Youngstown Rotary Clatter - Tuesday November 5, 2024 (Nov. 01, 2024)

Rotary International asks us to Imagine Rotary through our Focus Areas

October is Economic and Community Development Month

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.

http://www.youngstownrotaryevent.com

The Zoom ID is: 3567145262

Rotary International Foundation | Rotary International

ROTARY THIS WEEK

Our holiday break continues. RCY will not meet on Jan. 1. See you Jan. 8 at Wick Park!

Reminder: Jan. 1 is the deadline to enter the district wide Paul Harris Fellow Challenge. Rotarians who give $20 or more will be entered in a drawing to win a Paul Harris Fellow for themselves, spouses, or friends. District Governor Elayne Bozick asks Rotarians to give $66.50 or more in honor of our district. Get your mail postmarked ASAP; send to past District Governor Linda Henderson, 2999 Queensway, East Liverpool, OH 43920.

Speaking of DG Elayne, she has had a busy December. In addition to her district-wide work, she and Elisha Samra helped children write letters to Santa during the downtown holiday parade on Dec. 6. She received her PHF Level 4 recognition during our Holiday Party on Dec. 11. Most importantly, her birthday was Dec. 25. Happy belated birthday, Elayne! Your host club is very proud of you.

Rotary Last Week

Only three Ohio convention and visitors bureaus function as part of county government. Mahoning County is one of them, and Megan Magnetta is its new executive director. Magnetta, who spoke at RCY’s Dec. 18 meeting, said one advantage is obtaining guidance from county-level offices including the prosecutor, auditor and treasurer. The CVB is not supported by the county general fund, but a lodging tax fund that it shares with the Western Reserve Port Authority. The economic impact of local tourism in 2023 was $1.1 billion, she noted. Look for new branding and a new sports marketing campaign in the new year, she added.

In his Beerfest update, Jack Kravitz said RCY is seeing double – in pre-event social media traffic, that is. Also, while Stambaugh Auditorium will again host our event, it will not operate a snack bar. Food will be available from caterers Babcia’s Lunchbox and A Fresh Wind by Trina Williams, and also One Hot Cookie. In support of RCY’s zero-waste goals during Beerfest, Gasser Chair is sponsoring the recycling bins this year. All members are asked to sell at least four tickets and volunteer on event day.

Samantha Turner’s son, Anthony, gave a spontaneous piano performance to the delight of the audience.

Congratulations to RCY President George Nelson. Two of his photographs will be displayed in the 85th Area Artist Annual show at the Butler Institute of American Art in January and February!

JOIN THE PARADE

RCY has registered to enter the downtown Holiday Parade at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6. President George is looking for at least 10 Rotarians to share the Magic of Rotary with attendees.

Gerri Jenkins needs someone with a pickup or flatbed truck to join the parade and carry our inflatable Rotary logo along the route. See Gerri or George to volunteer.

Rotarians can gather at the Mahoning County Land Bank office on the third floor of City Center One at East Federal and Champion streets. Deb Flora and the Land Bank will provide light refreshments.

The parade is one of many First Fridays events on Dec. 6. Youngstown Flea on Phelps will be from 4 to 8 p.m. The SMARTS Holiday Open House will be worth a visit, the tree lighting on Central Square will be at about 7:15 p.m., and commemorative mugs will be available for evening drink specials. Read all about it here:

2024 Holiday Parade & Christmas Tree Lighting | Youngstown Cityscape

SAVE THE DATE

Mid-Year Club Assembly, noon Jan. 8, Wick Park Pavilion.

Seventh Annual Groundhog Craft Beerfest, 1-4 and 5-8 p.m. Feb. 1, Stambaugh Auditorium.

District 6650 Youth Exchange Overnighter in Youngstown, Feb. 7-8, details to follow; volunteers needed.

It's A Backyard Thing

Readers of this column understand the urgency behind Operation Pollination. After all, preserving pollinator habitats is self-sustaining. We are working to preserve human food sources and improve public health.

This column also exposes readers to many ways to push back on climate change – so many ways, in fact, that the enormity of the problem and array of solutions can feel overwhelming at times.

In a recent opinion column published by The New York Times, author Margaret Renkl coaxes readers out of the high grass of options to remind them that they can make a difference in their own backyards. The nonprofit Homegrown National Park, which promotes replacing invasive plants with native ones to reduce atmospheric carbon, distilled Renkl’s column into four of her most inspiring quotes, as follows:

“Preventing habitat loss on a global scale is complicated, but converting garden space into a wildlife sanctuary is not.”

“The bumblebees and butterflies will come. So will the songbirds, tree frogs, and box turtles. You’ll be making a visible difference to the struggling natural world.”

“Making a discernible, measurable difference to my wild neighbors is an act of resistance. I may not save zebras and leopards, but I can help zebra swallowtails and giant leopard moths in my own yard.”

“Homegrown National Park inspires the creation of a network of wildlife sanctuaries - one yard, flowerpot, or sidewalk margin at a time - to stem biodiversity loss.”

Can you tend one more flower pot in the new year? Extend your garden plot by a few feet? Think about what that can amount to in a club of 70-plus members.

To learn more about Homegrown National Park, click here: Home - Homegrown National Park - Regenerate Biodiversity

To learn more about the writings and passions of Margaret Renkl, click here: Home - Margaret Renkl

THIS WEEK IN ROTARY HISTORY

November 9, 1993: Rotary Club of Youngstown sponsored the District 6650 Conference at the Metroplex in Liberty Township.

CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION

Birthdays:

None this week

Anniversaries:

Linda Kostka 11/9

19 years

Michael Latessa 11/9

8 years

NEW MEMBER NOTICES

Jantz Clinkscale

General Manager

The Birthright USA

Classification: Education

Clinkscale provides hands-on vocational training to youth and veterans and assists them with securing permanent housing. Clinkscale’s passion is reducing the infant and maternal mortality rates locally and nationally. “I’m a kind, empathetic, caring, compassionate and extreme advocate for the underdog,” wrote Clinkscale, a 1995 graduate of YSU.

Beverly Locke

Director of Facilities

Summit Academy Schools

Classification: Education

Locke specializes in new acquisitions, building renovations, and building maintenance for more than 20 school locations throughout Ohio. She holds a BS in Education and an MS in Healthcare Administration. Beverly is passionate about children and seniors, having spent 12 years working as a property supervisor for the elderly. She also is the pastor of Third Christian Church in Warren. When not working, Beverly enjoys bowling and fishing.

Denise Holt

Architect

Strollo Architects

Classification: Architecture

Sponsor: Becky Keck

Holt was born and raised in Youngstown, went to Kent State University, then returned to the area. She has worked for more than 20 years in architecture and specializes in healthcare design and historic preservation. She currently serves on SMARTS Circle and is past president of American Institute of Architects Youngstown.

News EDITOR

Debora Flora

Photos by Debora Flora, George Nelson, Elisha Samra and the Bulletin Editor

Brendan Considine
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)

TUESday, november 5, 2024