President Arnie Biondo welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club and led the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance. Brian Hayes
provided the prayer.
Today’s quote: "Goodness is the only investment that never fails." Henry David Thoreau
Announcements today:
- Thanks to Sherre Wright and Susan Schnell for greeting today.
- Guests today were Jesse Campbell, Bob Sach’s guest Gary Warlaumont, owner of Bront Machines (one of our Golf sponsors, thanks!), and Jeff Senney and Ashlee Walton’s guest Mark Kottman of Howard Hand Realty.
- Adam Manning asked for volunteers to write thank you notes to send out to donors (cash and in-kind) who supported the Golf Outing.
- Arnie Biondo gave updates from the recent Board meeting:
- Ger Eastabrooks is heading up the Crayons to Classrooms service project
- Amy Hary is heading up a new project with Dayton Foster Care
- Scott Kujawa & Rand Oliver are working on CPR training for Rotarians
- June 8 meeting the new Rotary Scholarship recipients will be in attendance.
- July 4 - we need some eager Rotarians to ride on the fire truck with Lee Hieronymus in the Americana Parade. The most fun you’ll ever have!
- Adam Manning needs help filling open posts for his board. Please consider stepping up to help!
- Thanks to everyone who sent Rotarian of the Year nominations.
- June 15 meeting will be the induction of next year’s officers and annual awards, held at Yankee Trace during our regular meeting time.
- Sofie Ameloot announced our Picnic Party will be on June 7, 6-8 pm at Matt Kuhn’s house. Please RSVP by June 2. We will have City BBQ and drinks. We have invited sponsors to thank them.
Happy Bucks this quarter are going to East Palestine Rotary Club. Pat Beckel was our Sergeant at Arms with assistance by Brian Hayes.
Pat Beckel shared that the recent Merchant Market had over 100 vendors, and 11,000 people came that afternoon. The Mayor’s Business Breakfast awarded the Large Business of the Year to Kettering Health Network; Small Business of the Year to Scratching Post Cat Hospital; and the Community Partner of the Year to Centerville-Washington Park District! Congrats to Ginger Clark and the CWPD staff.
Happy Bucks were given generously for:
- Pat Beckel announce his oldest son ranked 53rd in country for USA Jr Gymnastics and his youngest son ranked 13th in country, and is the national vault champion. Congrats!
- Ginger Clark was thrilled for the partnership award, her son graduated from CHS, and Ginger graduated from Colorado State University in the top 1% in the class. Congrats, Ginger!
- Erich Eggers was not here last week, as he attended the PGA Championship, and won’t be here next week as he’ll be at his niece’s wedding.
- Dan Johnson was happy.
- Robert Ford was happy.
- Wayne Davis was happy for the Mayor’s Business Breakfast.
- Jeff Senney enjoyed cruising with Sharon around Italy. It was a great trip and they took advantage of the savings by booking another trip before that one was over!
- Jeff’s guest, Mark Kottman was happy to be here. His son is in the Opera and grandson was just picked for the Toledo opera.
- Ashlee Walton turned 40 last week and learned what it was like to drink too many martini’s at 40!
- Bob Sachs safely flew to Lake Cumberland and back this morning.
- Jim Harris was happy for Ashlee Walton’s birthday.
- Dick Hoback was happy for all graduates.
- Chuck King announced the Rotary Memorial is now complete as the new plaque has been installed on the boulder.
- Dave Trout’s grandson is doing a National Science Foundation internship in Alaska doing research on climate change.
- Susan Schnell was happy her daughter is home for 1.5 weeks before starting an internship in D,C. this summer.
- Kristin Hutton is heading to Cleveland to see her parents.
- Uriah Anderson was happy to be back.
- Ron Bowersocks was happy his hummingbird vine is blooming and birds are on the nest, so his yard is ready for summer.
- Carol Kennard was happy for a successful Centerville-Washington Foundation event honoring Brady Kress, and gave thanks to Gina Smith for her invaluable help.
- Brad Thorp for 4 weeks traveling around the world and playing golf.
- Brad Huffman survived 2 graduations last weekend, one daughter graduated from a class of 17 and and the other from a class of 600.
- Sofie Ameloot was happy her daughter, Marie-Thérèse is home after graduating Suma Cum Laude from OSU. They are heading to NC to visit family.
- Harvey Smith announced his new love, Rotarian Elda Gotos-Gay! Harvey said they enjoy each others company and want to spend more time together.
- Elda Gotos-Gay said Harvey is the most wonderful and amazing person she’s met. Her son noticed she was glowing!
- Arnie Biondo gave thanks to Adam, Frank, & Chuck for filling in while he was gone.
- Adam Manning was happy to be able to double date with Harvey & Elda.
- Ray Merz’s oldest grandson and fiancé are coming to visit before moving to Madison, WI.
- Brian Hayes was happy to be playing hooky today and shooting something!
- Pat Beckel commented he noticed Elda is always just perfect, and Harvey’s had a smile on his face lately. “You two are absolutely beautiful!”
Our speakers today were Heather Schnier, Molly Winters, and Linda Herrold with the Academic Volunteer Program at Centerville City Schools.
Heather Schnier will take over as coordinator next school year, as Molly Winters is retiring.
Academic Volunteer Program consists of two main programs:
- Adopt a Family (which Rotary participates in each Christmas)
- Academic volunteer opportunities at all 12 schools in the district
One program is the Achievement Club at Cline elementary which meets after school.
Linda Herrold expressed appreciation for our involvement in the Adopt a Family program.
Molly Winters gave a history of the Academic Volunteer Program which started at Cline Elementary School. During COVID, the program slowed down but still had volunteers working with virtual classrooms. 243 volunteers including 51 community volunteers, participated in our district this year, donating 7326 hours!
The goal of the program is for parents & community volunteers to meet needs of the students.
Frank Perez has been part of the Achievement Club at Cline Elementary after school program for many years, where he worked with the same student every week. The main purpose is giving the student an opportunity to develop a relationship with a trusted adult while helping them to achieve.
Since they shut down during COVID, the program is starting back up and needs more volunteers. The teacher identifies students who could use extra support. Parents give permission, since it meets after school. In a typical year, 12-15 volunteers work 1 on 1 with same student all school year. Frank has been a volunteer with the program since 2018.
Molly told of running into a student many years later at a store. The now young adult approached her and thanked her for helping her when she was young. The student said the Achievement Club was one of her favorite memories from elementary school.
The students meet with their adult volunteer after school at 2:30 pm, have a snack, do homework, do 15-20 minutes of math or reading, and play educational games.
They also take monthly enrichment trips to locations around the Dayton area. In 2019, they had a Mystery Reader program where kids got clues and made guesses of who it might be. Local community leaders then came in to read to the kids.
Heather Schnier noted looking forward to next school year, the Volunteer training will be held in September. The program involves a weekly commitment on Wednesdays, 2:30-4:00 pm, although they do have subs for the occasional miss.
The program will have less homework focus but instead involve the students in other activities to build skills: reading, writing, research, math (Bridges curriculum). Don’t worry about math, the program gives directions so you don’t have to know/remember. There is always a staff member there if the volunteer needs help.
The most important part of the program is relationship building - child having a caring adult in their lives is important.
Teachers look for kids who will be successful in this situation - those who need that extra push and want to be there. Know you will make a difference in a child’s life.
Years ago they met at the Chevy Chase community building. They moved it to Cline Elementary but most kids were still from Chevy Chase.
If you’re not available all year, you can be trained as a substitute.
There are other volunteer opportunities at the schools, too. Check the website for more information.
To get involved contact Heather Schnier. They start preparing for the new school year in July.
President Biondo thanked Heather, Molly, and Linda for sharing this information and wished everyone a good week.
Next week’s speakers are JoAnn and Doyle Key with Casseroles of Hope.
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