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Message from President Gail Micca
 I hope you are as excited about growing our membership as I am. We can all look forward to fun socials and mixers to invite our colleagues, friends and neighbors to. And you can be a part of planning them. 
 
As we work together to create social events, we discover new friendships and connections. I look forward to hearing more about how you see your role in growing our club and our service. Consider who you will invite next Wednesday for our zoom meeting. Have a great week!

Gail
Rotary Club of
ALLENTOWN WEST
Pres. Gail Micca
Area 1 Asst. Gov. Rick Zayaitz
District 7430 Governor
Bob Hobaugh
 
MEETINGS:
We meet currently at Brookside Country Club and via Zoom: the second and fourth Wednesdays at Brookside Country Club and first, third, and fifth Wednesdays on Zoom until further notice. When we meet at Brookside,
Zoom is also available.
 
WEBSITE

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GREETERS

Greeters will be working at all in-person meetings.
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EVENING MEETINGS
 
Evenings will resume as social evenings in the
near future. Watch for details!
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HAVE YOU MISSED A MEETING?
 
Missed a club meeting? Lucky for you, we record our Zoom meetings! Click the link and then choose which meeting you’d like to view. Use the slide at the bottom if you want to skip over the socialization part of the meeting. We open the formalities at 7:30 am, and presenters begin at 8 am. So even if you missed the meeting, it’s just like being there!
 
The AWRC YouTube.com channel link is:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClHOvGQzfK4z7CUgSQQGqHA
 
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CALENDAR of EVENTS
     
   
       Sep 20  District 7430 Golf Tournament at Brookside CC in Pottstown, 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
   
        Oct 2  –  D7430 Purple Pinkie 5K Race to Zero
 
        Nov 6  --  D7430 Annual Foundation Seminar
        
 
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Opportunities for Service
 
 
Here is a list of  service opportunities for August:
 
Habitat for Humanity – Any Tuesday or Thursday morning, contact Amir, 484-431-7741
 
Meals on Wheels – Contact Kathleen Ott, 610-395-0549
 
       Hunger Projects:
 
August 14th (Sat.) 7:15am -10:30 am Kingdom Life Food Pantry Drive Thru
 
August 15th (Sunday) Harvest at garden for Jordan Lutheran Church Pantry
 
Please contact Gail Micca, gailmicca@gmail.com or Amanda Lawler, lawlerfamilyof4@gmail.com regarding garden opportunities. They will meet you and introduce you to the garden project. Friends and family are welcome to help, too!
 
*Garden any time: Weeding and watering are always needed.
 
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TRIBUTE CARDS
   
Send Cards to Support the
Allentown West Rotary Club Foundation
 
Send a Thank You, Condolence, Congratulations, Thinking of You, In Honor of, In Memory of, or Just Because card and make a donation to the Allentown West Rotary Club Foundation at the same time. 
 
Our new Tribute Cards are here and ready to send out! You fill in the reason for the card on the top lines and your name on the bottom lines, and mail it out. On the front is a beautiful photograph of a familiar farmhouse in the Lehigh Valley. Inside, recipients will see that the purchase of the card goes to fund the Foundation of our Rotary Club, and they are invited to learn more at our website. On the back is some information about Rotary and our areas of focus.
 
Cards are sold in packs of 5 for $25, plus shipping. To order, go to the Allentown West website at www.allentownwestrotary.org and scroll down to the Tribute Cards. Payment is by PayPal. 
 
 
 
 
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Please “Like” Us!
 
If you are on Facebook, and you have any sense of Allentown West Rotary Club loyalty, please show it by going to our Facebook page and clicking “Like” in the top bar, right under the cover photo.
 
You can also click “Follow” for extra "brownie points."
 
We are in a pseudo-competition with other clubs in our district, and right now we are in the lower half of the pack, with just over 260 likes. The top of the pack is over 500! You can also invite your friends and family to like us, by sharing any of our posts to your own FB page, and asking your own followers to like us! HELP US FLOAT TO THE TOP! We know how good we are; let’s show everyone else that Allentown West Rocks!
 
Marlene Heller
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CONTACT INFORMATION
AWRC  ACTIVITIES
 
Kingdom Life Food Pantry: Jean Masiko – masiko@aol.com
 
Parkland Snack Packing: Kathy Ott – avalon104@verizon.net
 
Lowhill Food Pantry and Northwestern Snack Packing – Amir Famili – familiamir@gmail.com
 
Membership:  Herb Klotz, Temporary
 
Public Image: Marlene Heller  – marleneheller@mac.com
 
TT6:  Len Salines – lenmary3657@ptd.net
 
Dining Out:  Jean Machamer – jeanmachamer@ptd.net
 
Purple Pinkie Services: Barb Kistler barbara.kistler@rcn.com
                          
Purple Pinkie 5K at LCCC: John Scott – johnscottl@msn.com
 
Park Cleanup:  Dennis Houser – houserdah@gmail.com
 
Miracle League:  Barb Kistler – Barbara.kistler@rcn.com
 
Meals on Wheels: Kathy Ott
Kids of Character: Gwen Pongracz – gwen.pongracz@gmail.com
 
Speaker suggestions:  Ralph Witcher – rwitcher@msn.com
 
Website Editor: Marlene Heller – marleneheller@mac.com
 
RLI:   website www.rlinea.org        
 
Speakers
Oct 13, 2021 7:30 AM
How To Get Free Fuel From Waste Using Local Materials
Oct 20, 2021 7:30 AM
What to Pack on a 750-mile Walk Across India
Oct 27, 2021 7:30 AM
Speaking Up: Changing the Dialogue to End the Stigma Epidemic
Nov 10, 2021 7:30 AM
Rotary Foundation Talk
View entire list
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THE WORLD NEEDS MORE ROTARIANS
 
 
Make it your business to share your Rotary story! When you meet someone who isn't aware of all Rotary has to offer personally, professionally, and to the world, it's an opportunity. Let them know you are one of the 1.2 million people in the world who make the world better by serving the community.
 
Offer them the chance to join us for an activity or a meeting to learn more. If you don't ask, they won't know! Be a Rotary Ambassador!
 
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AWRC
Board and Committee
 Members for 2021-22
 
 
Current Executive board:
President Gail Micca
President Elect – John Scott
Immediate Past President – Ralph Witcher
Vice President – TBD
 
Treasurer – Chris Blechschmidt 
Secretary – Michelle Steiner
Sergeant at Arms – Mitch Huston
 
Directors:
Membership Chair – TBD
Service Chair – Dr. Kathleen Ott
Public Relations Chair – Marlene Heller
Fundraising Chair – Len Salines
Youth Services Chair – Sue and Bill Weber
 
AWRC Foundation Chair – Amir Famili
RI Foundation Chair – Herb Klotz
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SPEAKERS  WANTED
      Please suggest or request speakers and topics for future meetings and send your ideas to Ralph Witcher. 
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TELL  JEAN
 
     As you become aware of any member of our Rotary family who would benefit from our support with cards, flowers, or visits, please notify Jean Machamer at jeanmachamer@ptd.net
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Check out the AWRC
See Home Page link
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Bulletin Editor
Bill Palmer
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
AUGUST 11, 2021
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           QUOTE of the WEEK
 
     “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
               ― John Holmes
       
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DID YOU KNOW ?
 
 
Rotary started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Over time, Rotary's reach and vision gradually extended to humanitarian service.
 
Currently there are over 35,000 member clubs worldwide, with a membership of 1.2 million individuals, known as Rotarians. Contents.
 
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ANOTHER GREAT WAY
TO HELP FEED PEOPLE
 
-- MEALS ON WHEELS --
 
 
With over two decades of AW Rotarians helping to pack and deliver Meals on two annual holidays, we now are able to launch an all-new and more extensive project.
 
AWRC is looking to form two teams (two people on each team). The teams will go out for one morning every OTHER week. One team member will drive, and the other will be the “runner” that delivers food to the door.
 
ALSO we will need to have several committed substitutes ready to fill in as needed. All regulars and substitutes will be well trained for this work.
 
We need at least SIX volunteers, but a lot more is better and will spread the workload so each works fewer days. When enough volunteers are signed up, Service Chair Kathy Ott will conduct a meeting to review the requirements and scheduling.
 
Please call Kathy Ott for more information and to sign up:  610-395-0549
 
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Meeting  Notes – August 11, 2021
 
 
Today was a face-to-face meeting where  AW Rotarians had a breakfast together, and the food was good. We also had a Zoom meeting. There were  22  people at Brookside CC in Macungie shaking hands and hugging and we had  6  people on line that participated in the meeting remotely.
 
David Haight  was our Greeter and he did an excellent job. And President  Gail Micca was everywhere else looking after us. Mitch Huston handled registration and 50:50 tickets, and Happy Dollars. P-E John Scott   made sure that the P.A. system and the Zoom signals worked for us.
 
 
 
GUESTS:
Nick Millward, our Peace Fellow winner out of the military and back in the Lehigh Valley; Whitman Scott, son of John.
 
OPENING:
Pres. Gail Micca welcomed Nick Millward to our meeting and praised his continued support of our many projects.
 
 
Bill Weber  gave a very nice invocation . After some time to eat we  recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the U.S.
 
AWRC HISTORY STORY:
Past President Len Salines told the history of the RI classifications for members. And he put in a plug for the Rotary Means Business networking efforts coming up.
 
CELEBRATIONS:
Pres. Gail displayed the list of August member events. To celebrate his 80th birthday we sang a good rendition of Happy Birthday to Bill Weber.
 
Pres. Gail led us in the recitation of the Four Way Test to which we added “Is it fun?”
 
CANCER SUPPORT GROUP:
Sharon Goldner described a local cancer support group and their fundraising event at Cedar Crest College in September. AWRC will have a root beer float stand there.
 
ROTARY MEANS BUSINESS:
 
 
 
KINGDOM LIFE FOOD CENTER:
Jean Masiko is looking for volunteers for Saturday.
 
PARKLAND C.A.R.E.S.:
Nick Millward helped out at their food pantry --  in the rain  --  and said it was an awesome experience.
 
MEALS ON WHEELS PROJECT:
Kathy Ott said that we are trying to do our service on Tuesdays. And we will start at the Trinity Lutheran Church. The project still can use more volunteers.
 
MONGOLIAN YOUTH PROGRAM:
Nick Millward said that we are collecting baseball equipment – used  --  to send to Mongolia to start a youth baseball program. Katrina Sundstrom’s daughter is collecting as well.
Nick will collect over the next few months, and then deliver them to Mongolia in January.
 
GAIL’S BIKING CHALLENGE:
As a fundraiser Gail is still seeking sponsors for her 60 miles a week  biking as part of our 60 year celebration next May. She is approaching her $5,000 goal.
 
FUNDRAISER EVENT:
Chair, Len Salines said that the plan is to hold a Casino Night in January  --  maybe February.
 
Then in May we will celebrate our 60 years of service with a party. The next committee meeting will be on Sunday August 22nd.
 
HAPPY DOLLARS & GAMBLING:
Nick Millward is happy to be here today.
 
S-a-A Mitch Huston had tickets drawn with winners:
 
Gail Micca won $31 of the 50:50 and gave it to the club.
Nick Millward won the $10 door prize and gave it to the club.
Herb Klotz and Ernie Boll each won some Josh Early candy.
Nick Millward had two more winning tickets and took home the corn items.
 
Ernie Boll is just happy.
 
Laurie Grube is happy to be celebrating their son’s birthday. And she thanks Gail Micca for our Garden Project.
 
Sharon Goldner is  happy to be celebrating her Mother’s 100th birthday.
 
Sue Weber is happy to be celebrating Bill’s 80th birthday.
 
Bill Weber is happy to be 80.
 
Nick Millward is happy that he has winning tickets today.
 
Ralph Witcher is happy for Jean Masiko’s good works with Kingdom Life Food Center.
 
YOUR SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES:
Please take a look at this section on the left side of this bulletin.
 
STATUS OF MORNING MEETINGS:
There  will be hybrid meetings  twice a month, plus all-zoom meetings for two more Wednesdays each month.
 
NEXT  MORNING MEETING:
Wednesday August 18, 2021  and it is a Zoom meeting starting at 7:30 a.m.   Our program  will  be  Edward Pullin, Cyber Security/Date Protection --  Fundamentals of Cryptography - Part 2.
 
PROGRAM:
Let’s Grow Rotary! Presented by PDG Herb Klotz, D7430, Allentown West Rotary Club, Zone 32 Coordinator.
 
 
Herb used a series of slides to tell this Membership Growth story. First he explained that the  Session Topics covered are:
         What is our Club’s Membership History?
         Membership Team Plans for 2021-22
         Approaches to Grow Your Club
 
Herb then said that our 2021-22 AWRC Membership Goal established by Pres. Gail is to grow from our current Membership of  57 to 65 as of June 30, 2022.
 
Herb showed a curve of our Active member counts since 2004.
 
 
Some statistics for  2017-21 are:
         Club Average Attrition Rate = 19%  
         Global average = 14%
         World Class = 8-10%
         Club Average Attraction Rate = 13%
Zone 32 (NE USA) average = 12.5%
 
Herb discussed Attraction vs. Attrition with four quadrants on his slide. We fall into the 3rd one.
1- Growth Culture    129 Clubs    (11%)
2 – Stable     296 Clubs    (26%)
3 – High Turnover    404 Clubs    (35%)
4 – Danger Zone    328 Clubs     (28%)
 
We can keep up our Member Attraction Activities by:
         Focus on Member Engagement
         Club Culture
         Meaningful Projects
         Family Events
         Flexibility
         Alternate Experiences
 
Herb then presented the Top Reasons for Membership Growth:
         Clear Membership Goals and Plan
         Strong Public Image Campaign/Active Social Media
         Membership Recruiting Events including Networking Mixers / Active Recruiting
         Alternative Meeting or Satellite Club
         Flexibility (Membership Types, Dues Structure, attendance, etc.
 
Allentown West RC Membership initiatives include:
         Member Attraction
         Prospective Member Attraction and Onboarding Process - Laurie
         Rotary Means Business Networking Sessions – Tori, Murtaza, Brad, others
         Each One, Bring One - Herb
         Social Media Promotion - Marlene
         Membership Video Clips - ?
         Member Engagement
         Engagement Subcommittee - ?
         Member Surveys - ?
         New Member Orientations – Barbara
         Exit Interviews - Gwenn
 
Two Key Rotary International 2021-22 Membership Programs:
         Top Priority Initiative by RI President Shekar Mehta
         Goal is 1.3 Million members by June 30, 2022
 
Here is a list of Allentown West RC Committees. Getting involved with one or more committees is very important to our club and to you.
         Community Service
         International Service
         Youth Programs
         Fundraising
         Membership
         Public Image
         Club Leadership & Support
 
Herb then asked members to have a Breakout Discussion ---- What is Your Role in Growing Membership in our Rotary club?
 
After 10 minutes each table had a member tell us their idea, including Marlene Heller who was on-line. Herb concluded by saying that our club is on the right path.
 
CLOSING:
 Pres Gail led us in the saying “One profits most who serves best.” And she rang a real bell.
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BIRTHDAYS
 
Scott Hock                  Aug 12
Bill Weber                   Aug 12
AJ Henry                     Aug 17
Ralph Witcher            Aug 17
Ron Coleman              Aug 30
Marlene Heller            Aug 31
 

Anniversaries

 

Sue & Bill Weber                 Aug 07 1965      56 years
Barbara & Jeffrey Kistler     Aug 16 1969      52 years
 

JOIN  DATES

 

Mitch Huston              9 years              Aug 03 2012
Gwenn Carr                17 years             Aug 11 2004
Gary Englehardt         17 years             Aug 11 2004
Mustafa Jaffer            11 years             Aug 18 2010
Pat Witcher                 1 year                Aug 18 2020
Murtaza Jaffer            2 years              Aug 20 2019
 
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