Dear Rotary Members,

 

Thank you for inviting us to your party.  It was fun looking through the catalog of gifts.  I like seeing Santa and your funny show, especially the music.  Thank you for your generous gift!  Thank you again letting us celebrate with you.  Merry Christmas,

Alvin

 

Thank you for inviting us to your party.  I love Christmas!  I am excited about getting a present and meeting you.  My friend Galilea told me the party is wonderful!  Thank you again for letting us celebrate with you!  Merry Christmas, 

Brooke

 

Thank you for inviting us to your Christmas party.  I have never been to a Christmas party before.  I liked looking at the toys in the catalog.  I am excited.  I like music and Christmas decorations.  Thank you again for letting us celebrate with you!

Abishake

 

Thank you for inviting us to your party.  It was so fun looking through the catalog of gifts.  I will go shopping with my mom to get a new dress.  I like seeing Santa and the huge Christmas tree at the Lansing Center.  Thank you again for letting us celebrate with you!  Merry Christmas!

Galilea

When you attend our Friday club meeting, please take a few seconds to "check in" with the person (usually Bob Corwin) who is keeping track of attendance.  If you are a new member Bob may not know your name, so it is helpful to give it to him to avoid any misidentification.  Keeping track of our attendance is important for a variety of reasons and it only takes a few seconds to ensure we record you as present.  Thank you for your help!

Big "Thank you" to our elves who joined together Wednesday to wrap gifts at the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau:

 

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

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.

Rotarians began filing into the Lansing Center at 11:30am for this very special meeting, Lansing Rotary’s 95th Annual Children’s Christmas Party. With a rich Rotary history of giving back to make Christmas special for some of our community’s more vulnerable and challenged children, once again we came together to put smiles on the faces of Lansing’s children, and once again, from their reactions of delight and glee, we succeeded.

 

President Dennis Fliehman called the meeting to order at 12:25 after a number of wonderful stories at our table from the likes of Rev. Dick Ammons, past President Darwin Brewster (who shared that this was his favorite meeting when he was at the helm), Don Colizzi and Bill Kane (among others). Recognizing the passing of President George H W Bush this past week as well as the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on this date, President Dennis welcomed our special guests. Our invocation was given by guests Camden Freeman and Galilea Tristan followed by the singing of God Bless America accompanied by John Dale Smith. President Dennis then introduced the voice of Christmas past, Ken Beachler, dressed for the occasion with a perfect (and appropriately colorful) Christmas vest, and the party officially began.

 

Introducing our own ‘not ready for prime time’ singers, Lansing Rotary’s ‘Rotary Singers’ Heidi, Lisa, Brian and Ken entertained with a variety of Christmas songs including solos by Lisa and Brian – you want to talk talent – well let no one question the talent right here in our own membership! I noticed that our own Dave O’Leary was mouthing the words as the singing continued. I’m thinking Dave may be angling for his own solo at next year’s party. I’m just saying…Of course, this wouldn’t be Rotary tradition without a reciting of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Ken Beachler accompanied by John Dale Smith (who we learned once again played a major role in the planning and production of this special day). At the conclusion of our Christmas songs, Uncle Jimmy was introduced in his finest Christmas attire. (Wish I could wrap my gifts as nicely as Jimmy was wrapped.)

 

All was going smoothly until Jimmy announced that Santa must have made a wrong turn, and probably wouldn’t make it this year. Well, as you can imagine, that did not sit well with our special guests, especially when they realized that Jimmy was up to his ‘old’ tricks…and so was Santa. Hiding as only Santa can do, Jimmy searched and searched but Santa was always one step ahead – does that surprise anyone??? They finally ‘connected’ and the glee of our guests put smiles on everyone’s faces. Santa called up his Rotary Elfs – led by maybe the biggest kid of them all, Elf Rocco, and gifts were distributed to the delight of our children guests. The Christmas season had officially arrived for Lansing Rotary. (I overheard someone saying how sad it was that Dave Drayton had to leave early from the meeting. He certainly would have enjoyed it. Oh well. Everyone gets busy this time of year. Ho ho ho, or I mean ha ha ha). Everything moved so smoothly, that a number of Rotarians were overheard commenting that Santa must have been holding remedial Elf training throughout the year. Good job to all!!

 

With gifts distributed and smiles on everyone’s faces, Santa left the meeting to prepare for Christmas for other deserving kids all around. In fact, I’m hoping that extra quarters were placed in the parking meters at the Lansing Center, so Santa’s reindeers didn’t get tickets. Don’t want to get that reputation.

 

The club meeting concluded with everyone joining in for the singing of White Christmas. President Dennis gave special thanks to Dean Transportation, the Lansing Center Staff (who once again did an outstanding job), Meijers and Mary Moreno with Gardner International Magnet School for all their help. The tradition continues.

 

Happy holidays to all…and to all a good night!

 

Joe Wald's email is:  jwald71@gmail.com