Once each year, we welcome a large contingent of guests from local charitable and non-profit organizations for our traditional "Donation Day". Thanks to the hard work of our members and incredible generosity of our supporters all year long, we were able to help 24 different local community service  organizations. This year's recipients at the Xemplar Foundation Donation Day received a total of more than $20,000 and included:

American Legion Boys State        
American Legion Girls State Another Day Resource Center              
Care House of Oakland County      
C.A.R.E.S. of Farmington Hills          
Common Ground Sanctuary        
Community Living Centers        
Dr. Paws Pet Therapy        
Farmington Youth Assistance
Farmington Hills After School Youth Center Program

Farmington/Farmington Hills Education Foundation
Farmington Public Schools Turn Around Program           
Graham Smith Memorial Fund for Suicide Prevention      
Haven House         
Farmington Hills Meals on Wheels
MI Works Matter       
Neighborhood House       
Operation Common Good 

Police Department Ballistic Shields        
Samaritan Counseling Center        
Farmington Hills Senior Transportation        
Special Olympics Team Farmington        
Starfish Family Services        
YMCA After School Program

Our guest for lunch this week is Dr. Christopher Delgado, Superintendent of Farmington Public Schools which serves approximately 9,000 students pre-K to age 26 in the metro-Detroit area.

After graduating from Michigan State University, he began his career as a high school and middle school Spanish teacher in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Six years later he returned to Michigan as an elementary and highs school Spanish teacher in Birmingham, MI.  His teaching tenure was followed by 18 years in administration, including roles as high school associate principal, middle school principal and deputy superintendent.  He completed his Bachelors and Masters of Educational Administration from Michigan State University, and his Educational Specialist and Doctorate from Oakland University.

He has been married for 29 years to his wife, Leslie, who is an instructional coach in Birmingham Public Schools.  They have three children.

Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) officially announced his Senate candidacy Wednesday at the Xemplar Club, pitching himself as a champion for the middle class in a note to supporters. “Today, I am officially announcing that I am a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014,” Peters said. He called the present time a “critical moment” for Michigan. “I’ve always believed that the things middle class families struggle with around their kitchen tables should define my work in Washington,” Peters continued. First elected to Congress in 2008, Peters served as lottery commissioner and a state legislator before heading to Washington. The Republican field has yet to take shape. Rep. Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is considering a bid. So is libertarian-leaning Rep. Justin Amash, who has clashed with House GOP leadership.