Rotary International asks us to Serve to Change Lives through its Focus Areas
This month Rotary International asks us to Serve to Change Lives by preserving access to fresh water and quality sanitation in our community. Explore the possibilities with us at our meeting Wednesday at noon at Wick Park or virtually via Zoom.
This week’s Rotary meeting promises to be a fun and flavorful preview of the upcoming Simply Slavic festival. Presenter Aundrea will share highlights of the three-day celebration of Slavic culture, traditions, music, and community. Rotarians will also enjoy a sampling of Slavic-themed food during the noon meeting, making this a meeting you won’t want to miss.
Members are also reminded to sign up for the Rotary Kayaking Trip on June 6th. Interest has been strong and spots are filling up quickly, so be sure to reserve your place soon for what promises to be a great day of fellowship and outdoor fun.
Looking ahead, Rotary’s May 27th meeting will be a special evening gathering at Westside Bowl. Family Fun Night will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will include fellowship, food, bowling, and activities for all ages. Rotarians are encouraged to bring their families and enjoy an evening together outside of the regular noon meeting schedule.
This week’s menu: Kielbasa Hoagies, Caramelized onions, mustard and kraut on side, Cabbage and noodles, Salad (dressing on the side), Vegetable Lasagna :
Rotary Last Week
As a student at Warren G. Harding High School 30 years ago, Michael Engram found a mentor in his football coach, the late Phil Annarella, who wanted his players to be well-rounded individuals. Now Engram, founder of the Game Changers organization, works with high school athletes on developing leadership, entrepreneurship, and persistence as they transition to college, trade schools, or the workforce.
Student athletes are "often coached about how to dribble a ball, but not the skills to get into the workforce," Engram told Rotarians on May 13. Game Changers has been filling the gap since 2013 by offering physical, mental, emotional, and professional development. This includes trips to major events such as attending the ESPY Awards and the new Grad & Go career readiness program that is launching this summer. A Sports Leadership Seminar at Youngstown State University encourages students to pair their experiences with additional skills to think like entrepreneurs.
Engram lauded Rotarians for being "servant-leaders" in the community and emphasized the importance of our club's connections to city schools. Take a moment to mentor "wherever you are able to show and shine your light," Engram said. "You never know what's going to be sown into a kid's life" and how it blossoms later. Engram also is a former member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes board.
In other news, the fourth annual Bike Belmont ride on Sunday, May 17 benefitted from beautiful warm weather, strong community participation, and a dedicated group of volunteers that included many RCY members.
The Rotary District 6650 conference was a wonderful success, with Youngstown being recognized for 100% member giving. Our club has also received a mini-grant towards an Operation Pollination project; monarch tagging. Thank you to all who attended and participated in the conference; with a special shout out Jess who did an awesome job selling Operation Pollination shirts.
SPOTLIGHT ON BIKE BELMONT
The 4th Annual Bike Belmont is set to roll through Youngstown on Sunday, May 17, 2026, bringing energy, activity, and community pride to the Belmont Avenue corridor. Hosted by the Building a Better Belmont, the event continues to grow as a signature celebration of neighborhood connection and healthy living.
According to the event chair Jack Kravitz, the idea for Bike Belmont began as a simple but powerful exercise. Members of the organization wanted to better understand Belmont Avenue, not just as a roadway but as a place to live, shop, dine, and enjoy. “Many of us had never really taken the time to experience it fully,” Kravitz explained. The solution; a bike ride through the corridor, combining exploration with the group’s shared enthusiasm for cycling.
This year’s event introduces several exciting additions, including a new 5-mile family-friendly ride, a vendor fair, food trucks, and a post-ride “Jazz in the Park” celebration at Wick Park. Cyclists can still choose from the popular 12-mile community ride or the 32-mile airport route, which offers the unique experience of riding on the runway at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
E-bikes are also expanding access to the event. Kravitz notes their growing popularity, emphasizing that they still require pedaling while helping riders go farther and tackle hills more comfortably. E-bikes will be available for the 5- and 12-mile routes.
With a goal of 500 riders this year, Bike Belmont continues to showcase the Belmont corridor as a vibrant destination- one ride at a time. This is a wonderful opportunity for our Youngstown Rotarians to continue supporting this event by signing up to volunteer and join in the ride. For more information check out the Registration Link at Build a Better Belmont.
SAVE THE DATE
Family Fun Night, 5:00pm - 7:30pm, May 27th, Westside Bowl
Streetscape Planting Day, 8:30am - 12:00pm, May 30th, 260 Wick Park Pavilion, Youngstown, OH 44503, email your T-Shirt size to Troy Rhoades: tkr1028@zoominternet.net
Rotary Kayaking Trip 10am - 12pm, June 6th, Struthers to Lowellville sign up
Ignite the Night, 5pm, July 5th, The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater, 201 S Phelps St, Youngstown, OH 44503
Monarch Butterfly Tagging
Monarch butterfly tagging is one of the most important tools scientists use to study the incredible migration of monarchs across North America. Through programs such as Monarch Watch, volunteers carefully place tiny numbered stickers on monarch butterflies before releasing them to continue their journey south to Mexico.
The purpose of tagging is to help researchers understand where monarchs travel, how long migration takes, survival rates during migration, and how weather and habitat changes impact the species. Since the program began in 1992, thousands of “community scientists” have helped track monarch migration patterns and contribute valuable conservation data.
The process is simple but requires care. Volunteers gently hold the butterfly by the wings and place a lightweight tag on a specific spot on the hindwing called the discal cell. The tag contains a unique code that can later be reported if the butterfly is recovered along its migration route. Researchers say the specially designed tags do not interfere with flight when properly applied.
Youngstown Rotarians will soon have the opportunity to experience this hands-on conservation work firsthand through Operation Pollination. By participating in monarch tagging, Rotarians will become citizen scientists helping protect one of nature’s most remarkable migrations for future generations.
THIS WEEK IN ROTARY HISTORY
March 19, 1971: the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society of Youngstown presented their plans to establish a park on their McGuffey Homesite property in Coitsville Township.
