President Sue Hansen pulled everyone in from their small group conversations and called the meeting to order. The invocation was provided by Sandy Draggoo (provided at the end of this report). The patriotic song was God Bless America.
President Hansen invited Hari Kern to introduce her guest, George Loomis, a former Rotarian visiting from New York City.
President Hansen called on Ben Rathbun to introduce his guest, future Rotarian Ryan Carter and local high school student Nathan Dolton.
President Hansen called on Chris Swope to introduce his guest, former Grand Ledge and University of Michigan basketball player and State Representative candidate Jon Horford.
President Hansen called on Janet Lillie to introduce her guest, Phillip Buckman from the MSU student Rotary group, MSU Rotoract.
President Hansen lead the group in the reciting of the Four-Way Test.
Linda Lynch reported that the health of the club was good.
Announcements included:
February birthdays were celebrated, led by Parker Sessa, with a collection of $900 with 91 percent participation. As an avid boater, Sessa asked February birthday Rotarians, “If you had a yacht, what would you name it?”
- Diane Sanborn: “Koi, the love boat,” after her beloved bed and breakfast.
- Dawn Springer: “Damn Yankee,” representing her German maiden name that sounds like “Yankee.”
- Craig Stiles: “13 and Counting,” for the number of people in his family. As yachts are a sign of wealth, he finds wealth is represented in the love of his family.
Lynn Brenkle gave her “New Member” presentation.
Coming from Detroit Westland, Lynn went to MSU and graduated with a degree in marketing. As a proud Spartan, she started a family and went on to become the executive director of ARC Mid-Michigan. In 2019, she helped expand the reach of ARC to the Lansing area. Passionate about advocating for people with disabilities, she hopes there will be a day when there are a diverse group of Rotarians in attendance that vary in abilities. As a proud mother (soon-to-be grandmother) and wife, she loves spending time boating Up North with her family. She has been very involved in Rotary and is excited to share more about her organization at the end of March.
Rotarians joined LCC Foundation’s Cathy Zell in celebrating a $900,000 donation from the estate of Richard Sellers.
Thanks to our Chair of the Month/Day, Scott Watkins, who provided the introduction of Jeff Smith the Director of the University Corporate Research Park UCRP at MSU Foundation.
Mr. Smith spoke on “MSU Foundation Real Estate”
Highlights include:
- Smith discussed the pipeline of innovation that is available and active in the center of East Lansing, adjacent to Michigan State. With multiple initiatives designed to help entrepreneurs and budding businesses, the Foundation supports economic growth through incubators, research labs, space technical assistance and more.
- The Foundation has a goal to expand its services around the state, stretching from coast to coast.
- Smith discussed the innovation and varying programming available through the Foundations investments that have led to local and international business.
A handful of Q&A included questions about the kind of “shepparding” that new business owners receive; the diversity of industry they work with; clarifying the MSU Foundation structure; the connection of their programming with local high school students and what placemaking and real estate news could be on the horizon.
President Hansen shared that in lieu of a speaker’s gift, we will make a donation in the speakers’ honor to a local organization through our Lansing Rotary Foundation which has, over the history of our club, given in excess of $2,000,000 to local organizations and projects.
NEXT WEEK: We will meet at the Lansing Center and on Zoom at noon on Mar 04, 2022 Brian Calley, Executive Director of SBAM.
The invocation that Sandy Draggoo read in honor of Smith:
We are thankful for this day that you have given us, for its blessings, its opportunities, its challenges. May we appreciate and use each day that comes to us. May we do our part to use our blessings and to share them with others throughout the world.
May you bless the leaders of the United States and the rest of the world as we are tackling world problems that take away freedoms of our world neighbors. Be with them all and guide them to make the best decisions that can be made for all people. Bless especially the people in Ukraine on this day and the days in front of them.
Bless also the local leaders that the violence in our own area will be foremost on their minds and to make positive decisions so that all our citizens will live in peace and non-violent existences. We know that violence is not the answer - help us always to remember that!
We want everyone to keep in mind always the enduring values of life, exerting all of our efforts in these areas and on those things upon which future generations can build with confidence. Let us all continue to strive to make a better world for all people - no matter where they live in this wonderful world that we live in!
Bless this food that has been prepared for us so that it will be used to strengthen us in our service to you. Bless us everything we do. In the Lord's name we pray. Amen.
Meghan Martin's email is: meghan@lansingarts.org