Michigan Non-Profit to Hold Annual Meeting in Downtown Rochester on Saturday, July 30, 2011

For 68 years the Michigan Council of Hostelling International has provided southeast Michigan with outdoor adventures, travel education, and access to the world through budget accommodations. Formally called “The Detroit Council of the Michigan Council of American Youth Hostels,” the 501 (c) (3) non-profit adopted the new national name when being a “youth” was no longer necessary to use the network of 4,000 locations in more than 60 countries.

Fondly called “AYH” for many years, some may remember their last physical office to be in Berkley on Coolidge Rd. Now the council works from a “cyber office” with board members scattered throughout the metro Detroit area. Their president, Michael Dwyer, lives in Rochester Hills and their secretary, Linda Gamage, lives in Rochester. Together, the 10 member board of directors decided to bring the Annual Meeting to the Rochester Mills Brewery in Downtown Rochester.

“We try to move the Annual Meeting each year,” states Dwyer, “and the Rochester area has so many wonderful offerings – it was time to have it here. We like to include activities and dinner before the meeting – it makes for a fun afternoon before the business portion starts.” Activities this year will be a choice of a Historic Walking Tour of the Downtown or a bike ride along the Paint Creek Trail.

Earlier this year the Michigan Council presented The Paint Creek Trailways Commission with a grant of $1,500 to provide educational programming to local Girl Scouts in the form of hiking experiences using the Paint Creek Trail. Gamage will lead the bike ride from Rochester to Goodison and back. She tells us “Many of our members from all over the state have an interest in hiking and biking, and we figured that a ride on the Paint Creek Trail would be a great way to show off our trail system and a wonderful segue into the annual meeting where we will recap the grant that we provided.”

“The smiling man in the top hat,” Rod Wilson, of the Rochester-Avon Historical Society will be hosting the walking tour. The Michigan Council will be donating $100 to the society for providing the tour which begins at the Western Knitting Mills on the south side of Water Street. Both activities run from 3:00-5:00 p.m. with check in at 2:30 p.m.

Dinner will be a buffet style at 5:00 p.m. followed by the business meeting at 6:00 p.m. The activities and the meeting are free and open to the public. Dinner comes at no cost to current HI members. Non-members may enjoy dinner for only $10.00. The council asks anyone planning on join them for the activities and/or dinner to RSVP by phone or email.

The business meeting will be “light and informative,” according to Dwyer. “We’ll bring everyone up to speed on the organization.” The more formal part will be electing new board members. There are three slots open for those interested in joining the Michigan Council. All the details about the Annual Meeting are available at their web site.

Annual Meeting of the Michigan Council of Hostelling International

Saturday, July 30, 2011.

www.hi-michigan.org

HIUSAMichigan@gmail.com

248-302-8026

About Tom and Ann Gendich

Founders of Rochester Media. Looking to provide great local news to all people in and around Rochester and Rochester Hills. Send them a note at info@rochestermedia.com.

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