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 promoting peace in our community. Explore the possibilities with us at our meeting Wednesday at noon at Wick Park or virtually via Zoom.
In a timely stroke of scheduling, our speaker this week will be Matt Pagac, Executive Director of Stambaugh Auditorium. Currently, several Youngstown performing arts venues have management contracts with Stambaugh: DeYor Performing Arts Center, Youngstown Playhouse and the Youngstown Symphony. The organizations will maintain their own identities, with Stambaugh handling ticketing, development, marketing, and bookkeeping. Matt will update the club on the opportunities that have come out of the agreement.
Last Week's Meeting
We had quite a crowd at last week’s meeting, including students and counselors from Chaney High School. Aundrea Cika Heschmeyer proudly announced the formation of an Interact club at the high school. Welcome Chaney!
District Governor Michelle Charles was in attendance to make a very special presentation to our club, in honor of our gift to Polio Plus. This recognition is given to clubs who make a donation to the program of at least $1,500, which we did during Josh’s and Sharon’s years as club president.
Michelle also announced the formation of a Polio Plus Society by Rotary International. To become a member, all you need to do is commit to donating at least $100 a year to Polio Plus. Your gift can be taken right out of your checking account on a monthly basis, or annually. Easy and painless!
Another Year of Service Above Self!
Happy birthday YoRo! Rotary Club of Youngstown was founded on February 1, 1915 under the leadership of renowned local architect Charles F. Owsley. Chartered with 63 members only 10 years after the first Rotary club in Chicago, Rotary Club of Youngstown is Club #137 among over 46,000 clubs worldwide. Initially all male, our club finally admitted women in 1987.
The first meeting was in the former Hotel Ohio, now Amedia Plaza. Club membership quickly reached the maximum of 300. Attendance was mandatory!
For a special anniversary treat, resident historian Bill Lawson shared the following fun facts about Youngstown back in the day, and Club #137.
Youngstown in 1915
Youngstown District was the second leading steel producer IN THE WORLD!
Between 1900 and 1915, the City’s population more than doubled
Between 1915 and 1930, the City’s population grew by another 70%
Immigrants from across the Atlantic poured in, and after 1924, the great migration of African Americans from the south was underway
East Youngstown (now Campbell), had 7,000 residents, mostly male, and while there were numerous saloons in town, there was not a single house of worship.
Rotary Club of Youngstown Leadership
Membership has always represented business, professional, non-profit public leadership in the City
Rotary Club of Youngstown sponsored six other local clubs
Eight Youngstown Rotarians (soon to be nine!) served as District Governors
Atty. Robert Manchester II, YoRo past president and past District Governor, was president of Rotary International from1976-1977
Rotary Club of Youngstown Community Projects
Rotary Crippled Children Society of Youngstown (now Easter Seals)
Boys & Girls Club of Youngstown
Community clean-ups
Little Free Libraries
Harrison Commons development, Smoky Hollow neighborhood
Wick Park Pavilion renovations and playset
Put Kids First, Harding Elementary School mentorship program & playset
Operation Pollination
Operation Warm
Polio Plus / End Polio Now
Four Way Speech Contest
Groundhog Craft Beerfest
And many others over the years!
In Memoriam
It was with great sadness that Frank Kishel announced the passing of long-time Rotarian Bob Lenga. A well-liked and respected attorney – and bowler - Bob was 85 years old. As many of you who attended the Rotary holiday party remember, those in attendance had the opportunity to wish Bob a happy birthday via a video that he was able to see.
There are no immediate plans for a remembrance or funeral at this time, and members were asked not to contact his wife Nancy just yet. Rest in peace Bob. You will be missed.
Youngsatowney Paul is one proud marmot! Rotarians should be proud as well. The fifth annual Groundhog Beerfest was a resounding success in terms of attendance, atmosphere and organization. Congratulations to Liquid Intrusion from Maryland, this year’s People’s Choice Award winner.
Thank you to the steering committee; the two dozen brewers who brought amazing refreshments to be sampled (including a porter-stout blend, cinnamon-vanilla mead and creamsicle hard cider); dozens of volunteers, including Boardman Rotary members, local craft beer experts known as The Flight Crew, and our own Rotarians, family members and friends; and the Stambaugh Auditorium staff.
Club Vice President George Nelson shared his media expertise with the Association of Fundraising Professionals Mahoning / Shenango Chapter on Thursday, February 2 at the Jewish Community Center in Youngstown. George was part of a panel presentation titled "Mastering Media Interviews and Coverage", along with Lindsey McCoy from WFMJ TV and Jeff Ryznar of 898 Marketing. Thanks George!
Members Making News
St. John’s Episcopal Church, where RCY member the Rev. Gayle Catinella is priest, will welcome author Carolyn Finney at 7 p.m. Feb. 24. Finney is author of “Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors.” As a storyteller, author, and a cultural geographer, Finney delves into issues of identity, difference, creativity and resilience.
The church is at 323 Wick Ave. adjacent to the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County main branch and across the street from YSU Jones Hall. For more information, call 330-743-3175 or send email to stjohnohio@gmail.com.
RYLA Goody Bags 2023
As we reboot the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) Conference for 2023, we invite all Rotarians in District 6650 to contribute to the "Goody Bags" the students attending the conference will receive. Our Goody Bags are not unlike the "swag bags" you may have received when attending a conference or event. Our Goody Bags, though, are made up of items from Rotarians and their businesses.
What are we looking for? Promotional items from your business, something from your club itself for each participant - like snacks, or money to buy items for the bags.
Remember:
These bags are for 16-17 year olds. They like pens and mechanical pencils, highlighters, post-it notes, key chains, small toys, playing cards, Frisbees, fast food coupons, gum, candy bars, etc.
Please NO political giveaways. We will not use them.
Please NO CAFFEINE snacks or drinks. We cannot distribute them for safety reasons.
You will need 100 of any one item so every bag gets the same items.
Since we assemble the bags before the students arrive, items must arrive before Tuesday, February 21, 2023.
Please make sure “RYLA” is on all correspondence and mailings!
Thank you!
Barbara Loudon, Gina Dermotta - RYLA Conference Coordinators
Cavs Game with Manu
Manuela, AKA Manu, our Exchange Student from Italy, wants to attend a professional basketball game. Dave and Joanna Stillwagon, her current hosts, are planning to take her to the New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game on Friday, March 31. Game time will be 7:30 p.m., preceded by dinner at a Cleveland restaurant. Rotarians are invited to join in the fun.
Josh Prest is working to secure a block of tickets and needs to hear from interested parties no later than Feb. 17. Ticket prices will be communicated later, depending on seat availability.
This is intended to be a surprise for Manu, so don’t spill the beans!
It All Starts with Insects
Food Chains are the relationship between species regarding food, who eats what - or who eats who. Insects themselves are food for many species such as other insects and birds (statistically, more insects are eaten then actually survive). Combined food chains together form a food web.
MANY of our food chains involve pollinating insects: Insects pollinate the plants that are eaten by herbivores (plant-eating species), and herbivores are eaten by carnivores (meat eating species) thereby transferring the energy derived from plants to meat-eaters.
Many humans and other species are omnivores, eating both plants and meat but when we follow food chains back to the beginning – the first link – it all starts with insects.
If we choose not to provide food, water, and nesting places for insects, we are breaking the food chain upon which our human societies depend.
When human “development” willfully or neglectfully destroys or fragments natural habitats sites that is exactly what is happening.
We each have it within our reach to help preserve the food chains that supports our own lives by doing these 5 things: 1. Stop using or reduce the use of pesticides (plant leaves SHOULD be eaten). 2. Protect nesting sites by leaving the leaves, seeds, and hollow stems in your garden until later in the spring. 3. Plant more flowers with a focus on native plants. 4. Eliminate invasive species – the ones that no one eats and overpower those that do provide food and shelter. 5. Turn off your exterior lights at night or replace them with downward facing yellow LEDs on motion detectors.
THIS WEEK IN ROTARY HISTORY
February 1, 1915: the Rotary Club of Youngstown was admitted to Rotary International as Club Number 137. Arch C. Klumph, co-founder of the Rotary Club of Cleveland (1910), future President of Rotary International (1916), and founder of the Rotary Foundation (1917), was the keynote speaker at the Charter Presentation ceremony.
CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION
Birthdays:
YT Chiu - Feb 7
Anniversaries:
YT Chiu - Feb 6
The Four-Way Test
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Save the Date:
March 8 – RCY’s 108th Anniversary Party and Paul Harris Fellow Induction, March 8, YSU DeBartolo Stadium Club; by reservation only; $60 per person through Feb. 22, $70 from Feb. 23 through March 1.
March 25 – Highway litter cleanup; details to follow.
April 22 – Public open house, Spring Arts Festival at Youngstown City School District, in cooperation with SMARTS Art School and Operation Pollination, at SMARTS; volunteers needed throughout April to assist; details to follow.
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