Spotlight 02-10-15, Vol. 77, No. 6

Posted by Beth Walker 
on Feb 10, 2015
 
PROGRAM:
Program Host Jeannie McMillan presented Debbie Jordan, co-founder of Rainbow Dreams, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization she began in 2012
 
Brighton Rotary Spotlight
Peggi Mintz, President
February 10, 2015, Vol. 77. No. 6
 
GUESTS:       Abby Cooper, wk2; Karen Gill, wk2; Reggie Osborne, wk2; Maggie Barnowski, Cleary University; Heather Clary, Edward Jones; Debby Jordan, Rainbow Dreams; Joe Regnier, Maribeth’s spouse.
 
MEET, GREET & LEARN: Mark Cook and April Dertian were featured this week. Mark was born at Mellus Hospital (where Pam McConeghy’s office currently resides) and grew up in Milford.  He attended Michigan Technological University before graduating from the Memphis Optometry School and opened his practice in Brighton in 1978.Mark met his wife Becky in the hospital (she was a nurse) and they now have three grown children and two grandchildren (one son lives in London, England).  Mark always loved the outdoors and currently has a cottage on Mullet Lake with lots of boats.  He enjoys deer hunting, used to ride motorcycles, and at Michigan Tech University was a member of the Skydiving Club.  April Dertian also enjoys riding motorcycles, making beer and wine, and shooting guns (favorite weapons are 9mm handguns or automatic rifles).  April is the Development Director for the Livingston County Salvation Army.  She left home at 17 years of age and owned her own home by the age of 20 years.  She is a diligent worker and first job involved building pallets for an automotive company but after being injured, her doctor said that she needed to do another task and the company switched her to marketing where she was a Trade Show Girl.  After earning a business degree from Cleary University, April worked for two companies that closed within three months of hiring her.  She started Events, ETC. which handled many local extravaganzas, but after eight years when the economy slowed, she closed the business. After another stint at Dell Web that ended when the company closed, April moved to the non-profit sector and has been with the Salvation Army ever since.
Next week: Brian Donovan and Kimberly Welsh-Gemuend-Coates
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Happy Birthday to Jeanne McMillan!  Happy Wedding Anniversaries to Maribeth & Joe Regnier (38 years) and Sheryl & Bill Markby (29 years)!  Happy Rotary Anniversary to Michael Southgate (3 years); Kim Leugers (6 years); and Ed Bottum (17 years)!
 
Light Up Rotary!  Mike McManus thanked Kathy Riesterer and Adirenne Knack for planning to attend tonight’s Pre-PETs rotary training session for Club executives at the Brighton Community Center.
 
President Peggi presented Mark Cook with a $2,000 check from the Club’s Board of Directors for the VOSH vision project.
 
Bob Murray announced that his son did not win a Grammy last night AND that the WHMI-93.5 website has become corrupted and should not be accessed today.
 
Paul Harris recognition badges for Anne Belser (May, 2013), Tom Zizka (May, 2013); Nancy B. Johnson (May 2014), and Fred Arthur (May, 2014) have arrived and will be placed on the Club banner.
 
Next week is the 110th Anniversary of the founding of Rotary International and members are invited to join us for the World’s Greatest Meal to End Polio Now by bringing spare change to support the polio project.
 
Frank Mancuso reminded everyone that the OLSHA Walk for Warmth will be Saturday, February 21st at 9am at the old Hartland High School.  We have met our goal donation plus $15, but if people are still interested in contributing, Frank will have the pledge sheet for another week.
 
Michele Bouhana is asking for donations to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help her earn bail to “Get out of Jail” tomorrow.  Donations can be given to Michele, made payable to MDA, or made online at www.MDALivingston.org
 
Big Brothers/Big Sisters Bowl-A-Thon will be held in March and Bill Anderson and Rachele Evers are collecting funds to challenge the Livingston Sunrise Rotary.  Rachele asks donors to vote whether she should wear her Wonder Woman costume or not for bowling.
 
Maggie Barnowski and her family received a Raiders ramp in 2011 for her husband who had ALS.  He passed in 2012 and Maggie went back to school.  She will earn her Bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management from Cleary University this spring, and for her senior project, she is organizing a support group for ALS survivors.  She will be hosting a fundraising walk at Cleary University on May 3rd.
 
Cleary University is hosting a Casino Night in March – cost is $40/person or $75/couple.  See Maggie Barnowski if interested in purchasing tickets.
 
Jane McManus announced that registration for the District #6380 conference at the Motor city Casino in Detroit on April 24-26 is now open.  Jane shared a quote from the RI President that “every project is local to someone” which is why we each contribute to RI.
 
Kim Leugers distributed a membership questionnaire based upon a RI recommendation.  Please complete your copy and return next week.  Thank you!
 
Upcoming Events:
02/21/15    9am                 OLSHA Walk for Warmth
02/24/15                            110th Anniversary of the founding of Rotary International
04/24-26/15                       District Conference at Motor City Casino
06/20/15                            Top of the Mountain Dash or Crash 5K run at Mt. Brighton
 
 
PROGRAM:
Program Host Jeannie McMillan presented Debbie Jordan, co-founder of Rainbow Dreams, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization she began in 2012 to “make a significant impact on the lives of children in need by providing a functional, comfortable, and inspiring bedroom.” This organization began when she was employed by LESA and noticed that students kept falling asleep in class.  She learned that a particular student was sleeping on a floor or couch each night and it was affecting his mental and physical development.  She and the other co-founder spoke with the family and decided to help by creating a bedroom – providing bedding, a structure, and involving the family in preparing/painting a room.  Fifteen bedrooms have been created/provided since 2012, and referrals are often received from the schools.  The goal is to make the students feel special, so only new materials are provided.  It costs approximately $2000/bedroom, and about three people at a time handle the project.  Art Van Furniture will deliver materials free and will offer a discount to the organization.  The primary source of revenue for Rainbow Dreams is donations.  Right now, there is no waitlist for the service, but suggested Livingston County recipients are encouraged. Jeannie learned about this group through the 100 Women Who Care organization at which Rainbow Dreams was selected to receive a $10,000 donation. See the website www.rainbowdreams.us for more information,  
 
50/50 Progressive Drawing:  Tom Zizka, Jerry Dunneback and Michele Bouhana were unsuccessful in locating the Ace of Spades.