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 helping everyone learn skills that will allow them to become economically self sufficient. Explore the possibilities with us at our meeting Wednesday at noon at Wick Park or virtually via Zoom.
Our celebration of RCY’s 110th Anniversary will continue Wednesday with a presentation on the club’s history. See you at Wick Park. Bring a friend!
This week’s menu: Burgers (with all fixings on the side); pasta salad; baked beans; Coleslaw.
Rotary Last Week
Four new Paul Harris Fellows were announced during the 110th Anniversary Party on Feb. 12 at the Tyler History Center.
Pat Lowry was the community member to receive a PHF from the club. Lowry worked in education for 27 years as a teacher, school counselor, and administrator, then spent 18 years working for U.S. Congressman Tim Ryan. Presently, he works at KO Consulting as a grant writer, consultant, and public relations specialist.
Atty. Gregg Rossi was surprised to receive a PHF for his service within and beyond the club. He specializes in personal injury law, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and premises liability. His wife, Past President Deanna Rossi, spoke of his desire to help people in difficult situations. Rossi, who has chaired the club’s Bylaws Committee, is credited with modernizing RCY’s bylaws.
All active members earn points on two tiers – one for earning their own PHFs, and the other to recognize fellow Rotarians or community members for their contributions. Samantha Turner used her points to nominate Youngstown City Clerk of Council Valencia Morrow for her work ethic, guidance, and encouragement. Scott Schulick chose Ana Torres, who organizes group tours that are co-sponsored by Youngstown State University and RCY.
Want to know how many points you’ve banked? Sign in to ClubRunner, Rotary’s membership management and communication platform, and look up your account.
TWO ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
A message from Elsa Higby, RCY Environmental Committee Chair:
We have 192 lbs. to go and only two more plastic collection days to meet the Trex recycling goal. It’s a little too close for comfort. For those of you who intend to start collecting, please use these last two months of this campaign and bring in your plastic!
As for meeting our OP District Challenge, listed below are some action items from the complete list of eligible activities found here. You will find more resources at this link, such as garden design, recipes, and a list of books to read.
1. Promote OP topics on social media consistently. At least monthly. When you do this, send Elsa the link: 10 points per 10 posts. (Perhaps we can divide this up between a few of us? Email Elsa if you are interested at elsahigby@gmail.com)
2. Plant a pollinator’s garden (at least eight varieties of native plants) in your community or in a club member’s yard—15 points per garden.
3. Host an event for your community. This may be educational and include inviting community members to a meeting with a relevant speaker. Have a mixer or club meeting to invite prospective members and serve pollinator cocktails (see link above) 10 points per event.
4. Grow a native plant or milkweed in your yard, window box, or pot. OR choose another project from the resource packet or on the back of this page.
5. Read a suggested or related book or article, and for extra points, share takeaways with the club during fellowship or in the club’s newsletter. 1 point per article read. If you share takeaways at a meeting, we get an extra point. Here are a few suggestions:
Who celebrates an anniversary and Valentine’s Day on the same evening? This club! Wear something red to RCY’s 110th Anniversary Party, Paul Harris Fellow Induction and Valentine’s Day Party at 6 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St. Saratoga Restaurant will prepare the menu, to include vegan and vegetarian options. Cost is $45 per person. A cash bar will be available. Register here by Feb. 4.
SAVE THE DATE
St. Patrick’s Day Program, March 12, Wick Park Pavilion.
Neighborhood Cleanup with Youngstown City Schools students and Kool Boiz Foundation, March 28; more details to follow.
POLAND NIGHT AT THE RACES
On the eve of our Beerfest, Poland Rotarians will have a Night at the Races Fundraiser at Holy Family Church. If you cannot attend but want to buy a Super Bowl Block or a $50 raffle ticket for a 1 in 200 change to win $5,000, then call Ron Butch at 330-810-1628.
WILDFIRE RELIEF CAMPAIGN
A message from District 6650 Governor Elayne Bozick:
Once again we are coming together out of concern for those affected by the wildfires in California. Dan Himelspach, the RI director representing California, has reached out regarding how we can help. Please read and share.
From Director Himelspach:
We are now up to 10,000 structures destroyed in the Los Angeles area, 36,000 acres burned, 150,000 ordered to evacuate, and another 166,000 warned they may need to flee.
Firefighters have come in from all over the U.S. and Canada. Civil authorities are responding the best they can, but the situation at this point is out of control with more high winds in the forecast.
Our Rotarians are responding to the best of their ability, but many have been personally affected. Districts 5280 and 5300 are being heavily impacted and both are deeply engaged in organizing disaster relief efforts. Both have activated District Disaster Relief Funds to assist the victims of the fires.
District 5280 (Los Angeles) has also created a Resource Directory and online spreadsheet for In-Kind Donations.
Members collected a whopping 101.5 lbs. of recyclable film plastic at the Feb. 5 meeting. Great job, Rotarians! With one month to go in the NexTrex Recycling Challenge, we need to collect another 90 lbs to meet our annual goal. So, continue to gather clean and dry shopping bags, shrink wrap, bread sleeves, etc., and bring them to the March 12 meeting.
No doubt you’ve heard that NexTrex uses recycled film plastic to create decking and outdoor living products. This is an example of the circular economy, in which we replace a linear consumer mode of take, make, and waste resources with something more sustainable. Reusing items to make new products reduces energy consumption – and that matters greatly in the battle to slow climate change and biodiversity loss.
You can make a difference by recycling and purchasing products made with plastic recycled content. Here are some brands to look for at retailers like Walmart and Target, or online:
February 1, 1915: the Rotary Club of Youngstown was admitted to Rotary International as club number 137. Future R.I. President and Rotary Foundation founder Arch C. Klumph of the Rotary Club of Cleveland was the keynote speaker for the charter presentation.
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