Rotary International asks us to Imagine Rotary through our Focus Areas
This month Rotary International asks us to Imagine Rotary by developing new members. Explore the possibilities with us at our meeting Wednesday at noon at Wick Park or virtually via Zoom.
Wednesday is the deadline to register for the club’s annual Steak Fry on Aug. 27 at Scott Schulick’s house. A registration link is in this newsletter. Bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert to round out the buffet. Don’t forget about the fiesta theme!
Tammye Hardin, program coordinator of Inspiring Minds Youngstown, will join us Wednesday at Wick Park. IM’s ongoing programming has helped more than 1,000 students with academic support, college and career readiness, health and wellness, and personal development. The organization is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has started a capital campaign to renovate its new location on South Avenue.
This week’s menu: Stuffed chicken breast; whipped potatoes; corn; salad.
Rotary Last Week
In these dog days of summer, Rotarians are focused on the warmth of new winter coats for students.
The annual Operation Warm fundraising campaign is underway, Committee Co-Chair Stacia Erdos announced during the Aug. 13 meeting. The club is halfway to its goal of raising $20,000, thanks to some generous community supporters. It is up to members now to meet or exceed the goal.
Coats will be gifted to children who attend Harding, Volney, Taft, and St. Joseph the Provider schools, all in Youngstown. Each coat costs $20. Each Rotarian is asked to donate or raise $100 by Sept. 15 to provide coats for five children. Coats will be ordered for distribution at schools in October.
Fliers with QR codes are available to share with family, friends and colleagues. For tax-deductible contributions, make checks payable to The Youngstown Rotary Foundation with Operation Warm on the memo line. Send checks to RCY at 201 E. Commerce St.,Suite 450, Youngstown, 44503. To donate online, here is a link: Payment Processing - Cardholder Information. Cards also are available to purchase coats in memory or appreciation of loved ones.
RCY distributed 1,300 coats last year to meet students’ needs. Please, get involved! They will feel the warmth of our care, and you will feel the warmth of their gratitude.
RSVP FOR STEAK FRY
Aug. 20 is the deadline to register for RCY’s annual Steak Fry mixer from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at Scott Schulick’s home, 2304 Fifth Ave., Youngstown, 44504. Steaks, grilled salmon, and Beyond Burgers will be the entree options, and the Rotary bar will be open. Register online here: 2025 Annual Club Steak Fry for Members and Guests | Rotary Club of Youngstown Ohio USA
LET THERE BE PEACE
RCY’s Peace Committee strongly encourages participation of Rotarians at three events during Ohio Nonviolence Week in October.
The 15th Annual Nonviolence Parade and Rallywill be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, downtown. It will begin at Wood Street and Wick Avenue and finish at the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre, where a rally will be held. Parade participants will include Sojourn to the Past students, various Valley schools, churches, nonprofit and community organizations, political candidates and others. Awards will be given for the best float, best banner and best in show for highlighting the themes of peace and nonviolence. The rally will feature speakers, music and food.
Peace will be the theme of our weekly meeting on Oct. 8. A peace pole – purchased through the generosity of Rotarians – will be installed in Wick Park. We expect speakers and additional guests to join us as we advocate for peace in our community, country, and around the globe.
Rotarians also are urged to volunteer during the 51st Annual Youngstown Peace Race in and around downtown on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 12.
Plan now to engage in these events.
TEXAS DISASTER RELIEF
Rotary District 5840 is now accepting tax-deductible donations through their 501(c)(3) Foundation to support critical disaster relief efforts in the Texas Hill Country. The Guadalupe River surged over 30 feet, tragically taking dozens of lives and leaving widespread destruction in Kerrville and surrounding communities.
Your support will provide relief to affected families through Rotary; empower local Rotarians as they engage in cleanup and recovery; and fund long-term rebuilding solutions in those communities.
You also may send checks payable to Rotary District 5840 Foundation (with Disaster Relief in the memo) to Rotary District 5840 Foundation, P.O. Box 13, Boerne, TX 78006.
SAVE THE DATE
No noon meeting on Aug. 27 (Steak Fry that evening)
Rotary Council on Legislation and recap of 2025 Rotary International Convention by Scott Schulick, noon Sept. 10, Wick Park Pavilion.
RCY Evening Meeting, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 24, Wick Park Pavilion (no noon meeting)
A Bat's Best Friend
Professor Rodrigo Medellín of the University of Mexico wants bats to be recognized for what they contribute to the ecosystem, and not for their portrayal in myths and movies.
As CNN reported on Aug. 15, bats provide insect pest control. Fruit-eating bats play a crucial role in spreading seeds as they fly long distances in search of food. “By dropping seeds far from the parent tree, they help regenerate forests, maintain plant diversity, and support the life cycles of countless other organisms. The restoration of forests relies very heavily on bats,” Medellín says.
Bats are also key pollinators for a wide range of plants, according to Medellín, including agave, the plant used to make tequila.
Despite their critical ecological roles, populations worldwide face many challenges, most of which are caused by human activity. Habitat loss, wind turbines, pesticide use, and most recently, white nose syndrome – a fungal disease – have all taken a serious toll. As a result, many species are now listed as endangered or threatened.
“Imagine what happens if we lose bats overnight,” Medellín says. “Without them, crops would be ravaged by hungry insects, and mosquito populations would surge, drastically changing our way of life.”
