President Chris Swope is winding down his presidency. I can’t image bearing the yoke of leadership and can only assume the anticipation of passing the
torch to the next president is unbearable. Chris is excellent at doing the 4 way test. He probably secretly likes checklists. Bobby Hoffman spoke from the heart and reminded us all that perhaps relationships are perhaps the most important thing of all. We sang the Star Spangled Banner, which is important because
Spangled means decorated with small, shiny objects like sequins, beads, or jewels. It is also frequently used to describe something sprinkled with glittering points of light. I’m given to understand from guest speaker today that Spangled is President Chris’ middle name.
We had the good fortune of special music, again. Live music on regular basis nourishes the soul. Today we had 8 performers from Riverwalk Theater’s production of
Seussical the musical. It plays from June 4th to the 14th and today’s performance was a teaser of what you’d see at Riverwalk. What an amazingly talented troupe. They filled the room with their passion for performing. “One small voice n the Universe who will believe in me” struck the heart of many.
Chris Holman, the man who never ages, took to the podium to announce May birthdays. He asked the birthtarians if they could travel through time, when would they go. Mark Hooper wanted a seat at the signing of the Declaration of Independence to feel the moment. Sue Mills said Iceland, maybe she meant the Ice Age? Chris Nugent, ancient Greece. And then there was Lolo’s answer, opening with “Dare I travel to the past to see if we’ve progressed?” Followed by a two page answer to the question of would I even want to travel through time Woof! Articulate, sincere, filled with both passion and woe, but in the end a tribute to her husband Dane and why would Lolo ever leave this time. I’m having Club Secretary Cathy insert Lolo’s answer here so that one hundred years from now some Rotarian will stumble upon it, fall to their knees and know that Rotarians in 2026 knew the turbulent times they lived in, felt them with intention and lived with a joie de vivre future Rotarians would be well to envy.
President Chris then introduced our speaker, Bradly Rakowski, of Bradly’s HG in Old Town. Yes, it’s true, there’s no “e” in Bradly. Not everyone can pull off a name without an “e” (Kvin?, see? Doesn’t work), but Bradly didn’t seem to miss it and appears to have thrived being e-challenged. Bradly knew he was scheduled to be a speaker today, but didn’t know until this morning when husband Chris told him, “you’re not just speaking, you need to have a presentation.” Tensions rose and I can only imagine sparks flying which is probably what Chris wanted anyway. Bradly’s presentation took us through his early days, strike that years, strike that, decades, working for the Lansing State Journal and then leap into Old Town and his foray into retail. He said something about lingerie and I lost my train of note taking thought. We witnessed the progression from a corner in the Absolute Gallery to his own space that was so small they had to put most of the items curbside for people to see them. From there it was to a 400 square foot space in the old Estes Furniture building. Bradly encouraged symbiotic business relationships as that was a means of testing the market and growing your business in relative safety before taking the big leap to your own lease. From 100 square feet to 400 to 1200 to 2800, he always wondered if he could fill the space with retail that would resonate with the buying public. Luckily for him, the public is addicted to Bradly’s taste, style, voice and tone. Bradly shared painful lessons learned (2 years in G Raggedy) and how the store has grown to be not only retail but a community gathering place for the home, for food, for social. Chris and Bradly’s most recent venture is near and dear to my heart, historic restoration. The two adventurous entrepreneurs have taken on the restoration of the Kilborn Meade home. First, strip it bare, second, move it a block north, third completely rebuild and restore it to be vacation rental/community gathering space complete with display garden. I can’t wait. Bradly answered questions and husband Chris was relieved to survive yet another meeting, at least until next week when we skewer him in the annual presidential roast.
No Need for Time Machines
Dare I travel to the past—
if only to see how far we’ve come as a people,
to better understand the progress we praise,
the steady rise of human thought?
What lessons have we kept,
what wisdom gathered
to make this world gentler, kinder, more just?
Oh, to know the truths we’ve buried.
Or should I turn instead to the future?
How curious I am—
what becomes of those I love?
How will my children age,
how will our family stretch and fold
through marriages, through partings,
through births and quiet losses yet to come?
Will our hearts remain full—
of joy, of love, of light—
or hollowed by grief and longing?
Will oceans still breathe along our shores,
rivers wind steady through the land?
Will roots still reach deep
into the patient earth?
Will gardens offer flowers,
plums, and berries sweet with sun?
Will trees still bear their fruit?
Will my bees still hum,
faithful in their tending?
What of us—
of science, of democracy?
Will we have cured what ails us,
mended body and mind?
How wondrous it would be to know—
to glimpse what lies ahead.
And yet—
I've no need for time machines.
I would rather remain here,
in this fleeting, fragile present,
where love still lives
in my dearest’s eyes—
the sweetest I have ever seen.
I will watch the silvering of his hair,
the gentle slowing of his steps.
I will treasure his hand in mine,
the softening of his touch
as we grow older, together—
a promise kept.
For in love, time loosens its hold,
and I have no wish
to be anywhere
but here.
— Lolo Robison
What makes Rotarians, and in particular, editarians special, is that they journal our club, what happened on this date, who was there, what did they say, what music did we listen to, but more to the point, who we are as a Club. Lolo's answers to a simple question went above and beyond the simple but strikes at the heart of friendship we share with each other and the love we share. A hundred years from now, I want that reflected in the historical record. Thx Lolo!
Email for Kevin Schumacher: schumacher@glassenrhead.com