Julie started her career working in the printing industry for Accurate Color. Julie went on to marry longtime friend Kevin and became a wife and mother of two. Wanting to raise her children as a stay-at-home mother, Julie took on odd jobs. Once her children attended school, Julie took a job with Barberton City Schools. Downsizing forced Julie on a new career path. Julie went on to become a food service manager at Brookdale Senior Living.
Tragedy struck the Carneal household with the loss of their son, making Julie reevaluate life. She decided she wanted to dedicate her life to serving others. Julie and Kevin raised their children to have a heart of servanthood, serving at the Akron Bible Church, Hope Café, and OPEN M. The family favored OPEN M, and Julie spent ten years as a volunteer, church representative, and summer camp coordinator.
Julie transitioned into an OPEN M employee, becoming the Food Service and Facilities Manager. She saw the daily struggle of hunger and was determined to grow the three food service programs. Julie spent seven years expanding services to the ten programs and initiatives they have today. Julie’s eleven years of service at OPEN M have moved her through the ranks, becoming COO and, most recently, CEO. Julie’s leadership and vision have OPEN M becoming a household name, while building programs that lift and promote faith, hope and healing.
7 years... 7 years ago then club president Julie Brandle inducted Nathanael Billow into the Rotary Club of Akron. Fast forward to March 16th in Columbus where at All Ohio PETS Training, Julie, now our Rotary District 6630 governor, had the honor of pinning Thane as President-Elect for our Club 2024-25. Good luck Thane on your year ahead leading our club.
Thane shared the following on Facebook:
This is a really big deal for me and is a huge honor. The Rotary Club of Akron, OH is really important to my family and I, and I’ve met a lot of really special people, some of whom are my closest friends and biggest role models. My great-great Uncle George Billow helped found Akron Rotary in 1914 and he served as Club President from 1916-1917. My great-great grandpa Charles F. Billow was also one of the Club’s first members. Four generations of my family have been Rotarians, and together, we’ve helped maintain 110 years of active membership in Akron Rotary.
I have a lot of great memories of Rotary growing up, and I feel like it was just yesterday that my grandpa told me that I should be a funeral director and a Rotarian, because “Billow’s were really good at being both.” I remember going to my first Chili Open with my dad when I was probably 4 or 5 years old. I remember when John Daily invited me to Rotary as his guest in 2017 and how he offered to sponsor me into the club. I can remember how nervous I was to get sworn in by Julie Brandle, and how my mom and dad Charles Martial Billow came to support me. I remember when I met my Rotary Mentor Dr. Robert McGregor and how impressed I was with him. He introduced me to David Miller, Connor Jarvis and Brian Kosarko, and I remember how we all would get in trouble at meetings for routinely sitting together! I remember getting lunch with Rotary Jack Harig at Rockne’s so that he could pass on stories of our Club’s history. I remember sitting with Tom Knauer at one of our meetings and thinking to myself “man, that guy is pretty sharp and we have a lot in common. I should probably be friends with him.”
And now, all these years later, I have the privilege of following my now good friend Tom Knauer by serving as the President of Akron Rotary. It was extra special that District Governor Julie Brandie was there to pin me at All Ohio PETS this evening.
I hope I make my family, my future wife Gabby Zuschak, my Rotary friends, and our Akron Club proud. I know my grandpa Chuck Billow and John Daily will be rooting for me from Heaven (and yes, they both still have perfect attendance).
As the Rotary Club of Akron continues to grow our community partnerships, we must be mindful of our capacity to serve. Rotary’s worldwide motto is Service Above Self and Akron Rotary is no different.
In member surveys, “Service to others” is consistently identified as a key reason for joining Akron Rotary. Recently, I discovered how fun it is to have my husband Jeff join me. I took the lead of Service Projects Chair Cyndi Kane—who often drags…I mean invites husband Michael to join her!
What fun we had stuffing 130 bags of food for students at Innes School! I encourage you to look at your schedule and sign up for a Wednesday or two and invite your spouse, significant other or child to join you. What a great opportunity to introduce the power of volunteerism and helping others—especially another young person—to your child.
I'm so proud of us! Akron Rotarians have been packing food for Open M's Kids Backpack Program to benefit Innes students since the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. Let's end the school year strong! The need has grown from 100 to 130 kids, but we've met that challenge.
We pack from 3-4 pm on Wednesdays. Delivery to the school happens Thursdays at 9 am—I did it this morning and it only took me 25 minutes from arrival at Open M to pulling out of Innes to head home. Use the link below to volunteer.
After attending the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank Harvest for Hunger kickoff luncheon, Rotarian Katy Miller brought to Club President Tom the idea of collecting Happy Dollars for the month of April for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
They are able to take $1 and turn that into 3 meals! That's right....One dollar = 3 meals. They can accomplish this with their bulk purchasing and agreements with their suppliers.
2023 proved to be the highest demand of all time, more than 3 million visits were made to the hunger relief network the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank is a part of.
Families should not have to choose between nourishing food and rent. Every little bit helps and Akron Rotarians are here to do what we can.
So let's make March HAPPY! You can also pay Venmo or PayPal payment to Katy Miller if you don't carry cash: @RadiantStylebyKaty
Every Tuesday this month, Happy Dollars collected will go to the Food Bank for their campaign!
President Tom also announced that the club will match total happy dollars collected this month!
Hello District 6630 Rotarian Leaders! As you hopefully are aware, our Rotary District 6630 Four-Way Test Speech Competition is scheduled for 10 am on Saturday, April 6th. For the second year in a row the competition will be held at Springfield Senior High School, 1880 Canton Road, Akron, Ohio 44312!
Although the Akron Club will not have anyone competing this year, we are looking for a few more judges and timers for the event, so please email Rich Cole at rcole@iamsuper.org if you are willing and able to serve as a judge or timer for this year's speech competition; either Head Judge Ron Whitmer or I will be in contact with you in the near future with related judge/timer details! Many thanks for all you do, Rotarians...looking forward to a great District 6630 Four-Way Test Speech Competition!
Rich Cole, Chairman
Rotary District 6630 Four-Way Test Speech Competition
Join us for the Breakfast with the Bunny and Easter Egg Hunt at Queen of Heaven, hosted by the City of Green and Ohio's Parent Mentor Project. Tickets are required for the breakfast. The Easter Egg Hunt is free to attend. Thank you to Girl Scout Troop #90109 for stuffing the eggs!
WHERE: Queen of Heaven, 1800 Steese Rd WHEN: Saturday, March 23, 2024 TIME: See Schedule of Events Below COST: Breakfast tickets are pre-sale only -- Individual Ticket $6; Seniors and Youth (Ages 4-17) $4; Children 3 & under - Free
Inclusion Egg Hunt - 9:30 am (Free) Inclusion Breakfast - 10:00 am (Tickets Required) General Public Breakfast - 10:30 am (Tickets Required) General Public Egg Hunt - 12:00 pm (Free)
Everyone will gather at the Patriot Playground behind the John Torok Community Center at the start of the event for instructions; the hunt will then be in the surrounding area. The rules of the Easter Egg Hunt are as follows: There are two age groups - 5 years and under and 6 to 10 years old (parents can assist the 5 and under group); NO running; and, a limit of six eggs per child (verify your six eggs for a prize). Rain or shine (unless it is storming), no rain date. Please bring your own Easter basket.
Parker and the Easter Bunny will be on hand for pictures!
Resilient Minds: Artistry After Injury benefiting The Brain Injury Association of Ohio.
"Resilient Minds: Artistry After Injury" is a full day event designed to celebrate the abilities and talent of brain injury survivors through various forms of art including multi-media and movement. The Resilient Minds event will include a multi-media art gallery featuring art by survivors and artists, interactive artistry workshops (canvas painting projects, dance lessons, mindfulness/yoga) led by a local artist, and an evening event featuring various dance, music and other artistic performances.
Survivor Art Gallery
Refreshments
Performing Arts
Art Workshops for Brain Injury Survivors and Caregivers
Akron Youth Mentorship's K-3rd Grade Reading Program has a new location! Monday, February 26 we will be reading at The Vincent House located on East Exchange Street.
The State of Ohio has a 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee that ensures that students in grades K-3rd grade are provided with resources to get them to the appropriate reading level by the time they enter 4th grade and aren't falling behind. Akron Youth Mentorship's K-3rd Grade Reading Program puts a tutor in front of them to read books for one hour a week. This extra reading time gives our K-3rd grade mentees a little extra help making sure they are on track to meet state standards and be set up for success as they move into 4th grade.
One hour a week helps kids catch up! As a club, we have committed to support two kids per week on Monday evenings from 4:45 pm - 6:00 pm, October 2023 thru May 2024.
Thank you to all those who have already volunteered to support this initiative, I hope you have enjoyed this experience as much as I have!. If you have any questions, please reach out to me via e-mail or phone (440.813.6230).
If you missed registering for our February 28th service night, we are seeking volunteers to help at the foodbank through October.
We go every other month on the 4th Wednesday - see dates below.
Please mark your calendars to join us for these service project dates and please be sure to pre-register with me I we know you are coming.
I need a head count the Friday before for each date as shown, so if you would please let me know by then if you plan on attending by sending me an email or text: dhall@preferredlegacy.com or 330-714-1044. I would greatly appreciate it!
The service project involves breaking down large containers of food into smaller portions for redistribution to area food pantries. The two hours flies by as we all have fun with the project and we get the opportunity to work with our fellow Rotarians and strengthen our friendships and maybe meet a few new people from other organizations/companies that are there volunteering as well.
IF YOU HAVE NOT VOLUNTEERED BEFORE AT THE FOOD BANK THEN I NEED YOU TO REGISTER. See volunteer application link below.
If you have any questions please call or text me at 330-714-1044.
I need a head count by noon Friday February 23rd, so if you would please let me know by then if you plan on attending by sending me an email or text: dhall@preferredlegacy.com or 330-714-1044. I would greatly appreciate it!
The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s Main Campus is located at 350 Opportunity Parkway, Akron, OH 44307, at the corner of Dart Avenue and Opportunity Parkway off of OH-59 near Downtown Akron. Get Directions.
When you arrive, please park in the front of the building or in the Dart Avenue parking lot. Use the front glass doors to enter the building.
If the parking lot is full, please park in the grass lot or proceed to the Shipping and Receiving parking lot on the other side of the building.
If entering through Shipping and Receiving, enter through the RED visitor door and proceed to the front desk.
We also recommend carpooling when possible.
What to wear:
Face Masks are optional.
Safety is our priority! Please note that open-toed shoes are not permitted in the warehouse.Jewelry is not permitted in the clean- room and we recommend wearing limited jewelry when volunteering.
Comfortable shoes are recommended as you may be on your feet the entire time.
It is best to dress in layers. The weather outside may affect the temperature inside the warehouse.
Akron Family Restaurant on April 19, 2024, 7:30-9am
Please join us for fellowship with those Rotarians we may not be able to see at our Tuesday meetings. In January, we had more than 20 people in attendance and we really had a nice time!
President Knauer will provide an update on club happenings and Cyndi will update you and get input from you regarding our upcoming service projects. We hope that you are able to join us.
Hey there! Have you heard about the upcoming District 6630 Governor's Conference hosted by this year's Governor and Akron Rotarian, Julie Brandle? It's an annual gathering for all members and guests, and it's happening on April 26 & 27. Save the dates!
Why should you attend? Well, for starters, it's a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow Rotarians. With our District boasting more than 2,000 members and 50 clubs, you're bound to make some new connections and renew old friendships.
Plus, there are breakout sessions to help your club thrive and make a bigger impact in your community.
And let's not forget the chance to celebrate our Rotary Youth - from exchange programs to speech winners!
Registrations will open soon, but you can secure your hotel room now. Don't miss out on the fun and learning - mark your calendars and join us!
As the Rotary Club of Akron continues to grow our community partnerships, we must be mindful of our capacity to serve. Rotary’s worldwide motto is Service Above Self and Akron Rotary is no different. 
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