President Mary took time today to recap programs that occurred last year and those scheduled in the future to emphasize how involved our club really is in this community. “We are a busy club and an active club” Mary said. She mentioned the Art of Mingling program last year involving students from Adrian College and Siena Heights University. This year, our focus as a club, she said, will be in 3 main areas: basic education, economic/community development, and international projects. She specifically cited the Fluency Friends Project, River Raisin Cleanup, and Purity Project respectively that are examples of our focus as a club. Mary thanked the finemasters for providing fun during meetings. Mary then called on the chairpersons of committees that have been established to update members on their area of responsibility.

 

Kathye reported that we have been quite fortunate in finding speakers for each of our meetings. However, we want to make sure that that continues, so Kathye asked members to continue to make recommendations they feel of speakers who might want to make presentations to the club and to contact her directly.

 

Rod reported that the club has “shown good numbers” since the new members who have been added have been very active and involved. There are others who have been to our meetings and are expected to join. Membership, Rod emphasized, is the “lifeline” of this club and that “we have to have members to keep this club growing”. The committee, he said, continues to meet every month to discuss what needs to be done to attract members to the Noon Rotary Club. He said that from among our senior members, they have connections with their own children and grandchildren who could be prospective members and that they should not hesitate to think about asking them to join. There are also some great young executives and junior executives at companies here in town that would make great members. (Incidentally, others serving on this committee are: Nate Smith, Kevin Keller, Mark Murray and Kathy Williams).

 

Mark said that his committee was right in step with what President Mary had mentioned earlier and that was the importance of projects that advance the educational needs of students within our community which is becoming a reality within the LISD’s program “Cradle to Career”. The other area of involvement is to improve the livability of the Adrian area. Examples of our involvement in this initiative include: helping to fund the recent downtown feasibility study, working to clean the River Raisin - all of which make this community a better place in which to live. Projects coming up include: Vocational Service Lunches, Christmas Tree Project, Art of Mingling project (early next year again), Art-A-Licious, and New Year’s Eve Celebration. Speaking of that, Mark said, to be successful we will need EVERYONES help! The project made $10,000 for our club last year. Frank Dick is already the program’s first sponsor! He thanked members of the Adrian Foundation board for their support of this project. All new promotional materials for this event are already at the printers.

 

Mike said that our club’s goal each year as established by RI and based on our club’s size is $5,400. When we meet this goal, our club is eligible to apply for grants provided by District 6400. Mike pointed out that we can meet this goal every year by every member contributing just $100 either through an outright donation or direct deposit which members can sign up for through RI’s website. The club actually average $119 per member last year.

 

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