Join Rotary District 7390 for a POSITIVE PEACE Community Workshop: Participate in building Positive Peace in our communities. This FREE workshop will be held on Saturday morning, May 31, 2025, at Central Penn College in the Capital Blue Cross Theater, 600 Valley Road, Summerdale, PA 17093.
Light refreshments will be available from 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. when the workshop begins, with coffee available during breaks. The workshop is expected to conclude by noon.
Dr. Hector R. Ortiz, Positive Peace Activator, North America and the Caribbean, and facilitator for the partnership between Rotary International and the Institute for Economics and Peace, will lead the comprehensive workshop as it focuses on practical steps for individuals and organizations!
Workshop objectives to understand the framework of Positive Peace and how it creates meaningful change in the community are:
Learn what Positive Peace is and why it matters: Positive peace goes far beyond the absence of conflict. It enhances attitudes, institutions, and structures that help societies flourish, through actions and programs that encourage understanding, promote equity, and foster social cohesion. Understanding the importance and process of Positive Peace can greatly enhance the profundity of one’s approach to peacebuilding, locally and globally, leading to peaceful societies.
Become familiar with Rotary’s seven areas of focus: Rotary International, a global humanitarian organization of 1.4 million members, addresses critical needs in society through service projects and initiatives. The seven areas of focus that address these key issues, and provide opportunities to improve them, help members make a difference in the world, in their communities, and in themselves.
Learn about the eight pillars of positive peace used by the nonprofit Institute of Economics and Peace to evaluate the attributes and effectiveness of nations and their state of governance. Those pillars, from a well-functioning government, with the free flow of information, to the acceptance of the rights of others, are key elements that contribute to Positive Peace. An analysis of all eight pillars will provide an understanding of steps to create a stable and just society. The global peace index, assigned to each nation by the Institute as a result of evaluating the eight pillars, has helped Rotary better understand the application and relevance of its areas of focus.
Plan steps to create Positive Peace in your organization and community: These steps will focus on actions that participants can implement to become peacebuilders—to make progress toward a safer and more secure community with decreased conflicts, domestically and globally. Specific steps, and a plan of action will provide ways to engage others in promoting peace through conflict prevention, and civic engagement.
This workshop is a great chance to get involved in tangible, meaningful changes, leading to Positive Peace!
The workshop is FREE, but please reserve your seat in advance by clicking here!
The District Learning Assembly was held at Messiah University on March 15. It was a great event that included practical information regarding Peace, On-line Tools, Club Foundations and Membership. Did you miss the session? You can view slides from two of the sessions here.
Daily snowstorms and the delectable Turkish cuisine provided a colorful background to the Peace Summit in Istanbul as it dealt with next steps toward conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
Four Rotarians from our District, PDG Connie Spark, Harrisburg Rotarian Hagir Elsheikh, Hershey Rotarian Maria Thompson, and I joined the senior leadership of RI and a thousand other Rotarians from around the world to engage in dialogue about the Rotary goal of greater understanding, goodwill, and peace, the 4th object of Rotary, as announced by Paul Harris, in 1921, at the RI Convention in Edinburgh--over a hundred years ago!
RI President Stephanie Urchick expressed the greater purpose for the summit, that of pondering how to get the right tools into the right hands to make a difference in the attitudes, institutions and structures of all societies, near and far! The ‘right hands’ are our hands, and the ‘right tools’ are all those measures at our disposal that lead to better understanding and goodwill and reduce conflict wherever it exists.
These are somber times for the UN and peace advocates. Even as we convened in Istanbul, two highly destructive wars were being waged within a few hundred miles causing incalculable losses in life and infrastructure. For over a hundred years, Rotarians have assembled to deliberate on ways to make progress toward peace in its capacity as a nonpolitical organization in a highly polarized world. That role is both a great legacy and a great responsibility. So, with ever greater conviction, we all must now join the public discourse on conflict resolution, urging our governments to do likewise, whenever and wherever possible, and engaging ever growing numbers of fellow citizens to join the movement by increasing their awareness.
Many of those at the Peace Summit will be participating in our Multi-District Conference on April 5 at the Hershey Lodge. Plan to join that global group, which will have participants, including our exchange students, from over a dozen nations. If you encounter lateness in registering for this remarkable gathering, contact Melissa for an extension. Please find a way to join this unique Conference.
Check out the NEW Environmental Committee webpage on the District’s website here! The page includes multiple links to environmental projects, ideas, and resources located in our own backyard. Learn more about local streams, watersheds, hiking trails, pollinator gardens, and tree-planting projects. Also highlighted on the page are stories about environmental initiatives throughout the District.
Get involved, get outside, and celebrate this Spring by doing a Rotary Environmental project!
To learn more, email the committee at Enviro7390@gmail.com, join the next Zoom meeting on March 20, at 7 pm, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88240598732?pwd=BhBd8n86gGjpjC5TyFdt98gbY4ls2a.1, or stop by the Environmental Committee table at the multi-district conference in Hershey, April 4- 6.
There is an exciting, way overdue, neighborhood project for Clubs and Rotarians to assist in, as fellow Rotarian, Hagir Elsheikh, from the Harrisburg Club, is boldly creating an Autism Center at Central Penn College to assist children with autism along with their families. Hagir personally experienced a gap in access to strong support groups and the education of those who have autism, and has taken action by creating Kareem's Mission, named after her young son. The Mission supports families through guidance, collaborative partnerships, and advocacy for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Kareem's Mission is a registered 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting individuals with autism and their families.
This deficiency in support to an important segment of our community has existed for years, but at last we have a rallying place where it can be addressed. This is also a growing area of focus for Rotary, especially a major initiative of recent RI President McInally, so now we can make a direct impact in our local community.
View the buildout wish list here. The Center requests assistance from those who like to paint to do touch up before the opening. There is also a call for padding material for the walls and floors.
Please take action by reviewing the wish list and contributing labor, funds, or material. And, come to the Ribbon cutting ceremony on April 19. Click here to learn more about Kareem's Mission!
We are thrilled to invite you to join Kareem’s Mission for our Second Annual Autism Awareness Event on Saturday, April 19, 2025, from 1 PM to 4 PM at Central Penn College. This special occasion marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the grand opening of our Autism Center, a dedicated space designed to empower individuals on the autism spectrum and their families to thrive. Over the past year, Kareem’s Mission has been committed to creating a world where individuals with autism are seen, heard, and supported. Our mission is to raise awareness, provide resources, and foster a community where every person on the spectrum can live a fulfilling and meaningful life.
This year, we are calling on our entire community to come together in support of this mission. We need your help to fundraise, furnish, and equip the center so it can fully serve as a beacon of hope and empowerment for children with autism and their families.
Event Highlights:
Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Center
Keynote Addresses from Community Leaders and Supporters
Opportunities to Donate, Partner, or Sponsor
Networking with Organizations and Individuals Passionate About Autism Advocacy
How You Can Support:
Attend the Event: Let us know if you’ll be joining us and how many members of your organization will attend.
Share Your Voice: If you would like to say a few words during the event, please let us know so we can add you to the agenda.
Donate or Sponsor: Whether you’d like to contribute now or at the event, your generosity will go a long way. You can also sponsor a room, help with furniture and equipment, or provide volunteers and interns.
Partner with Us: Together, we can amplify our impact and create lasting change.
We believe that “it takes more than a village to care for a child on the autism spectrum,” and now more than ever, we need our village to come together. Let’s ensure that every family in our community has the support they need.
Please RSVP by March 15th 2025 to confirm your attendance and share your interest in speaking, partnering, donating, or volunteering. Together, we can make a difference! We look forward to seeing you on April 19th and celebrating this exciting new chapter for Kareem’s Mission.
Rotary Club of York North’s March 13th Speaker was Autumn Thomas from AARP. She presented the Club great advice on how to avoid fraud. Below is a summary of her presentation:
This is a solid, practical guide to online security and financial protection. The emphasis on layering security measures—like strong passwords, MFA, and account alerts—is crucial, as no single step is foolproof on its own. The analogy to Swiss cheese is a great way to illustrate this.
A few key takeaways that stand out:
1. The importance of direct website access – Manually typing in URLs instead of clicking links reduces the risk of phishing.
2. Password best practices – Long, unique passwords for each account are critical, even if they require a password manager.
3. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – A must-have for all sensitive accounts.
4. Keeping software updated – Many breaches exploit outdated systems, so auto-updates are a simple but vital defense.
5. Avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive tasks – A VPN can help, but it’s best to avoid logging into important accounts on unsecured networks.
The call to action—staying informed, reporting fraud, and resisting pressure—is also key. Scams thrive on urgency, so stepping back and consulting a trusted person is a great defense strategy.
Four Rotarians from our District, PDG Connie Spark, Harrisburg Rotarian Hagir Elsheikh, Hershey Rotarian Maria Thompson, and I joined the senior leadership of RI and a thousand other Rotarians from around the world to engage in dialogue about the Rotary goal of greater understanding, goodwill, and peace, the 4th object of Rotary, as announced by Paul Harris, in 1921, at the RI Convention in Edinburgh--over a hundred years ago! 
named after her young son. The Mission supports families through guidance, collaborative partnerships, and advocacy for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Kareem's Mission is a registered 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting individuals with autism and their families.
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