President Adam Manning welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club and led reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Brian Hayes provided the prayer. Jeff Senney led singing of God Bless America.
This month’s Rotary theme is Water Sanitation and Hygiene. Worldwide, 2.5 billion people do not have adequate sanitation and 750 million lack safe drinking water.
Today’s quote provided by Don Overly: "If you yet can't do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (American author)
Thanks to today’s greeters, Ron Bowersocks and Ron Hollenbeck.
Welcome today’s guests: Aaron Smith, Vince Carone, and Brian Sortman.
Today’s Announcements:
- This Saturday, we will work with Interact students at Agape for Youth, 10 am - noon.
- Please support the Rotary for Reading fundraiser for the Imagination Library (District 6670 fundraiser), where every child in Ohio will receive 1 book/month for the first 5 years of their life. Use the QR code for our Club when making a donation. This is a Presidents-elect Training Seminar (PETS) fundraising challenge with 8 Rotary districts in OH. $748 has been donated so far from our Club. President-elect Uriah goes to PETS next Saturday.
- Mar 16, 5:30 pm at RecPlex is the next Board meeting
- Adam shared the Rotary Club of Hamilton video about their upcoming fundraiser Bourbon & Chocolate Festival on Saturday, Mar 21 at the Hamilton Co Fairgrounds hamiltonohiorotary.com
- Bill Menker announced our first highway cleanup this spring will be Apr 11, 8 am - noon. Please sign up to help. You never know what surprises you might find!
- Sofie Ameloot gave an update on our golf donation success. We are now over $16,000 thanks to generous businesses and Rotarians (and Sofie’s hard work!)
- Chuck King shared that our Environmental committee teamed up with CHS Environmental Management class to establish an orchard next to the high school. We recently bought over 100 trees, which the students will plant in late March/early April. Stay tuned for how we can help.
Happy Bucks this quarter will be donated to The Food Bank.
Pat Beckel was our Sergeant at Arms today with assistance by Brian Hayes.
Happy Bucks were generously given for:
- Pat B shared someone came in to his business and through conversation, said their 7 year old needs help. “You’re in Rotary and Rotarians help people, right?” So yes, Pat will help them.
- Carol K gave a PSA reminding the Club that Centerville Rotary apparel can be purchased from Kristin Hutton’s business through the convenient link on the home page of our club website. Look for the “Centerville Rotary Apparel” story with links, where you can get a new polo for the Golf Outing, sweatshirt for litter pickup, and more.
- Rand O has been here 6 weeks in a row, has started training to hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail. He started carrying 20 lbs for 6 miles for 2 weeks, and is working up to 40 lbs. He plans to hike 200 miles in 2 weeks from Shenandoah National Park to PA.
- Dan J, a girl dad, said his Saturday will be filled with a dance competition, basketball game, and daddy-daughter dance!
- Sofie A enjoyed the recent library tour and representing Rotary at the CHS job fair to share about scholarships and study abroad. Please sign up for the Rotary Social on March 17, hosted by Raj O’Grandhi as we celebrate St Patrick’s Day together. (Wear green!)
- Jeff S enjoyed the library sneak peak, and learned you can check out lots of things in addition to books, including a power washer. He also reminded all about the Rotary night at the Theater (see below.)
- Gina S was happy.
- Jake H was in FL last week at Disney, and said he and wife had as much fun as their 5-yr old son.
- Adam M for today’s guests and speaker.
- Elda GG was happy she has a new grandson, Adrian - 20”, 8 lbs, He is her 2nd grandson, and she has 5 granddaughters.
- Uriah A will miss next week as he will be at a training and then on to PETS. Our speaker next week will be very interesting, as she runs Town Hall Theatre.
- Mark K is happy his son is getting married next weekend, but his other son is stuck in the Middle East and may not be able to make it home.
- Chuck K had a great vacation in Nashville, where they visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Old Opry. Then went on to Memphis to visit Elvis, Bowling Green’s Corvette Museum, and finally, Mammoth Cave.
- Mark F was happy for rain now so it will be dry for the Golf Outing in May.
- Brad H enjoyed participating in the CHS Career Fair, and was impressed with Interactor Braden. Spring is just around the corner, as his son has his first scrimmage next week.
- Ron H for the soon to be new members.
- Dale B was happy Vince is filling out a member application.
- Boyd P was happy to be here and said this is a great club.
- Socks was happy.
Our guest speaker today was Krista Hollingsworth, CEO of Freedom Whiskey.
Pat B introduced Krista and shared that our Club first learned the story of Freedom Whiskey when we sponsored the event to support Veterans. They now do two events per year.
Krista Hollingsworth is a Cincinnati native and Ohio University graduate. She met Marine Zach Hollingsworth while on a trip to Cancun. Zach was preparing to report to Camp Lejeune and later deployed to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011.
The day after he returned home from deployment, he proposed.
After leaving the Marines, Zach coached basketball and taught history at CHS while working as a civilian contractor at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. But he also had another dream: starting a whiskey company. After nearly two years of development, that dream became reality in July 2017 when Freedom Whiskey launched — the same year the couple welcomed their son.
From the beginning, the company had a mission beyond whiskey. Their first fundraiser raised $6,000 for Fisher House Foundation, which supports military and veteran families. As the brand grew, Freedom Whiskey expanded its reach, selling online and across Ohio and eventually into 14 states by the end of 2021.
In November 2021, Zach passed away after struggling with depression.
Just one month later, Krista made the decision to continue the work they had started together. With support from friends and local business leaders, she moved forward with the annual event. That year, 350 people attended and $32,000 was raised for veteran-focused charities.
The impact has continued to grow. In the years since, the event has raised $40,000, $45,000 and most recently $65,000.
Two years ago, Krista left her job to run Freedom Whiskey full time, driven by a passion for supporting veterans and their families. Today, the company continues to expand. Freedom Whiskey recently launched in Colorado and is also available in Florida, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Montana and Kentucky, with bottles and merchandise sold online.
The whiskey itself is distilled and aged for three years, typically bottled between 112 and 117 proof. Locally, it can be found at Arrow Wine, Centerville Liquor Store and Springboro Liquor Store, as well as many restaurants in Miamisburg and Springboro.
Freedom Whiskey’s annual fall fundraiser now hosts about 365 attendees. Krista intentionally keeps the event from growing larger, recognizing that some veterans are more comfortable in smaller settings. Each event also honors a different veteran.
A summer fundraiser draws about 200 people and raises around $12,000. This year’s event will take place June 25 at Stone Valley Meadows. Charities can also be nominated through the Freedom Whiskey website through March 15.
In addition to fundraising, Krista has expanded the mission through new initiatives. One program brings local veterans into CHS classrooms to share their experiences with students.
Another initiative, called Rebuild, helps disabled local veterans by renovating parts of their homes. The first project included a full bathroom remodel, new flooring throughout the home and a repaired back door — all made possible by local businesses donating time, materials and labor. The goal this year is to help two veterans.
Through Freedom Whiskey, Krista continues to carry forward Zach’s dream while creating meaningful ways to honor and support those who served.
