Today was a Zoom meeting with 38 people on line. After some conversations President Ralph Witcher opened the meeting at 7:30 A.M.
GUESTS ON LINE:
DG Janet Kolepp, Bethlehem MS RC; PDG B. J. Metz, Easton RC; Ellen Kern, Allentown RC; Capt. Nick Millward, Rotary Peace Fellowship winner calling in from Japan; Ethel Drayton-Craig; and Pastor Tony Ademo, friend of Jean Masiko; Andrea Tianisow, guest of Ralph Witcher;
HAPPY DOLLARS AND COMMENTS:
John Scott is happy to be driving to Lancaster today for a face-to-face business meeting including lunch.
Ernie Boll was on from sunny Arizona.
Marlene Heller finally will see her grandchildren, now that the covid19 virus is gone from their daughter’s house.
When asked, Marlene identified the background behind her today as a scene from her trip to Israel.
We discussed the covid19 issues and who has been vaccinated, or will be soon.
Chuck Ehninger said he found an important 6-day old e-mail in his “Junk” folder.
Nick Millward was calling from a Buddhist Temple in southern Japan where he was happy to be out of the rain.
Gail Micca is happy that her Mom now is walking sometimes without her cane.
Jean Masiko happily put in $5 for last week’s program about the new Veterans’ Memorial coming to Ontelaunee Park. She believes that at least 3 AW Rotarians’ names will be engraved therein.
Marlene Heller is happy to report that the income so far from the new Tribute Card program has covered the startup costs.
Marlene also reports that her 99.9 year old Mother has recovered from a T.I.A. Her doctor said that her follow-up tests indicate that Mom has the body of a teenager.
Alicia Orbin is happy to be with us today.
Ralph Witcher is happy that Herb Klotz will walk the Appalachian Trail.
OPENING:
Pastor Jean Masiko gave a very nice invocation. Then Pres. Ralph led us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY:
Pres. Ralph showed two special photos. One was Gwenn Carr’s granddaughter who won the “Pi” contest. The second was Kathy Ott’s granddaughter Lindsey Ott and her Art samples.
CELEBRATION DATES:
Pres. Ralph displayed the list of March members and their celebration dates. We applauded.
ANNUAL DISTRICT CONFERENCE:
District Governor, Janet Kolepp, told us about the three districts representing 120 RCs coming together at the end of April for a combined conference. Marlene Heller and Jeanne Shipe are on the conference Marketing Committee. See “Save the Date” article.
WELCOME GUESTS:
Pres. Ralph extended a hearty welcome to our many guests on line with us today.
Pres. Ralph again said “The world needs more Rotarians.”
FOUR WAY TEST:
Pres. Ralph read the four items, as we do each week.
PRESIDENTIAL LIFETIME ACHEIVEMENT AWARD:
Pres. Ralph explained that we will gain a firsthand account of what it was like to be a part of history being included in the first group of women to be inducted into Rotary back in the early 1990's. You will also come to better understand the profound contribution that Women who live in our community have made and are making through Rotary.
JEAN MASIKO is the AWRC’s first recipient of this recognition. President Ralph read a glowing proclamation that has been framed for Jean. He said that Kathy Ott has baked a special cake for Jean to celebrate.
Ellen M. Kern of the Allentown RC read a special proclamation of congratulations from PA State Senator Pat Browne. Ellen is Pat’s Chief of Staff and has known Jean for 30 years.
Jean’s two sons each said congratulations to Mom. And Pastor Tony Ademo from the Kingdom Life Church gave a mini-sermon praising Pastor Jean’s service to others. And Ralph played a video of a Canadian cohort of Jean’s wishing her the best.
Jean extended her sincere thanks to everyone for this award.
CAMP NEIDIG (RYLA):
Our AWRC Mike Gschwendtner has been transferred and now we need a leader from our club to step up and work on this district-wide annual event for High School Juniors.
APPALACHIAN TRAIL D7430 FUNDRASER:
PDG Herb Klotz’s AWRC plan to sponsor Herb’s final 110 mile trek as a fundraiser for TRF Annual Fund has been expanded to be a district-wide event. See separate article.
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE OPENINGS:
Chair, Len Salines, is looking for a few additional members who might be interested in joining the AW Rotary Fundraising committee for planning upcoming events . Thanks to those who already agreed to help. Please contact Len Salines with questions or would like to be involved -- Lenmary3657@ptd.net
KINGDOM LIFE FOOD CENTER NEEDS YOU:
Jean Masiko says that the dates for the next six months of Food Bank Distribution at Kingdom Life Family Center are: SATURDAYS
April 24 May 15 June 12
July 17 Aug 14 Sept 11
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY:
Volunteer house painters still are needed. Contact Amir Famili.
YOUR SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES:
Service Chair, Gail Micca, asks that you take a look at this section on the left side of this bulletin. New ones:
Highway Clean up: Saturday April 24, 7:30 am contact Gail Micca presidentelect@allentownwestrotary.org
Painting project at Lehigh Valley Zoo, TBD
STATUS OF MORNING MEETINGS:
The AWRC B.O.D. has suspended all AWRC face-to-face meetings until further notice. Zoom meetings are now scheduled for each Wednesday at 7:30 A.M.
NEXT MORNING MEETING:
Wednesday March 31, 2021 starting at 7:30 a.m. We will use Zoom to meet. Our program will be OUR Quarterly Business Meeting WITH OUR AWRC Service Chairs REPORTING.
STATUS OF THURSDAY EVENING MEETING:
No Thursday evening meetings are planned until after the pandemic..
PROGRAM:
Pres. Ralph Witcher introduced Alicia Ruiz-Orbin, PPL Marketing Manager (Retired) to discuss Women & Rotary: We have Come a long Way Down the Path of Inclusion.
Alicia’s career spanned 30-years with PPL where she retired voluntarily in January 2003 to pursue other professional interests.
Alicia joined the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley as Manager-Community Impact.
Alicia holds a BS in Business Administration from Wilkes University and earned post-graduate credits towards an MBA at Lehigh University. She also earned a Certificate in Translation from New York University and is a graduate of the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work Non-Profit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI). Alicia has also earned continuing education credits at Oxford University, England
Alicia became a Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Scranton, PA, on March 1,1990, where she served as the Board Treasurer until she moved to the Lehigh Valley. She then joined the Allentown West Rotary club in 2001 where she chaired multiple Committees, served on the Board of Directors for 6 years, and in 2006-2007, became the first and only Latina, so far, to be elected President of a Rotary Club in the Lehigh Valley. After that she was a member of the Allentown and Emmaus RCs.
Alicia and her husband Michael, also an active Rotarian with the Allentown Rotary Club, live in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh Valley, and have two married daughters. Alicia and Michael have 4 grandchildren - 3 boys and a girl.
The month of March celebrates International Women’s Day across the globe. It also celebrates Women in History.
Alicia joined Rotary in 1990 in the RC of Scranton as their first woman member. There were 20,200 women Rotarians world-wide then. Now there are over 200,000 women Rotarians, about 23% around the world.
Alicia reviewed the history of Women in Rotq5 starting with a RC in India in 1951 trying to change the rules.Until 1989, the Constitution and Bylaws of Rotary International stated that Rotary club membership was for males only. In 1978 the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, invited three women to become members.
The RI board withdrew the charter of that club for violation of the RI Constitution. The club brought suit against RI claiming a violation of a state civil rights law which prevents discrimination of any form in business establishments or public accommodations. The appeals court and the California Supreme Court supported the Duarte position that Rotary could not remove the club's charter merely for inducting women into the club.
The United States Supreme Court upheld the California court indicating that Rotary clubs do have a "business purpose" and are in some ways public-type organizations. This action in 1987 allowed women to become Rotarians in any jurisdiction having similar "public accommodation" statutes.
The RI constitutional change was made at the 1989 Council on Legislation, with a vote to eliminate the "male only" provision for all of Rotary.
Alicia joined AWRC in 2000 and thanks A J Henry, Gloria Zimmerman, and the late PDG Yvette Palmer for their welcoming support. She said Yvette was her mentor and opened many doors in the district for her.
CLOSING:
Pres Ralph led us in the saying “One profits most who serves best.”
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