This year has demonstrated itself to be a very good year for your Beautification Council of Southeastern Michigan. In spite of the many challenges we all have faced, your organization has continued to grow and engage the communities of southeastern Michigan. BCSEM has been approved and registered as a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation by the State of Michigan! BCSEM is now in the process of filing for formal Federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with the IRS. I hope to have some very good news to share with you in the near future regarding our application for federal tax-exempt status.
As you know, BCSEM celebrated its 60th Anniversary this past June 15th at the historic Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit. This was a fantastic meeting, and was very well-attended. I don’t own a boat, but I like to meet people who do, so this venue was perfect! Barry Burton, City of Detroit Landscape Architect, gave a wonderful presentation on beautification activities in Detroit over the years. We had numerous BCSEM benefactors who helped underwrite the cost of this event, and their names were published in the Meeting Program. Thank you all again for your generosity!
There were a number of Special Presentations to mark this 60th Anniversary Celebration. Seventeen communities were recognized for having representatives present at the first BCSEM Organizational Meeting, held in the Veterans Memorial Building in Detroit on November 22, 1963! In addition, there were 18 communities recognized for being Continuous Paid BCSEM members for 60
years! They were eachpresented with a Certificate of Recognition. A listing of these communities is included with this Newsletter. We are all indebted to all of these communities for their collective efforts and determination to make Southeastern Michigan beautiful.
A highlight of this meeting was the awarding of the 2023 BCS\EM President’s Award to Jerald D. Stone, for being a BCSEM Charter Member and Officer in 1963, serving as Charter Treasurer from 1963 to 2012, being BCSEM President in 2012 and 2013, and currently being a Member of the BCSEM Board of Directors! That was a very special moment for all of us! Thank you for your
service and dedication to BCSEM, Jerry!
We are all looking forward to the September 21st Fall Quarterly Meeting hosted by the City of Trenton at the fabulous Chateau on the River, located inside Elizabeth Park. We will be presenting the 2023 BCSEM Individual Service Award to Mr. Joseph Claycomb, of St. Clair Shores. Mr. Claycomb’s many years of service to his community, and his recent lead involvement in the restoration and revitalization of the City Park at Blossom Health, including designing and construction of the much-loved $10 million dollar Blossom Health Activity Pier project, are but a few of the highlevel projects that make us proud to recognize him as our benchmark Beautification Volunteer for 2023! There are also some fantastic speakers lined up. Don’t miss this one!
Thank you all for your continued support of your nonprofit organization! Take care and be safe!