President Sofie Ameloot welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club, meeting today at Hannah’s Treasure Chest, and led reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance. PDG Harvey Smith provided the prayer.
Today’s quote provided by Don Overly: "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Matatma Gandhi
Thanks to today’s greeters: Dave Trout & Ron Hollenbeck
Today’s announcements:
- Welcome today’s guests: Deb Lyle and Dana Lynch, guests of Jackie D’Aurora, Sherri Nutter, Marketing Manager at HTC, and Buster, the HTC office dog.
- Rotary District Dayton Dragons Game is scheduled for August 9, game time is 7:05 PM. For each $14 ticket, $7 will be donated to the End Polio Now fund. Ticket link: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Rotaryclubs60
- Fundraising for the Golf tournament is now $9,562.50 thanks to many new sponsors. We still hope to reach our goal of $16,000. Current sponsors include: Ameriprise Financial, Arrow Wine and Spirits, Beckel Humidor, Beckel Insurance, Bethany Village, Birchcreek Wealth Management, Blue Mark Capital, Bockrath Flooring & Rugs, Buckeye Pools, Centerville Service Center, Coldwell Banker Heritage/Sheri Hayes, Coldwell Banker Heritage/Cindy Buckreus, Comprehensive Planning Group, Dealer’s Choice Chip & Dent, Edward Jones, Far Hills OB/GYN, Flying Aces, Home Care Assistance of Dayton, King’s Coin Exchange, KTC Quail Tennis Club, Levin Family Foundation, Lynne Lawn & Landscaping, Pickrel, Shaeffer & Ebeling, Simplicity IT, Charlie Pool, Bob Ross Auto Group, Simplicity IT, St. Leonard, Suburu of Dayton/Ann Blackburn, Tudor Financial, Westbrook Funeral Home. Sponsor deadline for print material is Monday, April 21.
- Dale Berry is being recognized with the Founders Award by the Centerville-Washington Foundation on Wednesday, May 28, 11 am - 1 pm at Yankee Trace. Invitations will be out soon, or you can register HERE. Previous honorees from our club include Bob Daley, Sally Beals, Joyce Young, and Harvey Smith.
- May 29 will be the installation of the Rotary Peace Pole at Grant Park/McEwen Road entrance. Our regular meeting will take place at the Kennard Nature Nook in the park that day.
- Service Week is next week:
- Bill Menker announced Saturday’s litter pick up has been postponed due to weather. It is tentatively rescheduled for May 3.
- Immediately following next Thursday’s meeting, please stay if you are available, to help make blankets
- Park District landscape bed maintenance on April 26, 9 am-12p at either Yankee Park or Oak Grove Park. Please sign up to help.
Happy Bucks this quarter will go to Operation Warm for winter coats for children.
Brad Thorp was our Sergeant at Arms.
Happy Bucks were generously given for:
- BIll M was happy
- Carol K was happy
- Chuck K congratulated Bill M for becoming a Master Gardener
- Dale B was happy
- Adam M for his Mom’s birthday today
- Raj G was happy
- Bob D was happy UD has picked up a few new basketball players
- Ernie H was happy
- Ron H for Operation Warm, and congrats to Bill who he now expects to help at the Grotto gardens
- Lee H was in Belgium for 10 days and noted the agriculture is going well there
- Mark K for the good weather and family
- Elda GG was happy her granddaughter got a service award at Miami University
- Harvey S for Operation Warm
- Sofie A thanked Deanna for hosting the meeting today and gave congratulations to Bill
- Jim H was happy and thanked Deanna
- Gina S was happy
- Kelly M was happy to be here at Hannah’s and is going to Chicago for a weekend escape with his wife
- Deanna was happy to have Rotary here at HTC
- Jackie D was excited to be here, and shared that Bob Daley’s bride turned 90 last week. Happy Birthday to Berneta!
- Pat T was happy to be at Hannah’s and to support Operation Warm
As today’s meeting was held at Hannah’s Treasure Chest (HTC), our member Deanna Murphy shared about the organization.
Deanna was happy to welcome Rotarians to the new space. Hannah’s started in 2001, after the founder’s daughter, Hannah, was born. They were given lots of donations, more than they could use, so she started giving some away. They started at a small store area and moved to a larger facility on Westpark. By 2021, they owned the whole building, but they continued to grow and realized the Westpark building would not be able to handle the growth of the mission.
They started looking for a new facility for HTC, searching in Centerville first, since that’s where they started and most volunteers are from there. But they didn’t find anything there, so they widened the search and found this former office building in Miami Township.
HTC is a people built and driven organization.
Deanna noted Pat Turnbull is the HTC Board Treasurer. The Board required a solid financial plan first before agreeing to purchase the building.
Before they made an offer on the building, Deanna had a Board meeting there. There was no heat, and it was bring your own chair, as the building was empty. She helped the Board see her vision for the space. Nearly one year ago, they walked through the door of their new building.
Deanna shared they wanted volunteers to feel honored for the many hours they put into the organization. Goal was for easy, safe access for volunteers and include space to hold meetings.
HTC has 75+ partners who refer families to them and then they get started putting together packets for the families.
Book team - match the family’s needs with what they can provide.
School supply team - collects everything the child needs for success at school.
Order fillers - find everything that child needs or wants: clothing, diapers, blankets, linens, car seats, strollers, beds, toys, games.
They make sure games have all pieces, instructions, and batteries, and insure the highest level of quality.
HTC supplies diapers which are essential in order to be able to send your child to day care. If child can’t go to day care, the parent can’t work. If they aren’t working, other issues happen that lead to more problems for the family. Diapers are provided so families can get to work. Families get 150 diapers in the care package. HTC is now part of the National Diaper Bank Network. The new building allows them to have enough space to receive and store diapers from the National Diaper Bank Network..
They will be expanding the types of clothes available. They will now be able to offer clothing larger than XXL children. Adult athleisure clothing will now be available, specifically sweats for teens.
HTC serves 7,000 children per year.
Deanna said they start pushing coats in August. Families can request a care package 1 time each 3 months. They don’t want them to miss the opportunity to get a new coat or have them run out.
Operation Warm coats look like every other coat. You can’t tell it’s a charity coat. Last year, approximately 672 coats were donated by Centerville Rotary. Deanna noted the fundraising is fun for Rotary through the Golf Outing and Happy Bucks, but it truly makes a difference for kids.
If they receive donations they can’t use, they pass them on to other non-profit organizations who can distribute.
Shop Hannah’s is an overstock thrift store. They sell products which then allow them to purchase new underwear (only distribute new) and other needed items. It is open Tuesday & Thursday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Deanna explained they have the easiest volunteer program. They don’t schedule volunteers - they come when they want, leave whenever, and work on whatever they want to while there.
Deanna explained they purchased this property with a 25 year mortgage, but the goal is to pay it off in 5 years. They receive no government funding or United Way. They get support from individual family foundations and other local foundations/grants.
Here for Good is the current capital campaign to pay off the building.
They spent $1.675 million to purchase plus around $300,000 in renovations.
They are looking for people to invest in the area’s children.
Deanna was one of these children, so she understands their needs. It makes a difference when someone cares for them.
They can pick up large items, if needed.
They have a fundraising breakfast coming up on Thursday, May 8 called Champions for Children. More information is available
HERE.
President Ameloot thanked Deanna, led reciting of the 4-Way Test and wished all a good week. Those who were able to then took a tour of the new facility.
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