Rotary Club of Akron - Inbound Youth Exchange Student
We are delighted to welcome on November 4, 2025, our inbound Rotary exchange student as our presenter on Luciana "Lu" Ortiz Ancí, from Arequipa, Peru. We look forward to hearing about her activities and experiences during her first few months with us!
Luciana Mercedes Ortiz Ancí was born on November 1, 2008, in Arequipa, Peru — a city known for its rich culture, vibrant colors, and artistic spirit. From an early age, she showed a deep love for the arts, often spending her time painting, taking pictures, and exploring creative expression through music and movement.
Growing up surrounded by the beauty of Arequipa’s landscapes and traditions, Luciana developed a keen eye for detail and a strong emotional connection to visual storytelling. Her interests expanded to include playing the piano, dancing, singing, and experimenting with makeup, each outlet allowing her to express different facets of her personality.
At the age of 16, Luciana embarked on a new chapter as an exchange student in the United States. This experience broadened her perspective, giving her the opportunity to share her Peruvian heritage while embracing new cultures and ideas. Her time abroad has deepened her artistic voice and inspired her to continue exploring creativity in all its forms.
Luciana’s love for cats, her passion for photography, and her dedication to the arts make her a dynamic and thoughtful young creator. Whether behind a camera, at a piano, or in front of a canvas, she brings warmth, curiosity, and authenticity to everything she does.
President Katy Miller had the pleasure of inducting Dave Rich to the Rotary Club of Akron, OH.
Dave is pictured below with President Katy and his sponsor Thomas Knauer.
Dave has a B.A. in Communications and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from The University of Akron. With over 15 years of nonprofit experience at all levels, Dave has worked in domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, companion animal rescue and adoption, social determinants of health innovation, and addiction treatment service improvement.
Dave is the Director of Development for New Roots Institute. Through their leadership development programs, they offer fellowships for students motivated to dig deeper into the impacts, and solutions, of factory farming—while being trained in effective communication, advocacy, and leadership skills.
Dave has experience in volunteer management, fundraising, grant writing, quality improvement and program development project management.
He is a past Torchbearer and member of the Downtown Akron Partnership Young Leaders Board and is in the process of joining the board of West Akron Baseball League (WABL).
He is a lifelong Akronite – he and his wife, two children, three dogs, two cats and two hermit crabs reside in the Highland Square neighborhood. As a hobby, he plays guitar in various rock bands and hopes to live to see the day when the Cleveland Guardians win the World Series.
President Katy Miller and President Elect Michael Gladysz were invited to the monthly meeting of the Akron Yacht Club by Joseph Dachtler and his wife Stacie. The Akron Yacht Club generously presented the Rotary Club a check in the amount of $900 as the recipients of their charitable donation from their annual golf outing. What a wonderful group of people! Katy and Michael were able to share about our club, Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs and the work of Rotary International to End Polio Now!
World Polio Day, was on October 24th, is also sometimes referred to as “Purple Pinkie Day”. This is because during National Immunization Days kids have their pinkies marked with purple ink that lasts for 30 days, to ensure they are not vaccinated more than once.
Thanks to Dunkin's graciousness, District 6630 sold Purple iced donuts again this year! Proceeds will go to the End Polio Now campaign.
We appreciate all who purchased donuts and those who volunteered to be at each location to help distribute them.
We need more fun photos showing our Club activities!!
Since Cheryl Warren cannot participate this year, she has offered to give away a couple Starbucks gift cards (for each of our service dates) to the most CREATIVE/FUN photo showing you in action for this service project!
Just a few VERY SIMPLE but important photo rules: Please do not include children without parents being present or non-volunteers without permission and please avoid store products if possible. You MAY include Acme and The Salvation Army signage in the photos.
Deadline for photos is end of day on December 13th!
Email photos (no texts please) to Cheryl Warren at cawarren@neo.rr.com and include names of those in the photo with you.
Note: Judging will be done by a non-Akron Rotary member.
Akron Rotary is continuing its support of the supplemental food service program through Open M to help provide food for insecure students at Innes Middle School.
SIGN UP to view available slots and book yourself directly online.
Open M Backpack Food Packing at 941 Princeton Street, Akron, OH 44311
Volunteers are needed for the One Hot Meal and Food Pantry at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
We began helping the folks at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church with their One Hot Meal Program the week of Thanksgiving in 2024 and had a wonderful Rotarian turnout to help serve.
The Rotarians involved loved the project and the the Church now does this once a month, on a smaller scale.
We have scheduled volunteer opportunities to serve once a month through the end of the calendar year.
Time: 4:45 pm - 6:30 pm
Location: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 129 S. Union Street, Akron, OH 44304
Click on the respective Tuesday date below to view available time slots and book yourself to volunteer directly online.
