Youngstown Rotary Clatter - Monday June 27, 2022 (Jun 27, 2022)

Rotary International asks us to Serve to Change Lives through its Focus Areas

January is Vocational Service Month

This month Rotary International asks us to Serve to Change Lives through Rotary Fellowship. 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

This Week's Meeting

Josh Prest, 2021-22 RCY President, will lead his final meeting Wednesday at the Wick Park Pavilion. Josh will review the club’s accomplishments and some of his most memorable moments. Make every effort to attend and thank Josh for his faithful, impressive service.

Last Week's Meeting

Rotarians learned from Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD) about a wide array of programs and services designed to emphasize the abilities of everyone.

According to George Gabriel, SSA Supervisor, MCBDD currently serves over 1,500 families from birth to adult. Early intervention programs support families of infants and toddlers ages 0 – 3, while the Leonard Kirtz School provides comprehensive services to those ages 6 -22. Once the client is older, there are many adult programs offered. If you have questions about eligibility in any of the programs, give George a call at 330-797-2869.

William Clark is a Community Outreach Advocate who helps educate clients, as well as find employment for them and assists them in navigating the complex system of social services. Many clients of MCBDD are employed in the community, in businesses such as Giant Eagle, Subway, and others.

William builds awareness of MCBDD by giving presentations at schools in grades 4 -12, and teaches the students what it’s like to have a disability. Among the many activities he uses is Charades, to show the students what it might be like to be non-verbal.

William is proud to be able to use his experience for the betterment of the community and be a voice to those who don’t have one. William is also a published author, writing a book about life as a disabled man. He will be returning to school to earn his Master’s in counseling.

In addition to the weekly meeting, Rotarians gathered Thursday at the Tyler Center to celebrate Josh Prest’s year as RCY president. His “roast” took place in a weekly meeting format, with Adam Lee assuming Josh’s role, Stacia Erdos Littleton serving as the harried Zoom meeting coordinator, and a number of club members offering Happy (and Not So Happy) Bucks about Josh. A not-ready-for-Vegas magical act, featuring Dave Stillwagon and Samatha Turner, amped up the humor. Live music, tasty food and camaraderie made for a great evening.

Each year at the annual President’s Party, several awards are given for Service Above Self. We are proud to present the 2022 recipients:

The Charles F. Owsley President’s Award - Barbara Brothers

The Robert A. Manchester II Club Leadership Award - Operation Pollination; chair, Elayne Bozick

The Edward J. Hulme New Member Award - Jessica Romeo

The Rotary Club of Youngstown Lifetime Achievement Award -Tess Trucksis

End Polio Now

FOUNDATION MEMBERS APPROVED

With the adoption of new bylaws of the Youngstown Rotary Foundation, Inc., the RCY Board of Directors voted on June 21 to adopt a slate of new foundation board members, based on nominations of 10 members. The new directors are:

Past Presidents:

Samantha Turner, 1 year term
Fred Owens, 2 year term

Scott Schulick, 3 year term

Non-Past Presidents:

Gregg Rossi, 1 year term
Luke Politsky, 2 year term
Shannon Tirone, 3 year term

Highlights from District Conference

District Governor Steve Wilder signed a Pollinator Resolution in support of the work of Operation Pollination during the District 6650 Annual Conference on June 25 at Walsh College, Canton. RCY’s Operation Pollination committee chair (and future District Governor) Elayne Bozick attended the conference and accepted the resolution. Congratulations to Elayne for continuing to spread the message of Operation Pollination’s significance. Check out the photos for more glimpses of the conference.

Could a Climate-Friendly Yard Actually Be Better for Curb Appeal?

Making changes to take your yard from high-maintenance (and resource-draining) to eco-friendly can save you time and money—and even give you a new level of curb appeal.

For decades, a white picket fence and a pristine lawn have represented the ideal yard and peak curb appeal for many in the U.S., but as Americans better understand the effects of climate change, homeowners are increasingly willing to ditch grass in favor of more eco-friendly alternatives.

This shift is revealed, in part, in a 2022 study by landscape design service Yardzen that shows that requests to replace lawns have increased 66% year over year. Additionally, over the same period, requests for a more functional front yard increased 150%.

THIS WEEK IN ROTARY HISTORY

June 30, 2010: A “special” Rotary meeting was held at Henry Bertolini’s bedside with RCY Presidents Steve Kristan, Elayne Bozick, and Mary Womble to ensure Henry’s 63rd consecutive year of perfect attendance.

CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION

Birthdays:

Samantha Turner - Jun 29
Josh Prest - Jul 3

Anniversaries:

Aimee Fifarek - 4 Years
Becky Mottram - 2 Years

Save the Date:

Join RCY at Beers, Cheers, & Gears
Join us at the following locations and enjoy great fellowship while sipping on your favorite beverage:

June 29, Foundation Lounge in downtown Youngstown
July 21, Penguin City Beer
August 18, Mahoning Valley Scrappers at Eastwood Field
More details with be forthcoming.

Proposed new members

Derrick H. Anderson Sr.

Grassroots

Engagement Director

Classification: Social Advocate

Sponsor: Josh Prest

Anderson is pastor of The Jerusalem Baptist Church of Youngstown. He served two tours of duty in Operation Desert Storm with the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and Ohio National Guard and was honorably discharged from military service. He studied business administration at Seattle Pacific University. He also is Grassroots Engagement Director with Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy group based in Arlington, VA.

Solomon J. “Jack” Kravitz

Caterer and former restaurant owner

Classification: Catering

Sponsor: Aundrea Cika Heschmeyer

Kravitz is the recently-retired owner of Kravitz Delicatessen, Inspired Catering and the Garden Cafe by Kravitz. He is an experienced cooking instructor, both online and at in-person classes. He was named Small Business Philanthropist of the Year 2019 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
He graduated from Liberty High School, then earned a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science at The Ohio State University, and a law degree at The Case Western Reserve School of Law. He passed the State of Ohio Bar exam. He is a graduate of Leadership Mahoning Valley.
He is a past president of Second Harvest Foodbank, Akiva Academy, Grow Youngstown and Logan Swim and Tennis Club. He was the founder and past president of the Poland Business Association. He and his wife, Cynthia, have two children: Hannah Kravitz of Portland, OR; and Eli Kravitz of Indianapolis, IN.

Ashley (Arnold) Morrow

Human Resources Manager

Classification: Human Resources

Sponsor: Elayne Bozick

Morrow is the Human Resources Manager / Payroll Manager / Safety Director at Livi Steel, Inc., a structural steel fabricator in Warren, and owner of Ashley's Peer Recovery Services, LLC. She lives in a 1912 Craftsman style bungalow in Youngstown. She graduated from Lakeview High School in 2008, Trumbull Career & Technical Center in 2009, and Liberty University in 2019.

Ashley is also actively involved with Wild Ones, a national nonprofit, serving as president of the Youngstown Area Chapter, and on the Wild Ones Chapter Advisory Committee.

Ashley has a young son and three rescue dogs. She enjoys painting, restoring and repurposing old furniture, home renovations, and expanding her pollinator friendly gardens.

Ra'Cole Taltoan

Business owner and community activist

Classification: Accounting

Sponsor: Dionne Dowdy

Taltoan, a lifelong resident of Youngstown, is the owner and CEO of Rockbrook Business Services, RISE Youngstown and Radiance Essentials.
She studied accounting and business management at Wright State University. She launched Rockbrook Business Services, LLC from her home in 2011. Rockbrook has assisted small businesses with getting business credit, becoming profitable and receiving funds to further their endeavors.
She created Responsible Initiative toward Success in Entrepreneurship (RISE) Youngstown, a nonprofit, in 2019 to help families become self-sufficient through entrepreneurship and financial literacy. She opened Radiance Essentials, a health and beauty shop, in 2020.
She was the Director of Finance and serves on the board of United Returning Citizens, a nonprofit organization she co-founded with Dionne Dowdy, the current executive director. She has served as an AmeriCorps Vista, and on the board of directors for Thrive Mahoning Valley and Northeast Homeowners and Concerned Citizens Association. She also was recognized as a community leader at the 2022 Juneteenth Sankofa Ball.

Traci Manning

Curator of Education

Classification:

Historical Preservation

Sponsor: Linda Kostka

Manning holds a bachelor of arts in Religion and Civil War Era Studies from Gettysburg College, a master of arts in Applied History from Shippensburg University, and studied secondary social studies education at Wilson College. She spent six years working for the National Park Service at several sites including Gettysburg National Military Park, Vicksburg National Military Park, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. In 2012, she started working as the Curator of Education at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society.

Additionally, she volunteers as a museum education mentor with the American Alliance of Museums EdMem program, is a frequent public speaker, and contributes to WFMJ Today and The Vindicator. Outside of work, Traci serves on the Board of Directors at the Hopewell Theatre in Youngstown.

Steve Poullas
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)

Monday, June 27, 2022