Next Monday - February 13th - the Big Banquet Community Charity Challenge Kicks off with online voting for 25 non-profit organizations in our area. The East Lansing Rotary Foundation has been invited to participate in this year's challenge and will be contributing all of the funds raised from this event to the
Weekend Survival Kits (WSK) program, which is sometimes referred to as the "backpack" program.
Their goal this year is to recruit 2,500 individuals to cast at least one $5 "Vote" online for the WSK program. Cast your votes online by Tuesday, March 21st at 5:00 p.m. atwww.university clubofmsu.org/theclubwithaheart, once there click on the BIG BANG-QUET COMMUNITY CHARITY CHALLENGE LINK, then scroll to: THE EAST LANSING ROTARY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE "WEEKEND SURVIVAL KITS" program.
The following proposed member has emailed an application to the office. If anyone has a comment on this proposed member please forward it in writing within ten days to the Rotary office, before approval by the board of directors. Thank you,
Rachel Kern, Territory Account Executive with LSJ, sponsored by Melissa Nay
The fittest kids in the world are Tanzanian, according to a standard test of 1.1 million children in 50 nations. Researchers compared results of a multistage sprinting test, one of the most common fitness tests globally, to assess youth ages nine to 17. After Tanzania, children in Iceland, Estonia, Norway, and Japan and placed in the top five. U. S. children ranked 47th out of 50, while Mexico placed last. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, could offer insights into future overall population health.
Even though we were at the Ewe Club today on the SW’n corner of Moo U, with the obstructed views, many felt like we were in Tiger Stadium at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. President Jack Davis called us to order and Helen Mickens prefaced an eloquent “Dear God” letter with humorous insurance anecdotes from 100 years past. John Dale Smith and Ken Beachler helped us sing God Bless America. Craig Stiles helped the visiting guests and Rotarians get introduced and then President Jack, displaying a remarkable contradiction in short and long term memory, commented, “Hey did Christine Tenaglia get introduced? You know, she still holds the high school record for the 800.” The Club is still trying to figure out if he’s paying attention, fully engaged, sarcastic, sardonic, witty or sometimes just being silly. Like all presidents of this era, he keeps us on our toes.
Ed McRee had a cancer free tumor removed, so that’s good, better out than in as they say. The fact that the news was given to us by Club Energizer Bunny Jack Bates is equally good news. Foundation President Courtney Millbrook presented the Davies Project (http://www.thedaviesproject.org/) with a $4,800.00 check. The Davies Project provides non medical support to families with severe medical issues. Maybe Terry Terry can do a video for their new tagline “More than Just a Ride” with something like MB’s 2017 Easyrider Superbowl ad. Rotary International President John Germ will be the Keynote Speaker (Milton Berle to introduce, get it?), at the Rotary Peace Conference on March 31 and April 1 in Ann Arbor. Check out www.2017peaceconference.org if interested. Special music today was Brian Farnham. This has got to be the first time the word “anthrax” was used in the intro to one of our guest singers; kind of made everybody clear their throat a little bit and take sip of water at the mention of it. Farnham was able to segue from the ominous undertone of emergent biosolutions to humor at Dave O’Leary’s expense (think Toad, American Graffiti) as he sang Alone at the Drive In Movie. Not even the U Club’s 58 Chevy sound system could detract from this special music talent.
That’s the end of the funny stuff folks. Really. The rest of the meeting was like accident fun waiting to happen. Just kidding, new Accident Fund EVP and COO Bryan Bogardus regaled us with news from the exciting world of insurance! Paul Rathbun was on the edge of his seat and could hardly contain himself. Believe it or not, Lansing is like catnip to insurance people. So long Seattle, SoCal, Denver and Orlando and hello land of frozen lakes! Lansing’s Accident Fund employs 1,100, with 700 in DT Lansing alone, yet strangely no Rotarians (we should offer them a corporate membership and they draw straws to see who comes to our weekly meeting). We learned the AF started above a retail store in 1912, was privatized in 1994 and that they sing the Blues at every shareholder meeting (BC/BS, sole shareholder). The AF and its employees contributed more than $435,000 and 2500 volunteer hours last year to Lansing area charities. Thank you corporate neighbor! The AF’s importance to Lansing is palpable and showcased in their redevelopment of the Lansing riverfront. Everyone notices upticks in the economy differently, but for workers comp insurers, they see it directly through payrolls of the employers they insure. Byan talked about the AF’s operations across the US, that 20% of their business originates in Michigan and their efforts to attract and retain talent in mid-Michigan. He ably fielded a large number of questions about telemedicine, opiates, but nothing about pizza loving dogs that set off sprinklers. President Jack gave him the highly prized Rotary coin for being our speaker and promptly announced, “We are adjourned.”
Next Monday - February 13th - the Big Banquet Community Charity Challenge Kicks off with online voting for 25 non-profit organizations in our area. The East Lansing Rotary Foundation has been invited to participate in this year's challenge and will be contributing all of the funds raised from this event to the