Rotary International asks us to Imagine Rotary through our Focus Areas
This month Rotary International asks us to Imagine Rotary by supporting the Rotary Foundation. Explore the possibilities with us at our meeting Wednesday at noon at Wick Park or virtually via Zoom.
This month is Rotary Foundation Month and our own Sharon Letson will be talking to us about the Foundation and its impact.
Operation Warm coat distribution will be from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Harding Elementary School, 1903 Cordova Ave., Youngstown, 44504. Operation Warm Co-Chair Stacia Erdos needs more volunteers to help with fitting the students and printing their names in coats.
Club members are asked to ring the bell during the Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive from 10 to 4 Friday, Nov. 28, in the lobby of Cornersburg Sparkle on South Meridian Road. Contact John Fahnert to sign up for a 2-hour shift.
Registration for the annual Rotary Holiday party has opened. This year the party will be held at Yosteria on December 6th. Early Bird ticket cost is $40 (before 27th November), or $45 after. The deadline is December 2nd (no exceptions).
Menu: Breaded Chicken Sandwich, Condiments and Sauces on side, Waffle Fries, Mac and Cheese, Coleslaw
See you Wednesday, Noon at Wick Park.
Rotary Last Week
The Nov. 12 meeting opened with rounds of applause. Rotarians who served in the U.S. military were recognized. Two members were celebrated for reaching membership milestones – Scott Schulick (30 years) and John Fahnert (25 years).
The Rev. Ray Thomas, a retired Catholic priest in the Diocese of Youngstown and member of the Rotary Club of Warren, discussed the Unbound program. It is an international development organization that focuses on marginalized and vulnerable people in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
Unbound’s goals are to eliminate poverty, empower women, advance education at all levels, build community, and promote the well-being of all ages. Through monthly contributions, donors enable children to attend school, communities to build water and sanitary infrastructure, and elders to receive health care and nutritional items. Unbound also helps to build relationships between donors and recipients. Father Thomas sponsors two girls, ages 5 and 11, in Guatemala and El Salvador, respectively. To sponsor or for more information, visit unbound.org.
Beerfest sponsorships are being secured for the big event on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Stambaugh Auditorium. You can add to the momentum by checking the list of potential sponsors on display during our Wednesday meetings and contacting one of them.
HELP HURRICANE VICTIMS
The Rotary Foundation has declared a Disaster of Magnitude and created the Hurricane Melissa Response Fund, which will support disaster response grants in communities affected by this destructive storm. Hurricane Melissa made landfall in the Caribbean as one of the strongest hurricanes on record. Many communities have no electricity or access to clean water. Contributions to the fund will support disaster response grants for critical items such as water, food, medicine, clothing, and shelter. The fund will accept donations through Jan. 31.
Operation Warm Nov 20, 2025, 8:30am to 11:30am, Harding Elementary, 1903 Cordova Ave., Youngstown, 44504
Canfield Lighting of the Green Nov 22, 2025, 6:30pm, 13 N Broad St, Canfield. Featuring lights, Carriage rides, activities, music, and of course, the arrival of Santa! It is a wonderful opportunity to support fellow Rotary Clubs in our District.
Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive, Nov. 28, 2025, 10am to 4pm, Cornersburg Sparkle Lobby on South Meridian Rd.
Light Up Night Dec 5, 2025, 6:00pm, the Holiday Parade begins on Federal Street.
Holiday Party Dec 10, 2025, 6:00pm, Yosteria, 252 Valley St, Youngstown, OH, 44407. Celebrate the holiday season with a night of food, fun, fellowship and friendship in Rotary. Spouses and guests are welcome! More Details
Beavers and the Bees
A new study by the University of Stirling suggests that beavers could play a vital role in reversing the “dramatic” decline of pollinating insects across the UK. According to the research reported by The Standard, wetlands engineered by beavers supported 29% more hoverfly species, 119% more hoverfly individuals, and 45% more butterflies than artificial ponds.
Hoverflies are crucial pollinators, while butterfly numbers are suffering steep declines — up to 80% of species are shrinking in range or population. The beaver-created wetlands also add greater variety to flower-foraging habitats, giving pollinators richer and more diverse food sources.
The study lead Patrick Cook argues that current agricultural subsidy schemes, which favour human-dug ponds, should evolve to support beaver wetlands too — since the ecological benefit is clear. Professor Nigel Willby cautions against removing beaver dams too readily: each dam lost means losing not just a wetland, but vital pollinator habitat.
Conservationists hope these findings will encourage landowners and policymakers to recognise beavers as a scalable, nature-based solution for rebuilding pollinator populations.
November 12, 1990: Rotary Club of Youngstown sponsored fifteen high school students on a field trip to the Pittsburgh Institute of International Affairs (it was the largest group from a single Rotary Club).
