Rotary International asks us to Imagine Rotary through our Focus Areas
This month Rotary International asks us to Imagine Rotary by developing and new members. Explore the possibilities with us at our meeting Wednesday at noon at Wick Park or virtually via Zoom.
We will focus on District 6650's International Service Project for Ukraine Relief and our special event to be held on Saturday, Nov. 5 in North Canton. The featured guest for this event will be Past RI President Barry Rassin. Fifty percent of proceeds will go to direct Ukraine relief and 50 percent will support The Rotary Foundation Disaster Relief Fund. Every Rotarian’s help will be needed by attending, soliciting event sponsors and making personal contributions to help RCY meet or exceed its fundraising goal. Come this Wednesday to the Wick Park Pavilion to learn more.
Last Week's Meeting
Michelle Charles, District 6650 governor, returned once again to RCY, but this time it was for her “official” club visit. Even though she has only been district governor since July 1, she is already halfway through visiting all 46 clubs in our district. This is even more impressive when Michelle stated that her road to district governor was accomplished completely on Zoom.
Michelle reminded us that when our club is planning projects this year to remember Rotary International President Jennifer Jones’ initiatives, and take action to: Imagine DEI: Expand Our Reach: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Imagine a Welcoming Club Experience: Comfort and Care Imagine Impact: Expanding Rotary’s Reach Empower Girls
Michelle is very focused on member retention, and hopes to accomplish that goal by ensuring our clubs are welcoming, inclusive, and enjoyable to attend. District 6650 has had a positive growth in membership, netting two new members. While that may not sound like much, we are the only district in Ohio that showed a positive gain. RCY bested that mark, showing a 21% net increase in members!
Unfortunately, new members on average leave their clubs within two years. Michelle feels the way to retain members is to engage them and listen to their concerns. A DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) committee has been formed to help make Rotary meetings a safe space where we can all celebrate and respect our differences. Our own Samantha Turner chairs that committee, so if you want to be a part, let her know.
Michelle reminded us of the Rotary Action Plan, conceived in 2018 to help us become more effective in everything we do and more effective in telling our stories. The plan’s priorities are to: Increase our impact Expand our reach Enhance participant Engagement Increase our ability to adapt
Rotarians are truly people of action, and there is a lot going on in our district to attest to that. Seven clubs are hosting eight inbound exchange students, and RYLA is back, as is the Four-Way Speech contest. Clubs have sponsored 128 projects through Rotary International grants, made possible through the generous donations of Rotarians. Michelle asks for 100% participation in giving to the Rotary Foundation, with a goal of $235,000. Don’t forget, half of this funding comes back to the clubs in the form of grants.
Polio eradication continues to need funding, and Michelle challenged us to help reach the goal of $25,000 for this effort. While the wild poliovirus is 99% contained in the world, there were still eight cases, one in Afghanistan and seven in Pakistan. Frighteningly, the virus was discovered in wastewater in New York City, and one individual, who is unvaccinated, contracted the disease. It’s apparent that we have much more work to do. But Imagine – a world in which we get up each day and strive to do our best!
Goal-setting was the theme of the first meeting led by new club President Sharon Letson. Goals include re-energizing Interact at the high school level, encouraging all members to strive for Paul Harris Fellow memberships, and pursuing global grants for local activities. Read all about it here.
Rotarians Receive Honors
Let’s give three cheers for three RCY members who are being recognized for outstanding contributions to our community.
Richard Bernacki and Aspasia Lyras-Bernacki, co-owners of Penguin City Brewing Company, have been chosen as Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber. The Bernackis, who recently opened Penguin City’s new $4 million facility on the East End of downtown, were recognized during the Chamber’s annual Salute to Business breakfast on Sept. 1.
Also, Youngstown Business & Professional Women has named RCY President Sharon Letson, in her capacity as executive director of Youngstown Cityscape, as its Woman of the Year. She will be celebrated on Oct. 18 at the Lake Club in Poland. Cityscape is observing its 25th year of beautifying the downtown district and city neighborhoods. YBPW annually recognizes one female leader who has excelled in her career and community.
Congratulations to all!
Searching for Native Plants in our Landscapes
I recently accompanied a friend on her dog-walk around one of our city parks. She asked me to point out which flowers in the colorfully designed entries were native plants. Only one was present - a lone volunteer common milkweed that had found the perfect place to shine. The experience reminded me of a conversation I had with my fellow master-gardener cousin when we admitted: “Who knew? We’ve been doing it wrong all these years.”
We had checked plants for growing zones, full sun or shade, bloom time, etc. It didn’t occur to us to look for the plants that WANT to be here or that have been here all along – not that we would have found them at our local plant nurseries. We hope to change that but, first, we must know how to recognize a native from a non-native. Little Bluestem is a very ornamental bunchgrass with fine-textured foliage that forms very dense mounds 18-24 inches tall. Slender blue-green stems reach 3 feet by September, and become radiant mahogany-red with white, shining seed tufts in the fall. Color remains nearly all winter. Perennial clumps grow up to a foot in diameter.
This flowing mid-prairie species gets its name from the bluish color of the stem bases in the spring, but most striking is the plant's reddish-tan color in fall, persisting through winter snows. The seeds, fuzzy white at maturity, are of particular value to small birds in winter. A related species, Big Bluestem or Turkeyfoot (Andropogon gerardii), has finger-like seed heads that somewhat resemble a turkey's foot. It reaches a height of 12 feet in favorable bottomland sites and is also one of the East's most important native prairie grasses.
Little bluestem is wonderful when planted en masse. The visual dynamics it provides range from blue-green in late summer to golden with cotton-tufted seed heads in winter. It readily reseeds so little bluestem is not recommended for small gardens even though it is considered an accent plant. Little bluestem tolerates a wide range of soils but not wetlands or sub-irrigated sites.
Wildlife use it for grazing, cover, and nesting - especially for native bees. The seeds feed small mammals and birds while butterflies are attracted to the nectar.
Little Bluestem is a larval host plant for the Ottoe Skipper, Indian Skipper, Crossline Skipper, Dusted Skipper, Cobweb butterfly, and Dixie skipper. It is highly deer resistant.
We Need Your Plastic Film
We're off and running! So far, nearly 200 pounds of plastic has been collected for the Trex project. Keep up the good work!
Don’t forget - the Operation Pollination committee is encouraging all Rotarians to save their plastic film and bring it to Rotary on Wednesdays. Once we collect 500 pounds of plastic, we turn it into Trex, the company that manufactures composite decking. Trex, in turn, will donate a bench made of the recycled plastic that we will place in a pollinator garden or near a Little Free Library.
We have until the end of February 2023 to collect the plastic. You can turn in your recyclables to Elsa Higby, Ra’Cole Taltoan, or LInda Kostka, who will weigh, track, and turn it in. Review the list of items below to see what’s acceptable.
Steak Fry 2022
Final call! Please see the link to the form for the Club's annual Steak Fry registration information.
Calling All Bowlers!
It’s that time of year, when the sounds of falling pins and the smell of bowling shoes fills the air at Amron Lanes in Canfield. If you want to be a part of the fun and join the YoRo bowling team, contact Frank Kishel at 330-720-6328.
While permanent team members are needed, you can also sign up as a substitute bowler.
THIS WEEK IN ROTARY HISTORY
September 3, 2013: Youngstown Rotarians reflected on the life and death of Edward J. Hulme; Ed was a Past President (1968-69), 57-year member, and sponsor of more than 50 new Rotarians.
CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION
Birthdays:
Teresa Trucksis - Sept 1
Anniversaries:
Elayne Bozick - 31 Years
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
The annual Rotary Club of Youngstown golf outing is scheduled to be held on Monday, September 26 at Stambaugh Golf Course in Youngstown. More details about tee times and sign-ups will be forthcoming.
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