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Rotary Club of
Allentown West
Pres. Amir Famili
Area 1 Asst. Gov. Barb Bottitta
District 7430 Governor
Herb Klotz
 
MEETINGS:
Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m.
at Luther Crest
2nd and 4th Thursday
at 5:30 p.m.
at various locations
 
WEBSITE
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Here are the AWRC
Board and Committee
 Members for 2019-20
 
 
President - Amir Famili
President- Elect - Ralph Witcher
Vice President  -  Gary Englehardt
Immediate Past President - Jeanne Shipe
 
Secretary -John Scott
Treasurer - Chris Blechschmidt
 
Sergeant at Arms Committee -
     Mitch Huston, Ron Coleman & Len Salines
 
Service Committee and Domestic Grants Chair - Gail Micca
 
RI Foundation and International Grants Chair - DG Herb Klotz
Fundraising Chair - Len Salines
 
Evening Meeting Chair  - Barbara Kistler
 
Public Image Chair - Marlene Heller
 
Membership Chair - Mustafa Jaffer
 
Youth Services Co-Chairs - Bill Weber and Sue Weber

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GREETERS

Feb 5  --  Brad Maier
Feb 12  --  Brian Peterka
Feb 19  --  Len Salines
Feb 26  --  John Scott
 
Mar 4  --  Halyna Stegura
Mar 11  --  Jennifer Stinson
Mar 18  --  Katrina Sundstrom
Mar 25  --  Justin Schell
 

-NOTE that the Greeter Schedule also appears as a "site page" accessible on the left of our website Home Page without logging-in.

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THURSDAY  EVE  PROGRAMS
 
The next Thursday e evening meeting will be at the Starlite Diner in the private room to the rear left on February 13.  There will be no meeting charge, but we are expected to order a menu item or drink. 
 
 
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CALENDAR of EVENTS
 
       Feb 7  --   Tempting Taste 6 Planning Meeting.  Holiday Inn 7736 Adrienne Dr, Breinigsville
 
      Mar 28  --  Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) at DeSales University
 
      Apr 24 to 26  --  District Conference in King of Prussia. It includes the District Training Assembly and the Foundation Gala.
 
      June 6 to 11  --  RI annual Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii.
 
      Sep 13  --   Tempting Tastes 6 at the Holiday Inn
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BAD  WEATHER  POLICY
 
The  policy is to cancel a meeting for bad weather whenever the Parkland Schools are closed.
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MEMBERSHIP  IS  EVERY  MEMBER'S  BUSINESS
 
Each of us should seek out good candidates for our Rotary Club. Ask them to breakfast or to our Thursday evening meeting.
 
 
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Excuse me, do you have her email?
 
Yes! And so do you!      If you are a member of Allentown West Rotary, you have a ClubRunner (CR) account, and your phone number and e-mail address are in CR.
 
Need to contact a member for any reason? Download the ClubRunner app – it’s free, of course – and sign in! If you don’t know your password and login information, call Bill Palmer, and he will walk you through the process.  Why Bill? Because everyone knows how to get in touch with him! (Hint: just reply to this newsletter!)
 
Why would I want to use ClubRunner?
 
ClubRunner helps to organize us as a club. It is the platform for all our communications, and offers members an opportunity to stay in touch on various levels.
 
Here are just some reasons people use CR:
  • To call a member on club business, such as to get a ride to a meeting, find out the logistics of an event, or ask for help in getting club business done.
  • To make plans for a social gathering.
  • To check on their birthday so you could send a card. Or their address, same reason.
  • To check on their address before you head over to their house for an event, meeting, or to drop something off.
  • To find their email or phone number. Or work address.
  • Because you’ve forgotten the name of their spouse and you were up all night trying to remember it.
  • Find out the proper spelling of a member’s name.
     
What’s your best use of Club Runner?
 
                            By Marlene Heller
Speakers
Mar 25, 2020
Toastmasters International
Apr 01, 2020
Forensic Science
Apr 08, 2020
Destination Meeting Parkland school
Apr 15, 2020
Update to the recent trip to Sierra Leonne
Apr 22, 2020
Our recent trip to Israel
Apr 29, 2020
New Initatives at LCCC
May 06, 2020
Classification Talk
May 13, 2020
Scholarship award presentation
Jun 17, 2020
Subcommittee Reports
View entire list
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SPEAKERS  WANTED
      Please suggest or request speakers and topics for future meetings and send  your ideas to our President, Amir Famili.
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LOWHILL FOOD PANTRY:
 
Please remember that the Collection jar is at the registration desk for cash and check contributions.
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TELL  JEAN
 
     As you become aware of any member of our Rotary family that would benefit from our support with cards, flowers or visits, please notify Jean Machamer at jeanmachamer@ptd.net
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CONTACT INFORMATION
AWRC  ACTIVITIES
 
Kingdom Life Food Pantry:-  Jean Masiko – masiko@aol.com
 
Parkland Snack Packing:--  Gail Micca gailmicca@gmail.com
 
Lowhill Food Pantry and Northwestern Snack Packing: Amir Famili 
 
Membership:     Mustafa Jaffer mustafa@ebclv.com
Public Image  --  Marlene Heller  --  marleneheller@mac.com
TT6:  Len Salines – lenmary3657@ptd.net
 
 Dining Out:  Jean Machamer – jeanmachamer@ptd.net
 
Evening Meeting :  Barbara Kistler  barbara.kistler@rcn.com
 
Purple Pinkie Services: Barb Kistlerbarbara.kistler@rcn.com
                          
Purple Pinkie 5K at LCCC --  John Scott --     johnscottl@msn.com
 
Park Cleanup:  Dennis Houser – houserdah@gmail.com
 
Miracle League:  Dale Heffner – dheffner@electrochemical.net
                             Barb Kistler – Barbara.kistler@rcn.com
 
  Meals on Wheels:  Dorothy Bloom – bloomnbunny@ptd.net
 
Kids of Character:  Gwen Pongracz – gwen.pongracz@gmail.com
 
Speaker suggestions:   Amir Famili
Website Editor: Marlene Heller  marleneheller@mac.com
 
RLI:   website www.rlinea.org        
 
Threads of Change - Foster care support --  Dale Heffner  dheffner@electrochemical.net
                         
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Check out the AWRC
Facebook Page
See Home Page link
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Bulletin Editor
Bill Palmer
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
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GROUNDHOG  DAY
 
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CHECK OUT RON COLEMAN'S NEW HAT
 
 
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         QUOTE of the WEEK --

            

          “A little help with a little smile gives meaning to human life.”
               ― Abhijit Naskar, When Humans Unite: Making A World Without Borders    
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MEETING  NOTES  THURS. JAN 23rd
 
Thirteen Rotarians gathered at the Starlite Diner for dinner and a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 23 starting at 5:30 PM. 
 
The meeting began with Barbara reading the four Objects of Rotary while all finished dinner. 
 
Happy dollars were gathered with the purpose of purchasing a new Evening Meeting “card”.  Thirty dollars and many joys were shared including a tan and rested Dale Heffner having spent three weeks in Hawaii. And Pres. Amir Famili won the door prize of candy which he shared with the group. 
 
DG Herb presented Paul Harris Fellow awards to Diana Dunn and Dennis Houser.  It was noted that Diana received a Paul Harris Fellow award some years ago before becoming An AW member for her work on our global grants in Sierra Leone. 
 
 
Dennis Houser is also a Paul Harris Society member pledging $1,000 a year. 
 
 
The program for the evening was Diana Dunn discussing the latest Global Grant for the hospital in Matru, Sierra Leone.  Coincidently, a working team from EWB (Engineers Without Borders)  is there now working on the various aspects of the project.  We were able to see pictures transmitted just this week of the progress being made.
 
Members were reminded to sign up for the District Conference and also to give generously to the Rotary Foundation in gratitude for monies for our Global Grants. 
 
The meeting adjourned with the pledge to the flag and a reciting of the Rotary motto.  The next meeting, Thursday, Feb. 13 will be at the same location. 
 
         Barbara Kistler
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Allentown West Rotary  Club
Meeting, Notes – January 229 2020
 
Our Greeter today was Geoff Legg and he did a marvelous job.
 
President Amir Famili rang the bell at 7:30 A.M. opening the meeting and welcomed all. Then   Chuck Ehninger  gave a very nice invocation, including special praying for Ronnee Klotz.. 
 
 
P-E Ralph Witcher began the meeting by having the members recite The Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag. Then he led us in reciting the Four Way Test. Ralph then asked our guests to stand and introduce themselves.
 
 
GUESTS:
Tina Cerafesi from East Penn Neighbors helping Neighbors, guest of Murtaza Jaffer; Pat Witcher, wife of Ralph; Patty Huff, guest of Ralph Witcher;  and Pam Vecellio, guest of Murtaza Jaffer.
 
 
 
 
VOLUNTEER PROJECTS: 
Tonight – painting at the Center for Vision loss.
Saturday – produce collection and distribution at Lowhill Food Pantry.
 
LEARN ABOUT ROTARY:
The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) offers many levels of Rotary education. AWRC will reimburse the registration fee to members that attend the Saturday, March 28 session at DeSales University.
 
These courses are most worthwhile, especially to our newer members.
 
ROTARIAN OF THE MONTH:
Chris Blechschmidt, our Treasurer, is the AW Rotarian of the Month for January, said Gwenn Carr.
Gwenn also asked members who did volunteer hours in January to stand, and gary Englehardt handed out candy as a thank you.
 
PHOTO REQUEST:
AW Rotarians do a lot of good things and take a lot of pictures. In order to maintain the best quality photos on file, it is requested that the original be sent first to Gary Heller, our RC Photographer.
 
TEMPTING TASTES 6 DATE CHANGE:
Pres. Amir confirmed that TT6 has been rescheduled to September 13, 2020. Planning meetings will resume on February 7th.
 
DONATIONS ARE NEEDED:
DG Herb Klotz reminds us that Dottie Bloom is charged with setting up and stocking a Hospitality Room for both Friday and Saturday evenings at OUR April 24 and 25 District Conference. Donations of Beer, Wine and snacks for at least 40 guests are needed. Please contact Dottie at bloomnbunny@ptd.net.             
 
LOWHILL FOOD PANTRY:
This great group still depends on cash donations from AW Rotarians. And volunteering for the produce pick-up and distribution on Saturday mornings is a very satisfying thing.
 
THURSDAY EVENING SCHEDULE:
February 13th will be held at the Starlite Diner starting at 5:30 P.M. in the private back room.
 
NEXT  MORNING MEETING:
February 5th at Luther Crest with Brad Maier as our Greeter. The program will be Tom Friday giving his Classification Talk,
 
Pres. Amir introduced Sgt.-at-Arms Mitch Huston who conducted the drawings and collected Happy Dollars.
 
The door prize bottle of wine donated by Geoff Legg was won by Bill Palmer, who then presented it to guest Patty Huff at his table.   .
 
 
The $33 pot of the 50:50 was not won by Halyna Stegura’s  ticket being drawn  followed by a white marble.  Lots of  marbles will be back next time.
 
HAPPY DOLLARS
Len Salines is happy.     So is Ernie Bolll
 
Herb Klotz encourages members to register for OUR April 24 to 26 District Conference.
Herb is happy that last evening he visited a Rotary club and participated in an AXE Throwing contest.
 
 
Diana Dunn is happy that the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) team now is in Sierra Leone working on the Matru Hospital Global Grant that we support.
 
Halyna Stegura is happy that her return from Africa’s 90 Deg weather seems to have warmed up the Lehigh Valley a bit.
 
 
PROGRAM:
Pres. Amir introduced our speaker, Anil Srivasta originally from Bangalor, India, now a U.S. citizen who told his own story all about Organ Donation. Anil is a Rotarian in an e-club and also a Mason. He is a graduate of Kutztown University where he studied Criminology. As a teenager he was a Rotary Youth Exchange student from India who went to Canada.
 
 
 
Anil has evolved into a Motivational Speaker on behalf of the  over one million people right now that are waiting for organ donations.
 
Anil discussed the emotional issues regarding organ donating. For example, a donor’s parent or spouse become against donating in fear of losing their donor family member. As it turns out, AW member Murtaza Jaffer some years ago donated a kidney to his Father. Murtaza confirmed that he has no ill effects and feels great.
 
Anil told the story of how his brother telling him in 2009 that he will need a kidney transplant. At first Anil was reluctant to donate, but after speaking with two former donors, he decided to go ahead. And in 2013Anil indeed gave one of his kidneys to his brother.
 
But for some time before that he struggled with a law in India that required his wife’s written approval for the donation. She said “No” because of the fear of losing Anil and his support for their two teenage  children. He even thought about divorce so she would not have to sign.
 
Today Anil is quite fit. He says he can do a 10 meter sprint in 14 seconds.
 
Now Anil has completed meeting with about 94,000 people telling his story as he and his wife travel around the world. Recently they were in Alaska and then California, driving it all and sleeping in their vehicle many nights. He will speak at the Emmaus RC tomorrow morning, and then head for Cincinnati.
 
Anil pointed out that Social Media has a lot of “Junk” about organ donation. He urges us all to sign up as organ donors. And it is important that our family members know of this and make it happen.
 
CLOSING:
Pres. Amir closed our meeting by our reciting the saying “One profits most who serves best.”
 
                  Photos by Heller
 

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 Here is a link to our District Governor Herb's latest Newsletter:

CONNECTIONS

https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000050086/en-ca/files/homepage/connections---january-2020/DGNL-Jan-2020.pdf

    Give it a try. It is informative and entertaining.

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BIRTHDAYS
 
 
Dottie Bloom                    Jan 04
Gwenn Carr                      .Jan 07
Jeanne Shipe                   Jan 12
Ernie Boll                         Jan 20
Geoff Legg                       Jan 22
Mercedes Scott                Jan 25
Dale Heffner                     Jan 29
 

Anniversaries

 

Sally & Jerry Frank          Jan 05 1985  35 years
Dottie & Rick Bloom        Jan 20 1979  41 years
 

JOIN  DATES

 

Dawn Costello              Jan 01 sometime
Carrie Ballek          1 year           Jan 02 2019
Gary Heller             1 year           Jan 02 2019
Marlene Heller       1 year           Jan 02 2019
Richard Sniscak    8 years         Jan 13 2012
Chuck Ehninger    44 years       Jan 15 1976
Sue Weber             23 years       Jan 15 1997
Gail Micca              2 years         Jan 31 2018
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