Member Spotlight - Tim Belanger

A Week of Memorable Dates

Invocation: Mike Ladwig named his invocation “Drift”. He noted that his new car

sounds an alert when the vehicle drifts out of its lane. He thanked the Lord that when he drifts spiritually, he brings him back on course.

Fun facts: Reverend Dave Stechholz pointed out that today 3/13/2024 was “313 Day,” established to celebrate Detroit based on their telephone area code. Tomorrow 3/14 will be PI Day celebrating the mathematical constant ratio of circles circumference/ diameter which starts with the numbers 3.14 established in 1988 by the San Francisco Science Museum to inspire students nationwide. Friday 3/15, the Ides of March, the day dictator Julius Caesar was stabbed by members of his senate and Sunday 3/17 is St. Patrick’s Day to honor St. Patrick who brought Christianity to Ireland.

Adopt A Road: Greg Greene proposed that the Livonia Rotary AM “Adopt a Road” This commitment requires picking up trash 3 times a year on a section of road chosen by the club. Wayne County provides trash bags, vests and a sign. After a discussion on how to get the Interact Kids involved a motion was made by Greg and seconded by Claude Kendrick to have Greg proceed in getting a list of road sections to adopt for the group to select. The motion passed.

Happy Birthday was sung by the club to Pat Zucal.

Touch a Job April 20, 2024: Brian Weiss thanked the Rotary Club for allowing him to use the Touch a Truck phrase for a project to introduce high schoolers to careers that do not require college degrees. The event will be held at Schoolcraft College Manufactures and Engineering Center at 13001 Merriman Rd. Livonia on April 20, 2024 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Students will get hands on introduction to several trades jobs.

Walk in Cooler Project Clarenceville High School: Special thanks were extended to Dawn Margaretta from Schoolcraft College on the announcement a the college made a $10,000 grant towards the project. Fund raising efforts continue toward the goal of raising $30,000 for the cooler.

Member Spotlight: Tim Belanger, an Ohio State Football fan, opened his presentation by singing the Wolverine fight song as a result of a long standing bet he made with club members that the losing party of the Michigan versus Ohio State Football Game would sing the others fight song. He paid his debt now that he was at the Rotary meeting in person. Mike Ladwig added his own rub by wearing a very obnoxious bright yellow U of M shirt with giant M’s embroidered on it. Tim an early member of the Rotary Club and former President in 2000 took the heckling with good spirit. ​

Tim pointed out that he was the son of two high school sweethearts that had him in their teens while they were both in 9th grade. This rocky beginning resulted in his parents moving 21 times due to limited financial resources. They settled in Livonia and Tim earned a scholarship at Central Michigan but decided to go to college in Ohio where his mother lived after remarrying. He worked producing sports features at a local radio station and was soon promoted to sales.

In 1987, Tim’s Dad convinced him to return to Michigan and work for a painting company he started doing sales. The company evolved in doing “Construction Management,” specializing in medical facilities that require infection control on construction jobs. Ames Construction has been operating for 52 years and expanding to Pittsburgh in 2009 and expanded again in 2019 to Columbus Ohio.

He is married to Sharon and has three kids. His daughter Jesse has two children, son, Andrew, went to West Point and is currently in Germany doing air defense. Tim

plans on retiring in two years and hopes to spend more time with Rotary.

Nancy Darga

Nancy Darga