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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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View Historical eBulletins
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Join Our Conversations

Join our Club Meeting at NOON via ZOOM

WILLIAM (Bill) E. SEPE
Co-Director, TASCforce, LLC

Bill Sepe is Co-Director of TASCforce, LLC, a non-profit advocacy group formed in 2019. Their main focus is the promotion of multi-purpose recreational trails in and around Summit County as well as creating & preserving green spaces. His love of the outdoors transcends from serving for over twenty years as a volunteer Scout Leader with the Great Trail Council, leading numerous adventures with his Scout groups all over the country. An avid backpacker and bicyclist, his favorite adventure was taking Scouts and other adult leaders of their troop to Philmont Scout Ranch in 1997. A proud father of two Eagle Scouts, he recently celebrated his oldest grandson receiving his Eagle Scout badge.

Bill (originally from Rhode Island) holds a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. He retired from The Sherwin-Williams Company in 2014 after a career spanning over 25 years in their engineering department. His last position was Director of Engineering. He has served as a volunteer advisor with Hudson Job Search since 2011. He loves getting in a round of golf weekly but most times, he can be found pedaling one of his bicycles along one of the many multipurpose trails in Summit, Portage, and Cuyahoga County. Bill and his wife Betty moved to Ohio in 1980 and now reside in Stow, Ohio.

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Get Involved

Change Your Community

Change your community with us by volunteering on a local project or attending a community event.
Email our Service Committee Chair.

Partner With Us

We work with groups and organizations of all sizes to accomplish even more.
Email our Service Committee Chair.

Discover New Cultures

Discover and celebrate diverse perspectives with a global organization.
Email our International Exchange Chair.

Help us change lives locally and around the world

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Akron Rotary Crown Recipients

Congratulations to our newest Akron Crown recipients

(L-R) Terry Dalton and
Wanda Raber Whipkey

Terry was selected as King for being an integral part of the Zoom meetings, keeping Dr. Rob's Rotary calendar straight, all his work on the scholarship program and for writing the weekly speaker re-caps.

Wanda was crowned as Queen of the Chili Open for who has shepherd it the past couple years with various co-chairs. She did an outstanding job again this year and continues to set the bar higher each year for the event.

ABOUT THE AKRON ROTARY CROWN

When our Club began meeting remotely, Katy was so impressed with Cheryl Warren's handling of our Zooms that she spontaneously sent her a Tiara and crowned her the Queen of Zoom!

Cheryl approached Katy to ask if they could "pass it forward", so they decided to keep it moving every other month or so, crowning a Queen or King or Both for their efforts to benefit our club! Katy secured a Kings crown to have in addition to the Tiara.

The member(s) who receives the crown(s) must wear them for a month to our weekly meetings – either virtually or when we go live.

We will do it every other month to allow time in between to transition the “Akron Rotary Crown”

The member(s) who last received the crown(s) then helps Cheryl and Katy identify the next worthy member(s) then he/she drops off the committee and the next recipient joins us – so it rotates.

Now, Terry and Wanda will be part of the committee to help pick the next recipient(s) and will then drop off and the new recipients come on...so it rotates.

It's important to point out that this is not a popularity contest - some month's there may be no one and other month's there may be more than one person. We are looking for members who are often doing things quietly behind the scene or big things too.

We encourage the committee chairs and all members to submit ideas to Katy and Cheryl - just email us. We want to continue recognizing members for all their good deeds!

Tiffany Roper: Eat, Speak, Love

Posted by Terrence Dalton

The speaker for our Tuesday, April 6^th Club meeting was Tiffany Roper, CEO of Eat, Speak, Love LLC. Tiffany was born in Akron, and is a two-time graduate of Kent State University with a B.A. in Psychology and a M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health. Her passion has always been to help others help themselves by providing guidance, resources, and inspiration for success. View the presentation (click here).

After working ma

ny years providing mental health counseling, Ms. Roper ventured out on her new business just prior to the pandemic hitting the community. Despite the pandemic, she has been very successful in growing her business.

According to Ms. Roper, “In a rapidly changing and unpredictable world, entrepreneurship and business ownership seems riskier than ever. Big business and major corporations tend to have financial security, larger platforms, and a more stable customer base than do their smaller homegrown counterparts.

When it comes to women and minorities in business, the disparities in access to capital, mentorship, lack of exposure make successful business ownership appear to be beyond our reach. Despite these disparities, the spirit of entrepreneurship remains alive!”

Eat Speak Love (ESL) serves to turn small businesses into an experience. They invite local entrepreneurs, business owners, artists, chefs, and speakers in to showcase their talents and ultimately, enhance Akron’s economic, culinary, and cultural scenes. ESL serves as a launchpad for women and minority entrepreneurs to market their unique brands, vision, and passion projects.

SMALLBIG BOX

A unique aspect of Tiffany’s business is her SMALLBIG Box. Eat Speak Love, is committed to the local economy, their partners, and their patrons. ESL strives to amplify the voices of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and local creatives who discover, innovate, and craft. The boxes contain product samples and previews of mainly women and minority business owners, whose products are sure to be your next obsession.

A SMALLBIG BOX can be purchased for $30 and a SMALLBIG BOX - 3 Box Subscription normally selling for $90 can now be purchased for $75.00

Speaking Opportunities

Ms. Roper is also available to speak to organizations. She can spark the motivation and inspiration your workers/team needs to increase productivity, team cohesion, and overall gratitude. She offers interactive presentations virtually or in person (within COVID guidelines). Several of her topics include: Gratitude, Personal Elevation, Living in Purpose, Sisterhood and Women Empowerment.

ESL Partners

Our partners are local business owners, entrepreneurs, artists, and visionaries who own, seek to open, or are starting businesses in the Greater Akron Area. ESL’s priority is to highlight and support women and minorities who are embarking on their own journey of equitable business ownership. Through their collaboration they will showcase the talent, quality, and passion that goes into the products of any small business. At ESL, our patrons are invested in the revitalization of Akron’s economy, cultural diversity, and overall small business expansion.

Individuals wishing to learn more about ESL are encouraged to visit their website at eatspeaklove.com, or visit them on Facebook at eatspeaklove.akron.

View the presentation (click here)

Yours in Rotary Service,

Terry Dalton

Rotary Club of Akron Secretary

A Message from President Rob

Happy Charter Day Fellow Rotarians!

Hmmm, seems our club has always had a sense of humor since we got chartered on April Fools Day! 107 years of being official!

Go play in the snow! Hopefully for the last time in 2021!

Rob

We Call It Brain Training. Our Clients Call It Life Changing.

Posted by Terrence Dalton

Steve Buie

The Rotary Club of Akron had the pleasure of listening to one of our own members and the life changing program that he operates at our Tuesday, March 30^th weekly club meeting.

Presenting along with Mr. Buie, were Susan Costello and Andrew Durr, staff of Success4Kids, an offshoot of LearningRx.

What is Brain Training?

If you are not sure what “brain training” is, Steve explained that you are not alone. “A lot of prospective clients come for brain training with questions about what exactly it is that happens. Though the programs are complex, what they do is fairly straight forward: the training exercises strengthen the cognitive skills that are integral to thinking, learning, reading, memory, and attention. There are many underlying skills that are critical to performance, and our wide variety of brain training programs target them all.”

Steve stated, “Clients at our Akron brain training center work one-on-one with their own personal brain trainers who guide them through challenging—yet enjoyable—mental exercises that target the client’s specific weaknesses. Our programs are like a fitness routine for the mind. Neuroplasticity of our brain – Use it or lose it!”

Well, isn’t this just another name for tutoring?

Another misconception Steve noted is that many individuals think they are a tutoring service. Though Success4RKids recognizes the benefits of tutoring, what they do is much different. Their brain training center focuses on an entirely different set of issues. Tutoring is best for redelivering difficult subject matter—or reteaching material that a student might struggle with—while cognitive skills training focuses on strengthening the brain to make learning and performance easier. “We get at the root of problems and customize a plan that targets each client’s specific needs.” “Our programs are more about training versus teaching.”

What Brain Training Programs Are Available?

Success4RKids offers a variety of cognitive skills training for school-age children. These programs target and strengthen weak cognitive skills. Programs consist of fun, challenging mental exercises done in the context of a one-on-one training relationship. These mental workout sessions are customized to address the unique needs and abilities of each client and are designed to strengthen the foundational cognitive skills that enable our brains to think, learn, read, remember, pay attention, and solve problems.

These skills — attention, memory, auditory processing, logic and reasoning, processing speed, and more — impact our mental performance in every area of life, including school and work. The result? Dramatic, measurable improvements in mental performance.

Success4RKids – A Program for Every Student:

“While each situation is unique, most clients spend 12 to 34 weeks training with us. Best of all, Success4RKids offers a variety of programs to meet the needs of our clients.”

Here’s a short description of some of the programs as taken from their website:

ThinkRx^® is our core program. Offered over a minimum of 12 weeks, this program works on all the core cognitive skills. Every client who is over seven years of age and in a full program trains with ThinkRx.
ReadRx^® incorporates ThinkRx^® with ReadRx. A powerful reading intervention, ReadRx trains the cognitive skills of auditory processing (the skill that allows the brain to analyze, blend, and segment sounds) as well as other skills that are critical to reading success.
ComprehendRx^® takes reading intervention to a new level, focusing on the cognitive skills that are critical for reading comprehension. This program works on many cognitive skills, including visual processing, reasoning skills, sequential processing (the ability to understand and integrate information in order), working memory, and metacognitive strategies (the development of self-awareness and the ability to self-assess).
MathRx^® trains the cognitive skills needed to efficiently and effectively develop numerical fluency, learn math concepts, solve problems, and perform calculations.
LiftOff^® is available to preschoolers through first graders and works on the foundational cognitive skills and early reading skills so important for early learners. These include auditory processing (the skill that allows the brain to analyze, blend, and segment sounds), attention, memory, processing speed, visual processing, and reasoning.
StudyRx^® helps clients develop stronger study skills. The program teaches clients 14 test-taking tips, 12 top learning strategies, as well as eight core study skills based on fictionalized stories of historical figures and the habits, skills, and perspectives that contributed to their success.
Brain Booster programs are offered in two formats. The first is for adults who do not have a need for a full program, and instead are interested in doing mental exercises with a trainer at their own convenience. The Brain Booster program for adults is offered in 12, 18, or 24-session segments. Brain Booster is also offered to clients who have completed one of our other full programs and are interested in additional one-on-one training.
BrainSkills^® is a digital brain training program that can be used to supplement the one-on-one training that is the cornerstone of all our programs, or as a maintenance program for those who have completed one of our full one-on-one programs.

Success4Rkids is a non-profit formed with the express purpose of working with schools to equip school-age children with necessary strong, foundational, cognitive learning skills.

Success4Rkids is currently conducting a pilot program with the I Promise School to help 10 students become skilled and confident readers.

For further information on LearningRx Akron-Bath, I encourage you to go to their website www.learningrx.com/akron-bath.

Yours in Service -

Terry Dalton

Akron Public Schools Virtual Library: Calling all Storytellers

Posted by Julie Brandle

Thank you Akron Rotarian Lorrayne Gervase (photo below) 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

Big Brothers Big Sisters Makes a Difference for Children in our Communities

Posted by Terrence Dalton

The Rotary Club of Akron had the privilege of listening to Kyle Putinski, the Executive Director of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Summit, Medina, and Stark Counties, Inc. an affiliate of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, the Nation’s largest donor-and volunteer – supported mentoring network. organization at our March 23, 2021 Club meeting.

View the recording of our meeting by clicking here.

In his position, Putinski leads a team of youth development specialists serving children who are matched with an adult volunteer in the community and site-based programs for children age 6-18. Putinski is focused on helping the organization meet it strategic initiatives of increasing brand awareness, service delivery and quality in its core programs, financial sustainability, and board development.

Mr. Putinski opened his presentation with the following two questions. “Who made a difference in your life, and What is a long-term relationship or a one and done meeting?” These two questions are about the heart of Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) and forms the philosophical approach taken by BBBS.

Following up on these two questions, Kyle proceeded to discuss the impact Covid-19 has had on our youth. He indicated that we are seeing an increase in depression, an increase in anxiety, isolation, a decrease in calls to Children’s Services, an increase in Trauma and a Decrease in academics.

So how can BBBS assist with these issues and what is Big Brothers and Big Sisters?

The mission of BBBS is “Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.” The vision is “All youth achieve their full potential.”

By partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers, and others in the community BBBS is accountable for each child in their programs achieving:

Higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships
Avoidance of risky behaviors
Educational success

Programs Offered:

Community Based Programs
In-Person Site Based (on hold due to COVID-19)
Virtual Site Based
Bigs in Blue (police program)
Community training.

For specifics on each program, visit their website.

How Can You Help?

Be a Big:

Time Commitment:
- There is a one-year time commitment
Age limit
- 18 and up
Touch base with your “little” no more than once a week but a minimum of 2 times a month
In-person background check

Enrollment Process:

Inquire Online: Inquire today to speak with a match specialist at Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Apply: Ready to take the next step right now? Complete the online application. This will help speed up the process. Alternatively, after you inquire online, a match coordinator will contact you to complete the application offline.
References: You'll need to provide at least three references of people we can talk to about your ability to be a mentor.
Background Check: Child safety is our priority, so we'll review your records to ensure you'll be a good fit for our program.
Interview: A match coordinator will interview you in person.
Matching: We will review the kids in your area who need a Big Brother or Big Sister and find the best fit for you. Depending on your gender and the kind of child you'd like to work with, matching may go very quickly or take some time. Making the right match is important to our commitment to form lasting relationships.

Outcomes – BBBS hopes to attain the following outcomes:

70-75% will increase feelings of social acceptance
70-75% will increase educational expectations
80-90% will improve GPA
90-100% will improve attitudes toward risky behaviors
75% will improve parental trust
50-60% will improve truancy rates

Additionally, BBBS Littles will be:

46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
27% less likely to begin using alcohol
52% less likely to skip school
37% less likely to skip a class
33% less likely to hit someone

Future Goals:

2021: Double their current matches
2025: 500 matches by 2025

How can you support BBBS?

Make a one-time gift www.mentorwithme.org
Sponsor a match – You will get quarterly match update, social media exposure and a custom picture to showcase at your place of work
Attend a Big Brothers Big Sisters event
Sponsor a site-based program

For additional information on Big Brothers and Big Sisters check out the following websites: Big Brother Big Sisters of Summit, Medina & Stark Counties (mentorwithme.org); Home - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America - Youth Mentoring (bbbs.org)

Yours in Rotary Service,

Terry Dalton

Rotary Club of Akron Secretary

Thank you again Members of RC of Akron!

Look what beautiful project, in the middle of a pandemic, Rotary can accomplish when several clubs and districts work together!

Subject: The container of wheelchairs for Ukraine/Letter from Diego Velasquez

Dear Claudine:

The following are the 11 ROTARY CLUBS (2 districts) that help me to get the $42,000.00 for this project.

We also have a lot of Friends and Rotarians that help me with this project.

SIMI SUNRISE RC
SIMI SUNSET RC
WESTLAKE VILLAGE SUNRISE RC
WESTLAKE VILLAGE NOON RC
CONEJO VALLEY RC
SAN LUIS OBISPO RC
BAKERSFIELD EAST RC
NIPOMO RC
CAMBRIA RC
SANTA BARBARA SUNRISE RC (all clubs from District 5240 California)
AKRON OHIO RC (club from district 6630).

Thank you for all the help that give me to get this project complete.

I GAVE THE CHECK MYSELF TO DAVID BEHRING PRESIDENT OF THE WHEELCHAIR FOUNDATION LAST SATURDAY MARCH 6^TH.

My best regards always;

DIEGO VELASQUEZ

Conejo Valley Rotary Club – District 5240

Past_President 2006-07,2010-11

International Chair 2020-21

All the best together in Rotary,

Claudine Schooley

ICC USA-Ukraine Chair of Section

Rotary E-Club of One World – District 5240

Student Scholarship Program

On March 16, 2021, our Club honored students in the Manufacturing, Engineering, Skilled Trades & Health and Human Services categories.

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.

About the Scholarship Recipients:

The Students of the Year recognized March 16^th were Anna Gray, Jennifer Skerlong, Mary Winer, Anjana Tamang, Tam Chau, and Emma Grass.

We were pleased that four 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 six the March 16 recipients.

Mary Winer

Anjana Tamang

Emma Grass

Tam Chau

About Terry … beyond Rotary:

Terry Dalton served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Support Services Inc. from 2005 until December 31, 2017. He served as the Chief Operating Officer at Community Support Services from 1988 to 2005. Terry previously served for 11 years as the Executive Director of a comprehensive mental health center in Wisconsin.

He has a master’s degree in Counseling and Human Services from Boston University. He is a licensed social worker in the State of Ohio. Terry has worked in the Behavioral Health field for nearly 50 years.

He previously served as a member of the Governor’s Mental Health Commission and the Ohio Department of Mental Health’s Strategic Advisory Committee. He is a past member and chairperson of the Ohio Department of Mental Health’s Community Support Planning Council.

Terry is an honorary board member of Goodwill Industries of Akron after serving nine years on their board. He also serves on the METRO ADA Advisory Committee.

He has been a part time Senior Lecturer at the University of Akron’s Business Technology program and the School of Social Work for the past sixteen years.

Terry is a member of the Leadership Akron Alumni Association. He is a past recipient of the Summit County Mental Health America’s Outstanding Leadership award.

Terry is a national surveyor for CARF: The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.

He has a true passion for helping our Club identify and honor exceptional students through our awards and recognition programs. He said, “I would like to thank Anne Jorgenson, Lynda Farkas, and Janice Radl who participated with me in the two interview sessions and selection process this year.”

Terry expressed how much the students have endured this year with learning remotely. He added “it has been a challenging year for students, but they have continued to amaze us with their accomplishments.”

Strategic Plan Re-boot

Posted by Terrence Dalton on Mar 10, 2021

DR. ROB McGREGOR
President, Rotary Club of Akron

Strategic Plan Follow-up from Our Club Assembly

During our Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Club meeting, President Rob McGregor provided an overview of the reboot of our Club’s Strategic Plan. Shared below are the key elements of action items the Club’s Board of Directors believe we can tackle over the next 3-6 months.

View the PowerPoint <click here

View the recording of the meeting <click here

Board Summary of Akron Rotary Strategic Plan Re-boot quick action items:

Visibility/Impact

Create standard work for service project development, proposing and vetting.

Possible service project work group or sub-committee.

Outline project frameworks-

Recurrent annual, one time, within our club/shared with a community partner or other Rotary Club.Create a grid of our current “regular projects” to better inform our club and community.

Distribute Bio-information of new members.

Inclusion/Diversity

Set up joint (virtual for now) opportunities to highlight other organizations’ cultures. Food/drinks.
Enhance our partnering efforts with Rotaract, Interact, and culturally different organizations/fraternities/sororities. We can offer labor and financial support for their service projects.
Strategize and be deliberate with short-and-long term engagements with diverse communities (Overlaps with Engagement group).

Rotary Experience

Create current state GRID (See impact above #2) of our club’s activities organized by scope and level of RI: local club/zone/district/international.
Create orientation plan for new members and periodic updates for more seasoned members.
Update/enhance distribution and educate how to access bios of new members and their sponsors and intentionally highlight member’s businesses in newsletter (Overlaps with engage).

Engage

Create a survey to determine HOW Rotarians want to connect and be engaged.
Facilitate networking now – periodic vocational ice breakers. Add titles/vocation/avocation on ZOOM name tags (and eventually on real name tags). Can these action groups be a first step to engage new members and “voluntell” new member participation?
Distribute Bio information (overlaps Impact/Inclusion/experience).

Transform

Lean into North Hill area partners (International Institute, Asian Services, Celebration Church, North High) to give them something they perceive they need instead of us guessing/assuming we know what we should do (overlaps Inclusion).
Begin dialogue with LeBron James Foundation for potential long-term project for respite at our camp for families ravaged by the pandemic (Overlaps Visibility/Impact).

Innovate

Develop formal policies/procedures for succession planning, on boarding, etc. to enhance efficient transitions and preserve institutional memory.
Membership pathway development – couples/corporate/younger members under 35 (overlaps with inclusion).
Create tools to educate and guide our members to better navigate Club Runner, on boarding checklists, more engagement with website (Overlaps with Visibility/Impact and Engage).

Welcome New Members

Welcome to The Rotary Club of Akron
Geraldine Kiefer and Ryan McCauley
were inducted March 2, 2021!

View the recording of our meeting by clicking here.

Geraldine (Gerry) Kiefer, PhD, was sponsored by her mother, Virginia (Ginny) Wojno.

Geraldine recently moved back to Akron from Winchester, Virginia after retiring from Shenandoah University where she was a Professor of Art. Gerry has extensive art background as she is a graduate of Kent State University and earned a Masters Degree from Oberlin College and her Ph.D., Art History, from Case Western Reserve University.

Gerry was a longtime member of the Frederick County Rotary Club and the Winchester Rotary Club. Thanks to Ginny, she has considerable knowledge of The Rotary Club of Akron having attended several times as a guest. Gerry said she considers herself "an Akron Rotarian since birth".

Gerry is very familiar with the Camp and looks forward to participating in events and service opportunities. You may spot Gerry driving around town in her new car (her old one just conked out) and she is thrilled that she is able to transfer her Rotary license plates!

Gerry is a Rotary Paul Harris+5 (Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) recognition is given in appreciation to anyone who contributes, outright or cumulatively – or in whose name is contributed – a gift of US$1,000 or more to the Annual Programs Fund, PolioPlus, PolioPlus Partners or the Humanitarian Grants program. The recognition consists of a certificate, pin, and medallion. Recipient's recognition amount 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).

She is very energetic and plans on being extremely engaged with our club through participation on various committees and service projects.

Ryan McCauley was sponsored by Dan O'Connell.

Born and raised in Stow, Ohio, and lived in Phoenix for seven years where he worked as a project manager at Bank of America.

Ryan and his wife Jessica and their one year old, moved back to the area about six months ago when he joined the family business, McCauley Financial LLC.

He is involved with the Fairlawn Chamber of Commerce and through his father and brother`s work at The Hudson Rotary Club, knows a lot about Rotary and is excited to give back through our service projects.

He is a graduate of Western Reserve Academy and received his B.A. from Kent State University.

When not working , Ryan enjoys golf and working around his new house, which is just around the corner from our Rotary Camp.

Club Welcomes Two New Members

Welcome to The Akron Rotary Club
Steve Bossart and Zach Prosser!

Steve Bossart was sponsored by Julie Brandle. Steve has been attending our meetings routinely before his induction.

He is the Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for Coleman Professional Services and has over 30 years of professional experience, his past 14 years were in the healthcare and behavioral health industries.

At Coleman, he leads a team that includes regional development and marketing executives and grant writing staff. He is also charged with exploring avenues to expand the Coleman business throughout the state.

He has an established history in the nonprofit sector of our community and is very passionate about community service and philanthropy.

Julie wrote, "Steve embodies the word service. He is optimistic and enthusiastic about serving others".

Steve is very involved with his fraternity, Delta Chi, and serves as an alumni advisor.

He is married to Lorrie and they have two young children.

Steve earned a degree in Public Relations from Kent State University and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

Zachary (Zach) Prosser is not new to the Akron Rotary Club, he was a member of our Club previously but had to step away temporarily and is thrilled to be back.

He was originally sponsored by Sam Lupica and recently, Tom Knauer helped him get back into our Club.

Zach and his wife Heather life in Stow. He leads a very busy professional life. He has completed his tenure as the president of a nonprofit coaching organization, and now remains active as Lead Pastor in North Hill at Celebration Church. He also founded Zach Prosser Coaching and is a Master Facilitator and Coach Trainer.

As a trainer, Zach provides International Coaching Federation (ICF) approved coach training to those desiring to utilize coaching skills either professionally as a coach or those looking to advance their skills in leadership. He received the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Young Leader Award (Prague) and the ICF Chapter Recognition Award (Dublin).

In addition, he is now the Director of Coaching & Coach Training for Emerge in Akron.

He shared that he "always enjoyed being a part of Rotary and the projects and is looking forward to re-engaging and serving".

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.

Chili Open Re-Cap

Posted by Wanda Whipkey

The celebration for 31st Chili Open Classic took place this past Saturday, February 6th.

Click here to view the presentation the committee made at our Club meeting on February 9th!

The generosity from our Rotary Club members, sponsors and volunteers made this Chili Open a monumental success.

The total amount raised this year is $315,961!

Our presenting sponsor Wayne Homes has been a part of the Chili Open since 1993. This year they stepped up their support with a matching raffle ticket purchase which resulted in $7,420 in raffle ticket purchases. Wayne Homes leadership also presented the Chili Open with a $5000 donation in addition to the presenting sponsorship. Thank you again to all the sponsors listed below in this newsletter.

Congratulations to our raffle ticket winners:

1st Prize:

Rhonda Mele

Vandevere Sponsored 2021 Chevrolet Trax LS

2nd Prize:

Keith Anstine

S Group Sponsored 55" 4K Smart LED TV

3rd Prize:

Julie Lehman

Steve Warren Sponsored FOX Sports Ohio Media Package

Snowmania Winner:
David Miller

Our club members went above and beyond in securing sponsorships, camperships, raffle ticket sales, donations, and silent auction items. It was truly a remarkable day to celebrate as a club.

Mark your calendars for the 32nd Chili Open on Saturday, February 5, 2022 where we hope to be back at Hale Farm.

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.