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.
RCY will continue Vocational Service Month observances with another Member Exchange, featuring nonprofit director Gerri Jenkins of MyPath, which advises high school students on college and career goals, and business owner Ra'Cole Taltoan. Join us at the Wick Park Pavilion for lunch and fellowship!
Last Week's Meeting
The second installment of Vocational Service Month featured Adam Lee and Jack Kravitz. Although Adam and Jack have known each other for 17 years, there were a few things that each of them discovered about the other.
According to Jack, he and Adam have a lot in common. Both like biking, although Adam prefers the manual method while Jack likes his e-bike. Both love to cook and forage for mushrooms. Adam has been here 17 years, and is the program director for Youngstown CityScape. He became interested in Rotary when Sharon Letson took him to a meeting. Adam lives in Youngstown. Did you know Adam’s given name is Nicholas?
And speaking of names, Jack’s given name is Solomon Jacob Kravitz. It was his sister who started calling him Jack. Jack resides in Liberty, but was born in Youngstown. He calls himself a “retired deli guy” (from the iconic Kravitz Deli, started by his mom Rose). He keeps busy by volunteering, and teaches cooking classes. Since he’s no longer at the deli during lunchtime, he now has time for Rotary.
La Storia di Manuela
It seems hard to believe that Manuela D’Alessio, our exchange student from Pompeii, Italy, has been in the US for 5 months already! Affectionately known as Manu, she was hosted by Gregg & Deanna Rossi her first 5 months, and is now staying with Dave & Joanna Stillwagon.
Her schedule has been full, and as she said, every day is something new and different. Manu shared her time in Youngstown with a great video presentation.
Manu’s journeys have run the gamut. On the sports front, she attended a football game, horse races, and a baseball game with several Rotarians. Deanna and Gregg had a birthday party for her, she experienced Cedar Point, and went to Camp Stambaugh with other exchange students.
Manu attended Homecoming at Cardinal Mooney and visited the Ohio Statehouse. In October, she experienced Halloween in the US, and in November, Thanksgiving, where she said, there was lots of food! She also went to New York City to see the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, but her favorite site was the Statue of Liberty. She also went to Miami with Deanna & Gregg for the graduation of Gregg’s son from college, which was, according to Manu, “like a rock concert”! While in Miami, she went to an Italian restaurant, where “it felt like home.” The downtown Youngstown holiday parade was a highlight, as was Christmas Day, where she exchanged gifts with Deanna, Gregg, and their families, and received a school jacket. New Years was sad, though, because it was the end of her stay with Deanna and Gregg.
Manu’s passion and dream is to play basketball in the US, and in November, her wish came true as she began playing with the Cardinal Mooney women’s basketball team. There are still a few games left if you’d like to cheer Manu on:
1/25/23 7pm at East High
2/1/23 7pm at Chaney
2/4/23 2:30pm at Mooney playing Ursuline)
2/11 1:30pm at Mooney (playing Poland)
Manu is grateful for all of the opportunities she has had so far as our Rotary exchange student. She aptly ended her presentation with Maroon Five’s “Daylight”. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrSJKj1S_fE
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
Paul Harris Fellow Nomination Form
It is that time of year again to submit nominations for 2023 Paul Harris Fellows to be awarded at our 108th Anniversary Dinner tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 8th. In keeping with tradition, the club will award a Paul Harris Fellow to an existing club member and one community member. Please use the attached form to nominate a club member, community member or both.
Please submit your nomination to Becky Mottram at the Rotary Club office or to President Sharon Letson via email at sharon@youngstowncityscape.com or an upcoming meeting. Also, please have your nomination(s) submitted by the February 1st deadline in order to approve our selected awardees and process their award with Rotary International.
Rotarian John Fahnert is coordinating our club’s annual Youth Exchange Overnighter at the Downtown YMCA. Inbound and outbound exchange students come together for dinner, breakout meetings, entertainment at nearby Covelli Center, and use of the YMCA’s gyms and pool. John and his committee seek a few more late-night helpers. Contact him ASAP.
Our Fifth Annual Groundhog Beerfest will be at Stambaugh Auditorium, 1000 Fifth Ave.. Sessions will be from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m., with VIP hours from noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. (for an additional fee). This major event needs a great deal of volunteer support, and not only on event day. Here’s how you can help now:
Sell 4 or more tickets. Tickets also may be purchased through Stambaugh Auditorium, but RCY makes more money from members’ direct sales.
Like and share Beerfest posts on social media. Past President John Fahnert has a general message on his Facebook wall that can be easily shared. Samantha Turner is posting on RCY’s Facebook page about brewers who will participate. When you share, please include your own brief, positive message to build interest in Beerfest.
Recruit or be a sponsor. The sponsorship committee expects to meet or exceed last year’s fundraising mark. Let’s exceed it, since this is our single biggest annual fundraiser that feeds our community grantmaking program.
Contact co-chairs Samantha Turner and Kevin Chiu if you have questions.
A Shot of Support
Youngstown Whiskey Club’s January Tasting event also is a fundraiser for RCY! Thank you to Jim Johnston and club members for supporting Rotary and its charitable programs.
The event will be from 6:30 to 8 this Thursday, Jan. 26, at V2 on West Federal Street. It will feature a flight of whiskeys from the George Dickel Distillery in Tennessee. Dickel has been producing high quality, award winning bourbon since 1878, The whiskey flight of the evening will feature two of Whisky Advocate's Top 20 bourbons of the last four years:
George Dickel 8 Year Old - Whisky Advocate's #5 whiskey of 2020 George Dickel 13 Year Old Bottled in Bond - Whisky Advocate's #1 whiskey of 2019 George Dickel 15 Year Old Single Barrel
Tickets are $40 and include a 3/4 ounce pour of each whiskey, appetizers from V2, and 1 entry to win a Buffalo Trace basket that includes a bottle of Buffalo Trace and a bottle of Weller Antique 107 (and some other excellent goodies). Additional raffle tickets for the basket will be sold at the event for $10 with all proceeds benefiting the Rotary Club of Youngstown,
Tickets are LIMITED! Buy now at www.youngstownwhiskey.com
TREX: Mission Accomplished!
Congratulations! RCY has collected more than 500 lbs. of recyclable plastic film, and January isn’t yet over. Please bring additional contributions to this week’s meeting.
Shall we keep this environmentally-responsible program going? The committee is weighing its options now. Watch for an announcement in a future edition of The Clatter.
Free Butterfly Conservation Webinar Series
In the face of DECLINES in monarch number and habitat stability, Monarch Joint Venture partners are pooling their efforts to protect monarch and pollinator habitat in the U.S.
You can stay connected with the latest monarch conservation topics by attending Monarch Joint Venture’s free monthly webinars.
This series is a unique opportunity to hear from experts across various interdisciplinary fields related to monarchs, other pollinators, their habitats, and the threats and pressures that make conservation urgent. Bring your questions and get ready to discover how you can get involved to protect monarchs.
All webinars are one hour long and occur at 1:00 PM Central Time (2:00 Eastern Standard Time). Please note that scheduled webinars are subject to change.
All past webinars are available to view; visit their webinar archive.
This series is co-hosted by the Monarch Joint Venture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center.
Register for all available 2023 Monarch Butterfly Conservation Webinars here:
May 21, 1996: Upon the recommendation of a special committee chaired by Fred Owens, the Rotary Club of Youngstown launched the “Put Kids First” initiative.
CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION
Birthdays:
Reid Schmutz - Jan 26
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?
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