Welcome to The Rotary Club of Akron, Ohio

We meet each
Tuesday at NOON

Doors open at 11:45am

 

Our Club meeting location is
permanently changing 
effective October 4, 2022.

$20 per person
 

  
 

Weekly Club Meeting Location:

The Greek Annunciation Church
129 South Union Street
Akron, OH 44304

$20.00 per person
includes buffet lunch by Tangier Catering
 

Virtual Option for standard weekly meetings

 Join via Zoom
Meeting ID: 989 441 809
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Meet Our 2022-23
Club President
Lynda Farkas

 

View Calendar of
Weekly Speakers
& Our Events

The Club Board of Directors meet the
2nd Tuesday of each month at 11:00 a.m.
Board meetings are open to Club members. 
Click here to join board meeting virtually
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Our Speaker October 4,  2022

ALBERT A. BRAGG, JR. Ph.D.

Executive Director
Alpha Phi Alpha Homes, Inc.

 
 
Albert A. Bragg, Jr., Ph.D. is a life-long resident of Akron Ohio and a graduate of John R. Buchtel High School. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Administration degrees, from the University of Akron, and his Ph.D., in Urban Studies/Public Affairs, from Cleveland State University.
 
l’s doctoral studies focused on sustainability and public policy. Al was a United States Army Transportation officer and served the citizens of Akron as the Fire Prevention Bureau Manager.  Currently, Al is the Executive Director of Alpha Phi Alpha Homes, Inc. 
 
His hobbies are golf and traveling to play golf.
 

 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
Calling for Volunteers at the Foodbank
Posted by David Hall
Calling for Volunteers at the Foodbank
Akron Canton Food Bank service project is coming up on Wednesday October 19th, 4:30pm to 6:30pm.
 
The projects involve breaking down large containers of food into smaller portions for redistribution to area food pantries.  The two hours flies by as we all have fun with the project and we get the opportunity to meet a few new people from other organizations/companies that are there volunteering as well.    
 
ALL volunteers need to apply/register (only once) in order to volunteer. I am the volunteer coordinator for the Akron Rotary Club and you will need the Akron Rotary Club’s address for signing up.
            Akron Rotary Club
            4460 Rex Lake Drive
            Akron, OH 44319
If you have any questions please call or text me at 330-714-1044.
 
I need a head count by noon Friday 14th so if you would please let me know by then if you plan on attending by sending me an email or text:  dhall@preferredlegacy.com or 330-714-1044.  I greatly appreciate it!
 
Thank you for volunteering!
 
***********************************************************************************
Our group (Akron Rotary Club) is scheduled to volunteer at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank on:
  • Wednesday, October 19, 2022 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm
PLEASE COMPLETE A VOLUNTEER APPLICATION – If you have not volunteered with the Foodbank in the past 2 years.
  
 
Preparing for your visit, main Akron Campus:
The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s Main Campus is located at 350 Opportunity Parkway, Akron, OH 44307, at the corner of Dart Avenue and Opportunity Parkway off of OH-59 near Downtown Akron. Get Directions.
 
When you arrive, please park in the front of the building or in the Dart Avenue parking lot. Use the front glass doors to enter the building.
  • If the parking lot is full, please park in the grass lot or proceed to the Shipping and Receiving parking lot on the other side of the building. 
    • If entering through Shipping and Receiving, enter through the RED visitor door and proceed to the front desk.
  • We also recommend carpooling when possible.
 
What to wear:
  • Face Masks are optional.
  • Safety is our priority! Please note that open-toed shoes are not permitted in the warehouse. Jewelry is not permitted in the clean- room and we recommend wearing limited jewelry when volunteering.
  • Comfortable shoes are recommended as you may be on your feet the entire time. 
  • It is best to dress in layers. The weather outside may affect the temperature inside the warehouse.
 
 Thank you for volunteering at your Foodbank! We look forward to seeing you.
 
 
David Hall, CISP, AFIM​
Investment Strategist & Banking Officer
The Preferred Legacy Trust Company
4840 Higbee Ave NW
Suite 4840
Canton, OH 44718
PreferredLegacy.com
What a night!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thank you from the bottom our hearts for the incredible support and love for Rotary Camp! It was so great to see everyone back for our 5th Rotary Camp Regatta.
 
With your help we raised $773,000 for improvements to the Waterfront, making it more accessible and safer for our campers.
 
Save the date for our next regatta and Rotary Camp’s 100th anniversary on September 28, 2024!
 
 
 
Myers School of Art Club Outing
The off-site meeting and tour at Myers School of Art was enjoyed by all!! 
 
Hats off to our program chair Gerry Kiefer for planning this event.
 
It was wonderful to have John Daily be able to attend thanks to Cyndi Kane bringing him.
 
Thank you to Arnold Tunstall, Director, University Galleries at Myers School of Art, at The University of Akron, who provided a wonderful tour and explanation of the Synapse 15 - Intersections of Art and Science exhibit.
 
Many of those attending had no idea the School had grown and this exhibit was beautiful - it was intriguing hearing about the various approaches the artists take and the materials they used to create their works of art. 
 
The artists are doing amazing and very interesting work!!
 
 
 
  
  
   
Volunteer at Boo at the Zoo
      
    
 
 
      
 
 
Location:         Akron Zoo
505 Euclid Avenue
Akron, OH 44307
 
Dates: Saturdays: October 15th, 22nd, and 29th
Sundays: October 16th, 23rd, 30th Event runs from 11:00am-7:00pm
 
Three shifts are available: 10:00am-1:15pm (October 29th 9:00am-1:15pm), 1:00-4:15pm, and 4:00-7:00pm You may sign up for more than one shift per day. Event occurs rain, snow or shine.
 
Boo at the Akron Zoo is a non-scary trick or treat experience for all ages that runs Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 (Presale)-7:00pm. All guests must purchase tickets, either an observer or treater, before entering the event and can be purchased presale or day of the event. Presale tickets gain entry at 10:30 a.m. and all treat stations close by 7:00pm. Treaters will have a candy passport allowing them to collect candy at each station. The entire zoo is open for guests to enjoy.
Volunteers staff each treat station and are paired with a zoo volunteer (EdZOOcator). This allows questions or concerns to be addressed quickly. We need approximately 24 volunteers for each of the three shifts to comfortably staff the event. Volunteers that are part of a large group will be split up in pairs. We are not able to keep groups together.
 
Boo at the Zoo is one of your Akron Zoo’s main events. As a non-profit organization, we rely heavily on our revenue from the concessions, gift shop, admissions, carousel, etc. These monies allow us to provide our animals with the best possible care. In addition to our earned revenue, the Akron Zoo receives funding from a Summit County tax levy, private donations, and fundraisers, such as Boo at the Zoo. In order to keep costs low, we rely on assistance from volunteers, such as those from your organization.
 
I truly hope your organization will join us for this family friendly, non-scary event. To schedule your volunteer shift(s), please use our VolunteerSignUp.org link: volunteersignup.org/HKFJ9 Please contact me with any further questions. Shelley Orloski, Career Pathways Manager, boo@akronzoo.org, 330-375-2550 ex 7286. The Wednesday before your shift, you will receive detailed information regarding parking, check in location, etc.
 
Thank you for your support,
 
Shelley Orloski, CVA
Boo at the Zoo Volunteer Team Leader

Rotary Cares
 
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 let us know any news you would like placed here. Note that health related information is posted only with permission of the individual(s).
 
 
CONGRATULATIONS
 
Akron Rotarian, Julie Ann Sweet-Buntin, was recognized as the 2022 Keep Akron Beautiful Volunteer of the Year. 
 
Thank you Julie Ann for your service to our community!
 
RYE Students enjoy baseball game!
 
On September 13, 2022 Stew Buchanan arranged for the RYE students from District #6630 and #6600 to attend a Cleveland Guardians game. Host families, siblings, and club counselors were also present.
Welcome to Ja, Yara, Cristiano, Loris, Chihiro, Jose, Dani, and Madeline ( a potential outbound). It is nice to have exchange students back this year.
 
 
Doug Piekarz, CEO, Akron Zoo Presenation Recap
Posted by Terrence Dalton on Sep 21, 2022
Doug Piekarz, CEO, Akron Zoo Presenation Recap
The Rotary Club of Akron had an amazing presentation by Doug Piekarz, CEO of the Akron Zoo during our Tuesday, September 20, 2022, weekly meeting.
 
I encourage anyone reading this article who couldn’t attend the meeting in person, or on Zoom to follow the link (click here) to the recording for a great presentation.  Some of the highlights of Mr. Piekarz presentation is included below.
 
Akron Zoo mission: 
 
Connecting your life to wildlife while inspiring lifelong learning and conservation action:  Mission triangle:  Community, Education and Conservation - any decision we make must connect with the three elements of the mission triangle.
 
Humble Beginnings: 
Opened May 17, 1953, as the Akron Children’s Zoo with 12 nursery rhyme themed exhibits covering one acre.  Originally was known as Perkins Woods, and the Akron Natural History Museum.  The nursery themed exhibits were built to encourage attendance at the Natural History Museum.  The Akron Zoo was incorporated in 1953, 70 years celebration next year.
 
  • 1979 – First in the nation of a public/private partnership.  The Zoo became a private not for profit charity and changed its name to the Akron Zoological Park, Animal habitats were added, guest amenities were improved and in 1989 the zoo was accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).
  • To ensure the sustainability of the Akron Zoo, Summit County voters approved a property tax in 2000.  This successful levy campaign allowed the Zoo to make capital and operational improvements, increase the number of animals, more habitats and more opportunities to learn and the zoo was open year-round. Improvements made since 2000 include:  Barnhardt Family Welcome Center; Lehner Family Zoo Gardens; Penguin Point; Legends of the Wild Komodo Kingdom Education Center; Conservation Carousel; Mike and Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge; Curious Creatures; Pride of Africa; Wild Asia and has grown from 33 to 56 exhibits,
2019 by the numbers:
Akron Zoo is one of the most visited attractions in Summit County
  • 402,143 on site attendance
  • 91,456 participants in education programs
  • 35,404 participants in field trips
  • 12,878 member households
  • 46 species survival plans on site
  • 21 field conservation projects
  • 2 extinct species (in the wild) call Akron Zoo home
  • 1 of 237 AZA accredited zoos worldwide
Return on Investment:
  • For $1 of public support that the Akron Zoo has received since 2011, it has generated nearly $8 in impact.
  • $75.6 million invested, $581 million returned.
 
Sustainability:
  • Komodo Kingdom – First LEED certified building in Summit County
  • Komodo Café – First 4-Star Green Restaurant in Ohio and any U.S. zoo
  • Reduced water usage by 80% over 5 years
  • Composted over 3.6 million pounds of organic waste in four years
  • Grizzly Ridge – Certified LEED Silver
  • Installed composter – Big Hanna
Conservation Programs: 
In 2019 the Akron Zoo supported 21 conservation projects or programs, both locally and globally. 
  • Seven of the projects are U.S. Based.  Five in Ohio and two in other States. 
  • The Akron Zoo supported three projects in South America,
  • Six in Asia,
  • Two in Africa. 
  • The remaining three projects work on a global scale.
A Community Partner:
The zoo’s goal is to be a strong community partner.  Their latest efforts have focused on supporting our community during the COVID pandemic:
  • 60 Facebook Live educational broadcasts to support educators and parents.  (Now on YouTube)
  • Hosted free meal distributions
  • Hosted Red Cross blood drives
  • Donated 1,400 N95 masks to healthcare providers
  • Staff and volunteers made over 3,000 masks and distributed them to schoolchildren and the SCPH department
All About the Animals:
 
Growth:
Grown from 57 to 61 animal habitats
 
Experiences:
Three new experiences opened since 2016:
  • Curious Creatures – Summer 2017
  • Pride of Africa – Summer 2019
  • Wild Asia – Summer 2021
Animal Residents:
  • Number of animals cared for has grown from 2,381 animals (239 species) to 2611 animals (252 species) since 2016.
  • 439 individual animal births since 2016
Today:
  • 53 species survival plans on site
  • 2 extinct species (in the wild) call Akron Zoo home
A Perfect Inspection:
In June 2021 the Akron Zoo became 1 of 3 zoos in 50 years to receive a perfect accreditation inspection.
 
To learn more about the Akron Zoo and all that it has to offer, check out their website at www.akronzoo.org. 
 
Terry Dalton
2022-23 Akron Club Secretary & Scholarship Chair
SAVE YOUR ACME RECEIPTS!
 
 
Rotary Camp is collecting ACME receipts! Help us earn 5% Community Cashback by shopping store brands in Acme Fresh Market. Save your receipts from August 4, 2022 until December 24, 2022.
 
Receipts can either be mailed to Camp (4460 Rex Lake Dr., Akron OH 44319), or be turned in at the weekly Rotary Meetings.
 
Thank you ACME for your continued support to the community!
 
Leianne Neff Heppner Speaker Recap
Posted by Terrence Dalton
Leianne Neff Heppner Speaker Recap
The Rotary Club of Akron had the opportunity to learn about the Summit County Historical Society during our Tuesday, September 13, 2022, weekly club meeting.  Our speaker was Leianne Neff Heppner, who has worked at the Society since 1999, first serving as curator assisting with exhibits for the city and county, as well as county government records consultant. She has been the President and Chief Executive Officer since 2009 and looks towards the nonprofit organization’s 100th anniversary in 2024.  
 
 
Mission:
History Within Reach. 
Founded in 1924, the mission of Summit County Historical Society is to preserve and interpret the history of Summit County and Akron, and to educate regional communities about the people and events that have shaped our rich history.
 
The Society, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, owns and manages several properties including the:
  • Perkins Stone Mansion, home of Akron's and Summit County's founding family.
  • John Brown House, home of the internationally recognized abolitionist; and
  • Old Stone School in downtown Akron - a partnership with Akron Public Schools.
 
Perkins Stone Mansion:
Completed in 1837, the Perkins Stone Mansion was built by Colonel Simon Perkins, son of Akron's founder General Simon Perkins. As one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in Ohio, the Mansion is now a historical house museum whose objects and rooms not only bring to life the Perkins family's lifestyles over three generations but interpret the history of Akron and Summit County from Akron's founding to the turn of the century.
 
John Brown House:
 
Built circa 1830, by Benjamin O. Greene and Salmon Hoisington, it was rented by the Perkins family as the Stone House (today's Perkins Stone Mansion) was being built.  Colonel Simon Perkins purchased the structure in early 1844 and then rented it to John Brown and his family.
 
Old Stone School:
The first schoolhouse built in Akron was Schoolhouse No. 2, also referred to as the schoolhouse of Portage Township School District No. 2. It was erected sometime in the early 1830s. It is located at the corner of Broadway and Buchtel Avenue.
 
Akron at the time was a tiny village in Portage County's Portage Township. There was already a school in operation in the Township located in the nearby village of Middlebury, known as Schoolhouse No.1. (The dates and location for this school is unknown.) Much later Akron annexed Middlebury, but Portage Township Schoolhouse No. 2 is still considered Akron's first school.
 
While Ms. Neff-Heppner was able to touch on some of the highlights of the Summit County Historical Society, I would encourage all readers to check out their website for additional information on the three properties listed in this article.  You will find some very interesting facts about the history of Akron and Summit County.  The website is www.summithistory.org.
 
Short Term Youth Exchange Students Visit Club
Apolline Snyers from Belgium, Serena Guo and Manuel Nuñez from Akron.  Apolline and Serena are doing the STEP or Short Term Exchange Program this summer: 4 weeks together in Akron, 4 weeks together in Belgium.  Manny is doing the long-Term program and will leave for S. Korea at the end of August.  He will spend 11 months attending classes and hosted by Rotarian families.
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Our members support numerous causes.  We are People of Action.

Upcoming Speakers

Dr. Albert Bragg, Executive Director
Oct 04, 2022 11:45 AM
Alpha Phi Alpha Homes
Howard Parr, Executive Director
Oct 11, 2022 11:45 AM
Akron Civic Theatre
Scott Read, Executive Director
Oct 18, 2022 12:00 PM
Cascade Locks Park Association
Rick Rogers, Executive Director,
Oct 25, 2022 11:45 AM
Curated Storefronts
Patrick Bravo
Nov 01, 2022 11:45 AM
Summit County Land Bank / John S. Knight Home
Doug Weintraub & Jessica Sublett
Nov 08, 2022
Outgoing and Incoming Bounce CEO's
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