It was a beautiful post-Memorial day for a Rotary Meeting on May 26, 2020
President Homer opened the meeting and Kathy led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Cindy Ruzuk offered up thoughtful words for our Gratitude and Reflection
Two new members were introduced to our club.
Max Anderson introduced Seth Johnson. Seth is with the United Way and has settled in Traverse City after a few moves around the country. He is the son of a pastor and has a capella singing talents! He and his wife Ashley moved here last November. They have one daughter, Thea and two canines round out their family unit!
Lisa Pointe introduced Amber Dutton. Amber relocated from Nashville, TN a few years ago. She comes from a very service oriented family and has been actively involved with children with special needs and Make a Wish Foundation among others. Amber is an account executive with Michigan Broadband Services.
Welcome Seth and Amber!! We graciously welcome you to our club and know that you will be great assets to our club. We look forward to connecting with you soon!
President Homer shared the news that Jim Beckett, our #1 Rotarian has been moved to hospice a few days ago.
President Homer then introduced our speaker today Marjorie Rich from Generations Ahead. Generations Ahead helps connect teen and young adult parents to services and other resources in our area.
In our area, the trend for teen pregnancy is lower than the state average. Of the five-county area included, Leelanau has the lowest rates of teen pregnancy with Kalkaska having the highest. In this area, we see about 75 teen births each year to a mother age 19 and younger.
Causes of Teen Pregnancy include:
Decreased access to birth control
Alcohol and drug use: 25% of high school students report using drugs or alcohol at time of sex
Multiple partners: 12% of high school juniors have had 4 or more partners
Lack of goals and aspirations: not encouraged to think about the future
Generation cycle: their mom was a teen mom
Consequences include:
Low high school graduation rate: National average is 40%
Housing instability: either they are kicked out of their home, “couch surf” or sometimes exchange sex for a bed for the night
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Domestic violence occurs more often than sexual assault with pregnant teens.
Poverty: drop out of school, low wage jobs
Poorer health outcomes: late with prenatal care, increased rates of smoking and low birth weight
Children of teens: poorer educational and social-emotional outcomes
The Generations Ahead program has a 40-year history. It was initially called the Doula Teen Parent Program but recently changed its name. They are now incorporated and are seeking 501(c)3 status. They are supported by grants.
This is the only program in the Grand Traverse area that serves both young adult mothers and fathers. To qualify for their program, they must have had their first child by 19.
Services provided range from:
Social workers and counseling services
Online support groups
Mentors for clients who are volunteers
Baby Pantry
Goal setting
Two videos were shared and featured teen parents and how they initially managed to have a baby while still in high school and also the benefits of the services that are available.
This coming Thursday June 4th, between 10:30-10:45 am, friends of Jim's are encouraged to stand on Union Street near St. Francis church (both sides, social distancing spaced), to honor Mr. Outstanding as Reynolds-Jonkhoff drives by with him on their way to the cemetery for a private service.
This is being organized by Lindsey Jonkhoff, Susie Janis and myself as a way to recognize and pay our final respects to Jim and his family.
This is a SURPRISE for the family, so please only share this notice with non-family friends.
If you could please advise all Rotary members of this at Tuesday's meeting as well as in an email we would appreciate it.
Friends are encouraged to display Rotary and/or American flags to celebrate his life.
To those who I have cc'd, please share this with anyone you know who may want to attend. This will leave a lasting impression and memory for his immediate family who will be following the hearse.
In case you missed it this the email that was sent to Club member on May 29th...
It is with such a heavy heart we share the news that Club Badge #1 Member Rotarian Jim Beckett has passed away.
Jim joined the Rotary Club of Traverse City on February 26, 1952 (68 years & 3 months)
This is the story that was to run in the Rotary Show program written about Jim by Paul LaPorte...
Jim Beckett is Traverse City’s longest-serving Rotarian. It is impossible to tell here his entire life story, yet if I had to do it in two words, they’d be Love and Service. Those characteristics mark his family, his career, and his commitment to the community. Jim has been inspirational to me since I joined the club, and he always called me “Big Guy.”
Jim grew up in a family of nine in Bay City where, as a kid, he hustled copies of the Bay City Times. He gave up his college career to serve in WWII, and he fought in Europe for 38 months. After he returned, Bell Telephone transferred him to Traverse City in 1951, where he and Dorothy raised their family.
He joined Rotary in 1952, serving as Club President in 1962. In addition to Rotary, he loves NMC and is its longest-serving board member – 34 years. Since its beginning, he has been leading champion of the annual Gladhander campaign that has raised millions, showing his love for Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools.
Jim truly loves Rotary and has served in so many ways. For years, the Rotary Show was not complete until Jim sang “My Kind of Town.” Not only did that set up the format for the local parody, it said a lot about his commitment to Traverse City. In 1981, Jim and others helped Rotary separate from The Easter Seals Society to form our Handicapped Committee and direct all the annual Tag Day funds to local differently-abled recipients who need our help. In 2018, that initiative was renamed The J. J. Beckett Access-ABILITY Committee.
When I asked Jim what he would tell Rotarians, going into the next century of service. His answer was emphatic, quick, and concise: “When someone in Rotary asks you to do something, you can never say ‘no.’ That word is not in the Jim Beckett dictionary!” This man is a true inspiration to all of us.
As we neared the end of our visit, he whispered, “There’s one more thing I want to tell you.” I bent down to hear him better. “I love you, Big Guy. Tell ‘em all I said to keep up the great work.”
Click Here for the whole story by the Record-Eagle
Wonderful Rotary of Traverse City centennial story, Thank you Traverse City Record-Eagle. ...“The real value of ‘striking black gold’ was not just the money. The real value and lasting impact was the way a group of ordinary citizens responded to the opportunity and used it not for their personal benefit, but for the benefit of the entire region. I’d like people to feel motivated to do the same; think beyond themselves, think about the good of the whole and act in accordance with kindness,” Marsha Smith said #Rotarycharities#peopleofaction#rotarycluboftraversecity
Great Q&A article...Responses by our Rotary Club of Traverse City's Centennial Committee Chair Dale Chilcote. A special thank you to MyNorth.com & Allison Jarrell for helping us share our awesome 100-year anniversary story.
