Chip introduced the gents who will be helping us with next year’s Bike Race next September. Here is what they shared with us:
September 16 & 17 – There will be a Bike Tour on Saturday and a Mountain Bike Event on Sunday. Ted Keating, a good friend of Chip’s, also spoke to the event by saying that he was an athlete and has been thinking about something like this for about a year that we might combine with the annual Art-A-Licious event and keep money downtown.
This is a family event with a competitive event tagged on. It really isn’t a race but a “ride”, he said. There are, however, 2 components – an event which includes MIS – and a 25, 50, 75 and 100 mile ride. The 2nd day is for mountain bike enthusiasts at Heritage. Some 300 people are expected. Ads will be printed in popular bicycle magazines to promote the event.
He showed shirts that will be great fundraisers and create an income stream for the event that businesses can advertise on as event sponsors. They become calling cards for the next event. An event rider shirt will also be available that will make the club money.
League of MI Bicyclists we are partnering with as well as IMBA Michigan Biker Association who will assist us during the event. To insure its success, we will be hiring a professional promoter, Brent Wak from Fund Promotions out of Grand Rapids who has personally organized these types of events for the past 29 years.
Brent spoke about how fun this will be and its ability to attract people to our community. There will be many stops along the path each day. Road venues will be set up as well, he said. We will be working hard to solicit sponsors and it’s an event we will be able to build on. Part of the event will be to educate bicyclists on new laws. Riders will be given IDs for quick registration. Those wishing to participate will can easily pay their entry fee with a credit card. A website will be developed to promote the event.
Chip said that he’ll be looking for members to serve on various committees as it will require many volunteers to be successful. He also announced that Adrian Insurance Agency will personally be underwriting the cost of the promoter for the first two years! Many thanks, Chip!
Japanese Student Exchange Trip - Masahiro announced that he was getting ready to make his annual visit to Japan as part of the club's exchange of student art that will be displayed when he arrives there. Safe travels, Masahiro and Cindy!
2017 Rotary Bike Tour - Friend of the club and assistant to Program Chair Chip Moore, Ted Keating, was on hand to update members on the finer details of the project we will host this coming September. He distributed a 4-page handout describing full details of the event. We will need everyone’s help so please be prepared to say “yes” when asked to help. The first day is an “On road” event where bicyclist can choose on of for courses: 25 (approximately 1 hour to complete), 40, 60 or 100 (5 to 6 hours) mile distances. Safety and water stops along the way. St. John’s Lutheran Church on M52 and Valley Road will be the starting point for this event and those in the 25 and 40 mile races will loop back around to end there as well. Those on the 60 and 100 mile tour will go up to MIS and on their 400-acre property and loop back around. In future years, bikers touring this route will be allowed to take part in an on-track event. Our event has been announced and published in the recent issue of the Michigan Ride Calendar. Ted announced that the process of filling committee assignments will begin soon.
Lenawee Lifelong Learning - REMEMBER - What an extensive roster of great educational programs that will begin April 4. Registration forms were also distributed. Costs: $25 for the first class and only $10 for all additional classes! Checks should be made out to: LCF (Lenawee Community Foundation) and mailed to: LLL, PO Box 308, Adrian, MI 49221. You may call 517-403-4319 for more info or e-mail to info@lenaweelifelonglearning.org.
PolioPlus – Thanks to everyone who contributed money again at our meeting to support this wonderful cause!
New Member Certificate – New member Jacob Maxson was presented with his official certificate confirming his membership in our club. Congrats, Jacob.
What Would You Do? PSA Contest – Remember that WLEN Radio is teaming up with Lenawee Community Mental Health Association to run a PSA Contest. They are encouraging kids and groups to participate and the theme this year is “What Would You Do?” if you were exposed to tobacco, alcohol, physical or mental abuse? They want to build some conversations around these important questions between kids, their counselors, their parents, etc. and help them learn what resources are available in the event the may be experiencing any of these issues themselves or know others who are. More info is available on wlen.com. Kathy said she would be visiting area schools and talking with students about this.
Neighbors of Hope – Rememberthat this organization in conjunction with Blessings & More Store has a bailing operation and welcome anyone who can donate clothes, linen and cardboard and the proceeds of which will go to fund their women’s and children’s center. For m ore info, please contact Kathy Williams.
RI Foundation Giving Levels – Anyone who would like to know what the status of their giving is to contact Chair Mike Olsaver as he has all that information.
District 6400 Newsletter – AG Mary encouraged all members to read the great district newsletter which is available at: http://rotary6400.org/?page_id=301 . There is a great pic from the recent AM Club’s Celebrity Wait.
Random Acts of Kindness – Whether you’re out and about or at work go to rotar6400kindness.com and do something good for somebody! Deadline for this will be mid-April.
Passport Program – We are still looking for one more member who can pay a visit to a Canadian Club. This will complete our 4 visits that qualify us for part of the Presidential Citation Award in Cleveland in May. Nate along with Greg and Marje Simay volunteered to attend. We need one more so please contact me should you be able to go.
DATES TO REMEMBER
April 5- AC Ribbons of Excellence – Still looking for volunteers. Contact Yours Truly for details. Just need about 1 hour of your time that day.
April 8 – District Assembly – Any person wishing to attend this 4 hour session (8am-noon) should contact me. It will be held in Windsor so you will need a Passport. Below are details of the breakout session planned. Always a great time to see old Rotary friends!
April 21 - 100th Anniversary of RI Foundation - Details are still being worked on between representatives of our club and the Morning Club and will be held at the Lenawee Country Club. At this dinner which will be attended by DG Sue and other District 6400 dignitaries, special recognition will be presented to members who qualify to receive Paul Harris awards. If you are close to completing a PHF for yourself, you may want to make that contribution so that you may be recognized. All clubs in Lenawee County will be invited to attend. A mini auction is planned so if you have any noteworthy Rotary memorabilia you’d like to donate, please let us know as all of that money will go to the RI Foundation. We’ll also have a 50-50 raffle. Cost: $25 per person, cash bar. Social hour from 5:30pm-6:30pm; Dinner at 6:30pm; Program at 7pm. A sign-up sheet will be passed around again next week.
May 11 – 15 – District Conference – Are you signed up yet to attend? Time is running out especially if you want to take advantage of a “first time attended $100 subsidy” and matched by District 6400! Cleveland here we come!! And the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!
So, let’s hear from you. Signed up to go as of this writing are: Yours Truly, Nate Smith, the Olsaver fam. Here is a note from DG Sue about the conference:
Each year, a group of Rotarians and their families from District 6400 gather together for a few days to celebrate the achievements of the past year. We share ideas and friendship and leave inspired to go back to our Rotary clubs to work together in the coming year to make great things happen in our local communities, as well as throughout the world. This is our District Conference.
I would like you to consider this my personal invitation to you and your family to join us this May 11th through the 14th at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel for the 2017 District 6400 conference! Our District Conference committee, led by chairs PDG Neil McBeth and Liz Smith Yeats and comprised of more than 30 hard-working Rotarians from across our district, has been putting in many hours to insure this conference is EXTRA-special and rewarding for you.
DisCon 2017 begins Thursday evening, May 11th at 6:30 with a private, Rotary District 6400-only event at the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! You’ll enjoy a full dinner, free reign of the museum and the planning committee has even developed a scavenger hunt with prizes for some extra fun.
Friday morning will begin with our opening ceremonies and the Parade of Presidents & PDG’s, followed by a full morning of speakers and presentations on club projects that will show you how we “followed our hearts” this year as we Served Humanity. After lunch, you’re encouraged to participate in our free-time activity, a visit to “A Christmas Story” house & museum, including our Santa Claus Flash Mob event!
Friday evening, you’ll laugh and you’ll cry and be awed by our keynote speaker, Past Rotary International President Rick King, one of the top speakers in the Rotary world. We’ll also have a big party that night celebrating the 100th Anniversary of our Rotary Foundation!
Saturday (fill in details of morning program), and another opportunity to explore the revitalized and energetic city of Cleveland, including its West Side Market in the city’s vibrant Ohio City neighborhood, right across the street from the Great Lakes Brewing Company, where we’ve setup a special tour and tasting (optional, at an additional charge).
You’ll want to be back at the Renaissance in the late afternoon in time to get gussied up for our reception and awards celebration, where we’ll give special recognition to the clubs that take service to new heights – culminating with the Hugh Archer Awards for innovative new projects and the Dick Hedke Award for the best all-around club in our district. Will the 2016 Hedke-winning club of Taylor keep the trophy? You’ll want to be there to find out!
If you have never been to our District Conference, it is impossible for me to impress upon you what a game-changer it is for the part of your life that is Rotary. There’s a reason that so many of our members go back to DisCon, year after year.
Many of our clubs are offering our special “first-time attendee” stipend - $300.00 off your conference package, half provided by your club and half by District 6400. Check with your club president to see if yours is participating. Simply put – we NEED you to come to this conference. I PROMISE you will be as motivated and inspired as I was when I attended my first conference in 1996! If you have any questions about the conference, please don’t hesitate to email me, sue@goldsen.com. I can’t wait to celebrate a great Rotary year with you… because Cleveland ROCKS!!!
May 21 – EraceStigma 5k run, Greg Adams will chair this event again this year. We will be passing around a sign-up sheet in April. Be ready to assist.
Upcoming Club Program Presentations
March 23 – Greg Simay – Member Moment
March 30 – Jim Perri – Membership Director for District 6400
April 6 - Club Assembly
GUESTS: Junior Rotarians Sarah Ford and Sidney Yatzek; John Elkert, guest of John B.; Ted Keating.
It Mike's turn again this month. He had a good day by fining: Keller, Sack, P. Clark (3), Barnett, Chase (2), Moore, John B. (2), Adams, Rye, G. Simay.
Happy Bucks – John B., Keller, G. Simay, Hokenson, Moore, S. Tobey, Kojima.
Chip introduced the gents who will be helping us with next year’s Bike Race next September. Here is what they shared with us:.PNG)
2017 Rotary Bike Tour - Friend of the club and assistant to Program Chair Chip Moore, Ted Keating, was on hand to update members on the finer details of the project we will host this coming September. He distributed a 4-page handout describing full details of the event. We will need everyone’s help so please be prepared to say “yes” when asked to help. The first day is an “On road” event where bicyclist can choose on of for courses: 25 (approximately 1 hour to complete), 40, 60 or 100 (5 to 6 hours) mile distances. Safety and water stops along the way. St. John’s Lutheran Church on M52 and Valley Road will be the starting point for this event and those in the 25 and 40 mile races will loop back around to end there as well. Those on the 60 and 100 mile tour will go up to MIS and on their 400-acre property and loop back around. In future years, bikers touring this route will be allowed to take part in an on-track event. Our event has been announced and published in the recent issue of the Michigan Ride Calendar. Ted announced that the process of filling committee assignments will begin soon.
Lenawee Lifelong Learning - REMEMBER - What an extensive roster of great educational programs that will begin April 4. Registration forms were also distributed. Costs: $25 for the first class and only $10 for all additional classes! Checks should be made out to: LCF (Lenawee Community Foundation) and mailed to: LLL, PO Box 308, Adrian, MI 49221. You may call 517-403-4319 for more info or e-mail to 
April 21 - 100th Anniversary of RI Foundation - Details are still being worked on between representatives of our club and the Morning Club and will be held at the Lenawee Country Club. At this dinner which will be attended by DG Sue and other District 6400 dignitaries, special recognition will be presented to members who qualify to receive Paul Harris awards. If you are close to completing a PHF for yourself, you may want to make that contribution so that you may be recognized. All clubs in Lenawee County will be invited to attend. A mini auction is planned so if you have any noteworthy Rotary memorabilia you’d like to donate, please let us know as all of that money will go to the RI Foundation. We’ll also have a 50-50 raffle. Cost: $25 per person, cash bar. Social hour from 5:30pm-6:30pm; Dinner at 6:30pm; Program at 7pm. A sign-up sheet will be passed around again next week.
