Featured Speaker:
TOMMY BRUNO
General Manager and Executive Director
WAPS-FM "The Summit"
Mr. Tommy Bruno is the General Manager and Executive Director of WAPS-FM “The Summit,” an award-winning, public radio music station broadcasting in Akron - Canton at 91.3FM, throughout Youngstown – Warren, Ohio and western Pennsylvania at 90.7FM, and worldwide via mobile and thesummit.fm.
Bruno is responsible for fundraising, business development, and the strategic growth plans of the radio station, and its brands. He also works closely with Friends of The Summit, an independent support and management organization dedicated to growing the mission. Prior to being named general manager in 2000, Mr. Bruno served
as a producer for WJW-TV, a FOX network television station in Cleveland, Ohio.
Through a variety of regional and national partnerships, Mr. Bruno been selected for numerous recognitions and awards. These include: ADM Board “Dr. Bob Smith” awarded for Rock and RecoveryTM, MAR COMM Platinum Winner Rock and Recovery website; 2W3 award Rock and Recovery, recipient of Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation Impact Award for innovation; Pinnacle Awards of Summit County presented by United Way of Summit County, and Inside Business; Ohio Recovery Advocacy Award in recognition of exemplary contributions in supporting long-term recovery for all Ohioans. In addition, he has won awards in journalism from The Press Club of Cleveland and is a graduate of Leadership Akron Class XXVI.
Together with a talented team at The Summit, Bruno co-created and operates three award-winning online, streaming radio stations: “KIDJAM!TM” Radio kidjamradio.com featuring positive music and programming for young listeners and “Rock and RecoveryTM,” rockandrecovery.com, mixes music with stories that will inspire listeners, and messages to give strength and hope, and The 330 – the past, present, and future of Northeast Ohio music.
Bruno has served on numerous nonprofit boards and advisory groups throughout the region Akron Community Foundation, Northern Ohio Golf Charities, SEI Summit Education Initiative, Akron Public Schools, John Carroll University and Walsh Jesuit High School.
On Sunday, August 22nd, we have a golden opportunity for some rest and refreshment. Laura Smiley and her radio station, The Summit.FM gifted our club membership 20 free tickets to Blossom Music Center - "Romantic Brahms". This is a lovely opportunity to get outside, relax, and enjoy some fellowship with other club members. We still have 16 tickets available for anyone interested in a fun-filled evening. The performance begins at 7:00 p.m. but we can gather ahead of time on the lawn for food and drinks.
Secondly, we will be having a club service project on Saturday, August 28th 9:00-11:00. We will be working with Tina Boyes and the Kenmore Community Development Corporation along with "Keep Akron Beautiful" to help pick up trash along Kenmore Boulevard and into some of the adjoining neighborhoods. We will be joined by members from 100 Black Men, as well as some of the local residents. This is a fabulous opportunity to serve OUTDOORS and help beautify the city. Let's see if we can have a strong turnout of Rotarians to do what we do best..."Service above Self".
Yours in Rotary Service,
Steve Buie 2021-2022 Rotary Club of Akron President Tel: 330-701-2970 Email: sbuie@learningrx.net
Our Club was pleased to welcome Olivia (Liv) Pilon on August 10, 2021.
Due to a job relocation, she transferred to the Akron Club from the Kent Club where she had been actively serving since October 1, 2019.
She ran the Four-Way Test Speech contest for the Kent Club and volunteered on all their service projects.
Liv is the District Executive at Summit County Boy Scouts of America (BSA). She has been with BSA since July, 2019 and was previously based in Portage County.
In addition, she volunteers with Hudson Alzheimer's Association and the Young Professional Group - Benjamin Rose for young Alzheimer's volunteers.
Liv is also a member of Kent Jaycees.
She graduated from KSU in 2019. with her Bachelors in Sociology.
Liv has a tremendous dedication to community service and we look forward to serving beside her to make a difference in the lives of others.
The following quote from Margaret Mead is shared on Liv's LinkedIn profile:
All social change comes from the passion of individuals.
Join us for Rotary Camp’s 12th Annual Cornhole Tournament, presented by Buckeye Corrugated, Inc. The tourney will be held on August 28, 2021 at 9:30am on the grounds of Akron Rotary Camp, in the beautiful Portage Lakes!
Sign up your team today for either the Skilled Ringers Division ($110) or the Recreational Division ($60). Winners walk away with cash prizes! Also participate in an Air-Mail toss or Long-Toss for some bragging rights and awesome giveaways! Bring your friends, neighbors and family for a fun day! All registered players will receive a food voucher to the Menches Bros. Food Truck, and an ice-cream station. Beverages from our friends at the House of LaRose will be available for purchase to help keep you cool.
There are multiple ways to support this great event to benefit Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs by registering to play, participate with a sponsorship or recruit teams. Your participation will continue to strengthen the Camp's mission of Creating a world where there are only abilities!
Any questions? Please call Rotary Camp at (330) 644-4512. Thank you in advance for helping us to make this a successful tournament to support Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs!
We are looking forward to seeing you at the event!
Scott Kolligian Co-founder and Chair Annual Cornhole Tournament
The Rotary Club of Akron had the pleasure of listening to Ms. Chapman at our Tuesday, August 17th Club meeting. Ms. Chapman shared with the Club information about the Diversity efforts being implemented throughout the Akron Public School District.
Chapman began her career with Akron Public Schools in 1995. Recently appointed as the district’s Chief Diversity Officer, she works to promote equity and inclusion across the district, staff, and community engagement. Her recent work includes a focus on diversity training and coaching for teachers, school leaders, families, and other professionals.
The Akron Board of Education is committed to preparing each child for success. They believe that every student, parent/guardian and staff member bring their own personal backgrounds and experiences into their schools; and the schools are richer for it. Each of them has a legitimate expectation to have a barrier-free learning environment counteracting the contemporary and historical impact of bias, prejudice and discrimination which for generations has produced a predictability of learning outcomes based on race, ethnicity, class, socioeconomics, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, diverse language fluency, religion, and cognitive/physical ability.
The Board believes that the responsibility for student success is broadly shared by district staff, families, community and students' own efforts. The APS Board members believe It is the obligation of the district to embrace the diversity within the school district while actively eliminating practices that perpetuate the disparities among students so that all students have the opportunity to benefit equally.
With this Board member backdrop, the district created the Chief Diversity Officer position that Ms. Chapman occupies. Ms. Chapman mentioned that diversity is more than just “race” relations. Diversity has many dimensions. I refer readers to the slides below that were included in this article and shows the various dimensions of diversity. All areas included in the diversity chart intersect in some way.
To ensure a successful learning environment, the APS District is committed to ensuring an equitable opportunity for all students. To ensure “equity” within the APS environment, the following areas are being addressed in various ways:
Business Engagement
Fiscal Equity
Student-Centered Learning
Culturally Responsive Teaching
Family and Community Engagement
School Climate
Diverse Staff of Excellent Educators
Equitable Student Access
Teacher Quality
The APS District believes in student-centered learning and a barrier-free environment. To accomplish this, the district believes in:
Student Voices being listened to
Access based on individual needs
Access to learning that meets individual student needs (including learning disabilities, illness/physical limitations, cultural and language difficulties
Providing the necessary guidance and supports – across all the many unique and different ways people come to the education table.
Ms. Chapman noted that the pandemic has been challenging but there is some good that has come out of the challenges the district encountered. Without a doubt, Ms. Chapman believes virtual learning will remain as an option for those families who wish to participate in virtual learning long after we return to “normal” face-to-face learning.
To learn more about the APS diversity initiatives, I encourage you to listen to Ms. Chapman’s presentation. Click here to view our meeting or cut and paste the link into your browser https://youtu.be/-VZ6hBPvbGg
Haiti has been struck by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. The poorest country the western hemisphere is in real trouble. COVID infections and deaths are increasing, the government is struggling after the assassination of the president and gangs have increased civil unrest. Now an earthquake and unstable weather makes life unbearable. The fear is palpable.
Gift of Life Northeast Ohio has supported improved health care for children now for almost 10 years. Working with local Haitian Rotarians we have made great stride improving care at St. Damien Pediatric Hospital. Now is not the time to give up.
We are working with Akron Children’s Hospital to urgently prepare a 40 foot container with much needed medical supply to enable the hospital to care for children. We are asking for your help as this will take money to equip and send the supplies.
Donations for St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Haiti should be made through Akron Children’s Office of Pediatric Global Health. This is lead by Dr. John Pope who many of you may have seen on channel 8 TV news this week with pictures of our last heart surgery mission into Haiti.
Stan Hywet’s Annual big event being co-hosted by our own – Pat O’Neill and his lovely wife, Sarah. Dinner, dancing, and prohibition spirits- contact Stan Hywet for tickets.
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Saturday Aug. 21, 2021
Highland Square’s Porch Rockr – 160 bands from all over, performing on porches throughout Highland Square. The event is free, and it is an all-day event.
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Sunday, August 22
“Romantic Brahms” at Blossom Music Center, 7pm-10pm.
We have 14 Free tickets remainingfor interested folks.
If interested: Contact Steve Buie or Cheryl Warren
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Saturday, August 28, 2021 –Two CLUB events!
9am-11am
Kenmore Cleanup Day – Club Service Project: pick up trash, cans, bottles – Keeping Akron Beautiful working with Kenmore Community Development Corporation and Tina Boyes.
Meeting location: 952 Kenmore Boulevard and co-laboring with members from Akron’s 100 Black Men as well as members from Goss Memorial Church in Kenmore. Keep Akron Beautiful will be having one of their trucks there.
8:30am–2pm
The Annual Cornhole Tournament benefiting The Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs.