Spotlight 01-29-13, Vol. 75 No. 4

Posted by Elizabeth Walker 
 

Program:

Program Host Don Homan introduced his wife and Friend of the Court Conciliator Bonnie Miller, and Brighton Attorney Denise Couling who discussed Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and how it can affect family law issues.
 

Brighton Rotary Spotlight

Pam McConeghy, President

January 29, 2013, Vol.75, No. 4

 

Guests:     Donna Craig, wk4; Anthony Gelardi, wk3; Bryan Bradford, Liv. Sunrise Rotary; Jim Laurence, Liv. Sunrise Rotary; Denise Couling, Brighton Attorney, Bonnie Miller, Friend of the Court.

                  George Moses introduced John Conely, from Conely Motors, and passed the guest coin to Michael Southgate along with the honor of bringing a guest to next week’s meeting.

 

Announcements:

President Pam thanked Mark Marker for handling last week’s meeting while she was in Colorado.

Funeral Services for Past-President Harry Davis will be held at 11am on Friday, 2/1/13 at First United Methodist Church with visitation from 4-8pm at the same location.  Harry Davis was our President 51 years ago and most recently was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow by Jane McManus at our June Presidents Night.

Mark Cook received word that our Honorary Rotarian Cindy Snyder was diagnosed with breast cancer three months ago and is receiving treatment in Australia.  Although the biopsy was encouraging that the cancer was not in the lymph nodes, it is an aggressive variety, and Cindy is being treated with chemotherapy and radiation.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Rotary Anniversaries this month include:  Mark Cook (11 yrs); Bill Gartley (13 yrs); Terry Gill (6 yrs); Scott Griffith (31 yrs); Adrienne Knack (2 yrs); Scott Spitler (3 yrs); Greg Strouse (3 yrs); Jeff Toole (25 yrs)!!!  Also, Happy Birthday this week to Mark Cook, Terry Gill, George Moses, Greg Strouse & Beth Walker.

Congratulations to Kim Welsh and Tom Coates who are planning to be married in May!

Only three Rotarians still owe dues money for this year.  See Treasurer Peggi Mintz if you need to check your payment status.

A check was received from Downtown Main Martini Bar as a donation to our Rotary Scholarship Fund from ten percent generated from meals served at the restaurant.  Very generous

Piet Lindout recently visited Rotary Raiders ramp recipient Tim Delbert and shared how much of an impact the new ramp has made on his mobility, and that he is very grateful for the support and help!

Interact is sponsoring a practice ACT on February 2nd with proceeds to benefit the Rotary Scholarship Fund.  Registration is available at the Brighton District Library until Jan 30th.at 9pm.  Bill Gartley needs some adults to help from 9am-1pm.  Contact Bill if interested.

Youth Exchange Chair Cathy Riesterer alerted the members that at least one more family is needed for the Club to host a foreign exchange student next year.  When three families volunteer, then each family hosts the student for three month.  Heather Spitler has volunteered and other families are needed.  See Cathy if interested in this cultural opportunity.

Junior Achievement is back!!  Mike Bourke is coordinating JA at St. Patrick School and needs about six (6) instructors for the 5th, sixth & seventh grades (eighth grade instruction by Mark Cook and J. Michael Lenninger began today).  Mike says that the time commitment is about 45 minutes of preparation and one hour of teaching each week.  There will be an informational meeting in early February, and instruction will start in March.  Mark Marker assures the Club that this is great fun, and we look forward to offering another great experience in JA for area students.  See Mike Bourke to volunteer!

New Member Anthony Gelardi announced the St. George’s Food Pantry fundraiser on March 15th at the Howell Knights of Columbus Hall.  (Yvonne Cavalli from the Food Pantry was our guest speaker on January 15th)  Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased from Anthony or by calling 810-360-0271.  Appetizers begin at 6pm, and dinner begins at 7pm.  Anthony’s business Simply Fresh Market will be providing and preparing all of the food for the event so that ticket sale proceeds can be used to purchase additional food for the Pantry.  Another example of Service Above Self!

Bryan Bradford & Jim Laurence from the Livingston Sunrise Rotary talked about their February 16th fundraiser “Midnight in the Tropics”  at the Johnson Center.  Tickets are $50 each and proceeds will benefit two youth-oriented charities:  Reaching Higher and Connection House.

The VINA Dental Auction fundraiser is scheduled for 6pm Saturday, March 16th at the Johnson Center.  Cathy Riesterer alerted the Club that several vacation options will be available at the live and silent auction.  Tickets are $75 per person, including dinner and music, and can be purchased at www.vinadental.org.

OLSHA’s Walk for Warmth is scheduled for Saturday, February 9th.  District Governor Jim Gilmore will be accepting an award on behalf of Livingston County Rotarians for the generous support provided over the years

Rotary Moment: Stan Schafer will share his thoughts next week.

Upcoming Events:

02/02/13    9:00am            Interact Practice ACT, register at Brighton District Library by 1/30/13

02/05/13                            Rotarian George Kudla will be our speaker

02/09/13                            OLSHA Walk for Warmth

02/16/13                            Liv. Sunrise Rotary “Midnight in the Tropics”

03/15/13                            St. George Food Pantry fundraiser

03/16/13                            VINA Dental Auction

06/01/13                            LIP STYNK at Old Hartland High School

 

Program:

Program Host Don Homan introduced his wife and Friend of the Court Conciliator Bonnie Miller, and Brighton Attorney Denise Couling who discussed Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and how it can affect family law issues.  Both Bonnie and Denise are members of the Livingston Interdisciplinary Professional Association (L.I.P.A) a group of local lawyers, mediators and professionals focused on mediation and out-of-court options in family law.  They help couples and families reach resolutions without adversarial litigation.  Bonnie closed her Howell law office over five years ago and found another way to help with family law issues through a 20 hour per week position with the Friend of the Court as a Conciliator.  Through Early Intervention Conferences (EIC) she brings together parties to talk about what is happening with the children and try to settle issues outside of the governmental court system so that the interested parties can make decisions about the children and assets.  Statistics show that 82 percent of issues decided in this matter do not have any objections from either party during a divorce.  Denise Couling has a private law practice in Brighton focused on mediation and dispute resolution.  She also aims to avoid lawsuits so that the parents/interested parties can decide key issues and avoid a trial that can cost upwards of $40,000.  Mediation services are charged at a professional rate.  In the end, the goal of Bonnie’s and Denise’s efforts are to help families make the best decisions for their own futures rather than relying on decisions created and enforced by the court system.

 

50/50 drawing:  $740 jackpot in week 7 with 34 cards+1 joker remaining.  Greg Strouse drew the six of Clubs, Mitch Zoldowski drew the ace of Hearts, and Anne Belser drew the nine of Clubs.