Rotarians and guests were warmly greeted by Casey Jacobsen. Participants enjoyed a lunch of grilled chicken, sweet potato & chickpea curry, mandarin salad, and lemon bars while Ben Rathbun was at the piano playing delightful background music.
President Rebecca Bahar-Cook, wearing MSU gear, (and accessorized with glitzy gold sneakers and an awesome green handbag), called the meeting to order. In a wonderful demonstration of fellowship and shared values, all recited the Rotary Four-Way Test.
Kim Garland, in pretty springtime pink, provided a reflection inspired by a recent college trip with her son who expressed excitement about meeting new people with different perspectives. Recognizing different perspectives provides opportunities to innovate, challenge assumptions, and build stronger communities. Listening to and respecting each other’s different experiences moves us beyond tolerance, fosters a sincere appreciation that enriches us, and makes life more vibrant and meaningful.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung by all, and then Lisa Smith in her cool black glasses passed around the microphone, (A regular microphone… no blue cube today!), for Rotarians to introduce their guests including Dave Moss, an architect from Colliers; Suzanne Greenberg, Executive Director of Michigan Children’s Trust; Wilson Snyder, Kate Snyder’s 8 year-old son; Merritt Frey, Potter Park Zoological Society’s donor engagement specialist; and President Rebecca’s daughter, Sara.
Michelle Lantz, in a “Rosie the Riveter” red polka-dot head scarf, announced today’s Rosie the Riveter Day Celebration at the Capital Region International Airport, featuring real Rosies, WWII aircraft, and some of the remaining Tuskegee Airmen.
Lisa Smith introduced very distinguished musical talent arranged by Terry Terry: vocalist Sarah Wallace and pianist Liudmila Bondar. They performed “Somewhere over the Rainbow” from the Wizard of Oz, and "O Mio Babbino Caro" ("Oh, My Dear Papa"), a famous soprano aria, from Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi.
Announcements:
- The local grants application process closes tonight at midnight!
- Kate Snyder received her red badge!
- The board has approved Tiffany Brown and Sunny Nadolsky as new Rotarians!
- The Charlotte Rotary is hosting a 3 on 3 basketball tournament on April 26!
Chair of the Day/Month, Julie Pingston, shared that the Rotary Clock Tower, donated to the City of Lansing in 1997 at a cost of $150,000 and commemorating the City’s 150th anniversary, has needed repairs, and those repairs took place this past week. Then she introduced today’s speaker, Potter Park Zoological Society Executive Director Amy L. Morris-Hall.
Amy has been with the zoo since 2013. She is responsible for the Zoological Society operations including fund raising, planning, fiscal management, membership development, marketing, public relations, and community relations.
Amy shared the following information…
2024 was the Zoo’s best year ever:
- There were 218,000 visitors, which is 20,000 more than last year.
- Choose Lansing named the Zoo as one of the area’s top attractions.
The Zoo’s mission is to inspire conservation of animals and the natural world.
A new Animal Health Care and Quarantine Facility under construction will open this summer and play a major part in this mission. It will allow for greater animal care and research, and it will help the Zoo maintain its accreditation by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). The facility will provide much needed space, meet ADA requirements, and give the Zoo greater opportunities for education. Cameras will be mounted over the operating/treatment tables so students can see the procedures being done.
The State has allocated $10M to improve the Feline & Primate Building which is incredibly old and doesn’t meet the needs of the Zoo’s large cats. Improvements are needed to maintain the Zoo’s AZA accreditation.
Federal funding of $1M will be used to improve the Zoo’s farmyard to ensure that animal waste doesn’t run off into the Red Cedar River.
There are a number of new species at the Zoo, and Amy’s favorite is an Okapi named Elombe. There have also been some new babies born, including a Red Panda cub and a Bongo calf.
The Zoo’s goals are:
- Excellent Animal Welfare
- Impactful Conservation
- Financial Sustainability
- Valuing Diversity
The Zoo is proud to be a part of the community, have a role in placemaking, and to have a positive economic impact on the Lansing region:
- $23.1M in annual economic output to the Greater Lansing area
- $3M Total tax contributions from zoo operational and visitor spending
- 175 jobs supported and sustained
Events, projects and programs, at the Zoo have been designed to achieve their mission and goals. Examples include…
- Wild Wanderers Club – Members of the club may access and walk the Zoo each day from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. before the Zoo opens. The goal of the club is to create a supportive and engaging community that embraces outdoor activity, fosters connections, and appreciates the joy of a leisurely stroll in nature.
- Virtual Tours allow people of all abilities an opportunity to explore the Zoo before their visit to decrease anxiety and make their visit to the Zoo comfortable and easily navigated.
- The Big Zoo Lesson for students, parents, and teachers to use Potter Park Zoo as their classroom for a week-long, in-depth study of biological sciences. This program has had approximately 35,000 participants over the years.
- Zookambi Summer Camp for youngsters is a sell-out every summer.
The Zoo also produces a number of conservation efforts and events, including…
- FrogWatch USA – A citizen science program aimed at training individuals, groups, and families to learn about wetlands in their community by listening for and identifying native frogs and toad species.
- Wild About Our Rivers Clean-Up Event – For all nature enthusiasts, conservationists, and animal lovers to participate in a river cleanup along the Lansing River Trail in front of Potter Park.
- Quarters for Conservation – For guests to learn about endangered species and donate a quarter to their favorite one. All donations go directly to conservation organizations working to save these species in the wild.
Amy’s Favorite Fun Facts about the Zoo in 2024…
- The animals consumed 5,882 pounds of fish!
- They also consumed 7,000 pounds of meat!
- Guests consumed 15,000 ice cream treats!
After a lively Q&A session, during which Bilky expressed her concern regarding the Zoo’s rattlesnake conservation efforts, President Rebecca brought the meeting to a conclusion with a ring of the bell. Next meeting: Thursday, March 27, at the Irish Pub starting at 4:30 p.m.
Email for Phyllis Riley: phyllisriley@msn.com