charitable distributions (QCDs – sometimes referred to as charitable IRA rollovers) made from your IRA custodian directly to a charity, with that amount excluded from your taxable income (and therefore not requiring an offsetting itemized deduction). The QCD can be used to satisfy your obligation to take a required minimum distribution from your IRA (the check must be cashed by the charity in that year), and can also result in other state and federal savings.
 
As you plan your charitable giving and related tax strategies, please keep the Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation in mind. Because the specific tax implications of “bunching” or utilizing a QCD will depend upon your individual circumstances, you should consult your own tax or financial advisor about the tax treatment of such a gift. For additional general information regarding gifts to the Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation please contact Club President Dennis Fliehman or Foundation President Jim Dixon.
Editarian Report for December 14, 2018
On December 14th, 2018 Rotarians gathered at the Crowne Plaza for the annual meeting. President Fliehman called the meeting to order promptly at 12:30 PM EST. In his usual frank tone, Dennis politely asked us all to silence our cell phones. Then spritely, Julie Durham led the invocation which was quickly followed by Kenneth boasting out the patriotic song. Lisa Smith introduced the guest, which was Pam Miklavcic’s daughter. Next order of business was the health of the club. Diane Sanborn let us know the health of the club was good and that Pam recently had surgery on her hands, which is why her daughter was here.
 
Holding to a tight schedule, President Fliehman moved swift to announcements. He reminded us all that when we gather, to check in at the attendance table and give Bob our names, as Cathy will be on a much deserved and well-needed vacation. We moved directly to the presentation of Red Badges. We all congratulated Jacob Sabins and Nanci Yeadon. Jacob is Principal at Clark, Trombley, Randers and was sponsored by Todd Gute. Nanci is the Senior Event Coordinator at Breslin Center and was sponsored by Julie Pingston. Moving as quickly as we could, all of these was completed in under eighteen minutes.
 
Of course the hustle was to provide time for the two Blue Badge presentations and the annual business meeting of the club. Jason Brunette was first of two to address the Club. He is from a land famous for peaches and remarkably is a triplet. His undergraduate degree was completed in Physics from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He went on to earn a graduate degree in Construction and Engineering Management from North Carolina State University. He began working with CBRE in Atlanta, home of the nicest Waffle House I have ever eaten in. He moved to Lansing May 2015, still with CBRE. While being here for three years, he is still adjusting to winters and has learned the value of a snow blower.
 
Julie Durham, who also led the invocation, was next to present. She is the Resource Development Director for Capital Region Habitat for Humanity. Being born and raised in Lansing and a Sexton High grad, she is proud to have moved back home. Her favorite thing was to travel. As an adventurer, she also took a risk in moving to D.C. for an internship at the Kennedy Center. She also lived in Wisconsin, which she loved, for six years. She got married there and had a daughter, who was delightfully born on Christmas. But Julie experienced unforeseen complications that threatened her life. It was at that moment she realized she wanted to move home. Move home they did.
 
President Fliehman quickly rose to close the regular meeting and begin the annual business meeting of the Club. Darwin Brewster delivered the report for the nominating committee. They confirmed Nick Heriford, Michelle Reynaert, and Al Yambor as Directors-Elect each of whom will serve three-year terms. Past President Brewster also announced Julie Pingston will be our next President Elect beginning July 1st, 2019. Again, moving as swiftly as Dennis could muster, he announced the Treasurer’s report. The Club is anticipating a clean audit, we spent $185,000, and revenue is healthy. Expeditiously, current President Fliehman asked if there was any new business to come before the club.
 
President Fliehman had been doing so well, moving quickly to get everything needed into the meeting. We all thought he would ring the bell quickly. But Rocco Rucinski answered Dennis’s call for new business. Rocco took on the character of Buddy the Elf.  He led us all in a festive song, while we all hoped no one told David Berenbaum.
 
Happy Holidays and Have a Happy New Year!
 
Steve Slocum's email is:  slocums7@lcc.edu
Speakers
Dec 28, 2018
Jan 04, 2019
Capital Area Michigan Works and T3 Effort to Align Workforce with Career Opportunities @ Lansing Ctr
Jan 11, 2019
Direction of Senior Living Commiunities Across the US, Michigan and the Tri-County Region
Jan 18, 2019
Overview of the Lugnuts Baseball & Ignite Soccer Teams at the Lansing Center
View entire list
Rotary Club of Lansing
P. O. Box 13156
Lansing, MI   48901-3156