Our November program chair, Tom Hatch, has invited Abdoulaye Fall of the Read Center for International and Intercultural Education at Kent State to present a program about the International Leaders in Education Program, the U.S. State Department program that brought talented high school teachers from around the world to the USA and Kent State to improve their skills in technology and teaching.  Abdoulaye has assembled a team of ILEP alumni from around the world who will talk to us using Zoom.  ILEP was relatively expensive, but cost less than a fighter jet and was effective in building friends for our country. Kent State University was chosen as one of four sites for the duration of the program, which was cancelled during the first year of the Trump Administration.

 

 

Rotary Moment:  Jim Myers presented an interesting Rotary moment from the Depression years when the Club sponsored a community garden.   See Jim’s comments!

 

Citing Rotary’s core values of fellowship, diversity, integrity and leadership, District Governor Pat Myers told us that Rotary Clubs need to collaborate and communicate to maintain their effectiveness in accomplishing positive goals for our local communities and the world.  She said that clubs like Willoughby, Painesville and Mentor are working together during this pandemic and advocated other clubs following suit.   She talked about Kent Rotary as if it were a homecoming because she knows so many people in Kent and in Portage County and because she worked for Kent State representing it in Columbus.   She mentioned Jim Myers, who has advocated so positively for the community during its ups and downs.  She noted that many buildings and parks in Kent are named for people who have been Rotarians or associated with Rotary.  She talked about the founding of Kent Rotary by William Walls, a remarkable superintendent of Kent Schools, and noted that one of Kent Rotary’s early members was John McGilvery, the first president of Kent State and a great visionary.  She mentioned the late Gene Wenninger, the KSU vice president of Research and a Rotarian, whose work spanned Town and Gown and Bill Taylor, the founder of KSU’s Journalism program and a Rotarian who helped start the Ohio Arts Council through which the public sector contributes to the enhancement of the Arts in Ohio.  She mentioned the late Gordon Keller and his commitment to Rotary as a district governor.   She talked about the late Nancy Hansford, the wife of Rotary’s Bruce Hansford and mother of Rotary’s David Hansford and the Kent mayor and Portage County commissioner.  Pat said Mrs. Hansford helped start Kentway.  With Pat’s academic degree in Social Work, she rubbed shoulders with Nancy Hansford as Pat helped established programs to benefit the elderly at Kentway.  She mentioned Rotarian Ron Burbick, who spurred much of downtown Kent’s rejuvenation. In terms of relating to Kent Rotarians, our District Governor gave a tour de force address regarding what Rotary means and can mean for our local communities in Northeast Ohio and for the world.  Rotary, our District Governor told us, must lead us to a more connected, compassionate, humane world.

 

Andrew Popp, attorney and guest of Shawn Gordon, Mark Pennell, guest of Kathy Myers.  Sorry if I missed anyone.

 

David McKeen gave an inspiring invocation asking the Lord’s blessing on efforts to heal America.  Larry Lohman responded to District Governor Pat’s address noting how much he has enjoyed working with her.  Dave Dix performed a patriotic song, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”