Registered nurse Juliet Altenburg with Penn State Health Trauma Program Staff at a STOP THE BLEED® class. From left: RNs Justin Heimrich, Sunny Goodyear, Altenburg, and Amy Bollinger
The following article was published in Rotary Voices! Congratulations to DG Juliet!
By Juliet Altenburg, governor of District 7390 (Pennsylvania, USA), a member of the Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg-North, and executive director of the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation
A10-year-old boy was riding his bicycle down a hill with his friends in 2021 – something he had done many times before – when his fun morning turned tragic. As he entered an intersection, he collided with a car he didn’t see coming. In an instant, he broke both of his arms and had uncontrolled bleeding that could have killed him within four minutes.
Fortunately, the accident happened near a police station where officers quickly called 911. As a team of emergency medical responders headed to the scene, the officers applied tourniquets to each of the boy’s extremities. The EMS team examined the boy and transported him to a local pediatric trauma center, which quickly diagnosed his injuries and surgically corrected them. Weeks later, he was discharged to his family and assigned a team of rehabilitation specialists.
By any standard, this is a heart-warming story of how local police officers, medical responders, and hospital personnel saved a boy’s life. What makes it even more amazing to me is how my Rotary club, my Rotary district, and The Rotary Foundation helped to save him.
In 2019, I invited our local trauma center nurses to my Rotary club meeting to speak on a national awareness campaign administered by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma called STOP THE BLEED.® It was launched as a result of a meeting after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where a national team of medical experts discussed how more lives could have been saved. They realized that if teachers and others on the scene had been educated in bleeding control techniques, it could have made a difference.
District grant
After the presentation, my club applied for a district grant which allowed us to get a $2,500 match and purchase 300 tourniquets for a local township police station. Those police officers were educated by the local trauma center on their use, and it was those tourniquets that saved the life of the boy in the bicycling accident.
What makes this especially personal for me is the fact that my entire professional career has been dedicated to working in or overseeing trauma centers. In the first part of my career as a nurse, I cared for trauma patients and worked in a leadership role to advance trauma care in my hospital. In my current statewide role, I serve as executive director of an organization that accredits trauma centers in Pennsylvania.
This year as district governor, my vision was to advance partnerships between trauma centers and local Rotary clubs to bring the STOP THE BLEED® campaign to Rotarians and the public. We’ve educated more than 200 people during Rotary club meetings, community health fairs, our district conference, and separate STOP THE BLEED® classes at a local community college. Through all these activities, I’ve come to realize more deeply how combining one’s professional interests with the power of Rotary can provide huge results.
Note: During the month of May in the United States, special days have been established to celebrate nurses and other healthcare workers. STOP THE BLEED® Day is 25 May. To learn more go to https://www.stopthebleed.org/
The Rotary Clubs of Harrisburg and Harrisburg Keystone hosted a super successful 66th District 7390 RMB networking event on May 18 at the beautiful Capital Blue Cross Connect Retail Office in Enola, PA. Venue sponsor Capital Blue Cross Connect provided an amazing venue with great hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer and other beverages. Stacey Clark and her team (Jerremy and Zachary) made everyone feel right at home and did everything first class. Event sponsors Central Penn College and Keisling Research made sure we had sufficient resources to make the event a success. Thank you for hosting clubs and sponsors!
There were 28 to 30 attendees from seven district clubs (Carlisle, Carlisle Sunrise, Harrisburg, Harrisburg Keystone, Mechanicsburg North, Passport and West Shore). Many great connections were made (see photos) and much fun and fellowship was enjoyed by all. Scott Stevens did a masterful job of running the Circle exercise, making it fun and productive. Also, Carol Cunningham proved once again she is an excellent RMB event photographer. Thank you all for making this event another RMB District 7390 success story.
The Rotary Club of Colonial Park Foundation recently awarded scholarships to 30 high school students in five schools. The scholarships totaled $83,00 and ranged from $500 to $21,000. Over the years, the Foundation and Club have given $771,908 in scholarships to students. In addition, if you add in the total given to local community organizations, the total grows to $1,072,483!
In two weeks, Rotarians from around the world will be convening in Australia for Rotary International’s annual convention. Among them will be DG Juliet Altenburg and her husband Rob. Juliet will be posting stories from the convention on our District Blog at https://d7390rotaryblog.wordpress.com/ Subscribe to the blog to get stories delivered right to your inbox. Simply insert your email address into the “subscribe” box at the bottom of the home page. Blog links will also be posted on our District 7390 Facebook and Instagram pages.
Subscribe to the District 7390 Blog for stories from the RI Convention
Every year clubs in our District are eligible to receive awards that reflect their immense commitment to service within their clubs and communities. Click here to read about awards your club can apply for including the 2022-2023 Best Club Awards (deadline 9/1) and District Governor’s Citation (deadline 7/31)!
Additionally, Rotary Clubs, Rotaract Clubs and Interact clubs are also eligible to receive the Rotary Citation from Rotary International. Click here to learn more. All achievements must be reported to Rotary International by June 30, 2023.
Like the TV show "America's Got Talent", we all know Rotary members in our District have a whole lot of talent too! And not just talent! Passion, skill, commitment, and a desire to learn and grow are characteristics of members in every club. The District 7390 leadership team is on a quest to find members who not only want to share their talents but have fun and grow in the process.
If you would like to contribute your unique talents please take a few minutes to complete a questionnaire here! Fun and growth are guaranteed! Thanks in advance! Deadline: Friday, May 19th
On April 22, 2023 - York East Rotary along with other volunteers helped with the annual spring clean at the Gold Star Garden. The project included picking up litter, raking, tree trimming, mulching, garden bed weeding, and cleaning the memorials.
Congratulations to our D7390 ShelterBox Hero Clubs!
Elizabethtown is a Silver Hero and Lancaster-South is a Bronze Hero
2022 was our biggest year yet and your support helped us to reach over 400,000 people across 22 projects in 12 countries. This year is shaping up to be just as busy and your continued support is truly appreciated.
Gifts from clubs, individuals identifying as club members, or anyone recognizing your club all count toward ShelterBox HERO club recognition. A Bronze HERO recognition level is achieved at $1,000, Silver at $3,000 and Gold at $5,000 in total giving within the Rotary year. A club can ‘level up’ throughout the Rotary year. If this award is the result of an individual’s gift, you can thank them by matching with a club donation and doubling their impact.
Click here for the latest news about ShelterBox disaster relief deployments. If you would a presentation to your club via Zoom to give an overview of ShelterBox and update on our current projects, please contact Bill Tobin at btobin@shelterboxusa.org or 805-203-8668.
We need help in your district! Is there a Rotarian in your club looking to serve? Please have them consider becoming a ShelterBox Club Champion or Ambassador. Click here to Volunteer with ShelterBox USA!
Join us for the 2023 ShelterBox USA conference in Las Vegas June 9-11. Click here for details!
One way your club can help build awareness of ShelterBox is by making ShelterBox your Speaker Honorarium. To thank your speakers, make a donation to ShelterBox in their name. Here is a certificate you can fill in and present. ShelterBox Speaker Certificate (writable PDF)
A total of 25 Central Penn faculty, Rotarians, and Medical Reserve Corps volunteers participated in the sessions taught by Trauma Center nurses from Penn State Health. At our District Conference and Community Expo the same partners were involved with teaching 36 participants who gave great reviews to the classes.
At a recent Elizabethtown Rotary Club meeting, Calvin Kent, was inspired to present his original speech from the Four Way Test Speech Contest when he competed as a teenager. That was 50 years ago! You can read more about Cal below! If the video does not show, please click here to view the video.
Dr. Calvin Kent has been a member in Rotary Clubs in five states over the past 55 years. He currently lives in Elizabethtown PA and is a member of that club. Prior to Elizabethtown he lived 26 years in Huntington WV where he served a Dean of The Lewis College of Business and later as a Vice President at Marshall University. He is currently Distinguished Professor of Business Emeritus at Marshall. He was President of the Huntington Rotary Club.
Dr. Kent has a long career in public service including City Councils in Vermilion SD, Woodway TX (Mayor) and Huntington WV(Chair) During the first Bush (41) Administration he was appointed and unanimously confirmed by the Senate as the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration with the rank of Assistant Secretary. His political involvement in West Virginia included being Co-vice Chair of Governor Underwood’s Commission on Fair Taxation and as Chair of the Local Government Sub-Committee of Governor Manchin’s Commission on Tax Reform. For over a decade he was a member of the West Virginia Property Tax Valuation and Training Commission.
He earned an undergraduate degree From Baylor University and a Masters and Doctorate in Economics from the University of Missouri. Post Doctoral studies included University of Virginia (Law) and Princeton Theological Seminary. Religious activities have been a commitment having served as an ruling Elder, Adult Sunday school Teacher, choir member and lay pastor in Presbyterian churches were he has lived. He has been blessed with a marriage of over 60 years to Nita and they share 2 children and 7 grandchildren.
Be Inspired by a 50-Year Old Four-Way Test Contest Speech
On Thursday, April 20, the D7390 Passport Club held a social get-together. Club member Paul Duryea, who has been a Rotarian for 53 years, made some remarks about The Rotary Foundation and how the Foundation has changed his life and inspired him. Because of that, he presented a PHF+1 to D7390 Passport Club President Carmen Calderone.
Each year, the York East Rotary Club presents a $2,000 scholarship to two area high school senior students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and who also exemplify “Service Above Self”, the motto and core mission of Rotary. This year’s scholarship award recipients are Hannah Kuhn of York Suburban High School and Noah Rutter of York County School of Technology.
Junior students Reese Mckenna of York Suburban and Jonathan Hernandez of York Tech were awarded the Rotary York Leadership Scholarships. Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience held at Messiah College where students develop skills as a leader while having fun and making connections.
Each of the recipients excelled academically and received numerous academic accolades. Further, each demonstrated outstanding service qualities to their schools in leadership roles of various organizations, as well as to the community at large through many hours of volunteer service.
Left to right: Bob Straw, Committee Chair; Beth Salaga, Counselor, Hannah Kuhn; Noah Rutter; Samuel Shaw, Counselor
Join us as we say goodbye to our 2022-2023 Inbound Students and wish our 2023-2024 Outbound students and our Short Term Summer Exchange Students a successful exchange!
The District 7390 Youth Exchange Staff cordially invite you and your family to a fun-filled afternoon on Sunday, June 4 at John Rudy Park (Blue Spruce Pavilion) 400 Mundis Race Road, York!! Dress for the picnic is casual.
SCHEDULE:
11:45-1:00 p.m. Registration & Social
1:00 p.m. Picnic Lunch
2:00 p.m. Recognition of all Outbounds
2:30 p.m. Recognition of Inbounds, Host Families & Counselors
3:00 – ??? Fun & Fellowship
There are many activities available at the park, please feel free to bring along horseshoes, volley balls, soccer balls, etc. There is even a playground for the younger children.
Food and drinks will be provided. However, feel free to bring along your favorite non-alcoholic beverages.
COST:
Inbounds, Outbounds, and STEP students are FREE to attend
Children 12 and under are FREE to attend
All attendees 13+ are $10 per person to attend.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!! YOU MUST RSVP BY MAY 30th so enough food is ordered for the event!
You are invited to attend the Installation of the 2023-2024 District Leadership Team, Assistant Governors and Club Presidents! The installation will be held at Farm 1840 (101 State Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050) on Friday, June 30, 2023.
Cocktails & Hors D'oeuvres from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Dinner & Program - 6:30 p.m. until
Menu:
Appetizers - cucumber roll ups, tomato and mozzarella skewers, meat and cheese platter w/assorted mustards and crackers, fruit kabobs
Dinner buffet - tossed salad, rolls & butter, italian stuffed chicken breast (stuffed with tomato, mozzarella, basil and finished wiht a balsamic reduction), herb crusted top round (sliced thiin w/horseradish creme on the side), ranch roasted red potatoes, bowtie pasta in a butter wine sauce & seasonal vegetables.
Desserts - mixture of lemon bars, brownies, and dessert shooters (flavors to include key lime, strawberry shortcake, cherry cheese cake, death by chocolate)
Cost - $50 per person
Registration Deadline - June 23, 2023 at 12:00 Noon
Members of the Rotary Club of York-North donated over $2,000.00 worth of diapers to the "Harvest of Blessings Food Pantry" located at 254 West Princess Street in York. The Rotary Club of York-North developed a strong relationship with the Harvest of Blessings through one of its members, Melissa Gross, who volunteers there on a weekly basis. The club had an offsite club meeting at the Harvest of Blessings earlier this year and then volunteered there on a Saturday. Through this new relationship and meeting with their CEO, Ms. Jural Toby, they discovered that there was a huge need for diapers for needy families in York and surrounding areas. The club asked its members for diaper donations for an entire month and applied for a district grant and matched it. Ms. Jural Toby was so emotional and appreciative when the diapers were delivered that she had tears in her eyes. This project was such a heartwarming experience where we as Rotarians became aware of a need in our local community and took action to help our neighbors!
Special thanks to the following Rotarians from the Rotary Club of York-North: Melissa Gross for establishing our relationship with the Harvest of Blessings and Kimberly March for going "Above and Beyond" by writing the grant request, collecting diapers from our members and ordering a huge number of additional diapers and storing them in her garage before they were delivered to the Harvest of Blessings.
Members of the Rotary Club of York-North are joined by Ms. Jural Toby, CEO of the Harvest of Blessings, and volunteers with the huge diaper donation provided by the club.
York-North Donates Diapers to Harvest of Blessings Food Pantry
Posted by DG Juliet Altenburg, Past Chair, District Safety Committee
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and in an instant our work lives, personal lives and Rotary lives changed forever. I’m sure many of you can remember how the word “pivot” was the new catch phrase for virtual meetings and new ways of engaging with one another. Store shelves were empty, hand sanitizer, if you could find it, was expensive, Lysol disinfecting wipes were nowhere to be found, and my husband Rob used the sewing skills learned from his mother to make cloth masks which we delivered to friends and fellow Rotarians. Among the tremendous fear, worry, and stress that came with the pandemic, also came an outpouring of care, and concern that Rotarians extended to their fellow club members and communities. One group of people that stepped up in an extraordinary way was the District 7390 Safety Committee. This committee was born from an idea I had as a nurse as I worked with hospitals and my own office to create COVID-19 safety protocols. PDG John Anthony was District Governor at the time and when I approached him with the idea of creating the committee his support made all the difference in helping me and my fellow committee members launch district wide efforts to help mitigate the spread of the virus and be of support in dispelling myths and misinformation.
After three years, the District Safety Committee had its last meeting as a committee this past week! We decided that based on the status of the pandemic and other district and club priorities it was a time to “sunset” the committee but keep ourselves available on an as needed basis. The District COVID-19 Safety Page on the District 7390 website will be changed to a District Safety Information page where health and safety information beyond COVID-19 will be shared along with Rotary mandated policies including a Crisis Management Plan. Sincere thanks are extended to the original committee members who hung in there until the very end including those noted in the photo below: Steph Acri (Mechanicsburg North), Paul Duryea (District Passport), PDG Anna-Mae Kobbe (Gettysburg), Rod Frazier (Carlisle), and AG Becky Zalit (Palmyra). Other members not shown included Patricia Green Rodgers (District Passport) and Judith Clovsky (Mechanicsburg North). Thank you Rotarians for truly living the ideals of “Service Above Self”. You inspired me with your kindness, compassion, and willingness to serve during a very dark time and for that I will always be truly grateful!
District 7390 Safety Committee Pivots to become Advisory Council
DG Juliet Altenburg, Past Chair, District Safety Committee
Did you know that the first “Earth Day” was held 53 years ago in 1970? Now more than ever Rotarians around the world are coming together to protect the environment and engage in projects that not only beautify the earth but keep the humans living on it healthy! As your club engages in projects locally and internationally this month, spread the word through your social media platforms to inspire others to join you in service. Maybe you don’t have the time or are physically able to do hands-on service. There is another vital way you can help.
South Sudan is facing catastrophic hunger due to years of flooding that has submerged half the country in water. Many families cannot move out of the region due to war in the northern area. David Muir of ABC news traveled to South Sudan recently and chronicled the heart wrenching conditions there showing mothers foraging for water lily bulbs to feed their children: https://abcn.ws/3MVh9tU You can make a difference by donating to the United Nations World Food Program USA at https://bit.ly/3N4RdvQ Thank you for your generosity!
This Sunday is Earth Day! You can Make a Difference!
On March 13, COL (RET) and PDG Alden Cunningham and his wife Carol participated in a Podcast hosted by Podcaster Mark Luchessi (Mark at the Mic) talking about his recent autobiography "A Cold War Warrior's Report: a Lifetime of Leadership in Service." Mark does these podcasts about interesting people who live in Burlingame, CA in partnership with the Burlingame Historical Society. If you are interested, click here to listen to the podcast or watch the Youtube video below!
A Cold War Warrior's Report: A Lifetime of Leadership in Service
Posted by Roderick Frazier, Rotary Club of Carlisle
Feed and Read --- Nigeria
The Rotary Club of Carlisle used its District Club Grant funds to provided food and literacy education for 25 young Muslim boys and girls in a poor community in Yola, Nigeria. Working with American University of Nigeria, the Friends of Nigeria in the USA operates a program to teach English, mathematics, civics and personal life skills to enable students to become functionally literate. Children receive educational materials including readers, exercise books, pens and pencils as well as hygiene materials, such as tooth paste and toothbrush, bathing soap, washing soap and a pair of slippers. In addition, the program provides a lunch each day to supplement the children’s low-quality nutrition.
At the beginning of each year, the program assesses early grade reading and math skills to determine proficiency levels and measure progress. The program also measures weight and height of students to identify students who are malnourished and in need of supplementary feeding.
This project is extending the Rotary Club of Carlisle’s reach to another part of the world and is changing the lives of young people living there.
The Rotary Clubs of Harrisburg and Harrisburg-Keystone will host the 66th RMB networking event in RMB District 7390 History and the third event of the RMB 2023 season at Capital Blue Cross Connect, 4500 Marketplace Way, Enola, PA on Thursday, May 18 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. Capital Blue Cross Connect will be the special event/venue sponsor for this event and will provide the venue and food. Central Penn College and Keisling Research will be event sponsors and support drink costs. The event will be FREE and will provide light hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks, and water.
This will be another great business networking opportunity and fun and fellowship event. Do not miss it. Also, please consider bringing potential Rotarian guests and Family of Rotary.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
RMB Northern Tier Networking Event to be held May 18
Posted by Rob Altenburg, Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg-North
With Earth Day approaching on April 23rd, the Environmental Committee would like to alert clubs about ideas for environmental projects that can be done alone or in partnership with other clubs. These can be completed projects, works in progress, or ideas still in the planning stages (particularly those for which you are pursuing one of this year’s micro-grants).
Please submit a brief description of any projects to Rob Altenburg at rca@qrpc.com and mention if your club would be interested in partnering with another club to join in a project. If your club’s past project was already submitted for inclusion on the District’s service page there is no need to resubmit it. Go here to see past activities: https://rotary7390.org/page/service-activities In a future Rotary Reporter project submissions will be shared including ways to partner with other clubs and get involved.
The next meeting of the District Environmental Committee will be on May 10th at 7:00pm. All Rotarians are welcome to attend. Contact Rob at rca@qrpc.com to get on the mailing list!
District Environmental Committee Update - April 23 is Earth Day!
At the evening dinner we presented club members with several District Awards including:
Lifetime Achievement Award - Bob McClenathan, Rotary Club of Lancaster for 25 plus years of Rotary Service locally and internationally
Outstanding Service Award – Nigel Foundling, Rotary Club of N. Lebanon for outstanding service with the District Club Grants process
Dogged Pursuit Award – Meg Ramey and Duke Adams for their work with Hop on the Bus and their dogged pursuit of raising funds with other District Clubs for the purchase of a bus to transport students in Liberia to school!
District Governor Public Image Awards – Brenda Carrigan Wilbur (Red Lion – Dallastown Area), Bim Arthun (West Shore), and Shaun Eng (Harrisburg) for extraordinary public image efforts in expanding the reach of Rotary.
Congratulations Rotarians!
District 7390 Lifetime Achievement Award
Bob McClenathan
Rotary Club of Lancaster
District 7390 Outstanding Service Award
Nigel Foundling
Rotary Club of Northern Lebanon County
Dogged Pursuit Award
Meg Ramey and Duke Adams
Rotary Club of Harrisburg-Keystone
Public Image Award
Brenda Wilber
Rotary Club of Red Lion – Dallastown Area
Note: Two more awards are being presented at club meetings. Congratulations to Bim Arthun from Rotary Club of West Shore and Shaun Eng from Rotary Club of Harrisburg!
A big THANK YOU is extended to Dodie Wise, Rotary Club of Carlisle-Sunrise on her generous bid of $3000 which won her a limited-edition print signed by Darren Jones brother of RI President Jennifer Jones. RIP Jennifer directed all the 2023-2024 District Governors to auction the print off and donate the proceeds to Polio. Dodie is doing just that. Thank you Dodie for your generous contribution. Dodie wearing her Polio sneakers!
Greetings D7390 Rotarians! For those who attended the 2023 District Conference and Community Expo thank you for your participation and support whether it was as a sponsor, volunteer, speaker, or attendee! We tried to do a little something different to expand our reach beyond educational sessions to use of exhibitors and STOP THE BLEED classes while keeping costs low. Whether you attended or weren't able to WE WANT YOUR INPUT.
Please complete this SHORT survey evaluating those activities your were involved in and if you weren't able to come, we want to know why to help us figure out your needs and desires in the future. Click here to complete the survey
Thanks for helping us IMAGINE ROTARY and work together to increase our reach and impact in the world.
On Friday, March 24, Rotarian JT Hand presented the 2023 Rotary Club of York Community Service Award to Cadet Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Kheylian Valazquez-Maldonado. Kheylian is the senior enlisted member of the Bearcat Battalion and was recognized for her service to William Penn High School, the corps of cadets, and the York community. Kheylian is a member of the York College Community Opportunity Scholarship Program (YCCOSP) and plans to a end York College in the fall.
Rotary Club of York Presents Community Service Award
Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
This Summit is hosted by the District Membership Committee and is open to any Rotarian interested in engaging in a discussion on three questions:
How are our clubs having an impact on people under 40 in our District?
How can we be doing better in supporting the needs of Rotarians under 40 in our District?
How do we find and attract new members in our District that are under the age of 40?
The Summit will be one hour from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 20. Click here to register for the zoom call! After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Rotarians are people of action. You could even say its in our DNA. However, with each major effort like a Global Grant you need a champion. One who can focus the group’s efforts and inspire the team to overcome all challenges on their way to project completion. For a recent Global Grant our club completed our champion and inspiration came from the late, great, fellow Rotarian J. Sherwood McGinnis, Jr.
Sherwood was the initial lead for a Water and Sanitation project for the Carlisle Sunrise Rotary Club and the Kara Rotary Club of Togo. This $43,600 project was initially envisioned back in 2017 but didn’t get final approval until January 2022. The project was to provide a well and latrine to the villages of Attchaou and Teroda in the Canton of Kemerida, Togo. But, as we approached completion of the project we realized we had enough funds left over to recondition another well and latrine built by another organization in a nearby village that had fallen into neglect. With approval from Rotary International, we were able to service the additional village with special emphasis placed on sustainability. So, from full funding in April 2022 to Final Report acceptance in February 2023, the project was deemed a huge success directly impacting well over 500 individuals on a daily basis.
Water Source Before Project
Water Source After Project
We attribute the smooth progress to Sherwood’s inspiration and open, honest, routine communication between the two clubs. We used Zoom to accomplish this. Communication was weekly sometimes, but mostly monthly which allowed us to set goals and work issues as they came up. We also used DropBox to share documents that would later support our Final Report.
The two clubs had such a positive experience, we are planning on accomplishing another Global Grant in Togo. This time, we look to build a well and Latrine in three additional villages (Hilou, Kemerida, and Pyode). This grant is expected to cost $63,563 and is planned to execute in the 2023-2024 RY. If interested in joining us, we can always use more people of action. Contact the President of the Sunrise Rotary Club of Carlisle.
Submitted by
PP Mike Zick, RC Carlisle-Sunrise, International Service Lane Chair
Larenda Twigg, President, RC of Carlisle-Sunrise
From the International Service Lane...Rotarians Making A Difference in Togo
Two local college students, Sweeta Rasiyan, a student at Penn State York, and Charlie Green, a student at York College of Pennsylvania, were honored at our March 22nd meeting with the 2023 College Service Awards. These students were selected because they exemplify the Rotary International motto of putting service to others above one's own interests. Congratulations to this year's recipients!
As a Rotary public image advocate, you help others understand who we are and how we make a difference. Publicizing your club’s efforts and sharing the impact you make helps attract members, volunteers, and donors. Thank you for making public image a priority and strengthening Rotary's brand.
New resources on the Brand Center
The Brand Center is continually updated with new materials to help you promote your club! You’ll find tips on raising awareness of Rotary, ready- made print and digital ads, images, videos, audio clips, templates to download, and more. These resources allow you to create messages that show your community that Rotary members are people of action making a difference.
Whether you’re posting on social media, inviting community members to volunteer with you, or speaking at an event, you’ll get more people to take action by using precise words and clear examples. Our Communication Guide, inspired by Rotary’s Action Plan, offers advice for clear and effective messaging, such as:
Be specific: Inviting community members to “serve meals to hungry children” is more accurate and compelling than asking them to “defeat hunger.”
Be inclusive: It’s easier for people to imagine themselves getting involved with Rotary when you refer to “members and participants” rather than to “Rotarians.”
For additional guidance and more concrete examples of powerful communications, read our Communication Guideand be inspired!
Licensed products protect Rotary's brand
Did you know that you can strengthen and protect the Rotary brand simply by purchasing merchandise from Rotary’s approved and licensed vendors? More than 100 of these vendors around the world are ready to supply your club with Rotary-branded merchandise, such as T-shirts, hats, club supplies, and more. Buying merchandise from licensed vendors increases our brand recognition and protects Rotary’s trademark rights. Learn more about licensed vendors and merchandise in the Brand Center.
Are you familiar with the Rotary Press Center page? It gives you access to news articles and TV reports about Rotary in major English-language media outlets! Use material from the Press Center to introduce Rotary to potential members and show it to people in your club who may not know about it. By promoting stories about Rotary, you raise awareness about our work and highlight the attention our members have received by having their work recognized in the media.
What's your story?
Tell us how your club is making a difference and improving lives locally and globally. Your project may be featured in an upcoming Rotary publication. Tell us about your story!
$20,000 To Be Awarded to Community Programs in 2023
Rotary Club of York and the York Rotary Charitable Endowment Fund have just opened the 2023 round of their Rotary Club community grants. York Rotary Grants provide valuable funding support to address the changing needs of York through grant programs focused on improving our local community. Grants of $2,500-$10,000 will be awarded to projects or programs in 2023 taking place July 1, 2023-June 31, 2024 that align local fields of interest with Rotary International’s focus to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Projects must match the grant request with other support.
The fields of interest chosen for 2023 and examples projects/programs that would fall under these fields follow. The Rotary Club grants committee only accepts letters of interest that fall under one or both of these interests. Economic Development (Growing Local Economies)
Programs and projects helping low-income families achieve lasting financial security, or promoting equal economic opportunities
Events designed to draw people to a community and increase financial impact to the local economy
Educational programs in job training or that help residents start their own local business. Peace (Promoting Peace & Social Justice and Gun Violence Prevention)
Programs and projects designed to reduce community gun violence/crime
Events to bring people together to promote peaceful dialogue and address community divides
Educational programs promoting peaceful resolution to conflict
Programs, projects and events to promote equal rights and equitable opportunities for all York residents
Letters of Interest by York County based non-profit organizations can now be submitted for projects and programs that meet these focus areas until April 10, 2023 at 5:00pm EST. Full grant guidelines and online Letter of Interest applications can be found at https://www.yorkrotary.org/page/york-rotarygrants
Letters of Interest addressing one or both fields of interest that are selected to move to the full application stage can request $2,500-$10,000 in matching funds. All LOI applicants will be notified of their status by 5/2/2023.
Our next quarterly membership seminar will be on Tuesday, April 11 at 7PM. The Zoom link is below. Our program will include an interactive session on finishing the year strong with membership in your district and introducing our membership programs for next Rotary year! You don't want to miss it. The session will be recorded for anyone who can't attend.
Here is a sampling of what we plan to discuss::
Finishing the year strong with membership (minimizing the "June Swoon")
Tips from Leaders of Growing Clubs
New Programs Introduction
Starting New Clubs Initiative
Growing Rotaract - The Rotaract Roadmap
DEI Support Tools for Districts
Upcoming Learning Programs for DMC's and District ICA's
The Annual District Leadership Team dinner was held on March 6. The incoming District Governor Fred Gellert laid out a collective plan for the new Rotary year to District committee chairs and other Rotary leaders. Congrats to DGE Fred on a wonderful evening of group discussions and presentations. The next Rotary District leadership jet is on the runway getting ready for takeoff and it will be great being part of the crew.
By Committee Chair Rob Altenburg, Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg-North
Thank you to all those who attended our first District Environmental Committee on March 8th.
With Earth Day approaching on April 23rd, the Environmental Committee would like to alert clubs about ideas for environmental projects that can be done alone or in partnership with other clubs. These can be completed projects, works in progress, or ideas still in the planning stages (particularly those for which you are pursuing one of this year’s micro-grants).
Please submit a brief description of any projects to Rob Altenburg at rca@qrpc.com and mention if your club would be interested in partnering with another club to join in a project. If your club’s past project was already submitted for inclusion on the District’s service page there is no need to resubmit it. Go here to see past activities: https://rotary7390.org/page/service-activities. The deadline for project submissions is March 23rd. In a future Rotary Reporter project submissions will be shared including ways to partner with other clubs and get involved.
Lastly, we look forward to seeing you at the District Conference on April 1st which will start with an Environmental Presentation at 8:30 AM by Patrick McDonnell, President, and CEO of Penn Future on the topic of: “Climate Change, Water Quality and Improvisation – We are at a tipping point.” Description: Our environment is at a crisis point, but the solutions have never been more within our grasp. How do we get there and how does a little improvisation bring us over the finish line? Register and learn more at https://rotary7390.org/
The next meeting of the District Environmental Committee will be on May 10th at 7:00pm. All Rotarians are welcome to attend. Contact Rob at rca@qrpc.com to get on the mailing list!
Join for free to expand the reach of your club events!
District 7390 has a “Service Above Self” Meetup Group which is a way for clubs to post service activities, fundraisers, and other events. Anyone can join our group at no cost regardless of Rotary status but only Rotarians are given the administrative rights to post activities which allow clubs to expand their reach! See below for more information about this great way to connect with your community and learn more about what Rotary clubs throughout the District are hosting!
What is “meetup”? Meetup is a social media platform that allows people who share interests to “meet up” together to engage in activities of interest. District 7390 pays a monthly fee to maintain its Meetup group.
What are the advantages of advertising through a meetup group beyond other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and twitter?
For members of the Service Above Self meetup:
Messages in your email inbox and through phone text message reminding you of events you signed up for. Those reminders come on the day of the event and right after you signed up for the event.
The ability to query all events in a geographic locale regardless of your membership status in a meetup group running the event.
For your club:
Great advertising for all your fundraisers and volunteer activities for both Rotarians and the public.
Notifies members of any changes in plans through the meetup site which sends the change to their email inbox.
Informs you of other Rotary clubs holding events thus facilitating partnerships!
How do I post my club’s activities on the meetup site? When you join make sure you indicate which Rotary club you are a member of. A representative of District 7390 will then give you “event organizer” status that will allow you to post events.
Rotary D7390 has a Service Above Self Meet Up Group
Join us for the Cultivating Effective Projects webinar series
All Rotary members are invited to participate in an exciting five-part webinar series designed to support you as you cultivate effective projects that will create a sustainable impact in your community and around the world. These webinars will offer tools and strategies to help you plan, find resources for, implement, and evaluate your projects, including youth service projects.
Telling your story of service and positive change is an essential part of carrying out service projects. It’s especially important to share how you overcame any challenges, the lessons you learned, and tips for how other people can best approach similar projects.
By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:
Understand the connection between telling a good story and increasing Rotary’s visibility
Identify effective tactics to promote your projects
Use different tools to tell your story at every stage of the project
Learn more about the specific topics and register now:
Promoting Projects: Tell Your Story, Thursday, 23 March, 10:00 Chicago time
Planning a Project: Design for Results, Thursday, 6 April, 10:00 Chicago time
Finding Project Partners and Resources: Build an Effective Team, Thursday, 20 April, 10:00 Chicago time
Measuring Results: Demonstrate Your Impact, Thursday, 4 May, 18:00 Chicago time
Expanding Reach: Partner with Youth in Service, Thursday, 18 May, 18:00 Chicago time
In January of 2023, members of the York-East Rotary Club had the opportunity to participate in the education-based STEAM Camp that’s offered as part of the Crispus Attucks Rising Star program. The program supports underprivileged youth ages 5 to 18, by helping them to achieve academic success. The members helped the children with skills needed to utilize robotics, coding principles and increase competency.
The York-East Rotary Club has awarded $2,500 plus $2,500 in a matching Rotary District grant money to this worthy local organization. Our club looks forward to projects like this because it is such a great feeling to give and learn how our financial support is being used within our community.
Thank you to everyone that donated their time to this organization. Without you we would not be able to provide these organizations with the funding that they need to make York a better place to live.
Club members in photos: Kris Pollick, Greg Kern, Morris Hooper and Jim Walters
This year we will be partnering with the East Pennsboro Education Foundation and the East Pennsboro High School Track team in an event called Panther Prowl which also includes a One Mile Color Fun Run for Kids. We hope to grow this event by getting food trucks, entertainment/music and additional children’s activities. Make it into a real spring community festival!
All proceeds from the 5K Run for Education will be used for scholarships for deserving seniors at Cumberland Valley, Cumberland Perry Area CTC and East Pennsboro High Schools
Where: East Pennsboro High School Track, 425 Shady Lane, Enola
When: In person registration begins at 11am, the 5K Run for Education is at noon and the One Mile Color Fun Run at 1pm on April 30th (Sunday)
Medals will be given for best times by sex and age group at the both 5K Run and One Mile Color Fun Run. We will also give out a monetary gift for the overall male and female winners.
Hanover Rotarian, Ralph Jodice, taught the Junior Achievement Our Nation program to Sherry Chroniger’s 5th grade class at St. Teresa of Calcutta. JA Our Nation consists of five lessons designed to teach students about the free market economy, entrepreneurship, careers, getting and keeping the job, and the global economy.
For those of you who have not already heard the wonderful news, we wanted to let you know that the bus has finally arrived in Liberia, and it’s already turning heads!
Once again, we can’t begin to express our gratitude to ALL of you who donated individually or were sponsor clubs on this project. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but we KNOW it takes a global village to raise enough funds to buy a bus and a very supportive district to run a project this large.
It’s so exciting to see the four-year fundraising portion of the project end and to watch as the next phase of the project begins. Soon students will be riding the VERY FIRST school bus in Liberia on their way to classes. That’s when our “Hop on the Bus” project really will become “Hope on the Bus” as it makes basic education more accessible and possible for Liberian students.
Thank you so much for your support in this project, and please pass on this wonderful news to your clubs.
Last weekend President Elects from clubs throughout our District gathered in King of Prussia, PA to take part in a four district Mid-Atlantic PETS Seminar which prepares incoming Presidents to lead their clubs in the new Rotary year! Our district had the great fortune of having a private session with incoming Rotary International President Gordan McInally. Our District is in great hands with the leadership of our clubs and the leadership of our District with 2023-2024 DG Fred Gellert! Special thanks to PDG Hector Ortiz and PDG Una Martone for providing leadership to the MAPETS committee which pulled together a very inspiring MAPETS 2023!
Get your tickets today! Nashville songwriter Aaron Barker will be putting on a concert after a Dogfish Head beer/food pairing dinner. 4 course dinner paired with 4 Dogfish Head beers!
Seats sell fast! Proceeds go to Colonial Park Rotary local scholarships to local high schools & community giving.
Reserve your seats now by mailing a check to:
Rotary Club of Colonial Park FoundationP.O. Box 126213Harrisburg, PA 17112Attn: Crystal Hartz
For more information or VIP tables, contact Crystal Hartz @ 717-443-3998 or crystal@pahospitalityandconsulting.com
Colonial Park Hosts Nashville Songwriter Aaron Barker
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary District 7390 (South Central PA) where you develop your skills as a leader while having fun and making connections. The Conference will be held June 11-15, 2023 at Messiah University. The 2023 Conference will be the 61st RYLA in Rotary District 7390.
Students must be between their Junior and Senior year in high school to attend. Approximately 120 High School youth attend annually. The schedule includes various speakers, career seminars, team building activities, a conference band and chorus and much, much more! The application deadline is April 14, 2023.
The following actions have been taken by The Rotary Foundation to support relief efforts in Turkey and Syria:
The lead story on Rotary.org and My.Rotary.org now includes a message about the new Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund (a.k.a. the repurposing of the general disaster response fund.)
A video from RIP Jennifer Jones has been shared on social media. Donating to the Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund is the call to action. The video can be viewed on Face Book, Twitter and Instagram.
Rotary is in regular contact with partners such as ShelterBox. For example, District Governors and District Rotary Disaster Committee members from the three Rotary districts in Turkey are providing ShelterBox support and invaluable situational awareness. Rotary members have been trucking blankets, food, and medicines to affected areas across all affected regions of Turkey working with ShelterBox. To Donate to ShelterBox go to: https://www.shelterboxusa.org/
Since 1987, The Rotary Club of York-East has had a long history of supporting our local and international communities. In celebration of our 35th Anniversary Year and in conjunction with Rotary International’s “Imagine” Theme, York-East undertook a “Dream Big” Community Project to award $10,000 to a local cause. The club sought out Dream BIG project ideas from members and looking for local organizations to support. The club members heard from several well deserving grant applicants and choose the Advantage Program because it’s sustainability and impact on the youth in our local community. The Advantage Program is a youth mentorship program geared to expose middle and high school aged children to life’s opportunities. Mentors and mentees meet weekly on Saturday’s for a two-hour time period. During these sessions the curriculum includes topics such as entrepreneurship, financial literacy, civil engagement, culinary arts, athletics, and business principles. Once per month, the Advantage Program aims to expose participating youth to an event or venue outside of York County such as, HBCU’s, NASA, music concerts, college sporting events, historic museums, and other professional sporting events. The overall goal of the Advantage Program is to expose our youth to different life opportunities as well as multiple career paths. The program hopes to be able to provide necessary school items during the school year as well as a scholarship to college. By helping each youth to create a plan for their lives and identifying possible career paths and opportunities, they believe they can keep each student focused on positivity and achieving their goals.
Picture left to right: Karen Comery - Club President, Kate Rohrbaugh, Tavon Parker, Brandon Parker, Elizabeth Wolfe - Club President Elect, Greg Kern - Committee Chair
The Rotary Clubs of Mechanicsburg-North, D7390 Passport, West Shore, and Yellow Breeches hosted one of the largest and most successful RMB District 7390 networking events in District 7390 RMB history on February 15 at the Classic Rock Design Center. Roughly 60 Rotarians from at least 14 district clubs representing all areas of our district attended this networking event.
The event had all the components of a great RMB meeting with enthusiastic networking where many connections were made, a beautiful venue, great food and drink and much fun and fellowship. Kudos to hosting club leaders, John Anthony, Mary Brunski, other members of the RMB District Steering Committee and to the venue owners for combining their efforts to produce this great result. Congratulations to all and well done.
So, come and join the Harrisburg Keystone Rotary Club on Saturday, March 25 from 11 am – 4 pm at the Appalachian Brewing Company-Harrisburg for a fun afternoon of Cornhole, Beer, and Rotary Fellowship.
You’ll get the chance to compete to take the title and trophy away from our District Governor and become this year’s District 7390 “Rotary Cornhole Champion.”
In addition to taking back these bragging rights to your club for an entire year, we also have regular prizes of up to $320 in cash cards for the overall winning teams and other prizes raffled off throughout the day.
This year, we’re doing a round robin tournament that guarantees 4 games to each team. The top 16 teams from the round robin tournament will then compete in a final single-elimination bracket to win the top prizes.
All tickets also include a buffet and one complimentary beverage per person, and you can continue to enjoy your favorite ABC brews at the cash bar throughout the event.
Registration cost:
$80 for a 2-member team (includes guaranteed 4 games; 2 drink tickets and buffet)
$25 per person for a Spectator Ticket (includes entrance, 1 drink ticket, and buffet)
Hang out with fellow Rotarians, make new friends, and raise money for service projects all at the same time!
Learn more and grab your ticket before they're gone at capitalcitycornhole.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
Capital City Cornhole Classic Sponsorship Information
Title Sponsor Benefits –$600
Website presence and Company logo on billboard tournament advertisement
Announcement and opportunity to address the crowd at event
Banner at event, if provided by sponsor
Logos on Tournament management website and screens at the event
Team entry
Guest tickets – 4
Bracket Sponsor Benefits –$300
Website presence
Announcement at event
Logos on Tournament management website and screens at the event
Name on Bracket
Team entry
Guest tickets - 2
Board Sponsor Benefits –$200
Website presence
Name at the board
Team entry
Guest tickets – 2
Please return this form along with check made payable to “Harrisburg Keystone” to:
The District 7390 Leadership is proud to welcome our newest team member District Governor Nominee Designate Mary Brunski! Mary will become District Governor during the 2025-2026 Rotary Year.
Mary has been a Rotarian since 2013 and is a member of the Rotary Club of Carlisle. Professionally, Mary has worked in Employee Communications, Services Marketing, Education, and now in Financial Services. She owns Demeter Financial Services where she provides financial advice, health insurance and Medicare insurance guidance.
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, she moved with her mom to Ohio where she graduated from high school and then attended The Ohio State University. She earned a BS in Communications and Economics before moving to Dallas, Texas with her husband Paul. Much of her work there was in marketing for Architectural, Engineering and Construction Companies. They moved back to Pennsylvania with their two children to be near family.
Mary has been active in the community, volunteering and serving on the Boards of the Amelia S Givin Library, the Helen O Krause Animal Foundation, American Association of University Women and Rotary! She was an Assistant Leader for a local Girl Scout troop, helping four girls achieve the highest award of Gold.
Her focus now is her business, Rotary and continuing to learn new things. Her current favorite quote is: "At the end of life, what really matters is not what we bought but what we built; not what we got but what we shared; not our competence but our character; and not our success, but our significance. Live a life that matters. Live a life of love." Unknown
Clubrunner is offering a Changeover Training Series, beginning on April 14th. Click here to learn more and register!Any member can register for our different changeover training sessions, they are completely free! We are also recording the changeover trainings, and they will be uploaded to our ‘Changeover Training’ section in our ‘Videos & Webinars’ section on the Knowledgebase.
Here are a few additional video & tutorial resources:
Join us on the ClubRunner Community! On the Community you can post and view what other ClubRunner users & Administrators are working on: https://www.clubrunnercommunity.com/
Any member can download and login to the ClubRunner app for their club & District. To download the app, please open this page from our website on your browser: https://clubrunner.ca/mobile
(WHTM) — The Pledge of Allegiance for Thursday, Feb. 9, features the Rotary Club of York – North. abc27 wants to feature your Pledge of Allegiance video on-air and online! Click here to…
The Rotary Club of York proudly welcomed six club members as new members of the Paul Harris Society. Pictured L-R: Alissa Barshinger (accepting for Jacob Miller), PDG Ben Hoover, Karen McCormack, PP John Klinedinst, PP Jackie Summers and PP Mike Summers.
As we head into the 2nd half of the Rotary year, clubs everywhere are lining up their leadership for the new Rotary year including club officers and committee chairs. Whether you are a veteran leader or a new one, the new and updated Rotary Learning Center has all the resources you need to help you understand best practices. Click here to check out the new course catalog!
Preparing for a new role in your club? Check out the Rotary Learning Center!
The next meeting of the District 7390 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is this Monday, February 6 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom. The meeting will be led by Committee Chair PDG Hector Ortiz. We welcome new members at any time. If interested in joining us, please email PDG Hector at richie1166@msn.com who will send you meeting information.
Click here to read more about Rotary’s Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Join the District DEI Committee Feb 6 at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom!
The Rotary Club of Carlisle-Sunrise sponsored an ice sculpture outside a Rotarian owned business during the Carlisle Ice Fest. The Club also gave away free hot chocolate inside the State Farm office to give exposure to Dan Collision’s business and Rotary. The Carlisle-Sunrise Club had Club brochures and a video inside and outside running about Rotary. Rotarians in the Club took shifts to answer questions and pour hot cocoa.
In January there were several opportunities for fantastic education related to growing Rotary. Recordings are now available for both. See below!
Characteristics of Clubs with a Consistent Growth Culture.
The Zone 32 Membership seminar featured PDG Herb Klotz, Zone 32 Membership Coordinator, who presented results of a survey completed across the United States and Canada on clubs that grew consistently over a 5 year period. It was very well done. The membership portion of the session was followed by another session dedicated to Assistant Governors. We highly encourage that all Rotarians and not just club leaders, view this interesting session at https://youtu.be/hkKHN72dUII since growing membership is EVERY Rotarian’s responsibility.
Club Transformation and Membership Summit
This multi-district Summit featured RI President Nominee Stephanie Urchick, Past RI Director Jeff Cadorette, and PDG Tom Gump. Our District had good representation, and there were great tips offered. Listen to the 30-minute presentation by going to: https://youtu.be/5NMXML39cXg
Rotary Means Business
A future in –person activity that serve to attract new members is taking place on February 15th from 5:30 – 7:30 PM in Mechanicsburg. It is called Rotary Means Business (“RMB”) and is where like-hearted, like-minded people (Rotarians and Non-Rotarians) come together for business networking and learn more about Rotary. This FREE event is being hosted by FOUR clubs: Yellow Breeches, Mechanicsburg-North, D7390 Passport, and West Shore. The location will be Classic Rock Design Center in Mechanicsburg. We encourage as many Rotarians as possible to attend but even more importantly BRING A FRIEND. Click here to register and read more!
To all clubs submitting essays for the Four Way Test Essay Contest, it has been brought to our attention that there is a discrepancy in the due date for your club's essay contest submission on the District Website. The official rules state that February 10 is the due date, but there is a reference to a due date of February 20 on the website. While we would appreciate submissions by the 10th, if your club was relying on the February 20 due date, no worries. We will accept your entry up to February 20! Thanks and sorry for the confusion.
On January 18, the hosting Rotary Club of Gettysburg and event sponsors Members 1st Federal Credit Union and the WWII American Experience Museum (venue sponsor) held a very successful RMB networking event at the WWII American Experience Museum with some 20 to 25 Rotarians and guests attending from ten District 7390 clubs (Carlisle, Carlisle Sunrise, D7390 Passport, Gettysburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Lititz, Uptown York, York-North, and West Shore). These clubs represented all major areas of our Rotary district.
Kudos to the Rotary Club of Gettysburg and its President Michael Hanson for hosting such a wonderful event and to the WWII American Experience Museum for providing such an exciting and educational venue. One participant indicated "The museum was an amazing venue and made the whole experience that much more enjoyable." Thanks go to district RMB Steering Committee member, Mary Brunski, for running the Circle exercise in such a fun and efficient way. Well done all.
Share Some Love (dollars) with The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and District 7390 will Share Some Love with you by donating Foundation points to your Foundation account in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
A donation of at least $100 made to TRF’s Annual Fund-SHARE during the week of Valentine’s Day (From February 12 through February 18) qualifies you to receive 100 Foundation points. Points are like cash. Points help you become a Paul Harris Fellow or reach the PHS +1 to PHS +8 recognition levels faster and easier.
Consider honoring a friend, family member, or Rotary colleague when you contribute. Share Some Love knowing that your donation is making a difference and recognizing someone you know at the same time.
To receive your 100 Foundation points, send a copy of your receipt (include your member number) to office@rotary7390.org.
There are four ways to donate:
Click here to Donate on-line. You will need a credit card and a member access account on the RI website.
Send acheck made payable to The Rotary Foundation (or use your credit card). Download and fill out the donation form. Click here for the form to mail. Mail the completed form to the Chicago address listed at the bottom of the form.
Donate by phone. Call the Rotary Contact Center at 866-976-8279 Monday—Friday 8 am to 5 pm CST. Have your credit card ready to contribute.
Thanks for supporting The Rotary Foundation. Your contributions to TRF make it possible for Rotarians to successfully address some of life’s most challenging issues by supporting education, promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, saving mothers and children, growing local economies, and protecting the environment.
Questions regarding Rotary Foundation contributions and programs can be directed to your Club Foundation Chair or District Rotary Foundation Chair, Dr. Anna-Mae Kobbe at amkobbe@gmail.com.
Share Some LOVE! Support the Rotary Foundation - Earn Foundation Points
The Rotary Clubs of Yellow Breeches, Mechanicsburg-North, D7390 Passport and West Shore will sponsor and host the 65th RMB networking event along with Fairway Mortgage Corporation, Mother Hubbard's Custom Cabinetry, and the Classic Rock Design Center (venue sponsor). The event will take place at the Classic Rock Design Center, 135 W Allen Street, Mechanicsburg, PA, on Wednesday, February 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The event is FREE and will include the usual light hors d'oeuvres along with wine, beer, soft drinks and water. Click here to register today!
This will be another great business networking opportunity and fun and fellowship event. Do not miss it. Also, please consider bringing potential Rotarian guests and family of Rotary.
Sooooooo.......What is Rotary Means Business and Why should I attend? (If the video does not display, click here to watch it)
Last Tuesday Rotarians from throughout our District had the good fortune of participating in a Zone 32 Membership Webinar on Characteristics of Clubs with a Consistent Growth Culture.
The seminar featured results of a survey completed across the United States and Canada and was very well done. The membership portion of the session was followed by another session dedicated to Assistant Governors. We highly encourage that all Rotarians and not just club leaders, view this interesting session below or at this link https://youtu.be/hkKHN72dUII since growing membership is EVERY Rotarian’s responsibility.
Trivia: How many Rotarians are in District 7390 and what has our growth trend been over the last 5 years? ANSWER: The latest count logged in the RI database as of 12/31/22 is 1847 members (sum total of members in 42 clubs) which is down 46 members from the same time last year. Five years ago, our membership count was 2311. Based on historical trends as noted in the graph below it is predicted our membership will continue to decrease unless we are all intentional about activities that bring friends, coworkers, family members, and the community at large into our clubs to increase our collective impact in the world!
There are many opportunities for clubs to learn more about growing Rotary in the next month. One is happening TOMORROW, Saturday, January 21, 11 AM – 12:30 and is being hosted by District 7450. The speakers speaking on Club Transformation and Membership are RI experts and member favorites who have been featured at the RI Convention and other venues. Click here to register today! (Please use the "guest" tab to register)
Another in –person activity happening in February in our District is Rotary Means Business (“RMB”). RMB is where like-hearted, like-minded people (Rotarians and Non Rotarians) come together for business networking and to experience Rotary and learn more about what we do and how we serve. Our next RMB is on February 15 and is being hosted by FOUR clubs: Yellow Breeches, Mechanicsburg-North, D7390 Passport, and West Shore. The location will be Classic Rock Design Center (135 W. Allen Street, Mechanicsburg). We encourage as many Rotarians as possible to attend but even more importantly BRING A FRIEND. Click here to register today!
Hanover Rotary Club honors 3 Paul Harris Members at a recent meeting. First time Paul Harris, Brandon Gething, Doug Becker, and Ken Wenger all received recognition for their contributions to the Rotary Foundation
A highlight of my club visits throughout our seven county District last summer was meeting so many kind, enthusiastic and passionate Rotarians! You energized me in unexpected and wonderful ways. Many of you accepted my offer to record a short video on what Rotary means to you and what makes your club special.
Throughout the month of January, I am launching these videos from our “@rotary7390” You Tube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/) and District 7390 Facebook Page. Six videos have been launched so far and many more are to come.
I also welcome video submissions from any Rotarian who missed the opportunity to be recorded during my club visits. Simply email me a 1-2 minute video telling me what excites you about Rotary and what makes your club special. These videos will be enhanced by my brother-in-law Chris Altenburg who will make your video awesome!
Meet Great Rotarians Throughout our District on Youtube!
Think Valentine’s Day and Rotary! Express a sentiment for your Sweetheart and have it hung on a lamppost in downtown Lancaster. Pets are also included and your sentiment to them will be displayed at Binn’s Park or the Dog park on Marietta Ave. Finding your heart is a fun scavenger hunt while exploring the restaurants, galleries and shopping of downtown Lancaster.
The Rotary Club of York President-Elect Aaron Jacobs spoke to 100 students at York Academy Regional Charter School. He shared with the students about the work that The Rotary Club of York does in the community and the various partners they work with. The students were enthusiastic and excited to hear about the great works of Rotary in their neighborhoods. Can you spot any future Rotarians in the pictures?
The Lebanon Cemetery, an all-black cemetery located on North George Street in York, PA was, until recently, one of York’s best kept secrets. On December 17,2022, the Friends of Lebanon Cemetery, busy repairing and sprucing up the grounds, held a wreath laying ceremony to honor the many veterans buried there. The Rotary Club Of York, Pa, collected money from our generous members and sponsored 130 wreaths. The photo shows a gathering of Rotarians from the Rotary Club of York Club and Uptown York Club who attended the moving ceremony and helped lay the wreaths on the graves of the veterans.
RI President-elect Gordon R. McInally announced his new Presidential theme at this week’s International Assembly in Orlando, Florida. The 2023-24 Theme is Create Hope in the World. He states, "The goal is to restore hope — to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and, in turn, to help us achieve lasting change for ourselves." Click here to read more and watch the announcement video.
RI President Elect Gordon McInally announces 2023-24 Presidential Theme
A new environment committee is being launched by our District in response to an outpouring of interest expressed during a recent Environmental Summit hosted by District Membership Chair PDG John Anthony. The Summit brought together Rotarians from 7 different clubs that had a passion for Rotary’s 7th area of focus! The three questions posed at the Summit were:
How are our clubs currently having a positive environmental impact?
How can we collectively do better to protect the environment?
How can we expand our reach and bring more new members into Rotary through our passion for protecting the Environment?
The committee chair will be Rob Altenburg who is a member of the Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg-North and is the Director of the Energy Center at Penn Future. Rob is also a member of ESRAG which is Rotary International’s Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group. There were so many great ideas expressed at the Environmental Summit that the group committed to forming a committee and continuing the conversation. Any interested Rotarians and guests are invited to join the group at their next meeting on:
All Rotarians are invited to the next Zone 32 Membership Seminar on Tuesday, January 17 at 7 PM. The seminar will feature results of a survey completed across the United States and Canada featuring characteristics of clubs with a consistent membership growth culture. This portion of the seminar will be approximately 40 minutes. The second part of the session is about 20 minutes and will be dedicated to Assistant Governors.
No pre-registration is needed! Simply connect into the Zoom session by clicking here.
The session will be recorded for viewing on demand!
Note for Club Presidents and President Elects: This session is occurring during the time of our monthly Presidents meeting. Please attend this seminar first, then after the membership portion proceed to the usual Zoom link for our monthly Presidents meeting where District news will be shared.
Learn More About Characteristics of Clubs with a Consistent Growth Culture
The 61st RYLA Conference in D7390 will be held June 11-15, 2023 at Messiah University. Registration is now open! If you would like to learn more about RYLA or the new registration process, please join us for an informational meeting on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Click here to pre-register for the meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Please contact Melissa Kopp-Smith at office@rotary7390.org or 717-854-7842 if you have questions. We look forward to seeing you on January 26 to learn more about RYLA!
Come out Rotarians One and All to our District Training Assembly!
On Saturday, February 4th from 8 AM to 1 PM at the HACC York campus, we will offer some exciting sessions to build strong Rotarians and great clubs in District 7390. We have some engaging expert speakers lined up to help us grow as Rotarians and to help us make our clubs even stronger in their service to the community. The topics include:
Leadership concepts and tools useful in Rotary and at work from a consultant who helps companies in our area
A discussion on mental health and some ideas where clubs might be helpful in addressing increasing needs in our communities
Ideas on how to make DEI come alive in our clubs
Breakouts on a few topics of use to our club secretaries, committee chairs, and project leaders.
Ideas on engaging our members and growing our clubs
It will be a great morning of education and fellowship! Cost is $20 for morning refreshments and lunch. Registration, coffee, and pastries will be available from 8:00 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. The training portion will begin at 8:30 a.m. and include a luncheon buffet. Lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. and feature a keynote speaker.
At the conclusion of lunch, all Rotarians will be dismissed with the exception of the President-Elects and Assistant Governors who will remain until 3:30 p.m. for a Pre-PETS training session.
There is no cost for the Club President-Elect to attend the District Training Assembly and Pre-PETS session. All other Rotarians will need to register and pay a nominal $20 registration fee.
Through a partnership with Rotary in Budapest, Lancaster Sunrise was able to provide funds that were used to stock an Ambulance with lifesaving medical equipment. This Ambulance will then be sent to Ukraine.
We are very proud of these efforts and the collaboration needed to facilitate.
Ambulance Providing Lifesaving Medical Equipment in Ukraine
Lancaster-Sunrise Partners with Club to Provide Ambulance for Ukraine
Several Hanover Rotarians spent a day wrapping Christmas gifts for the residents of Hoffman Home. The Home, located in Littlestown, is a psychiatric residential treatment program for ages 7-21, offering treatment services and support to help residents successfully transition into the community. Hanover Rotary is sponsoring an updated security/fire alarm system with a $5,000 District Club Grant to be installed in January. The following Rotarians enjoyed wrapping gifts for the residents: Ralph and Judy Jodice, Kathi Fuhrman, Kasey King, Shanna Hollich, Kelly Rebert and Peg Sennett.\
Each year Carlisle’s two Rotary Club Presidents identify one project or organization to be the focus of their holiday auction. Selected this year was Success by 6, the early childhood initiative of the United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County that works to ensure all children are prepared to succeed by the time they enter kindergarten.
Given the amount that Rotary has raised during previous auctions, a goal of $20,000 was set to be applied toward Success by 6. To reach this goal, club member sponsorships of the auction totaled over $14,000. The dinner auction itself raised just under $10,000 bringing the total for the auction to just over $24,500. Achieving this goal was only possible thanks to the generosity of Rotarians and local businesses who donated items to be auctioned.
Carlisle Rotary Clubs present a check for $24,000+.to Success By 6. The funds were raised during Carlisle Rotary’s annual holiday auction. Pictured from left to right are Karen Quinn, Success by 6 Director, Rod Frazier, President of the Carlisle Rotary Club and Larenda Twigg, President of the Carlisle Sunrise Rotary Club.
Carlisle Sunrise Rotary Club President Larenda Twigg presents the “Buzz Coho
Distinguished Service Citation” to Past President Harold Cooney.
Carlisle Rotary Club President Rod Frazier presents the “Four-Way Test Award” to Past President Justin Doty.
Carlisle Rotary Auction Raises $24,500 For Success By 6
As you make your year-end gifts to charity, please remember Rotary International’s primary goal – the eradication of polio from the face of the earth.
So far this year, there have been 2 case of wild polio virus in Afghanistan and 20 in Pakistan. You’ve all heard that polio is a plane ride away from the USA. You probably also heard that there was a case of vaccine--derived polio in New York earlier this year. So polio is now a car ride away from our District. We are “This Close” to eradicating polio, but polio is “This Close” to us.
You might wonder how you can help end the scourge of polio? Thanks for asking! You can make a year-end gift to The Rotary Foundation and designate that donation to Polio Plus. Log in to My Rotary and donate online at https://www.rotary.org/en/donate The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match your gift 2-for-1. All donations by Rotarians to Polio Plus count toward Paul Harris points and levels.
If you are really ambitions, I invite you to join the Polio Plus Society. Some 80 Rotarians from D7390 are already members. You simply pledge to donate $100.00 per year to Polio Plus until polio is only a mention in the history books. Click here to fill out a membership form!
The children of the world thank you for being part of the effort to “End Polio Now”!
REQUIRED GRANTS MANAGEMENT TRAINING JANUARY 23—REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Clubs intending to apply for Rotary Foundation District Club Grants or Global Grants this year must complete the annual District Grants Management Seminar scheduled for Monday, January 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The training will be provided via Zoom.
At least one club member must be trained each year. Additional club members are encouraged to complete the training if they are involved in the grant process for the club. Members trained in previous years must re-certify annually.
The training will include information on The Rotary Foundation, District Club Grants, Global Grants, and Community Needs Assessments. The training will include Q & A sessions.
Regardless of which grant type your club is planning to apply for, participants are expected to attend the full two-hour training. Once you have completed the training, you will need to complete an online quiz for each of the training components. A score of 70 percent or higher is required for successful completion of the training. District leaders involved in management of Rotary Foundation grants will conduct the training.
Clubs must also submit a completed/signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreeing to implement the financial and stewardship requirements of District 7390 and The Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Gettysburg will co-host with its partner host WWII American Experience Museum the 64th RMB networking meeting since 2014 and the first of the 2023 RMB season. The networking meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the WWII American Experience Museum, 845 Crooked Creek Road, Gettysburg, PA. The RMB event will be sponsored by the WWII American Experience Museum and the Members 1st Federal Credit Union, which will cover catering costs to include light snacks, wine, beer, soft drinks and water.
This will be another great business networking opportunity and fun and fellowship event. Do not miss it. Also, please consider bringing potential Rotarian guests and family of Rotary.
The Rotary Club of West Shore is in the holiday mood! As a supporter of the Salvation Army’s “Be the Light” campaign, a Rotary themed tree is on display outside of the 29th Street headquarters. Decoration day was cooooold. Look for next year’s tree to have a bit more décor!
Additionally, the club was one of 35 local organizations that set up a holiday light display at Siebert Park in Camp Hill as part of the Borough’s Parade of Lights event. The event, which was held December 2-4, supports the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign as the cost of admission is a new, unwrapped toy. Our goal of a Rotary wheel didn’t come to fruition this year, but we plan on its debut in the 2023 Parade of Lights event!
Supporting the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots in a Festive Way
Thanks to a district grant and proceeds from the Flags for Heroes campaign, the RCWS was able to purchase supplies needed by Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties. The supplies were assembled in attractive, durable duffel bags (also requested by DVSCP) as part of a care kit campaign.
Club members assembled the care kits in late November and delivered them to DVSCP in early December. Included were personal hygiene and cleaning items, as well as a personal note of encouragement.
We are grateful to The Rotary Foundation, District 7390 for supporting this effort, and to the staff at DVSCP for their role in distributing the care kits to those in need.
Picture below are club members George Connolly and Erin Sunday posing with employees from DVSCP. Photo credit goes to club member David Hiebert. Additional pictures are available on the club’s website (www.westshorerotaryclub.com), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.
Rotary Club of West Shore Helps Victims of Domestic Violence
After two years of no travels due to COVID, Nancy Barbee is taking a group to India for an NID Experience in January 2023. There will be two NID Experiences on this trip. One in Delhi and another in Kolkatta.
Additionally, the group will visit Rotary projects, meet Interactors and Rotoractors, visit official offices, and sightsee in Delhi, Agra, and Kolkatta.
If you are interested in traveling to India, please contact for me more information.
Rotary Scholarship Student reports on first semester of Study in UK
Dear Friends in Rotary:
……..On September 6th I packed my bags and flew to Brighton, England to begin my next chapter as a masters student at the University of Sussex… As I approach 3 months of living in Brighton, I’ve been reflecting on my time here and my goals for the remaining 9 months of my M.A. in Food and Development and am excited to share some of these thoughts with my sponsor Rotary Club!...
As Ed Hauck can attest, deciding on a masters program was a difficult process for me. Now, as I complete the first half of the Food and Development degree, it feels good to know that I’ve chosen the perfect program for me. I feel extremely engaged with what I am learning and have had so many “aha!” moments while studying it’s hard to keep track. The two courses I am taking this semester are Critical Debates in Development Theory and Food Politics Development with both the University of Sussex and the Institute for Development Studies. While I initially feared that my Development Theory course might be dense and irrelevant to my career goals, this has actually become my favorite class. I love the way Dr. Demet S. Dinler challenges us to engage with diverse theorists to imagine what a decolonized and equitable future of development could look like. In Food Politics, we look more concretely at the various food issues affecting our modern world, from nutrition to agro-technology to food riots and popular mobilization. It has expanded my mind to the diverse interdisciplinary ways that food affects our globalized world.
Outside of class I’ve begun volunteering with the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership where I assist chefs as they teach cooking classes to vulnerable groups in Brighton. While it involves a lot of washing dishes, following several years of working on sustainable farms I really enjoy learning more about the other end of the food chain and how cooking is a key component to food justice. I’ve also enjoyed spending time with my coursemates who come from all over the world as well as playing for the University of Sussex volleyball team. Overall I can feel the roots of community beginning to grow and I am excited to see where the second semester takes me.
I hope all of you have a restful and healthy holiday season. I look forward to staying in touch virtually!
Warm regards,
Norma Jean
Letter from Norma Jean Park submitted by
Becky Morgenthal
Past President, Rotary Club of Carlisle
Member, District Scholarship Global Grant Committee
Last Saturday, November 19th, over 100 Rotarians and friends attended our D7390 Rotary Foundation dinner. This annual event is a chance to celebrate the Rotary Foundation and all the service projects conducted and contributions given by our clubs and members in the previous Rotary year. Held this year at the beautiful Eden Resort in Lancaster, we had a wonderful location and a great meal for our celebration. From the Youth Exchange students Parade of Flags to open our celebration, through the presentations of high impact service projects and a fun live auction, to the club award recognitions at the finale, it was a showcase of the outstanding service work and foundation giving in our district. Thank you to all who attended for making it a superb evening.
Congratulations to our clubs who achieved award recognitions for the 2021-2022 Rotary Year. The Rotarians and leaders in these clubs have significantly contributed to our foundation. Those clubs are:
Highest Annual Fund Giving: First place = York, Second place = Hershey, and Third place = Mechanicsburg North.
Highest Total Foundation Giving: First place = York, Second place = Gettysburg, and Third place = Mechanicsburg North.
Highest Per Capita Giving to the Annual Fund: First place = York East, Second place = Mechanicsburg North, and Third place = Harrisburg-Keystone.
100% Foundation Giving: Carlisle-Sunrise, Harrisburg-Keystone, Mechanicsburg-North, Northern Lebanon County, Palmyra, Southern York County, and West Shore.
Every Rotarian Every Year: Harrisburg-Keystone, Mechanicsburg-North, Northern Lebanon County, Palmyra, and Southern York County.
End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Certificates of Appreciation: Carlisle, Carlisle-Sunrise, Elizabethtown, Gettysburg, Hanover, Harrisburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Lancaster-South, Lititz, Mechanicsburg-North, Mount Joy, York, and York-North.
Thanks to our professional photographer Roger Baumgarten, from Roger That Photography, we have some wonderful photo memories of the evening. All photos can be downloaded at this link: Foundation Dinner 11-19-22 - ROGER THAT PHOTOGRAPHY.
Please plan to attend next year’s dinner to celebrate your club’s accomplishments of this Rotary year. You are doing the work, so please come out and celebrate all that you are accomplishing.
Rotary Foundation Dinner Recognizes Clubs for their Contributions to the Rotary Foundation
Since this week is a time of thanks, I want to take this opportunity to express how thankful I am for every Rotarian in our District! You are not only role models of service for your local and international communities but enthusiastically take on the important role of serving and supporting one another through life’s many challenges. During these last five months of club visits and event gatherings, I have been inspired by your kindness, camaraderie, and big hearts for service whether it is hands-on or through your generous financial giving. You have uplifted me in unexpected and delightful ways, so I give THANKS for YOU! Have a safe and happy holiday everyone!
Yours in Service, DG Juliet Altenburg
A Thanksgiving Message from District Governor Juliet
Left to Right: Jeromy and Christine Rife-Victory Club, Wendy Keesee-Rotary Committee, Karen Comery–Rotary President,
Tim Koller–Rotary Committee Chair
Pints For Polio was a York East Rotary Club Fundraising Event to End Polio Now! The event was held on October 24, 2022, at the Victory Athletic Association, 471 Ogontz St. York, PA. Thank you to the Victory Club for partnering with us for an evening of fine food and drinks. The event included an auction, with all proceeds going to Rotary's Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Rotary has helped immunize more than 3 billion children in 122 countries. So far, Rotary has contributed more than $2.1 billion toward eradicating the disease worldwide.
Karen Comery, York East Rotary Club President, began the evening by outlining the impact of Rotary and its members have on the local York Community and its International reach to those in need. John Kramb, Past Rotary District Governor presented the history of Polio and the fight to eradicate polio over the decades while Todd King, Springettsbury Police Chief, shared his personal story on how Polio has affected his life.
Every dollar we raised will get matched 2:1 thanks to the generous support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation making it $25,500. Thank you to everyone who took the time to support our Pints for Polio event.
As we celebrate The Rotary Foundation month, it is time to recognize leaders in our District who dedicate countless hours to supporting District Committees and clubs in promoting and celebrating Foundation giving and initiatives. Reach out to any of these leaders with questions in their area of passion and expertise. They are happy to lend a hand!
Anna- Mae Kobbe, Ph.D. - District Rotary Foundation Chair (DRFC)
Member, Rotary Club of Gettysburg
Rotary History: Past District Governor, District 7620 (Central Maryland & Washington, DC), 2016-2017. District Committee Memberships: Grants Committee, Allocations Committee, and Safety Committee
Past Professional Background: Director of the Division of Family & Consumer Sciences & Nutrition (retired) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service now the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.
Duties as DRFC – Works with District Governor and district leaders to promote annual giving to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). Acts as a liaison with the Rotary Foundation staff and Zone 32 leadership. Has signatory responsibility for approval of all foundation funding along with the District Governor.
Mark Riggs, MBA, District Chair, Major Donor Giving and the Paul Harris Society (PHS)
Member, Rotary Club of Hanover
Professional Experience: Co-owner of HCM Wealth Advisory Group and Wealth Manager
Duties as Major Donor and PHS Chair: Promotes giving to the Rotary Foundation as a Major Donor and Paul Harris Society Member through education and recognition programs.
Professional Experience: Attorney at Law at Wix, Wenger & Weidner, P.C.
Duties as Polio Eradication Chair: Promotes District wide efforts at eradicating Polio including providing educational sessions at Rotary Club meetings and events.
With the Russians now targeting infrastructure, there is obvious concern for Ukrainians surviving the winter.
The last air attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure caused severe power shortages and damage to the power grid. This is the cause of the dramatic request to help Ukraine with power generators to supply hospital departments in Butcha (the city near Kyiv, in which Russian soldiers have committed severe war crimes).
The request for generators came from Rotary Club Szczecin . Their club already has some on order with their own funds. The estimated cost of one is 2450 EURO - approx $2500. Everyone counts. Rotary Club of Lititz has already provided over $40K in relief funds to Ukraine refugees and is committing funds for two generators now.
Since the need is tremendous, we ask that other clubs come together and support this generator request for Ukraine. We suggest that since the transfer of funds may be costly, Lititz Rotary will consolidate the funds and send as one wire to Rotary Club of Szczecin.
We also ask that you send the checks to Rotary Club Lititz, PO BOX 28, Lititz PA 17543 by December 3. We would appreciate if you can indicate the committed amount before hand so we can provide this info to Rotary in Poland to place pre order. All together we can make a huge impact and support people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom. Questions? Contact Lititz Club President Dennis Stuckey at 717-475-6081 or dstuckey@dejazzd.com. Thank you!
The Rotary Club of Hershey ably led by President Mike Kinney and President-Elect Jim Gainer and supported by DGN Paul Thompson hosted and sponsored one of the most successful and impressive RMB District 7390 networking events ever on November 15 at The Englewood restaurant in Hummelstown, PA. Between 38 and 41 Rotarians and guests attended the event from clubs in the Carlisle, Elizabethtown, Hershey and York areas. There even was a Rotarian guest from India and a Rotex member.
Mary Brunski represented the district 7390 RMB Steering Committee and did a great job running the Circle exercise and generally ensuring that the event ran smoothly. All in all, this was a great event especially considering that the weather did not cooperate. Thank you, Rotary Club of Hershey for stepping forward to make this happen and keep RMB momentum going as we try to return to pre-Covid levels of club participation.
The Rotary District 7390 RYLA Committee is seeking new committee members. The RYLA conference is held annually in June at Messiah University. The committee meets approximately five times per year. The meetings are held in person at a location in Harrisburg on a Wednesday afternoon. Depending on interest of new committee members, some meetings may be held virtually or during the evening to accommodate everyone involved.
If you are interested in joining the RYLA planning committee, please contact Melissa in the District office at 717-854-7842 or office@rotary7390.org. Thank you!
Attend just about any luncheon meeting, Rotary Alternative Meeting or service project and you’ll hear from Amy or Angela about our Club’s exciting membership opportunities.
Yet, enthusiasm and a renewed momentum are only part of a focus of the dynamic duo of Angela Tatum and Amy Kaunas’s duo-pronged strategies for engaging new members to the Rotary Club of Harrisburg.
Co-chair Tatum talks about the overarching strategy of…the ask. She says, “First, we-re asking current Rotarians to ask friends, work associates, people you know wanting to serve their communities to regular meetings or Rotary Alternate Meetings (RAM). These are notable examples of the vision of Rotary – Service Above Self.”
And, our addition of the less formal evening meetings called RAMs, we have been able to engage community leaders and even a new Corporate Sponsor to join our Club. At our most recent RAM, we spent a few minutes talking about two phenomenally successful service projects including cleaning the newly expanded and updated Dauphin County Library prior to its grand opening and completing construction projects for Habitat for Humanity in much less time than expected because of our members’ involvement.”
According to Tatum, “A membership drive planned for the 2020 was started but put on hold for two years due to the pandemic. Trying to bring on new members when meeting virtually and not hosting needed service projects was a real bummer.
But, make no mistake, we are e-energizing now under a theme of Each One, Bring One. And the momentum is key to our new membership growth.”
With 33 Committees New Members Can Be Overwhelmed – But Retention Is Key
Tatum remembers, “When I was a new member to the Rotary Club of Harrisburg, I knew I wanted to serve, but on which committee, what service project? I had too many options. This leads to our second prong on membership – retention.
That confusion led to a new, key component of the current membership drive. Every new member is teamed up with a current member who shows them the ropes. The current member explains the many opportunities and communications tools of the Club and Rotary International such as Club Runner.”
Kaunas adds, the “non-luncheon” gatherings as mentioned previously help members and potential members that can’t be tied to a lunch meeting find RAMs and service projects excellent options to fulfill their membership commitments. These non-luncheon meetings, such as a recent RAM meeting at Harrisburg’s Beach Club, prove to provide positive member interaction.
Membership Growth Is a Rotary International Global Initiative
Tatum attended the District 7390 Membership Training Program when best practices of regional clubs were reviewed and studied as options for RCH. Says Tatum, “We had already initiated the RAM meeting options and it was clear this membership outreach was promising.”
One powerful question at the District Training program was, “who do you want to attract as a new member.” That question is being explored by our Membership Chairs and Club leadership. Is that question something beyond the fact that a potential member is interested in serving their community?
During the recently completed RCH Strategic Planning sessions this dynamic duo was pleased to be asked what they felt would be appropriate goals for the Club. This year’s goal is 155.
As in years past, when current members leave the Club, they are asked to provide some information about their decision. According to Tatum, “It is Interesting, the most recent trends of members leaving the Club are job changes and moving from the area.
Tatum notes, “It is comforting to see that we are recovering our new member momentum following the pandemic. She notes the new corporate member Belco Community Credit Union (check name) and five new members in the last two weeks.
This membership growth duo also asks, “If any member has an idea on how to grow our membership or wants to be part of this critical committee, just contact Amy or me. We welcome all ideas.”
In a tradition started before the pandemic and now in catch up mode, Tatum (left) and Kaunas (right) present new member and board member Bob Geiger with a Rotary pin and a sparkling beverage.
Enthusiasm Plus Strategy Plus MomentumYields New RCH Members
The Rotary Club of York North, joined by the Rotary clubs of York, York East, Lancaster, and Red Lion/Dallastown, are providing medical equipment for multidisciplinary intervention for neurodevelopment in southern Argentina. The $132,958 global grant project is supported by $17,270 in 7390 District Designated Funds. The 7390 Rotarians are partnering with the RC of Rio Grande, district 4921, to implement this project.
The equipment will be used to assess children and teens who may have autism, epilepsy, ADHD, Tourette’s or congenital neurological disorders. RC of York North became aware of the need for this equipment from a 2005 Youth Exchange Student to District 7390, Sole Gallardo, who is now an active Rotarian and lives in the area served by this project. She contacted her sponsoring club and explained the serious need to help children in a very poor community. York North responded with its own funds and secured additional donations from four other 7390 clubs.
Hospital Annex grand opening: Argentine physician, medical equipment with Rotary logy, training on equipment
Mark your calendars and plan to join us for Hanover Rotary Club's Casino Night! Brought to you by our special event sponsors, Mark and Jennifer Riggs!
Casino Night is a fun filled evening of Casino games, drinks, dancing, and live entertainment by 'The Willy's!'
Proceeds from the event will go to help the Rotary Club of Hanover's Charitable Fund, benefiting local community organizations.
No actual gambling will be on premises. Just a chance to play table games, learn, network, and have a great time while listing to some great music and support a great cause
If you have any questions, please reach out to Brandon at bgething@cassd.org.
Congratulations Rotary Club of Mount Joy and Rotary Club of Elizabethtown on achieving ShelterBox HERO recognition for Rotary Year 2022-2023.
Your support is very much appreciated. At the end of the Rotary Year, the clubs will be listed on our HERO page at www.shelterboxusa.org/hero.
Gifts from clubs and individuals identifying as club members count toward ShelterBox HERO club recognition. A Bronze HERO recognition level is achieved at $1,000, Silver at $3,000 and Gold at $5,000 in total giving within the Rotary year. A club can ‘level up’ throughout the Rotary year.
We need help in your district, please consider becoming a Club Champion or Ambassador. Volunteer with ShelterBox USA
One way you can strengthen the awareness of ShelterBox is by making ShelterBox your Speaker Honorarium. To thank your speakers, make a donation to ShelterBox in their name.
ShelterBox has provided aid to over 2.25 million people since 2000, we could not have reached them without Rotary Clubs!
Join us for a FREE Virtual Diversity - Equity-Inclusion Training from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in place of our monthly Presidents meeting hosted by Leadership Harrisburg Area and the Martin Luther King Leadership Development Center.
You MUST pre-register by clicking here! After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
FREE Virtual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Training - November 15
We are encouraging clubs to move forward with your Four-Way Test Speech Contests and send your Club contest winner to the District Mid-Levels. Students can register for the Mid-Levels by clicking here. Students MUST register for the Mid-Levels by January 15, 2023. The Mid Levels will be held in late February/early March 2023 (still finalizing a date). Dates will be coordinated directly with the students.
Mid levels will continue to be virtual. This has worked so well for all concerned. The only push back on the virtual format is that families/coaches are not able to attend. But in keeping the STUDENTS at the center of this program, they benefit from having a closed environment and having the FULL ATTENTION of the prestigious judges. Also, in previous years, one area may have had 15 mid level entries and another area only had three entries. Some highly qualified students did not move forward because of their location. While less prepared students in other locations got to move forward. The virtual process allows for a more equitable competition.
Please encourage your Club to participate in the Four Way Test Speech Contest this winter. We are looking forward to greater numbers this year. Your help is much appreciated.
A Rotary Club of Harrisburg service project during the Club’s September Service month is a perfect example of how donations to the Rotary International Foundation come back to fulfill needs in your own community.
In what was expected to take two days by Habitat for Humanity took only one because of focused club Rotarians including: Addeline Alaniz Edwards the RCH executive director, Dominic DeYulis (a new RCH member), Alicia Federick, Toni Mark, Scott Stevens (RCH Vice President and Co-chair HFH) and Matt Tenny (RCH Member).
Funding for the project came from Habitat resources, the District 7390 Matching Grant request made during Matt Staub’s presidential year and the Harrisburg Rotary Foundation.
According to Stevens, “Habitat projects can use all levels of construction skills. We were very pleased that the four of us came with above average skills and our own tools. I think this gave us a distinctive step up and speedier progress.”
He also points out that Habitat always has projects on their radar. Says Stevens, “We’d like the Harrisburg Rotary Club to get into Fall and Spring rhythm with Habitat by doing hand-on projects that also can get every Rotarian involved. Please join us. Getting your hands dirty can really make a difference for you and for others.”
Tenny’s personal comments about the project, “We all worked very well together and along with HFH staff. It was a good plan with good execution. Everyone involved working hard. I enjoyed this experience and I am looking forward to the next project!”
Harrisburg Clubs Completes Habitat For Humanity Project
We will be recording this, if you are unable to attend. Feel free to invite others who may be interested.
Presentation Topic: Zone 33 (Mid-Atlantic States) districts have been the most successful zone in starting new clubs in the USA during the past several years. Impact clubs have greatly contributed to their new club growth. IMPACT clubs were formed to meet the needs of individuals who recognize their personal drive to serve but cannot commit to regular meetings. IMPACT started as a companion club (officially called a "satellite") recognizing the need for an organized structure and an opportunity to quickly perform service amongst individuals' busy schedules. Patrick Eakes will provide much more info on the IMPACT club model and answer your questions.
District 7390 recently transferred $29,025 of District Designated Funds (DDF) to PolioPlus to support Rotary’s signature project of polio eradication. “Our District Allocations Committee is pleased to make these funds available to recognize World Polio Day,” said Governor Juliet Altenburg.
The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation encourage Rotary districts to utilize at least 20 percent of their available DDF annually to support PolioPlus. By doing so, districts contribute to Rotary’s goal of raising $50 million each year to eradicate polio. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matches Rotary’s funds $2 for every $1 contributed.
District Designated Funds are those Annual-Share Funds returned to a district after being invested for three years. Districts may use up to half of their DDF to fund district grants. The remaining DDF may be used for global grants or donated to PolioPlus, the Rotary Peace Centers, or another district.
Donations to PolioPlus help reach vulnerable children with the polio vaccine and other essential health services. Because of Rotary and our partners nearly 3 billion children have been vaccinated against Polio and 20 million people are walking who otherwise would have been paralyzed.
District 7390 Supports Polio Eradication with Funds Transfer
It is time to start planning your club’s 4-Way Test ESSAY Contest. We will, once again, be using the following prompt for this year’s contest: Is it the Truth? – How I Define What is True in My Life.
We are looking forward to receiving essays from 9th grade high school students which address questions like: What is true? Where is truth found? Is truth important? Is truth relative?
Submissions for the 2022-23 District 7390 contest are due February 20, 2023.
Contest rules, critical dates, and information for both Rotarians and Students are available on the District 7390 Website.
Any questions or requests for further information can be directed to project chair, Steven Grubb, at stevengrubb@comcast.net.
The Rotary Club of Carlisle and the Rotary Club of Carlisle-Sunrise will host their annual holiday dinner and auction on Friday, December 2nd at the Comfort Suites in Carlisle. The proceeds from this event as explained in the auction brochure will support Success By 6; a United Way of Carlisle/Cumberland County program to help ensure that all children are prepared to succeed by the time they enter kindergarten. After a rigorous selection process conducted jointly by both club presidents, Success By 6 was selected based on its tremendous impact on the development of our youth within the community.
The Past District Governors of District 7390, current leadership, and guests gathered on October 12 for an evening of fun and fellowship! We learned that PDG Al Alley (Lebanon) was our "senior governor" in attendance. He held the office of DG in 1993-1994 and that PDG Ben Hoover (York) has been a Rotarian for over 50 years!
Pictured Back Row L-R: Rob Altenburg, PDG John Kramb (Gettysburg, 2015-16), PDG Ben Hoover (York, 2008-09), PDG Al Alley (Lebanon, 1993-94), Karen Anthony, Doug Newell, PDG John Anthony (Mechanicsburg-North, 2020-21)
Pictured Middle Row L-R: DGE Fred Gellert (Carlisle-Sunrise, 2022-23), Katherine Bigler, Brian Smith, PDG Una Martone (Harrisburg, 2017-18), Ginny Alley, DGN Paul Thompson (Hershey, 2023-24)
The time has come to begin the nominating process for our District Governor 2025-2026. In this way we will continue our three-year projection for District 7390’s leadership. I encourage you to suggest a qualified candidate for the District Governor 2025-2026.
Every club has an outstanding leader who could be a potential District Governor. Look around and ask yourself, who is that person in our club? It is the person who is a good leader, interested, involved, gives financially to Rotary and The Rotary Foundation and is helpful to other members. Ask that person about his or her interest in serving as District Governor. We all need to give encouragement and “plant the seed” for others to move forward.
When submitting a candidate for District Governor 2025-2026, the following must be submitted: the Club letter (on Club letterhead stating that the candidate has been endorsed and nominated by the Club) and the Governor Nominee Data Form (DG App).
The District Governor is the officer of RI in the District, functioning under the general control and supervision of the RI Board. The Governor has responsibility for organizing new Clubs; strengthening existing Clubs; promoting membership growth; supporting The Rotary Foundation; planning and presiding at the District Conference, PETS and District Training Assembly; issuing a monthly newsletter; reporting promptly to RI; focusing attention on important Rotary issues; motivating Rotarians to participate in service activities; recognizing the outstanding contributions of Rotarians in the District; and many other related activities. The candidate should be aware of the qualifications, duties and responsibilities of a District Governor and must demonstrate willingness, commitment, and ability (physically and otherwise) to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office of Governor.
Candidates must be well versed with the District 7390 Bylaws, revised May 2018, and its intent. Candidates must also be familiar with the Constitution and Bylaws of Rotary International as published in the 2022 Manual of Procedure.
Qualifications for a District Governor are specified in detail in the Bylaws of Rotary International as published in the Rotary Manual of Procedure (excerpts attached). These qualifications should be studied carefully by Club members and the prospective Rotarian candidate for District Governor, prior to a decision to suggest any member as a candidate.
Please keep in mind that it is each Club’s duty to the District and Rotary International to give serious consideration to suggesting candidates for District Governor. Your suggestion for District Governor 2025-2026 must be received in the District Office by December 9, 2022, to be considered by the Nominating Committee. Interviews for the 2025-2026 District Governor will be held Thursday, January 19, 2023, in the evening at PA Trauma Systems Foundation (Slatehill Business Center, 3907 Hartzdale Drive, Suite #702, Camp Hill, PA).
Seeking Nominations for the 2025-2026 Rotary D7390 Governor
“The last Rotary Club of Harrisburg (RCH) Service on a Monday during Service September was a big success,” so brags Meghan Bachmore, RCH Service on a Monday Chair and Karen Cullings Executive Director of the McCormick Riverfront Library part of the Dauphin County Library.
Twenty RCH volunteers charged right into numerous tasks including cobweb dusting, gardening and interior and exterior cleanup work. All in preparation for the Library’s grand reopening after a year and a half of renovations.
The Library’s leadership team was very appreciative of the RCH volunteer’s engagement with the various projects and the final results. According to Bachmore, “We even got to share our leftover catering from lunch with library staff and patrons.”
On Thursday, October 20 at 10 a.m., the library was “opening the cover on the newest edition” of the expanded Library with a ribbon cutting and dedication.
Yet the Service Project Was the Tip of the Years of a Planning Process
Background on this service project, includes years of engagement by RCH members Susan Anthony, Marion Alexander and Karen Cullings.
As explained by Anthony who served as Co-chair for the project’s capital campaign, “The vision of joining the library with the Haldeman Haly House took extensive planning. We’re so pleased to see the project come to fruition and expand the value of the Library for patrons in the Central Pennsylvania region.
For some time, many Rotarians have so graciously helped with this project and campaign. I especially wish to acknowledge Jeb Stuart, Bruce Grossman, Ellen Brown, Betty Hungerford, Irene and Sam Levine, Andy Rebuck, Janice Black, Carolyn Dumaresq, Bob Geiger, Peggy Grove, Dave Morrison, Karen Cullings and those I have inadvertently missed."
Harrisburg Club Polishes the Library
New Members Davis Holiday and Shaun Eng
Scott Stevens and Karen Good
New Member Douglas Simon
Marion Alexander
Rotary Club of Harrisburg Volunteers Put the Polish on the McCormick Riverfront Library
The Rotary Club of Hershey will host and sponsor the 63rd RMB networking event in District 7390 history and the second in-person event of the 2022 RMB season on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 from 5;30 to 7:30 PM at the Englewood, 1215 Research Blvd., Hummelstown, PA. The event is FREE and one FREE drink will be provided as well as hors d'oeuvres/snacks. Additional drinks are the responsibility of the guest.
Rotarians should help fellow Rotarians by doing business with them and referring others to them in order to build stronger businesses, stronger communities, stronger members, stronger Rotary Foundation, stronger Rotary clubs, and ultimately a stronger Rotary International. Please consider Inviting a potential Rotarian guest and Family of Rotary.
DG Juliet needs your help to plan our District Conference for the Spring of 2023. We plan on making this a community focused event that highlights community partnerships and is family friendly. Reach out to her at DGJuliet2022@QRPC.com to support the effort!
Help eradicate polio by making a donation in honor of World Polio Day. Your contribution will be tripled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Donate to Polio Plus!
Chuck Sawicki has experienced a lot in his 80-plus years on this planet.
He has seen many changes in his 46-year professional career as an executive in marketing, sales, and financial planning services. Companies he worked for merged or dissolved, coworkers came and went. Amidst all that change was one constant – Rotary.
Officially, Chuck has been a Rotarian for 57 years but his association with the 117-year-old service organization began in childhood.
“My dad was a Rotarian when I was in high school. I couldn’t wait to get home for dinner on Wednesday nights when we discussed what he learned from the interesting speakers and programs,” Chuck said.
Chuck has been a Rotarian in 14 clubs that span eight districts. Some clubs had 400 members; others had 20. No matter the size, members were equally passionate about Rotary’s seven areas of focus – basic literacy and education; maternal and child health; peace and conflict resolution; disease prevention and control; water, sanitation and hygiene; community and economic development; and supporting the environment.
“I have loved being a Rotarian in each and every club,” he said.
Rotary serves its members and the community. Almost anyone can become a member, if they commit to the Rotary motto of “service above self.”
“The reason I love Rotary is you can learn something new at a meeting, the networking opportunities are fantastic, and we have about $3 billion to spend on service projects,” Chuck said.
Joining Rotary isn’t hard. One fills out an application, a current member endorses them, and the club board votes. Many members’ participation maxes out at attending meetings. Chuck encourages everyone to become a full-fledged Rotarian by serving on committees and volunteering for service projects.
Chuck’s first club was the Little Rock Rotary Club, at the time the fourth largest Rotary Club in the world. He distributed name badges at meetings and quickly met all the members.
“After my first year in my new management position, I was having dinner with the regional manager and a team of auditors. They were amazed how I was able to introduce them to local business and professional leaders,” he said.
Every Rotary club designs its service projects around its members’ interests and community’s needs.
Chuck is a certified mentor through SCORE, a nonprofit that gives free advice to business professionals. He has received numerous accolades for his work. He does not volunteer for accolades, but every award gives others an opportunity to share Chuck’s story and inspire others to follow his service-minded example.
“Chuck is the epitome of the Energizer Bunny,” Lou Davenport said when presenting Chuck with the Lancaster SCORE chapter’s 2016 Award for Excellence in Client Mentoring Services. “Chuck has never met a committee he wouldn’t join. He has never been presented with a task he wouldn’t tackle. He has never had a client where he did not throw himself wholeheartedly into helping that client live his dreams."
If Chuck is the Energizer Bunny as Davenport suggests, Rotary is his batteries.
Chuck is a realistic man who often bluntly tells others his “time is running out.” He hopes to inspire others to become active Rotarians, much like his father inspired him.
In 2005-2006, Chuck helped expand his Rotary Club from 52 to 70 members. Success doesn’t happen without planning, so he encourages other clubs to follow his club’s recipe for success: have meetings at a first-class location where the owner or manager is a committed Rotarian, appoint dynamic officers and lane chairs who will take their duties seriously, be visible in your community so your work energizes others.
“Rotary networking and learning became the force behind my professional advancement and understanding of the world,” he said.
Long-Time Rotarian Chuck Sawicki Reflects on the Benefits of a Rotary Focused Life
Thank you to all those who attended our Women in Rotary Summit on October 13th to discuss how to attract more women to Rotary, how to engage women Rotarians, and how to better serve women in Rotary. The meeting was started by showing a video from RI President Jennifer Jones. If you cannot view the embedded video, please click here to view it.
If you would like to hear a recording of the discussion portion of the event, please click here(Passcode: $Qkxub&4). Our intention is to continue this conversation and make plans in this area as part of the District DEI Committee. If you would like to be involved in this initiative, please contact DG Juliet Altenburg at DGJuliet2022@QRPC.COM
In response to Rotary International's Call to Action, our District 7390 - Hanover Rotary Club, did a pediatric vaccine information packing event. This was a joint effort with our Rotary Club, the Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition (PAIC), and The PA Polio Survivors Network.
We packed and distributed 1,500 packets of vaccine information to Hanover Area Daycares and Preschools prior to their opening for the new school year. The information we put into the packets came from the PA Dept of Health and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Our event was featured in the PAIC newsletter.
Our next packing event will be a true community collaboration, to be held at the Markets of Hanover with adults from the HART Center from New Oxford doing the packing. (The packing date has yet to be determined as we order supplies and seek Rotarians to do the deliveries).
We are asking your club if you would be willing to deliver this vital information in your area? Distribution locations (throughout Adams and York Counties), are being determined ahead, and those who volunteer will know exactly what their delivery location and quantity will be.
We look forward to working with your club as we work together to answer this important call. Join us !
Rotary's Focus on Disease Prevention: Answering the Call in Adams and York Counties
The Rotary Club of Hanover supported Jessica and Friends Rock On fundraiser. Hanover Rotary members rocked in rocking chairs at the Markets of Hanover while patrons passed by and made donations. Jessica and Friends provide faith based services and support for adults with autism and intellectual disabilities and their families. They seek to be a community which affirms the worth of all people, supports personal growth and wholeness, advocates for community and church inclusion, and provides opportunities for spiritual growth and service.
Pictured here are Ellie Rebert, Peg Sennett, and Ralph Jodice
Hanover Supports Jessica and Friends Rock on Fundraiser
The 19th Annual York-East Rotary Club Golf Outing was held on Sept. 20, 2022 raising over $16,000 to benefit local charities.
In 2021 money raised by this event was able to help four local charities - Leg Up Farms, York Opioid Collaborative, Big Brothers/Big Sisters York County Food Bank, and Crispus Attucks. Our club also helped two outstanding high school seniors with a scholarship to further their education, and two juniors are registered for the RYLA program to learn leadership skills.
The RC of Carlisle, working with the RC of Thika, Kenya, is implementing a global grant project for water for personal consumption and agricultural development in a poor village in Kenya. The project takes place at a children’s safe home that houses about 100 youngsters ages infant through high school. It also benefits the local community.
The project replaced a deteriorated pump and now brings water to the surface to be used for children at the home, to be sold (for a small fee) to the community, and to support farming. It also provides an agricultural program to provide hands-on training and classroom study in the science of agriculture, economics of agriculture and environmental use of water. The program supports production of chickens, pigs and vegetables, which will provide a reliable source of food for the children and will be sold to the community to support the maintenance and sustainability of the project. Thika Rotarians are happy to share pictures of the first harvest---cabbages and peppers.
The global grant has a total benefit of $131,565 with $35,730 given by RC of Carlisle and $35,730 matched by district 7390 and remaining amounts from RC of Thika, district 9212 and The Rotary Foundation.
Submitted by
PP Kathleen D. Stoup
District International Service Chair
Rotary Club of Carlisle
Pictured: Students in front of greenhouse with cabbages in drop irrigation bed, pepper harvest, chicken coop and pig house under construction.
Rotarians from 7390 joined friends from Rotary clubs in Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia for a rendezvous in Georgetown, MD on the Sassafras River. As members of the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians (IYFR), Chesapeake Bay Fleet, they gather monthly in warm weather months at various locations on the upper Chesapeake Bay for fellowship and discussions about their various clubs’ activities and projects----as well as sharing experiences about maintaining and operating their boats.
The IYFR is the oldest and largest of the Rotary Fellowships. It was organized in England in 1947 and has grown to 126 fleets with about 3685 members in 44 countries. Rotarians in IYFR often join fellow Rotarians for international cruises following international conferences and enjoy cruising while they “Build Better Friendships”.
The Chesapeake Fleet supports the Plastic Free Waters project, which was launched in 2019 to bring awareness of the plastic bottle impact on world’s waterways, especially in African and Asian waters. At a recent meeting the International Rear Commodore of IYFR from Spain presented a special program highlighting the focus of IYFR Plastic Free Waters world wide.
Rotarians, who are active in recreational boating, are welcome to join the IYFR. For information on membership in the Chesapeake Bay Fleet, contact Ron Stern landrstern@gmail.com
Submitted by
Ron Stern,
Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg North
Fleet Captain, Rotary Yacht Squadron Chesapeake Bay, 2022
Past-Commodore, IYFR, Chesapeake Bay Fleet, 2011 and 2016
Pictured here on board the vessel Joint Venture are: (l to r) Lenora Stern; Kathleen Stoup, RC of Carlisle; Ron Stern, RC of Mechanicsburg North; and Tom Johnston, RC of Harrisburg.
It’s hard to believe we are already 3 months into our Rotary Year speeding out of Summer and into the new season of Fall. As District Governor my summer has been a whirlwind of activity encompassing three months of travels with 32 clubs, assorted club/district service and social gatherings, and a myriad of virtual meetings with Zone, District, and Club leaders and more. I write this as I take time to pause and reflect in airport lounges in Toronto and Chicago as I head home from a wonderful time of connection at the Rotary International Zones 28/32 Learning to Lead Summit in Toronto.
At this three-month mark, I would have to say my themes thus far are the gifts of human connections and the opportunity to use my passion for nursing and Trauma Centers in a bigger way. As I’ve met many Rotarians throughout my travels, I often get the question “how do you do it with a full-time job?” Truth be told, I was a bit fearful on how I would be able to juggle it all. I’ve always been a believer though, that if your heart is in the right place, and you are focused on doing good, more good will follow. And so it came to be. Travel time on the road while passing through rural areas of our District was forced time to be thoughtful and reflective. Time at the clubs with kind, passionate and funny members was uplifting in a way that energized me to contribute in bigger ways with my paid job and Rotary activities. The sheer volume of human connection after a prolonged period of isolation and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic is the fuel that has kept my engine running to do what I can to support our clubs in thinking of ways to increase our impact, expand our reach, enhance member engagement, and remain adaptable – Rotary’s four strategic priorities.
For those of you who have experienced my club visits, you may recall that I share a quote from RI President Jennifer Jones that she shared with all the incoming District Governors at the Rotary International Convention in Houston Texas in June: “BE BOLD, BE BRAVE, AND BE INTENTIONAL”. I’ve said these words so many times they have begun to change me. I feel myself grow in leadership the more I courageously move forward and jump on opportunities I may have been more timid about in the past.
One such opportunity is using the partnerships I have made over the last 20 years with Trauma Centers while working at the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation to move forward a high impact program called STOP THE BLEED ™. STOP THE BLEED ™ is a bleeding control course that has been promoted by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) since 2012 when the Sandy Hook shooting occurred. The ACS publicized the work of the Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg North on their international STOP THE BLEED website after a District Club grant that provided 300 tourniquets to East Pennsboro township staff helped save the life of a 10-year-old boy. That saved life occurred because of a partnership with Penn State Holy Spirit Medical Center Injury Prevention Coordinator, Sunny Goodyear RN, who taught the course to township police officers and continues to teach the course throughout Central PA.
In addition to Penn State Holy Spirit, two other Trauma Centers in our District are committed to connecting with Rotary Clubs to teach the program at club meetings or community events: Penn State Hershey Medical Center, and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital. One fantastic way your club can help in this effort is to apply for a District Club Grant for $2500 that with a District match of $2500 will provide $5000 worth of tourniquets to people in your community such as police officers, farmers, and residents in violent neighborhoods where gun violence is prevalent. One such area is Alison Hill in Harrisburg. Penn State Holy Spirit would value one or more Rotary club partners in helping them provide tourniquets in Alison Hill that would be distributed along with education. Interested? Reach out to me for more information. The next deadline for District Club Grants is March 15, 2023 when the Form of Intention is due. Each tourniquet is about $20.00. Find out more about the grant process at https://rotary7390.org/page/grants
Lastly this time of connection has reinforced what was stated to me for years during my District leadership journey – that I would never be alone in my efforts. It takes a village to spearhead the many District Initiatives that we all take for granted: Global and District Grants, Membership, Youth Exchange, Safety, Polio Eradication, Communications, Public Image, Rotary Foundation, Education, Finances, Event Coordination, Member Services, Outreach…. and the list goes on. That village is comprised of an incredible group of Committee Chairs and teams behind them that work hard to support the impact our clubs and District have on our communities. I thank all these “villagers” for their amazing efforts that are not only felt within our District but at Zone and International levels.
Lastly, I want to put out a request for those of you who may be feeling a tug in your heart to be District Governor but are fearful of the time commitment. Being a District leader AND having a full-time job is absolutely possible. Your Rotary work will benefit your paid job in countless ways and vice versa. Being District Governor is the opportunity of a lifetime and without a doubt is absolutely life changing. I will reiterate the quote by Jennifer Jones “Be Bold, Be Brave and Be Intentional”. Don’t wait. The time is now. You never know what tomorrow will bring. If you are interested reach out to me. There is a process for your club to nominate you and forms are due in early December.
Thank you for a great three months. What a privilege its been to visit your clubs and serve you. Looking forward to more adventures in the months ahead.
Yours in Service: DG Juliet
Email me at DGJuliet2022@QRPC.com
Imagining Rotary: My Role as District Governor thus Far
The District Club Grant Committee has a vacancy. If you have a passion for The Rotary Foundation and specifically grants, please contact Nigel Foundling at nfoundling860@comcast or 717-717-679-1264. The committee meets via Zoom on the second Monday of each month at 7:30 a.m.
Carlisle-Sunrise, Northern Lebanon Co, and York build small houses in Ecuador
The Rotary Club of Carlisle-Sunrise has developed a continuing relationship with the Rotary Club of Cumbaya, D-4400, Quito, Ecuador. In 2020 during the Covid pandemic, 45 tablet computers were set to K thru 6th grade children so they could study online.
As friendships with RC of Cumbaya grew, Carlisle-Sunrise became aware of the need for decent housing for single underprivileged mothers with children and the opportunity to provide low cost houses under the project management of CAEMBA (https://www.caemba-home-english/) through the Raiz Foundation (www.raiz-USA.org). Each house is made of sturdy bamboo, has a kitchen and bathroom, and costs $4500; those living in the house assist with its construction. The first house supported by Carlisle-Sunrise was paid directly from club contributions. That success led to a District Club grant for $9000, with participation of Rotary Clubs of Northern Lebanon County and York, that built two houses, completed on August 20, 2022. These houses will join other such houses in the new “Rotary Village”. Each house has a plaque with the names of the four Rotary clubs involved.
The Rotary Veterans Initiative conducted a community BBQ event on Saturday, Sept 10th at Rendezvous Run Farm in Dickinson Township at 806 Alexander Spring Road, Carlisle, PA 17015. The 130(+) participants of this sold-out ticketed event:
Honored Veterans by listening to and recording their stories of service and sacrifice
WWII and Korean War Veteran, and Harrisburg resident, Louis “Lou” F. Gallo
USMC veteran, formerly homeless, and Central Penn College graduate, Randy Ramer
Randy shared his powerful story of rising above injury, drug addiction, and homelessness to become a Central Penn College (CPC) graduate
At CPC Randy served as the President of the student veteran’s Armed Forces Association (AFA) where he created and led the AFA Homeless Veteran’s Initiative --- which raised money to help homeless veterans
Raised money to continue to help Central PA veterans transform their lives, families, and our communities
Presented this check to support student veterans’ scholarships, textbook and technology device vouchers, and scholarships for student veterans performing unpaid internships and/or participating in Capstone courses
Invested $7,500 to reward and incentivize veteran participation in The Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration 2022 (Business) Startup Weekend program (Nov 11- 13, 2022)
To date, including the addition of the $27,500 announced at this event, RVI has contributed a total of $205,000 to help 270 Central PA veterans transform their lives, families and communities
VOPA leaders Mike Reardon, John Hickey, and Jordan Ames provided tours of their “Tiny Home” and explained the VOPA Mission and Vision
Mission: We stand to combat homelessness among Veterans by providing support and services needed to promote an empowered life filled with strength and purpose.
Vision: Restoring trust and creating opportunity, one Veteran at a time.
Received the outstanding support of volunteers from The Giant Company
Thanked our major sponsors, including Korporate Computing, The Giant Company, UPMC, Synergy Home Care of Carlisle, State Farm of Carlisle (Greg Lunde), Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, Diamond Wealth Advisors, William Harkey, Tom Fruth, the Bussard family, the Haag Family, the Rotary Clubs of Mechanicsburg North, Hershey, Harrisburg, and Carlisle.
This event is complete, but there will be future events and many actions to support veterans; therefore, donations to RVI are always welcome. To make a tax-deductible donation to RVI, please write the check to the "Rotary Veterans Initiative" and mail it to RVI, 806 Alexander Spring Road, Carlisle, PA 17015 (or) make an online donation at https://www.tfec.org/funds/rotary-veterans-initiative/ To collaborate with RVI to help our veterans please email rickcopen@gmaijl.com
Mark your calendars and bring the whole family out for a great time on Sunday October 2nd @ 12-3pm at the Vineyard & Brewery at Hershey for a FREE family event hosted by the Rotary Club of Colonial Park with activities, games, bounce houses, spin art, petting zoo, obstacle course, balloon twisting, PLUS food trucks and live music!
All proceeds from this event are donated to local non-profits and our scholarship fund.
Welcome to Martin Metelka from Czechia!! Martin arrived at Newark Airport (which meant we HAD to do a quickphoto stop at Liberty State Park before heading home!) We hope you have a great year Martin!
Rotary International is pleased to announce new hosting opportunities under the Open World Program during the 2023 calendar year. Next year will mark twenty fourth-year anniversary of Rotary’s participation in the program.
The Open World Program is available only to Rotary clubs in the United States and provides an opportunity to build fellowship and friendship to strengthen international understanding by hosting emerging Eurasian leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan in your community. Rotary clubs are needed to host six-participant delegations for eight days and nights and prepare a professional program related to business, community, and civic life in the United States. Please see the 2023 hosting themes document attached.
The program focuses primarily on developing a network of leaders who have an understanding of how American communities deal with contemporary issues and who want to maintain contact with their new American contacts and other counterparts. Often, these collaborations lead to service projects between Rotary clubs in the two countries.
Is your Rotary Club is interested in working on an international project, hosting six Open World participants (emerging and/or current Eurasian leaders) for eight days, and willing to develop an intensive week of programs based on a selected Open World theme? If yes, then the Open World Program would be perfect for your club. Review the attached Host Registration Form and email the completed form to Natalia.Kunzer@rotary.org by Monday, 3 October 2022.
Direct any question to the Program Officer Natalia Kunzer at natalia.kunzer@rotary.org or by phone by calling (847) 946-5664. For any additional questions please contact PDG Hector Ortiz as well as to do presentations about this program which is typically a 10 days program for young professionals from specific countries, ages 25 to 35, with some similarities to the GSE program.
Warm Rotary Regards,
Hector Ortiz
Richie1166@msn.com
Natalia Kunzer
Open World Program Officer
Rotary Service and Engagement | Programs and Grants
The Rotary Club of Carlisle-Sunrise recently hosted Carlisle’s noon club for a presentation about that club’s water project in Kenya. In attendance was Meshack Kishoyian Sinkira (known as Kish) the International Officer from Kenya at the US Army War College, Carlisle. Rotarians from Carlisle first became acquainted with Kish at a meeting of RC of Hershey.
The global grant project, total cost $130,000, provides water for agricultural development by pumping water to surface, building green house for vegetable production and housing structures for chicken and pig production while teaching the science and economics of agriculture. Following the presentation, Kish confirmed the critical need for such projects in Kenya.
Submitted by
Kathleen Stoup
International Service Lane Chair
Pictured here with Rotarians from both clubs, Kish is wearing a modernized Masai shirt. (L to R) Larenda Twigg, Bill Blankmeyer, Kish, Kathleen Stoup, Charles Stoup, Mike Zick
In September our District was fortunate to have PDG Herb Klotz speak with Club Presidents and interested members on how to grow and engage club membership. Each club was sent a club specific report highlighting attraction and attrition rates and best practices. This popular session is available for on-demand viewing at https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/492tpKrgUkned8TnWWDlWV2RJ89ihNVLIUKigDjuHoZGzI96It5xaowXocSkq-M.oPdQRhC_mffJ3oEc / Passcode: K6uo1bL.
PDG Herb is hosting a SECOND session open to ANY Rotary Club on the topic of Impact Clubs. Impact clubs are companion clubs to existing host clubs focused on community service. Impact clubs are growing in popularity in other Zones and guest speaker Patrick Eakes will talk about their growth in his own Zone – Zone 33. Mark your calendars for October 11th at 7 PM. A Zoom link will be shared in several weeks in a future Rotary Reporter!
Where: Victory Athletic Association (471 S. Ogontz Street, York, PA) - For a nominal fee of $10 per ticket, you get a fun filled evening of appetizers, non-alcoholic beverages, door prizes, music, entertainment, and auction items!
Hosted by: York-East
When: October 25 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Where: Market Cross Pub (113 North Hanover St Carlisle, PA 17013)
Hosted by: Carlisle-Sunrise
When: October 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Funck's Restaurant (365 West Main Street, Leola)
The Rotary Leadership Institute is an opportunity to meet with other Rotarians, share experiences, and learn new skills to take back to your club. You don't have to be in the leadership chain to benefit from this institute. If you want to learn more about this wonderful organization that we call Rotary, and find out what you can actually do to start changing the world, put attendance on your schedule. Click here to register! (Please note: you MUST register using the GUEST tab). REGISTRATION DEADLINE-MONDAY, OCTOBER 17
When can I attend RLI? - Saturday, October 22, 2022 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Central Penn College (600 Valley Road, Summerdale, PA 17093).
What is the Cost to attend RLI? - Rotary Clubs should pay for their members to attend RLI. The cost is $110 per Rotarian to attend.
What is RLI? - A leadership and development program to strengthen Rotary Clubs through education, collaboration and the exchange of ideas among its future leaders. A three-part curriculum facilitated by experienced, trained faculty members engaging participants through open discussion, problem solving and creative role-play.
What will I learn at RLI? - More about Rotary, The Rotary Foundation, Membership, Ethics, Service Projects, Communications, Strategic Planning and Analysis. You’ll also make new friends, and enjoy fellowship and networking opportunities.
Course Levels: Parts I, II, III and Graduate (The Graduate level will focus on Strategic Planning) The Graduate level can be taken more than once based on changing content.
Where can I find more information about RLI? www.rlinea.org.
As World Polio Day (October 24th) approaches, our clubs and the district are considering how we can best raise funds and awareness in our community. Following are a few thoughts.
Support the District RIDE TO ERADICATE POLIO This event held October 24th is a continuation of an event created during Covid in an attempt to create a new way to raise awareness. Details can be found by clicking here!
Hold a PINTS FOR POLIO EVENT(S) Clubs and regions are encouraged to hold events at the local level. The purpose of these events are three-fold. Here are a few thoughts:
Raise Money - In past years, these events have raised thousands of dollars for Polio Plus
Raise Awareness - In advance of and during these events, conversations happen surrounding the Polio issue. Members and nonmembers are educated on what polio is, why and how is Rotary involved in the global effort to eradicate polio and why we should care about this at all. Given the recent outbreak in NY, that third point is even more relevant in our lives.
Drive Membership - Each Rotarian should not only consider coming to the event but should also bring a friend. That friend then engages in the fellowship of Rotary while learning more about who we are and what we do. "Each One Bring One" could not be more relevant than with these events.
SHARE YOUR EVENT - Share with the District - Each club or region that is holding an event should share their event details with the district. The district will in turn help to market the event and, maybe, you will see a district leader pop into your event.
Create an Event Post on Meet Up App - Sharing your event on the Districts "Service Above Self" group on the MeetUp App will expand your reach and expand awareness of your event in your area. If you need help with this, reach out to Melissa at the district office.
Create an event on Facebook and share it with the district. Share it on all social media platforms to drive all demographics to your event. Need help, reach out to the district to learn how.
Get a Billboard. This event is a perfect way to utilize the district billboard program. Share with your community what you are doing in their community.
Ask someone to come and support your event. We all know someone we can ask. If beer is not your thing, consider Ice Cream Pints for Polio. Be creative and then share with us what you are doing. This is how we all achieve new levels and grow.
Finally, if your club is not going to hold an event, attend another club's event near you, bring a friend and be part of the solution. Now is the time to take action. Ask your club leadership what your club is doing to help eradicate polio and drive membership during World Polio month. If you or they need help, reach out. The district is excited to help our clubs create events that make sense for them. Let's make this year, the greatest year yet for raising money and awareness in District 7390.
PDG Alden Cunningham (Carlisle) has a book available for purchase through Amazon! Click here to purchase the book! This autobiography captures all phases of his life of Leadership in Service including his formative years in Mexico as a child, the military academy years of character and leadership development, his regular Army service in field artillery, his years as a senior Foreign Area officer defending our nation and his years as an Army Contractor at the U.S. Army War College. There, he supported the Department of Distance Education as a faculty instructor teaching Strategic Leadership, International Relations and the Use of Power, National Security Strategy, National Military Strategy, and Regional Studies. Additionally, he supported the Strategic Crisis Exercise in various roles and developed two key, long term military scenarios on Cuba and Panama. His brief Mexico Advisory Service years helping small companies in Pennsylvania find Mexican strategic partners and his retirement years are also part of this book. Covered as well are his years as a former officer of Rotary International (District Governor of District 7390 in South Central Pennsylvania) doing good in the world. This is exemplified by his humanitarian mission in Mexico where his district partnering with District 4170 in the Mexico City area provided hundreds of wheelchairs to disabled Mexican citizens, clean water to hundreds if not thousands of Mexican school children, computers for a school for the deaf in Mexico City, and dozens of cleft palate surgeries and cataract procedures. He also increased Rotary Foundation giving in his district thus providing more funds over time for Rotary's seven focus areas (fighting disease, think Polio; promoting peace; providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene; saving mothers and children; supporting education; growing local economies; and protecting the environment).
A Cold War Warrior's Report by PDG Alden Cunningham
Pictured Front Row L-R: DYE Inbound Chair Walt Tilley (York), DG Juliet Altenburg (Mechanicsburg-North), Maya Ito (Japan) hosted by Gettysburg, Jeanne Lefort (France) hosted by York, Julia Saldanha (Brazil) hosted by Hershey, Iman Delamehtovic (Bosnia & Herzegovenia) hosted by Lititz, DYE Chair Jill Tenny (Harrisburg). Pictured Back Row L-R: Martin Metelka (Czech Republic) hosted by Harrisburg, Julien Thiry (Belgium) hosted by York.
Welcome the 2022-2023 Class of Inbound Youth Exchange Students
Isabella (Lititz) has safely arrived for her exchange year in Japan! She is currently attending a language camp with other international students who are also doing an exchange in Japan this year. Best of luck for a successful year, Isabella!
The Rotary Club of Carlisle recently gave 1000 Paul Harris points to Past-President Sudesh Walia of the Rotary Club of Nairobi, Kenya, district 9212.
Pictured are: Alex Nyagah (#9212 District Governor 2021-22) presenting the Paul Harris fellowship to Sudesh Walia.
The points, which will take Sudesh to another Paul Harris level, were given in recognition of the service and support she has given RC of Carlisle and district 7390 over more than 20 years. As long ago as 1996, she worked with Carlisle Rotarians in processing Volunteer Service Grants for volunteer dentists from around the Rotary world who served at the Rotary Dental Clinic located at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Hospital in the Kilimambogo community. For many years she directed support from Rotary Club of Nairobi for matching grants and global grants for dental equipment, dental truck and several water and sanitation projects at the Hospital.
Most recently RC of Carlisle and district 7390 contributed to a global grant for an Eye Care Program in Nairobi, which is currently being implemented in schools in poor areas of Nairobi.
An active and committed Rotarian, Sudesh led a peace project in a school district in California. She traveled to Carlisle in 2015, stayed in home of Rotarian, and visited many community projects. Over the years she has welcomed visiting Rotarians to her home.
The collaboration with Sudesh continues as we “build friendships” in faraway parts of the world.
DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT - PLEASE NOTE THE NEW DATE OF OCTOBER 13!
As we consider ways we should Grow Rotary… we must consider groups that are underrepresented within our clubs. Women represent just 28% of our District’s membership. How can we grow these numbers and attract more members including women into the service we provide to our community AND to our members.
On October 13 from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., we are gathering for our second in a series of Summits to discuss...Women in Rotary
Three Questions will be discussed in this 1 hour Zoom Summit.
How can we encourage more women to join Rotary across our District?
How can we support female Rotarians in growing in leadership and service within Rotary and our communities?
What should our next action steps be?
Our first Summit, Educators in Rotary, was a great success. Attendees met new friends from across the district, learned new ideas and discussed strategies to effect change and growth. They agreed to help each other and to re-assemble at a future date to further discuss ideas and review what they have achieved with their new knowledge and contacts.
We believe that Septembers’ Women in Rotary Summit can be a similarly tremendous opportunity for fellowship, growth, and new ideas.
Rotary Club of Lancaster and District 7390 Donate $20,000 for Medical Assistance in Ukraine
Networking and collaboration are a hallmark of Rotary as evidenced by the friendships and relationships that form within individual Rotary Club dynamics. Sometimes that same synergy forms between Rotarians on a global scale to meet urgent humanitarian needs. Such is the case with a recent cooperation between the Rotary Club of Lancaster and the International Rotary Fellowship of Healthcare Professionals (IRFHP).
Dr. Bob McClenathan, an optometrist, Past-President of RC of Lancaster and member of IRFHP, learned of the needs in Ukraine related to the unprovoked incursion by Russian military forces and the horrendous injuries caused by indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets in addition to military ones. Hundreds of hospitals, medical facilities and pharmacies have been intentionally destroyed! In light of the destruction of healthcare infrastructure and the tremendous need for medical care, the IRFHP is seeking various medical instruments and accessories to alleviate suffering there.
The Rotary Club of Lancaster, its individual members, and District 7390 (through the discretionary use of its contingency funds) provided nearly $20,000 in funding towards the purchase of orthopedic instruments, screws, plates and pins for treatment of shattered skeletal structures. Through a convoluted pathway, involving Rotarians in the USA, United Kingdom, Poland, and Ukraine, as well as international fund transfers and international commerce, these rehabilitative materials are mending bones and lives in the war torn country near the front lines in the Dnipro area. Rotary has a long reach and a loving heart and Rotarians are providing “Service above Self” around the world.
If your Club is holding an event or fundraiser and would like to increase awareness of Rotary or increase profits, think about purchasing some Rotary branded water bottles! You can purchase the water for $7 per case (minimum of 30 cases per order). The water will need to be picked up at Filson Water (11 Roadway Drive, Carlisle). You can design a custom label for your Club or the event. Please contact Jeff Kintz at Brand your Own Bottle at 717-979-0841 or kintzjeff1@gmail.com for more information. You can also check out their website by clicking here.
Here are some examples of Clubs that have created a custom water bottle label:
Quentin Jurney (Rotary Club of Gettysburg) safely arrived in India for his year of exchange!!! His arrival coincided with the Hindi festival of Raksha Baandhan, the celebration of brother-sister sibling bonds. We hope Quentin has an amazing year! We look forward to following his adventures through the District 7390 Youth Exchange Facebook page!
The exciting Zone 28 & 32 Interact Convention (ZIC) is taking place October 20th-23rd, 2022 and we want to see students from your district there!
This is an opportunity for Rotarians to show their support for our young leaders who have been working very hard organizing this first-ever Zone event that includes Interact delegates from Canada, USA, Bermuda and St. Pierre et Miquelon!
Here's where your help is needed:
We are seeking Delegates - If your club currently sponsors an Interact club please connect with them and consider sponsoring one or more delegates. Clubs & Districts in Zones 28 and 32 are able to reserve spots for Interact students and chaperones at the Zone 28 & 32 Interact Convention ahead of time. Each spot is $991 Canadian dollars ($850 registration fee plus a $141 refundable deposit).
We are seeking Donors/Sponsors - If your club does not currently sponsor an Interact Club, kindly consider becoming a Donor/Sponsor of the event in support of youth leadership!
Thank you for your kind consideration. We also encourage you to take a look at our website (www.zoneinteractconvention.org) to learn more.
If you have any questions regarding the registration process, the event in general, or would like to invite our team to speak to your club/district leadership about the event please feel free to contact admin@zoneinteractconvention.org.
Geoffrey Harper (Harrisburg has arrived in Thailand!! What a journey ~ 3 out of 3 flights were delayed but no lost luggage! His host family was on hand to greet him at the airport on his arrival. We look forward to following his adventures!
September is Education and Literacy Month, an opportunity for Rotarians to focus our awareness of literacy and education needs in our own communities and internationally. BELRAG (Basic Education and Literacy Rotary Action Group) and Save the Children are pleased to announce a funding opportunity to support clubs' innovative approaches to early childhood education in rural America. Projects may support Kindergarten Readiness, 3rd Grade Reading proficiency, and/or 5th grade math proficiency.
These grants offer Rotary Clubs an opportunity to apply to for funding of $5,000-$15,000 for community based initiatives that support early literacy and numeracy. Up to ten projects will be funded. Proposal applications are available 1 September are due 15 October, 2022.
A webinar to review grant criteria and application process will be held on Thursday, 25 August at 4:00 PM (Eastern)
The webinar will be recorded and made available on the BELRAG.org website. Click here to view a menu of options for early learning projects.
This is an excellent opportunity for Rotarians to receive support for their involvement in early education and literacy projects in their own communities. BELRAG is pleased to partner with Save the Children on this initiative and appreciates their generosity in funding these grants for US based literacy projects.
I look forward to learning of how clubs in your district are engaged in Basic Education and Literacy and would welcome Rotarians from your district to become involved with BELRAG. Together, we will ensure that every child and adult has opportunity to lead productive, fulfilling lives as literate individuals. If you would like more information about BELRAG, our outreach and support for clubs and districts, please visit our website www.BELRAG.org or feel welcome to contact Carolyn Johnson, Yarmouth (Maine) Rotary, District 7780, Governor, 2013-14, 207-232-4667 (cell).
Apply for a Grant to Support Education and Literacy!
Norma Jean Park was awarded the district 7390 Rotary Scholarship for graduate study at the University of Essex, Brighton, England, where she will earn a Master of Arts degree in Food and Development. The Global Grant award is valued at $30,000 with $16,675 from #7390 District Designated Funds and $13,325 from The Rotary Foundation.
Becky Morgenthal, a member of the 7390 Scholarship Committee, prepared this report on the presentation given by Norma Jean at the meeting of the RC of Carlisle on July 21, 2022, at which Norma Jean described her journey from college years to her plans for graduate studies. Becky followed Norma Jean’s words as she shares this narrative.
As a 2018 graduate of Dickinson College, I knew I wanted a career in International Development with a focus on agriculture and the environment. This passion has always been there.
I am the type of person who wants to feel certain before furthering my education and committing myself to a career. I knew the best way to be certain was to try out all potential career options.
My first step was the Peace Corps, which had been a goal of mine since I was a kid. I applied to go anywhere and do anything. I was sent to teach English in Ecuador and thought that education was a career path I would like.
Upon moving to a small pueblo in the Amazon Rainforest, I realized that what the community actually needed was help developing sustainable agricultural practices and building the capacity for eco-tourism. By listening to the community and shifting my goals, I began to see the interconnectedness of agriculture, the environment and rural livelihoods. This peaked my interest a lot more than the field of education.
When I was forced to return to the US due to COVID-19, I decided to work on a small organic farm in Vermont, because I wanted to see what sustainable agriculture looked like at the smallest level. I figured if I want to promote sustainable farming in Ecuador and other places globally, I should at least know how to grow food from seed to harvest.
As much as I loved the farming experience, I had not ruled out other career interests. I moved to Colorado to work at a non-profit reproductive and sexual health clinic. While working full time at the clinic, I worked part-time on a farm since agriculture was still a strong passion for me. While I loved helping marginalized groups access health care, I realized that my true passion is in empowering community development by strengthening food systems. This brought me full circle to what I had studied at Dickinson College.
And after four years sampling various careers, I now know what I want out of a career. I am excited to go back to school to pursue my dream. I am exceedingly grateful to Rotary District 7390 for making this possible and I hope to contribute to the betterment of the world on completion of my studies.
NOTE: The scholarship for this outstanding woman is made possible by contributions from Rotarians to The Rotary Foundation.
Submitted by: Becky Morgenthal
Member, District 7390 Global Grants Scholarship Committee
The Rotary Clubs of Carlisle and Carlisle Sunrise, ably led by Presidents Rod Frazier and Larenda Twigg, hosted a super successful RMB networking event on August 17 at the beautiful Frederick House in Carlisle with over 30 Rotarians and guests attending from at least 11 district clubs (Carlisle, Carlisle Sunrise, D7390 Passport, Mechanicsburg North, Lititz, York-North, Gettysburg, West Shore, Hershey, Harrisburg, and Allentown West in D7430). This event marks the 62nd RMB networking event in District 7390 history.
The event's Major Sponsor, Hoffman Funeral Home and Crematory, represented by Chris Hoffman and JIll Lazar, provided a perfect setting arranged beautifully even providing free pens, notepads, and popcorn along with some amazing hors d"oeuvres, wine, beer and water, which if consumption demonstrates anything were greatly enjoyed by all in attendance. Mary Brunski did a great job of running the Circle exercise even using the famous Scott Stevens playing card way of ensuring that there is no sure way of knowing when you will be called to give your elevator speech or pitch to the rest of the attendees. All in all this Restart of RMB in District 7390 was a success and builds momentum for moving forward. Thank you RMBers for helping get RMB in-person networking active again in Rotary District 7390.
Lamar Advertising is again offering all clubs in the District the opportunity to expand the reach of Rotary during the 2022-2023 Rotary Year through a club hosted DIGITAL Billboard for just $100! To take advantage of this generous offer click here!Special thanks is extended to Harrisburg Rotarian Andy Rebuck from Lamar Advertising, for leading this wonderful effort for our District!
Expand the Reach of Rotary Through the District Billboard Campaign
The York-East Rotary awarded a total of $13,500 in in grant funding to five nonprofit organizations in the York community. Each year the grants are presented to deserving projects and programs in the region. These worthy local organizations received grants for various needs and projects this year. Representatives from each organization attended our weekly meeting and received their grant awards.
Our club looks forward to this day each year because it is such a great feeling to give and learn how the money is being used within our community.
Thank you to everyone that donates to our organization through the various fundraisers that we hold each year. Without you we would not be able to provide these organizations with the funding that they need to make York a better place to live.
Pictured from L-R:
Mark Larkin – Big Brother Big Sisters – Purchase passes for kids and their Big to attend Kidspace activities
Maura Musselman – Leg Up Farm – Staff education and certification in speech therapy
Brittany Shutz – York Opioid Collaborative – Community and Parent education and Awareness
Karen Comery – York East Rotary President
Chris Izzo - York East Rotary Grant Committee Chairman
Sandra Graham – York East Rotary Past President
Phil Drayden – Crispus Attucks – Support of Rising Star Program
Zach Wolgemuth – York County Food Bank – Purchase of ramp for van
Please join us to support VETERANSat our Rotary Veterans Initiative (RVI) BBQ fundraiser at Rendezvous Run Farm (806 Alexander Spring Road, Carlisle, 17015) on Saturday, Sept 10th, from 4 to 10 p.m.
Rotary International requires that all Rotary Districts have a Crisis Management Plan in place that provides a protocol for the process by which Districts would respond to real or perceived emergencies when they arise. It is essential that we do our best to be prepared to respond to any risky situations that pose serious risks to student and volunteer health, safety, and security – as well as the district’s reputation. any disasters impacting Rotarians or the public during Rotary hosted events. Our District is currently in the planning stage focused on a Youth Crisis Management Plan to prepare for our incoming International Rotary Exchange Students. We are looking for a Mental Health Professional willing to donate their time to providing insight into the necessary language for such a plan. Although a Rotarian is preferred it is not essential. Please contact Jill Tenny, Chair, District 7390 Youth Exchange, if you or someone you know is interested. Email: rotaryd7390youthexchange@gmail.com
Mental Health Professional Needed for District Crisis Management Planning
As I traveled the district in my year as District Governor year, I realized five things:
There are many more passionate member Rotarians who have chosen Education as a Vocation than I ever realized.
There are many other vocations represented by passionate Rotarians across our district.
There is great work being done by many, if not most of the clubs across the district focused on those vocations.
Much of what is being done in the clubs is not shared across the district.
We can do a better job of sharing and learning from each other.
This invitation is the first of many more to come focused on sharing our ideas through Vocational Summits which will begin to help foster Rotary’s four strategic priorities of increasing our impact, expanding our reach, increasing member engagement and remain adaptable and relevant.
It's time. We can only continue to perpetuate and GROW the Service we provide IF we continue to GROW and ENGAGE our Membership. We MUST be purposeful about our Growth. Each of us. Seek the right people.... people who are Rotarians... but just don't know it yet.
It's time to act.
It's time to Grow Rotary and ENGAGE our members again. Are you with me?
District 7390 Rotarian Educators Summit
When: August 18th 7pm to 8pm
Who: All Rotarians who currently or formerly worked in schools including but not limited to school Superintendents, Principals, Teachers, Guidance Counselors and Administrative Support
What: A one hour conversation on three topics
How can we grow young people in service and leadership through people and programs within Rotary?
How do we get more Educators involved in Rotary?
What action should be taken because of this Summit?
Saturday, October 1, 2022 – Ride to Eradicate Polio – Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, Shippensburg Station – Registration is coming soon. All registration fees will go toward the registrant’s Paul Harris points.
Saturday, October 22, 2022, 8 AM – 4 PM – Rotary Leadership Institute, Central Penn College. Registration is coming soon.
Saturday, November 19, 2022, Rotary Foundation Dinner, Eden Resort, Lancaster, PA. Registration link pending.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care workers have dedicated their time, energy, and skills to ensure our safety. As they provided vaccinations, administered tests, tracked outbreaks, and cared for patients, they sometimes put their health at risk to do so.
With the pandemic far from over, we have an opportunity to show our appreciation for them. From 21-27 August, Rotary International is asking all Rotarians to recognize the work of health care professionals in communities around the globe. Find ways to show health care workers your appreciation at https://on.rotary.org/3ooBPNy
Pictured: Rod Frazier, Rotary Club of Carlisle President, and DG Juliet Altenburg shown at Mass Vaccination Center, June 2021 in Carlisle PA. Both are members of the South Central PA Medical Reserve Corps.
Show Your Appreciation to Health Care Workers August 21-27!
This Rotary Year we will be trying new ways to educate Rotarians and the communities in which we serve. One of those ways is through a series of videos. Our inaugural video features an assortment of District Leaders and our new mascot Francis the cat! Check out the video on the District You Tube Channel at https://youtu.be/FKWKfBokk-8. Happy viewing and a BIG THANK YOU to all those who spend countless hours in support of our clubs throughout District 7390!
Learn More About the 2022-2023 District 7390 Leadership Team!
Jack Detweiler has been a member of the Rotary Club of Harrisburg for 27 years and recalls working on or chairing the Club’s Ecology Committee for many of those years. Annually, he has coordinated the Club’s judging and awarding of a prize for students winning the Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair (CASEF).
According to Detweiler, “Our committee members are asked to serve as judges for student entries from many area schools. In a typical year, we can receive 10 to 20 presentations to review. CASEF provides a scoring guide to provide consistency of presentation quality.”
CASEF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization and a PA EITC Innovative Educational Program initiative. For these competitions, CASEF follows performance standards of the Society for Science and the Public (ISEF) with a goal focused on promoting the understanding and appreciation of science. That organization sees the critical role science and engineering play in our society: to inform, educate, and inspire.
Because of Covid issues it was no surprise the 2021 CASEF student competition was virtual. Instead of live presentations that year, competitors submitted short videos. CASEF participants submitted their projects to a centralized web. Detweiler says, “We are in the Special Award Category for Life Science and present a $750 check to a student winning in the Senior Division. Projects in 2022 were submitted virtually and live. Our committee again reviewed them virtually, which actually allows more time to accurately review the projects.”
A Wide Range of Projects
According to Valerie Knowles the CASEF Director, “Recent events confirm that it is very evident that we need to be encouraging young scientists to find solutions to life’s greatest challenges and prepare a healthy and sustainable future.”
Detweiler believes he’s seen, “Projects ranging from beetles to stream water studies. He noted, “The 2020 winner of the Rotary Ecology Award was Kathryn Miller, a sophomore at Carlisle HS. She demonstrated how Oxbenzone in sunscreen effects and eventually kills coral polyps. She did this project in the lab with actual coral polyps. Because of the pandemic, she presented her project to our Club via Zoom. In 2019 our winner was Adele Shirmer, a senior at West Perry HS. Her project was "Beetles Beware - Effects of Various Biopesticides on Callosobruchus Maculatus Behavior."
Adele went on to Colorado State University to major in Fishery Management. She says that with the help of the RCH award she was offered a scholarship as an Honors Undergraduate Research Scholar allowing her to afford to attend CSU. She has been assisting a graduate student with his study on Walleye bioenergetics and is working on local employment as a fishery technician to start her career.
Our winner in 2018 was April Pavonka, a senior at Camp Hill HS. Her project was "Optimizing Hydroponic Plant Growth and Energy Usage with LED Spectral Manipulation". She was also our winner in 2016 when she was a sophomore with another project.
Our winner in 2021 was Samual Koda from Hershey High School with his hands-on project that addressed an invasive ecological problem in his neighborhood entitled “What is the best Spotted Lanternfly Trap?”
Our winners in 2022 were Aiden Callahan and Annabel Hathaway from Harrisburg Academy with the project, “A Comparison of Eco-Friendly and Green Products’ Effects on the Environment.” It is the first time that we have ever given the award to a “team.” They were both sophomores. They put in an amazing amount of work on their project, were scrupulous in following the scientific method and their mathematical documentation was quite rigid. It was an interesting outcome that “Dawn” detergent turned out less toxic in many cases than the so-called “green” detergents that were tested.”
Says Detweiler, “Some of our winners actually did their experiments in various creeks and streams in the Central PA area, such as Madeline Grossman, a senior at Cumberland Valley HS in 2017 with her project, “'It's All "Creek" to me, or Kyle Wise a senior at Carlisle HS with his project, "D-Netting vs. Leaf Bagging; Which Macro Invertebrate Collection is the most accurate."
Most notably he adds, “One of our previous winners was Eric Horstick from East Pennsboro HS. His project was how Moss could be used to temper the effects of Acid Mine Drainage. He credits Rotary with inspiring him in his future studies. He went on to get a PHD and currently works for the National Institute of Health.”
Harrisburg Club's Detweiler Has Seen Beetles to Stream Bug Bagging While Serving as Chair of the Science Committee
The Rotary Club of York is pleased to announce its 2022-2023 Officers. From left to right: Courtney Piccolo, President-Elect Nominee; Glenn Miller, President; Aaron Jacobs, President-Elect; and Doug Berman, Financial Vice-President/Treasurer.
Rotary Club of York Announces 2022-2023 Club Leadership
We are excited to share that new 16 Rotarians have joined our District’s Rotary clubs since June 1st. A warm welcome is extended to the following NEW Rotarians:
Rotary Club of Carlisle: Marcellus Taylor
Rotary Club of Elizabethtown: Nancy Sabb
Rotary Club of Harrisburg: Alicia Frederick, Robert Parish, Reuben Pettiford, Kelly Myers
Rotary Club of Mount Joy: Christopher Neiles
Rotary Club of Paradise: Adam Naugle
Rotary Club of West Shore: Jonathan Suhirman, Rick Sample
Rotary Club of York: Brittany Reese, Melissa Rosario, Dan Byrnes, Scott Krauser, Aaron Ranck
Rotary Club of York-North: Lisa Vaughn, Donna Phillips
The Rotary Club of Hanover is inviting all Rotarians in District 7390 to a presentation by Michael McGovern, Chair of the International Polio Plus Committee at Rotary International and John Nanni, 2022 recipient of Rotary International Service Award for a Polio Free World. Together they will present “Polio Plus-The Last Mile’’. Join us Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 12:00 Noon (Markets of Hanover Ballroom, 1649 Broadway, Hanover). Please click here to register in advance!
Diversity is one of Rotary’s longstanding core values and greatest strengths! That is why RI President Jennifer Jones is encouraging each of us to do more to be a welcoming and inclusive organization. Rotary District 7390 is aiming to do just that! Join us for a for a brainstorming session via Zoom on Monday, August 1st at 6:00 p.m. All Rotarians are invited to this session! We want to hear your thoughts! Click here to RSVP today! . Find out more about this initiative and others by clicking here.
You are Invited to the First Meeting of the District 7390 DEI Committee!
The Rotary Club of Carlisle held its Annual Christmas in July celebration for the senior citizens who live at 1 and 2 West Penn apartments in Carlisle. The event consisted of providing snacks for the seniors, singing Christmas carols, telling fun facts about Christmas and door prizes. The Piece de resistance was the arrival of Santa in his Summer attire, telling jokes that the elves must have written. Every elderly resident was also given a Goody bag that consisted of toiletries, hand sanitizer, shampoo, washcloths, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. Everyone was so appreciative of what we did. We also had family members of Rotarians helping as well. It was a great time for everyone involved!
In partnership with the Rotary District 7390 RMB Steering Committee, the Rotary Clubs of Carlisle and Carlisle Sunrise will host the 62nd RMB in-person networking meeting on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 thus restarting RMB in our district. This will be the first RMB in-person meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic hit full force in March 2020.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 17 at the Frederick House on 219 N Hanover Street, Carlisle, PA from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Thanks to our Major Sponsor Hoffman Funeral Home and Crematory the event will be FREE and will have light refreshments consisting of hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks and water.
Mark your calendars and register at https://bit.ly/3z5DSfh so you can restart old connections and make new ones. Bring family of Rotary and potential Rotarian guests so they can see the value RMB adds to Rotary.
Remember given the trust that living by the Four Way Test engenders, the purpose of RMB is that Rotarians should help fellow Rotarians by doing business with them and referring others to them in order to build stronger businesses, stronger communities, stronger members, stronger Rotary Foundation, stronger clubs, and ultimately a stronger Rotary International.
If you've been contemplating honoring a hero, time is running out! There are only 11 flags remaining that don't have a sponsor attached to them. For our fellow Rotarians, the club will accept sponsorships through Sunday, September 4, and payment may be made via PayPal.
Please help us make this Flags for Heroes a sell-out event!
All are welcome to attend the dedication ceremony which will be held on Monday, September 12 from 11:00 am - Noon at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill.
Your sponsorship and/or attendance goes a long way in helping us make a difference in the community, encouraging our small club and its members, and spreading the Rotary message!
Rotary Club of West Shore Flags for Heroes - ONLY 11 FLAGS REMAIN!
Join us for a great in-person event! Beer. Wine. Music. Food for purchase. Fundraising for local community needs. What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.
What are you doing August 8th? Come out to Langan Financial Group (1863 Center Street, Camp Hill) from 5:30-7:30 for out Puppies and Prosecco event!
Each ticket comes with two complimentary glasses of Prosecco. There will be raffles, door prizes, puppies and so much more.
Each ticket is a minimum of a $20 donation. Each ticket gets you two glasses of Prosecco and acess to petting puppies.
All money raised at this event goes toward sending high school students to RYLA. RYLA is a youth leadership summer camp at Messiah College and our club sends 10 local students a year.
Congratulations to Hershey Rotarian Paul Thompson on being named the 2022 Packy Award winner. The award is given in memory of Purnell “Packy” Payne, who is regarded as one of the all-time major contributors to the Club’s promise of Service Above Self. Paul has been a member of the Hershey Rotary Club for 15 years. He and his wife, fellow Rotarian Maria Thompson, have visited more than two dozen Rotary Clubs around the world and attended four Rotary International conferences. Paul served as Club President in 2019-2020 and will be Rotary District 7390 Governor in 2024-2025. He and his family have hosted numerous Rotary Exchange students to build goodwill with people worldwide. Thanks to Paul for being an incredible ambassador for Rotary!
The Rotary Club of Gettysburg doesn’t rest on a holiday! They get to work with community partners to make some money to give back to needy folks and have fun in the process! Congrats Gettysburg RC Club on supporting A Gettysburg Fourth!
Today I had the pleasure of launching the first of many summer club visits with the wonderful members of the Rotary Club of Hummelstown! Thank you Hummelstown Rotarians for the warm welcome and all the wonderful ways you serve the community!
From DG Juliet: My 4th club visit with the mighty Rotary Club of Eastern York County! The club had a raffle to benefit the husband of a member who died of COVID-19. Care, compassion, fun, and service describe this club best!
From DG Juliet: club visit 6 was with the wonderful Uptown York Rotary Club under the energetic leadership of President Jose Santiago. They are a diverse club that has attracted new members this past year and have goals to do that further as they IMAGINE ROTARY. They epitomize their motto of “Lifting Spirits through Community Service” and lifted mine with their incredibly warm welcome and hospitality! If you want to be lifted up, drop into their club meeting every Thursday evening at 5:30 PM at Rockfish Public House!
DG Juliet’s 2nd club visit as part of her District 7390 “impact” tour (look out Jennifer Jones) was conducted with the wonderful members of 2 clubs -Palmyra PA Rotary Club and Northern Lebanon Rotary Club. These small but mighty clubs have a history of generous Foundation giving, long standing service and members who have served for decades as role models in their communities. Palmyra VP Ben was a great host (thanks for the DQ ice cream) and Eric went above and beyond to provide technology in the pavilion. Thanks everyone!!
District Governor Juliet has been busy since the start of the new Rotary Year!
The Rotary Club of York East has celebrated its annual “Changing of the Guard” at Heritage Hills on Tuesday, June 28th. Rotarians joyfully commemorated a year of service to their community, the world and meaningful friendships. The “Changing of the Guard” salutes outgoing President Sandra Graham and welcomed Karen Comery as the incoming President. The club also commemorates the past year’s accomplishments and sets course for the upcoming year. Approximately 40 members attended the event including the past District Governor Greg Staub.
The award recipients of a Paul Harris Fellowship Award sets an example for many by their contributions to our community. Their personal involvement makes the community a better place in which to live. The Paul Harris Fellowship Award is named for Paul Harris, who founded Rotary more than 112 years ago. The Paul Harris Fellowship Award is one of the highest honors Rotary can bestow upon a person. Recipients are Rotarians and community professionals, in recognition of their outstanding contributions, exemplifying the highest ideal in Rotary in placing “SERVICE ABOVE SELF.” This honor accompanies a donation of $1,000 (US), in the recipient’s name, to Rotary International’s “Annual Program Fund,” which supports Rotary’s world-wide programs. Many other notable figures have been named as Paul Harris Fellows, including U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Locally, the Rotary Club of York-East has recognized local community members who are pictured left to right. (Robert Elser, Friedel Liebe-Elser, Vicki Dick, Don Wonders, Robert Straw, Lydell Nunn, Bill Gierasch, Sandi Graham, Peter Lutz, Margaret Lutz, Elizabeth Wolf, Becky Disney and Past District Governor Greg Staub)
York-East Installs New Leadership and Awards Paul Harris Fellowships
On June 29th, The Rotary Club of York installed Glenn Miller of York College as the 2022/2023 Club President. Miller’s term begins July 1. He succeeds Jackie Summers whose term ends June 30th. Miller was presented for induction by Tony Campisi, Chairman of the Glatfelter Insurance Group.
Miller serves as Senior Director of Philanthropy for York College of Pennsylvania. He is also a priest on staff at Saint James Episcopal Church in Lancaster. Miller has been active in the York community for many years. In addition to more than 10 years in the Rotary Club, he serves on the boards of directors of the Rotary Club’s charitable arm, the York County History Center, RabbitCares (chair), the charitable arm of Rabbit Transit and the York Symphony Orchestra. He has previously served on the boards of the York County Four Chaplains Memorial (past president), the York Area Housing Group, 3PRide of Rabbit Transit, and the Wheatland Chorale (past president).
The Rotary Club of York is the 26th largest Rotary Club in the world, and has served the York community for over a century, bringing together business and civic leaders. The club’s motto of “service above self” has led to immeasurable contributions to programs serving York City and county, as well as scholarships for young people.
On Wednesday, June 22, The Rotary Club of York's President Jackie Summers and Past President Jody Keller honored Kathy Pindzola and Sarah Reinecker with Service Above Self awards. Kathy and Sarah are Founders of York Suburban Education Foundation's (YSEF) Impact Foundation, a committee of students dedicated to helping other students. Since its inception in 2015, the Impact Foundation has provided students who need a helping hand with basic necessities, such as clothing, food, hygiene products, laundry detergent, school supplies, and furniture and appliances.
Thank you, Kathy and Sarah, for helping to meet the needs of local students through your philanthropic actions. You both are a true example of placing Service Above Self!
Following a commitment to alternative meeting options, Club members are invited to monthly Service on a Monday projects. Most recently numerous RCH members met to assemble “welcome home” kits for people transitioning from homelessness to a new residence.
Partnering with Christian Churches United (CCU), RCH members were hosted by club member Bob Geiger, VP of Sales, at the Penn Live/PA Media Group headquarters to place home cleaning supplies, toiletries and other basic household starter goods into trash cans and laundry baskets. Assembled kits will soon be distributed to some thirty people.
Steve Schwartz, CCU Director of Development and active member of RCH helped coordinate matching the needs of the community with the power of Rotarians. Club member Meghan Bachmore coordinated the RCH luncheon for attending members including COVID sign-in protocols and numerous other details to make the event a success.
Darrel Reinford, Executive Director of CCU and Leah Payne, Manager of CCU’s HELP Ministries Program which will distribute the kits, joined the group to extend a heart-felt thank you for the recipients. Leah noted that many hands make large tasks move to completion quickly. She also noted that transitioning from homelessness to a residence often calls for a larger need than just food, furniture or clothing, and that these kits will be much valued in helping families get established in their new home.
It took two vans to transport the assembled cleaning kits to CCU.
In addition to those mentioned above, RCH members attending included: President Matt Staub, Ted Reese, Frank Frailey, Peggy Grove, Will Everhart, Scott Stevens and his two children, Walter Prediger, Bob Saline, Tom Johnston and Joe Bedard.
Service Above Self!
Getting team breakdowns and assembly instructions.
Walter and President Matt inspect final assembled kits.
Bob Geiger transports kits from assembly area to curbside.
CCU Executive Director Darrel Reinford awaits transportation vans.
The Rotary International Motto "Service Above Self" Shines Again at the Rotary Club of Harrisburg
Rotarians from District 7390 met in Houston, Texas with other Rotarians from around the world to be inspired and celebrate all that is Rotary. Over 10 District clubs were represented and we had a blast! Pictured are members from Rotary Clubs of Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg-North, Hershey, Elizabethtown, and Carlisle-Sunrise. To read daily stories from the convention posted by DGE Juliet go to the District Blog at https://d7390rotaryblog.wordpress.com
The next Rotary Convention in May 2023 is in Melbourne Australia. Special discounts can be obtained through June 12th! Travel to this amazing location and have fun with thousands of fellow Rotarians!
Your 2021-2022 support of The Rotary Foundation will make it possible for Rotary to fund hundreds of Global and District Grants, administer childhood immunizations to eradicate Polio, and generate dollars to provide Disaster Response especially to Ukraine. In fact, District 7390 Rotarians have contributed approximately $75,000 this year to disaster response. Every donation helps improve lives and communities around the world.
There is still time to realize your annual giving goals. Fulfilling pledges to the Paul Harris Society ($1,000 annually) and the district PolioPlus Society ($100 annually) are key to the work of the Foundation. If you have not completed your pledge for this year, please help the district finish strong before the end of the month.
Donations to PolioPlus will be matched 2 to 1 by the Gates Foundation. The number of Polio cases in the world is rising, now up to six according to John Kramb, Region 39 Polio Now Coordinator. And, a new country, Mozambique, reported a new case in the last two weeks.
End of year Rotary Foundation deadlines:
CHECKS - Both the postmark on the envelope and the date written on the check must be no later than Thursday, 30 June 2022, and processed by the bank no later than Thursday, 7 July 2022. Mailed to: The Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60693
CREDIT CARD - www.rotary.org/give - Must be authorized on or prior to midnight on 30 June 2022 CST. For security purposes, please do not send credit card contributions electronically or via email.
WIRE TRANSFERS - Wire transfers must be initiated prior to Thursday, 30 June 2022 and received by Wednesday, 6 July 2022.
SECURITIES - Stock, mutual funds or other gifts of securities must be received prior to Thursday, 30 June 2022.
LIFE INCOME AGREEMENTS & DONOR ADVISED FUND GIFTS - The same deadlines for checks and securities apply. Please contact planned giving at plannedgiving@rotary.org for transfer instructions.
The deadlines apply to individual members giving and donations made by Rotary clubs. Gifts received before the end of June will be credited for this year. The attachment also contains a link to The Rotary Foundation Contribution Form.
On behalf of Governor Greg Staub and the district leadership team, we thank you for supporting The Rotary Foundation. You are making a difference! Questions may be directed to Anna-Mae Kobbe, District Rotary Foundation Chair at amkobbe@gmail.com.
Finishing Strong….End of Year Rotary Foundation Contributions
Please join us for our 28th Annual Golf Tournament & Crab Feast on Friday, July 15th which benefits our three local libraries: Paul Smith in New Freedom, Mason Dixon in Stewartstown, and Arthur Hufnagle in Glen Rock.
Sponsorships are available!
Golfers welcome!
You can attend just for the crab/chicken feast if you don't want to golf.
The RI Convention starts this weekend! Are you attending? If yes, let us know! For those who can’t attend in person there is a virtual option as noted below. DGE Juliet will be there and reporting from Houston on our district FaceBook page and the District Rotary blog at: https://d7390rotaryblog.wordpress.com/
Can’t make the #Rotary22 convention in person? Join virtually for $75 from 11 May (12:00 a.m. Chicago time) through 31 August 2022. Register now at https://on.rotary.org/38XbelV
RYLA will be held June 12-16, 2022 at Messiah University. The RYLA Family Night Celebration is a culminating event that will end the RYLA Conference on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Rotarians and guests are encouraged to attend! Family Night Celebration reservations can be made by clicking here. The cost is $15 per person.
A reception with heavy hors' deouvres will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will be followed by the celebration program at 6:45 p.m. The conference Choir & Band will both perform and the Conference Leadership Awards will be presented.
At the 2022 Rotary District 7390 Conference, DG Greg had the honor of presenting several awards to Rotarians in District 7390. The next time you see these awesome Rotarians, congratulate them on their dedication to Rotary!
The Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World
The Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World was established by the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation in order to recognize outstanding work in the field of the eradication of Polio. To be considered for the award, a Rotarian must have active personal service in the effort to eradicate polio. Outstanding service in the field of advocacy and fundraising efforts that supports Rotary’s PolioPlus program may also be considered.
In the 2021-2022 Rotary year, Past District Governor John Kramb was selected to receive the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World. PDG John has been on several NID trips to India, hosts multiple events per year to raise funds toward the eradication of Polio and currently serves as the End Polio Now Coordinator for Region 39W. Congratulations John!
District 7390 Outstanding Service Award
The District 7390 Outstanding Service Award is presented to one District Rotarian per year. We are looking for a Rotarian that has served in a District leadership role or done dynamic, innovative work on a District Committee for three or more years. This person should have also crafted or contributed to a well-developed strategy to achieve District goals and ultimately made the District stronger.
The 2021-2022 recipient of the District 7390 Outstanding Service Award is Past District Governor Alden Cunningham. Alden is a member of the Rotary Club of Carlisle. He served as District 7390 Governor in 2005-2006 and is a member of the Paul Harris Society and a Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation. Alden is receiving the District Outstanding Service Award for his dedicated service to Rotary Means Business and the District Awards committee. Alden implemented Rotary Means Business in the District and created District centered awards to honor Rotarians in District 7390. Thank you Alden for your dedication to Rotary, Rotary Means Business and through honoring Rotarians with awards. Congratulations Alden!
D7390 Lifetime Achievement Award
The be eligible for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Rotarians are required to have at least 25 years of Rotary membership and demonstrate effective work at the Club and District levels.
The 2021-2022 recipient of the District 7390 Lifetime Achievement Award is Past District Governor Connie Spark. Connie is a member of the Rotary Club of York-East. She joined Rotary in 1996 and served as District Governor in 2009-2010. She was a GSE team member in 1994-1995 and a GSE team leader in 2000-2001. Connie is a graduate of the Rotary Leadership Institute and has attended the last 16 International conventions. Connie has a passion for Humanitarian Medical Missions and has either lead or participated in 35 mission trips.
Connie has the been very involved in the York-East Rotary Club and at the District and Zone levels of Rotary. She served as the District Rotary Foundation Chair, a member of the Grant committee, a District Lane chair, and now at the Zone level as an Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator. Congratulations Connie!
Rotary International Service Above Self Award
Rotary's highest honor is the Service Above Self Award. It recognizes Rotarians who demonstrate Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, by volunteering their time and talents to help others. The award is internationally competitive and is granted to no more than 150 Rotarians worldwide.
DG Greg had the honor of presenting the Rotary International Service Above Self Award to Kathleen Stoup. Kathleen is a member of the Rotary Club of Carlisle. She has demonstrated outstanding humanitarian service with over two decades of transformational efforts in Kenya. Her work in Kenya has improved the lives of thousands of Kenyans in the very poor and isolated areas of Kilimombogo and Thika.
Kathleen has developed longstanding ties and built trust with local leaders and Rotarians. These relationships have helped to make projects in Nairobi successful. The projects have been to expand dental support capabilities, water infrastructure and education and training in water usage plus improving eye care. Back at home, she has successfully raised significant funds to help with cancer treatment in the Carlisle area and devoted herself to local area beautification as a Master Gardener. Kathleen’s work on the District 7390 Grants Committee has brought to fruition many grants over the years. She is a compassionate leader that has shown the ability to “Make it Happen” again and again. Kathleen has had many accomplishments over the years with no expectation of recognition. She truly embodies “Service Above Self”. Congratulations Kathleen!
We hope we can count on you this year to sponsor a Flag for your Hero and to help us share the word with others by passing along this information and the sponsorship forms to friends and family. Sponsorships are available on both an individual and a corporate basis. Corporate sponsorship entitles the sponsor to receive 5 flags to honor heroes as well as a corporate banner that will be on display with the beautiful American Flags flying in the breeze.
This year our Flags will proudly fly for a two-week period starting May 21, 2022, through June 5, 2022, at the New Freedom Heritage Green. Medallions on sponsored flags will be placed on the flags as in past years and will be given to the sponsors when the flags are removed.
Join us for a patriotic Dedication and Remembrance ceremony at the New Freedom Heritage Green site 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
The Mechanicsburg Club has been working on a Global Grant for the community of Metalillito, El Salvador since it was approve in September of 2019. All of the part of the grant have been completed and about $18,000 of the funding remains. The club plans to petition The Rotary Foundation for permission to use these funds to build more composting toilets for the growing community which has identified a need for 35 more units. Continue reading below for the full story of the club's work with this community.
Background The community of Metalillito in El Salvador was urgently needing to solve the problem of maintaining and enhancing their water system. Metalillito is a poor community with about 310 families and over 1,000 people located in a south-west hilly area of El Salvador. The Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg learned of the community while drilling a District Club Grant funded well nearby in 2011. Metalillito was in desperate need of a sanitation solution at that time. They had a well-organized community group (ACAPOME) that was seeking solutions, but they lacked to money and technical expertise to solve their problem. It’s a long story but the club was able to obtain a Global Grant for $123,888 (GG1420733) and construct 203 composting toilets and a 100 m3 water storage tank in 2015. We developed a relationship with the host Rotary Club of San Salvador Noroeste to do the project. Seven Mechanicsburg Club members visited the community and the Noroeste Club in February 2016. They were very pleased with the project and honored by the welcome which they received.
Current Project
Beginning in late 2017, the community prepared some documents describing their need for a way to have a sustainable water system. They saw the primary problem was the high electricity cost. Their proposed solution was a solar power system. This idea was informally presented to the Rotary Foundation which responded that a comprehensive/sustainable proposal was required. The global grant application was developed and consisted of three major areas: 1) Solar electric panels connected to the ground water pump and the utility’s grid with associated training in maintenance, 2) Office computer and printing equipment with associated training in development and management of a water system, and 3) Hygiene and Sanitation training.
After collecting the required information GG1984786 for $47,218 was submitted and was approved on 9/16/2019. There were several issues with actually getting the funds but they were received in December 2019. Further delays were caused by revised, but lower quotes so the project did not start until March 2020. That is when COVID-19 started and it greatly impacted the project until September 2020. By December 2020, the solar panels had been installed but the utility did not approve their operation until April 2021. In the meantime, the community and the Rotary club celebrated the solar panel installation on 12/6/2020 and the first global grant progress report was submitted on 12/17/2020.
In April 2021 the solar panel maintenance training was completed. The final software installation with utility operation training and community hygiene training was accomplished in January 2022. The project is completed as designed and a progress report was submitted on April 19, 2022.
The project has over $18,000 of unspent funds. We will be asking The Rotary Foundation to use those funds to build more composting toilets. The size of need is being documented and quotes for the work are being sought.
On May 18, 2022, the Rotary Club of Colonial Park Foundation will award $82,000 in scholarships to 31 high school students from the five schools in their area. This year, the Foundation received 339 applications from students for the 21 different scholarships available. Randy Sibert, President of the Foundation said, “this was a record number of scholarships for us and an increase of 141 scholarship applications more than last year.” Scholarship amounts ranged from $500 to $21,000.
Since 2002, the Rotary Club of Colonial Park and the Foundation have given $254,900 to organizations in the community and $688,908 in scholarships for a total in 2022 of $943,808. The Rotary Club is anticipating going over the one-million-dollar mark in 2023!
Rotary Club of Colonial Park Awards $82,000 in Scholarships
The Rotary Club of Hershey partnered with District 7450, RC of Quito Occidente and other clubs to help fund a project to improve community health in Ecuador. This $111,000 project assisted 350 individuals in 70 families.
The family and community health project focused on health promotion, disease prevention and treatment. Through workshops and on-line sessions, training was provided about healthy lifestyles and disease prevention. Diagnosis, treatments, rehabilitation were provided in areas including nutrition, sex education, drug abuse prevention, HIV/AIDS, and dental care in an effort to improve overall health in the community. Many young people involved demonstrated learning disabilities that were addressed by the project.
Photos demonstrate training and care provided.
Rotary Club of Hershey - Healthy Families, Ecuador
As we seem to be in the early phase of possibly a second Cold War, it might be useful to see the first Cold War through the life of an Army officer who served on many fronts of that war from Germany to the Pentagon in Washington, DC, from Vietnam to Korea, and from Mexico to Nicaragua. Colonel (R) Alden M. Cunningham experienced levels of war from a mix of conventional and guerilla war in Vietnam, to a no war no peace armistice in Korea, and to insurgency in Nicaragua. In the 1980s, he wrote award winning articles regarding Mexico's National Security and US Strategic Options in Nicaragua.
This autobiography captures all phases of his life of Leadership in Service both as an Army senior Foreign Area officer defending our nation and as a former officer of Rotary International doing good in the world. His book is available on amazon.com (Kindle), barnesandnoble.com (Nook), and other platforms for $4.99 plus tax. Please consider buying the online version of this autobiography written by a fellow Rotarian and 38 year member of Rotary District 7390. Thank you.
The York-East Rotary Club awarded two $1,500 scholarships to senior students, Matthew Althouse from York Suburban and Holly Ilgenfritz from York County School of Technology. They both participated in the Student of the Month program.
Two junior students were also chosen, Kalyn Paradis from York Suburban and S’Arion Kent . The juniors will attend RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) at Messiah University in June.
The scholarship awards were presented to the students at the clubs meeting on April 26. Near the end of the school year the club selects a student from each school based on an application which the students submit and the interactions that occur at the meetings. As always, when listening to students, club members feel reassured that the future of America is bright.
On Feb 25th, Rotary International issued a statement on the conflict in Ukraine. The statement read, in part “It is a tragic and sad time for the people of Ukraine and the world. At Rotary, we are deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation in Ukraine and the escalating loss of life and humanitarian hardship there. Rotary International will do everything in its power to bring aid, support and peace to the region.”
To address this global concern at a local level, The Rotary Club of York’s Charitable Endowment Fund (CEF) Board approved a matching Disaster/Emergency Relief grant for up to $5,000. During the month of March, Rotary Club of York members were encouraged to donate to this critical and timely need.
As a result of generous donations from Rotary Club of York members, the CEF was able to well exceed its initial goal of $5,000. At the April 27th weekly meeting, Bryan Tate, CEF President and Jackie Summers, Rotary Club of York President, presented a check for $25,000. This money will be donated to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Recover Fund at the Center for Disease Philanthropy (CDP), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping donors maximize their impact through expert resources.
Photo Caption:
Bryan Tate, York Rotary Charitable Endowment Fund (CEF) President and Jackie Summers, Rotary Club of York President, proudly display a check for $25,000 to aid those impacted by the war in Ukraine. The donation, which will go to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Recover Fund at the Center for Disease Philanthropy, was made possible by a matching $5,000 grant from the CEF and generous donations from members of The Rotary Club of York.
Your $100 contribution to The Rotary Foundation can help provide textbooks for one elementary school in Zambia, provide a hearing aid for a deaf child in Pakistan, buy de-worming tablets for 112 children in the Philippines, pay for cataract operations for three blind people in India, or provide 230 blankets for the elderly in the winter months of Korea.
Will you commit today to donating $100 or more per year to The Rotary Foundation and start making a difference in people’s lives?
Rotarians Unite to Send Medical Aid to Ukraine
Rotary members in North America, Argentina, and Europe are collaborating with a U.S.- based association of Ukrainian health care workers to collect and ship more than 100 tons of critical medical supplies to Ukraine. The effort was built off of connections Marga Hewko, president of the Rotary Club of Chicago, had forged with the Ukrainian medical community in Chicago. Rotary clubs have pooled their resources to secure donations from equipment manufacturers and purchase supplies which are then flown over to Europe for distribution within Ukraine
When passion and raw determination are added to the miracle of modern vaccines, great things happen. Over the last 30 years, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have seen the reduction of polio cases worldwide, by 99.9 percent. But, as long as polio and the many other vaccine preventable diseases still circulate anywhere in the world, children in the US are still vulnerable and must continue to be vaccinated.
Over the last 2 years, the world has seen unsurpassed death and illness from yet another virus. In reading the Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation Position Statement onCOVID-19 Vaccination, I am reminded that we have even more work to do. Here we are in the early months of 2022, with more than 950,000 American deaths as a result of COVID-19. As a Rotary member and polio survivor, I am particularly aware of the important role vaccines play in halting the spread of disease. With that in mind, we must continue to support polio immunization efforts around the world, just as we continue to support the effort to mitigate COVID-19.
What can we do? We can be sharing fact-based vaccination information. Rotarians throughout our state are supporting our PA Immunization Coalition(s). I have personally had the opportunity to speak out, along with another Rotarian survivor, for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about the realities of life after experiencing the effects of a vaccine preventable disease. I was one of three polio survivors who were given the opportunity to answer this call in a blog by the PA Immunization Coalition (PAIC).
We can be volunteering at vaccine clinics and holding blood drives. We can be distributing packets of vaccine information that encourage vaccine acceptance, to day care centers, physicians and clinics. We have a lot we can be doing in our District to answer this call.
Engage with your Rotary Club to learn more about how you can get involved as a partner supporting these efforts in your community. We are doing this not only for ourselves, but for future generations.
We have witnessed the truth first hand. Vaccines Work!
(A fun time on Saturday, April 23. In the picture along with the scouts and scout leaders are Rotarians Mira far left, Dr. Willis sixth from left in back and Linda Spotts to the far right.)
A fun morning on Saturday, April 23 with the Rotary Club of Susquehanna Township and other volunteers. The hour went really fast, and the scouts liked the tree planting and are interested in coming back to help us with the 2 elm trees yet to be purchased. The elm trees were not readily available for Saturday’s planting.
We provided the tools, trees, mulch and water and The junior and cadette scouts did the digging, planting, watering and mulching. Each of the 3 teams of scouts gave their dogwood a name – Gertrude a red dogwood, Ray a white dogwood and Jeri a red dogwood.
What a great project! A big thank you to Ralph for allowing us to plant trees on Susquehanna Union Green so that our club could fulfill a request from Janet Donovan, CEO of Girls Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, to partner with a scout troop for tree planning in the township.
Susquehanna Township Partners with Girl Scouts to Plant Trees
The eradication of Polio is still Rotary’s number one humanitarian goal. John Kramb is the End Polio Now Coordinator for our Zone, and he has developed a presentation for clubs. To schedule John to speak at your club, please email him at pdgjohn2015@gmail.com.
The current insurance program policies are expiring on 1 July 2022, and Risk Management is working on renewing them for the 2022-23 policy year. New policies will be purchased to provide continuous coverage and we will strive to maintain coverage as broad as the expiring policies.
Here are some insights provided to us during the initial stage of the renewal process:
Communicable Diseases Exclusion: The 2022-23 general liability policy likely will again contain a communicable diseases exclusion applicable to COVID-19.
Liquor Liability Coverage: The 2022-23 general liability policy likely will contain an endorsement that excludes coverage for “bodily injury or property damage caused by, in whole or in part, alcoholic beverages sold, served, or furnished while any liquor license is required and is not in effect." The current general liability policy provides liquor liability coverage and does not have restrictions such as this. In anticipation of this change, please verify whether a liquor license is required as part of your event and apply early if you determine one necessary. PLEASE NOTE: Our District insurance chair spoke to RI regarding this policy change. Their response is this: To speak using layman’s terms, it means the policy contains an endorsement that excludes coverage for incidents where a liquor license was required but wasn’t obtained in advance of the event.
Insurance Marketplace Conditions: The insurance marketplace has proven challenging. Insurance companies continue to raise their rates due to the increasingly frequent occurrence of catastrophic losses (severe storms, tornados, and wildfires) and the monetarily punitive amounts of damages being handed down by juries. We expect that this will affect insurance assessments and the Program. A premium credit will be issued due to the Program's favorable history as far as losses, and this will in part mitigate increases in premium.
Updates to Rotary Liability Insurance Starting July 1
Join WITF and Rotary 7390 Tuesday, May 24 at 6pm at the WITF Public Media Center in Harrisburg as we host the 2022 Teacher Impact Awards Banquet. Help us make this a special in-person event honoring dedicated teachers.
The buffet style hors d’oeuvres banquet is open to the public and recognizes outstanding professionalism, classroom leadership, and significant contributions made by teachers across our region during this past year. The event also provides an opportunity for the community to say “Thank You” to our educators for their commitment and dedication to our students.
We’ll present awards to seven K-12 teachers in public and private schools in the Rotary District’s seven county area which includes: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York. Plus, we’ll screen special video profiles of each educator highlighting their exemplary work in the classroom.
Tickets are $35 per person. Tickets must be purchased by May 18. Reserve your spot now!
Watch the broadcast premiere of the 2022 Teacher Impact Awards television special on WITF TV June 23 at 8pm or stream on-demand beginning June 23 through the PBS Video app.
York-North Rotary will be hosting a Summer Festival at PeoplesBank Park on June 11 from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., to fund “Math is a Superpower”. The festival will feature live music, food, wine, beer, spirits, small games of chance and more will be featured. Please support this valuable math program, by joining us on June 11 at PeoplesBank Park.
Rotary Club of York-North has partnered with the York County Literacy Council to provide free, custom mathematics education, “Math is a Superpower.” Rotary Club of York-North will fund the program while the York County Literary Council will provide the training. This course is designed for individuals who are not in the education system and in need of remedial math education, including multiplication and division of fractions and decimals.
Graduates of this program will then qualify to enroll in the ManufacturingPathway Training Program, provided by the Manufacturers’ Association. Employment opportunities, with the Manufacturers’ Association membership companies, will become available following successful completion of both courses. Math as a Superpower will positively impact individuals, employers, and our community. The 8- week course, will meet two times per week from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., beginning September 20, 2022. The classes will be held at Career Link, 841 Vogelsong Road.
Rotary York-North has been in existence for over 30 years, providing service above self to local and international communities. Some successful programs to date are:
Funding for students in need in local school districts and local organizations
Providing services for homeless families, nursing home residents, and individuals with disabilities
Building an all-inclusive playground and supporting the Rotary Baseball field at Cousler Park
In today's society, bikers often get a bad rap. Previously, bikers were rough and tumble people that were part of a gang. That is no longer the case. Many bikers ride for recreation, and are productive members of society. They even do rides to raise awareness and money for charitable causes.
One of the causes supported by motorcycling Rotarians is the eradication of Polio. Many of the rides in which we participate also serve as a means to raise money for PolioPlus.
This particular fundraiser is designed to raise money over most of this riding season, and I ask for your support. Click here to support this effort!
You donation will be matched by the Gates Foundation two to one, and will count for your Paul Harris points.
The Rotary club of Eastern York recently applied for and received grant money to sponsor the new Kreutz Creek Library. The library moved out of an old trailer to its new location in the renovated building formerly used at the Hellam Township Police and municipal office. The club purchased mostly educational items and other items such as white boards, Nilo multi-activity childrens play table with stools, toy storage bags, storage cart with trays, and a toaster oven. The cost was $4,318 for items purchased for the library. The club was reimbursed $2,159. The total approved grant was $5,000.
Pictured with the four way test sign from left to right is Rotarian John Mann who facilitated the purchasing and application of grant, Library Manager Jennifer Johnson, and Club presenting Sharon Stoner.
The picture in the Children’s section is also Jennifer Johnson as she gave our club the tour of the new library.
The 5th running of this annual 5K benefit event is totally on the campus of Brethren Village directly across from the Lancaster Airport. The looped route winds around the lightly traveled community roads. With minimal elevation changes this will prove to be a fast and enjoyable course. Held rain or shine, the event will be professionally chip timed by Second Wind Race Timing.
Join us in beautiful Lancaster County just south of Lititz for this kick-off event to The Rotary Club of Lancaster’s Wheels and Wings Festival into the afternoon on the grounds of the Airport.
This race is a fundraiser. The proceeds of Wheels & Wings and 5k support the Rotary Club of Lancaster’s Summer Youth Experience. The summer program, funded in partnership with the United Way of Lancaster, supports more than a thousand city youth between the ages of five through seventeen. The program addresses the “achievement gap” and gives them fun things to do that develop leadership skills and helps prevent the “summer slide” in school. Benefits also support other service programs of our Club locally, nationally and globally through Rotary International, a network of over 32,000 clubs in 200 plus countries.
During World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, let’s advocate for polio eradication and the importance of vaccines to the health and well-being of our communities.
Vaccines are one of the greatest advances of modern medicine. They’re safe, effective, and save millions of lives each year. Our progress in the fight to end polio is proof that vaccines work.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative estimates that the polio vaccine has saved more than 20 million children around the world from paralysis. We need to continue vaccinating children against polio, because as long as the poliovirus circulates anywhere, it is a threat everywhere.
Here’s how you can support Rotary’s efforts during World Immunization Week:
Use the World Immunization Week Toolkit for graphics and sample posts to share on social media with the hashtags #EndPolio and #VaccinesWork.
Donate to PolioPlus to help Rotary and our partners deliver polio vaccines to vulnerable children. Or start an online fundraiser using Raise for Rotary and share it with your friends, colleagues, and family members. All contributions will be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Rotary districts can give District Designated Funds (DDF) to PolioPlus to help meet our goal of raising $50 million each year to eradicate polio.
Join with Rotary to promote the power of vaccines to protect children and save lives
Our Daily Bread, located in York, Pa. is a soup kitchen that provides breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday for anyone who comes in. It has been in operation since 1983 and is aided in its operations by volunteers who help to serve meals to the less fortunate. On average, more than 100 meals are served each day. Members of the Rotary Club of York-East participate at Our Daily Bread on the last Tuesday of months which have 5 Tuesdays. One March 29th 2022 members Sandra Graham, Diane Yocum, Wendy Keesee and Bill Gierasch volunteered to serve lunch.
The Rotary Club of Hanover’s, Ralph Jodice, taught the Junior Achievement Program, Our Nation, to both of Mrs. Sherry Chroniger’s 6th grad social studies classes at St. Teresa of Calcutta in McSherrystown. JA Our Nation is 5 classes teaching students about the free market economy, innovation, careers, getting and keeping the job, and the linkages of today’s global economy. Junior Achievement has in class programs available for grades K through 8 and day long programs for 9th through 12th grades. For grades K through 8, JA produces and provides complete, easy to follow lessons plans for each grade. The 9th through 12th programs are developed and managed by experienced professionals, and you are there to assist and help facilitate the program. All are fun, rewarding and educational. Check them out at https://www.jascpa.org/ Have your club join in the JA fun today!
The Harrisburg Keystone club wants to say THANK YOU to all our fellow Rotarians who came out to support our 3rd annual Capital City Classic Cornhole. We are crunching the final numbers, but it looks like we raised right around $3,000.00!
We’d also like to CONGRATULATE our 2022 District 7390 Rotary Cornhole Champions—“Team Juliet,” our own DGE Juliet Altenburg and “DGE Spouse”Rob Altenburg from the Mechanicsburg North Club. Who knew that our incoming DG was such a cornhole ringer?
And don’t worry . . . you’ll all get your chance next to try take home that beautiful Rotary trophy to your club and dethrone “Team Juliet” as they come back to defend their title at next spring’s tournament. Start practicing your beanbag toss now!!!
Pictured L-R (Back Row): Jack Greenawalt, Nate McWilliams, Melissa Kopp-Smith (Club President), Carmen Calderon (Club President-Elect), Rick Dickerson, PDG John Anthony
Front Row: Martha Wolf, Charity Welch, Karen Anthony, Paul Duryea
The D7390 Passport Club was charted in November 2020. The Club meets virtually the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. The Club is planning to hold in-person socials several times throughout the year. On Thursday, March 31, Club members met at Iron Hill Brewery in Lancaster for an evening of fun! PDG John Anthony joined the meeting and presented the Clubs Charter to President Melissa Kopp-Smith and membership certificates were presented to all Club members in attendance. PDG John Anthony also had the privilege of presenting a Paul Harris Fellowship to Club member Martha Wolf.
Rotary Club of York and the York Rotary Charitable Endowment Fund have just opened the 2022 round of their Rotary Club community grants. York Rotary Grants provide valuable funding support to address the changing needs of York through grant programs focused on improving our local community. Grants of $2,500-$15,000 will be awarded to projects or programs in 2022 taking place July 1, 2022-June 31, 2023 that align local fields of interest with Rotary International’s focus to take action on our world’s most persistent issues.
The fields of interest chosen for 2022 and examples projects/programs that would fall under these fields follow. The Rotary Club grants committee only accepts letters of interest that fall under one or both of these interests.
Economic Development (Growing Local Economies)
Programs and projects helping low-income families achieve lasting financial security, or promoting equal economic opportunities
Events designed to draw people to a community and increase financial impact to the local economy
Educational programs in job training or that help residents start their own local business.
Peace (Promoting Peace & Social Justice)
Programs and projects designed to reduce community violence/crime
Events to bring people together to promote peaceful dialogue and address community divides
Educational programs promoting peaceful resolution to conflict
Programs, projects and events to promote equal rights and equitable opportunities for all York residents
Letters of Interest by York County based non-profit organizations can now be submitted for projects and programs that meet these focus areas until April 8, 2022 at 5:00pm EST. Full grant guidelines and online Letter of Interest applications can be found here. Letters of Interest addressing one or both fields of interest that are selected to move to the full application stage can request $2,500-$15,000. All LOI applicants will be notified of their status by 5/2/2022.
The York East Rotary Club voted to donate over $5,000 to disaster relief for refugees fleeing Ukraine due to the recent invasion of Russian military forces. The first $2,500 of member donations was matched by the club.
The club's president, Sandi Graham, issued the challenge to club and community members to add to the fund. The club said that the money raised by the Rotary International Foundation will be used to disburse funds in Ukraine and in countries bordering Ukraine who are providing water, food, medicine and clothing to refugees.
With 46,000 clubs across the globe, Rotary is one of the world's largest humanitarian organizations, and has made peace the cornerstone of its global mission. Our club is joining other Rotary clubs in our region in supporting this effort. We are hopeful that even those who are not members of our club will recognize they have an opportunity to directly help the mostly women and children who are fleeing for their lives. Many may be wondering how to help. You don't have to be a Rotary member to donate to this effort.
The United Nations has estimated that millions of people have already fled Ukraine to avoid the devastation caused by the advance of Russian troops, the club said.
The Rotary Club of Gettysburg welcomed Peter Miele, Executive Director of the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center and a fellow Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Gettysburg. His presentation was entitled "The Civil War: Inside and Outside the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center." He shared how stately Schumaker Hall, built in 1832 and where the museum and education center is housed, was an integral part of Civil War and, in particular, the Battle of Gettysburg.
The museum has lots to offer with interactive exhibits and special tours of the cupola with its grand views and its perfect vantage point for see the advancing southern forces. Their website may be visited at www.seminaryridgemuseum.org.
The Conference will be held Friday, May 6 & Saturday, May 7, 2022 at the Best Western Premiere (800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17111). There are several registration options available.
The Four-Way Test Speech contest finale will be held on Friday, May 6 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. A reception with heavy hor's d'oeuvres will immediately follow the conclusion of the contest.
On Saturday, May 7 you can either choose the "Grow Rotary" track or the "Leadership" track. You will stay with the track you choose throughout the day. The Leadership track will feature "managing change and conflict" and "creating high performing teams". Grow Rotary will focus on creating a culture of engagement, ways for clubs to attract and retain members, promoting the public image of your Club, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
How do we create a safe and more resilient world for girls as we re-open societies post-pandemic? While progress in girls’ education, health and status has been made, since Covid-19 access to education, health, and health systems has been limited and the incidence of early child marriage has increased significantly.
Join Rotary International and UNICEF 25-26 March to explore community-based solutions to create a safe and resilient world for girls. Hear inspiring stories from Rotary People of Action Honorees and conversations from Rotary and UNICEF experts on topics that affect girls around the globe:
Education - remote learning
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) – hygiene + education
Violence Prevention – ending child marriage
Mental Health – online safety
Don’t miss an event that will focus on empowering girls and setting them up for healthy, hopeful, and thriving futures.
Check Out How the Rotary Club of Harrisburg Takes “Zooming” to New Levels
Pre-pandemic at the Rotary Club of Harrisburg (RCH), meager attempts to broadcast meetings to members not able to attend the luncheons was done with a single smartphone to “broadcast” on Facebook Live.
Then came the pandemic shutdown. So, RCH leadership and tech-savvy members got creative.
Zoom meetings became the replacement for shaking hands or a pre-meeting conversation. Next came 2020-2021 President James Good and Executive Director Addeline Alaniz-Edwards as broadcast production icons. Just for a brief period the Club could meet in person, but with lots of limiting restrictions, many members preferred continued connecting via Zoom.
Seeing the Covid restrictions ramping back up, 2021-2022 President Matt Staub initiated the purchase of a sophisticated conference sound and video system called the “Owl.” Bring in the all-volunteer Tech Team of Shaun Eng and Nathan Hartwick (co-chairs), Karen Good, Bob Saline, Scott Stevens and President Staub and the online connection continues to become increasingly sophisticated.
With timely funding from the board, a sound board was added to capture speakers and online presentations when needed. The forementioned member volunteers took on roles of porting equipment, connecting a growing number of equipment and cords and dedicating their meeting time to monitoring the various systems and member online participation. Pre- and post-meetings, all of this is equipment is slugged up and down steps at the Rotary office to and from the Hilton by Addeline Alaniz Edwards.
President Staub and members of the Tech Team are “standing by” to counsel any Rotary club considering adding or upgrading their broadcast capabilities. For more information, contact President Staub at matthew.c.staub@gmail.com
Is your Club considering a "Broadcast" option for meetings?
The CDC released new COVID-19 safety guidance on 2/25/22. Guidance is now dictated in part on COVID-19 hospitalization rates in combination with positive cases. Indoor mask wearing is recommended in counties with high community levels.
As of 3/10/22 all counties in District 7390 are currently at a low level.
Regardless of community level, people may choose to wear a mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask. Vaccinations including boosters are still highly encouraged to keep yourself and others at low risk for contracting and transmitting COVID-19.
Planning for RYLA 2022 is well underway! We are excited to host RYLA as an in-person Conference at Messiah University (One College Avenue, Grantham, PA) from Sunday, June 12 to Thursday, June 16, 2022. The DEADLINE to submit a RYLA APPLICATION is April 8, 2022!
Registration for the 2022 RYLA will be completed on-line! Please click here to view the on-line application. Students will need to follow a few steps to complete the application:
They will need to complete the RYLA 2022 Waiver form. That will be signed by the student and parent using docusign. The directions to complete the waiver are at the top of the RYLA application page. You can view the waiver by clicking here.
The student will complete the application. When you view the application, any field that is marked with an asterisk is a required field. They will not be able to submit the application until every field is completed. That includes uploading the waiver and their photograph.
Once the student completes the application, I will forward it to the Club for approval.
The club will need to mail a $500 check for each applicant to the District office (515 South George Street, York, PA 17401). Checks made payable to "Rotary District 7390 RYLA".
Contact DGE Juliet Altenburg at dgjuliet2022@qrpc.com if you would like to join the committees listed below!
DEI Committee – This new Diversity-Equity-Inclusion committee is being launched to support Rotary International’s commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment in our Rotary Clubs. PDG Hector Ortiz will be the Committee Chair. To read more about RI’s commitment to DEI go to: https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/diversity-equity-and-inclusion
Women in Rotary Committee –
A top priority for Rotary is growing and diversifying our membership to make sure we reflect the communities we serve. Currently just 28% of Rotary Members in District 7390 are women and even fewer are in leadership positions. As we welcome Rotary International’s first woman president Jennifer Jones, lets plan activities to not only attract more women into Rotary but celebrate women Rotarians throughout our District and beyond. Those activities can include business networking, service, leadership development and FUN! Anyone is welcome to join regardless of gender orientation.
2022-2023 RI President Jennifer Jones
2023 District Conference Planning Committee – join DGE Juliet in planning the 2023 District Conference which will take place in the Spring of 2023. This event doesn’t need to be a typical “conference” at all. Let’s discuss options including a District wide service activity or social event! Non-Rotarian partners and friends are welcome!
Jaclyn Victor with America250PA was a guest speaker at our weekly meeting. The Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial (America250PA) was established by the legislature and Governor in 2018 to plan, encourage, develop and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Pennsylvania’s integral role in that event, and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present, and future. America250PA hopes to engage all citizens of the Commonwealth, from all 67 counties, bring the Commonwealth’s history into the conversation so Pennsylvanians can better understand the origins and multiple perspectives of issues facing our Commonwealth & nation today, use history to encourage and inspire future leaders, celebrate the contributions of Pennsylvanians to our Commonwealth’s history but also to our Nation’s history, leave a lasting impact on the next generation.
“Epic” isn’t just the adjective Jaclyn chose to describe America 250. It is also an acronym describing the program’s goals:
Educate: America 250 is working with the National Liberty Museum to create civics programs for students.
Preserve: Preserving history – especially local history - is a key goal of America 250. Special bronze bells will be placed at local historic sites around the state and included on a map in an effort to promote historical stories that most people don’t know about. Coleman gave an example: A bell will be placed at the Dennis Farm in Susquehanna County, which is the longest freely owned African-American farm in the country. “That’s an asset and a gem to have here in our commonwealth, and most people don’t know about it.”
Innovate: All colleges and universities in Pennsylvania are invited to take part in the Direct Effect Innovation Challenge. In challenges each year through 2026, students will work to create an “integrated strategy to celebrate and innovate” that will support America 250 PA.
Celebrate: Coleman said America 250 PA will aim to celebrate every county. This is why it’s important for each county, and even the municipalities within them, to pass the America 250 PA resolution and appoint a representative to get involved.
This community has a wealth of history and it goes back longtime and we all think of the York as the first Capital.
10 Scholarships Announced to Award Nearly $40,000 in 2022
Rotary Club of York and the York Rotary Charitable Endowment Fund recently announce its 2022 scholarships available for York County college students. York Rotary provides financial support for the academic success of York students seeking high education. Thanks to the generous support of Club members, York Rotary Scholarships have been established to reward the academic success, community service, and student determination of York residents attending college, university, trade or technical school.
Students wishing to apply for York Rotary Scholarships can learn more and begin the online application process by visiting www.YorkRotary.org/Page/Scholarships. The “Apply Here” button allows students to create an account and apply to the scholarship where they meet the criteria. Application deadline is May 1, 2022. Questions on applying or about the online application should be directed to Faith Elmes, Scholarship Coordinator, at felmes@tfec.org.
The scholarship web page provides information about each scholarship stewarded by York Rotary, along with each scholarship’s criteria, amount of the award being given, and biographical information about the scholarship and Club member donor. The following is a list of all scholarships being offered:
“Service Above Self” Scholarship – two-year $2,500 scholarship – high academic achievement and community service for college juniors
Non-Traditional Student Scholarship – one-time $3,000 scholarship – York County students enrolled later in adulthood in technical or trade school, college or university
Bush Scholarship – four-year $1,000 scholarship – high academic achievement
Mangold Scholarship – four-year $1,250 scholarship – high academic achievement
Kranich Scholarship – one-year $2,000 scholarship – any area of study
Diehl Scholarship – one-year $1,000 scholarship – Engineering major with a preference for York City students
Smith Scholarship – one-year $3,000 scholarship – Agriculture major
Kahley Scholarship – one-year $1,000 scholarship – Music major with a preference for William Penn or York Suburban
Hayes Scholarship – one-year $3,200 scholarship – Equine studies major for college junior, senior or graduate student
Wagman Scholarship – one-year $2,000 scholarship – Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at York College for junior or senior
Rotary Club of York Launches New Scholarship Process
The community is invited to join The Hershey Rotary Club for the return of its annual fundraiser, April 9, 2022 at The Hershey Lodge. All proceeds benefit non-profit organizations in the community.
The evening features dinner, and silent and live auctions featuring many must-have items including jewelry, artwork, dining, travel, and unique Hershey memorabilia.
The Hershey Rotary Club annually supports many local organizations, as well as some regional and international ones. Organizations supported in recent years include Hershey Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, Mohler Senior Center, Hershey Volunteer Fire Company, Love INC, Hershey Area Playhouse, Cocoa Packs, Hershey Community Chorus, Hershey Derry Township Historical Society, Hershey Public Library, Hershey Symphony Orchestra, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and many more.
Tickets are $100 per person. Learn more about purchasing tickets, donating auction items, or sponsoring the event by visiting the Club’s website at www.HersheyRotary.org
Hershey Rotary Plans 52nd Annual Auction to Benefit Local Charities
Donate to Rotary International Disaster Response Fund: https://my.rotary.org/en/disaster-response-fund All donations collected now through 4/30/22 can be accessed as expedited grants by Districts in countries bordering Ukraine to provide relief to refugees including water, food, shelter, medicine, and clothing. All donations count toward Paul Harris points.
Donate to ShelterBox:https://www.shelterboxusa.org/the-ukraine-crisis-explained/ShelterBox is an official Rotary International partner in Disaster Relief and now has a team in Poland working to support Ukraine refugees. Executive Director Kerri Murray has been sharing updates with CNN on how more than 20,000 women and children per day enter Poland’s train stations. ShelterBox is there to offer them clothing, shelter, and comfort. Donations can now be made specifically to support Ukraine in any amount.
The CDC released new COVID-19 safety guidance on 2/25/22. Guidance is now dictated in part on COVID-19 hospitalization rates in combination with cases. Indoor mask wearing is recommended in counties with high community levels. As of 3/4/22 all counties in the district are currently at a low level. Regardless of community level, masks should be worn in individuals who are high risk for contracting severe disease or who have people in their household who may be high risk. Vaccinations including boosters are still highly encouraged to keep yourself and others at low risk for contracting and transmitting COVID-19. Find out your COVID-19 Community Level by going to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html
What Prevention Steps Should You Take Based on Your COVID-19 Community Level?
What Prevention Steps Should You Take Based on Your COVID-19 Community Level?
We were honored to have Mike Grandy, former president of Red Lion Controls, be our guest at our weekly meeting. Mike was born in the United Kingdom, and started his career as a freelance developer of computer games. From the games world, he moved into industrial software development via a path that is too complex to explain. He worked on some of the very first Human-Machine Interface products as far back as 1986, and can thus honestly claim to be one of the few people in the world with nearly 30 years' experience in this field. Mike's path took him through a series of start-ups in the late eighties and early nineties, to the founding of a company called Paradigm Controls in 1993, where he was responsible for the development of the software and firmware for a range of operator interface terminals. Paradigm caught the eye of Red Lion Controls, and was acquired by Red Lion Controls in 1996. Mike continued to run the company in the UK until moving to the United States in July 1999 to join Red Lion in Pennsylvania as Vice President of Engineering. Five months later, Mike was promoted to President at the age of 31.
Now Mike has his own consulting firm and helps to promote the manufacturing industry for the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association. The Association is a statewide nonprofit trade organization representing the manufacturing sector in Pennsylvania’s public policy process. Headquartered just steps from the state capitol in Harrisburg, PMA works to improve Pennsylvania’s ability to compete with other states for investment, jobs, and economic growth. The pandemic has changed so many things about the world we live in today especially the labor market where continuing education and manufactory opportunities are extremely important. PMA along with their public support partners including K-12 educators, community colleges, workforce development boards, economic development organizations are tackling a range of issues including improving the workforce pipeline, aligning training with industry needs, improving infrastructure, addressing regulatory barriers or facilitating business-to-business networking. The agenda is to change the image of manufacturing to high tech, high pay and a lifelong challenging career.
The Rotary Foundation (TRF) is strengthened every time a Rotarian makes a gift to support the humanitarian work of Rotary International. District 7390 Rotarians are leaders in philanthropy.
On behalf of the District Leadership Team and all those who advocate for TRF, I want to say “thank you” for supporting our foundation and the amazing work made possible by your gifts. Even in a pandemic and with increasing consumer costs, you continue to help address some of the most critical needs locally and around the world.
Your support of our most recent Share Some Love campaign and the Zones 28 and 32 Gala and Fundraiser held Wednesday evening were greatly appreciated. Annual gifts by sustaining, Paul Harris Society, and PolioPlus Society members help District 7390 achieve foundation goals.
All gifts to the Annual/Share Fund, End Polio Now campaign, or any of the other TRF programs allow Rotary to Serve to Change Lives.
Rotary International celebrated its 100th year of service in 2005. That year RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar asked every Rotary club to mark the occasion in a distinct way. The Rotary Club of Harrisburg (RCH) planning team chose to design the Youth Community Development Team as not just a one-year event but a commitment to serve youth and our community in perpetuity.
RCH member Meghan Bachmore leads an ice breaker activity.
Seventeen years later RCH members serving as YCDT coaches and the 2022 student participants have taken the original concept to new heights and have incorporated innovative technologies.
RCH leaders are taking time to inspire 36 students from John Harris, SciTech, Central Dauphin and Bishop McDevitt High Schools in the areas of team building, assessing community needs, fundraising, grant writing/evaluation, public speaking, and volunteerism. This year coaches and participants have been meeting at the Camp Curtin YMCA, as well as virtually.
RCH YCDT committee members include Marion Alexander, Meghan Bachmore, Gillian Byerly, Jennifer Doyle, Brad Gebhart (co-chair), Andy Phillips (co-chair), Jessica Ritchie and Jill Tenny.
While there are perceived and real outcomes of the YCDT program such as increased confidence in the participating students; transformed attitudes; broadened perspectives and new friendships plus increased understanding across cultural and socioeconomic boundaries, the specific objectives laid out by the Rotary Club of Harrisburg are to:
1) Increase students’ exposure to the greater Harrisburg community and their awareness of local resources.
2) Develop and improve students’ oral communication & presentation skills.
3) Increase students’ application of collaboration, negotiation, compromise, and persuasive skills.
4) Provide students with a forum to serve the community and demonstrate an impact.
These objectives of the YCDT program are achieved through a REAL experience. Participants identify a specific area of community focus, raise money toward providing a solution to that need and select a community organization to receive the YCDT grant funding and participant community service hours.
This year’s YCDT members chose to dedicate efforts on mental health issues facing young people. Request for proposals were written and send into the community with an astounding record of 22 returned requests.
On February 16, RCH coaches and the participants (via Zoom) discussed how to successfully prepare for the critical step of raising the $5,000. RCH coaches with incredible credentials in fundraising included Gillian Byerly and Jessica Ritchie leading an hour-long session on peer-to-peer fundraising. Content included having a personal plan, leveraging personal contacts, planning the pitch and learning how to make “the ask.” Jennifer Doyle led a discussion on “What Makes A Good Grant Application.” The students broke into breakout groups and narrowed the 22 grant applicants to five finalists.
To spur competition, the participants are divided into teams. This year’s six teams chose the names Forces L’invissible, Makin A Difference, Turtle League, Team Penguin and Crew Leaders.
The “Forces” create their team poster.
The teams also incorporated modern-day technology into their fundraising plan. They will use an online donation platform, business cards with QR codes, Instagram and Tiktok to add new dimensions to raising the important funds needed to address the needs of the selected final request recipient.
The students will interview representatives from the five finalists and select a winning grant recipient on Wednesday, May 18.
RCH members were encouraged to make contributions to the YCDT by April 30, 2022. Social media apps were customized for members and traditional checks can be sent to Harrisburg Rotary Foundation re: YCDT, 3310 Market Street, Rear 2nd Floor, Suite A, Camp Hill, PA 17011.
Team “Make’n a Difference” present their poster to the group.
Founding Youth Community Development Team Plan Hits New Levels of Philanthropic Importance
The Mechanicsburg Rotary Club as part of its ongoing support to the Mechanicsburg Area Meals on Wheels (MAMOW) replaced the deteriorated door to the the walk-in freezer/refrigerator and assembled new storage racks. Funding for the $3,872.70 project provided by the club plus a matching grant from The Rotary Foundation via the local Rotary District 7390.
(L to R): Tom Burson, Treasurer, Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg (RCM), Chuck Sutton, K&D installer; John Mengel, Vice President, MAMOW and member RCM; and Zack Wileman, K&D installer. Pictured with the installed new door on February 3, 2022.
The Mechanicsburg Rotary Club replaced the deteriorated door to the the walk-in freezer/refrigerator and assembled new storage racks. Funding for the $3,872.70 project provided by the club plus a matching grant from The Rotary Foundation via the local Rotary District 7390.
The Mechanicsburg Area Meals on Wheel (MAMOW) has a walk-in freezer/refrigerator which is attached as a permanent part of the building structure. The door is opened and closed dozens of times a day, so after roughly 20 years the bottom seals and hinges are worn out. The bottom structure is warped is such a way the automatic closure does not function. Parts were not available to repair. The project replaced the entire door with a retro fitted door assembly. The door was attached to the wall and included extending the temperature monitoring gages and light switch on the new frame. The range was purchased from and installed by K&D Factory Services, Inc., Harrisburg, PA.
(L to R): John Petire, Club Foundation Chair; Dave Burns, member; Darrell Westby, Member; and John Mengel, club member and MAMOW Vide-President. Pictured with just assembled new racks on January 19, 2022.
The existing racks were deteriorated and unstable. Club members assembled new racks which were provided by MAMOW as part of this project.
MAMOW prepares and delivers over 49,000 meals annually to the homebound who are unable to prepare meals for themselves. MAMOW's meals are home-cooked. Each client receives, one hot and one cold meal three times a week. MAMOW has one paid executive director who oversees the meal preparation with over 230 volunteers, cooking, packing, and delivering. The service area includes two Boroughs and six Townships. There are over 160 clients currently, but there is a need to serve more as the populations in the service areas continue to grow. MAMOW does not accept any state or federal fun
On April 24th starting at 12pm (with 11am pre-registration), the 5K Run for Education organized by the Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg North will be taking place at the Panther Prowl, an event organized by the East Pennsboro Panther Foundation and East Pennsboro High School Track Team at the East Pennsboro High School Track in Enola, PA. The One Mile Color Fun Run for kids begins at 1pm and will feature a Color run through obstacles. There will be medals for top female and male runners in the 5K Run for Education and medals for ages groups in the One Mile Color Fun Run. Proceeds from the 5K Run for Education will go for sponsorships for deserving seniors in the East Pennsboro High, Cumberland Valley High and Cumberland-Perry Vocational Techincal schools. Proceeds from the One Mile Color Fun Event will benefit the East Pennsboro Panther Foundation and East Pennsboro High School Track Team. Medals will be given for best times by sex and age group at the both 5K Run and One Mile Color Fun Run
Where: East Pennsboro High School Track, 425 Shady Lane, Enola
When: In person registration begins at 11am, the 5K Run for Education is at noon and the One Mile Color Fun Run at 1pm on April 24th (Sunday)
ROTARY 4-WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST DEADLINE IS APPROACHING. This is a reminder for those clubs participating in, or thinking about participating in, the Rotary 4-Way Test Essay Contest. Your club's winning essay is due to be submitted to the district office no later than March 11, 2022. This year's essay topic is "Is it the Truth? How I Define What is True in my Life." Full details about the contest can be found on the District Website: https://www.rotary7390.org/page/four-way-test-essay-contest and please feel free to contact Steve Grubb with any questions at stevengrubb@comcast.net. We look forward to reading your club's winning essay!
Rotary Club of Harrisburg met on the last Monday of January at the Camp Curtin YMCA to assemble period supply kits for Harrisburg students, in a partnership with the Period Project Harrisburg.
Rotary members used an assembly line process to organize sanitary supplies and packed approximately 300 kits for distribution. The kits will be distributed to teens with periods by L.O.O.P.’s after school programs. The hygiene supplies were donated to the Period Project through a donation drive coordinated by the ZONTA Club of Harrisburg-Hershey.
Participating in the assembly line process were Past President Andy Rebuck, Karen Good, Nancy Fodor, Vice President Ellen Brown and President Matt Staub.
This Service Above Self project even caught the eye (camera) of Fox43 news, as well as ABC TV 27. A segment was aired on both stations numerous times and ABC 27 named the Rotary Club of Harrisburg as the week’s Home Town Heros. Rotary Executive Director Addeline Alaniz Edwards was interviewed. You can view the coverage at the following links.
As stated by Alaniz Edwards, period hygiene supplies are an expensive need that is often overlooked by social programs. People with periods are often embarrassed to ask for them, and they may miss school or work or even risk their health by following unsafe hygiene practices.
You can view footage from the Fox43 by clicking on this link.
Paul Thompson has been a member of the Rotary Club of Hershey for the past 15 years. Paul served on the District Global Grant Scholarship committee, President of the Hershey Rotary Club a member of the Board of the Hershey Club, and has been involved with Rotary Youth Exchange.
Paul and his Rotarian wife Maria have four grown children who participated with them in various Rotary projects. Two of their children were outbound youth exchange students and as a family they hosted eleven inbound youth exchange students.
Paul’s academic degrees include a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Security Studies, a Doctorate and a Master of Jurisprudence, and a Doctorate of Law and Policy. He has travelled to six continents, lived in several nations for extended periods of time, and he is conversant in German, French, and Turkish.
In his professional career, Paul was a Naval officer for 25 years. He was assigned to operational assignments as a line officer on Amphibious deployment in the Mediterranean and Atlantic; as an attached in the U.S. Embassy in Turkey; as a JAGC officer in trial and appellate military justice positions; and in front-office policy assignments as Chief counsel to the Commander of Atlantic Naval Air Force and to the Chief of Naval Operations, and as an Executive Assistant to three successive National Security Advisors, while a staff member at the National Security Council.
Following his career in the Navy, Paul turned to Academic pursuits. He served for over a decade as a Professor of Law and National Security at the National War College in Washington, and the for the past decade as Associate Professor of Homeland Security at Penn State University.
Rotary District 7390 Governor 2024-2025 Nominated!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR A PRESIDENT ELECT PICNIC AT ADAMS COUNTY WINERY! On Saturday, June 11, Noon – 3 PM, all Club President Elects are invited to a FREE picnic hosted at Adams County Winery, 531 Peach Tree Rd, Orrtanna, PA hosted by DGE Juliet and the District Leadership Team.This is a family event so bring the kids and partners for a fun OUTDOOR gathering to make new friends, get energized about your year ahead, and celebrate warm weather and a time of connection at long last!Food for grilling and beverages will be provided. Wine and beer will be available for purchase from the winery!Register at:https://rotary7390.org/event/president-elect-picnic/. Special thanks are extended to PDG John Kramb and the owner of Adams County Winery for donating the space.
The District Governor and Club President Installation is happening Thursday, June 23rd from 5 PM – 7:30 PM at the Lodge at Liberty Forge, Mechanicsburg. This will be a CASUAL event with an outdoor cocktail hour. REGISTRATION IS NOW LIVE at: https://rotary7390.org/event/district-governor-installation/
“Rotary District 7390 Club Presidents 2022-2023” LinkedIn Group: DGE Juliet has formed a LinkedIn group for 2022-2023 D7390 Club Presidents. This group will be a way for current President Elects to connect with one another, offer support, share best practices, and stay informed from District Leadership about the latest District and RI news both during their time as President Elects and as Presidents in the 2022-2023 Rotary Year. Look for the group on LinkedIn and submit a request to join!
As the Omicron variant continues to surge in our District, the District Safety Committee is committed to educating Rotarians on the latest CDC Guidance and best practices which prevent transmission of COVID-19. This topic will be a regular feature in the Rotary Reporter.
COVID-19 Prevalence in District Counties as of 1/14/22 ranges from 35 – 42% in our District. (Source:https://bit.ly/3riOcvr )
Pennsylvania statistics over one week period 1/7 – 1/14 (Source:https://bit.ly/3riOcvr )
Newly reported cases: 138,930 to 159,928
Positivity rate: 33% to 36%
Average daily COVID Hospitalizations: 5711 to 7516
Average daily COVID 19 on ventilators: 613-664
Safety Precautions
Masking is still recommended indoors by the CDC regardless of vaccination status for all the counties in our Rotary district due to COVID-19 positivity rates exceeding 5% . The most effective masks to wear to prevent acquiring and transmitting the highly contagious Omicron variant are surgical masks particularly when participating in indoor group activities. Read more at: https://time.com/6139169/n95-best-mask-omicron-covid-19/
Rotary International Position Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination
On December 17, 2021, RI President Shekhar Mehta and TRF Chair, John Germ published the position statement of Rotary International on COVID 19 vaccination. Key points included support for global COVID-19 vaccines and a call to action for Rotarians to support vaccination in their communities and combat misinformation. To read the full statement go to: https://bit.ly/3I6oGjP.
On Thursday, January 20th, incoming Rotary International President Jennifer Jones announced her presidential theme “Imagine Rotary”. During her presentation to District Governor Elects from around the world she focused on dreaming “big” and harnessing the powering of partnerships to turn dreams into reality. Key goals asked of every incoming District Governor were to charter two new Rotary clubs in their district and achieve Rotary International’s goal of membership comprised of 30% women. Click here to read more about her inspirational presentation!
Rotary International President Elect Jennifer Jones announces 2022-2023 Presidential Theme
So, come and compete to take home the title and trophy of being this year’s District 7390 “Rotary Cornhole Champion” along with $100 seed money to go toward your club’s next service project.
In addition to the regular prizes of up to $250 in cash cards for the overall winning teams, this year we’ve added this special new Rotary Champion category and prize for the top-performing team in our district. Other gift cards and two ABC Mug Club memberships will also be raffled off throughout the day.
Ticket prices include a buffet and one complimentary beverage per person. You can continue to enjoy your favorite ABC brews at the cash bar throughout the event.
Registration cost:
$50 per team of two
$10 per person for a spectator ticket
So, come and join the Harrisburg Keystone Rotary Club on Saturday, March 26 from 11 am – 4 pm for a fun afternoon of Cornhole, Beer, and Rotary Fellowship at the Appalachian Brewing Company on 50 N. Cameron St. in Harrisburg. Hang out with friends, make new ones, and raise money for service projects all at the same time!
Learn more and grab your ticket before they're gone at capitalcitycornhole.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
It begins tomorrow! From February 12 through 19 you can support The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and receive 100 Foundation points. This will be the only time this Rotary year that matching points will be offered.
Why are matching points important? Matching points help members become a Paul Harris Fellow, a designation for those supporting TRF with a combined total of 1,000 (cash and points). Earned points are banked in your Rotary account and when cash and points reach 1,000, the individual becomes a Paul Harris Fellow and receives recognition from TRF.
This current Share Some Love promotion being conducted this week of Valentine Day is described below. Thanks for supporting TRF so Rotary can do more to Serve to Change Lives.
Share Some Love (dollars) with The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and District 7390 will Share Some Love with you by donating Foundation points to your Foundation account in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
A donation of at least $100 made to TRF’s Annual Share Fund or the PolioPlus Fund between February 12 & 19, 2022 qualifies you to receive 100 Foundation points.
Points are like cash. Points help you become a Paul Harris Fellow or reach the PHS +1 to PHS +8 recognition levels faster and easier.
Consider honoring a friend, family member, or Rotary colleague when you contribute. Share Some Love knowing that your donation is making a difference and recognizing someone you know at the same time.
To receive your 100 Foundation points, send a copy of your receipt (include your member number) to office@rotary7390.org.
There are four ways to donate:
Donate on-line by clicking here! You will need a credit card and a member access account on the RI website.
Send acheck made payable to The Rotary Foundation (or use your credit card). Download and fill out the donation form. Click HERE to secure the form. Mail the completed form to the address listed at the bottom of the form.
Donate by phone. Call the Rotary Contact Center at 866-976-8279 Monday—Friday 8 am to 5 pm CST. Have your credit card ready to contribute.
Enroll in The Rotary Foundation’s recurring giving program, Rotary Direct. Click here to go to the Rotary Direct Enrollment Form.
Thanks for supporting The Rotary Foundation. Your contributions to TRF make it possible for Rotarians to successfully address some of life’s most challenging issues by supporting education, promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, saving mothers and children, growing local economies, and protecting the environment.
Questions regarding Rotary Foundation contributions and programs can be directed to your Club Foundation Chair or District Rotary Foundation Chair, Dr. Anna-Mae Kobbe at amkobbe@gmail.com.
Only contributions made between February 12 & 19 are eligible.
9:00 AM– 11:00 AM: Learn from Conflict Resolution expert Nabil Oudeh as he teaches us techniques in navigating difficult conversations and building positive relationships in our clubs. President Barry Buckingham, Rotary Club of Colonial Park will build on Nabil’s teaching points to showcase how his club worked to engage and energize its members.
11:00 AM -12:30 PM: PRE-PETS session for President Elects
As the Omicron variant continues to surge in our District, the District Safety Committee is committed to educating Rotarians on the latest CDC Guidance and best practices which prevent transmission of COVID-19. This topic will be a regular feature in the Rotary Reporter.
COVID-19 Prevalence in District Counties as of 1/14/22. (Source:https://bit.ly/3riOcvr )
Average daily COVID Hospitalizations: 5711 to 7516
Average daily COVID 19 on ventilators: 613-664
Safety Precautions
Masking is still recommended indoors by the CDC regardless of vaccination status for all the counties in our Rotary district due to COVID-19 positivity rates exceeding 5% . The most effective masks to wear to prevent acquiring and transmitting the highly contagious Omicron variant are surgical masks particularly when participating in indoor group activities. Read more at: https://time.com/6139169/n95-best-mask-omicron-covid-19/
Rotary International Position Statement on Vaccination
On December 17, 2021, RI President Shekhar Mehta and TRF Chair, John Germ published the position statement of Rotary International on COVID 19 vaccination. To read the full statement go to: https://bit.ly/3I6oGjP. Key points of the statement are:
Global vaccination is the path to ending the pandemic and the emergence of new variants.
Rotary endorses and strongly encourages vaccination for all individuals including our members who are currently able to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
In areas where COVID-19 is surging, communities are facing extreme challenges, health systems are overwhelmed, and contentious rhetoric is dividing us. It is critical that the virus be contained so that the world may begin to heal.
Misinformation has become an “infodemic” that hinders the fight against COVID-19. In line with our Four-Way Test, Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation are committed to providing our members with science-based information.
Those children for whom vaccines are not currently available are at significant risk. Until vaccines are available for all children, the vaccination of adults is the best way to protect children who cannot be vaccinated. Pediatric admissions for COVID-19 are rising precipitously in areas of low vaccination.
Rotary salutes health care workers everywhere as they continue to provide lifesaving services. Local recognition of these heroes by each of our clubs can help to encourage them to continue their important work. Rotary abhors any harassment and attacks on healthcare workers.
Vaccines have proven to be one of the greatest advances of modern medicine. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines save between 2 to 3 million children’s lives each year, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative estimates the polio vaccine has saved more than 19 million children from paralysis.
Vaccines are safe, effective and are responsible for eliminating or controlling many other vaccine-preventable diseases such as smallpox, measles, rubella, and Ebola. And now, there is the opportunity to end the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccines.
Need an out-of-the-ordinary gift for Valentine’s Day? No worries, the Rotary Club of Lancaster Penn Square has you covered with their sixth annual Hearts for Lancaster and Pets fundraiser. Celebrate your love by selecting a sentiment below which will be displayed on a heart on a lamppost in downtown Lancaster.
Proceeds from our “lovely” fundraiser will fund projects which will positively impact the people of Lancaster.
We will beginhanging hearts on February 2nd and take them down on February 19th. So, take your special someone for a stroll downtown to search for your heart and while you are there grab a drink, lunch or dinner, and shop!
When the hearts are taken down at the end of the celebration, they will be recycled and/or resold next year. However, if you would like to physically purchase and keep your heart, the cost would be an additional $45. Let us know if you would like this option at lpsrotary@gmail.com and we will make arrangements for payment and delivery. Orders will not be taken after February 8th.
Do you feel motivated to action? Five tornadoes ripped into Kentucky and multiple states on December 11th. How will our District respond? Will we send funding to D6710 in Kentucky? Will we raise funds for a specific identified project? Maybe we send volunteers to rebuild homes? What other types of disaster relief should D7390 coordinate? Unfortunately, Mother Nature continues to cause havoc and destruction in the form of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and earthquakes – there is no end to the assistance we can provide.
Can you serve on the Disaster Relief Committee? Our current committee has been active for fifteen years, it is now time to identify new, younger, freshly inspired Rotarians.
At this writing, damage across Kentucky and several other states is being evaluated. Disaster relief organizations will make decisions on where help is needed; they will identify those families eligible for rebuilding assistance; and they will establish volunteer housing locations. All of this takes time, several months. In the meantime, D7390 would like to know who may be interested in traveling to a disaster area for a week to restore homes. All skill levels are needed and welcome.
You can celebrate Rotary International’s 117th birthday, raise funds for The Rotary Foundation TRF) and have fun on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. The Gala will begin virtually at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.
The Gala will be packed with messages from Rotary leaders including Jennifer Jones, Rotary International President Elect, updates on Foundation programs, and entertainment by such groups as the One Voice Children’s Choir.
Your Gala ticket includes a TRF contribution of $100. Your gifts will be a fully credited donation to TRF and you will receive a charitable tax receipt and related Paul Harris Fellow points. District 7390 will receive full credit toward our Foundation Goals.
All donations to TRF will be distributed 75% going to the Annual Fund and 25% going to the PolioPlus Fund. The portion credited to the PolioPlus Fund will be matched 2 to 1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Zones 28 and 32 represent 43 districts in Canada, France, Bermuda, and the northeastern United States. Last year $200,000 was raised for the Foundation.
When members of the Rotary Club of the West Shore heard that Mission Central was low on winter hats, gloves, and scarves, they assembled the masses and collected items to help those in need keep warm. Several hundred items were collected on short notice… just in time for the bitter cold temps that are in the forecast.
Pictured L to R: Club president Rod Hite, Erin Sunday, Bim Arthun, and Mission Central’s Stephanie Titzel.
It's time. In fact, there is no better time than now. We have more knowledge, more resources and more OPPORTUNITIES than ever in the history of Rotary. NOW is the time to take ACTION! Who must take action? WE must take action. WE the District, WE the Club, WE the Rotarian. What kind of ACTION?
Last week, my newly moved-in neighbor came across the street and introduced himself. We chatted for a while about neighborhood things... about neighborly things... and then he asked... "Do you know if there are any service organizations around here"?
Say what!!?? He beat ME to the question! Shame on me.
Folks, there are members of our community who are looking for ways to give back.
I was having coffee with a business associate a few months back. During our conversation he spoke of how he and a few other business folks in his community were looking for ways to help their town. Guess what WE talked about for the next 20 minutes ... :)
We are putting together a team to help our clubs and our members learn how to better Grow their Rotary.
In addition, we have put together a presentation to offer to all clubs during their regular meeting that discusses: The State of Membership, Types of Membership and ideas on how to build membership. Let's work together to spread the news of Rotary... to share the Opportunity of Rotary with all who wish to have a hand in making their world a better place.
Reach out to me to join the team or to schedule a club presentation. I can't wait to see what we can do together!!
We want to thank all the amazing volunteers form the York East Rotary who have continued to help us in our Christmas red kettle efforts. We also want to thank all the people in the community and the donors who have donated to our red kettles. It's because of you that we can continue to provide our rental, utilities, & food services, adult & youth programs, after-school programs, and many more to our wonderful York community.
Thank you and God bless! Pictured: Bill and Carolyn Gierasch
York-East Participates in the Salvation Army Red Kettle Efforts
Rotary Club of Lancaster South and the Interact Club of Lampeter Strasburg, a Rotary affiliate, participated in the Wreaths Across America program at Ft Indiantown Gap on Saturday, December 18, 2021. Rotary Club of Lancaster South sent 3 participants and Lampeter Strasburg sent 16 people to help other groups lay over 41,000 wreaths on the headstones of soldiers interred at the military installation. The goal was to lay a wreath on every eligible grave. An hour long ceremony preceded the wreath laying effort.
Lancaster-South Participates in Wreaths Across America
Five tornadoes ripped into Kentucky and multiple states overnight Saturday, December 11, 2021. The storm originated in Arkansas and touched down in Missouri and Tennessee before making its way into western and central Kentucky.
Our District, 7390, has a long history of helping communities devastated by natural disasters. We have gathered funding and volunteers to provide relief supplies, building materials and volunteers to rebuild homes, and funding to re-establish libraries.
In Kentucky there are immediate needs: homes have been destroyed, Christmas trees and presents lost, employment ended. District 6710 in western and central Kentucky has started a Disaster Relief drive.
MONETARY DONATIONS can be made to:
Additionally, D6710 is collecting GIFT CARDS for food, gas, etc., to support displaced disaster victims. Please send only gift cards for major retailers or Visa, Master Card gift cards.
Gift Cards can be sent to: DG Gail Story, 2215 Outer Circle Drive, Crestwood, KY 40014.
We are sending you this information now since there are immediate needs and you may desire to make a donation before year end.
As D7390 has done in the past, we will continue to monitor the extent of recovery needs. We will keep you informed as specific projects may develop that require financial support or the need for volunteers to restore homes.
If you have any questions/recommendations, do not hesitate to contact: Peg Sennett, 717-630-8281, pegsennett@hotmail.com.
Holiday Greetings from the District 7390 Leadership Team.
Wishing you and your family a healthy and happy 2022!
Pictured from left to right PDG John Anthony, DGE Juliet Altenburg, DG Greg Staub, and DGN Fred Gellert. Missing from photo District Secretary Melissa Kopp-Smith
The Rotary Club of the West Shore recently made a generous donation to the Camp Hill Fire Department for a new projector screen in their training room. We are happy to support our first responders who do so much to keep us and our communities safe!
Pictured left to right: Bim Arthun, President-Elect of The Rotary Club of the West Shore, Mark Simpson, Chief of Camp Hill Fire Co., Jack Sellers, President of Camp Hill Fire Co., H. Rod Hite, President of The Rotary Club of the West Shore
West Shore Makes Donation to Camp Hill Fire Department
Friday 2/25 and Saturday 2/26 - Mid Atlantic PETS in Valley Forge PA: Meet incoming RI President Jennifer Jones and have fun networking and learning with President Elects from four Rotary districts. Registration is now LIVE. Register at http://www.mapets.org/.
NEW “Rotary District 7390 Club Presidents 2022-2023” LinkedIn Group: DGE Juliet Altenburg has formed a new LinkedIn group for 2022-2023 D7390 Club Presidents. This group will be a way for current President Elects to connect with one another, offer support, share best practices, and stay informed from District Leadership about the latest District and RI news both during their time as President Elects and as Presidents in the 2022-2023 Rotary Year. Look for the group on LinkedIn and submit a request to join!
2022-2023 Club President Training and Networking Opportunities
We see the decision to vaccinate as a civic and humanitarian imperative. Rotary is not a political or religious organization, it is a service organization and this is the lens through which we are advising you of our position.
Global vaccination is the path to ending the pandemic and the emergence of new variants. Rotary endorses and strongly encourages vaccination for all individuals including our members who are currently able to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In areas where COVID-19 is surging, communities are facing extreme challenges, health systems are overwhelmed, and contentious rhetoric is dividing us. It is critical that the virus be contained so that the world may begin to heal. To that end, the purpose of this statement is to reinforce Rotary’s position.
Misinformation has become an “infodemic” that hinders the fight against COVID-19. In line with our Four-Way Test, Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation are committed to providing our members with science-based information.
Rotary International staff at One Rotary Center were required to be vaccinated by 10 October 2021, as a criterion for employment after that date. RI’s employee vaccination rate stands at over 99 percent.
Globally, Rotary is actively engaged in assuring equity in vaccine access to all people. Our efforts have included advocacy with the G-20, and a proof-of-concept program with GAVI/COVAX to leverage our frontline experience with polio eradication to facilitate vaccine delivery in several low- and middle-income countries where Rotarians are active. While we know many clubs are already deeply involved in COVID-19 prevention, we are working on additional strategies to multiply our collective efforts. GAVI/COVAX is a partnership including WHO and UNICEF focused on global access and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.
Those children for whom vaccines are not currently available are at significant risk. Until vaccines are available for all children, the vaccination of adults is the best way to protect children who cannot be vaccinated. Pediatric admissions for COVID-19 are rising precipitously in areas of low vaccination.
Rotary salutes health care workers everywhere as they continue to provide lifesaving services. Local recognition of these heroes by each of our clubs can help to encourage them to continue their important work. Rotary abhors any harassment and attacks on healthcare workers.
Rotary and Rotaract clubs are encouraged to
set good examples by being exemplary role models;
redouble their efforts to support COVID-19 treatment, prevention, and vaccination efforts.
Vaccines have proven to be one of the greatest advances of modern medicine. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines save between 2 to 3 million children’s lives each year, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative estimates the polio vaccine has saved more than 19 million children from paralysis. Vaccines are safe, effective and are responsible for eliminating or controlling many other vaccine-preventable diseases such as smallpox, measles, rubella, and Ebola. And now, there is the opportunity to end the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccines.
The eradication of polio remains a goal of the highest order for Rotary. We can apply the lessons we have learned in fighting polio to the efforts in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regards,
Shekhar Mehta John Germ President, Rotary International Chair, The Rotary Foundation
Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation’s Position Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination
With the conclusion of the 2021 Council on Resolutions (COR), I am pleased to provide you with the Report of Action. In this report, you will find: • A letter from Council Services • Resolutions that were adopted • Vote tallies for the adopted items
Voting results for all 2021 resolutions can be found on My Rotary.
Please note that the deadline for submitting resolutions to the 2022 COR is 30 June 2022. A link to the submission form, plus helpful resources, can be found on the Councils page of My Rotary.
The Brand Center is continually updated with new materials to help you promote your club! You’ll find tips on raising awareness of Rotary, ready- made print and digital ads, images, videos, audio clips, templates to download, and more. These resources allow you to create messages that show your community that Rotary members are people of action making a difference.
Rotary in the media
What's your story?
This year we will be partnering with the East Pennsboro Education Foundation and the East Pennsboro High School Track team in an event called Panther Prowl which also includes a One Mile Color Fun Run for Kids. We hope to grow this event by getting food trucks, entertainment/music and additional children’s activities. Make it into a real spring community festival!
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The District 7390 Leadership is proud to welcome our newest team member District Governor Nominee Designate Mary Brunski! Mary will become District Governor during the 2025-2026 Rotary Year.
The Rotary Clubs of Yellow Breeches, Mechanicsburg-North, D7390 Passport and West Shore will sponsor and host the 65th RMB networking event along with Fairway Mortgage Corporation, Mother Hubbard's Custom Cabinetry, and the Classic Rock Design Center (venue sponsor). The event will take place at the Classic Rock Design Center, 135 W Allen Street, Mechanicsburg, PA, on Wednesday, February 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The event is FREE and will include the usual light hors d'oeuvres along with wine, beer, soft drinks and water. 
Since this week is a time of thanks, I want to take this opportunity to express how thankful I am for every Rotarian in our District! You are not only role models of service for your local and international communities but enthusiastically take on the important role of serving and supporting one another through life’s many challenges. During these last five months of club visits and event gatherings, I have been inspired by your kindness, camaraderie, and big hearts for service whether it is hands-on or through your generous financial giving. You have uplifted me in unexpected and delightful ways, so I give THANKS for YOU! Have a safe and happy holiday everyone! 
With the Russians now targeting infrastructure, there is obvious concern for Ukrainians surviving the winter.
Medical Equipment in Argentina
We are encouraging clubs to move forward with your Four-Way Test Speech Contests and send your Club contest winner to the District Mid-Levels. Students can register for the Mid-Levels by clicking 
District 7390 recently transferred $29,025 of District Designated Funds (DDF) to PolioPlus to support Rotary’s signature project of polio eradication. “Our District Allocations Committee is pleased to make these funds available to recognize World Polio Day,” said Governor Juliet Altenburg.
Chuck Sawicki has experienced a lot in his 80-plus years on this planet.
On Tuesday, October 18, 2022, Kathi Fuhrman, President of Fuhrman Creative and President of the Rotary Club of Hanover gave a fantastic presentation on Strengthening your Digital Rotary Club Presence. To view this presentation on demand go to this link:
The RC of Carlisle, working with the RC of Thika, Kenya, is implementing a global grant project for water for personal consumption and agricultural development in a poor village in Kenya. The project takes place at a children’s safe home that houses about 100 youngsters ages infant through high school. It also benefits the local community.
Rotarians from 7390 joined friends from Rotary clubs in Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia for a rendezvous in Georgetown, MD on the Sassafras River. As members of the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians (IYFR), Chesapeake Bay Fleet, they gather monthly in warm weather months at various locations on the upper Chesapeake Bay for fellowship and discussions about their various clubs’ activities and projects----as well as sharing experiences about maintaining and operating their boats.
Carlisle-Sunrise, Northern Lebanon Co, and York build small houses in Ecuador
The Rotary Club of Carlisle-Sunrise recently hosted Carlisle’s noon club for a presentation about that club’s water project in Kenya. In attendance was Meshack Kishoyian Sinkira (known as Kish) the International Officer from Kenya at the US Army War College, Carlisle. Rotarians from Carlisle first became acquainted with Kish at a meeting of RC of Hershey.
PDG Alden Cunningham (Carlisle) has a book available for purchase through Amazon! 
Most recently RC of Carlisle and district 7390 contributed to a global grant for an Eye Care Program in Nairobi, which is currently being implemented in schools in poor areas of Nairobi. 
Norma Jean Park was awarded the district 7390 Rotary Scholarship for graduate study at the University of Essex, Brighton, England, where she will earn a Master of Arts degree in Food and Development. The Global Grant award is valued at $30,000 with $16,675 from #7390 District Designated Funds and $13,325 from The Rotary Foundation.
On June 29th, The Rotary Club of York installed Glenn Miller of York College as the 2022/2023 Club President. Miller’s term begins July 1. He succeeds Jackie Summers whose term ends June 30th. Miller was presented for induction by Tony Campisi, Chairman of the Glatfelter Insurance Group.
The Mechanicsburg Club has been working on a Global Grant for the community of Metalillito, El Salvador since it was approve in September of 2019. All of the part of the grant have been completed and about $18,000 of the funding remains. The club plans to petition The Rotary Foundation for permission to use these funds to build more composting toilets for the growing community which has identified a need for 35 more units. Continue reading below for the full story of the club's work with this community.
After collecting the required information GG1984786 for $47,218 was submitted and was approved on 9/16/2019. There were several issues with actually getting the funds but they were received in December 2019. Further delays were caused by revised, but lower quotes so the project did not start until March 2020. That is when COVID-19 started and it greatly impacted the project until September 2020. By December 2020, the solar panels had been installed but the utility did not approve their operation until April 2021. In the meantime, the community and the Rotary club celebrated the solar panel installation on 12/6/2020 and the first global grant progress report was submitted on 12/17/2020.
When passion and raw determination are added to the miracle of modern vaccines, great things happen. Over the last 30 years, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have seen the reduction of polio cases worldwide, by 99.9 percent. But, as long as polio and the many other vaccine preventable diseases still circulate anywhere in the world, children in the US are still vulnerable and must continue to be vaccinated.
Women in Rotary Committee –
Jaclyn Victor with America250PA was a guest speaker at our weekly meeting. The Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial (America250PA) was established by the legislature and Governor in 2018 to plan, encourage, develop and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Pennsylvania’s integral role in that event, and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present, and future. America250PA hopes to engage all citizens of the Commonwealth, from all 67 counties, bring the Commonwealth’s history into the conversation so Pennsylvanians can better understand the origins and multiple perspectives of issues facing our Commonwealth & nation today, use history to encourage and inspire future leaders, celebrate the contributions of Pennsylvanians to our Commonwealth’s history but also to our Nation’s history, leave a lasting impact on the next generation.
We were honored to have Mike Grandy, former president of Red Lion Controls, be our guest at our weekly meeting. Mike was born in the United Kingdom, and started his career as a freelance developer of computer games. From the games world, he moved into industrial software development via a path that is too complex to explain. He worked on some of the very first Human-Machine Interface products as far back as 1986, and can thus honestly claim to be one of the few people in the world with nearly 30 years' experience in this field. Mike's path took him through a series of start-ups in the late eighties and early nineties, to the founding of a company called Paradigm Controls in 1993, where he was responsible for the development of the software and firmware for a range of operator interface terminals. Paradigm caught the eye of Red Lion Controls, and was acquired by Red Lion Controls in 1996. Mike continued to run the company in the UK until moving to the United States in July 1999 to join Red Lion in Pennsylvania as Vice President of Engineering. Five months later, Mike was promoted to President at the age of 31.
On April 24th starting at 12pm (with 11am pre-registration), the 5K Run for Education organized by the Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg North will be taking place at the Panther Prowl, an event organized by the East Pennsboro Panther Foundation and East Pennsboro High School Track Team at the East Pennsboro High School Track in Enola, PA. The One Mile Color Fun Run for kids begins at 1pm and will feature a Color run through obstacles. There will be medals for top female and male runners in the 5K Run for Education and medals for ages groups in the One Mile Color Fun Run. Proceeds from the 5K Run for Education will go for sponsorships for deserving seniors in the East Pennsboro High, Cumberland Valley High and Cumberland-Perry Vocational Techincal schools. Proceeds from the One Mile Color Fun Event will benefit the East Pennsboro Panther Foundation and East Pennsboro High School Track Team. Medals will be given for best times by sex and age group at the both 5K Run and One Mile Color Fun Run
Paul Thompson has been a member of the Rotary Club of Hershey for the past 15 years. Paul served on the District Global Grant Scholarship committee, President of the Hershey Rotary Club a member of the Board of the Hershey Club, and has been involved with Rotary Youth Exchange.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR A PRESIDENT ELECT PICNIC AT ADAMS COUNTY WINERY! On Saturday, June 11, Noon – 3 PM, all Club President Elects are invited to a FREE picnic hosted at Adams County Winery, 531 Peach Tree Rd, Orrtanna, PA hosted by DGE Juliet and the District Leadership Team.This is a family event so bring the kids and partners for a fun OUTDOOR gathering to make new friends, get energized about your year ahead, and celebrate warm weather and a time of connection at long last!Food for grilling and beverages will be provided. Wine and beer will be available for purchase from the winery!Register at:
“Rotary District 7390 Club Presidents 2022-2023” LinkedIn Group: DGE Juliet has formed a LinkedIn group for 2022-2023 D7390 Club Presidents. This group will be a way for current President Elects to connect with one another, offer support, share best practices, and stay informed from District Leadership about the latest District and RI news both during their time as President Elects and as Presidents in the 2022-2023 Rotary Year. Look for the group on LinkedIn and submit a request to join!
Safety Precautions
Safety Precautions
We want to thank all the amazing volunteers form the York East Rotary who have continued to help us in our Christmas red kettle efforts. We also want to thank all the people in the community and the donors who have donated to our red kettles. It's because of you that we can continue to provide our rental, utilities, & food services, adult & youth programs, after-school programs, and many more to our wonderful York community.
