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Welcome to The Rotary Club of Akron, Ohio

Due to Covid-19
our Club is currently hosting
online meetings using ZOOM.

Please see the list of meetings below you may wish to join.

We will not be hosting meetings on
December 22 & 29, 2020

For Zoom information see below or

email us (click here) with your request to attend.

You have the option to join via your computer or just by phone if you prefer.

Meet Our 2020-2021
Club President
Robert S. McGregor, MD

View our other Club Leaders

View Calendar of
Weekly Speakers
& Our Events

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View Historical eBulletins
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Join Our Conversations

The Annual Meeting of The Rotary Club of Akron

Dr. Rob McGregor, Club President

Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at Noon

via Zoom

Meeting ID: 989 441 809

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Meeting ID: 989 441 809

Get Involved

Change Your Community

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

Partner With Us

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

Discover New Cultures

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

Help us change lives locally and around the world

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INTERNATIONAL
FOUNDATION
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AKRON ROTARY
CAMP FOR
CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS
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Join Our Conversations . . .

Operation Rotary Holiday Outreach

By Katy Miller and Sandy Naragon

This year has been difficult—especially for those who are isolated from friends and family who typically visit during the holidays.

Akron Rotary’s Social and Rotary Cares Committees have teamed up to launch Operation Rotary Holiday Outreach! Chairs Katy Miller and Sandy Naragon are calling on volunteers to call or send cards to fellow Rotarians throughout the holiday season.

Want to volunteer? Know someone we should reach out to? Want to be included in outreach? Click on the link below to sign up.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RotaryOutreach

Be a Friend – Remember a Friend

Posted by Jack and Vivian Harig on Nov 24, 2020

At our meeting on November 24th, Jack and Vivian Harig wanted to first remind our members to stay in contact with friends and members who may be experiencing an "All by myself" thanksgiving and be feeling very lonely. (Be sure you read the article above about our Club Operation Holiday Outreach)

Second, is a request to reach out to family and friends of military veterans (should also include 1st responders) to see how they are doing. Especially combat veterans and first responders are at an ever increasing rate of suicides.

According to the VA, it had previously averaged 22 suicides per day for active and post service members. The rate is now reported to be up to 25 - 26 per day.

In addition - here is a photo of the Witness Tree at Fairlawn, others are in Green, Tallmadge, Wadsworth, Summit County Court House.

First responders are a growing part of this group as well as front line medical workers.

The second photo shows the hanging of 22 dog tags a day on a memorial sculpture of a tree that is done each day from 1 November through Veterans day when there are 242 tags on the tree. The shows attendees 11 Nov 2020.

The bottom line is to be a friend, remember a friend, and call a friend to see how they are doing.

Yours in the Spirit of Rotary

Jack and Vivian

District Foundation Event Recognizes Akron Club & Individuals

At the District Foundation event November 19, 2020, we celebrated successes from the 2019-2020 Rotary Year.

It was truly an honor to have Jennifer Jones, Rotary International President-Nominee (2022-2023 RI President) at the celebration. She will serve as RI's first female president in its history.

Clubs, Rotarians and Non-Rotarians were recognized for their generous gifts and for living by the “Service Above Self” motto and the 4-way Test.

The virtual event was kept to one hour and can be viewed by clicking here.

Congratulations to our members and Club for the following recognitions:

PDG Cheryl Warren and her husband Steve were recognized for becoming Major Donors.
Club Members that are in the Paul Harris Society were recognized.
The Akron Club for the Disaster Relief Grant providing PPE Donations to Akron Children's Hospital.
The Akron Club for its support of the End Polio Now Campaign (Clubs that contributed at least $1,500 to the End Polio Now Campaign).

Here are the images shared at the event - click on each to view larger.

Rebecca Silber, Annual Giving Officer for Zones 30 and 31 - Speaker Recap

The Rotary Club of Akron had the opportunity to be updated on the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International during our Tuesday, November 24^th meeting. Rebecca Silber, who serves as the Annual Giving Officer for Zones 30 and 31 was our featured speaker.

It was evident that Rebecca cares deeply about connecting donors and volunteers to the causes they are most passionate about and feels a calling towards her fundraising work as a way to leave a positive impact on the world around her.

Working at The Rotary Foundation has fulfilled a career dream of Rebecca’s working for an organization that is not only well respected but is also known internationally for its commitment to making the world a better place through Service Above Self.

Rebecca feels strongly about building bridges between Rotarians and The Foundation so they can experience a deep sense of fulfilment and accomplishment through their generosity and service.

Many Rotarians are not familiar with all of the giving opportunities that are available to us through the Rotary International Foundation. This summary of Ms. Silber’s presentation will highlight a few of those opportunities.

View the presentation by clicking here.

The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

The Foundation awarded $86,677,399 in funding to 1,306 grants during fiscal year 2018. Here is a breakdown of the six areas of focus the grants supported:

Preventing Disease	$35,660,986
Providing Clean Water	$18,761,791
Supporting Education	$10,998,136
Growing Local Economies	$10,503,910
Saving Mothers & Children	$7,204,677
Promoting Peace	$3,547,899

These six Areas of Focus guide everything the Foundation does. A seventh area of focus will be implemented in July 2021. That focus will be “Supporting the Environment.”

The Rotary Foundation supports both Global grants and District grants:

GLOBAL GRANTS:

Global grants support large international activities with sustainable, measurable outcomes in Rotary’s areas of focus. By working together to respond to real community needs, clubs and districts strengthen their global partnerships.

Global grants can fund:

Humanitarian projects
Scholarships for graduate-level academic studies
Vocational training teams, which are groups of professionals who travel abroad either to teach local professionals about their field or to learn more about it themselves

How they’re funded:

Global grants have a minimum budget of $30,000 and a maximum World Fund award of $400,000. Grant sponsors can use a combination of District Designated Funds (DDF), cash, and/or directed gifts and endowment earnings to fund a global grant. The Foundation will provide a 100 percent World Fund match for all DDF contributions. There is no minimum World Fund match.

DISTRICT GRANTS:

District grants fund small-scale, short-term activities that address needs in your community and communities abroad. Each district chooses which activities it will fund with these grants.

What district grants support:

You can use district grants to fund a variety of district and club projects and activities, including:

Humanitarian projects, including service travel and disaster recovery efforts
Scholarships for any level, length of time, location, or area of study
Youth programs, including Rotary Youth Exchange, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), Rotaract, and Interact
Vocational training teams, which are groups of professionals who travel abroad either to teach local professionals about their field or to learn more about it themselves

How they’re funded:

Districts may use up to 50 percent of their District Designated Fund to receive one district grant annually. This percentage is calculated based on the amount of DDF generated from a district’s Annual Fund giving three years prior, including Endowment Fund earnings.

How Does a Rotarian Donate to the RI Rotary Foundation?

There are multiple areas a Rotarian might consider. The following is a list of possible areas:

Annual Fund Share
World Fund
Polio-Plus Fund
Disaster Response Fund
Endowment Fund

For additional information on the RI Rotary Foundation, I would encourage Rotarians to access the Rotary Foundation website: www.MyRotary.org.

Upon logging in, then click on Rotary Foundation.

(Click on the graphic to view larger)

Yours in Rotary Service,

Terry

Rotary Camp Holiday Party

Posted by Dan Reynolds on Nov 19, 2020

We are currently accepting donations of toys and gift cards for our annual Holiday Party on December 20^th. Like all of us, our campers’ and their families’ lives have been completely turned upside down this year. This year’s Holiday Party for Camp will most likely be a drive through event due to COVID-19 precautions but for many of our campers it is the only time they see Santa, so our goal is to make it as joyous as possible. Help us spread a little joy by purchasing a gift that Santa can share or a gift card for groceries.

Here is the link to our Amazon wish list: https://a.co/dFuovVo.

Gift cards in any amount from major stores such as Target, WalMart, ACME, and Giant Eagle are also being accepted.

Gift cards and donations can be mailed or dropped off at Akron Rotary Camp, 4460 Rex Lake Dr., New Franklin, OH 44319. Questions? Call camp at 330.644.4512 or email Dan Reynolds at danr@akronymca.org.

Thanks!

Dan

Dan Reynolds

District Executive Director

Akron Rotary Camp

YMCA Camp Y-Noah

www.gotcamp.org

330.926.4952

Chili Open Golf Classic: Goal Status

Posted by Wanda Whipkey on Nov 20, 2020

Although the Chili Open will look different from previous years due the impact of COVID-19, and whether you choose to attend in person or virtually, your gift will make a significant impact allowing us to continue to serve the vulnerable youth in our community.

The annual fundraiser represents 30% of operating costs to the Rotary Camp's annual budget. This ensures that no child is turned away due to their family’s inability to pay. We are extremely thankful to our Chili Open Presenting Sponsor, Wayne Homes for their continued commitment to the camp.

Each raffle ticket includes $25 in discounts:

$10 off oil change at The VanDevere Bunch
Purchase two entrees and receive $15 off your bill at Lala’s on the Lakes, located on Manchester Road, Akron.

There are great chances to win the following prizes:

1st prize is a 2021 Chevrolet Trax LS, or $13,000 cash prize – Thank you The VanDevere Bunch!
2nd prize is a 55” 4k Smart LED TV, courtesy of the S Group, Inc. – Thank you Rotarian Jeff Sheeks!
3rd prize is a behind-the-scenes media package at a 2021 Cleveland Indians Game – Thank you Rotarian Steve Warren!

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Jeff Kempf Recognized for his Service to St. Damien Hospital in Haiti

Posted by Rob McGregor on Nov 02, 2020

CONGRATULATIONS DR. KEMPF!

Akron Rotarian Dr. Jeff Kempf was recognized for his vision in the development of The St. Damien Collaborative for the Improvement of Pediatrics in Haiti. This is a unique partnership of US Children's Hospitals and Universities.

The Akron Rotary Club and other clubs in District 6630 were very supportive and involved in providing funding when Dr. Kempf orchestrated sending a team of physicians to St. Damien and in turn brought their team to Akron for training.

St. Damien Children's Hospital has partnered with collaborative members from Akron Children's Hospital, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, University of Connecticut, Dell Children's Hospital. East Tennessee State University, The University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital,

Nebraska Medical Center, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter, as well as others as part of the St. Damien Collaborative.

During the fundraiser, Mitch Albom, author of Finding Chika and Tuesdays with Morrie, did several readings.

Ongoing donations would be welcome. CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW

NPH USA is a registered 50l(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, Federal Tax 10# 65-1229309.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.

Terry Dalton Receives the Unsung Hero Award

District Governor Myers presented member Terry Dalton with the District Governor's Citation - the Unsung Hero Award.

The unsung hero award is designed for Club Presidents to pay tribute to a person whose special service to Rotary has placed them in a category all of their own. A person whose dedication and commitment to Rotary has been given without recognition, without reservation and unselfishly. Many times it's done very quietly and behind the scenes.

Each Club President is asked to select only one member annually from their Club for this prestigious award from the Governor.

Dr. McGregor said "Terry has an uncanny ability to read my needs before I even know what they are." He added that Terry is quite the parliamentarian and is the Robert's Rules champion.

You can view the presentation of the award by clicking here (at approximately 28:16 in the video)

Terry has served the Club for many years as our Club Secretary and chair of the Scholarship Committee. He is a veteran, has a degree in Social work and is an Eagle Scout.

Terry does a lot of things behind the scenes that most of us never see... organizing the scholarship interviews, finalizing the recipients, awards, and attendees for their presentations. He facilitates putting together all the board meetings, records minutes and keeps our Club records in great order. In addition, this year, he has organized several special meetings for our Club President and stepped in to help with the virtual w

eekly meetings and provides a recap of the speaker presentations so we can share them with others. "No" is simply not in his vocabulary!

He shared that the the reason Rotary has been so meaningful and impactful in his life is that he truly lives by Service Above Self in all he does.

CONGRATULATIONS TERRY! A well-deserved award!!

Lorrayne Gervase Becomes Member of Akron Rotary

President-Elect Steve Buie proudly inducted Lorrayne Gervase as a new Rotary member on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. She was sponsored by Tom Knauer.

Lorrayne works for SAFY of Canton/Akron as their Foster Parent Recruiter. She has lived in Ohio for most of her life and completed her graduate at Webster University and has professional experience in social work, case management, juvenile probation and inside sales.

Lorrayne is a member of the Stark County Safe Kids Coalition, Summit County Trauma Informed Coalition and Summit County Food Coalition.

She is married to Nick and they reside in New Franklin. She has 2 biological daughters (13 and 15) and 2 step daughters (19 and 15) and enjoys watching them participate in sports, spending time in the sun with family and reading.

We would like to give a warm welcome to our new member Lorrayne!

Click to view the Club Meeting which includes the induction of Lorrayne.

The Well CDC’s Akron Hope Program Awarded $7,000 Grant

Posted by Sandy Naragon on Oct 23, 2020

Every year, the Rotary Club of Akron (RCOA) is eligible to apply for Rotary District Matching Grants up to $7,000 ($3,500 from District; $3,500 from RCOA). Projects must fall in the following areas of service: Peace & Conflict (Prevention/Solution); Disease Prevention & Treatment; Water & Sanitation; Maternal & Child Health & Welfare; Basic Education & Literacy; Economic or Community Development and new in 2020—Supporting the Environment.

The recipient of the 2020-2021 Matching District Grant is The Well CDC! The RCOA Board of Directors selected The Well’s Akron Hope program after reviewing seven proposals from worthwhile area non-profits. The Akron Hope program serves Mason Community Learning Center, the local elementary school in the Middlebury neighborhood on the eastside of Akron.

The goals of Akron Hope are to connect families to stable housing, living wage jobs, and other community resources; provide resources for students to succeed academically, emotionally, and socially; and increase the civic engagement of parents within the school and the community. The program hopes to serve 600+ students (including 300+ at a second elementary school) and 100+ families.

One of the requirements for receiving the matching grant is including meaningful Rotarian involvement. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Akron Hope program has adjusted its Community Connection programming. They still plan to involve Rotary with safe volunteer opportunities to connect with students and parents—either virtually or via socially distanced outside events. Please watch for news on how to participate in coming months!

To learn more about Akron Hope, visit their website: https://thewellakron.com/akronhope/ .

Help Send Kids to Camp

Posted by Mella Castner

Fellow Rotarians, it's that time again! Help Akron Rotary Camp earn $ to send kids to Camp! Save your ACME receipts from August 6 to December 26 to earn some Community Cash Back on ACME Fresh Market Store Brands. Receipts can be mailed or dropped off to Akron Rotary Camp, 4460 Rex Lake Drive, Akron, Ohio 44319. As always, thank you for your support!

Regards,

Mella

Turn on AmazonSmile

Posted by Mella Castner on Jul 23, 2020

Do you shop on Amazon? If yes, AmazonSmile is an easy way to support Rotary Camp with every purchase. Just takes a few minutes to set up.

At no cost to you, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases

If you are not already an AmazonSmile member, sign up on your web browser. Simply select Rotary Camp for Children With Special Needs Inc to start generating donations.

AmazonSmile customers can now support Rotary Camp for Children With Special Needs Inc in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones. Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.