Shelbi Frayer currently serves as the CEO at Holy Cross Services/New Hope Community Center, as well as The Nest Lansing, a new homeless shelter she recently founded. Shelbi is an accomplished public sector executive and financial strategist known for stabilizing organizations, leading large cross-functional teams, and delivering transformative fiscal solutions. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning municipal government, education systems, state agencies, and private consulting.
Previously, Shelbi served as the Deputy Mayor for the City of Lansing, overseeing 13 departments and more than 1,000 employees. In this role, she led major development initiatives, including bond projects and a new city hall facility. Prior to working in Lansing, she served as Chief Financial Officer for the City of Flint. Her work resulted in securing $220M in state funding to address the City’s insolvent pension system, preventing bankruptcy and restoring solvency.
Shelbi holds a Master’s degree in Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Administration from Northwood University.
Mark Criss has served as Executive Director of the City Rescue Mission for over 20 years. His call to the ministry began as a volunteer, serving meals at the Mission in 1999. Three years later, he was invited to join the Mission’s Board of Directors. An unexpected career change led him to desire to serve in full time ministry. On July 28, 2003, he became the Associate Director of the City Rescue Mission, and in just over a year, he began to serve as the Executive Director.
Under Mark’s leadership, the Mission has seen tremendous growth. Most recently in 2025, the Mission moved to a new 37,000+ square foot, $10.6 million adult shelter. In 2026, the Mission begins a new chapter at its new location, celebrating 115 years of service in Michigan’s capital area.
Mark received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in General Business Administration and a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies from the Baptist Theological Seminary at Liberty University.
We have a service opportunity at the Greater Lansing Food Bank on Wednesday, May 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. located at 5600 Food Ct., Bath Township. Please let Jason Brunette know if you can help: Jason.Brunette@martincommercial.com
A total of $40,000.00 was approved by the Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation Board for International Grants from the committee. Each week we will highlight one of the non-profits receiving our checks.
Blessed Hope Foundation
This project was to construct a deep borehole well in Kalwanga Village, Luwero District, Uganda, where communities experience severe water shortages due to unreliable seasonal sources and contaminated shallow wells. Residents, expecially women and girls, walk long distances daily up to 4-6 kilometres to collect unsafe water for domestic use. This burden not only exposes them to health risks and gender-based vulnerabilities but also limits time for education and productive work. The project will drill and equip a borehole fitted with a durable India Mark II or Afridev handpump to ensure safe, reliable access to clean water for approximately 1,000 direct beneficiaries and 500 indirect beneficiaries, including schoolchildren, women, and families.
In addition to providing clean water, the project integrates community empowerment:
Formation and training of a Water Management Committee (WMC) responsible for operation and maintenance.
WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) education to promote safe water handling and hygiene practices.
Local artisans trained in pump maintenance to ensure sustainability.
Community contributions in kind (labor, stones, sand, and fencing materials) to enhance ownership.
Overall the project will improve health, education, food security, and livelihoods helping to break the cycle of poverty caused by unsafe water and gender inequality.
Blessed Hope Foundation was awarded a grant of $5,000.00 and Katie Krick was the sponsor.
On Thursday, February 26, approximately 25 Lansing Rotarians gathered at the Irish Pub on a sunny but chilly day. With the first day of spring scheduled to arrive on Friday, March 20, at 10:46 AM, one couldn’t help but think about the warmer days soon to be upon us. As such, the question of the day was: What’s the first thing you’re going to do when it turns 80º outside?
Here are how most of those attending answered… you can guess who said what… we were drinking and enjoying yummy pizza and Reuben inspired sandwiches and egg rolls, so this was a real informal poll…
- Go golfing!
- Put on my bathing suit and go down to Lake Manitou.
- Hire two guys to the dock in at the cottage on Maston Lake.
- Ride my bike---with shorts on!
- Well, I just came from 80º weather… I’d go to El Azteco rooftop and have De Jocoque Enchiladas.
- Go back inside and turn on the air conditioning .
- Turn on the air conditioning, especially if it’s muggy outside!
- Go further north!
- Go to the beach at Pentwater.
- I’ll be in the 80’s in the morning at Fort Myers, FL.
- Go fly fishing on the Au Sable River.
- Plant my vegetable garden.
- Open the pool!
- Burn my winter coat!
- Walk my dog instead of throwing a tennis ball down the stairs.
- Take my cocktail outside.
- Host a big outdoor party with guests enjoying the pool, hot tub, basketball, fishing, and of course, grilling and smoking meat.
- Take my wool socks off!
- Take my ~40 orchids outside and hang them on and place them under a tree for the summer.
- Get my Italian garden planted with tomatoes, peppers, and basil.
- Get my hands dirty! I’ve got three trays of seeds growing in my basement – flowers, vegetables, and herbs – that I’ll plant outside.
- Watch my 11 kids play in the yard.
- Pickleball!
It was a lively and fun gathering. If you haven’t been to an Irish Pub “meeting” lately, you’re missing a good time. Come on out! Oh, and according to one attendee, if you come exactly 12 minutes late, you’ll find a parking spot right out front even though the rest of the lot is packed.
meals at the Mission in 1999. Three years later, he was invited to join the Mission’s Board of Directors. An unexpected career change led him to desire to serve in full time ministry. On July 28, 2003, he became the Associate Director of the City Rescue Mission, and in just over a year, he began to serve as the Executive Director.
We have a service opportunity at the Greater Lansing Food Bank on Wednesday, May 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. located at 5600 Food Ct., Bath Township. Please let Jason Brunette know if you can help: 
