East Lansing Rotary Club Student Excellence Award Winner
The East Lansing Rotary Club was excited to announce that Joan Sirigiri was the 2017 Student Excellence Award Winner. Congratulations, Joan! 
Bob Page EL Rotary Club HERO
Bob Page: “Dedicated to Service!”
The East Lansing Rotary Club is proud to announce that long-time Rotarian Bob Page has been chosen as the 2017 Rotary Club Hero.
Bob Page has been a member of the Rotary Club of East Lansing for nearly 40 years and truly exemplifies the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”
During this time, Bob has served in numerous leadership roles including: club president, chair of the club’s 50th anniversary celebration, chair of the membership committee, chair of the club’s annual golf outing fundraiser, and long-time member of the club’s Community Service/Vocational Service Committee.
Bob’s selfless gifts of time and talent have made a significant contribution to the success of numerous club projects; most recently: the renovation of the playground at East Lansing’s Patriarche Park, the revitalization of our club’s annual golf outing which last year raised over $8,000 to provide scholarships for students going onto college and sustaining the Weekend Survival Kits program which provides food kits for hungry children throughout the school year.
Thanks to Bob’s dedication to “Service Above Self,” our club is stronger and our community is a better place to live, work and play.
East Lansing Rotarian Steven Melnyk Receives Paul Harris +1 Recognition
On January 9, 2017, East Lansing Rotary President Elect Ody Norkin presented East Lansing Rotarian Steven Melnyk with a Paul Harris +1 pin in recognition of his ongoing support for the Rotary Foundation. Pictured here, left to right are Steven Melnyk and Ody Norkin.
The history of Paul Harris Fellow recognition
The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of US$1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
It was established in 1957 to show appreciation for and encourage substantial contributions to what was then the Foundation’s only program, Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships.
The first Paul Harris Fellows include 1937-38 RI Director Allison G. Brush and longtime RI Treasurer Rufus F. Chapin, both for donations made in 1946. Mrs. Adan Vargas was the first woman to receive the recognition, for a gift made in 1953. Mrs. Harry L. Jones was the second, and one of only five people recognized for contributions made in 1957.
Early Paul Harris Fellows received a certificate of recognition. In 1969, the Foundation unveiled the first Paul Harris Fellow medallion at the RI Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Japanese metal artist Fiju Tsuda created the piece under the direction of then-past Foundation Trustee Kyozo Yuasa. Today, Paul Harris Fellows receive a certificate and pin. They are also eligible to purchase a Paul Harris Fellow medallion.
Rotarians have a tradition of supporting the Foundation by honoring others. Ida LeTulle Taylor became a Paul Harris Fellow in 1978 when her husband, then-District Governor Vann Taylor, made a donation in her name in honor of their 34th wedding anniversary. The gift also made her the 25,000th Paul Harris Fellow.
At the International Assembly in 1979, then-RI President-elect James Bomar challenged each Rotary club to make one non-Rotarian a Paul Harris Fellow. The Rotary Club of Pikesville, Maryland, USA, responded by making a donation in the name of Mother Teresa in 1980. The entertainer Pearl Bailey also became a Paul Harris Fellow through a joint effort of the Rotary clubs in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Many other notable figures have been named as Paul Harris Fellows, including U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and Jonas Salk.
The number of Paul Harris Fellows reached the one million mark in 2006.
- Learn more about the history of Rotary
- Learn about Rotary’s archives
Rotarian Speaks at High School Honors Event
Joe Osypczuk, the Chairman of the East Lansing Rotary Foundation, had the privilege of addressing students, teachers, and parents at the 2016 High School Honors Event.
Greetings East Lansing Graduates and Scholars,
As a member of the Rotary Club of East Lansing, I am blessed to be able to stand before you to say how proud all of our club members are to have you in our community. You are being recognized for your outstanding scholarly skills as well as your outstanding community service.
As Rotarians, we are often asked, “What is a Rotary Club”? Rotary can best be defined in this way:
“Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons that are united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.”
Needless to say, our work begins in our local community of East Lansing by providing funding for items such as the Weekend Survival Kit backpack program that provides food for youngsters that are in need, the purchase of books for our local school libraries, the recent renovation of the Patriarche Park Playground and of course, the Joe Gross Memorial Scholarships and the student excellence awards that are being presented today.
In 1943, Rotary adopted a code of ethics that is now called The Four-Way Test. This code of ethics is followed by all Rotarians and is something that can be used and applied by everyone on a daily basis.
The message is simply:
Of the things we think, say or do:
1) IS IT THE TRUTH?
2) IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED?
3) WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4) WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED?
Congratulations on everything you have accomplished to date in your young lives. It is only the beginning – there is so much more for you to experience in the years ahead. Hopefully, the experiences will all be wonderful and fulfilling.
Thank you for letting the East Lansing Rotary Club be a part of your awards ceremonies.
We are pleased to provide the following awards to these outstanding students:
Student Excellence Awards ($ 250.00 Each)
Kokou Dagbovie
Jordan Harris-Gonzales
Scholarships ($ 2.000.00 Each)
Katelyn Meyer
Paul Przybylski
Madelyn Zink
Crystal Award – Rotarian Jim Little Honored
The Crystal Awards, hosted annually by the East Lansing City Council, honor individuals, businesses, professionals, non-profits and community groups that have made an outstanding contribution to community life in East Lansing.
Crystal Award recipients are dedicated to enhancing the East Lansing community. They demonstrate a passion for and commitment to creating a healthy and vibrant community and serve as an inspiration to others. Recipients are dedicated to enhancing the East Lansing community. They demonstrate a passion and commitment to creating a healthy and vibrant community and serve as an inspiration to others.
The Rotary Club of East Lansing was the non-profit recipient in 2015. This year, Rotarian Jim Little is the individual recipient.
Crystal Awards recipients are honored at a special community reception this Thursday, April 21, 2016 at 5 p.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road. The Awards Ceremony will occur at 6:00 p.m.
In addition to the program, the reception will feature hors d’oeuvres and live music. All community members are invited to attend.
We especially encourage you to attend to congratulate Jim and to demonstrate strong support from our Rotary Club.
Students of the Month – October
East Lansing Rotary Names October Students of the Month
Daniel Hoffman is a senior at East Lansing High School who has maintained a 3.9 GPA. He enjoys drawing, painting, playing the guitar and running – which is why he is on the East Lansing Cross Country team. Daniel is also a member of the Christian Student Union, he looks to further his education in the arts and mathematics as well as education of youth. When asked who his favorite teacher was Daniel was quick to reply John Brandenburg his Calculus AB teacher, Daniel enjoyed Mr. Brandenburg’s class because of his wit, humor, and compassion shown to the students. Daniel was just as quick in his reply of who his favorite living person was – his father, because of quiet, yet impactful guidance. Daniel was recommended for this award by Instructor Robin Remer-Saenz, who shared that Daniel is a very creative student with a strong personal drive for excellence. Remer-Saenz went on to say that Daniel works hard to grow as an artist, staying after school, reaching beyond the assignment requirements, putting in extra life drawing sessions at MSU, as well as ongoing projects at home. The passion he brings to his work, along with a willingness to explore new ideas and respond productively to feedback, makes him successful at what he attempts.
Montgomery Smith is a senior at East Lansing High School with a 4.02 GPA. Montgomery is not shy about demonstrating and utilizing her intelligence participating in The Physics, Chemistry, and Science Olympiads, as well as Quiz Bowl. She is on the varsity bowling team, collects antiques and buttons, is a Sparrow Hospital volunteer and of course is a member of the National Honor Society. Montgomery has her eye set on a degree in Chemical Engineering at a Big Ten school, preferably U of M or MSU. Montgomery picked favorite teachers from each hemisphere of her brain. Ms. Remer-Saenz for her incredible devotion to her art students and Mr. Plough who teaches AP Physics saying she admires the incredible knowledge he demonstrates in his field.