Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Director Shares Vision as Community's Library
Cristen Jackson, Director of Library Services and Operations with Desmond London, Executive Director, and President Domonique
Desmond London was named the Executive Director of the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library earlier this year. He spoke to the club on September 25 about the direction the library is headed. A key point of emphasis- he wants every resident, and especially kids, to know that the library is theirs.
The library is wrapping up a strategic planning process. How the library engages with community is central to that. While not proposing a return to branch locations, they are exploring ways to partner with different groups to provide library resources on a recurring basis. One of the burning questions asked was whether there was any talk of re-starting the Bookmobile, and indeed there is. Stay tuned!
Other improvements have been going on behind the scenes, such as strengthening cyber security for the the library system, which increasingly relies on technology. They have also added service access points such as a food pantry to help local families connect with resources they need.
Mr. London hails from Milwaukee, and has felt a strong sense of welcome since coming to Flint.
Peace and Unity Day
On Saturday, October 3, Flint celebrated Peace and Unity Day by gathering at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Willson Park with a program focused on peace. (October 2 was the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, who used active nonviolence to mobilize India's struggle for independence.) The Peace and Unity Day celebration brought together people across the many cultures that make up our community, featuring prayers and messages of peace from people across different faiths and traditions.
As part of the special day, our own Dr. Ray Gist was honored as Peace Maker of the Year. Please join us in recognizing this distinction!
Ray Gist with a picture of Mahatma Gandhi
New Member First Reading
Name Classification Proposed By
Sandra Johnson Community Development- Chief Lennetta Coney
Community Engagement Officer
Members wishing to comment on proposed members must do so in writing to Club Secretary Ellen Echols no more than two weeks following the second reading.
September Birthdays
Happy birthday, dear Rotarians!
September 3- Jim Richardson
September 6- David Gaines
September 9- Greg Viener
September 15- Jim Couture
September 28- George Ananich
September 29- Todd Slisher
Right: Jim Richardson and George Ananich
Next Up: Genesee Health Plan Director Jim Milanowski
Join us at the Food Bank this Friday, October 9, at noon!
Jack Hamady Fellow Introduced
Rob Bennett was recognized at the September 25 meeting as our club's newest Jack Hamady Fellow. Similar to the Paul Harris Fellow, the Jack Hamady Fellow is bestowed on people who donate $1,000 cumulatively to support our local Flint Rotary Charitable Foundation's endowment fund. Such contributions help support the many worthy projects our club helps to fund.
Left: President Domonique and Rob Bennett
World Polio Day is Just Around the Corner...
World Polio Day is coming on October 24. Join with us in the effort to eradicate polio- take on President Yinka's "Coco Challenge" in partnership with Rotarians across District 6330! Coco the Cow is the District 6330 Ambassador of IMPACT.
When given the inaugural Coco at the President Elect Learning Seminar in Kalamazoo Michigan, then Rotary International President Elect Yinka Babalola issued a challenge -How much will we give to the Polio fund for every country that he visits with Coco?
