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Thursday, April 15, 2010 • HERITAGE NEWSPAPERS/WESTERN REGION
Lions Club to hold convention in Ann Arbor More than 250 members to meet this weekend By Sheila Pursglove Special Writer
Lion sightings in Ann Arbor? No, it’s not an escapee from a zoo. It’s the District 11-B1 Convention of the Lions Club, expecting to draw more than 250 Lions, Lionesses and Leos Friday and Saturday to the Clarion Hotel in Ann Arbor. “There will be over 40 clubs from this district, which includes all of Washtenaw County, part of Lenawee County, and then west to Battle Creek,” said Terry Walters of Dexter, the Lions’ district governor. There will be speakers on all of the Lions’ state and district projects, including Michigan Eye Bank, Project Kid Sight, Leader Dogs for the Blind pro-
gram and Penrickton Center. The event also will include a memorial service, Penny Carnival and Friday evening entertainment from the Saline Fiddlers. There will be more than eight project tables, opportunities to bid on gifts, recognize fellow Lions, Leos and Lionesses for commitment to their club, community and district, and the opportunity to learn more about projects in the district, Walters said. Delegates will vote on the new district officers, constitution changes and other items on the business meeting agenda. The guest keynote speaker is past International Director Ron Duffe of Wisconsin, who was elected to a two-year term in 1998. As director, he served on the Headquarters Operations and Finance Committee and as its chairman 1999 to 2000, and was appointed to the International board for 2000-2001. A member of the Roberts
Lions participate in a variety of projects ranging from cleaning up local parks to providing supplies to victims of natural disasters. The organization is especially known for working to end preventable blindness. Lions Club, Duffe has been a Lion since 1972, and held many offices, including club president, zone chairman and district governor. He has been a coordinator for the Wisconsin
Lions Mission to Mexico program; served as director and president of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation; and director, vice president and president of the Wisconsin Past District Governors Organization. A recipient of numerous awards, Duffe, a retired accountant, served his district as leadership chairman and has been a committee member of the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum. Lions Clubs International is a volunteer organization dedicated to leadership development through community service. There are 1.3 million men and women in 202 countries working to answer needs that challenge communities. Lions participate in a variety of projects ranging from cleaning up local parks to providing supplies to victims of natural disasters. The organization is especially known for working to end preventable blindness.
Ralph seeks county board seat Alice Ralph will run for the District 11 seat on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. Ralph, a Democrat, has lived in Ann Arbor for more than 30 years. She is a registered architect with degrees from Lawrence University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan. She also has been involved with a variety of causes and organizations addressing issues that include livability, access and accountability, collaboration, land use and environment. “Creating an Abundant Future in Washtenaw County” is the theme of Ralph’s campaign. Ralph said she believes the Washtenaw County Board can create abundance for residents by setting resilient
policy that ensures coverage of the core responsibilities of the county. Ralph says that means “meeting crises with flexible and durable solutions and effective delivery of legally required services to lighten the burdens carried by supplementary programs and nonprofit agencies.” Additionally, she said that means moving forward in the face of climate change and energy transformation with actions that open doors to just and sustainable progress. “Resilient policy, core responsibilities, future abundance. This is my version of the triple bottom line for social, economic and environmental accounting,” Ralph said in a news release. Ralph said her years of activism have given her an under-
standing of authorities, and city and county governments, and that sustained progress can be achieved if the cities, townships and universities of Washtenaw County work together even more closely. One of her goals as a county commissioner would be to help overcome divisions and further increase collaboration among governmental units. Another of Ralph’s goals as county commissioner would be to refresh comprehensive program and systems planning services at the county level. “Neighborhoods and communities can’t meet the urgent priorities of a new economy without collaborations on local, countywide, regional and state levels,” Ralph said. “Working together, we thrive.” Ralph is a current or past
leader in local groups including: • Former A2D2 Design Guidelines Advisory Committee. • Friends of the Ann Arbor Greenway. • Ann Arbor Committee for the Commons. • Washtenaw County Historic District Commission. • Dexter’s Gordon Hall Management Advisory Committee. • Women Progressive Activists, executive board. In 2006, Ralph ran for Ann Arbor City Council in the Third Ward, which significantly overlaps District 11.
There are more than 14,500 members in more than 500 clubs throughout Michigan. District 11B-1 has close to 1,400 members, and has successfully continued its theme of “Move to Grow,” Walters said. The Dexter Lions Club, and Dexter Lions Richard Ulrich and Jeff Turck got the Dexter High School Leos Club started, extending an opportunity to get more youth involved in community service. The Manchester Lions, and Lions Fred Best and Ed Sterling worked hard to get a new club in Clinton. As of March 25, the district completed the extension of the Clinton
Lions Club with 22 charter members. Ann Arbor Host Lions, Jonesville Lions, Michigan Center Lions and the Eastern Michigan University Lions in Ypsilanti continue to make their clubs stronger, and each club has added more than six new members this year. “I’m excited about the District 11-B1 Convention,” Walters said. “This weekend is set up to have fun and to come together as a district that has had a tremendous year in service to our communities.” Sheila Pursglove is a freelance writer. She can be reached at bingley51@yahoo.com.
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Students to join conference Washtenaw Community College will send 39 participants to the 2010 SkillsUSA Michigan State Leadership and Skills Conference held at the Causeway Bay Hotel in Lansing Friday through Sunday. Career and technical students from across the state will gather and compete to see who will be the best workers in Michigan’s future. Top qualifiers will advance to the 2010 National Leadership and Skills Conference June 21 through 26 in Kansas City, Mo. More than 700 volunteer judges will critique students in 75 contests such as architectural drafting, cosmetology, culinary arts, welding, plumbing, video production and automotive service technology. Successful SkillsUSA mem-
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bers will also campaign for the right to serve as a SkillsUSA Michigan state officer. Representatives from Lawrence Technological University, Ferris State University and the International Academy of Design & Technology will have exhibits at the vendor expo to interact with the students, to help them become “Champions at Work.”
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization of students, teachers and industry, working together to help high school and college students enrolled in career and technical education programs to excel by teaching employability skills such as communication, problem solving and leadership in conjunction with their trade, technical and service skills.
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Senior Living & Housing Awareness Week May 7-16, 2010
The only annual event that brings together the people who provide senior resources, services and products with those who need them.
Living & Housing Expo Friday, May 7 Morris Lawrence Building Washtenaw Community College 4800 E Huron River Dr, Ann Arbor, MI
Workshops • May 7-16 In Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Saline & Ypsilanti Topics Include Financial & Legal Issues Health & Wellness • Housing & Care Options
Register for All Workshops Deadline – Friday, April 23
Exhibits • Workshops FREE – Gifts • Health Screenings • Assessments
Open Houses • May 8-16 At Senior Housing Communites
Thanks to the generosity of our 2010 sponsors and supporters, all events are provided at no cost to you.
Diamond Evangelical Homes of Michigan Horizons Planning Corporation Legacy Law Center Program for Positive Aging, UM Department of Psychiatry
Platinum Ann Arbor Transportation Authority Brookdale Senior Living
Brookhaven Manor Retirement Community Glacier Hills Senior Living Community Hillside Terrace Retirement Community Sanctuary at St. Joseph’s Village Silver Maples of Chelsea United Methodist Retirement Communities University Living
University of Michigan Health System
Gold Home Instead Senior Care
Silver Adapting with Harmony TCF Bank The Gilbert Residence Towne Centre Place