Published 23 September 2021 Walsh University Community Publication:
Like many college students, Joe Knopp goes to school fulltime, works 40-hours per week at his job, and he is involved in campus activities. What sets this Walsh University senior apart from his peers is that at the tender age of 20, he has already started three businesses and the third one is making a huge impact. Using proceeds from his earnings, he has begun building water wells in Africa - all from his dorm room in North Canton, Ohio.
Less than a year after learning how he could help alleviate the world water crisis and devising a plan to earn the funds needed to build his first water well, Knopp is traveling to Africa. He will visit the Village of Katiiti in Uganda from October 1 through October 10 to see the impact of the water well firsthand and to visit five other sites set to receive a well. The first well, which is expected to be completed by September 24, will provide clean water to more than 600 individuals and direct lines to two elementary schools.
Last November, when Knopp took on the challenge to build water wells in Africa, he learned that each well would cost approximately $8-10 thousand. He leveraged his entrepreneurial skills to raise the money. Inspired by Toms Shoes Founder Blake Mycoskie, he and his roommate Chip Gottschalk launched “Ripple,” a brand dedicated to serving others by marketing high quality product lines to solve real world problems. He started by selling reusable water bottles in order to give every human access to clean drinking water.
“We call ourselves Ripple because our efforts here will have a ripple effect to impact thousands of lives on the other side of the world,” said Knopp.
Knopp invested his life’s savings, $14 thousand, to purchase two thousand water bottles – the number of bottles needed to build one well. They arrived in March and occupied every inch of free space in their dorm room. Together, Knopp and Gottschalk sold half of the bottles so far. Knopp said he needed more capital, so he entered Stark Tank, a business pitch competition modeled after the television show “Shark Tank,” and won $10 thousand. He has also applied for a 501(c)(3) with the intention of building additional water wells. With a tax-exempt status, he’ll be able to apply for grant funding to make clean water a reality in Uganda and other nations.
“Ripple has already been one of the greatest experiences of my life,” said Knopp. “I wake up ready to take on the day and help give the gift of water to all.”
Knopp made all the contacts himself and met with village leaders via Zoom, but he admits he couldn’t have made it happen without his roommate and his Walsh connections in Uganda.
“Our success in Uganda can be greatly attributed to the work of Brother of Christian Instruction and Walsh Alum ’19, Michael Bulumba, who runs a nonprofit in Uganda focused on community development with an emphasis on youth,” said Knopp.
Please check your email for your annual dues statement.
They were emailed electronically April 15th.
If you do not have it please reach out to Cheryl Warren at 330-495-9814 and she will resend it to you. We sincerely appreciate your help to ensure your dues are paid before June!
At the District Conference of Clubs in April, 2022, District 6630 Governor Larry Lohman presented the Richard C. "Dick" Pitcher Award to Akron Rotarian PDG John Reyes.
This prestigious award recognizes one individual annually in District 6630 who goes above and beyond to support our Youth Services Programs through their time, talents and service.
During his tenure as District Governor, Reyes, an attorney with Buckingham Doolittle & Burroughs, recognized a need in the District for a district-wide Youth Protection Program.
This was no small undertaking. Reyes has dedicated hundreds of hours of his personal time researching, developing and implementing the Youth Protection Policies and Procedures (YPP) plan for the District and its clubs.
He organized a strong committee of Rotarians to help ensure every aspect of the program is designed tomake every reasonable effort to ensure that no Rotarian or other participant is subjected to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse in the context of Rotary activities.
Strong support and effective management of youth programs throughout the District are essential to ensuring that all youth protection policies, including RI policies, and local laws and regulations, are followed. All district, club level volunteers and program officers have received training to ensure they understand Rotary and District 6630 policies and procedures.
Congratulations PDG Reyes - and thank you for your amazing dedication.
Photo L-R:
Chelsea Talty, RC of Chesterland, District Interact Chair
John Reyes, Past District 6630 Governor, RC of Akron
At the Club meeting on April 26, 2022, President Steve Buie helped us all get to know Ginny Wojno Forney.
Ginny has a long history in Summit County and in Rotary. This interview helps share her tremendous story. There are few limits to Virginia Wojno-Forney’s activism or imagination. For decades Virginia has been a force behind some key institutions in the city, including Summit County Historical Society, Progress Through Preservation, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Akron Art Museum. But it is at the Cascade Locks Park that Virginia’s imagination is most apparent. Back in the 1980s, she saw the potential of a canal-era provisions store, the ruins of a series of step locks and the overgrown trashy urban jungle and saw a park where Akron could rediscover its canal history. Today, Cascade Locks Park, “a heritage park for Akron’s future,” is a testament to Virginia’s vision of what could be.
If you cannot view the video embedded below, click here to view it or copy and paste this link into your browser https://youtu.be/bjNcYCZwC2I
Please mark your calendars for Friday, May 27th, for a much needed night out with fellow Rotarians! At 6:00pm all are welcomed to attend our next Rotary Social at Silver Lake Country Club for their semi-annual Scotch, Bourbon and Cigar Night.
As a member, I have attended this event multiple times and I knew it was something to share considering Doug Green from the Cigar Lounge is the one providing the cigars this time.
With plenty of room on their lower outdoor patio, tables will be reserved for us to enjoy each others' company along with some great whiskies and cigars!
The cost to attend is still being worked on with the club, however, I hope to communicate this next week. In the meantime, know that those who choose to smoke cigars that night will have a different cost than those that do not, but each participant will have access to the buffet and 3 drink tickets.
For now, Save The Date! I will communicate the final pricing and logistics once I have secured this so we can begin taking reservations.
Like many college students, Joe Knopp goes to school fulltime, works 40-hours per week at his job, and he is involved in campus activities. What sets this Walsh University senior apart from his peers is that at the tender age of 20, he has already started three businesses and the third one is making a huge impact. Using proceeds from his earnings, he has begun building water wells in Africa - all from his dorm room in North Canton, Ohio.
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