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Our Next Meeting
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Featured Speaker:
DRU JOYCE
St. Vincent/St. Mary
Head Basketball Coach & Facilities Manager
Coach Dru Joyce was born in East Liverpool, Ohio and graduated from East Liverpool High School in 1973. He received his degree from Ohio University in 1978. Upon graduation, Coach Dru began a career as a Sales Representative for Hunt-Wesson Foods. After 25 years of dedicated service and varying degrees of responsibility he left corporate America to follow his dream of coaching. He was named Head Boys Basketball Coach in 2001 and has coached the Fighting Irish to five State Championships. Coach Dru has written a book entitled "Beyond Championships: A Playbook For Winning At Life," which documents the life principles he has used to help boys grow into men. Coach is married with four adult children and seven grandchildren. He has two children who are alumni: Dru VM03 and Cameron VM07.
"Coaching to me is a sacred responsibility. I get pour my life into the lives of the boys at a very impactful age. I am very thankful for all the support I've been given from my players families and the STVM family".
Coaching Biography
Head Coach Dru Joyce enters his 19th year at STVM as the Head Coach for the STVM Boys Varsity Basketball team. Coach Joyce brings 21 years of coaching experience to the Fighting Irish Boys Basketball program. Coach Dru has led the Fighting Irish to ten State Championship appearances in 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 (DI) taking home five OHSAA State Championship Titles in 2003, 2009, 2011, 2017, and 2018 and one National Title in 2003. His career record at STVM is 349-105. Our boys program holds the OHSAA record for most Boys Basketball State Championships; 8 in 1984, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2017 and 2018. Coach Joyce comments, “This year’s team should be fun to watch. We have a very talented group of guys who love playing together.”
Education
College/University Attended: Ohio University Degree: B.A., Business Economics
Mr. Kutuchief was the featured speaker at our Tuesday, September 21, 2021 Rotary Club meeting. Mr. Kutuchief was named program director in Akron for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in May 2015. The foundation invests in journalism, the arts, and the success of cities where its founders once published newspapers.
In Akron, the birthplace of Knight Newspapers and the foundation, Knight focuses on downtown and inner ring neighborhoods through investments in public space and public life to increase population and advance equity. Akron is also part of Reimagining the Civic Commons, a Knight-supported national initiative that seeks to counteract economic and social fragmentation by revitalizing and connecting public spaces.
In Akron, the Knight Foundation focuses on the power of high-quality public space and public life to attract and retain people. The program(s) that include this focus is referred to as “Reimagining the Civic Commons.”
Reimagining the Civic Commons (RCC)
This initiative intends to be the first comprehensive demonstration of how a connected set of civic assets – a civic commons – can yield increased and more equitably shared prosperity for cities and neighborhoods.
Reimagining Civic Commons involves four strategic areas. These areas include Civic engagement, Economic integration, Environmental sustainability, and Value creation.
Civic Engagement: When people enjoy equal status in shared spaces, a sense of community and respectful engagement is built, and our understanding of others increases. More people from diverse backgrounds participate in the shaping of their city’s future.
Economic Integration: Overtime, urban neighborhoods have become increasingly segregated by income, with poverty that is persistent and growing. By expanding the use of our shared civic assets by people from all backgrounds and incomes, we can improve economic opportunity from one generation to the next.
Environmental Sustainability: A reimagined civic commons connects public spaces to increase access to nature and foster neighborhoods where most trips can be made by walking, biking, or transit. Investments are anticipated to create larger tree canopies, improve storm water management and increase energy efficiency.
Value Creation: Open, active and connected spaces can attract investment, helping to grow local businesses and change the perception of safety in a neighborhood. As surrounding neighborhoods increase in value, opportunities to capture some of that value can generate public benefits and support the operation of civic assets.
Mr. Kutuchief listed three specific Akron RCC Civic Assets. These assets are 1) Civic Gateway, 2) Park East and 3) Summit Lake Park.
Civic Gateway: Located on the northern end of downtown, the Civic Gateway is comprised of a variety of recreational and social amenities including the Akron Civic Theatre, Lock 4 Park, Cascade Plaza, and the Akron-Summit County Public Library, as well as the workplace of thousands of employees.
Park East: Located between the Civic Gateway and the Summit Lake Park, this neighborhood is home to a variety of people, including homeowners, renters, and senior living.
Summit Lake Park: Once the “million-dollar playground,” Summit Lake is now largely an area marked by disinvestment, remembered only as a dumping ground for factories and for long-held negative perceptions of safety.
Mr. Kutuchief provided numerous PowerPoint slides of examples of what has been completed, efforts that are currently under way, and future plans that address these three areas.
I encourage anyone who is reading this article and didn’t have the opportunity to hear Mr. Kutuchief’s presentation to listen to the recording - CLICK HERE TO VIEW RECORDINGor cut and paste this link https://youtu.be/dAakSp4PyeQ.
Not only will you get a more comprehensive picture of what has or will be occurring with the assistance of the Knight Foundation, but also the passion that Mr. Kutuchief has about the city of Akron and the Reimagining the Civic Commons initiative in Akron.
You may also wish to check out the Knight Foundation’s website at www.Knightfoundation.org to learn more about the other initiatives that the Knight Foundation is invested in as well the history of the Knight Foundation as it relates to its place in the history of Akron.
Please mark your calendars for Thursday, September 30th, for a much needed night out with fellow Rotarians! At 6:00pm all are welcomed to attend our next Rotary social event at The Cigar Lodge where you will find some of the best selections of cigars, bourbon, & whiskey in the Akron area.
With plenty of room on their outdoor patio, or indoors if the weather were to take a turn, the night will be about fellowship. There is no cost to attend, other than the cigars and libations you may choose to purchase, and guests are welcomed!
The Cigar Lodge is located 2989 S. Main St in Akron and their website is www.thecigarlodge.com if you would like more information about the venue.
> > October 16th 5pm-7pm:Reception, given by Virginia Wojno
The drawings comprise imaginative places inspired both by historical reproductions (exploratory sketches, Chinese brush paintings, historical maps) and by Dr. Kiefer’s processes of making, which include soaking watercolor papers in coffee-based solutions, then drawing and/or collaging over them. The colored-pencil-overlaid photographs were taken both by Dr. Kiefer and her late husband, Bruce Kiefer, architect and master art photographer.
It’s that time of year, Messiah Lutheran Church is holding their annual Spaghetti Dinner in memory of Dick Farkas benefiting Akron Rotary Camp. The event is Saturday, October 9th from 6pm – 8pm at Messiah Lutheran, 4700 South Main Street, Akron. Please join us for a delicious Italian cuisine and help send kids to Camp. Dinner tickets are $10 per person, includes salad, spaghetti with or without meatballs, homemade bread, beverages and dessert. You can also purchase dinners to go. This year’s event will also feature a Dessert Auction.
Purchase your purchase tickets by calling Messiah Lutheran Church at 330-644-5766 or email at office@messiahluthern.cc. We hope to see you there!
The relationship between Rotary International and the Peace Corps, made official with a 2014 partnership agreement, has its foundation in the organizations’ shared values.
Coach Dru Joyce was born in East Liverpool, Ohio and graduated from East Liverpool High School in 1973. He received his degree from Ohio University in 1978. Upon graduation, Coach Dru began a career as a Sales Representative for Hunt-Wesson Foods. After 25 years of dedicated service and varying degrees of responsibility he left corporate America to follow his dream of coaching. He was named Head Boys Basketball Coach in 2001 and has coached the Fighting Irish to five State Championships. Coach Dru has written a book entitled "Beyond Championships: A Playbook For Winning At Life," which documents the life principles he has used to help boys grow into men. Coach is married with four adult children and seven grandchildren. He has two children who are alumni: Dru VM03 and Cameron VM07.
once published newspapers.
