Executive Director Paul Jarrett started with the Akron Symphony in 2012. Prior to joining GAMA, Paul has worked throughout Northeast Ohio in both arts management and performance. Paul’s time with the Akron Symphony has focused on a culture of engagement in meaningful collaborations with dozens of local organizations, schools and artists. Paul is a member of Leadership Akron Class 31, and a member of Akron Rotary.
From 2010-2012, he served as Managing Director at Apollo’s Fire - The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra. During his tenure, AF completed two international tours (including its debut European tour), and five domestic tours. As AF’s international stature grew, Paul secured feature articles about the ensemble in Gramophone and BBC Music magazines, and the ensemble saw four of its CD releases hit the Billboard Magazine Top 10 charts in classical music. Paul was also responsible for securing new funding for the organization, doubling the amount of foundation and corporate support during his time at AF.
From 2005-2010, Paul served as Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Cleveland Opera & Opera Cleveland. Due to an unprecedented merger between two opera companies, Paul led a major rebranding effort in 2006. As the new company emerged, Paul was able to grow new audiences through a variety of creative marketing strategies including unique special events (Opera Sampler Night), pub crawls and colorful social media experiences. (Please visit “operachicken.blogspot.com” for a sample.) His unique take on arts marketing led to presentations at Opera America conferences, as well as local seminars at the Cleveland Foundation Center.
Paul spent 2001-2005 as an Advertising Executive at Stern Advertising in Pepper Pike, Ohio, where he worked with clients such as McDonald’s, Pearle Vision, The Ohio Lottery, The Plain Dealer, and Things Remembered. Paul spent the majority of his time creating and producing television and radio spots for Sterling Jewelers, including Kay Jewelers, JB Robinson, and Jared. Paul was fortunate to work with executives from Stern’s parent company, Chiat/Day, who were working on the campaign of the first Apple iPod.
Paul grew up on the west side of Cleveland in Fairview Park. He attended Bowling Green State University, where he graduated with a degree in Music Education
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).
CONDOLENCES TO THE BILLINGTON FAMILY
The father of fellow Rotarian, Charles (Chaz) Billington, III, Charles (Chuck) F. Billington, Jr., went home to be with the Lord on August 11, 2022.
Chuck was born on November 13, 1951, in Akron, Ohio to parents Sylvia Eileen and Charles Billington. Chuck was married (and singularly devoted) to Tamara (Poor) Billington until her passing in 2016.
Chuck is survived by his brother Dallas Billington, his three children, Chaz (Melissa), Kyle (Keri), and Josh, and his five grandchildren, Quinn, Juliana, Violet, Emersyn, and Charlie Billington.
Known to his friends and family as the Chuckster and his grandchildren as Papa, Chuck was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He lived a full life, full of friends, family, and the church. He was a legend to those who knew him, leaving an unmatched legacy of love, kindness, compassion, devotion, faith, and friendship. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4.
Services took place at Billow's Funeral Home. Letters of condolence may be sent to the Rotary Camp and will be forwarded to the family.
PASSING OF FELLOW ROTARIAN, PDG JACK YOUNG
Long-time Rotarian, Past District Governor Jack Young passed away the morning of August 20, 2022.
More details about Jack will be in our District 6630 communications.
Jack received the highest award that can be given in Rotary, the “Service above Self” award and the prestigious Scouting Silver Wheel Award for his leadership as the Chair for the Inter-American Region for the Fellowship of Scouting, was recently honored with the silver level of the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work with ShelterBox USA. His incredible dedication and service helped people locally and internationally.
Donations in Jack's memory may be made to:
ShelterBox USA, www.ShelterBoxUSA.org or call 941-907-6036. Please reference in memory of Jack Young, Rotary District 6630.
or
ViaQuest Hospice, 171 Morey Dr. Suite B, Marysville, OH 43040. Please reference in memory of Jack Young.
13th Annual Cornhole Tournament benefiting Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs
Join us for Rotary Camp’s 13th Annual Cornhole Tournament, presented by Buckeye Corrugated, Inc. The tourney will be held on August 27, 2022 at 9:30am on the grounds of Akron Rotary Camp, in the beautiful Portage Lakes!
Sign-up your team today for either the Skilled Ringers Division ($90) or the Recreational Division ($60). Winners walk away with cash prizes! Also participate in an Air-Mail toss or Long-Toss for some bragging rights and awesome giveaways! Bring your friends, neighbors and family for a fun day! All registered players will receive a food voucher from the Menches Bros. Food Truck, and an ice-cream station. Beverages from our friends at the House of LaRose will be available for purchase to help keep you cool.
There are multiple ways to support this great event to benefit Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs by registering to play, participate with a sponsorship or recruit teams. Your participation will continue to strengthen the Camp's mission of Creating a world where there are only abilities!
Our next Akron-Canton Food Bank service project is Wednesday, September 21st from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at the Akron location which is located at 350 Opportunity Parkway, Akron, OH 44307.
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 in order to volunteer (See below my signature for the link). 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 Friday September 16th 9am if you plan on attending by sending me an email or text: dhall@preferredlegacy.com or 330-714-1044. I 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.
Thank you for volunteering at your Foodbank! We look forward to welcoming you.
The Rotary Club of Akron had one of our own members, Malcolm J. Costa, as our featured speaker during our Tuesday, August 16th meeting. Malcolm has devoted his life to community service: organizing communities, developing programs and people to address poverty in Akron and Northeast Ohio.
For the past 45 years, Malcolm has served as President & CEO, Community Action Akron Summit where he administers community programs most notably as the prime Summit County contractor for the Community Services Block Grant.
Malcolm shared with the Club some of the programs offered by his agency. In addition, he presented information on the impact the construction of the Akron Innerbelt had on the African American Community in the 1960’s.
Community Action Akron Summit (CA) is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to providing a wide range of diverse and comprehensive services for over 40 years that address the needs of low-income residents of Summit County.
The concept of Community Action has been part of the American social fabric for 50 years. The Community Action movement dates back to 1964, when the Economic Opportunity Act was passed indicating the beginning of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty.
CA offers specific resources and educational training that promote economic self-sufficiency to low-income residents while assisting individuals and families to move upwards and out of poverty by providing a comprehensive system of education, training, support, and resources that are central to the programs and services offered.
What are some of those programs and services?
Pathways HUB Community Action Program
Represents a network of care coordination agencies focused on reaching pregnant women at risk and reduction of infant mortality.
Head Start Program
Provides high-quality early childhood education in nurturing learning environments for infant toddlers and 3 year-olds.
Foster Grandparent Program
Provides volunteer opportunities for low-income people aged 55 and older to serve children and teenagers who have special needs.
Energy Assistance Program
Assists low-income households that are threatened with the loss of basic utilities.
Earned Income Tax Credit Program
No cost income tax preparation service for low- and moderate-income families.
Chore Program
No cost snow removal and grass cutting service for eligible low-income families.
How Did the Construction of the Akron Innerbelt in the 1960’s Impact the African American Community?
Just as Community Action Agencies were created in 1964 by the Economic Opportunity Act, legislation to create Urban Renewal was also passed.
The mass exodus to suburbia after World War II left many major cities in poor condition.
Affordable, dependable housing was hard to find, especially for the poor.
To deal with escalating problems in urban areas, Johnson won passage of a bill establishing aDepartment of Housing and Urban Development.
With the creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of Akron began to look at constructing the Innerbelt. The decision to construct the Innerbelt impacted large segments of homes and businesses from West Cedar Street to the northeast, to Wooster Avenue to the South. These businesses and homes were occupied predominantly by African Americans.
The Akron Beacon Journal printed an article titled “The Devastation -The failed Akron Innerbelt drove decades of racial inequity” on February 3, 2022. Malcolm shared some of the highlights from that article.
The Akron Innerbelt tore through a Black neighborhood, destroying property values and hurting the people who lived there.
Black families that had worked hard to buy houses — long the standard for accruing and passing on generational wealth — lost them overnight.
Many became renters and entered public housing developments. Some were able to purchase homes in other parts of the city, though white flight followed them. Those who kept their homes also lost, as declining property values prevented them from being able to build equity.
With so many families leaving the neighborhood, school enrollment also declined, which led to school closures, further depreciating home values.
A 1975 document compiled by the Akron Department of Planning and Urban Renewal notes that at least 737 households were displaced during the highway’s first two phases of construction. But that figure does not account for two later phases lasting until 1987, and former city employees, displaced residents, advocates, and local historians believe the number is higher.
To make way for the Innerbelt in the late 1960s, city officials had been seizing property through eminent domain and offering a small amount of cash to homeowners for relocation purposes. The payouts, which frequently were contested by homeowners, were often not enough to purchase new homes.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the city was offering about $5,000 to each homeowner, though on rare occasions payments were as high as $15,000.
You can view the PowerPoint slides that Malcolm shared with the Club that shows some of the areas that were impacted by the decision to create the innerbelt and the resultant decades of racial inequity.
To learn more about Community Action Akron-Summit and the programs and services offered, I encourage you to visit www.ca-akron.org.
Our Speaker August 23rd
Long-time Rotarian, Past District Governor Jack Young passed away the morning of August 20, 2022. 
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