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A South Haven Rotarian who exemplifies the club’s motto, “Service Above Self”, will be honored during the Rotary District 6360 conference in Grand Haven on Saturday, April 21.

Art Ayers has been chosen South Haven Rotary’s 2017 “Club Hero”. Each of the Rotary clubs in the District selects an honoree for recognition based on their service during the past year.

“When Art’s term as our president concluded a year ago, he could easily have taken a step back to catch his breath, but not Art. His year as immediate past president has been chock-full of "Service Beyond Self",” said current president Tom Renner.

He delivers a thoughtful invocation before every meeting and chairs the club's busy Grants Committee. He doesn’t miss an opportunity to be involved in the club's many service projects, including the community dinners served at his church. He was also one of the mentors of an Eagle Scout candidate and when one of club’s snowbird Rotarians sought a volunteer to write the weekly newsletter, Art raised his hand.

“He is an amazing example of the servant leader,” said Renner.

Ayers and his wife, Kristin, have been fulltime residents of South Haven since 2011. They are retired from long careers as educators in the Three Rivers and Mendon communities. Art also held managerial positions at companies in those communities. He has provided a popular DJ service for events since 1989. A native of Detroit, he received the BA degree from Central Michigan University and the MA from Western Michigan University.

Art joined South Haven Rotary in 2013. The Ayers belong to the First Congregational Church. They have five grown children.

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Proud to Support Education

At Rotary's April 17 meeting South Haven Public Schools Foundation President Fred Leavitt and Treasurer Barry Skuza, along with Kim Cross, Principal of Maple Grove Elementary School joined us to make two special presentations. South Haven Rotary holds an annual education fundraising event (this year to be held Saturday, April 28) with half of the proceeds going into an endowment fund held by the South Haven Community Foundation. A portion of that endowment’s earnings is used to fund teacher grants for innovative strategies and supplies to be used in their classrooms. The SHPS Foundation presented two grant checks at our meeting. The first was to Andrea Jeiger (top photo) for implementing a take home library for English as a second language families. The second was to Heather Chalupa for a Songs and Stories on the Beach program newly named the Rotary Grant and is funded by the earnings from the Rotary endowment. Rotarian Dene Hadden is a member of the SHPS Foundation Board and co-chair with Deb Davidson of this year's fundraiser.

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Proud Blueberry Festival Boosters

Rotary was pleased to host National Blueberry Festival Executive Director Megan Cairns at our April 17 meeting. Megan gave us an update on the 55th year of the festival. Rotary's Fly-in Breakfast (to be held August 13 this year) is one of the longest running Festival events. Rotarian Art Ayers is pictured presenting Megan a grant in support of the Festival.

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Summer Program Receives Support
South Haven Rotary is pleased to be a sponsor of the Summer Children's Program, "Bailey's Budding Naturalist", of the Libert Hyde Bailey Museum. Grant chair Art Ayers is pictured presenting our grant to Anne Long, President of the museum's Board of Directors, at our April 3 meeting.

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In Support of Community

South Haven Rotary is pleased to support American Legion Post 49 in its efforts to reduce the debt on the beautiful wall constructed along Black River street for bluff protection. Grants Chair Art Ayers is pictured presenting our donation to Legion representatives Stan Wakild and Tom Breen during our March 27 meeting.

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Future Leaders

South Haven Rotary is a proud supporter of Team Ramageddon, the South Haven High School Robotics team! We were pleased to host the students and their mentors at our March 13 meeting.

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Helping Community

South Haven Rotary is excited for Eagle-scout candidate Elian Garcia who saw a dream-come-true Monday, Jan. 15, when Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) were installed at the community libraries in South Haven and Bangor. Elian raised the funds needed to purchase the AEDs and has organized sessions on their proper use. SH Rotary was pleased to provide financial help. Some of our members served as mentors. Follow Elian's Project in Photos

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Service to the Community

South Haven Rotarians happily participated in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day service project sponsored by the Diversity Alliance on Monday, Jan. 15. Our Rotarians are also pleased to be a financial contributor. Many packets of rice were packaged for community food pantries. See photos