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Welcome to The Rotary Club of Akron, Ohio

Due to Covid-19
our Club is currently hosting
online meetings using ZOOM.

Please see the list of meetings below you may wish to join.

For Zoom information see below or

email us (click here) with your request to attend.

You have the option to join via your computer or just by phone if you prefer.

Meet Our 2020-2021
Club President
Robert S. McGregor, MD

View our other Club Leaders

View Calendar of
Weekly Speakers
& Our Events

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Join our Club Meeting at NOON via ZOOM

May 18, 2021

HOWARD PARR

Akron Civic Theatre
Executive Director

Howard Parr has more than 25 years of professional experience in arts, entertainment, and consulting. His work includes organizational development and strategic planning, as well as program management and event production. Howard has served as executive director of the Akron Civic Theatre since September 2007. He served as The Civic’s Director of Development and Planning from 1999 – 2004, during which he directed the capital campaign for the theater’s $22.5 million expansion and restoration project. In addition to his work on the capital campaign, he was talent buyer for in-house programming (through 2002 – 2003), as well as for the first season of Lock Three Park, an outdoor performance space immediately adjacent to the Civic Theatre.

During his time away from the theater from 2004-2007, Howard was co-producer of an original gospel, jazz and R&B musical based on the life of the Apostle Paul – which enjoyed a 36-performance run including stops in NY and Chicago. During that time, he also promoted King of the Cage mixed martial arts events and coordinated non-liturgical public programming at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland. Howard previously served as General Manager of Ohio Ballet. During his tenure at the Ballet, the company produced the cross-cultural ballet, Jungle Book: The Adventures of Mowgli, which set revenue records for both ticket sales and touring. Before joining Ohio Ballet, he served as General Manager of Cleveland Signstage Theatre where he expanded the theatre’s programming, including its first-ever national tour, bringing its production of Children of a Lesser God to more than 40 cities. Prior to moving to northeast Ohio, Howard served as General Manager of the David S. Palmer Civic Center in Danville, Illinois, a 5,000 seat multi-purpose arena and conference facility. During his tenure in Danville, and while serving as Performing Arts Coordinator at Western Illinois University in Macomb, he coordinated the programming of a wide variety of cultural and popular programs ranging from symphony orchestras and ballet companies to rock-n-roll and country concerts.

May 25, 2021

JUSTICE PAT DeWINE

The Supreme Court
Civic Education Presentation

Justice Pat DeWine began his six-year term on the Supreme Court of Ohio on Jan. 2, 2017, following his statewide election in November 2016.

Prior to his election to the Supreme Court, Justice DeWine served on the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court from 2009-2013 and then joined the First District Court of Appeals in February 2013.

Justice DeWine began his legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable David A. Nelson on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Following his clerkship, Justice DeWine practiced law with one of Cincinnati’s top law firms, Keating, Muething & Klekamp, where he specialized in mass tort bankruptcy, appellate advocacy, and complex litigation matters.

Justice DeWine received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1994. He graduated in the top 10 percent of his class with cum laude and order of the coif honors. He is a 1990 graduate of Miami University, where he received a B.A. in history and a B.S. in diplomacy and foreign affairs. At Miami, Justice DeWine maintained a 4.0 grade point average, received summa cum laude honors, and competed as a member of the varsity track and cross country teams.

In combination with his service on the Ohio Supreme Court, Justice DeWine has committed to further the rule of law through education. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati in both the College of Law and in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences. He teaches Appellate Practice and Procedure to law students, and courses in Ohio Government & Politics and American Courts to undergraduate students in the political science department.

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Tiffanie Ferguson of CHC Addiction Services Presentation Recap

Posted by Terrence Dalton

The Rotary Club of Akron had the pleasure of listening to Tiffanie Ferguson who serves as the Clinical Director at CHC Addiction Services at our Tuesday, May 11^th weekly meeting.

View the video of our meeting by clicking here

CHC Addiction Services is a private, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation. They are an addiction services agency providing comprehensive prevention, treatment and recovery services for addictive and compulsive behaviors and disorders.

Tiffanie has been an employee of CHC Addiction Services for the past 17 years. She is dually licensed as a clinical counselor and chemical dependency counselor supervisor. Previous to her role as Clinical Director she was instrumental in the development of CHC’s adolescent substance abuse treatment and detox programs at the height of the opiate epidemic. Tiffanie speaks and trains regularly to clinicians and the public at large about the best practices in addiction treatment, trauma-informed care, co-occurring disorders and much more.

CHC Addiction Services’ mission is to treat, inspire, support, and empower individuals and families impacted by the disease of addiction. CHC Addiction Services has made it their lives’ work to help those on the road to recovery, regardless of social or economic factors. They believe that substance use disorders are progressive, fatal illnesses that may require several treatment strategies for successful recovery. CHC provides individual, family and group counseling, medically-assisted treatment (MAT), residential treatment and much more.

CHC Addiction Services believes that total well-being is a key factor to successful recovery. Therefore, they provide quality medical treatment, housing, case management and child- care services in addition to their counseling and therapy services.

Not unlike many other agencies providing substance abuse and/or mental health services, CHC Addiction Services has seen an increase in substance abuse problems during the pandemic. In addition, there has been an increase in the use of Fentanyl or other drugs with Fentanyl mixed in with them. Some of this increase has been attributed to social isolation and a decrease in social support/recovery groups. CHC has used teletherapy during much of the pandemic and now provide a combination of virtual services as well as face-to-face services following CDC guidelines.

CHC provides a variety of treatment programs. Some of these include:

Adult Counseling Program: The Adult Counseling Program at CHC Addiction Services is designed to provide education, treatment and support for individuals with addiction ranging in severity from mild to severe. Since co-occurring disorders are common among those with substance use problems, CHC Addiction Services employs Master’s level clinicians who are well-equipped to teach patients effective recovery skills to improve the quality of their lives.
Adolescent Treatment: CHC Addiction Services offers many options for adolescent treatment. This program centers around long-term abstinence. Programs include Community-based treatment, Outpatient Counseling, and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT).
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): CHC Addiction Service’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is designed to promote the recovery process through group and individual counseling, case management, vocational development, community support groups and re-integration programming. The Five Week program is a total of 15 group sessions. Patients who complete the IOP program are recommended to continue with aftercare programming as well as ongoing individual counseling sessions.
Medication-Assisted Treatment: CHC has a wide range of treatment options, including programming for all three FDA-approved medication assisted treatment medications. CHC’s first Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) began in 1974. Patients in medication assisted treatment (MAT) receive both medication and counseling services as a part of their treatment. MAT is a highly effective, evidence-based practice in which medication stabilizes brain function and allows the patient to return to optimal functioning.
- Methadone is the most widely used and studied treatment for opiate addiction. It has been identified as the most effective treatment. It is a long-lasting, synthetic narcotic that acts in a way similar to morphine or other narcotics. When used in proper doses, methadone does not create euphoria, sedation or analgesic effects. It is used as a maintenance treatment to stop cravings.
Women’s Recovery Program: CHC Addiction Services has been providing specialized women’s programming since 1990. The program focuses on gender-specific, trauma-informed care and seeks to eliminate barriers to recovery that often affect women, including lack of transportation and child-care. The program also highlights the stigma of substance use in an effort to treat both substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Residential Programs: Residential treatment is the highest level of care for substance use disorders. The need for residential treatment is determined after looking at an assessment of needs. Staff works with potential patients to complete the intake process and insurance companies to complete the necessary steps for entering treatment.

CHC Addiction Services accepts a variety of insurance programs.For individuals with no insurance, services are available through funding provided by the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) Board.

For additional information on the programs listed above, I encourage readers to visit CHC Addiction Services at chcaddiction.org.

Seema Rao Akron Enlightens Us About Akron Art Museum Exhibits

Posted by Terrence Dalton

The Rotary Club of Akron had the pleasure of listening to Seema Rao, Deputy Director and Chief Experience Officer of the Akron Art Museum at our Tuesday, May 4, 2021 Club meeting. A native Northeast Ohioan, she has twenty years of museum experience. As a staff and a consultant, she’s worked with the Cleveland Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, Cincinnati Museum of Art and many others. Sharing collection stories is her favorite part of her job. Ms. Rao explained that the role of Chief Experience Officer is a relatively new position in major art museums.

Click here to view the recorded presentation

So, what does a Chief Experience Officer actually do, and why does the Akron Art Museum need a position like this?

In simple terms, it is an attempt to provide an “experience". “A chief experience officer (CXO) is an executive responsible for the overall experience of an organization's products and services. As user experience is quickly becoming a key differentiator in the modern business landscape, the CXO is charged with bringing holistic experience design to the boardroom and making it an intrinsic part of the company's strategy and culture.” (Wikipedia)

In a world of competing social media experiences and other sources of entertainment, museums need to ensure the overall experiences of visiting a museum is an attractive choice. The ultimate outcome is bringing a holistic experience to their audiences and making the Akron Art Museum an intrinsic part of the company’s strategy and culture.

This commitment is consistent with the mission of the Akron Art Museum. Their mission is “to enrich lives through modern and contemporary art. The museum manifests this commitment by: promoting the awareness, interest, appreciation, education, and participation in the fine and applied arts produced since 1850.”

“Spanning three centuries, like the museum’s collection, together the Akron Art Museum symbolizes the museum’s dual role as preserver of the past and herald of the future.”

What’s happening at the Akron Art Museum?

The 10,000 Things: Recent Works by Jordan Wong:

“The Akron Art Museum will launch an outdoor exhibition titled The 10,000 Things: Recent Works by Jordan Wong in the Bud and Susie Rogers Garden on May 29, 2021. The 10,000 Things weaves together inspirations from Asian Art with graphic design, iconographies, and the artist’s own philosophical musings.” The outdoor exhibition will be displayed all summer.

Totally Rad and Totally Radical:

“The Art Museum has launched its first of two exhibitions that draw upon the Museum’s permanent collection. Each exhibition focuses on highlights of particular interest of the 1980s. Totally Rad offers a dazzling dive into colorful vibrancy. The exhibition focuses on artists who found inventiveness, freedom and fun by testing out every extreme possibility that color has to offer.” Totally Radical span the decade’s political flashpoints. They show artists adopting techniques from advertising, bringing previously unseen images to light, and pushing photography in new directions, all to get their points across.” Both exhibitions opened on February 18, 2021 and can be viewed through September 19, 2021.

Some future events you might want to investigate further on the Akron Art Museum website are:

Family Day: 10,000 Things Art Party
Akron Art Museum After Work: Games in the Garden with Artist Jordan Wong
Family Day Concert
Family Day Neighborhood Garden Party
Public Talk by the Guerrilla Girls

The Akron Art Museum has much to offer, so check out their website for their hours of operation, and other things to view and do at a great treasure for the citizen of Summit County and surroundings. Visit at www.akronartmuseum.org.

Yours in Rotary Service -

Terry Dalton

Akron Club Secretary & Scholarship Chair

Thank you to our Paul Harris Fellows

We proudly recognize and thank the following individuals whose outstanding generosity to the The Rotary International Foundation (TRF) demonstrates a spirit of giving which helps sustain and improve the lives of others.

Each of these members reached a new milestone in their donor legacy as multiple Paul Harris Fellows (PHF). You will find more information below about the recognition levels and how you can become a PHF.

Left to Right:

Nathanael Billow - Paul Harris + 2

Dr. Robert McGregor - Paul Harris +3

Dr. Douglas Hausknecht - Paul Harris + 4

John Margida - Paul Harris + 5

Paul Harris Fellow/Multiple Paul Harris Fellow

Donors of US$1,000 or more to the Annual Programs Fund, PolioPlus, or the Humanitarian Grants program, or people who have that amount contributed in their name, can be recognized as Paul Harris Fellows. Each new Paul Harris Fellow receives a commemorative certificate and a pin. At each new level a new stone is added to their pin to reflect their Paul Harris level. Click here for more about Donor Recognition.

Recognition total	Pin level
US$2,000 to 2,999.99	one sapphire
3,000 to 3,999.99	two sapphires
4,000 to 4,999.99	three sapphires
5,000 to 5,999.99	four sapphires
6,000 to 6,999.99	five sapphires
7,000 to 7,999.99	one ruby
8,000 to 8,999.99	two rubies
9,000 to 9,999.99*	three rubies

*Major Donor levels begin at $10,000

Become a Paul Harris Fellow

Click here and learn more about the PHF program and how you can participate.

The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.
Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.

TRF distributes a portion of donations made to the Annual Fund to our District to support local Club grants. Only donations that are designated to the Annual Fund qualify to be redistributed to the District / Clubs.

We are proud that 92% of funds are spent on actual program awards and services it delivers. TRF provides 100% accountability & transparency and has received Charity Navigator's highest level as a 4 star charity.

Our mission
The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

What impact can one donation have?

For as little as 60 cents, a child can be protected from polio.
$50 can provide clean water to help fight waterborne illness.
$500 can launch an antibullying campaign and create a safe environment for children.

Donate Now

We know that the RI Foundation is helping Rotarians do good in the world, here are some figures to help put it in perspective:

Five years of global grants by area of focus and total funding

Basic education and literacy $53,261,360

Community economic development $54,118,305

Disease prevention and treatment $151,761,859

Maternal and child health $35,233,163

Peacebuilding and conflict prevention $18,659,168

Water, sanitation, and hygiene $100,657,464
and (effective officially on July 1, 2021) RI added The Environment as our newest Area of Focus and is already taking donations toward that cause.

Club Inducts Donna Skoda as our Newest Rotarian

Welcome to The Akron Rotary Club
DONNA SKODA, MS., RD., LD

Donna Skoda was sponsored by Cheryl Warren and has presented to our Club as well as many others throughout the area.

She is married to Dennis Skoda, CPA, CGMA who is a Financial Executive. Donna's mother Phyllis, who is 93, also resides with them in the Akron area.

She has spent the past 25 years rescuing Pug dogs and currently has five, Peyton, Beijing, Lucy, Fefei and Barron. She enjoys gardening and cooking her favorite is Italian dishes.

Donna serves as the Health Commissioner for the Summit County Public Health. She has worked in community based public health programs for over 25years. Her current responsibilities include overall management of the health district including the assessment and epidemiological components within the Health District, data and information systems and general strategic planning for the health district in the community. She has served as staff for the Summit 2020: A Quality of Life Project from the beginning and continues to assist with the local management.

Previously, she was employed in Cuyahoga County for 15 years implementing community-based programs in the areas of nutrition and many other areas in public health, the community and within hospital systems. She is a registered, licensed dietitian with a Master’s degree in Public Health and Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University.

Watch the recording of our weekly meeting - click here.

Student Scholarship Program - Part III

Posted by Terrence Dalton

On April 27, 2021, our Club honored students in the career fields of Business and Hospitality/Tourism.

Each student receives a $1,000 scholarship from the Akron Rotary Foundation.

Terry Dalton serves as a member of the Akron Rotary Club Board of Directors and as the Club Secretary and has chaired the Rotary Scholarship Committee for about 10 years. Any members interested in helping are encouraged to reach out to Terry at 330-815-1525 or via email to tdalton1226@gmail.com.

Thanks to Akron Rotarian, Kevin Smith, who participated in the interview and selection process. View the weekly meeting by clicking here.

About the Scholarship Recipients:

The Students of the Year recognized April 27th were (photos L-R)
Dei Juane' Burt, Jade Urdiales and Miranda Honaker.

We were pleased that two of the students were available to join our meeting [click to view recording].

These students are extremely accomplished students and active community volunteers.

Click here to view bios of all the April 27th recipients.

Dr. Rob McGregor Speaks at Stow Rotary Club

Akron Children's Hospital, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rob McGregor, and Tony Gutowski, Director of Government Relations spoke at the Stow Rotary Club on April 28, 2021. Their topic was COVID Silver linings: Pediatric Healthcare and Advocacy Opportunities. Dr. McGregor has provided many insights throughout this pandemic and guests at this presentation learned how Akron Children's pivoted during the pandemic and the exciting steps they are taking to further meet the needs of all of our communities.

North High School Interact Service Project

Our North HS Interactors out serving their community!!

Akron Public Schools Virtual Library: Calling all Storytellers

Posted by Julie Brandle

Thank you Akron Rotarian Lorrayne Gervase (photo

right)
for volunteering to read a story for the APS Virtual Storytelling initiative.

If you are interested,
contact Julie Brandle at jbrandle@metisconstruction.com
for more information and guidelines.

Julie Brandle, DGND, Assistant Governor - S Summit and Medina Cluster
Past President, Rotary Club of Akron, Ohio
Cell 330.858.6672 | jbrandle@metisconstruction.com

Akron Rotary Foundation

Posted by Doug Kohl on Dec 15, 2020

Those of us who serve on the Rotary Club of Akron Foundation board wish you the best as 2020 comes to a close. Many members of Rotary have asked what the Akron Rotary Foundation does as opposed to Rotary International Foundation. Some even didn't know a local foundation existed. Below is a communication to help concisely answer what your Foundation focuses on and supports. Please read on (click on image to enlarge)...

If you have the ability, we hope you will include the Akron Rotary Foundation in your year end giving. You can click here to donate now or simply send a gift by US Mail to the Rotary Camp. Thank you for your consideration and let's have a great year in 2021!

https://www.akronrotary.org/sitepage/akron-rotary-foundation

Akron Rotary Foundation & Rotary Members Helps Refugio de Ancianos San Cristobal in Medellin

Claudine Schooley shared the following thank you sent to the Foundation and Club Members. The report of how the funds were used along with photos are also included below their thank you.

Rotary Club of Akron

District 6630 Ohio

Mrs. Claudine Schooley

Dear Rotarians,

As legal representative of the Refugio de Ancianos San Cristobal in Medellin I wanted to express my deepest appreciation for your kind donation to our institution.

Your donation is very important and will help us maintain a dignified and brighter life for our 60 seniors, all of them coming from a previous life of neglect and abuse.

Please remit our appreciation for your generosity to the members of your club.

Warm regards

DORA LUZ MEJIA PIEDRAHITA

Director

AYUDAR A UN ANCIANO ES PREPARAR NUESTRO INCIERTO FUTURO

Teléfono 216 16 58 - 216 16 40

Nit 890 984 879-8

Personería Jurídica 12191

Report on the $500 donation from Akron Rotary Foundation

When Claudine Schooley first reached out to me about a donation to buy food for families on the dam where the Alberto Chedrani School is located, they were suffering from the pandemic. Many people lost their jobs, others could not even leave the area due to government restrictions.

Then, in November, two tropical storms impacted Honduras within 10 days. The general area of the dam was among the hardest hit, and thousands of families lost everything in the floods.

2020 was a truly tragic year, and this year will be complicated, too. This is why I am so happy and grateful for your donation of $500 for food for poor families on the dam. It brings a ray of hope in a time of great suffering. Thank you so much for allowing us to serve.

With the funds, equivalent to 12,192 Lempiras, we purchased 300 lbs of rice, 200 lbs of beans, 50 lbs of coffee, 82 lbs of sugar, 144 lbs of wheat flour, 75 lbs of spaghetti, 50 lbs of fat, 50 tomato sauces and 270 lbs of corn flour. This is the basic Honduran diet. The kids at El Refugio packed 50 bags for equal number of families. We think that each bag feeds a family of six for up to a week.

We distributed the bags all along the dam, all the way from the beginning to the school. We handed one bag to each mother or grandmother present and took many pictures.

I hope you can feel how happy these families are to receive your gift.

Again, thank you so much for your kind donation.

Dr. McGregor Leads Q&A About Covid Vaccines

Dr. Robert McGregor is the Chief Medical Officer of Akron Children's Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics at NEOMED. He spoke to our members about Covid and Covid vaccine status and distribution plans evolving in Akron as well the pros & cons of the new Covid vaccines. He then opened up an interactive and fairly lively Q and A session. View the presentation by clicking here or on the above graphics.

As CMO, Dr. McGregor is a voting member of Akron Children’s Hospital board of directors, and his CMO responsibilities include: implementing the hospital’s strategic plan; overseeing all provider clinical care delivery; directing medical education; and overseeing physician and nurse practitioner recruitment contracting and retention. During his tenure he has facilitated re-design of the quality oversight structure and has recently taken over the oversight of the Research Institute. For the past 11 months Dr. McGregor has serves as co-incident commander beside the Chief Operating officer and has been instrumental in working with the hospital and community throughout the pandemic on safety protocols. Prior to Akron Children's, Dr. McGregor was the pediatrician-in-chief and interim pediatrics chair at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia and a pediatrics professor at the Drexel University College of Medicine.