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Service Above Self

We meet Wednesdays at 7:30 AM
Hatboro Dish
102 S. York Rd.
Hatboro, PA  19040
United States of America
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Home Page Stories
Mary Cook...Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Posted on Oct 06, 2021
SPEAKER: Mary Cook, Member of Collegeville Rotary

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a top priority for Rotary International, one that underscores the core values that are a foundation for how members interact with each other and their communities. Over the last two years, the RI Board of Directors have taken steps to cement Rotary's commitment to being an organization that sets the standard for valuing and living the principals of DEI. In 2019 the Board adopted Rotary's DEI statement that affirms its commitment to DEI and recognizes that welcoming people with differing perspectives and ideas enhances Rotary's ability to create lasting change in communities worldwide. It's crucial that everyone who engages with Rotary -- no matter who they are in the world, or how long they have been connected with Rotary – to feel valued, respected, and welcomed. Rotary's capacity for doing good is amplified when we not only welcome, but actively invite, a variety of experiences, cultures, and perspective. (taken from RI website). What does that mean?

  • cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is essential to realizing our vision of a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change. 
  • value diversity and celebrate the contributions of people of all backgrounds, across age, ethnicity, race, color, disability, learning style, religion, faith, socioeconomic status, culture, marital status, languages spoken, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity as well as differences in ideas, thoughts, values, and beliefs. 
  • Recognize that individuals from certain groups have historically experienced barriers to membership, participation, and leadership, we commit to advancing equity in all aspects of Rotary, including in our community partnerships, so that each person has the necessary access to resources, opportunities, networks, and support to thrive. 
  •  all people hold visible and invisible qualities that inherently make them unique, and we strive to create an inclusive culture where each person knows they are valued and belong. 
  • In line with our value of integrity, we are committed to being honest and transparent about where we are in our DEI journey as an organization, and to continuing to learn and do better.

DIVERSITY: We welcome people of all backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and identities. What is the makeup of your club? Diversity is dynamic and recognizes the differences in people.

EQUITY: Rotary strives for the fair treatment, opportunity, and advancement of all Rotary participants. Equality versus Equity...Ask this question Have we given each member the tools to succeed? Such as: are our meeting places wheelchair accessible; Do we use a microphone for meetings so that all members especially the hearing impaired can hear the programs? Do we consider members suggestions and ideas moving forward?

INCLUSION: Rotary is working to create experiences where all people feel welcomed. Do you greet and get to know prospective new members? 

Challenge yourself to discover members and especially new members experiences , skills and strengths!

Thank you Mary for joining us and educating us on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

 

Katie Farrell..7430 Foundation Chair
Posted on Sep 29, 2021
Speaker: Katie Farrell (Warminster Rotary) District 7430 Foundation Chair
What is Rotary Foundation?  
At the 1917 convention, outgoing Rotary president Arch Klumph proposed setting up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” That one idea, and an initial contribution of $26.50, set in motion a powerful force that has transformed millions of lives around the globe. The foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
The foundation is a public charity and has been rated 4 stars (highest rating) from Charity Navigator for 13 years. Ratings are based on how donations are used, sustains its programs and services and practices good governance and openness.
Rotary has three types of funds: Annual, Polio Plus and Endowment (grows our funds!). A percentage of donations from all clubs in a District for a given year are returned to that District in 3 years. These funds are used for Grants for projects within the district and also for global grants . Grants are awarded to clubs but the project must fit into one of these categories: promoting peace; growing local economies; fighting disease; saving Mothers and children; supporting education; providing clean water and sanitation; protecting the environment; and sustainability.
One of foundations biggest projects is the eradication of polio world wide. Rotary began this project and was soon partnered with the Gates Foundation which continues to match Rotary donations to polio plus by donating $2 for every $1 donated by rotary. Over the course of time, many other organizations have joined the fight to end Polio world wide. We are currently 99.9 % polio free. Only a couple of new cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will continue to fight for a polio free world. Then What? Rotary has begun to look at other projects...perhaps we will see a project o vaccinate people world wide from COVID. Stay tuned.
No matter how big or small a donation you make to the Foundation, you can be assured it will go to a good use.... for example : for as little as 60 cents, a child can be protected from polio; $50 can provide clean water to help fight waterborne illness; $500 can launch an antibullying campaign and create a safe environment for children. Build up your giving to $1000 and become a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF). For each $1000 given to the annual fund, you will receive another PHF.
To read more about Foundation, and to see the many projects Rotary is involved in please click on the link and go to the Rotary International website! https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation
If you are new to Rotary or wish to have more information about this Charitable Organization then please click the link above and explore the Rotary International website.

 

Carol Ferguson..Polio Plus Coordinator
Posted on Sep 22, 2021
Speaker: Carol Ferguson , Rotarian, Polio Plus Coordinator and Polio Survivor.
Pleased to have Carol Join us today to discuss many aspects of Polio, Polio Plus, Post Polio Syndrome and where we are today in eradicating Polio Globally .

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years, and we’ve made incredible progress in the fight to rid the world of it forever. Rotary, as a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've helped to reduced polio cases by more than 99.9 percent. It’s crucial to eradicate polio from the last two countries (Afghanistan and Pakistan) where it remains endemic and to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year. Vaccines work! Look how far we have come since starting global vaccination programs.

Those who had polio may suffer from Post Polio Syndrome. Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that affects polio survivors many years (15-40)  after recovery from an initial attack of the poliomyelitis virus. PPS is characterized by a further weakening of muscles that were previously affected by the polio infection. PPS is not contagious. The most common symptoms include:

  • slowly progressive muscle weakness
  • fatigue (both general and muscular)
  • decrease in muscle size (muscular atrophy)
  • loss of muscle function
  • pain from joint deterioration and increasing skeletal deformities such as curvature of the spine (scoliosis)

Some individuals experience only minor symptoms, while others develop more visible muscle weakness and atrophy.  PPS is rarely life-threatening but the symptoms can interfere significantly with the individual's capacity to function independently.  

We must continue the momentum to stop this disease. Rotary does an annual fundraiser call "the Purple Pinkie" run. This year the run will be held Oct

New Member Induction and Classification Speech - George Bollendorf
Posted on Sep 15, 2021
George Bollendorf had been sponsored by Bob John as a potential new member and the club had voted him in. At todays meeting he was inducted into the club a s a new member and he gave his classification speech. 
 
George Bollendorf is a career law enforcement officer with over 25 years of service. Throughout his tenure he has been awarded numerous commendations for Bravery, Heroism and Merit. George has been involved in a variety of leadership positions including: Leaders of fatal crash investigation unit, leader of commercial vehicle unit, Lieutenant and watch commander of a platoon of 50 officers. He has also been a project manager on several key events and projects such as: Operations manger for Papal visit to Philadelphia region, Operations manager for Democratic National Convention Philadelphia PA, and Leader of task force to improve transit security. George is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Command and Leadership Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration and is currently enrolled in a Master’s program for Leadership. A father of three, George has enjoyed being a past coach and board member of the Hatboro Little League. George is currently the Hatboro Borough Council President. As a member of Council, George ensures that all of our first responders are outfitted with all the equipment and training that is available. He has been locating the numerous grants and free training available to achieve this goal, and he would also look into seeking state and federal funds for having an emergency drill with our surrounding communities. George believes that working together will only enhance our level of preparedness.
George moved to Hatboro 18 years ago. He has always been involved in service and actually received a scholarship from Rotary in 1988. George is a huge Disney fan an his family visits about three times a year! George loves sports and likes to read.
George also gave the club some updates on some business happenings in Hatboro.
Jin Shin Jyutsu:  Getting to Know Thyself - Karen Kearns
Posted on Sep 01, 2021
Karen explained to the club that she was a Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner. She explained Jin Shin Jyutsu self help will give you the awareness and the know how you need so that you can benefit from it for the rest of your life!
Karen described this self help as a form of 'Acupressure with the fingers', but it involves no manipulation, pressure or massage, so it is safe for everybody from 0 to 100+ years of age! 
This level of self help  forms part of the Ancient Art of Jin Shin Jyutsu, which harmonizes and balances the life energy in the body by using the fingers and hands (over clothing) to alleviate symptoms of discomfort and disharmony.
This 'energy medicine' is a gentle, yet effective and powerful tool for health and well-being which is simple to learn, and its’ beneficial effects are usually felt immediately.
This powerful aid is ready and available to every single one of us - just by knowing where to put your hands on your body you can manage your everyday stresses and pains, restore and maintain your energy levels, boost your immune system and much more!
The key to self help is the fingers. Holding each one can help regenerate all of our 144,000 energy functions. Karen explained that the body has 26 energy safety locks and that holding certain parts of the body releases them, similar to locks in a canal allowing water to flow.
Karen had club members practice:
"Take a few deep exhales to calm yourself.  Relax your neck and shoulders, perhaps drop your head.  Eyes may be open or closed.  Do what feels right for you.
Of course, you would hold the finger for the emotion you’re feeling stuck in…but this morning…we are just going to run through straight through them together…so let’s go!
I can talk while you’re holding.
Take one hand and hold the THUMB of the other hand. 
It doesn’t matter which hand.
Hold the thumb if you are experiencing worry or depression.
Are you having difficulty going to or staying asleep? Try holding farther into the base of the thumb.
While holding, you may feel light pulsation in the fingers.
You may have gurgling sensations in the abdomen as the digestive system relaxes.  Pain levels may lessen.
You may feel drowsy.  You may suddenly feel alert.
Wait and notice.   (STOMACH)
Now, hold the INDEX finger.
 Are you experiencing fear, anxiety, or are you overwhelmed? Do you dread speaking in front o a group or taking a test? This finger will help balance, freedom from fear is restored.
(BLADDER, KIDNEY)
Are you irritable or angry?  Move to the MIDDLE finger.
Do you feel the need to control all situations?  Maybe your life feels out of your control.  Do you feel emotionally frozen?  In balance, one is more accepting of the present situation and compassionate towards others, including yourself.
(GALL BLADDER, LIVER)
Do you have deep long-lasting sadness or grief?  Hold your RING finger.  Do you cry easily when it doesn’t feel appropriate?  Are you longing for the way life used to be?  In balance, one can release the deep sense of loss and become receptive to the “new” as joy returns.  (LUNGS, RESPIRATORY)
(Good to hold on walks and running.)
And finally, do you say “yes” to everything to please others? Grab your LITTLE finger. Are you overdoing it?  Would you call yourself a perfectionist?  In balance, judgement and self-criticism become intuition, inspiration and a more loving acceptance of yourself and others. (HEART)
I also hold one of my little fingers when I feel overwhelmed or have heart palpitations.
I know that holding fingers might seem like a novel approach to improving your health but wouldn't you feel empowered if you could restore your energy levels, boost your immune system and relieve common stress-related conditions like headaches, migraines, backache, anxiety, aches and pains and much more, just by knowing where to put your hands on your body?
If you use this easy step-by-step self help method on a daily basis, you'll have more energy and you'll also feel AND look better! Remember that you have this available to you right now, ready and waiting to be used, so start right now. You have everything to gain.
Use your hands to help yourself today!                        Be the smile.  :)"
District 7430 Governor 2021-2022 - Robert (Bob) J. Hobaugh 
Posted on Aug 25, 2021
Assistant Rotary District 7430 Governor Michael (Mike) Mueller introduced Bob:
 
Bob learned about Rotary through his friends who were exchange students sponsored by the Emmaus Rotary Club. He graduated from Emmaus High School, Penn State University, University of Virginia and Dickinson School of Law. He met Florita after law school. They have a daughter, Karen, and a son, Stephen, both Penn State graduates. Bob is an attorney practicing in southeastern Pennsylvania. He practiced with large law firms for 34 years and now enjoys a solo practice. Bob regularly publishes legal articles with the Business Law Sections of the American Bar Association and Pennsylvania Bar Association and with many other business organizations. Bob serves as Director and Board Chair of Ontelaunee Region Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). He served as a Director and President of the Burn Prevention Foundation, Director of Kutztown Rotary Charitable Foundation, Inc., Diakon and its predecessor organizations and was a Founding Director at Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce. Bob is a Senior Master Judge and Team Captain for the AACA and a member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, showing antique BMWs at national meets. Bob has been a active member of the Kutztown Rotary Club since 1986. He served District 7430 as Parliamentarian, Assistant Governor, Annual Fund Chair, member of the International Service and DEI Committees and as counselor in the Student Exchange Program. He teaches for the Rotary Leadership Institute. He is also a member of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Rotary Action Group and the International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians. Bob thanks his wife, Florita, for serving with him in Rotary.
 
Bob started his talk around this years Rotary theme Serve to Change Lives. He explained that service should be intentional. 
He quoted Rotary Internationals Mission Statement - We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. He then explained that the We in the statement is not just Rotarians but also the people we do business with who have a shared vision, such as the in Rotary Internationals case the United Nations https://www.rotary.org/en/history-rotary-and-united-nations
Bob talked about service, and said that when we serve others we not only change their lives but also our own. Bob told a story explaining this. it was about our current Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta. As a new Rotary member in his mid twenties Shekhar was part of a group of Rotarians in India who organized an artificial limb camp, where they would fit limbs for people who did not have legs and give them hand-crank tricycles. Everybody was given a job. Shekhar was given the responsibility to determine whether the recipient had enough hand or arm strength to pedal one. So he would have the person grab my hands and he would pull. Shekhar saw the first person coming, but he wasn’t walking, he was crawling. And as he stretched out his hand, and Shekhar stretched to pull his, he shuddered. he didn’t want to touch his hands; they were very soiled. The fourth person was a leper, but he had no option: he had to hold every hand. But by the seventh or eighth hand, he had forgotten about his reservations and he was thinking about their plight. Shekhar said that’s when he became a Rotarian: he started feeling how others felt. Bob asked the group if any of us had been personally transformed by service. Gloria Inlander told of how she had accompanied Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) to Guatemala and Haiti and how that had made a lasting impression on her. Bob told another story about how he was working at a church in Kutztown providing meals for low income community members, but not all could make it to the church to get the meals. Bob and others had to deliver some meals, but when Bob realized he had to deliver to a house just a few doors down from the church, he felt annoyed that they could not be bothered to come and get the meal. However, when the person answered the door to get the meal Bob saw that it was a lady with severe MS not someone taking advantage. Bob explained that service should be planned. he explained how one of his hobbies is yachting. In yachting you have to chart your course and the set sail. when Bob goes yachting he is given the job of plotting the course. Bob asked the group why this is important work. Tony explained that it is the only way the boat will get to its destination. Bob agreed and said that a goal without a plan is just a wish!
Bob also explained that it was not enough to do good you have to let others know. This can be done through social media and Rotary Internationals Main | Rotary Showcase
Bob told the group this year District 7430 has built their Action Plan from Rotary Internationals Plan. Bob discussed District 7430 priorities and how our club could contribute to these priorities. 
  • Increase Our Impact - Conduct a community needs assessment for Service Projects and then tell the story (Facebook, website, Rotary Showcase). Plan a Rotary Days of Service around our new area of service - The Environment, invite non Rotarians to it.
  • Expand Our Reach - Grow membership possibly from participants at service projects
  • Enhance Participant Engagement - Bring in youth and offer new programs. Give members what they want or they will leave
  • Increase Our Ability to Adapt - Virtual meeting options, new fundraisers, etc.
Autism Awareness - Ben Hartranft
Posted on Aug 18, 2021
Ben Hartranft is a self-advocate, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. Ben has achieved many dreams, from getting a job and a driver’s license to becoming an Eagles Autism Challenge Ambassador to promoting autism awareness on The Ellen Show!
Ben explaned that he works at Dorney Park as a greeter and at Giant as well, and he takes the bus to his job.
He is a football fan and loves the eagles, he is a game day ticket taker at eagles games. Ben got to carry the Lombardi Trophy when the Eagles won the super bowl!!!!
Ben is CEO, President, Chairman at Benergy1 Presentations for more info https://benergy1.com
He spoke about how important it is to have an advocate in the school system so kids with Autism don't get lost. 
Ben's dream is to one day meet the President of the United States to advocate for Autism awareness. 
Farewell to Hatboro Rotarian George Lewis
Posted on Aug 11, 2021
Farewell to George Lewis
  • Today was his last meeting before he and his wife move to Florida
  • Long-time member of Rotary and founded Lewis Paints
  • 1977 -opened Lewis Paints in Hatboro, which today has 4 locations. Business is now run by his children. 
  • 1985-Hatboro Chamber of Commerce President
  • Involved in Cub Scouts for 12 Years
  • 1988 - Club's first Paul Harris fellow, and continues to donate $1,000/yr in monthly payments, currently Club's highest donor to Paul Harris, which uses a significant portion of donations for service and not overhead
  • 1989-Hatboro Rotary President
  • He's been a loyal, long-time member and has supported club's efforts over the years
  • Later received the Service to Community Award at Hatboro Borough Ball for outstanding service to the community
  • We wish him and his wife the best. 
  • Celebrated with donuts and cupcakes. 
Hatboro Scout Troop 3 - Apollo Marks
Posted on Aug 11, 2021
Apollo Marks - Troop 3 
  • Apollo is 15 years old, and current Senior Patrol Leader of Hatboro Troop 3, which is part of Boy Scouts of America.  He presented to us dressed in uniform. 
  • BSA is made up of 5 core programs - Cub Scots, Scouts, Venturing, Sea Scouts and Exploring.  
  • Troop 3 is part of Scouting and Venturing. 
  • Being a part of the organization helps to prepare youth for adulthood, community service, leadership, and survivial. 
  • Goal is to make way through ranks to the highest rank which is Eagle Scout, a rank you then hold for life. Apollo has recently completed requirements to become an Eagle Scout and is awaiting his Eagle Scout Award.  It requires years of monthly camping trips full of adventure, leadership and fellowship, service projects, week-long summer camp to earn merit badges, and attending high adventure trips. He particularly enjoyed a venture trip to Maine where they canoed over a 100 mile stretch. 
  • Troop 3 has a video team, which is unique to their troop. They video local events with professional grade equipment. Apollo is the video team's crew chief. 
  • Apollo has learned how to tie a knot, light a fire, pitch a tent, cook, canoe, become an effective communicator, be part of a team, develop good morals, be a better person and live by the Scout Law. 
  • Apollo has been mentored over the years by Rotarian Bob John, a former long-time Scoutmaster. 
Hatboro Rotary supports local charities and organizations
Posted on Aug 05, 2021
During 2020 Hatboro Rotary's fundraising efforts were reduced by the pandemic. The traditional fundraisers were put on hold and some new ones created. These included: Support Hatboro Local Business t-shirt and gift card sale; a seasonal wreath sale; "Penny Wars" change donation jars in local businesses; and a drive in movie night. These fundraisers allowed Hatboro Rotary to support local charities and organizations with donations totaling over $16,000. These charities and organizations included: A local scout troop, YMCA financial assistance program, Hatboro-Horsham High School Interact club, Hatboro Little League, Bux-Mont Meals on Wheels, Hatboro-Horsham Education Foundation, Be a Part of the Conversation, Operation Home Front, Lehman Food Pantry, St. Catherine's Food Pantry, St. John's Lutheran Food Pantry, plus scholarships for two Hatboro Horsham High School students and holiday gifts for local families in need.
Below are some pictures of Hatboro Rotary's 2020 President Katrina Sullivan presenting checks to representatives of some of these charities and organizations: presenting checks to representatives of the local charities and organizations. 
Operation Homefront - Ashley Griffiths
Posted on Aug 04, 2021
Ashley Griffiths an employee of Operation Homefront Homepage - Operation Homefront in our area presented on the program.
For over fifteen years, Operation Homefront has provided programs that offer: RELIEF (through Critical Financial Assistance and transitional housing programs), RESILIENCY (through permanent housing and caregiver support services) and RECURRING FAMILY SUPPORT programs and services throughout the year that help military families overcome the short-term bumps in the road so they don’t become long-term chronic problems. Operation Homefront has consistently earned high ratings from leading charity rating services, including Charity Navigator, which gave OH 4 Stars for 11 consecutive years for superior service and accountability. At Operation Homefront, 90 percent of expenditures goes directly toward delivering programs and services to the military families who need it most.
Operation Homefront offers many programs to achieve their mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities that they’ve worked so hard to protect. Ashley highlighted a few of these programs:
Critical Financial Assistance
Do you need financial assistance for overdue bills, repairs, or other critical family needs? If you are active duty, deployed, a veteran, or are a wounded, ill or injured service member or veteran with a service connected wound, illness or injury — and meet our criteria — you may be eligible for assistance from Operation Homefront’s Critical Financial Assistance.
Since 2011, we have fulfilled over 49,000 unique requests from military families, providing nearly $30 million in assistance. In 2018, 97% of the families helped by this program agreed or strongly agreed that our support helped them feel strong, stable, and secure.
Back-to-School Brigade®
Back-to-School Brigade® is Operation Homefront’s annual nationwide school supply collection and distribution campaign. Since inception, Operation Homefront has distributed over 400,000 backpacks to military children saving military families nearly $50M in school expenses. Operation Homefront and Dollar Tree Inc. have joined forces for 12 consecutive years to collect and distribute school supplies for military children. 
Holiday Meals for Military
The added expense of the holiday season can be challenging for military families. We at Operation Homefront recognize that many military families are separated during this time due to deployments and others travel long distances to be together. Holiday Meals for Military is Operation Homefront’s way of saying thank you for your service and sacrifices that you have made for our country! To date, through our great partnerships with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., Food Lion, Procter & Gamble, and others, our Holiday Meals for Military program served 500,000 individual family members.
Star-Spangled Babies
Welcoming a new baby to the family is exciting! But it can be tough if finances are tight and your service member is deployed. Operation Homefront’s Star-Spangled Babies baby shower program is in place to make it easier for our service members and their growing families to welcome the newest patriot to their families.
Since 2008, we have provided critical baby supplies to more than 18,000 military new and expecting moms! In most locations, the families who participate have deployed service members, wounded service members, and other junior and mid-grade service members and their families. 
This year, Operation Homefront will reach hundreds of families across the nation who are awaiting their little bundles of joy.
We invite you to support and/or volunteer for this wonderful program which illustrates the respect and appreciation Americans hold in their hearts for the families who serve.
July 28 2021
SPEAKER: Suzy Kraczek..Executive Director of the Hatboro Horsham Educational foundation.
This non profit organization was created to encourage excellence and to enhance and enrich educational opportunities offered to the students of the Hatboro Horsham school district. Please visit their website for more information regarding grants, projects and many of their accomplishments. https://www.hhef.org/

 

July 21 2021
Speaker: Tony Moore:  SCORE is an organization of active and retired business professionals who provide free counselling to business owners both new and established. Are you thinking of starting a business? Are you ready to expand and take your business to the next level? Do you need help maintaining your business or have a problem area you would like advice on? Start by going to their website  http://www.buckscounty.score.org and read about the mentors. In the 60 or so members of this organization, there is a variety of experiences which may be able to help you draw of a plan of action. The website itself has a library full of articles geared toward the business owner. You can sign up for a webinar. There is a lot of free useful information on this website. You can contact SCORE at (215) 943-8850 or Email: buckscounty@scorevolunteer.org
2021 Scholarship Winners
 
Congratulations
 
The Hatboro Rotary Scholarships winners for 2021 are Lindsay Park (on left) and Megan Farzetta (on Right)  Both were active in service and leadership including the Interact Club.  Linsdsay was awarded the academic scholarship and will be attending the University of Pennsylvania to study Mechanical Engineering.  Megan excelled in her program at the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology and was awarded the Votech Scholarship.  She will be attending Gwynedd Mercy University to study nursing with a goal toward becoming a Certified Nurse Anesthetist.
 
June 30 2021
The end of another Rotary year! This year has been particularly challenging with COVID dictating how we live. We managed to get use to zoom meetings but are now adjusting back to in-person meetings at the DISH. No more PJ's and slippers! A very special thanks to Katrina and Linda who led us through this very different Rotary year. In the weeks to come I will share news of our scholarship winners and also an update on past winners so stay tuned! Please welcome the new District 7430 District Governor 2021- 2022 District 7430 Governor, Bob Hobaugh. We also welcome Karen and Mike Kearns as they take the helm co-leading our club.
June 23 2021
MICHELLE McDyre    Prevention Education and Outreach Manager    
 Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County
 
The Mission of Mission Kids is to achieve healing and justice for victims of child abuse by providing collaborative services, advocacy, leaderships and education. Using a multidisciplinary team response to allegations of child abuse in a child friendly, dedicated setting to achieve healing and justice for child victims promoting their physical and emotional well-being.
CASE COORDINATION: When an allegation of child abuse is made, Case coordinators work closely with detectives, prosecutors, child protection case workers and forensic interviewers to facilitate a multidisciplinary
response
FORENSIC INTERVIEWS: Specially trained forensic interviewers elicit key information from children about their experiences. this spares the victims from the trauma of repeatedly telling their story
FAMILY ADVOCACY: Provide support and information that help families heal from the effects of abuse.
PREVENTION EDUCATION & COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Prevention Education professionals develop and deploy teaching modules that increase community awareness of abuse.
TRAUMA THERAPY: Mission Kids partners with leading Mental Health providers across Montgomery County to promote healing for victims and families. Also there are 2 full time contracted therapists on-site offering immediate services to vulnerable clients.
To gain further information, please visit the Mission Kids website http://www.missionkidscac.org
SOME STATISTICS:
 Age of victims: 0-6 (78); 7-12 (144); 13-18 (198)
Total # of victims served 455
Total # of Significant Others served 497
 
This was an excellent presentation and I urge other organizations to schedule a Mission Kids presentation and visit their website.
 
 
 
Jun 16 2021
Hooray, we are back at the Dish!
It was nice to sit around a table and chat!
Our program today was Maria Conley, owner of Boutique 28 in Hatboro (right behind Wawa) on Montgomery Avenue.
From her website:

Maria’s philosophy is centered around her favorite quote, “the most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.” Her vision is to motivate women of all ages, shapes, ethnicity and sizes to be their most confident selves.

Self confidence is the best outfit …rock it, wear it, own it!

Family has always been a source of inspiration and guidance for founder and owner, Maria - daughter of tailor, Angelo. Maria’s father immigrated to America from Greece in 1967 with his family. As a girl, Maria’s memories of her dad are the creative force that ignited her drive to launch Boutique 28.

Maria is celebrating her first year anniversary as a business owner in Hatboro. If you haven't been to her shop, stroll on in and say hello!

www.boutique28fashion.com She also has a facebook page.

Welcome to Hatboro Maria!

CHARTER NIGHT 2021
79TH CHARTER NIGHT
 
 
It has been a rough year for everyone but through it all we continued to meet by zoom. 
The club (yes, really ,all in one place!) came together at Giuseppe's in Warminster to celebrate our 79th year and to pay tribute and honor  a 52 year member of the Club ..JACK GROVES!
Jack joined the club Jun 20 1969 and became president in 1979-80, and a Paul Harris Fellow in 1988. He has served as the club treasurer for many years. He and his wife Ann have had many adventures with this club and have given so much of themselves throughout the years. Jack has decided to retired from Rotary. It will definitely not be the same without him. Jack, you and Ann will be missed!!!
 
 
Its not over yet! Also on this night we recognized the leadership of Katrina and Linda who kept us going this past year as COVID kept us all home bound! Thanks to "K" and "L", we were still able to "see" each other through Zoom meetings.  The pandemic didn't stop club members from serving the community...H.A.T. Packs, Food Pantry, flowers to those shut in alone and more.  THANK YOU !!  
 
And lastly as is our custom the incoming Presidents Karen and Mike Kearns received their presidents pins and will lead us into 2022. 
 
Please Join us at our next Rotary Meeting June 16th at the Hatboro Dish!!!! It's so good to be back together again!!!
State of Travel at this time - Rosanna Gehringer
Rosana Gehringer from Ventresca Travel in Hatboro informed the club that countries closed down due to the pandemic has really hurt the tourist industry. Mexico has been willing to take chances with tourism and so that is where tourists have been going. Come mid July some cruises will be operating including to Alaska. Travelers have to be flexible as things can change and masks are required at a lot of destinations. Testing before and when you arrive and after is required. Each country is doing their own thing. If you test positive, you have to stay in a COVID hotel. It is a very fluid situation at this moment. With cruises 100% of staff are vaccinated and they want travelers to be vaccinated also as per the CDC guidelines. The governor of Florida does not want travelers to have to be vaccinated and so they are not running cruises out of Florida at this time. Vacations in the United States at National Parks etc. are very popular at this time
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.
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President's Message

Karen Kearns

member photo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I believe we can change our community with each good work we perform, either individually
or as a group, but we can accomplish more as a group working together."
Karen
Club Executives & Directors
President
Karen Kearns
President Elect
Marty Palmer
Immediate Past President
Katrina Sullivan
Treasurer
Linda Roehner
Secretary
Tom Finerghty
Rotary Foundation
Tony Mapes
Youth Services
Alexander Myers
Community Service
Jillian Barton
International Service
Lisa Grace