President Frank Perez provided these updates:
- New cases of COVID-19 are on a downward trend. If we get below 50 new cases per day, we may think about meeting in person again.
- Quick recap of the recent Rotary grant seminar. Thanks to Brian Hayes, Arnie Biondo, Rebecca Quiñones, Chuck King, Boyd Preston and Ron Hollenbeck for attending. Our club was well represented. Applications for next year’s grants are due by April 30, money is received in fall, then closing report is due at end of year. Normally we submit 2-3 year - coats and dictionary/thesaurus. The final step in the grant process is the closing report. A big “Thank You” to Chuck King for completing those for this year. We are looking for volunteers to help write grants and Chuck is willing to train.
- Welcome new member Uriah Anderson. The Board approved his application, and we will figure out how to do his induction ceremony.
Sofie announced we’re still collecting feminine hygiene products for Artemis until Feb 12. Items can be dropped off at her house, 1020 Treeside Ct. Thanks to Rebecca for putting information on Facebook.
Ron Hollenbeck reported the third life pump has been installed in Haiti. He has a photo of each location which he will share later, including details of the community. Some well have been dug as deep as 390 to 410 ft depths. Global grant has be submitted to Rotary International for review.
Frank noted the Golf Outing and 50th Anniversary committees are working hard. Frank also noted we have a great LinkedIn site - and reminded everyone to connect to the site to help build our presence online. Rebecca Quiñones asked all to interact with our posts, If you have info to share, send to Rebecca and she will post it. More interaction will drive more people to our sites.
Our Happy Bucks recipient St. Paul, United Methodist Church Food Bank. You can send your check to the club mailbox: Centerville Rotary Club, PO Box 41431, Centerville, OH 45458
Brian Hayes was our Sergeant at Arms today.
Dale Berry gave $10 in honor of Uriah Anderson as new member and noted he lowered the average age of our members considerably!
Dick Hoback gave $20 for food bank
Carol Galloway gave $20 to food pantry
Carol Kennard gave $10 to welcome Uriah
Chuck King gave $10 for Uriah plus $10 for St Paul’s food bank
Elda Gotos Gay gave $20 because she is happy for everything
Ron Hollenbeck gave a welcome to Uriah and also fined himself $10 for missing last week, happy for the progress of Life pump installation, and announced member, Dr Herman and his wife welcomed a baby boy last Tuesday, and all are doing fine!
Jim Harris gave $10 to welcome Uriah and for his anniversary
Terry Hanauer is still in MI where a foot of snow is expected and gave $20 to welcome Uriah
Susan Schnell gave $20 for being happy
Harvey Smith gave $20 for Uriah joining the club
Brad Huffman gave $20 to welcome Uriah and thanks to the golf committee, especially Arnie pulling in sponsors before advertising even started, Frank Perez for getting the registration website set up, and Carol Kennard/Rebecca Quiñones for preparing the publicity
Rebecca Quiñones gave $10 as her husband, Carlos got the COVID vaccine last Friday which means he can come home to visit OH again.
Judy Budi gave $20 for Uriah and the Herman’s new baby boy
Uriah gave $10 for the nice welcoming into the club and $10 for the snow that put ice on lakes to get some fishing in.
Sofie Ameloot gave $10 for Uriah being a new member and Carlos coming home.
Frank Perez gave $20 for new member, Uriah and for Carol Galloway, potential member.
Arnie Biondo gave $20 for the new and future new member.
Arnie Biondo introduced our speakers. He noticed Luke5 in the newspaper and then reached out to Kevin Schwieger. Kevin is a former Lebanon Rotarian, pastor of Grace chapel in Mason and an avid hiker and the founder of Luke5 Adventures.
Luke5 adventures started in Fall 2019. Kevin had hiked at the Red River Gorge and when he came back he was excited to share his experiences. But the first person he came to was church member,
Deb Rosen, who is confined to wheelchair due to car accident. He was excited about hiking but hesitant to share his exuberance with someone who couldn’t share that experience. He was hurting that so many people like her have challenges to get out and experience nature.
Kevin looked on Google for an apparatus to get people out on hiking trail, but had trouble finding anything. He finally found a piece manufactured in France that allows him to take people virtually anywhere in nature.
He took Deb on a trip and shared it on social media, which then ballooned with requests from people all over to take them on hikes.
He was asked to help with an 8-wk hiking program in partnership with Children's Hospital in Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Rec Commission. He has since entered into other partnerships with church groups and also with the Make A Wish Foundation.
Late last year, during the pandemic they took over 120 hikes, at 18 parks in 5 states, all while busy putting the infrastructure together, including policies/procedures, staffing, etc. They now have 6 bikes with 2 trailers.
Organizations from other places started asking about forming local chapters. So they have recently added a 2nd Adventure Partner - Greater Dayton chapter. Jim Tinch, who is an Associate Pastor of a church in MIddletown, is the director of the Dayton Chapter. Jim said they just ordered the first 2 pieces of equipment (they are named Rosie), so Jim has Rosie 7 & 8.
Jim said he runs youth sports programs, too and he saw kids who couldn’t participate. He took a disabled child to the beach with odd wheelchair type thing. It took 3 adults to cross 25 yards of sand to get to the water. If he’d had Rosie, he wouldn’t have had any trouble.
Luke 5 Adventures grabbed his heart, and he welcomed the partnership. Luke5 Adventure brings the simplest walk in a park to many who would not otherwise be able to experience it.
Kevin said when first shared with Deb, she couldn’t believe they could take her there. “I can watch a movie, see photos of outdoors, nature, view from van window. I always felt I’ll never be able to go there…until now.” Kevin said he will never experience another activity that is so impactful to other people.
All adventures are free of charge - he didn’t want money to be a consideration. Raise money through donations, foundations, etc.
Volunteers are called Sherpas. Don’t need experience ahead of time; they will train and need at least 2 people, sometimes 8-10 people
Trail Sherpas - had experience, watch training videos
Lead Sherpa - Occupational therapist and physical therapist are on the team to help transfer hikers from vehicle to chair, and take care of physical needs.
Rosie costs $5,600 each. The single wheel helps smooth out the ride, and float over obstacles. Design came from mountain rescue. Rosie’s volunteers help with the balance and it has a good shock absorber, disc break like mountain bike.
For more information, contact Jim or Kevin:
Jim 937-219-7489
Kevin (513) 668-3995
Frank thanked Kevin and Jim, led us in reciting the 4-Way Test, thanked everyone for being here and wished all a good week.
Next week we learn about Vertical Hydro Farming form Patrick Beckel
