Monday, FEBRUARY 12, 2024

Our speaker will be the Rev. John-Michael L. Oliver, executive director of the African American Male Wellness Agency in Youngstown, one of 18 cities to be served by this nationwide initiative. AAMWA provides free health screenings and promotes living longer by adopting healthy lifestyles. Rev. Oliver also serves at Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church under his pastor, Bishop C. Shawn Tyson. 

Have you RSVPd for the 109th Anniversary Party? Registration will close today (Feb. 12), so act now! The event will be on the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 21, at Doubletree Hilton Downtown. Cost is $60 per person. You can register here.

Reminder: There will NOT be a lunchtime meeting on Feb. 21.

RCY kicked off Peace and Conflict Resolution Month with a presentation by Vicki Vicars, the Mission, Equity and Resilience Director of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown and Director of Advancement with Thrive Youngstown. Her formation on this topic was shaped by Catholic social teaching, but many faiths are grounded in peace and conflict resolution, she said.

Conflict resolutions begin at the individual level, Vicars advised. One must identify the conflict, which parties are involved, and one’s own complicity, she said, using windows as an analogy because they get dirty on both sides. Her conflict resolution hero is the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, who wrote that healing requires admitting wrongs, witnessing anguish, seeking and extending forgiveness, and renewing or releasing relationships.

Thank you to Rotarian Aimee Fifarek and the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County for helping to quickly relocate the weekly meeting to the Kusalaba Branch, while the Wick Park Pavilion roof was under repair.

Rotary After Hours returned Wednesday at Bistro 1907 at the Doubletree. Please encourage prospective members who can’t attend lunch-hour meetings to take advantage of this early-evening gathering on the first Wednesday of each month.

Congratulations to Y.T. Chiu on his 50th anniversary as a member of RCY! 

Y.T., a retired surgeon, joined on Feb. 6, 1974. He is a past president of the club, a former member of the YSU Board of Trustees, and the father of another Rotarian, Kevin Chiu.

Y.T. also celebrated his birthday on Feb. 7.  He is an inspiration!

With many new members in the club, it is time for another Fireside Chat. This orientation session will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 21 at Prima Cucina, 103 W. Federal St. New and seasoned members will gather to discuss club history, aspects of membership and getting involved. Please register here. Contact Justin Froelich for information at 330-942-0179 or email him at justin@temaroofingservices.com.