by Ingrid Nova | Jul 31, 2012 | Community Service Ongoing, Events
For East Lansing Rotarians and friends – here are some details on our upcoming Golf Outing.
To refresh your memories, the outing is held in memory of Joe Gross, Past President and Past District Governor, for the purpose of raising funds to award college scholarships to deserving ELHS seniors.
Please mark your calendars for a 1:30 shotgun at Forest Akers West on Monday, September 10. The cost this year has been reduced from $150 to $100/person and includes golf, cart, special events, dinner and prizes.
Rotarians: because the outing is on a Monday, you are able to invite guests for our regularly scheduled lunch.
by Ingrid Nova | May 7, 2012 | Community Service Ongoing, Events, Foundation and Fund Raising, Playground in the Park
(L to R: Erin Carter, MSU Community Liaison w/ City of East Lansing, EL Rotary President Tim McCaffrey and CRC’s Olivia Seifert)
The “Taste of East Lansing” sponsored by the Community Relations Coalition raised $2,100 for the playground project. Many thanks to all of the Rotarians who volunteered and worked at this first-time venture by the CRC.
by Ingrid Nova | Feb 2, 2012 | Events, Foundation and Fund Raising, Playground in the Park
MSU Women’s Basketball coach Suzy Merchant announced her role as Honorary Chairperson of our Playground in the Park: Re-Imagined project yesterday. You can read all of press, and our original press release by clicking the links (they appear below the pictures from the event).
(East Lansing Rotary President Tim McCaffrey, MSU Women’s Basketball Coach Suzy Merchant, and EL Rotary President Elect Nathan Triplett)
(EL Rotary Members and Suzy Merchant, L to R: Gary Danbrook, Katie Donovan, Susan Schmidt, Past President John Saltzgaber, Suzy Merchant, Past President Kevin Gray, Past President Jackson Kaguri, and James Folkening)
Read about the project below!
by Ingrid Nova | Feb 2, 2012 | Events, Foundation and Fund Raising, Playground in the Park
East Lansing, MI – The East Lansing Rotary Club and City of East Lansing are pleased to announce that MSU Women’s basketball Coach Suzy Merchant will be leading the effort to replace the wooden playground structure at East Lansing’s Patriarche Park. “We’re so happy to have Coach Merchant Chair the Playground Committee,” said East Lansing Rotary President Tim McCaffrey. “My children have really enjoyed playing at Patriarche Park, so I’m really excited about being a part of this effort to build a new playground at the park for children and their families to enjoy,” said Coach Suzy Merchant.
(rendering of park play structure concept)
In 1995, the Rotary Club of East Lansing spearheaded the construction of the wooden playground structure at the park. Over the past sixteen years, the playground has been enjoyed by literally thousands of school-aged children and their families. However, heavy use of the facility, along with Michigan’s weather has taken its toll on the structure. The playground renovation originally slated for the fall of 2011 was interrupted when planners became aware that CCA pressure-treated wood was used to build the original playground structure in 1995. While it’s believed the playground is safe and that CCA levels are not harmful, the Rotary Club and City of East Lansing decided that it is more practical to raze the current structure and build a new playground.
“Replacing the existing structure with a completely new one, utilizing the latest in materials and technology, gives us a unique opportunity to create a playground that is more accessible, especially for children with physical disabilities; incorporates the latest safety standards; and provides features promoting physical fitness,” stated Rotary Club President Tim McCaffrey. The planned rebuild of the playground structure will use materials expected to last 25-30 years, or more.
A series of community meetings have been scheduled at the Hannah Community Center on Abbot Rd. in East Lansing. Information about the preliminary concepts for the playground will be shared and public input will be sought about what the future playground structure might look like. Following are the meeting dates and times:
Thursday, February 23rd 7:00 pm
Tuesday, March 6th 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 10th 10:00 am
The Rotary Club of East Lansing was chartered in 1961 and celebrated its 50thyear of service last September. In addition to the playground project, the Club has helped spearhead a number of projects in the community, including: building the East Lansing “splash pad,” renovating the facilities and replacing the boiler at Haven House; and supporting a number of programs provided by non-profit agencies.
(click image for a larger view)
by Ingrid Nova | Dec 13, 2011 | Community Service Ongoing, Events, Foundation and Fund Raising
Please join us Friday, December 16th at Tavern on the Square in Downtown Lansing (6-9pm) for a fundraiser supporting East Lansing’s Haven House. We will be raising funds to replace their boiler, which will not make it through the winter. You can view details of the event here: http://on.fb.me/rxrfHk. You can also read the article from the Lansing State Journal here: http://on.lsj.com/t5VgGU.
We appreciate your support!
by Ingrid Nova | Nov 21, 2011 | Community Service Ongoing, Events, Foundation and Fund Raising
East Lansing, MI – The East Lansing Rotary Club and the Kroger Company have proudly teamed-up again for an annual effort to support East Lansing’s Haven House. Each year, the Rotary club raises money from its members to provide Haven House residents with Thanksgiving dinners and household supplies. Founded in 1983, Haven House provides emergency housing and support services for one-parent and two-parent families with children. The shelter helps families who are homeless prepare for permanent housing by developing and promoting self-sufficiency, stability, and financial responsibility. The Rotary Club was able to raise record amount of money this year, thanks in large part to a generous contribution from the East Lansing Lodge 480 of the Freemasons.
The Rotary Club is providing three turkey dinners, and Kroger is donating two dinners to this effort aimed at making the Thanksgiving Day holiday a little brighter for the 30 family members currently receiving assistance from Haven House. Each turkey dinner includes: a 10-12 lb. turkey, 3 lb. potatoes, 2 lb. stuffing, 1 lb. gravy, 1 lb. cranberry relish and a pumpkin or apple pie.
A certificate for the dinners was presented to Haven House Director Angie Mayeaux by the East Lansing Rotary Club President Tim McCaffrey and club member John Saltzgaber at the Club’s November 21, 2011 meeting. “Our club is proud to support the Haven House each year. They are a constant reminder to us of the good things going on daily in our community”, said McCaffrey.
In addition to the turkey dinners, the E.L. Rotary Club also donated seven “exit baskets” filled with household supplies to Haven House. Haven House provides an “exit basket” to each family that leaves their program to go into housing on their own. Each “exit basket” contains 35 different household items, including: a laundry basket, sponges, tub/tile cleaner, disinfectant spray, toilet bowl cleaner, toilet bowl brush & holder, dish soap, laundry soap, bar soap, dryer sheets/fabric softener, 2 buckets, mop, broom, dust pan, furniture polish, window cleaner, floor cleaner, pan scrubbers, paper towels, toilet paper, kitchen cleaner, bleach, Pine Sol cleaner, shampoo, deodorants for men & women, a hairbrush and comb, room deodorizer, band-aids, first aid kit, pot holders, comet, baking soda, trash bags, a small trash can, and toothpaste.
“We’re really appreciative the efforts of Rotary and Kroger to provide a wonderful dinner on Thanksgiving Day for our families. And, the “Exit Baskets” donated by the Rotary Club will be a big boost in helping seven families get settled into their own housing,” commented Haven House Executive Director Angie Mayeaux.
The Rotary Club of East Lansing has a long record of community service dating back to its formation in 1961 – they are currently celebrating their 50th anniversary year. The Club has nearly 100 members and has supported a broad spectrum of community projects, like the Playground in the Park at Patriarche Park, the East Lansing Softball fields and Aquatic Center and the renovation of Haven House.
The Kroger Co. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio (NYSE:KR) is one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers, with fiscal 2008 sales of $76.0 billion. Kroger operates five supermarkets in the Lansing area.
