• Music by: Vern Gauthier – Audience progressive tune the “Row-Row Your Boat”;
• Introduction of Visiting Rotarians & Guests (3 visits + numerous NMC students & supporters);
• New Members: Matt McDonough – Sponsored by Becky Ewing. Matt is MSU grad. Interested in fisheries, water rights, biking & has a cabin on Beaver Island that he constructed; 
• Andrew Page – sponsored by Steve Wade – Andrew is affiliated with the YMCA and involved in the developing new programs and activities;

• Outstanding students introduced by Jayne Mohr:

• Becky Ewing: Rotary Charities has a new staff member: Sakura Takano – Sakura was selected to join the staff after interviewing 90 applicants.  She will be involved in New Technology Investment opportunities and is a great addition to the Charities staff;
• Other info; Rotarians needed for the Golf outing – Tag day – Fri & Sat August 23 & 24
• 50/50 raffle + $67.00.

• Special Attention:

• First of all, a card or note to Kathy would be appreciated; 515 Georgetown Drive #52 TC 49684
• Also, to help with Kathy’s expenses; her friends have set-up a “Go-Fund” me account.  For the purpose of privacy, the account is by invitation only.
• If you would like to participate in this, Carla Weaver & Lisa Pointe will provide you with more information.  Please contact them by E-mail.

• An Era of Innovation and Entrepreneurship; February 26, 2001,to September 2019
• NMC and Traverse City are recognized Globally;
• The Great Lakes Maritime Academy;
• Great lakes Water Studies;
• The Great Lakes Campus Collocation;
• The Great Lakes Culinary Institute & Lobdell’s teaching restaurant;
• Hagerty Conference Center;
• Michigan Energy Demonstration Center;
• Michigan New Jobs Training Program @ NMC;
• Engineering Technology Degree & Maritime Technology – Bachelor’s Degree;
• NMC’s Nursing (Munson)national Accreditation – Off-campus childcare;
• Dennos Museum expansion;
• NMC West Hall Innovation Center;
• NMC Aviation Program – 50th Anniversary.

George Powell introduced the day’s program and speaker our US Congressman from Michigan’s 1st Congressional District the Honorable Jack Bergman. Bergman is a second-term Republican Representative in Washington. He is a United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General. He served as commanding General of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North. He also served as a naval aviator flying rotary winged and fixed-wing aircraft. 

Elected to the US House of Representatives in 2016 he is currently serving his second term. According to Wikipedia, Bergman is the highest-ranking combat veteran serving in the United States Congress. Having received his undergraduate degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, he also earned his MBA from West Florida University. He splits his time between Washington DC and Watersmeet, Michigan, where he lives with his wife, Cindy.

Bergman took the dais and spoke fairly briefly about a few subjects before he opened it up for questions. He kept the tenor light and upbeat as he spoke of the better side of Washington politics and with a politician’s savvy avoided some of the more dangerous and shark-infested political waters of the moment. And despite what we see as gridlock and divided government Congress does get things done every day.

There was a point where he suggested that politicians sitting around working together in a bipartisan way every day out of the sight of media and public making things move forward wasn’t exciting. Thankfully there was immediate disagreement with this sentiment among our Club members, and like the politician that Mr. Berman is he quickly spun around to agree that, yes, indeed this “was exciting.” 

Unfortunately the two ways in which he exemplified this “bipartisan working together” was not about a unique way to address the looming and significantly rising deficit nor was a means to address the underlying issues we encounter with mass shootings, but rather it was about raising $1.3 million dollars playing baseball together recently, however, and he was rather excited about this, when they reconvene following the summer recess they begin practice for the biannual Congressional Bipartisan Football Game! I think this speaks volumes about Washington…but I digress if I go further.

Once Bergman got beyond this, he spoke about his own efforts with committee work and Veterans Affairs, he touched briefly on some items of import that concern all of us. Here he is making some inroads and appears to be doing some good work on behalf of our Veterans, though much more is needed to be done, and he acknowledges that.

He spoke about the State of Michigan in general and working well as a state first. He acknowledges the incredible difficulties Washington faces in the current political climate. Then he opened it up to questions. Surprisingly even the questions were not particularly hardball, but neither were the answers. All in all it was a cordial meeting. An opportunity for a face to face with our Representative.

These are some of the areas covered by our Representative and Rotarians:

• A starting date for work on the Sault locks? No…but…money has finally been appropriated…maybe sometime late 2020.

• The National deficit. Whassup with that? Do you actually talk about it and what to do about it?

Short answer – Yes. 70% of federal spending is on autopilot! Not even addressed. Discretionary defense and non-defense is all that is negotiated on. No one is willing to sacrifice their political life…that’s the nub. Sidestepped the military budget (700 Billion Dollar question) somewhat…of course there is no easy answer. Shifted it to a cyber issue.

• Does Justin Amash’s defection from the Republican party matter? Not really…he’ll run as an Independent.

• Our bitterly divided nation
  Yes, our country is…we need to be civil. When fishing the key is “don’t be the fish!... Don’t take the bait.”

• How to tackle the Mass shootings that are petrifying parents daily…are there substantive discussions? Short answer…Yes. We’re on recess…this will ramp up when we get back to DC. No more was said, unfortunately. That may also be true when they all get back to DC. I’ll believe it when I see it (please excuse the editorializing!). Bergman steered away from anything that might lead him into controversy, ultimately sidestepping the issue due to being on recess. Asserting it would be top of mind as soon as Congress returned, all the while remaining non-committal as to his position or where he felt the constituency currently stands. 

• Inefficiency in government

Bergman gave a few examples of ‘small’ (a relative) dollar waste: $150 Billion in “improper payments” not fraud just waste. There is no incentive to reduce waste within the bureaucracy.

There is a need to incentivize reduction. It’s a challenge.  

• The Great Lakes: How do we protect them as the treasure they are? The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is a key element. It has been zeroed out and restored a number of times. We cannot lose the battle for the Great Lakes. This is a $300 million dollar appropriation with some 3500 line items.

Rotarian George Powell  giving the Wheels of Hope certificate to  presenter US Congressman Jack Bergman 

Rotarians from the five-county area have volunteered to review grant applications for decades and their expertise has shaped our region. Last fall, we shifted our grantmaking strategy, created new criteria and questions. 

We now have 2 new grant areas to be considered during the annual cycle. We continue to support community asset building and capital campaigns through our Assets for Thriving Communities grants. We've widened our scope to fund comprehensive solutions to complex community problems through our Systems Change Accelerator grants.

It's time to bring our volunteers up to speed, including those with experience and new volunteers. All volunteer reviewers for the 2019 season – including those who have volunteered in the past – must follow the requirements listed below to participate. We invite you to participate in the training and review process – your perspectives, questions and commitment to impact help us make great grant decisions!

• Becky Ewing, Executive Director, Rotary Charities of Traverse City

What do reviewers do, exactly? 

During grant review season October-November 2019:

1. Review & comment on grant applications that have made it through the first round of staff and board review.

2. Participate in a 1.5 - 2-hour in-person interview with applicants and the review team.

3. Help the review team come up with a recommendation that goes to the board for the final decision in December 2019.

What does it take to become a volunteer?

1. Email Stacey Foster to let her know you’re interested in volunteering to review: sfoster@rotarycharities.org. Direct any questions to Freya Bradford: fbradford@rotarycharities.org or 231.941.4010 ext. 209

2. Attend this May’s Grant Training for applicants, or watch the taped session, available in June. 

   • Grant Training for Applicants – REGISTER HERE
     May 29th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM 
     Hear exactly what we share with potential applicants. Please indicate you're registering as a Rotarian Grant Reviewer when prompted.  

3. Required reading/watching

• Grant Application Guidance - ATTACHED

• Beyond Checkbook Philanthropy: The Power of Transformational Giving

• Farm to School: A Systems Story

4. Look out for the Rotarian Grant Reviewer Training
    

   • TBD date in September 2019
     Prepare for in-person grant reviews with finalists

Optional Training

Systems Thinking for Social Change

May 21st - 22nd

A two-day workshop with national experts highlighting new skills and mindsets that are at the heart of our new direction.

REGISTER HERE

The boards of Rotary Charities and Rotary Camps & Services are now accepting nomination forms for the Board of Trustees.  Terms will begin October 2019 and end September of 2022. Any Rotarian who has been a member of and active in, the club for five years and is currently in good standing may apply (note: if the Rotarian transfers in from another club and has at least 5 years total between the two, they are eligible to run). 

Key Characteristics for Rotary Charities and Rotary Camps & Services board members:

• Proven leadership

• Strong community connections

• Nonprofit board experience

• Exemplary of the Four-Way Test

• Objective, with no personal agenda

• Respectful of differing opinions

• Collaborative

• Strategic thinker

• Visionary

• Creative 

• 5-county perspective

The time commitment varies with each board, committee membership, and role.  Both boards meet monthly for 1 ½ - 2 hours. There will be additional time for joint board meetings, legacy trustee meetings, and grant meetings (Rotary Charities Board only).  Plan on a monthly commitment of 5 – 15 hours.

Application forms for both boards are posted on the club website and are also available from Kathy Bussell or Stacey Foster or please CLICK HERE  Applications are due back to the Rotary Office by September 10, 2019.