Home Page | Rotary Club of South Haven

South Haven Rotarians got into the spirit of Red Nose Day at a recent meeting. Red Nose Day, to be held May 26th, is an international fund raising initiative by Comic Relief US to help end the cycle of child poverty and ensure a healthy future for all children. Over the past seven years Red Nose Day has raised $275 million, positively impacting 30 million children.

A South Haven teacher who understands the importance of building strong relationships with students and uses those connections to engage students in learning has been presented the 2022 Education and Service Award by the Rotary Club of South Haven. Pictured left to right are Rotarians Dan Thompson and Dene Hadden, Michael and Allison Dubbink and Rotary President Bill Roberts.

Michael Dubbink, a Baseline Middle School social studies teacher, was presented the award during the Rotary club's annual education fundraiser dinner on April 30. The award recognizes a South Haven teacher or educator who best exemplifies the attributes of quality teaching and is an outstanding volunteer in the community. Candidates are nominated by their peer educators.The Rotary club donates $250 to the South Haven Community Foundation in honor of the recipient.

Mike changed careers after working for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, where he advocated for families and youth. He received the department's Good Government award for Teamwork, Leadership and Excellence. He is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where he majored in psychology and social studies. He is in his sixth year of teaching at Baseline Middle School.

The Rotary club has presented the award annually since 2014. Michael's wife, Allison, an elementary grade teacher, was presented the Rotary award in 2016.

"My wife has taught her whole career," observed Mike. "I witnessed the relationships she built and her impact on students and families. I desired that same connection. Teaching as a profession has changed drastically, even in the past few years, but I don't know of a better way to make a positive impact on the next generation than teaching."

"Mike is often in the hallways, greeting students in the morning and often suggests ideas and activities to make school fun for our students," wrote the nominator.

Only in his sixth year of teaching, Dubbink has quickly become a veteran teacher.

"He has been committed to ensuring that Baseline students at all grade levels become better readers and writers. He focuses on developing higher level critical thinking skills with consistent instructions and using a variety of strategies, including technology, interactive classes and differentiation," added the nominator.

While at Baseline he has taken on many roles, including student council advisor, a member of the African American Student Initiative Cohort and RAM Readers Book Club. He takes pride in mentoring new teachers and leading professional development initiatives.

Mike served for 10 years as youth director at Hope Church in South Haven. He continues to build through the church relationships with students outside of the school.

Residents of South Haven for 18 years, Mike and Allison have three children, Jocie, Noah and Emmi who attend SHPS.

Mike is also currently continuing a passion of advocating for his clients in the housing market as a realtor for Coldwell Banker Weber-Seiler in South Haven.

Members of the Rotary Club of South Haven have responded in a significant way to an appeal to support humanitarian initiatives in the Ukraine.

Rotary International through its Foundation encouraged its clubs worldwide to take up an effort to raise funds that will help provide civilians in Ukraine with essential items such as water, food, shelter, medicine and clothing.

South Haven Rotarians and members of the community raised $68,450 to contribute toward the international endeavor.

"The response from our club and the South Haven community is quite frankly very humbling," said Rotarian Paul Mix who spearheaded the initiative.

"Every day we see the tragedy that is happening in Ukraine," observed president Bill Roberts. "Rotary International through its disaster response fund provided a secure and direct way to help."

Rotarians in North America, Argentina and Europe are collaborating with a U.S.-based association of health care workers to collect and ship critical medical supplies to Ukraine. Rotary International reports that two cargo planes packed with 100 tons tourniquets, blood-clotting gauze, blood pressure equipment and other items have already been flown from Chicago to Europe where Rotarians unload the supplies and get them to Ukraine.

South Haven Rotarians joined kindergarten students from the Maple Grove School in planting a tree in a city park to commemorate Arbor Day and honor Rotary International Founder Paul Harris on Friday, April 29. This is the fifth consecutive year that Rotarians have partnered with the City of South Haven arborist in planting a tree. This year a Red Maple was planted at the Kids Corner playground. Paul Harris started the tradition of planting Friendship Trees worldwide in the 1920s. South Haven has been declared a USA Tree City for 17 consecutive years.

A Vision Becomes Reality

Lifesaving Kenya Water Project Completed

Years of visioning, planning, fundraising and designing is being rewarded with the construction on a 160,000 gallon water storage cistern for the Maternal and Child Hospital in Ngoswani, Kenya. A global grant from the Rotary International Foundation, together with grants from the South Haven Rotary Club, other Rotary Clubs in District 6360 and individual Rotarians, provided $75,000 for the project. Members of the Milimani Rotary Club of Nairobi, Kenya, joined Maasai leaders in a celebrative groundbreaking for the project designed to be a safe water resource to the hospital which serves approximately 300,000 people.