Melissa has enjoyed working at Project Learn for five years as Volunteer Coordinator, matching volunteers to assist in classes and tutor students individually in basic adult literacy, GED® preparation to earn their high school equivalency and for English for Speakers of Other Languages. She is dedicated to working with volunteers, having worked as Patron Services Manager at The University of Akron E. J. Thomas Hall, recruiting, training, and supervising over 130 volunteers and paid student ushers for over 15 years.
Before working “front of house,” she handled “back of house” duties such as programming, scheduling, and hospitality. She enjoyed coordinating with community partners, particularly for their Elderhostel programs. In addition to her E. J. Thomas duties, Melissa was also a continuing education coordinator for the College of Fine and Applied Arts. Previously, as an Associate Educator at The Akron Art Museum, Melissa had the pleasure of working with the volunteer docents and engaging the community through local and global art exhibits. She also ran the family artist demonstration workshops, summer art festivals, and created the first Arts Explorers Post in the nation through the Boy Scouts of America. A graduate of The College of Wooster with an additional M.Ed. from Kent State, she is thrilled to be back working with students of all ages and nationalities.
She keeps her son's memory alive while preparing dishes he loved as a chef in Akron.
Melissa loves the positive energy and dedication the Project Learn staff, instructors and volunteers bring to the students; their success is why we are here.
Rotary Night out at Hoppin' Frog: Smashing Century Ale Release
Thursday May 2nd~
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - In collaboration with The Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs, Hoppin' Frog Brewery will be releasing their Smashing Century Ale which celebrates the Camp's 100th Anniversary. Please plan on joining us for as little or as long as you wish. There is no cost to attend, outside of your own food and beverage, and all are welcome as we toast to 100 years!
Address: The Tap Room at Hoppin' Frog Brewery, 1680 East Waterloo Road, Akron, OH 44306
They are hosting a special event for the moms of Akron called For Moms By Moms* on May 3, 2024 starting at 5:30 pm.
Akron Rotarians have been asked to volunteer to serve drinks, make clay jewelry and help create bouquets. The event will be a fun--kid-free--evening for the Moms. This service project opportunity will wrap up Akron Rotary's commitment to the Akron Children's Museum. The museum was the recipient of Akron Rotary and District 6630 grant funding in 2022-23.
Summer is around the corner, and we would appreciate any help getting Rotary Camp ready before staff and campers arrive for the summer. Tasks will include cleaning of all the cabins, bath houses and communal areas. Cleaning supplies and gloves will be provided, but please bring shop-vacs, step stools, and dusters.
Family and friends are welcome too! We are looking forward to seeing you at camp.
During the month of March the Rotary Club of Akron collected Happy Dollars from their members to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank Harvest for Hunger campaign.
With a matching donation from the club, President Tom Knauer and Vice President Katy Miller presented President and CEO Dan Flowers with a $700.00 donation today.
The Rotary Club of Akron had an enjoyable time Tuesday evening recognizing 15 graduating seniors from the Akron Public Schools. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Michael Robinson, Jr. Superintendent of Akron Public Schools, and an Akron Rotary Club member.
Students being recognized were: Public Service Pathway – Nadia Lee, Fabian Mathis, and Peighton Valentine; Health and Human ServicesPathway – Aubrey Rock, Meliyse Sandidge, and Serena Xiong; Business, Marketing & Information Technology Pathway – Ke-Aira Ferguson, Rupesh Kami, Sanjil Magar, Ashley Tojil, and Al-Linaye Blake; and Manufacturing, Engineering & Skilled Trades Pathway – Justin Barnes, Isabella Baughman, Jacob Flossie, and Cameron Hinkle.
A big Thank You to the Akron Rotary Foundation for funding these scholarships each year, and to the family members and school personnel who have been so instrumental and encouraging the success of these amazing students.
Rotarians Brian Kosarko, Tom Knauer and Tina Graver, along with Guest Rotarians Garret Morgner and Riley English from Brian's Company, Twin Pines, worked to install plantings at the new River Access Area of the Cascade Valley Metro Park. They logged 12.5 hours of service on behalf of our club.
We heard they kicked (you know what)!! Thanks team!!
Cyndi Kane
Akron Club Service Chair
The letter below and additional photos were received from Summit Metro Parks.
Hi, Rotary Club,
I have some great news… We got the Valley View planting project completed yesterday! Thanks to your team, 185 other volunteers and SMP staff, 5250 native plants have been installed. This project is a great illustration of the community coming together to enhance the environment and provide space for people to connect to nature.
From all of the Summit Metro Parks team, thank you for being a huge part of this project. From digging holes, to ‘running’ for plants, to mulching, to assembling seed packets, to handing out snacks, to being on the standby list… you planned a critical role in making this project a reality.
Please stay tuned for a ribbon cutting event planned for July 30 as the opening date for the area.
P.S. Please share this with the others that join and I wasn’t able to connect to an email address.
Best,
Lisa Meranti(she/her)
Manager of Volunteer Programs
Summit Metro Parks
Mailing Address: 975 Treaty Line Road, Akron, OH 44313
Physical Address: 1475 Sand Run Parkway, Akron, OH 44313
Akron Youth Mentorship's K-3rd Grade Reading Program has a new location! Monday, February 26 we will be reading at The Vincent House located on East Exchange Street.
The State of Ohio has a 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee that ensures that students in grades K-3rd grade are provided with resources to get them to the appropriate reading level by the time they enter 4th grade and aren't falling behind. Akron Youth Mentorship's K-3rd Grade Reading Program puts a tutor in front of them to read books for one hour a week. This extra reading time gives our K-3rd grade mentees a little extra help making sure they are on track to meet state standards and be set up for success as they move into 4th grade.
One hour a week helps kids catch up! As a club, we have committed to support two kids per week on Monday evenings from 4:45 pm - 6:00 pm, October 2023 thru May 2024.
Thank you to all those who have already volunteered to support this initiative, I hope you have enjoyed this experience as much as I have!. If you have any questions, please reach out to me via e-mail or phone (440.813.6230).
Justin Chenault presented to the Club on April 30th. He was traveling so we provided a remote Zoom feed and were able to record the presentation and share it here.
I am a dynamic Nonprofit Leader, Community Advocate, and Architect of Social Change, specializing in Operations Management, Process Enhancement, and Stakeholder Engagement. My reputation is built on my talent for uniting diverse voices and crafting sustainable initiatives that generate a positive economic impact.
I'm deeply passionate about community development, exemplified by my successful co-founding and leadership of the NoHi popup and café, which not only contributes to economic growth but also supports budding culinary entrepreneurs. My expertise extends to harnessing the transformative potential of creative placemaking, breathing new life into multicultural neighborhoods while driving economic prosperity and celebrating cultural diversity. I possess an intimate understanding of the nuances within multicultural communities and have honed my skill in engaging residents and stakeholders effectively. My work is a testament to my unwavering dedication to fortifying neighborhoods by utilizing art, culture, and community involvement.
I am looking for volunteers (spouses and friends are welcome; they just need to signup for volunteering with ACRFB!) for Wednesday, June 26 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at the Akron location which is located at 350 Opportunity Parkway, Akron, OH 44307.
The service project involves 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 work with our fellow Rotarians and strengthen our friendships and maybe meet a few new people from other organizations/companies that are there volunteering as well.
IF YOU HAVE NOT VOLUNTEERED BEFORE AT THE FOOD BANK THEN I NEED YOU TO REGISTER. See volunteer application link below.
If you have any questions please call or text me at 330-714-1044.
I need a head count by noon Friday June 21st, 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 would greatly appreciate it!
The service project involves 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 work with our fellow Rotarians and strengthen our friendships and maybe meet a few new people from other organizations/companies that are there volunteering as well.
IF YOU HAVE NOT VOLUNTEERED BEFORE AT THE FOOD BANK THEN I NEED YOU TO REGISTER. See volunteer application link below.
If you have any questions please call or text me at 330-714-1044.
I need a head count by noon Friday February 23rd, 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 would greatly appreciate it!
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.
Lisa Meranti (she/her)
I am a dynamic Nonprofit Leader, Community Advocate, and Architect of Social Change, specializing in Operations Management, Process Enhancement, and Stakeholder Engagement. My reputation is built on my talent for uniting diverse voices and crafting sustainable initiatives that generate a positive economic impact. 
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