Kathy Sielsky, Reading Specialist and Deb Risner – principal (just retired) of Michener Elementary School were on hand to recap the success of this year’s Fluency Friends Program at the school. Kathy mentioned to the audience how grateful she and Deb were for our help and that of the Adrian Morning Club members who volunteered in reading with and helping to build relationships with the children. A total of 32 elementary students participated in the program this year, she said. Volunteers were able to provide 152 additional hours of reading practice to the kids!
Some 92% of the students at Michener Elementary fall into the “at risk” category, Kathy said. This program is particularly significant because it allows volunteers to provide positive role models for them to follow. Reading at home, Kathy emphasized, was not something these youngsters typically do so our time with them is huge! 60% of the students achieved their projected reading goals as established by the NWEA.
A reception was held on May 25th in their school library for all of the students and volunteers who participated. During the reception, as a result of the $1.000 contribution we made to this program, each of the children were able to choose five books they wanted to take home with them and keep. Kathy said that she was extremely pleased that every member who volunteered this past year signed up to return again next year! She encouraged anyone who has not yet done this, to see Mary Murray to sign up to help next school year. She concluded her portion of the presentation by presenting a Maple Pride Award certificate to our club, compliments of the Michener’s Pride Patrol, for our involvement in this very important program. Shown above are Deb Risner on the left and Kathy Sielsky on the right.
Deb Risner then spoke and said that Michener Elementary is, indeed, a very special place since everything they do is so needed and very appreciated. The parents of these children have to work so hard to provide for their families and really don’t have the time to do other things, she said, and that’s why the relationship our members have with them are so important! “You folks value school and know how important it is for kids to have an education and these kids don’t get that kind of encouragement at home because their parents didn’t have those kinds of experiences themselves.” She concluded by saying: “This is a very special club”, she said, holding back tears.
Mary Murray said that this program was very close to her heart as a former educator. “No one lives by the motto ‘Service Above Self’ more than Deb Risner”, Mary said. No matter what time you are at Michener, Deb was always in the hallway it seemed greeting the kids, parents and volunteers, Mary said! “The tone she set at the school was incredible. She has touched the lives of every student and has done so much for our community. On behalf of everyone here”, she said, “I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done and wish you nothing but the best in your retirement.”
A special shout out goes to Mary Murray for helping out with this program each of the past three years who acts as our “go-between“ with the club and Michener Elementary, orders the books, sets up each year for the reception, and many other things! Thanks, Mary!!
Adrian Center for the Arts – Pi Beneo was on hand along with art student, Elliana Guiterrez to thank our club for the contribution we made to them this past summer. With the money they offered scholarships to deserving students and to offset camp expenses for children interested in participating.
Club Dues – Remember that dues are do for the first half of the new Rotary year. Please bring a check with you at the next meeting and drop off if you haven’t done so already.
Raffle – REMEMBER: In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Chevy Camaro, Bell Chevrolet and IDIDIT have agreed to sponsor a custom golf cart and help save more lives through the Lenawee Humane Society! The drawing will be held on September 16th and tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20 and $15 for $40. See Patty for your tickets – a great cause. Mike and Susan Tobey purchased $500 worth of tickets from Patty!
AUGUST – New Member Month – Bring a prospect to lunch this month!
August 19 – Mini-River Raisin Cleanup – Luke announced that this is the next get together from 9am-1pm. Tentative location at this point is the corner of Bent Oak Avenue and Riverside Drive. It might change, however. We will keep you informed.
August 23 - Bike Tour Meeting - Another meeting of the committee is scheduled for Wednesday, August 23 at Chip’s house. Need all hands on deck as we are less than 90 days away.
August 26 – College Back-to-School Welcome – John B. reported that everything is set to welcome the incoming freshmen from the three colleges that afternoon. We will be located just outside the Chamber of Commerce offices on 137 N. Main Street handing out bottled water to the students. Last year 350+ students from SHU came by that day.
September 9– Annual River Raisin Cleanup(9am-1pm) – Specific location will be by Riverside Park and the Merrick Street area. You can park at Riverside Park, Mark said. Light and medium tasks available. Get it on your calendar! As we asked you to do last year, please personally invite others who might want to join us. Looking for over 100 people again to participate again this year. Food provided. We want as many people as possible just to meet and greet volunteers.
September 13 – One Rotary Summit – We encourage all to attend especially new members. The event will once again be held at Schoolcraft College in Livonia. Registration is at 4:45pm, dinner at 5:30pm with a program following. It will conclude at 9pm promptly. Please see Nate or Rhonda if you can attend.
September 16 & 17 - Bike Tour - Yard signs along with window posters are still available. If you can donate items for the “goodie bags” we’ll be putting together please let us know. We need 200 of them if you have something. We keep encouraging everyone who uses Facebook to log into lenaweebiketour.com and like and share with your friends as many times as you can. We still encourage members, even though they wouldn’t be participating in the actual tour, to get on line and register and we’ll find a person who we can give that registration to. Go to www.adrianrotary.org for complete list of generous sponsors and a few more details.
October 2 – District Governor’s Golf Outing –The club will be sending a team! Whoot whoot! It will be held at the Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, MI. 11am – lunch; 12:30pm – shotgun start; dinner following.
November 2 – Official Visit by DG Rick Caron
Upcoming Club Program Presentations
August 24 - Kay Ross - Pathway's August 31 - Marty Marshall - County programs offered and ballot proposals for fall September 7 - Kathye Herrera – MADD
September 14 - Nate & Chuck on the Club's Strategic Plan
September 21 - Libby Watson and new ASO director September28 - Jason Trame - Lenawee YMCA October 5 - Club Assembly October 12 – TBA
October 19 – TBA
October 26 - TBA November 2 - DG Rick Caron visit
GUESTS: Jennifer, granddaughter and guest of Jane Clark; Anne Lacasse, guest of Nate Smith, David Panian, past president of the Tecumseh Rotary Club; Pi Beneo from the Adrian Center for the Arts along with Elliana Guiterrez, an art student; Ron Jacobs AHS principal, guest of Gerry Burg.
Rotary District 6400 is an International Rotary District with Rotary Clubs in the United States and in Canada. The 50 Rotary Clubs are in the heartland of North America demonstrating the very best that both countries have to offer. The District is joined by the very busy Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit/Canada Tunnel and can be traveled within two hours from one end to the other end. Situated on the Great Lakes waterways District 6400 has miles/kilometers of shoreline. The Detroit River connects Lake St. Clair in the north to Lake Erie on the south.
At Windsor and Detroit the border is less than one kilometer or 5/8 of a mile wide and Windsor is south of Detroit. International visitors are urged to get multi-trip visas because District 6400 activities are frequently held on both sides of the border. Now everyone entering the USA needs a Passport or a Certified Birth Certificate and a state photo approved identification document.
In April 2008, Our Rotary District hosted a sensational Rotary World Peace Summit in Windsor, Ontario.
The United States Area District 6400 includes Wayne, Monroe and Lenawee Counties. The northern part of Detroit area(Oakland and Macomb Counties) are part of District 6380.District 6600 is to our south in northwest Ohio.
Kathy Sielsky, Reading Specialist and Deb Risner – principal (just retired) of Michener Elementary School were on hand to recap the success of this year’s Fluency Friends Program at the school. Kathy mentioned to the audience how grateful she and Deb were for our help and that of the Adrian Morning Club members who volunteered in reading with and helping to build relationships with the children. A total of 32 elementary students participated in the program this year, she said. Volunteers were able to provide 152 additional hours of reading practice to the kids!
Raffle – REMEMBER: In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Chevy Camaro, Bell Chevrolet and IDIDIT have agreed to sponsor a custom golf cart and help save more lives through the Lenawee Humane Society! The drawing will be held on September 16th and tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20 and $15 for $40. See Patty for your tickets – a great cause. Mike and Susan Tobey purchased $500 worth of tickets from Patty!
August 26 – College Back-to-School Welcome – 
Rotary District 6400 is an International Rotary District with Rotary Clubs in the United States and in Canada. The 50 Rotary Clubs are in the heartland of North America demonstrating the very best that both countries have to offer. The District is joined by the very busy Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit/Canada Tunnel and can be traveled within two hours from one end to the other end.