Welcome to the Rotary Club of Kent

Are you an established professional who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.

Rona Simmons, Author

Kent Rotary Club welcomed Rona Simmons to speak about her latest book The Other Veterans of World War II.

Rona Simmons has written both novels and works of historical fiction. She coauthored Images from World War II, celebrating the art of WWII veteran and artist Jack Smith. The daughter of a World War II fighter pilot herself, she is proud to honor veterans and their stories through her work. Her stories, articles, and interviews have appeared in regional and national literary journals and online magazines.

Food Drive Contest with Stow Munroe Falls Rotary

Rotarians,

We’ve been challenged by the Stow Munroe Falls Rotary Club to see who can donate more to a food drive in the month of April. More than bragging rights are on the line. Each club’s leadership has agreed that the losing club will donate $100 to the winning club’s choice of charity. Let’s show them what we’re made of!!

The Stow Monroe Falls club will be donating to one of their local charities. Our club will be donating to our familiar friends, the Ben Curtis Family Foundation.

Salvation Army needs help with food drive...

Salvation Army is doing a food drive...giving food to families in need, once a month starting in April. This drive is located in Kent (by the big bus pick up she said). They are in dire need of volunteers to serve others. I told them my Habitat team will donate a few hours to do this May 5. I have roughly five leadership staff that will volunteer that date. Their Captain mentioned she thought I was on the board for Rotary and wondered if I could get five more people from the club. I explained I was not on the board but would be happy to facilitate the request. She is asking all clubs to donate one day to help. Since Habitat has five people, we only need five more. I will mention this to the club next week to see if we can get five members to volunteer on that date?

Thanks all!

Rachel

Dave Ruller, Kent Ohio City Manager

Todd Kamenesh delivered a nice introduction to our speaker today – Kent City Manager, Dave Ruller, who has prepared remarks on how the pandemic has affected the city.

To the surprise of no one, Dave stated that the city was not immune to the effects of the pandemic. Approximately 50% of the city’s workforce was either diagnosed or has COVID. Many businesses have been hurt with a number of pandemic-induced closures.

For all of the bad, Dave believes the city is better for the experience. In a way, the city has become an ecosystem of sorts – provoking various departments to learn how to work differently by working smarter. A “unified command model” has led to better coordination of department duties, as well as developing a healthy reliance on each other. Words such as “collaboration”, “cooperation” and “leadership” served as a rallying cry to leave no stone unturned and to seek and invite creative solutions. As Dave opined…”it is open season on good ideas.”

Here is a summary of some of what is going on in Kent Ohio today.

Kent Rotary History Moment for Mar 30, 2021

In January 1941, there was an interesting meeting of the club in which the speakers were Kent Rotarians. Howard Hall, Vice Chairman of the Program Committee, presented a meeting related to the community obligations of the Club. Jim Green spoke on “Re-dedicating Ourselves to Kent”; George Morse discussed “Visualize Growth of Kent State University” and “Our Industries” and “Work for a Larger and Better Kent”; and Roy Donaghy talked on “Help Develop Kent Through Membership in the Chamber Of Commerce”.