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Alpha Bravo Canine - Lori Weinstein

Lori Weinstein part of the Community Out Reach for Alpha Bravo Canine About Us - Alpha Bravo Canine presented to the club.

Alpha Bravo Canine’s mission is to raise, train and donate trained service dogs to U.S military veterans suffering from  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other combat related disabilities.

Alpha Bravo Canine™ Philadelphia’s first and only 501(c)3 organization that donates service dogs with US veterans suffering from debilitating medical and psychological problems as a result of their active combat duty. It is estimated that twenty percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or depression. Also, an alarming average of 22 veterans commit suicide every day here in the United States, that’s 8,030 in just one year. Alpha Bravo Canine™ was founded to help the local community of veterans. 

Alpha Bravo Canine™ believes in helping these brave warriors, who fought for our country’s freedom, by giving back to them.

 A fully trained service dog from puppy to graduated dog can cost approximately $25,000-30,000 for up to the two year time frame while under the organization’s care. Everything we do is – free of charge – A service dog will make a huge difference in their lives!

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • APPLICATION PROCESS?
  • Who is eligible to apply for a service dog?
    Veterans of the US Military who fought in overseas combat and now suffers from a disability related to their wartime service.
  • I’ve heard service dogs are costly.. How much do you charge veterans? Zero dollars and Zero cents. Thank you for your service.
  • After I apply for a dog, what is the next step?
    You will be contacted by our Veteran Coordinator to review your application and then will be referred to our Behavior Specialist who will set up an interview. Once that is completed your full application will be reviewed and if you meet the requirements an appointment will be set up to discuss our program along with wait times, expectations, and follow through.
  • What is the wait time to get a dog? It will vary from month to month depending on a few different things such as how many dogs do we have in the program and how many veterans have been approved to receive one. Puppies start training at 8 weeks old and they graduate when they are between 1 and a half and 2 years old. so typically, the wait time can be anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. You will be well informed of everything.
  • GENERAL QUESTIONS?
  • Where are you located and where do you work out of? We are located in Philadelphia, PA. When it comes to training, we understand that public anxiety is a big problem for our veterans. For certain training sessions, we will ask you to come to different training facilities so we can work one on one or in a small group.  We will also go on field trips together under the supervision of the Director of Training.
  • If you don’t charge the veterans, where does the money come from to fund the program? That’s a great question!  We hold an annual “Dining out with the Dogs” at White Dog Cafe. Throughout the year we hold smaller fundraisers and appear at different events. We sell t shirts and other logo items. We may have the help of generous donors and sponsors. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a full or partial sponsor, please let us know! We are frequently on the radio, news, and in the eye of the public so there is definitely a potential for some positive advertisement in the community in partnering with us!
  • Where do you get your dogs? We work with Lynnville Labradors located in southern New Jersey.
  • PUPPY RAISER FAMILY QUESTIONS?
    All families must commit to attending an orientation class prior to the puppy’s arrival. The puppy raiser family and pup must also participate in weekly training classes.     Please email TReupp@AlphaBravoCanine.org to set up an interview.
  • How long will the  puppy live with their puppy raiser family?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ The family will commit to fostering for up to 18 months.
  • Can the puppy raiser family take the puppy along on outings? Yes. The puppy needs to be comfortable in a variety of settings, meeting new people, and encountering different environments. The puppy will wear the Service Dog In Training vest at all times in public settings. Puppy Raising families will expose the dogs to hundreds of different environments and setting to prepare them for a life of working.
  • Can I raise a puppy if I already have a dog in my home? The Director of Training and Puppy Raising Coordinator will evaluate the other dog and home environment to ensure a match.
  • When does the puppy start training school? The puppy will begin socialization, training, and field trips right away.  Field trips are started as soon as potty training is consistent.
  • What’s involved with training my puppy? You will be given all of the education and tools needed to participate in the training of your service dog in training.  We have weekly training classes with the Director of Training.  You will take your dog everywhere with you for all types of socialization which will be discussed during orientation and during weekly classes
Social Media Presentation - Jonathan Riches and Alex Myers
The Rotary Board Club of Hatboro's Board had decided that a Social Media Committee be formed to help with club's visibility and hopefully member recruitment. Katrina had explained this to the membership at a previous meeting and Jonathan Riches and Alex Myers volunteered to create a Facebook page for our club facebook.com/hatbororotary  To assist with the Social Media committees efforts. They did this and posted many pictures from club activities over the past couple of years.
Alex and Jonathan then presented to the club on Social Media and the new Facebook site.
Jonathan explained the top social media sites and asked members which sites they where familiar with. He explained that Facebook is a a good one to start with for our club as it is used by Gen X and Baby Boomers both of which are our target audience  
Jonathan also explained that the Social Media Committee should have SMART goals around the usage of social media. SMART goals stand for Specific, Measurable, Assignable/Attainable, Realistic/Relevant and Time-related goals.  He gave examples of these goals for social media usage.
Alex and Jonathan then explained the new HatboroRotary Facebook site. They explained the steps on how to invite friends to like the site and how to share the site. They explained that postings should be made every couple of days and should include pictures. The goal would be to get engagements through like and shares. They showed the club how engagements could be tracked. 
There was further discussion on the site, including linking and sharing to other groups and securing donations through a donation button, and the need to add approx. $400 a year for Facebook ads.
In conclusion Katrina thanked Alex and Jonathan for their work and presentation and asked that members view the posting on our new site and like and share them.
Inter-Faith Housing Alliance - Sherry Shoemaker
Sherry Shoemaker a member of the Blue Bell Rotary Club and a Board member of the Inter-Faith Housing Alliance, gave a presentation on the Inter-Faith Alliance
Inter-Faith Housing Alliance provides opportunities for families in our diverse community to achieve self-sufficiency by offering community-based programs designed to bridge homelessness and independence. It is an affiliate of Family Promise

Since 1982, Inter-Faith Housing Alliance Inter-Faith Housing Alliance | Helping Families Overcome Homelessness (i-fha.org) has been serving vulnerable families in Montgomery County who are experiencing homelessness.

Founder Lei Barry’s call to action was born of personal experience. In 1965, she and her two children became homeless. Because Lei and her family struggled for years before being able to access the resources needed to improve their lives, she and other members of the community launched a 24-hour emergency hotline to connect homeless families with community resources.

Within seven years, the program evolved to also provide emergency shelter, food, and crucial services to homeless families. Lei mobilized a coalition of faith-based organizations within the Montgomery County community to establish the Interfaith Hospitality Network. It was the first Pennsylvania affiliate and the fourth in the nation.

In 1995, Inter-Faith Housing Alliance expanded once again to meet community needs by establishing Hope Gardens. This long-term transitional housing program provides an opportunity for families to resolve their homelessness through intensive case management and life skills training while having access to safe, stable housing.

The Food Cupboard in Abington, which has served Montgomery County families in need since 1970, became a program of Inter-Faith Housing Alliance in 2001. The Cupboard, located in Roslyn, last year assisted more than 2,900 individuals experiencing food insecurity.

In 2015, a generous gift from First Presbyterian Church of Ambler made possible the purchase of a home in Ambler Borough, now known as Hope Forest. This new supportive housing program aims to bridge the gap between transitional housing and total independence. Residents work toward paying fair market rent and receive light case management as they move toward self-sufficiency.

The Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) is Inter-Faith’s emergency shelter program. The Network provides Montgomery County families with children who are experiencing homelessness with a safe place to stay, along with supportive services, for up to 90 days. Inter-Faith Housing Alliance is a partner with Your Way Home of Montgomery County.

Our shelter delivery model is unique and cost-effective. Twenty-five “host” and “buddy” congregations house and support our families for one month each year at their places of worship. Families are provided with comfortable accommodations in classrooms converted to bedrooms. Volunteers from the congregation, who collectively contribute more than 3,000 hours of their time each year, prepare and share meals, provide overnight assistance, and help with transportation. Many volunteers make special connections to our families, often providing a level of genuine intrinsic support that bolsters our families and brings them further into a community that is invested in their success.

Hope Gardens is Inter-Faith Housing Alliance’s transitional housing program for low-income families with children. This program provides a secure home for families for up to two years while they gain the tools they need to become financially stable and self-sufficient. Hope Gardens is an eight-unit building with one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments to accommodate families of various sizes.

Families living at Hope Gardens receive comprehensive support services to help ensure their long-term success, including intensive case management, life skills education, basic needs support, and aftercare to help ensure their long-term success and their continued stability after graduation from the program.

Inter-Faith Housing Alliance relies on volunteers to meet the needs of families we serve. Last year, more than 1,100 volunteers contributed 15,850 hours of their time. There are lots of ways you can get involved. Volunteers assist with our emergency shelter by providing meals, transportation, and overnight assistance; help in the office; sort donations; and help maintain our facilities.

Drone Golf Ball Drop balls are all sold out for 2021, make sure you get yours in 2022!

On Monday, May 24, when we’ll be back on the greens at beautiful Talamore Country Club for a day of fun, fellowship, and friendly competition to benefit families experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. The event will be held with appropriate social distancing protocols.

In 23 years, the tournament, Inter-Faith’s only annual fundraiser, has raised more than $535,000 to help families in need. Your generosity helped us to provide 11,272 bed-nights of shelter as well as food assistance to 2,900 individuals in 2020!

 
Three Global Grants for Maternal and Childcare Education in Uganda - Ron Smith
Ron Smith from the Blue bell Rotary Club, and past District 7430 President presented to the Club on Three Global Grants on Maternal and Childcare Education in Uganda  
Ron explained the global grant process:

What global grants support

Global grants can fund:

  • Humanitarian projects
  • Scholarships for graduate-level academic studies
  • Vocational training teams, which are groups of professionals who travel abroad either to teach local professionals about their field or to learn more about it themselves

How they’re funded

Global grants have a minimum budget of $30,000 and a maximum World Fund award of $400,000. Grant sponsors can use a combination of District Designated Funds (DDF), cash, and/or directed gifts and endowment earnings to fund a global grant. The Foundation will provide a 100 percent World Fund match for all DDF contributions. There is no minimum World Fund match.

Qualification

Both the district or club in the country where the activity is carried out and the international partner district or club must first become qualified before applying for a global grant. Learn more about the qualification process and grant management. Your club and district Rotary Foundation chairs can help you plan how to use your District Designated Funds and learn how to qualify your club.

Submitting a successful grant application

Consult with local experts early in the planning process to build a strong project plan and global grant application. The district resource network (see below) can help.

To be approved, your application must clearly describe how your project, scholarship, or vocational training team:

  • Is sustainable — include plans for long-term success after the global grant funds have been spent
  • Includes measurable goals
  • Aligns with one of Rotary's areas of focus
  • Responds to real community needs — any club or district that applies for a global grant to support a humanitarian project or a vocational training team must conduct a community assessment first and design the project based on what they learn through that assessment.
  • Actively involves Rotarians and community members
  • Meets the eligibility requirements in the grants terms and conditions

Applications are accepted throughout the year and are reviewed as they're received. Learn more about the Global Grant Lifecycle.

Note: Sponsoring clubs and districts must submit their applications by June 30 to the Rotary Foundation for scholars who will begin studies in August, September, or October.

Monitoring & evaluation

Measuring outcomes is an integral part of global grant projects. Proper monitoring and reporting ensure that Rotary grants have a positive impact.

Learn more in the Global Grant Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Supplement.

You will be required to fill out an online global grant report. To prepare, you can download this template.

Ron the explained The Bluebell Rotary Club's Global Grants:
 
Leading Vocational Training Team (VTT) Humanitarian Project
  • Vision
  • Community need
  • Cooperation
  • Responsibility and Stewardship
  • Empowerment and Sustainability
Motivation
  • An idea close to home
  • Son in medical school, and he wanted to be a humanitarian,
  • Uganda - Developing country, with economic needs and health care challenges. In Uganda sixteen women a day die from childbirth. 
Vision
  • Focus on healthcare education
  • Exchange healthcare professionals
  • Support network of professionals
  • Improve community health center infrastructure
  • Develop distance education programs
3 Global Grants for three different phases
  • Create regional training centers
  • Support a network of professionals
  • $80K, $130k, $250k
Our Partners
  • Drexel University, their college of nursing, computing, public health, international programs, and health sciences
Where are we now?
  • After 7 years, 3rd phase effort in progress
  • Completed 5 VTT exchanges
  • Installed computers
  • Improved infrastructure at 4 health centers
  • Conducted HBB and HMS training
  • Major agreement with Drexel and Mbarara Health Center
  • Making a difference!
  • A model for Midwife Healthcare Education in Developing Countries
Your Annual Fund Contributions Make a Difference!
 
Food Groups - Jillian Foley 
Jillian Foley is a registered dietitian and is the owner of Nutritionista. She started out working in a gym working with folks that wanted to diet or sports nutrition. She now specializes in weight management and related diseases, as well as sports nutrition. Jillian does this through assessing strengths and weaknesses, goals setting, building of healthy habits and accountability.  
Jillian explained that weight management is 20% is exercise and 80% is nutrition. The nutrition part is then 20% food education and 80% psychological  
The psychological part is where Jillian focuses, explaining that what we think is a lack of will power is often the bodies hormonal response to hunger.
Jillian then explained the food groups:
Protein - Preferably lean protein with low saturated fat. Nuts are great but have high calories and saturated fat. Eggs are also a great source of protein but the yolks are high in cholesterol, although gran fed chickens yolks have less.
Starchy carbohydrates - The way we prepare carbs is often the reason they are so high in calories. Healthy whole grain carbs are good for you
Vegetables - They create fulness full of vitamins and minerals. Be aware of dressings, especially oils
Fruit - Part of your carbohydrate intake
Jillian explained that approximately we should aim for three servings of dairy a day, and 50% of our diet to be healthy carbohydrates.
Bucks County Audubon Society Climate Study - Marissa Jacobs

Marissa Jacobs explained that the Bucks County Audubon Society welcomes community involvement.  This could be through their programs, volunteer opportunities, membership and donations. 

Audubon scientists took advantage of 140 million observations, recorded by birders and scientists, to describe where 604 North American bird species live today—an area known as their “range.” They then used the latest climate models to project how each species’s range will shift as climate change and other human impacts advance across the continent. The results are clear: Up to two-thirds of North American birds are vulnerable to extinction due to climate change and will be forced to relocate to find favorable homes. And they may not survive. Audubon came to this conclusion after conducting an analysis of nine different climate threats on birds, including things such as water levels rising, urbanization, cropland expansion, false springs, etc. This study compared these nine different climate threats at different warming scenarios depending on our actions to control climate change, 1.5°C, 2°C and 3°C.  By stabilizing carbon emissions and holding warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, 76 percent of vulnerable species will be better off, and nearly 150 species would no longer be vulnerable to extinction from climate change. This is explained in Audubon’s 2019 climate change report, ‘Survival By Degrees,’ 

The good news is that there are plenty of opportunities to protect birds from this existential threat, and Audubon members have been leading the way for years. You can advocate for the birds you love, make your yard or house bird friendly. In 2014, after the publication of Audubon's first climate change report, thousands of people asked how they could help make the world a better place for birds, and Climate Watch was born. Since 2016, Climate Watch volunteers have collected data which Audubon scientists are able to use to document in peer reviewed research that birds are responding to climate change and shifting their ranges. You can join us in this fight by observing birds in your area, using our specific protocol, and helping us learn about how birds are responding to the changing climate. Learn more below.

Help build a better world for birds by joining Climate Watch to test and improve climate models.
Sign up.
Club Assembly
Katrina Sullivan explained that the 5th Wednesday of each month is set aside for a Club Assembly. Katrina then opened the meeting with some reminders on upcoming events and fundraisers:
  • Day of Service at the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust on May 1st, 1-3pm. Events - Pennypack Ecological Restoration TrustPennypack Ecological Restoration Trust (pennypacktrust.org)  A head count is needed by April 16th.
  • Rotary Foundation Appalachian Trail Challenge (Herb Klotz). Consider making a Foundation donation at https://www.rotarydistrict7430.org/donate.  As an added incentive our District Foundation team created the TRIPLE 110: If you donate $110 or more to the Annual Fund SHARE, and if Herb completes his final 110 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the District will match your donation with 110 Paul Harris points, to get you closer to the Paul Harris Fellow Recognition level.
  • Penny War fundraiser: Hatboro-Horsham Penny War which will run from April 1st-30th.  Please share on social media, in your local Hatboro businesses, and anywhere else that you can think of. It's also a good time to collect the coins around your house that you're "saving for a vacation." Remember, pennies and dollar bills are positive points. Silver coins (dimes, nickels, quarters) are negative points.  In other words, you want to put pennies and dollars in the bins around Hatboro and silver coins in the bins around Horsham.  The list of participating businesses are on the flyer. We then plan to collect the bins on May 1st and announce the winner. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
  • College Settlement will be having a clean up day on May 22nd that our club could be part of, details will follow. 
Katrina then went over some updates and some items for discussion:
  • Keep thinking of potential speakers and let Marty know of any ideas.
  • The Willow Grove YMCA Playground is now planned to be completed by the end of May. Hatboro and Willow Grove donations are set aside and Horsham's has been made, other donations have to be confirmed.
  • Charter Night is traditionally in May, this year the Board decided to move it to June and to hold it outdoors due to COVID-19. Ideas are needed for a venue, considering that if alcohol is to be served not all outdoor locations will allow this. Katrina offered her home, the anticipated Miller Meadow Gazebo was suggested and Nancy said she would see if alcohol could be served. College Settlement and the Horsham VFW building were also suggested.
  • Attendance has dropped off since the Zoom meeting times alternate between 8am and 12pm. We anticipate meeting in person again at the Dish within the next few months at the normal time of 7:30-8:30am. Some discussion was had on this and some members expressed their preference for noon meetings.
  • Membership is now at 31 members, we have recently lost 3 members. It has been hard to recruit and retain members over the past year, due to just Zoom meetings and a lack of focus on membership. This was discussed at the last Board meeting and the idea of a Social Media Committee was suggested to help raise awareness of what we do and hopefully get others involved. Katrina explained that a chair and members would be needed for this committee. Our current Facebook site was discussed, this is a Group site that is underutilized and not managed by anybody, this would be part of the committees function. Barb manages our Website and does a great job.  Katrina will try and arrange a program on showing members how to invite others to like/join it. Jonathan could also help with this if needed and set up for Pages to join the Group.
  • Fundraisers have helped raise around 18-19k to give out to charities and organizations this Rotary year. The Gift Card fundraiser will be tried again Nov/Dec. The 5k run/walk may be attempted again in the fall as long as it does not conflict with Lobster Pot. Hopefully Lobster Pot will happen this year, we have to wait and see.
  • Katrina asked members how they felt about our club support the District STEM Youth Explorer Academy project that Rolf presented on last week. Most seemed in favor. The Board will decide how to support when allocating funds for this Rotary year and creating the budget for the next. 
Katrina adjourned the meeting and some other business was briefly discussed that included Tom sending the current Bylaws and Charter being sent to Karen and Mike Kearns to review before their presidency and to Gary to add to the website along with minutes from Linda's year. 
District 7430 STEM Youth Exploration Academy - Rolf Schlake
Rolf Schlake presented to our club. Rolf has been a Rotarian for almost 40 years and the past President of Allentown Rotary Club, he is also a member of the steering team for District 7430's planned Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Youth Explorer Academy, starting in the summer of 2022. Rolf is a chemist and owns a manufacturing company in Allentown that produces items such as DNA/RNA kits. Rolf explained the need for this program to be available to middle school students in our district especially to the underserved. 
 
The Rotary STEM Youth Explorer Academy
 
In the US today there is a large disparity between the number of STEM college graduates and position openings. The STEM disciplines are key to Rotary’s success in delivering on its “Seven Areas of Focus” 
  • Peacebuilding and conflict prevention
  • Disease prevention and treatment
  • Water, sanitation and hygiene
  • Maternal and child health
  • Basic education and literacy
  • Community economic development
  • Supporting the Environment
A special committee is working to develop a residential camp (academy) held at college campus where middle school age students (grades 6-8) convene from throughout the District to participate in a multi-day program, akin to Camp Neidig.  The activities and curriculum are built around the STEM disciplines with the intent of inspiring our youth to consider a STEM area as an educational focus. 
 
To create a context for STEM learning, the District is exploring a partnership with the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Institute to draw on their educational resources regarding astronomy, space exploration and the search for life beyond earth.   We are also exploring a partnership with Albright College to host the academy and assist in curriculum development as well as faculty training.   The program would include guest speakers, workshops, team building exercises, exploratory hikes and more. 
 
You can follow this link https://youtu.be/iSZ8NmFe3Cc to learn more about this project and how a Rotary club can be a co-sponsor in a grant application to fund the development of the program.  Rotary clubs will also be asked to sponsor two students a year to send to this 4 day 3 night program at a cost of $300 per student. The district is also looking for volunteers to assist in program development and delivery. 
Operation Key West - James R. McGonigle

Operation: Key West started with the simple concept of helping our military soldiers. Everyone involved with Operation: Key West are forever grateful and appreciative of all the brave men and women who serve or have served in our nation's military. We will always strive to bring some joy and happiness to as many military families as we can. Most of our efforts are funded by our pharmacy savings card business, we would like to help more.    

"We believe that together we can make a difference...Giving back through life-changing experiences." James R. McGonigle 

Operation: Key West started with the simple concept of helping our military soldiers.  Everyone involved with Operation: Key West are forever grateful and appreciative of all the brave men and women who serve or have served in our nation's military. We will always strive to bring some joy and happiness to as many military families as we can.  

Most of our efforts are funded by our pharmacy savings card business, we would like to help more.  If you would like to support us in our efforts directly you may do so using the link below to make a contribution. 

 

Your Way Home - Kyle Tribble

In January 2014, Your Way Home Montgomery County was established as the county’s unified and coordinated housing crisis response system for families and individuals experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness.

 

THE VISION OF THE YOUR WAY HOME PROGRAM

is to make the experience of homelessness in Montgomery County rare, brief and non-recurring.  The common agenda among Your Way Home partners is to improve the housing stability, economic security and health of families and individuals experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness.  In 2014 Your Way Home established a bold goal of reducing homelessness by 50% over five years.   

Since its inception in January 2014, Your Way Home has reduced homelessness in Montgomery County by 37%, as measured by the annual Point-In-Time count, which decreased from 464 in 2013 to 292 in 2018.  

THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF YOUR WAY HOME

  • A Coordinated Entry System that uses both the VI-SPDAT and SPDAT assessment tools to prioritize people for housing and services based on vulnerability and diverts people from entering shelter unless absolutely necessary

  • A common agenda, a core set of guiding principles and a shared catalogue of metrics

  • A robust and multidisciplinary Street Outreach team that can be deployed anywhere in the county 24/7

  • Housing-Focused Emergency Shelter services, including centralized shelter bed management

  • Housing Resource Centers serve as a central location for coordinated response to housing crises for the most vulnerable families and individuals who are experiencing homelessness by providing Rapid Rehousing.

  • Housing Counseling and/or Legal services to divert people from entering shelter or becoming street homeless

  • Transitional Housing for select populations, including transitional age youth, people fleeing abuse and violence at home, and people in early stages of substance abuse recovery, among others

  • Permanent Supportive Housing for people with significant barriers to permanent housing stability

  • Connections to mainstream and community services, including child care, food security, physical, mental and behavioral health, employment and job training, public benefits access and veterans’ services, among others

  • A broad cross-sector partnership that leverages and aligns federal, state, county and private funding sources to achieve greater impact.

    Your Way Home is a public-private partnership that engages nonprofits, government, philanthropy, residents, businesses, and other community partners to meet its vision of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.
     

    PARTNERSHIP STRUCTURE

  • The Your Way Home Advisory Council sets the overall strategic direction for the initiative. The twenty-five members of the Advisory Council are appointed by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, and represent a broad set of industries and sectors that are invested in ending homelessness in the county. For more on the Advisory Council, please click here.
  • The PA-504 Continuum of Care Governance Team is designed to promote community wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness.  The thirteen Continuum of Care Governance Team members are elected by the Your Way Home community annually. For more on the Continuum of Care, please click here.
  • The lead public agency of Your Way Home is the Montgomery County Office of Housing and Community Development. This office provides the backbone support to Your Way Home, including policy and program coordination and oversight, data analysis, communications and marketing, grants management, and partnership development.
  • The lead private agency and fiscal sponsor of Your Way Home is the Montgomery County Foundation, Inc. The Montgomery County Foundation, Inc. holds the Your Way Home Initiative Fund, and its President serves as the Your Way Home Advisory Council Chair.  For more information about this partnership, please click here.
  • Your Way Home’s Action Teams provide policy-specific guidance, recommendations, and input on various topics. Action Teams may be ad-hoc to address a specific but time-limited issue, or recurring. Participation on an Action Teams is available to any member of our Your Way Home community, including nonprofit partners, government, philanthropy, business, and residents. The recurring Action Teams are - Your Way Home Street Homeless By-Name List Action Team and Permanent Supportive Housing Action Team

  • If  you or your organization are interested in joining our partnership, please visit the Contact Us page. 

Rotary Friendship Exchange -  Dee Eng

Dee Eng, Emmaus Rotary Club member and the Friendship Exchange Chair for Rotary District 7430 presented on this program. District 7430 restarted this program in 2009 and since then they have conducted a dozen exchanges around the world. Dee gave details of some of these exchanges. The stories were very interesting and participants make many life long friends. A new idea that has just started is club to club exchange.

What is Friendship Exchange?

Friendship Exchange is an international exchange program for Rotary members and friends that allows participants to take turns hosting one another in their homes and clubs.

Participants may travel as individuals, couples, families, or groups, and may be Rotary members or not.

Benefits of an exchange

  • Broaden international understanding
  • Explore a profession or job in a different context
  • Build enduring friendships
  • Establish a foundation for peace and service
  • Gain opportunities for active project involvement and support
  • Learn about a region’s people, food, languages, customs, and history
  • Find partners for grants

Choose a destination

Explore our Exchange Finder Map to view current exchange locations and the districts that serve them. Connect with the district’s Rotary Friendship Exchange chair for help finding potential international hosts and planning your itinerary.

Define your purpose

Friendship exchanges are organized around at least one of three themes: culture, service, and vocation.

Fund your exchange

All exchanges are paid for by the participants or their districts. Hosts are not expected to assume a significant financial burden. Club or district funds may be available to offset the costs of exchanges that have a vocational emphasis.

Share your story

After your trip, submit a report to your district, as well as to rotary.service@rotary.org. It’s your chance to tell us about your experience, make suggestions, and share what you learned.

Peacebuilding Primer for District 7430 - Jim Palmquist, Bill Thomas

Today, over 70 million people are displaced as a result of conflict, violence, persecution, and human rights violations. Half of them are children.

We refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts.

Rotary creates environments of peace

As a humanitarian organization, peace is a cornerstone of our mission. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect.

By carrying out service projects and supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, our members take action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.

Our commitment to peacebuilding today answers new challenges: how we can make the greatest possible impact and how we can achieve our vision of lasting change. We are approaching the concept of peace with greater cohesion and inclusivity, broadening the scope of what we mean by peacebuilding, and finding more ways for people to get involved.

Rotary creates environments where peace can happen. 

District 7430 presented a peacebuilding primer for our district:
 
Peacekeeping - To prevent or ending of violence between nation states
Peacemaking - To negotiate resolution of a conflict 
Peacebuilding - The process of restoring normal relationships between people
Positive Peace Index - Contains a pillar, indicator, and description
Everyday Peace Indicators is another way to measure peace and was developed by Rotarian 
Rotary may be one of the best positioned NGOs to deliver peace to the world.
Rotary has 35,000 clubs in 163 countries, 1.2m members and has many established peace building initiatives. Rotary is also at the table of  The United Nations
Members can participate in peace by being practitioners, being or training educators, and being mediators. 
Rotary clubs can expand the number of international service projects, such as in West Africa, and peace should be included in all projects. Rotarians can consider joining a peacebuilder club
Rotary and Toastmasters Alliance - Carrie Goldbeck

Rotary International is working with Toastmasters International to provide Rotarians and Rotaractors opportunities for personal growth, leadership development and improved communication skills. 

This alliance with Toastmasters is different from Rotary International's relationships with other organizations: It enhances your membership experience through professional development opportunities and making connections beyond your club.

What is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit, educational organization with more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, it has helped its members become more effective speakers, communicators, and leaders through a worldwide network of clubs, much like Rotary.

How can you and your club get involved?

It's easy for Rotarians and Rotaractors to engage:

Rotaplast Guatemala 2019 - Susan Burnett
Susan Burnett, District 7430 Rotaplast Committee Chairperson and member of the Rotary Club of Bethlehem Morning Star, presented to the club on a Rotaplast mission to Guatemala in 2019.
Rotaplast Internationals moto is "Saving Smiles, Changing Lives" and they have been around for 29 years. They have undertake about 15 missions a year and they have completed over 20,000 surgeries on children to correct cleft lips and palate anomalies. Rotarians can apply to participate in these missions and it will cost the about $1,500 for travel and accommodation. Rotaplast | Saving smiles. Changing lives.
The mission to Guatemala in 2019 lasted 13 days and 26 volunteers participated including 9 Rotarians, and Guatemalan Rotaract translators 
Susan Burnett accompanied the 2019 Guatemala mission as the photographer. Her presentation showed how families lined-up overnight to be selected for the surgeries. 220 children were evaluated and over 120 corrective surgeries were performed over 8 days in 3 wards. The surgery equipment used on each patient costs over $10,000 and lasts for only 100 surgeries.
Children who go through surgery during a mission are given a hand made quilt to keep them warm after the surgery. These quilts are made in North America by volunteers and Rotaplast is always looking for more quilt makers. On this trip the mission had some extra funds that were used to replace the worn shoes the children and locals wore, this may be included in future missions.
District 7430 clubs can support Rotaplast missions by donating $500, $1,000 or more to Rotaplast International or by having members volunteer to assist with a mission
District Grant - Frank Romano, Cindy Hornaman
Five Elements of Effective Use
Of
District Grants
 
 
 
1 -     Community Needs Assessment
Rotary International has a community needs assessment tool that is very helpful. If a community assessment is done, other members of the community should be involved. 
 
 
 
2 -     Plan to Directly Address Measurable Indicators
Come up with a method to measure success, through measurable indicators of effectiveness. Experts and other community members can be involved in this part of the process.
 
 
3 -     Sustainability
How will the project be sustained. Will it be through a ongoing club donation, a fundraiser, business or corporation support.
 
 
4 -     Reporting
 
                   Fiscal Documentation
Keep good records of income and expenses
                  
Measurable Impact
Keep records of measurable indicators, such as how many people served 
 
5 -     Branding
Make sure the Rotary club name is recognized in the project
MCIUS Early Intervention Program - Holly Acosta
Holly Acosta, director of Early Childhood Intervention for Montgomery County presented to the club. 
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is responsible by law for providing early education services for eligible children age three to school age in the Commonwealth. The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit 23, through an agreement with the Department of Education, is contracted to deliver those services in Montgomery County.
 
Children in the County between 3-5 years of age who are identified as being delayed intellectually or physically, can be referred to the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit by a doctor. Once their case has been reviewed and if they qualify they may receive any of the following services:
  • Specialized instruction
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Hearing support
  • Speech and language support
  • Vision support 
Funding for this program is from Montgomery County and the State. Some families need more funding for computers for the children to access their therapy. The program serves between 3,000 and 5,000 students a year. The Intermediate Unit then helps to transition the children into one of the 23 school districts in Montgomery County. 
The program can be supported in several ways:
  • PBS Channel 12 works with Intermediate Unit on scheduling for programming for the children.
  • Blue Bell Rotary has made a donation to the program to help provide technology for the students.
  • Interpreters are sometimes needed in languages such as Russian, Greek, Chinese 
 
Teen Safe Driving Program - Pat Fallon, Elizabeth Gutman
Pat Fallon and Elizabeth Gutman from Montgomery County Department Health and Community Services presented on the Impact Teen Drivers Program.
This program is funded by grants. Currently they are working with Abington and Hatboro-Horsham High Schools. They offer a 60 min course for students plus a course for parents.https://www.impactteendrivers.org/
Requesting $750 from Hatboro Rotary to be split between the two schools. They will use the money to purchase gift card, to raffle off as incentives for the students to participate.
12/09/2020 ZOOM Meeting
SPEAKER: Ron Smith.. Blue Bell Rotary..COVID 19 Collaborative Projects
This pandemic and the associated restrictions have impacted so many.... People lost jobs, families had no money to pay for food, the need for Mental Health Services rose, nursing homes were greatly impacted and the residents weren't able to see their love ones, day care facilities closed, schools went virtual. With 29 Rotary clubs in Montgomery County,
Clubs began to partner with organizations and non-profits who support those families with insufficient resources  . Rotarians were a perfect group to help...members had business experience; discretionary time to help; already service minded; and they already had a network of connected people. The goal is for all 29 clubs to work together and within their communities to serve county wide needs.  
11/25/2020 ZOOM Meeting
SPEAKER: Nancy Conner , Founder of Smart Adaptive Clothing
Millions of people, young and old struggle everyday with dressing themselves. This certainly creates frustration, loss of time and productivity. 1in 4 Adults has a disability. Smart Adaptive has a clothing line of blouses and shirts that look traditional but have velcro behind the buttons for easy fastening. The fabric is soft and washable and having the ability to dress ones self empowers the individual and builds confidence . Please visit their website https://smartadaptiveclothing.com/  for more information and to view the clothing line. You can contact Nancy through the website.
11/18/2020 Zoom Meeting
Speaker: Margaret Fitzpatrick Willow Grove PT..Hatboro Office
Today's topic was PAIN. Is your pain keeping you from doing the things you love?
Managing pain is not insurmountable given the right tools.
Some thought on Pain management:
MOVE MORE...With the pandemic, we are all sitting more and exercising less. Make it a point to get up every 30 minutes and move around...spend less time in the chair. You can exercise while watching TV.
PAIN MEDS...Pain meds are misused for the most part. Your first option should be to consult a physical therapist
WHAT IS PAIN... Pain is part of the nervous system and is the body's alarm system. It is 100% produced in the brain and is very complex.
MOVEMENT is the greatest pain killer.
11/11/2020 Zoom Dr Margaret Fitzpatrick ..Willow Grove PT
SPEAKER: Dr. Margaret Fitzpatrick..Willow Grove PT
Managing Balance, Dizziness and Pain. BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) is the most common cause of vertigo(dizziness)in adults. Do you feel like you are spinning when you turn your head in certain directions? The cause of BPPV is the displacement of calcium carbonate crystals in the inner ear. When those crystals move into the semicircular canals, they stimulate cells which transmit information to the brain, making you feel like you are moving.  There is help in the form of a simple procedure called the Epley Maneuver which involves a series of movements each followed by a 30 second pause, to allow gravity to move the crystals out of semicircular canal and back into their proper place. It is non-invasive, safe and effective with one treatment . It is important to treat quickly and avoid disruption of your normal activities. If this is left untreated it could lead to falls and immobility. Please visit their website http://www.willowgrovept.com/index.html for more information on their services, patient education and staff.
 
10/21/2020 Zoom Meeting
Speaker: Carol Ferguson ...Polio Truths
As we approach World Polio Day on Oct 24th, we strive to rid the world of Polio. Presently only two countries , Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to see new cases. Surviving the initial diagnosis of polio would for most of us appear to be the end however it doesn't end there for those affected. Many suffer from Post Polio Syndrome many years later in life. Approximately 80% of survivors develop Post Polio Syndrome.. Essentially people with polio are attacked twice by the disease. Seriously, I had never heard of Post Polio Syndrome and I believe I am not alone. Please click this link to find out more https://www.papolionetwork.org/uploads/9/9/7/0/99704804/post-polio_letter.pdf.   The website of the PA Polio Survivors Network has a wealth of information and is well worth the read. https://www.papolionetwork.org/. 
10/07/2020 Zoom Meeting
Speaker: Hatboro Police Chief Jim Gardner
Chief Gardner spoke to us today regarding the Accreditation that the department achieved. What is Accreditation? The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association introduced the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program to the Commonwealth in July 2001. Since then, over 375 agencies have enrolled and 126 agencies currently have attained accredited status. Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping institutions evaluate and improve their overall performance. This award symbolizes professionalism, excellence and competence. There are over 1000 law enforcement agencies in PA . This is not an easy process and we are proud of our Police Department for attaining such an honor. Additionally, Nov is no shave month for cancer awareness. Don't be surprised if you see bearded police officers. Hatboro police are participating and donating in support of prostate cancer.
9/30/2020 Zoom Meeting
Speaker: Eric Trumbower.. Camp Erin of Philadelphia (part of the Eluna network)
Eric is the Manager of Volunteer Services & Director, Camp Erin Philadelphia a part of Penn Medicine Hospice 
Camp Erin Philadelphia is a weekend overnight camp for grieving children and teens ages 6-17. The camp combines traditional, fun, high-energy camp activities with grief education and support.
Services provided through Penn Medicine Hospice: Bereavement Services; Grief outreach to families in 2nd and 3rd year of grief process; Individual support; Community support for long term care facilities
Pre Pandemic, the 3 day camp brought the kids together; regular visitation of residents in Long Term Care Facilities; Individual and group support groups
Post Pandemic, camp was canceled, most of Grief support events were canceled, individual support was virtual as was community support.
The grief process did not stop for those children dealing with the loss of a loved one. The program did not stop either but it merely shifted into a slightly different format especially for the children. A program was developed to send a package three times a year to 117 families which included projects the children would do similar to those they would have done in camp. This is an amazing program and despite most of the children being kept inside because of the pandemic, the program leaders continued to find ways to help the children deal with the grief of losing a loved one.
9/16/2020 Zoom Meeting with DG Janet Kolepp
This is DG Janet's official visit to our club. She is a member of Bethlehem Morning Star Rotary Club.
  • Together we Grow Rotary! Meeting differences through different types of meetings but maintaining Rotary Core Values of Fellowship, Integrity, Diversity, Service and Leadership
  • Public Image and Branding Campaign ;unified messaging shaped by actions of each of us.
  • Using social media to tell the story of rotary : video club members stories 
  • Purple Pinkie Race will be virtual on Oct 24 2020
  • This district is #1 in the USA for supporting Shelter Box: The Rotary Club of Saucon, Center Valley is hosting a FREE online Stock the Box event on October 9th from 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Register here. The purpose of this event is to highlight ShelterBox's vital work, celebrate our district’s ShelterBox giving, and top last year’s district total 
  • Training Tuesdays ;Grow Rotary Webinars:https://rotarydistrict7430.org/stories/training-tuesday
8/12/2020 Zoom Meeting
SPEAKER: Carol Ferguson District 7430 Polio Plus Coordinator....Vaccines Work!
 Carol herself is a Polio survivor. Rotary clubs across the state of Pennsylvania are working to educate people regarding immunizations. The pandemic and loss of the ability to visit pediatricians for well child visits had contributed to children not receiving their vaccines on time. Vaccines work and no child should suffer pain and disability from a vaccine preventable disease. Vaccines protect! MMR doesn't cause autism, and  polio vaccines work. Rotarians all over the world support Rotary international's focus on Disease Prevention and Immunization. There is a network for PA Polio survivors and their families across the keystone state. Currently the PA survivors network/PA rotary club Project are working to put vaccine information cards in all Doctors offices. Partnering with CHOP..Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, our aim is to educate people about vaccines.
Please visit the following sites:
8/5/2020 Zoom Meeting
SPEAKER: John Richards...Operation Homefront
https://www.operationhomefront.org/ Operation Homefront is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive — not simply struggle to get by — in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. John is the Area Manager serving states from Delaware to Maine. During this pandemic, they have served 700 families and continue to take applications for help. If an application is accepted for help, they pay the vendor, not the person who made the application. Their services help all members of the family . Please visit their website for more information and to donate to this wonderful organization.
 
7/22/2020 Zoom Meeting
State Representative Tom Murt joined us today for some updates:
  • Reminder, his Hatboro office is open continuing to help people in the district with their unemployment issues. (some people are still waiting since the beginning of the shutdown to receive payment). People needing help who are outside the district will be referred to their own Representative.
  • Sat July 25 is the ground breaking for the America-Korea Peace Park in North Wales
  • Things in Senate: Mental Health Parody..Basically ,those with MH issues need to be treated like anyone else; Disability Bill of rights also in Senate. There has been reports that counseling and online therapy has been effective , not better then face to face but effective during this pandemic.
  • Adults with special needs is also a focus. As the age, so are parents aging and are having trouble caring for their adult special needs children.
  • Pandemic: 3 million people in PA out of work; working on plans to open schools; also working on grants for those schools that do not have the funding to meet the guidelines for opening.
Thank you Tom for joining us today!
Linda Mayger..shelter Box
Welcome to Linda Mayger from shelter box. 

ShelterBox first started as a Millenium project by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in Cornwall in 2000. Since then, it has grown to be an international disaster relief charity, providing emergency shelter in some of the most hard-to-reach places in the world. We have always been happy to support Shelter box and are Silver Shelter Box Heroes (A ShelterBox HERO is a Rotary Club that has committed to making an impact in worldwide disaster response by giving $1,000, $3,000, or $5,000 within the Rotary year...we donate $3000 per year). Shelter box provides emergency assistance to those affected by disasters. Currently 88 Million people worldwide have been made homeless by natural disaster and conflict. During the pandemic, boxes continue to be distributed with the addition of PPE to each box. Previously those who received boxes were sharing ppots and pans with their neighbors however that has been discontinued and now each family gets their own set of pots and pans. To learn more, please visit https://www.shelterboxusa.org/

Announcements
  •  Club dues should be sent to our PO Box....the address is on your invoice.
  •  Thank you to Marty and the Speaker committee for the excellent programs
  •  Congratulations to Jack Groves who has over 50 years in Rotary. Jack Joined the club on Jun 20 1969!
Rotoplast
We were happy to welcome Blue Bell Rotary Members Wendy Axelrod and Andy Johanson to speak to us about  the 2019 Guatemala Trip with Rotoplast. This is a 13 day mission to a third world country. The mission had 26 volunteers who performed a myriad of jobs. The focus of the mission is on treating and correcting cleft lip, cleft palate, burns, and other deformities in children.  220 children were evaluated and 114 surgeries were performed with only 3 surgery rooms and a Post Anesthesia Care Unit with only three beds. Each child was given a donated quilt (to keep) to keep them warm. Generally on these missions, one day is set aside to set up (they bring all their supplies), one day to triage the patients waiting, 8 days of surgeries, a day to site see and remaining days to pack up and travel. Please visit rotoplast.org  for more information about Rotoplast and to volunteer. 
Meals on Wheels
The club continues to assist Meals on Wheels and all those who have delivered meals, are reporting what a positive experience it has been (even in the rain).
OF INTEREST
  •  Hatboro Rotarians help with Meals on wheels\
  •  Williams Lane outside dining was so successful that it will be continued Thurs-Sun during the summer. The Borough is also looking for a place in the north end of town for another outside dining area.
  •  The club received a $1000 grant which will be donated to H.A.T. packs
6/24/2020 Zoom Meeting
Speaker: Stephanie Yoder
WOW The HHEF has been so busy providing learning grants and inspiring programs that it is impossible for me to list them all here. so I would please ask that you click on the link and read about the many grants that were awarded and for what...its pretty impressive!
https://www.hhef.org/ilg-list-2020-21 So many different grants, Innovative learning grants and  Classroom Grants. In addition, they also provided  donation to H.A.T Packs. We at Hatboro Rotary are pleased that we continue to donate to this outstanding organization!
 
6/17/2020 Zoom Meeting
Speaker: Kathy Bademan Laughter Yoga
 
World Peace through laughter! 10-15 minutes of Laughter Yoga equals 15-30 minutes of Cardio . We practiced some laughter yoga exercises during this zoom meeting. Good to laugh! Thanks Kathy. You can join a laughter yoga class with Kathy at nourishing storm once a month. To learn more, please visit Kathy's website https://laughterwithkathy.com/
 
 
Lars Knudson
We were pleased to welcome newly graduated HHHS senior Lars Knudson to our Zoom Meeting this morning. Lars received a Rotary Scholarship from Hatboro Rotary. He will be attending the University of Maryland and we have no doubt he will do well. 
Rev Josh Blakesley..The Welcome Project PA
We were pleased to have Rev Josh Blakesley join us on Zoom this morning to tell us about the Welcome Project PA which is here in Hatboro. The Welcome Project PA strives to be a diverse, safe place for marginalized and vulnerable populations and seeks to bring about positive social change to improve the quality of life for these individuals and families in the Philadelphia suburbs. It provides many services such as educational services , support groups, activities, interfaith services, immigration help, LGBTQ+ friendly and many more services. Please visit their website for more info https://www.welcomeprojectpa.org/
5/13/2020 ZOOM meeting
Another successful Zoom gathering of the club (so nice to see everyone)!
First the updates:
  • Charter night has been canceled and when we can it will be rescheduled
  • Thanks to Jillian for the Marigold Project..People who received them where very thankful and appreciative
  •  Scholarship Committee will be meeting by Zoom and currently has 6 applications (academic and vo tech)
  •  Tribal Challenge at this point has been postponed.. updates will be posted on this site
Today's Program:  So pleased to have DJ, Erin and Patsy from H.A.T Packs join us. These ladies and their Army of workers have been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic. Initially, they expanded the weekly weekend meals to providing breakfast and lunch for 5 days. This is now being taken care of by the school District. Additionally, HAT Packs has been working closely with Jackie and Tony at the dish to provide free meals 2 days a week (about 200-500 families). There are many community organizations which have stepped up to keep people fed. They also continue with normal HAT PACK meals which are packed and delivered by the Army of HAT Pack volunteers. If that's not enough, volunteers have been running St John's Lutheran food pantry. 
. Below are ways in which you can contribute.  

 

To support H.A.T. Packs in their mission please consider donating to https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/HATPacks or check made payable to HAT Packs mailing address: 22 Harding Ave, Hatboro PA 19040

Visit our Amazon wishlist https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2A5F4D05VHF8K/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist

or shop for individual serving sized shelf stable items and drop off at St John's Pantry Tuesday-Thursday 11am-1pm or Hatboro Dish 8am-2pm

 

 

 

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Club Executives & Directors
President
Katrina Sullivan
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Karen Kearns
Immediate Past President
Linda Roehner
Treasurer
Linda Roehner
Secretary
Tom Finerghty
Rotary Foundation
George Lewis
Youth Services
Jillian Barton
Community Service
Mike Kearns
Club Service
Karen Kearns
International Service
Marty Palmer