Our meeting this morning was held at the Parkland High School Library to meet and hear from the Interact Club students.
The Greeter this morning was Ralph Witcher and he did a great job.
President Herb Klotz, safely back from Sierra Leone via Brussels, Belgium, rang the bell at 7:30 a.m. Chuck Ehninger gave a very nice invocation.
GUESTS:
Michaela Luzicova, Youth Exchange student and Interact Club member; Kathryn Solderitch, PHS English teacher and Advisor to the Interact Club; Jim Moniz, PHS Principal; PHS Junior, Hailey Sandoval, daughter of Ginny Sandoval; and Mitch Carlson, President , PHS Interact Club. And 16 Interact Club members !!
For openers, we all gave President Herb a standing ovation in recognition of his good work in Africa, and his harrowing but safe return.
STUDENT OF THE MONTH:
Rev. Jeff Kistler awarded Parkland HS’s Ethan Imler the AWRC Student of the Month of March 2016. See separate article.
THE SIERRA LEONE STORY:
Herb Klotz described the history that since 2010 Engineers Without Borders and AW Rotary have worked to rebuild the Centennial School in Matru, Sierra Leone. The school has about 1200 students in grades 1 to 12. The projects have included a water well and distribution system, solar panels to generate electricity, and this last trip had two Educators to work with the Teachers.
There always is a need for sustainability for these items, and there is a local PTA that is supposed to collect funds for this. But the recent Ebola crisis had the Government stopping the payments. In prior years there might be 10 to 15 parents attend a 10 a.m. meeting at about 11:30. This last meeting there were 150 in the room by 10:10 am and over 200 a bit later.
Many of the PTA members told the Government officials also attending that they will be giving funds anyway in order to keep their school systems functioning.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mar 23rd was a great snack packing day at Northwestern. See separate article.
March 23rd at Northwestern was the Interact Club hels their Floor Hockey Tournament which was wild and successful raising over $500.
Come and meet a real Astronaut !
This coming Friday evening is the annual Engineers Without Borders event at DeSales University.
Saturday April 2nd VOLUNTEERS are needed at the Lowhill Food Pantry; contact Gloria.
Jeanne Shipe will attend the Saturday April 2nd Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) session in Media and offers a ride for other attendees from AW.
April 6th is the next snack packing at NWL.
Our next Thursday evening Happy Hour meeting is April 14th at the Holiday Inn in Breinigsville 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Come and enjoy and bring some friends.
Friday-to-Sunday April 8 to 10 is the annual District Conference at Pocono Manor Inn. There is a Cow Pie Bingo game underway now.
The Service Committee will meet on Wed, Apr 13 immediately following the club meeting.
New member orientation will be held on Wed, Apr 20 starting at 5:30PM at the Holiday Inn, Breinigsville
Friday April 22nd is DINING OUT at Wert’s Café. See AJ to sign up.
April 23rd is the Community Resources Fair at Jordan Lutheran Church and we plan to have a Rotary info table. We need volunteers for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Gloria.
At the April 28th Thursday evening meeting, Herb Klotz will be the program and it covers the Sierra Leone projects.
April 30th there is a LV Farm Festival at Ontelaunee Park and we plan to have a Rotary info table. We need volunteers for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Gloria.
May 14 is the District Training Assembly at DeSales University.
May 15 is Tempting Tastes 2.
July 16th is the Pig Roast at Ontelaunee Park
April 30, 2017 will be Tempting Tastes 3
May 18th our meeting is at LCCC with our annual scholarship awards.
Opportunities to Volunteer are listed in the weekly e-bulletin.
Mike Henry asks us to continue to sell tickets to Tempting Tastes 2 for May 15th and to use the website to do it.
Next week our scheduled Greeter is Mary Ann Pickell and the program will be Bill Palmer giving us an AWRC History exam.
LUCK of the DRAW: Not today.
FINES: Not today.
HAPPY DOLLARS:
Halyna Stegura is most happy and thankful for the prayers that helped daughter Christina return safely home from Africa. She diverted from Brussels and went via Barcelona.
Herb Klotz, who really is happy to be here, told of the wonderful support the 6 member team received from the local Rotary Club members in a village called Leuven about 20 miles from Brussels. They were looked after and eventually taken to the train that got them to Frankfort, Germany, and their flight home. Thanks again go to the vast and caring worldwide network of Rotarians.
Bill Palmer was happy about the “Klotz Team” results.
Sue Weber is happy to be hosted by Parkland HS and to meet the Interact students. She also thanks Michaela.
PROGRAM:
Kathryn Solderitch welcomed us all to PHS. She then introduced Mitch Carlson the President of the PHS Interact Club.
Mitch explained that there are 40 members in their club and usually 20 to 25 attend their meetings. Last October they participated in the District’s annual Purple Pinkie 5K run for Polio eradication.
And the members sold candy and raised $200 toward a ShelterBox. Late February 2016 they purchased a full $1,000 ShelterBox, and hope to follow its travels. They also have sold pink lemonade and donated those funds, and then rubber bracelets.
But they really enjoy snack packing every month. That is their best project.
Rotarian Geoff Legg donated $5 in recognition of our meeting having an average age of less than 40 years for the first time ever!
CLOSING:
Halyna and Ralph hit the right note to start us on a nice rendition of “God Bless America.” Then we recited the Pledge to the Flag of the United States and then the saying “One profits most who serves the best.”
