Welcome to The Rotary Club of Akron, Ohio

Join Us at a Meeting

We meet each Tuesday

We begin promptly at Noon

(we suggest arriving at 11:45 am to allow
time for check-in and to get your lunch).

There is no meeting on December 25, 2018 or January 1, 2019
Have a blessed holiday and New Year!

Portage Country Club

240 North Portage Path | Akron, OH  44303

Tel: 330.644.4512

$13.00 per person for lunch
(exception: December 18, 2018 - $30 per person and
RSVP Required for our Holiday Party)

 

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Meet Our Club President
John Margida

 

View Calendar of
Weekly Speakers
& Our Events

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Get Involved


Change your community with us by volunteering on a local project or attending a community event.
Email our Service Committee Chair.

We work with groups and organizations of all sizes to accomplish even more.
Email our Service Committee Chair.

Discover and celebrate diverse perspectives with a global organization.  
Email our International Exchange Chair.
 
 
 

Club President's Message

John Margida

member photo
Thank you to those who attended our Annual Meeting.  This is an important time to elect our next slate of officers and also bring members up to date on matters of the Club, Camp and our Foundation. 
 
Club Secretary Terry Dalton announced the results of the Club and Camp Ballot submissions.  We received a majority vote for the July 2019 Club Officers and new Trustees, and for the January 2019 Camp Officers indicated below.

Akron Rotary Club

Officers will serve a one year term 07/01/2019-06/30/2020
  • President:  Patrick O’Neill 
  • President-Elect:  Dr. Rob McGregor  
  • Vice President: Steve Buie 
  • Secretary: Terry Dalton
  • Treasurer: Michael Gladysz 
Trustees will serve a three year term 07/01/19- 6/30/2022
  • Tom Knauer
  • Kevin Smith 
  • Nicole Major
  • Karen Hrdlicka
 

Akron Rotary Camp 

These individuals will serve a three year term 01/01/2019-12/31/2021
  • Barry Dunaway 
  • Bill Post
  • Amador Gonzalez
  • Susan Savage 
  • Bill Manby, Jr.
  • Joe Swiatkowski
  • Sandy Naragon
  • Ginny Wojno
 The complete list of the Camp Board of Officers & Trustees is extensive and can be viewed by clicking here (login is required).
 
Dan Reynolds. Director of The Rotary Camp, provided an indepth overview of the 2018 year at Camp. His handout can be viewed by clicking here (login will be required).
 
Akron Rotary Club Foundation President, Jim Redmond, provided their 2019 slate of officers and advised that their directors had voted according to per their bylaws.  The elected officials are listed below.  Jim provided information about the status of the Foundation and his complete report can be viewed by clicking here (login will be required).

Akron Rotary Foundation

Slate of elected officers
  • Jim Redmond, President
  • Katy Miller, Vice President
  • Dan Riemenschneider, Treasurer
New Board Members
  • Julie Brandle (1 year term ending 12/2019)
  • Jeff Sitz (2 year term ending 12/2020)
Other Board Members
  • Steve Buie
  • Shon Christy
  • Marcia Holcomb
  • Barry Hollis
  • Mark Krohn
  • Brian Steere
 
 
 
 
I reviewed the status of the Club committees reporting we had 8 new members but suffered a loss of 14 members for various reasons.  We take these losses seriously and look at each one to learn why they left and always try to improve upon things that are within our control.  Many are out of our control, but Membership, along with our Mentorship Program, will continue to remain a key important focus to help us sustain the longevity and success of our Club.  
 
ALL of the committees have been doing a tremendous job!  I thank each and every one of you for your efforts and dedication.
 
You will be hearing more about what is coming up in second half of our Rotary year.  Watch the weekly Akrotarian for events, service projects and a tremendous slate of exciting speakers coming your way!!
 
Continue to bring your guests and introduce them to our club.  We now get a list of all guests who attend and many are also adding themselves to our mailing list.  So we ask that those of you bringing guests, please reach back out to them.  If they have input, good or constructive, we want to know!
 
I found that we have not had a Club strategic plan revision in quite some time and have undertaken this project.  We have hired an outside consultant to facilitate the process with us. The committee is well rounded with incoming officers and a couple recent past officers serving.  We will share more with our members as we proceed.
 
Register for the Club Holiday Party which will be December 18th.  This is not our normal meeting so RSVPs are required.   The cost for this event is $30 per person (this is not included with the meal deal). Click here to RSVP.  We are looking forward to having fun with some awesome entertainment!
 
See you Tuesday at our Holiday Party -  
 
John Margida, Club President
 

Weekend at Camp for Youth Exchange Students
Our breakfast crew from the Rotary Club of Akron prepares vittals for the District 6630 Rotary Exchange Students Overnight Training weekend.  8 Inbounders, 4 Outbounders and 2 Rebounders and  the RYE training team were present.  Wow!  What a gourmet delight!  Thank you, Emily Patterson, Jacinto Núñez, Laura Fink and Doug Hausknecht.  How nice to wake up to enjoy eating in the U.S.
Sotaro Yamaski and Patrick Culliton (Sotaro’s new host brother work on a cultural grid activity. 
 
Jacob Weitman signs Ana Crespan Fontenla’s flag as RYE students share in internationalizing this event.
 
Ana team and Sotaro’s team compete in tower building contest using spaghetti and marshmallows in which each team member was assigned a different cultural role to assume during the project.  The end goal was to build the tallest, sturdiest tower while behaving under cultural norms that might be foreign to the student. 
 

District RYE Students Capture Spectacular Images
Posted by Susan Colville-Hall on Dec 12, 2018
Our District 6630 Rotary Youth Exchange students had an assignment to work in pairs to capture the best image of “Winter in Ohio - Local natural wonder.”  The photos were taken at The Akron Rotary Camp.  Our students have shown so much creativity!!  
 
 
by Ada Bícego (Brazil) and Jacob Weitman (Outbound)
by Patitta Kitcharoenchai (Thailand) and Gwendolyn Estep (Outbound)
by Lea Lafond (France) and Natalie Sadkova (Czech Republic.)
 
by Ana Crespan Fontenla (Spain) and Austin Brewster (Outbound)
 
by Jacob Scharnweber (Germany) and Eduardo Nunes Machado Flore (Brazil)
 
by Sotaro Yamaski (Japan) and Patrick Culliton (host brother of Sotaro)

Community Assessment Builds Relationships
Posted by Claudine Schooley on Dec 12, 2018
Since July 1st 2018, community assessment is mandatory for any global grant application with Rotary International. Leading a community assessment in the country where Rotary Club project is being developed is not always an easy task but it is a guarantee that relationships will be built between the involved Rotary clubs and their partners in country. It is my hope that telling you the story of the Ukraine community assessment from our Akron Rotary club, will help any club to fathom the great benefits of such a task. The first step for our Akron club was to gather enough volunteers, interested in our project of developing a new type of pediatric wheelchair and in exploring transportation in Ukraine for wheelchair users. We started a new committee composed of 5 professionals in marketing and surveys, willing to work together to start investigating the sustainability of our project. How not to be impressed with the high level of proficiency of this new team: two retired professors from the University of Akron in entrepreneurship and languages specialists, one director of marketing study company and a student in anthropology with MPH in epidemiology? All of them have a heart for people with disabilities and the desire to extend their high level of skills to Rotary international projects. My first experience was to build relationship with them and to know them better. Following the general guide lines from Rotary international, we decided to start working on the questionnaire that would be used in Ukraine. First, we needed to collect data and statistics concerning people with disabilities in Ukraine, then to determine who will fill up the questionnaire. Accessing statistics in Ukraine from the government was not simple. It was not like "you just ask". You need to find the people who care enough to navigate for you the country administration and bureaucratic system to obtain information. We live in a world full of statistics and surveys (good and bad), and some categories of population, like hidden people with disabilities, are more difficult to contact then other. How do you engage with those who tell you "we don't have people with disabilities in our country!"? You have to keep in mind that you are dealing with a different culture than yours. Some of our questions could not be answered.
 
We had to face unexpected barriers with our project like virulent opposition from a Rotarian who did not like that our main partner in Ukraine was a godly woman. Religion, and political opinions become obstacles to avoid. Ukraine is a country at war and we found a lot of hurt and divisions. Community assessment is a great tool to understand better the culture of the country.
 
The best of all is when community assessment becomes a tool to help people in a specific situation. Let me explain what I experimented. Home visits of families affected by disability were part of my program in the city of Bila Tserkva. I was explaining the questionnaire to the mom of Pauline, a 14-year-old girl affected by cerebral palsy, when the mom talked about a problem she could not solve. The building the family was living in had a very poor and dangerous ramp for wheelchair users. Pauline's mom was able to mobilize other families in the building to give money to build a new ramp, accessible for wheelchairs. The project was stopped, not because of a lack of money but because they could not obtain the authorization from "the jack", the person responsible for all work in their building. They could not reach him. The next day I asked Nita our partner in Ukraine, what can we do to help Pauline's mom? Nita knew a lawyer who would talk to "the Jack" and she assured me he would not be an obstacle any longer. She will make sure that Pauline get her new ramp.
 
Finally, I know very well that there is no respite for the one who cares for the poor, the orphan and disabled. This community assessment in Ukraine was a great adventure and will be a great addition to our Global Grant. I want to thank those who participated for their efforts and dedication.
 
Submitted with love and peace by Claudine Schooley, member of Akron Rotary club.
Picture of Pauline in Bila Tserkva – Ukraine
Picture of kids with disability – Orphanage in Bila Tserkva - Ukraine

Chili Open Fundraising Update
We are extremely grateful for the support received so far for the Chili Open.  The thermometer is climbing but we need your continued help and support to reach our goals. Go online now to become a sponsor, buy raffle tickets, attend the event and more!
 
 
Currently, we have raised over $106,000, but still has a long way to go to reach our bold goal of $275,000.
Because of the Chili Open, no child is ever turned away from Akron Rotary Camp due to inability to pay. Since its inception, the event has raised over $3,250,000 to support families and children in attending Camp.
 
If you are considering a sponsorship, or know of someone that might be interested in helping a great cause, please reach out to our corporate sponsor co-chairs, Pat O’Neill or Jeff Sheeks, or Campership duo (co-chairs) Nathanael Billow or Andrew Grover. The ad deadline for the Chili Open Insert is set for January 4, 2019 and is approaching quickly.
 
Thank you for helping to “Create a world where there are only abilities!”
 
Dr. Rob McGregor and Wanda Whipkey
Co-Chairs, Chili Open 2019
#ForTheKids
Photo L-R:  Wanda Whipkey, Chili Open Co-Chair; Katie Logsdon, Wayne Homes Presenting Sponsor; Dr. Rob McGregor, Chili Open Co-Chair

A Wheelbarrow of Good Cheer!
The 2019 Chili Open silent auction will feature a Wheelbarrow of Good Cheer! Please help us fill the wheelbarrow with any donation of unopened bottles of spirits and mixers, bar glassware, cocktail napkins, etc. Please bring your donation to a Tuesday Rotary Club luncheon. This will be a very desirable item to bid on during the auction, and the winning bidder gets to take home their new wheel barrel along with all of its contents. Thank you in advance for your donations to help make the Chili Open a continued success to benefit Akron Rotary Camp!
 
Dr. Rob McGregor and Wanda Whipkey
Co-Chairs, Chili Open 2019

Bell Ringing Volunteers Requested
Posted by Mark Seward
We will be ringing the bell to support The Salvation Army again this year at ACME #10, located at 2226 State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223. This is the same location we were at last year.
 
 
Friday, December 14th – from 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
 
Saturday, December 15th – from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
 

Treasures Needed
Posted by Lynda Farkas
On February 2, 2019 over 500 golfers, Rotarians and volunteers will come together to golf, win prizes, and celebrate the great work that Rotary is doing in our local community.   
 
We would appreciate any donation of an item that can be used for a door prize raffle to make it a fun event for. Anything from a $5 gift card, coffee mug, small baskets of goodies, candy, etc.  Use your imagination!!
 
Bring it to the Tuesday or drop it off at the Camp office!
 
Thank you for your support!
Lynda Farkas, Door Prize Chairperson

Camperships are Teeing-Off for the 2019 Akron Rotary Chili Open Golf Classic
Support for our 29th annual Chili Open is off to a great start!   
 
We want to give a special shout out to the following Rotarians who have committed to a Campership:
  • Nathanael Billow
  • John Daily
  • Lynda Farkas (2)
  • Andrew and Amanda Grover
  • Marcia Holcomb
  • Connor and Courtney Jarvis
  • Tom Knauer/Artists Inc.
  • Bill Manby Jr./Acquire Investments
  • John and Debbie Palmer
  • Dan and Carol Riemenschneider
  • George and Eileen Rooney
     
Did you know a $500 Campership provides one week of day camp for a child with special needs?  Additional sponsorship benefits include:
  • Name listing in the Chili Open newspaper publication,
  • Name listing on both the Chili Open website, and Akron Rotary Club website,
  • Name listing on one hole sponsorship sign,
  • Name listing on the sponsorship banner in the clubhouse on event day,
  • One Golf Foursome.
Please reach out to our fun Campership duo (co-chairs) Nathanael Billow or Andrew Grover, if you would like to provide or help solicit a Campership.  Help them reach their big bold goal of securing 100 Camperships!
 
Because of the Chili Open, no child is ever turned away from Akron Rotary Camp due to inability to pay. Since its inception, the event has raised over $3,250,000 to support families and children in attending Camp. Our Rotary Club rocks it every year in helping to “Create a world where there are only abilities!” for our campers.
 
Dr. Rob McGregor and Wanda Whipkey
Co-Chairs, Chili Open 2019

 

A letter from RYE Exchange Student Audrey Carroll
Posted by Brian Chima on Nov 14, 2018
Our RYE outbound exchange student is Audrey Carroll and she’s in Potsdam, Germany.  Below are her answers to my interview of her, and some photos of her and her host family. 
 
----From Audrey Caroll----
 
Hello Rotary Club of Akron!
So far my time in Germany has been great!

Language Level:
My German has improved tremendously since I came here. Although I am not fluent I am able to understand a lot and can have conversations. I guess I would rate it a 5 out of 10.

What I like:
I like a lot of the things about Germany. For one there is a lot of history in my town Potsdam and in Berlin which I go to a lot in the weekends. I have gone and visited old buildings and historical sights here. I also really love that there is so much to do. There is shopping in Berlin and sight-seeing and tons of nice restaurants and places to go. Also, the public transportation here is great. You can go practically anywhere in Potsdam or Berlin with only public transportation. I take the tram a lot through town and the train to Berlin. The Rotary club here has weekly German lessons for me and the other exchange students in the Potsdam clubs. It is nice being able to see the other exchange students and we have all become great friends. We hang out a lot and explore the city.

What I dislike:
There are a few things I dislike about Germany. For one I dislike having to ride my bike everywhere. I have to ride it to school every day, to my German lessons and to the store. I am always getting tired and sweaty in the day. I also dislike the food here. For every meal we eat bread (and always the same bread). For breakfast we eat it with jam, for lunch with cheese, and for dinner with all.  And dinners here are not like in America. Sometimes we don’t eat dinner because it isn’t viewed as an important meal. It has taken some getting used to.
 
My favorite food:
My favorite food here is probably the pizza. It is not a typical German food but the European pizza is very thin and much less greasy. My host family tends to get pizza on the weekends and I love it.

In summary:
Overall my time has been great and I am very glad to have been sent here by the Rotary. Thank you, Akron Rotary Club, for all of your help!
 
Sincerely,
Audrey Carroll
 
----- End of letter ------
 
Brian Chima  ▪  Travel Agent  ▪  Akron, Ohio
Telephone:  (330) 867-4770 Toll Free: (800) 535-9300 ▪
Email:  brian@chimatravel.net
Chima Travel  ▪  55 Merz Blvd,  Akron, OH 44333
Chimatravel.net   ▪   Facebook.com/chimatravelbureau
Collaboration with University of Akron Begins
Posted by Susan Colville-Hall on Oct 02, 2018
The Rotary Club of Akron and the University of Akron Department of Bio-medical Engineering collaborate to solve a problem and provide a solution to the need of many children and adults with access ability difficulties in the Ukraine.   They are designing a type of wheelchair/ stroller that adapts to the small elevators and final steps (stairways) of apartment buildings. An enthusiastic group led by UAs Jim Keszenheimer and 5th engineering students and Rotary’s Claudine Schooley met today to review the project.  Nita Hanson made the trip from the Ukraine to explain the specific needs of the project.  I’m thrilled to be involved with this awesome project.
 
North High Interact Club Improves Teachers Lounge
Posted by Steve Buie
The North High Interact kids are amazing! They are humble and hungry to learn. They had a blast painting their teachers’ lounge. For many of these kids it was the first time they had ever done any painting and remarkably they were able to keep the paint off of themselves. 😊 They simply want to serve and improve the quality of their lives, their families, and their community.  View all North High Interact photos by clicking here.
 
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Upcoming Speakers

Akron Rotary Christmas Party
Dec 18, 2018
Portage Country Club
No Meeting- Christmas
Dec 25, 2018
No Meeting- New Years
Jan 01, 2019
Annie Hanson, University of Akron-
Jan 08, 2019
Director of Community Relations & Engagement
Don Mullen
Jan 15, 2019
Executive Director Stark State Akron
Laura Thompson
Jan 22, 2019
Executive Vice President of Goodyear
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Club Events
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Our Sponsors
 
What Our Members are Saying
 
 
 
Rotary Links
 

This Video Shows Your
Donations at Work!
Click on the icon below and learn 
how you can continue your support 
by participating in our
2014 Chili Open!
 

Celebrating Over a Century of Service in the Akron Community!

 
The History of The Rotary Club of Akron
 
Honoring the Past.  Driving the Future.
 
April 5, 2014 Centennial Celebration