Today was a Zoom meeting with 30 people on line. After some conversations President Ralph Witcher opened the meeting at 7:30 A.M. Ralph then gave a very nice invocation.
GUESTS ON LINE:
DGE Bob Hobaugh, Kutztown RC; Kathy Ott and Pat Witcher, incoming members; Jean Framces; and Capt. Nick Millward. Peace Fellowship candidate calling from Japan.
Pres Ralph began the meeting by leading us in the Pledge to the Flag of the U.S. . Then Ralph asked Marlene Heller to give the 4 Way Test example.
Pres. Ralph displayed the list of members and their September celebration dates.
THE FOUR-WAY TEST EXAMPLE:
Marlene asked for a volunteer or two to tell a story indicative of their application of ethical standards recently.
Sue Weber says getting involved with Rotary surely builds good will and better friendships.
DGE Bob Hobaugh said that as he visits other RCs he tells how we seek weekly examples of the 4 Way Test, and they think that it is great.
WHAT ROTARY MEANS TO ME:
Jean Machamer told her story as:
R is for Relationships that are formed.
O is Opportunities to serve that are provided.
T is for Transformation and Team Building.
A is for Action, i.e. Service Above Self.
R is for Responsibilities, i.e. being the Interact Club advisor.
Y is for Yearnings being fulfilled.
Jean also wishes a Happy New Year to our Jewish friends.
THE “LOOK BOOK” FUNDRAISER:
BY SEPT. 25 ----------
** We will develop a digital scrapbook
** The “AWRC Look Book” will be available by 9/30/20
** For a small donation ($25) we will send you a digital copy
** All funds will go to the LowHill Food Pantry
Please use the “Donate” button on the AWRC website. Or YOUR donation checks can be sent to Chris Blechschmidt made payable to the AWRC Foundation.
Once available we will provide the assembled pdf to the individual donors.
So far we have multiple pictures from 22 members, and $600 in cash donations for the Lowhill Food Pantry.
AWRC 2020 CHRISTMAS PARTY, a.k.a. HOLIDAY PICNIC:
Amir Famili said that our outdoor Face-to-Face event is on Saturday October 17.. The plan is to bring food to the Upper Macungie Park -- off of Route 100 in Fogelsville. We start at NOON and go at least to 4 P.M. Sunday Oct 18th is the “rain date.” The cost is $10 pp to cover expenses. Amir e-mailed a flyer to us.
Please contact Jean Machamer and confirm you will attend AND tell her what food or drink you will bring.
THANK YOU NOTE:
AW Rotarians received a lovely note of thanks from Allison, one of our scholarship awardees last year. She is attending DeSales university.
PAUL HARRIS FELLOW NOMINATIONS:
Pres. Ralph is asking members to let him know of any non-Rotarian in the community that might be worthy of an Honorary PHF from AWRC.
YVETTE PALMER 5K PURPLR PINKIE RACE:
The race this year will be virtual and is on Oct. 24 which is World Polio Day. It starts at 10 A.M. and Mike McGovern is the featured speaker. He is the world-wide Chair of Rotary’s PolioPlus.
AND we need some Corporate sponsors.
PERFECT ATTENDANCE AWARDS:
Pres. Ralph showed a list of AW members who have earned prefect attendance awards for last year. A separate award certificate noted that Bill Palmer had 25 years. Then we saw a special plaque recognizing Ernie Boll for having 50 YEARS of perfect attendance.
YOUR SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES:
Please take a look at this new section on the left side of this bulletin.
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 September 30th starting at 7:30 a.m. We will use Zoom to meet Our program will be D7430 PolioPlus Committee Chair, Carol Ferguson speaking about Vaccines Work: RI's Focus on Disease Prevention.
STATUS OF THURSDAY EVENING MEETING:
No Thursday evening meetings are planned for September and for October 2020.
HAPPY DOLLARS and MEMBER NEWS:
Amir Famili started a discussion about how the schools are operating.
Nick Millward said that right now there are Typhoons in Japan. He mentioned how typhoons have affected Japan’s history by protecting them from invasion.
Katrina Sundstrom loves the Fall weather. Ten years ago she came here from Southern California.
Jean Machamer told us about when she and Bob were in Dresden, Germany early in May. Around the huge food court there were many area heaters and blankets were available -- so most people ate outside enjoying the fresh air.
Amir Famili received a photo from his son in California showing a half inch deep layer of ash on the car from the area fires.
Herb Klotz reminds us:
This Friday is the annual Zone 28-32 Summit meeting that is virtual and anyone may attend.
October 24 is our virtual Purple Pinkie 5K race to Zero to help eradicate Polio. Please register and also consider buying some of the special items offered.
Amir Famili told us that both ParklandC.A.R.E.S. and the Lowhill Township Food Pantries recently received a special recognition award for their good work feeding the hungry.
PROGRAM:
Pres. Ralph Witcher introduced Emily Conners, M.S.,Dev Officer-Valley Youth House Serving Vulnerable Youth & Families in our Region. Valley Youth House (VYH) envisions a world in which every young person belongs to a nurturing community.
Emily received the 2018 Rising Star Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Eastern PA Chapter. A lifelong Lehigh Valley resident, Emily attended Freedom High School before studying Sociology (Human Services concentration) and Geography at Bucknell University. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, Emily was accepted into the AmeriCorps VISTA national service program, where she worked within the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s education initiative in the Easton Area School District.
Valley Youth House began in 1973 as a single youth shelter in Bethlehem, PA. VYH was open day and night, ensuring that vulnerable, abused and homeless young people in the community had access to shelter and counseling. Even then, we represented more than just a roof and beds. We were an organization committed to building a solid foundation for every youth who came through our doors.
That same dedication still drives us today, as we have grown from that first shelter in the Lehigh Valley to over 300 residential facilities throughout 20 counties in Pennsylvania. While our reach and programming have vastly expanded to include street outreach, housing, counseling, skills training, health, prevention, and intervention services, our mission remains the same: to be the catalyst for youth to achieve their desired future through genuine relationships that support families, ensure safe places, and build community connections.
Emily thanked us for our invitation to speak today. And she said that she was impressed by all that we do. She noted that while in High School she attended the D7430 Rotary Camp Neidig weekend for leaders.
Some young people just do not have an adult role model in their life. The youth leave home.
Emily said with a picture that their original 1973 Bethlehem building still is used and is open every day, all day. It has 12 rooms and is used for up to 3 weeks for 11 to 17 year olds as an emergency shelter.
Safety of the youth is the number one issue to get started. After the 3 weeks the youth go to a more permanent home.
The VHH now has its Administrative HQ on Schoenersville Rd. Their services now are in 23 counties; two more were just added. They have 450 employees and offer 74 different programs. There are about 22,000 lives each year that are helped.
There are 300 individual living sites available. Youth are cared for for about 18 to 24 months when they become self-sufficient. They are taught relationship skills among others.
The youth also have counselors for their families. What was in-house now is via Tele-Health because of covid19. They have an 89% success rate of keeping families together. And 95% of the youth do not regress.
Emily also discussed their “Street Outreach Teams.” These people try to work with homeless youth and to bring them to a proper shelter and programs. They also have a 43 acre youth camp in Orefield.
CLOSING:
Pres Ralph led us in the saying “One profits most who serves best.”
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