At our first meeting in February, the CP Rotary Club was invited to visit Mary Free Bed located in downtown Grand Rapids. Our Rotary Club made a $2500 donation to MFB Pediatric Feeding Program for children with difficulties eating, drinking, chewing or swallowing due to illness, disease, or sickness. We will also receive a district matching grant for an additional $2500 making our total donation $5,000.00. We were able to have lunch and listen to a presentation by Lydia Bekius on how the money is being used. Lydia is an Outpatient Pediatric Feeding Dietitian in Nutrition Services. No child is turned away due to the family’s inability to pay.
Jocelyn Dettloff, Major Gifts Director, also spoke to us about MFB. She is originally from Kalamazoo MI, she first got to know Mary Free Bed 26 years ago. While vacationing in South Africa and surfing the Dunes, she had a horrific accident, and severed her spinal cord. After receiving care in South Africa, she came to MFB letting them know that prior to the trip she had plans to move out of her parents home and live on her own, and she said those plans had not changed. She wanted her independence and with the help of MFB she achieved that goal. Although she uses a wheel chair, she is independent. About 11 years ago she came back to work for the place that gave her life back. Impactful!
And just like that it is March…in like a lion and out like a lamb? Or will it be in like a lamb and out like a lion? The good news either way or in or out like lambs or lions, we are closer to Spring. Spring lets us get outside and move around, take in more sunshine, listen to the birds chirp, see the flowers begin to poke through the earth and all hope is renewed for our future. What projects are we planning at our homes, or cottages, or in our community? Are there flowers that need to be planted to brighten our community or might there be a member in the community who may need a wheel chair ramp added to their home? Can we volunteer our time to make others lives better?!? Please submit your ideas for a 2023 Spring project to the service committee so we can start planning now! Reminder - March 30, 2023, the CP Rotary Club will be volunteering at Feeding America West Michigan on W. River Center Dr. Thank you!
Diane Van Epps, President
ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS is a program that builds the next generation of Rotary leaders. Bob Homan, Chairman, has streamlined the application process for this program and is seeking another Rotarian to work with him ASAP to eventually take it over. RYLA is offered in June and this year it will be at Ferris State University. It is five days of great speakers and development of skills for these young people. Our club covers the cost for these students.
Comstock Park Rotary has sent usually two students each year. The cost is approximately $315 each. In addition, we also offer a scholarship at both Comstock Park and Kenowa Hills High Schools for Seniors. In both programs, the club works with the school counselors.
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