President Brian Hayes welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and provided the prayer.
President Hayes had the following announcements:
- Our Club Theme this month covers the areas of Maternal and Child Health
- Our thought of the moment comes from diarist, Anne Frank who said “I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.”
- April 23rd - Inaugural Rotary District 6670 Youth Peace Advocacy, Leadership & Service Day @ Sinclair Community College, Building 12 Ponitz Center. 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
- District 6670 Empowering Girls Gala & District Conference Friday April 29
5:30pm – 9:00pm tickets are $48/person @ Sycamore Creek Country Club
Today Our program will be the presentation of our Paul Harris awards and we have Carol Hughes and Frank Scott from District 6670 with us today.
Other announcements included:
- Frank Perez announced the Golf Outing on May 6 could use more golfers. If your sponsorship includes golfers, give names to Frank instead of registering through Golf Genius. We currently have 72 golfers and can go up to 144.
- Sofie Ameloot announced for this year’s Americana parade entry, we would like to decorate the fire truck for our 50th anniversary. We are looking for people to help come up with ideas and decorate the truck.
- Adam Manning announced we still need a few more volunteers for the May 6 Golf Outing - need to fill 9 more slots. Let him know if you are not golfing and are able to help.
- Mike Wier announced there are still a few tickets left for the May 3 Dragon’s Game.
Kim Senft-Paras shared this week’s 50th Anniversary Tidbits on our theme of Maternal and child health
Kim first explained that for our 50th Anniversary year, we are sharing stories about our Club’s history based on the Rotary monthly themes.
We have shared what Rotary is doing internationally in this area and today’s focus is on the state and our club.
Ohio ranks 47th in the nation for infant mortality (when a child dies before first birthday). In 2019 a disproportionate number of affected women were black and came from one of 9 counties. Montgomery County one of those counties.
Kim then asked the club to share other things our club has done to support Maternal and Child Health.
Carol Kennard remembered an international trip where Rotarians and students helped build or fix a school. Harvey Smith said there was a trip to Honduras where we built a chicken coop - Brad Thorp’s son was on that trip. Fred Wier, Jack Workman, Lee Hieronymus, and Erich Eggers were involved in International service trips.
Frank Perez mentioned we volunteered with BOGG ministries, distributing food and playing games with kids and someone else mentioned our donations to Hannah’s Treasure Chest to purchase winter coats for kids.
Sofie Ameloot noted Rebecca Quiñones has a backpack program to provide food for kids during breaks. Judy Budi mentioned our collection of products for the Artemis Center which supports mothers and children.
District Governor, Carol Hughes, Frank Scott, PDG Harvey Smith and Ron Hollenbeck were our presenters today.
Ron noted that a portion of funds donated to the Rotary Foundation come back to the district. Also there are District Designated Funds that the district can use for global grants.
Last year the Centerville Rotary Club donated $245 per capita, making us #1 in the district and about $100 per capita more than the next highest club.
This year, 18 members donated $20,750 or $319 per capita (based on 65 members)! Thank you for your generosity!
There were 12 individuals who reached a new level of giving. This year’s recipients are as follows:
- Jennifer Gibbs PHF+1
- Elda Gotos PHF+2
- Bob Fry PHF+3
- Chuck King PHF+3
- Brian Hayes PHF+4
- Carol Kennard PHF+4
- Brad Thorp PHF+4
- Ram Nunna PHF+5
- Jim Harris PHF+8
- Vas Appalaneni Major Donor Level 1
- Dave Trout Major Donor Level 1
- Harvey Smith Major Donor Level 3
Congratulations to all award recipients!
Major Donors
We will be sending our Happy Bucks for this quarter through Matthew 25 Ministries to provide support where needed in the Ukraine.
Our Sergeant of Arms was missing this week so President Hayes passed the microphone around the room.
Happy Bucks were generously given for:
- Dick Hoback was happy for all of the new PHF.
- Jim Harris was glad to see faces not seen in awhile and thanked the contributors to Rotary International.
- Eric Flasher, President of the Miamisburg Club, thanked our club for help with their KY donation. In total, $30,000 was raised for KY relief. Their club is on the cusp of their 100th anniversary, and will celebrate on June 4th with a gala.
- Dale Berry was celebrating a birthday, noting he is trying to catch up to Harvey.
- Jen Gibbs said her son is graduating from CHS this year and will attend Capital University where he will play football.
- Harvey Smith was thankful for all of the inductees today and thanked the Miamisburg Club for sponsoring our club 50 years ago!
- Brad Thorp was happy to be sitting by Harvey and said he will be traveling to Pinehurst next week to play golf.
- Frank Perez was happy to see all the Rotarians back at the meeting today.
- Kim was happy to see the Rotarians back and noted she addended a fundraiser yesterday for Ukraine, to support the World Central Kitchen in Kiev that was blown up.
- Dave Trout was proud to be a member of a club that does so much good service and and donates so generously.
- Bob Fry was happy to be back from Florida after 2 months there, but was not happy to see snow on Monday.
- Ram Nunna said it has been awhile since he was at a meeting, and was happy to be back.
- Mike Wier noted today is San Jacinto Day in Texas, which commemorates the anniversary of Texas winning its independence.
- Carol Hughes was grateful for the generosity of our members.
- Don Stewart covered for Carol Hughes who didn’t have proper change.
- Gerry Eastabrooks gave for Ukraine.
- Judy Budi said it was good to see so many people here and said her granddaughter will soon turn a year old and is close to walking.
- Mark Febus gave for his birthday last week and time with family.
- Ron Hollenbeck gave thanks for all of the donors and district visitors.
- Frank Scott said he was always happy to visit the Centerville Club.
- Uriah Anderson was happy.
- Adam Manning left his wallet in the car but gave congratulations for the new PHF, and said last Thursday he met with Arnie and Rebecca where they totally dominated the trivia challenge.
- Chuck King said his golf got rained out the first 2 weeks but finally played last week. He said it was so good to see members and spent some quality time at the Grotto gardens with Ron.
- Carol Kennard shared while hiking at Aullwood Audubon Center with her granddaughters, Kaycee said we needed to bring her cousins here, too. At only 6 years old, she recognized how special it is there.
- Arnie Biondo gave thanks to all of the sponsors for the golf outing and announced we have now exceeded the goal!
- Sofie Ameloot was proud being part of this club and said her hands are sore from painting but the house is coming together nicely.
- Elda Gotos-Gay was happy to be back, said her son’s eye surgery went well, and her granddaughter is graduating from Miami University with a Presidential service award.
- Brian Hayes gave for this amazing club.
President Hayes announced next week we will have our own Brad Huffman on hand to share about our upcoming Golf Outing. Stuffing swag bags next week
President Hayes led the group in reciting the 4-way Test and wished everyone a great week.
