Rotareminder
The Rotary Club of Kent
March 24, 2026
President Amanda Senn called the meeting to order at 12:15. We sang the America the
Beautiful and Dennis Campbell offered the invocation. Dom Bollenbacher with David Dix
at the piano led us in singing “Don’t Fence Me In.”
There were no visiting Rotarians at today’s meeting. River Kale was the guest of Rachel
Kerns. Lisa Mansfield, wife of one of today’s speakers, was the guest of Todd
Kamenash.
Announcements
Bill Childers noted that the next United Way food giveaway will be held on April 1.
Tom Hatch reminded everyone that Tap Talks will be tonight at North Water Brewing.
Rotarian Ryan Brannon is the speaker.
Nancy Whitehead announced the next Kent Rotary Foundation meeting will be held on
April 21. She encouraged people to apply for grants.
Nelson Burns noted that the Capital Campaign that started a few years ago is winding
down. Please get him any pledge changes or new pledges by June.
Dave Myers reported that this year’s Bracket Buster Challenge raised over $600 for our
literacy programs.
Larry Lohman thanked those who attended the grants workshops. He encouraged
attendance at the District Conference to hear keynote speakers Wisdom Addo, Rotary
Peace Fellow from Ghana and Katie Spotz who is raising money for water projects
through endurance rowing and cycling feats. She’s currently training for a solo row
across the Pacific.
Dom Bollenbacher noted that Portage County residents are eligible for a Summit
County Health Department program to reward those who switch to electric powered
lawn equipment. She is seeking to enlist advisory group members in anticipation of
massive sewer work that will disrupt our Downtown soon.
Kaleena Gherky encouraged everyone to attend a benefit for Habitat for Humanity on
April 20 from 6 to 8 at North Water Brewing. Look forward to live music, craft beers, a
five-course meal from Over Easy at the Depot, and a basket raffle. Contact her for more
information.
The Rotary Club of Kent
March 24, 2026
President Amanda Senn called the meeting to order at 12:15. We sang the America the
Beautiful and Dennis Campbell offered the invocation. Dom Bollenbacher with David Dix
at the piano led us in singing “Don’t Fence Me In.”
There were no visiting Rotarians at today’s meeting. River Kale was the guest of Rachel
Kerns. Lisa Mansfield, wife of one of today’s speakers, was the guest of Todd
Kamenash.
Announcements
Bill Childers noted that the next United Way food giveaway will be held on April 1.
Tom Hatch reminded everyone that Tap Talks will be tonight at North Water Brewing.
Rotarian Ryan Brannon is the speaker.
Nancy Whitehead announced the next Kent Rotary Foundation meeting will be held on
April 21. She encouraged people to apply for grants.
Nelson Burns noted that the Capital Campaign that started a few years ago is winding
down. Please get him any pledge changes or new pledges by June.
Dave Myers reported that this year’s Bracket Buster Challenge raised over $600 for our
literacy programs.
Larry Lohman thanked those who attended the grants workshops. He encouraged
attendance at the District Conference to hear keynote speakers Wisdom Addo, Rotary
Peace Fellow from Ghana and Katie Spotz who is raising money for water projects
through endurance rowing and cycling feats. She’s currently training for a solo row
across the Pacific.
Dom Bollenbacher noted that Portage County residents are eligible for a Summit
County Health Department program to reward those who switch to electric powered
lawn equipment. She is seeking to enlist advisory group members in anticipation of
massive sewer work that will disrupt our Downtown soon.
Kaleena Gherky encouraged everyone to attend a benefit for Habitat for Humanity on
April 20 from 6 to 8 at North Water Brewing. Look forward to live music, craft beers, a
five-course meal from Over Easy at the Depot, and a basket raffle. Contact her for more
information.
Nithya Venkataraman asked for volunteers to help assemble Easter baskets for needy
children on Sunday at North Water Brewing.
Happy Bucks
Steve Dennis congratulated his students on their many awards. Mary Beth Harper is
excited to watch the Nebraska Cornhuskers play in the NCAA Tournament Sweet
Sixteen this Thursday. Both Jim Myers and Chas Madonio are great-grandparents.
Dave Sommers celebrates his 17th wedding anniversary. Jeff Roeger is happy for KSU
Baseball, Bill Childers for the return of Jim Myers, Amanda Senn for Main Street Kent’s
March for Art displays of Kent Schools student’s art currently displayed in venues all
over the city, and Todd Kamenash for his kids on a school trip to Ireland. Randy Smith
told a Dad Joke.
Today’s Program: KSU Moonlighters – Eric Mansfield and Vance Voyles
Todd Kamenash introduced today’s speakers, both of whom are writers of screenplays
and books of fiction. They’re also both currently employed at Kent State University and
have had a career in the US military services.
Eric Mansfield is a retired US Army and National Guard Major who served in the Iraq
war. After a 20-year career in broadcast journalism, he is now Assistant VP for Content
Strategy and Communications at Kent State. He’s also an award-winning playwright and
a member of the Dramatists Guild.
A recent play, Trial by Fire was produced by the Theater Department at Kent State and
played to sold-out crowds on three nights. Mansfield’s play details the fictional
predicament of Ohio teacher Georgia Grimm, a Kent State graduate under fire for
assigning her high-school students books recently banned by the governor.
Mansfield advised would-be writers about storytelling and the importance of getting an
emotional reaction from the reader. He encouraged everyone to write about things “that
just won’t leave you alone.” He’s currently working on an idea for a mystery novel set in
Kelley’s Island.
Vance Voyles spent eight years in the US Army as an Arab Linguist. He came to Kent
State after a career in law enforcement investigating sex crimes in Orlando, Florida.
He’s now an instructor in Creative Writing at Kent State. Voyles has written and
published poetry, plays, fiction, and music.
A recent work, Soldier’s Heart (which is the first known term for what we now call PTSD)
is a thriller about how a disabled female veteran confronts her complicated past and
present. Soon to be published is The Girl Scout about a real-life person he met who is
the first female NFL scout.
children on Sunday at North Water Brewing.
Happy Bucks
Steve Dennis congratulated his students on their many awards. Mary Beth Harper is
excited to watch the Nebraska Cornhuskers play in the NCAA Tournament Sweet
Sixteen this Thursday. Both Jim Myers and Chas Madonio are great-grandparents.
Dave Sommers celebrates his 17th wedding anniversary. Jeff Roeger is happy for KSU
Baseball, Bill Childers for the return of Jim Myers, Amanda Senn for Main Street Kent’s
March for Art displays of Kent Schools student’s art currently displayed in venues all
over the city, and Todd Kamenash for his kids on a school trip to Ireland. Randy Smith
told a Dad Joke.
Today’s Program: KSU Moonlighters – Eric Mansfield and Vance Voyles
Todd Kamenash introduced today’s speakers, both of whom are writers of screenplays
and books of fiction. They’re also both currently employed at Kent State University and
have had a career in the US military services.
Eric Mansfield is a retired US Army and National Guard Major who served in the Iraq
war. After a 20-year career in broadcast journalism, he is now Assistant VP for Content
Strategy and Communications at Kent State. He’s also an award-winning playwright and
a member of the Dramatists Guild.
A recent play, Trial by Fire was produced by the Theater Department at Kent State and
played to sold-out crowds on three nights. Mansfield’s play details the fictional
predicament of Ohio teacher Georgia Grimm, a Kent State graduate under fire for
assigning her high-school students books recently banned by the governor.
Mansfield advised would-be writers about storytelling and the importance of getting an
emotional reaction from the reader. He encouraged everyone to write about things “that
just won’t leave you alone.” He’s currently working on an idea for a mystery novel set in
Kelley’s Island.
Vance Voyles spent eight years in the US Army as an Arab Linguist. He came to Kent
State after a career in law enforcement investigating sex crimes in Orlando, Florida.
He’s now an instructor in Creative Writing at Kent State. Voyles has written and
published poetry, plays, fiction, and music.
A recent work, Soldier’s Heart (which is the first known term for what we now call PTSD)
is a thriller about how a disabled female veteran confronts her complicated past and
present. Soon to be published is The Girl Scout about a real-life person he met who is
the first female NFL scout.
Voyles recommended that aspiring writers check out the website NYCMidnight.com,
which challenges writers with a writing prompt suggesting genre, location, and an object
to include in a piece that has to be written and submitted within a narrow time frame. He
read us one of his action suspense (genre)submissions set in a fish market (location)
and included a drone (object). Amazing!
Response
Mary Beth Harper responded noting that neither speaker talked about how hard it is to
write and how much time it takes. She thanked our speakers for an inspiring program.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas Hatch
which challenges writers with a writing prompt suggesting genre, location, and an object
to include in a piece that has to be written and submitted within a narrow time frame. He
read us one of his action suspense (genre)submissions set in a fish market (location)
and included a drone (object). Amazing!
Response
Mary Beth Harper responded noting that neither speaker talked about how hard it is to
write and how much time it takes. She thanked our speakers for an inspiring program.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas Hatch