Welcome to The Rotary Club of Akron, Ohio

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We meet each Tuesday at NOON

Bounce Innovation Hub
526 S. Main St., Akron, OH 44311
$13 per person
 
 
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Meeting ID: 989 441 809
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Meet Our 2021-22
Club President
Steve Buie

 

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Our Speaker May 24, 2022

JOHN FIUME, CEO
AKRON ART MUSEUM

Since 2020, Fiume has spearheaded the Akron Art Museum's transformation plan to improve its organizational culture and rebuild public trust.

As part of the transformation plan, the museum has adopted a Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion statement and board committee. Staff and board members also have completed DEAI training.

The museum plans to launch a Community Advisory Council this year to improve relationships with all sectors of the community. 

During his museum tenure, Fiume also has focused on rebuilding the curatorial department, including hiring senior curator Jared Ledesma and working toward diversifying the collection. The museum reported that it is now fully staffed.

"I am honored to continue to serve the museum as a facilitator for collaboration and excellence to both the staff and to our many supporters,” Fiume said in a statement. “It is a really exciting time to be leading this organization. The museum is entering our centennial year and we are looking forward as we deepen our commitment to being inclusive and representational of the community we have the privilege of connecting with.”

Fiume's 25 years of arts and culture leadership includes 10 years as a museum trustee and serving as a founding board member and former board vice president of ArtsNow.

He is a public arts commissioner for the City of Akron Public Art Program, board director for Leadership Akron and was appointed as an ex officio member of the Arts Advancement Council of the University of Akron. He also served in board leadership roles for Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens and Weathervane Playhouse and was a reviewer of the Knight Foundation's Akron Arts Challenge.

Fiume formerly worked for six years as chief operating officer for Mustard Seed Market & Cafe and for 14 years as vice president of retail operations for Ritzman Pharmacies.
 
We are looking forward you joining us . . .so please be sure to RSVP with Steve Buie!

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

Club Welcomes Michael Irby as Newest Member
Please welcome Michael Irby who was inducted as a new member on May 10, 2022.  Michael was sponsored by Steve Buie (photo below).
 
Michael J. Irby worked for Akron Public Schools as an educator and administrator for many years. He has coached college and high school football for over 40 years. Mr. Irby participates in the community. He is the President of 100 Black Men of Akron, Inc. which is a local chapter of the 100 Black Men of America that focuses on mentoring, education, health, and financial opportunities/outcomes to the Black community. In addition, Mr. Irby is a Board member of the Akron Municipal Court’s COMPASS (Compassion, Opportunity, Mentoring, Purpose, Assistance Survival, Stepping forward) Program with Judge David Hamilton, member of Mayor Daniel Horrigan’s Ambassadors Program, member of Akron Police Chief Stephen Mylett’s Advisory Committee, Board of Director for the African American Association Board, and Chair of Trustees at Macedonia Baptist Church.
 
Michael is retired and enjoys working out, working in the yard, and mentoring youth. He has two sons, Michael II and Daniel, and is married to Angela.
 

Celebration of Youth: 2022 Akron Rotary Scholarship Dinner
Celebration of Youth: 2022 Akron Rotary Scholarship Dinner
 
The Rotary Club of Akron and the Akron Rotary Foundation celebrated our first Celebration of Youth Scholarship Dinner on April 25, 2022, at the University of Akron’s College of Business.
 
Fifteen Akron Public School Seniors were recipients of a $1,000 scholarship from the Akron Rotary Foundation.   This year, APS had 56 students apply for the Rotary scholarships.  After reviewing those applications, fellow Rotarians interviewed the remaining 40 students to select the 15 recipients.
 
Students honored at the event were:  Arts, Media, and Communications Pathway:  Noria Nuru – Firestone Community Learning Center, and Benjamin Riddle – Firestone Community Learning Center; Business, Marketing, and IT Pathway:  Jessica Causey – North High School, Jose Garcia – North High School, Kayla Suansing – Ellet Community Learning Center, and Kayla Vinson -Kenmore/Garfield High School; Health and Human Services Pathway:  Amya Evans – Kenmore/Garfield High School, Javiena Fry – Buchtel Community Learning Center, Keyasha Hasley -North High School; Manufacturing, Engineering, and Skilled Trades Pathway:  Noah Klein – STEM High School, Rashaad Simmons – STEM High School, Sage Waehler – STEM High School; and Public Service Pathway: Keniya Trice – Buchtel Community Learning Center, Keira Mothersbaugh – Ellet Community Learning Center, Karley Scott – East Community Learning Center.
 
Our Keynote Speaker was Rachel Tecca, Assistant Superintendent/Chief of Leadership and Learning.  Ms. Tecca congratulated those students present and provided information to those Rotarians in attendance about the College & Career Academies and Pathways.  Ms. Tecca encouraged Rotarians, who are interested, to become involved with the various pathways.  The career pathways are always looking for new businesses to partner with the Akron Public Schools to give students true life experiences relevant to their career interests.
 
An evening surprise for the students was a State Board of Education, Certificate of Commendation, presented by Mr. Tim Miller, State Board of Education Representative for District 7.
 
Special thanks to our Rotary Club of Akron Scholarship Chair, Terry Dalton and his committee making this event so very special!

Dinner With the Campers: Volunteers Needed Please
Posted by Amanda Warner
Dinner With the Campers: Volunteers Needed Please
Dear Rotarians,
 
Summer is here and what better way to celebrate than a first summer camp cookout at Rotary Camp with our campers and staff! We are looking for volunteers to help serve dinner on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm.
 
We will eat in the Pavilion, (weather permitting), and volunteers are responsible for setting up the buffet line, serving dinner and clean-up afterwards. Come with friends and family and enjoy the evening with us!
 
Please click here to sign up!
 
Reach out to Amanda Warner at amandaw@akronymca.org if you have any questions.
 
We hope to see you there!
 
Akron Rotary Camp

Rotary Cares
Posted by Gerry Kiefer
 
The purpose of Rotary Cares is to show our support for Akron Rotary members and their families when dealing with the loss of a loved one, the hardship of illness and also to celebrate the joy of a new baby, job, marriage or other events in their lives. Please be sure to email me(click here) with any news you would like placed here. Note that information is posted only with permission of the individual(s).
 
 
 
CONGRATULATIONS
STEVE BUIE
 
Steve was pinned as an official member of 100 Black Men. 
 
The 100 Black Men of Akron, Inc. Mission is to improve the quality of life within our communities and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all African Americans. 
 
They are committed to the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the African American community based on the following percepts: respect for family, spirituality, justice and integrity.  
 
The organization seeks to serve as a beacon of leadership by utilizing our diverse talents to create environments where our children are motivated to achieve and to empower our people to become self- sufficient shareholders in the economic and social fabric of the communities we serve.
 
 
 

2021-2022 Akron Rotary Grant Recipient
Posted by Sandy Naragon
2021-2022 Akron Rotary Grant Recipient
Annually, Akron Rotary selects one recipient for its District Matching Grant! 
 
The 2021-22 recipient is the Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance.  and is being used to help present Music on the Boulevard.
 
Volunteers are needed before and at the event! See info and volunteer links below.
 
The Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance in partnership with Akron Civic Commons and the Rotary Club of Akron are excited to announce the return of Kenmore First Fridays to the historic Kenmore Boulevard business district. The events will kick off June 3 with live music.
 
Kenmore First Fridays will take place every first Friday of the month beginning June 3 and will continue through Sept. 2. The free events will run from 6 to 9 p.m. and will feature live music, vendors, family activities, food trucks and an outdoor beer garden with a rotating cast of breweries that include HiHo Brewing Company, Lock 15 Brewing Company and Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.  See the full schedule below:
  • June 3: The Shootouts with Akronauts, plus Oddmall: The Great Grassman Gathering
Here is the link to the volunteer signup for the June Kenmore First Friday "Summer Break"event:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4DACAA22A0F58-june1
 
And here is a link to sign up for the Boulevard cleanup May 21: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4DACAA22A0F58-may21kenmore
  • July 1: Big Pop with The Buffalo Ryders, plus SIT Strings presents Virgil Lay Day and Torchbearers’ Inaugural Community Volunteer Fair
  • August 5: Free Black! with Shelby Olive, plus East Ave. Market presents “Summer Impressions” community art project 
  • September 2: Marc Lee Shannon with Indré, plus Crafty Mart
Watch for links to volunteer for the July, August and September events!
 
Sandy Naragon, Chair
Rotary District 6630 Grant Committee
330-256-5315 - Cell

Speaker Recap: Cynthia Snider, Tuesday Musical Society
Posted by Terrence Dalton
Speaker Recap: Cynthia Snider, Tuesday Musical Society
The Rotary Club of Akron had the pleasure of listening to Cynthia Snider — well known in the community as a fundraiser, media relations professional, and advocate for the arts at our Tuesday, May 19 Club meeting.  Ms. Snider has been the Executive Director of Tuesday Musical Association since March 2020. She served as interim director since September 2019. 
 
Ms. Snider presented information on the history of Tuesday Musical Association as well as some of the events that will be occurring during the 2022-2023 season.
 
 
History of the Tuesday Musical Association:
 
On November 9, 1887, Celia Baker, wife of George Baker — a prominent businessman who was president of the Akron Electric Light and Power Co. — invited a group of women with “proven musical ability” to her home at 610 E. Market Street, Akron.  They named themselves as the "Tuesday Afternoon Club."
 
For more than 100 years, Tuesday Musical’s members programs were hosted in the city’s stately private homes. Once Gertrude and Frank Seiberling completed their country estate, Stan Hywet Hall, in 1915, it became a favored venue for the club’s activities. Still today, Tuesday Musical’s members meet monthly for performances and refreshments in venues throughout the community, including Stan Hywet Hall.
 
A few decades after forming, Tuesday Musical expanded its mission to present concerts by world-acclaimed musicians. Global greats over the past 134 years have included such musicians as Leontyne Price, Imani Winds, Van Cliburn, James Galway, Renee Fleming, Itzhak Perlman, Wynton Marsalis, Beverly Sills, Yo-Yo Ma, and many more.
 
Tuesday Musical has expanded even more to offer robust education and community engagement programs. Today Tuesday Musical takes nearly all their guest artists beyond the concert stage and throughout NE Ohio to share their talents and inspirations with children and adults of all ages.
 
Annual Scholarship Program:
 
Tuesday Musical’s annual scholarship competition is widely recognized as the best of its kind in Ohio. Since starting the competition in 1955 with support from generous donors and volunteers, Tuesday Musical has awarded nearly 700 scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,000 to talented students embarking on careers as music educators and performers.
 
Snider joined Tuesday Musical in September 2015 when, after 31 years, she retired from The University of Akron (UA) where she directed communications, community engagement, development, special events, and other initiatives for UA’s programs in the visual and performing arts. She also worked closely with UA’s EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall.
 
Concerts:
 

 Each season, Tuesday Musical scans the best of what’s out there and invites a series of artists to create a unique, endlessly enjoyable experience unique to our region. 

 

Balanced between well-known, celebrated names & those that fly under the radar – you’ll enjoy a hand-selected variety of artists, styles, and genres. Plus, they bring you behind the music by letting you get to know the artists.

Free Tickets for All Students
Complimentary Student Ticket Program
Tuesday Musical Association invites all students to attend their concerts at no cost. It’s easy through the ticket voucher program, supported by generous donors. Here's how:
  1. Receive a ticket voucher through your school, a private music teacher, at the Student Ticket Table the night of the concert or the Tuesday Musical office at 330-761-3460.
  2. Redeem the voucher at the Student Ticket Table located in the EJ Thomas Hall Ticket Office Lobby on the night of the concert.
BONUS for parents/adult companions: If a parent/adult wants to purchase a reduced-priced companion seat, both the student and the adult should go to the Ticket Window nearest the Student Ticket Table to obtain both the free student ticket and purchase the adult ticket. Parent/adult companion tickets are $15.
To see what concerts are available for the 2022-2023 season, and to learn more about the Tuesday Musical Association check out their website at www.akronconcertseries.org/2022-2023-season and www.tuesdaymusical.org
 
Yours in Service,
 
Terry Dalton
Akron Rotary Club Secretary and Scholarship Chair

Joe Knopp - We Are The Ripple: Speaker Recap 
Posted by Terrence Dalton
Joe Knopp - We Are The Ripple: Speaker Recap
The Rotary Club of Akron had the pleasure of listening to Joe Knopp, innovator, giver, and problem solver during our Tuesday May 3, 2022 club meeting.  Like many college students, Joe goes to school fulltime, works 40-hours per week at his job, and is involved in campus activities.  What sets this Walsh University senior apart from his peers is that at the tender age of 20, he has already started three businesses and the third one, Ripple, is making a huge impact. 
 
Watch this presentation (click here) or
copy and paste this link into your browser https://youtu.be/1cKAB9tfMs4 
 
Ripple was born in November of 2020. Joe had been running a profitable company for the last 6 months but felt like he wasn’t making a real difference in the world, so he put a pause on the business and took a trip to Florida with about five books, trying to figure out what was missing. One of those books was Start Something That Matters. That book changed his perspective on business. Growing up, Joe stated that he could always remember his mom say “Eat your green beans and drink your water before you get up from the dinner table.” As that thought crossed his mind, he looked at his dorm roommate and asked him what he thought about solving the world water crisis. His roommate quickly responded with “You’re crazy, that’s not possible,” which only fueled Joe’s competitive side to prove him wrong.
 
After some research, Joe discovered that they could build a well for about eight to ten thousand dollars. What Joe and his roommate came up with was Ripple, a brand dedicated to serving others by leveraging high quality product lines to solve real world problems. They just happened to start by selling high quality water bottles to give every human being access to clean drinking water.
 
They call themselves Ripple because of the idea that their efforts in the United States will have the ripple effect to impact thousands of lives on the other side of the world, as every 1,000 ripple bottles sold builds a well!
 
Less than a year after learning how he could help alleviate the world water crisis and devising a plan to earn the funds needed to build his first water well, Knopp traveled to Africa.  He visited the Village of Katiiti in Uganda to see the impact of the water well firsthand and to visit five other sites set to receive a well.  The first well, is providing clean water to more than 2000 individuals and direct lines to two elementary schools. What is unique about the wells are that they are solar powered, extending the lifespan of the wells by a significant number of additional years.
 
Knopp invested his life’s savings, $14 thousand, to purchase two thousand water bottles – the number of bottles needed to build one well.  They arrived in March 2021 and occupied every inch of free space in their dorm room.  Joe said he needed more capital, so he entered Stark Tank, a business pitch competition modeled after the television show “Shark Tank,” and won $10 thousand.  He has also applied for a 501(c)(3) with the intention of building additional water wells.  With a tax-exempt status, he’ll be able to apply for grant funding to make clean water a reality in Uganda and other nations.
 
“Ripple has already been one of the greatest experiences of my life,” said Knopp.  “I wake up ready to take on the day and help give the gift of water to all.”
 
What is different about Ripple compared to other bottle companies?
What sets Ripple apart is their mission. They are not building a typical business --- They are building a brand of helping and impacting others. Their goal is to make a lasting impact on thousands of lives. “When you purchase a Ripple water bottle, you are purchasing a luxury water bottle that stands for change, kindness, and love for one another.”
 
How does Ripple help others?
They are a for-profit company with their own non-profit branch in order to build relationships and wells for the communities in need of water. Joe said they achieve their mission by raising funds through the sale of bottles. Ripple utilizes these funds by using their non-profit to reach out to contractors and communities to create sustainable wells that the communities will learn how to maintain and use for years to come. For every 2,000 Ripple water bottles sold, they build a well in a developing country.
 
Does Ripple partner with anyone?
Ripple is currently partnered with Skills Link Network, located in Kampala, Uganda. Skills Link Network is a nonprofit agency that provides 21st Century skills, entrepreneurial skills, monitoring, and networking, mainly for secondary school youth in Kampala and Wakiso districts. Their mission is to provide young people with regular coaching and progressive development assignments leading to impactful achievements that strengthen young people’s ability to lead better lives, improve their own and others’ livelihoods, and embrace global opportunities. They are Ripple’s on-the-ground liaisons who are coordinating Ripple’s international projects.
 
Ripple has some impressive long-term goals.  After hearing Joe’s presentation, there is little doubt about his future goals.
 
To learn more about Ripple and how to order one of their bottles to support their mission, check out their website at https://www.wearetheripple.com/
 
Yours in Service -
 
Terry Dalton
Club Secretary | Scholarship Chair

John Reyes Receives District 6630 Richard C. "Dick" Pitcher Award
At the District Conference of Clubs in April, 2022, District 6630 Governor Larry Lohman presented the Richard C. "Dick" Pitcher Award to Akron Rotarian PDG John Reyes.
 
This prestigious award recognizes one individual annually in District 6630 who goes above and beyond to support our Youth Services Programs through their time, talents and service.
 
During his tenure as District Governor, Reyes, an attorney with Buckingham Doolittle & Burroughs, recognized a need in the District for a district-wide Youth Protection Program. ​​​​​​
 
​This was no small undertaking.  Reyes has dedicated hundreds of hours of his personal time researching, developing and implementing the Youth Protection Policies and Procedures (YPP) plan for the District and its clubs.
 
He organized a strong committee of Rotarians to help ensure every aspect of the program is designed to make every reasonable effort to ensure that no Rotarian or other participant is subjected to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse in the context of Rotary activities. 
 
Strong support and effective management of youth programs throughout the District are essential to ensuring that all youth protection policies, including RI policies, and local laws and regulations, are followed. All district, club level volunteers and program officers have received training to ensure they understand Rotary and District 6630 policies and procedures.  
 
Congratulations PDG Reyes  - and thank you for your amazing dedication.
 
Photo L-R:
Chelsea Talty, RC of Chesterland, District Interact Chair
John Reyes, Past District 6630 Governor, RC of Akron
Larry Lohman, District Governor, RC of Kent

Meet Akron Rotarian Ginny Wojno Forney
At the Club meeting on April 26, 2022, President Steve Buie helped us all get to know Ginny Wojno Forney.  
 
 
Ginny has a long history in Summit County and in Rotary. This interview helps share her tremendous story. There are few limits to Virginia Wojno-Forney’s activism or imagination. For decades Virginia has been a force behind some key institutions in the city, including Summit County Historical Society, Progress Through Preservation, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Akron Art Museum. But it is at the Cascade Locks Park that Virginia’s imagination is most apparent. Back in the 1980s, she saw the potential of a canal-era provisions store, the ruins of a series of step locks and the overgrown trashy urban jungle and saw a park where Akron could rediscover its canal history. Today, Cascade Locks Park, “a heritage park for Akron’s future,” is a testament to Virginia’s vision of what could be.
 
If you cannot view the video embedded below, click here to view it or copy and paste this link into your browser https://youtu.be/bjNcYCZwC2I
 
 

Club Welcomes Lauren Holly
Our Club had the honor of inducting our newest member, Lauren Holly, on Tuesday, April 5, 2022.  She was sponsored by Julie Brandle.
 
Photo L-R: Julie Brandle, DGN, Lauren Holly, Steve Buie, Akron Club President
 
Lauren was a prior member of the Fairlawn Rotary Club 2013-2021 where she also served as Club President. 
 
Her transition in jobs and a desire to participate in a larger club led her to the Akron Club.
 
Here is some background on Lauren so you can get to know you a little bit better - be sure to introduce yourself when you see her!
 
Prior to coming to The Brain Injury Association of Ohio, Lauren was at Easter Seals Northern Ohio for 8 years, most recently, as the Chief Operating Officer. There, she managed aging and disability programs across 27 counties of northern Ohio, managing finance, program operations, and development. At Easter Seals she launched two new adult day centers providing services to individuals with disabilities as well as older adults. She created the Makerspace Vocational Program – providing individuals with disabilities an innovative environment to work on vocational skills and earn competitive wages. The last 21 years of her career she has been served across the health care continuum including adult day services, long term care, and homecare.
 
Lauren has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Akron. In addition to being past president at the Fairlawn Rotary Club, she is part of Women in Touch with Akron’s Needs where she sits on the board as the Director of the Civic committee.
 
She resided in Akron along with husband, Steve, and daughter Maddie.
 
When not working or volunteering, she can be found at one of my daughter’s many sporting events. She also enjoys camping, crafting and reading when time allows.
Tickets for Women of the Year Event 
Posted by Gerry Kiefer
Last week we announced that Ginny Wojno has been named one of the Summit County Historical Society's Women of the year. 
 
We now have information about tickets for the event.
 
Ginny and the other recipients will be honored at a special presentation on June 15 at the John Brown House, 514 Diagonal Road, Akron. Heather Pollock of the University of Akron will be the emcee.
 
 

 
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Our members support numerous causes.  We are People of Action.

Upcoming Speakers

Jon Fiume
May 24, 2022 12:00 PM
CEO, Akron Art Museum
Don Padgett III, Executive Director
May 31, 2022 12:00 PM
Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship
Rebecca Scalice and Blake Offenberger
Jun 07, 2022 12:00 PM
Focus Rescue and Rehab Animal / Equine Rescue
Mark Willis, Attorney at Law
Jun 14, 2022 12:00 PM
Personal Injury
Karen Hrdlicka and Jacinto Nunez
Jun 21, 2022 12:00 PM
Akron Community Foundation
Steve Buie
Jun 28, 2022
Club President 2021-2022 / Outgoing Presidential Message
View entire list...
Club Events
Club Information
Rotary Links
 

Celebrating Over a Century of Service in the Akron Community!

 
The History of The Rotary Club of Akron
 
Honoring the Past.  Driving the Future.
 
April 5, 2014 Centennial Celebration