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Stories
Join Apr 13, 2021 Meeting
Kent Rotary is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Topic: Kent Rotary's Zoom Meeting  Rona Simmons, Author of The Other Veterans of World War II: Stories from Behind the Front Lines
Time: Apr 13, 2021 12:15 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
 
 
Meeting ID: 848 3789 5889
Passcode: 911404
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President’s ramblings for week of April 6, 2021
This week we heard about our Foundation’s plan to increase its endowment. This will ensure that our club will continue to impact our community by providing resources for worthy projects. The income generated from this fund will augment our yearly fundraising projects as well as cover shortfalls during unusual occurrences, such as this current pandemic. Next week begins a month of programs arranged by Will Underwood. We will hear from a series of authors about their latest published work. Should be quite entertaining and informative.
 
District Governor Pat Myers asked for an accounting of how our club has impacted our community over the last 13 months despite the pandemic. I think it is quite impressive, so I share it below.
Service Projects:
  • Beautification of downtown gazebo
  • Video presentations by members to promote reading to our school systems young readers
  • Promoting sign up to the “Imagination Library”
  • Providing lunch to hungry families (Lord’s Lunch) on 2 Saturdays
  • Salvation Army Bell Ringers
  • Foundation Grants:
  • Handicapped playground
  • Boy Scout camp improvements
  • AED devices
  • Community gardens through “Edible Kent” and KSU
  • Hunger center renovation at “Upper Room Ministries”
  • COVID relief through United Way of Portage County
  • Monarch butterfly project
  • Coats for Kids
  • Kent Social Services “Hunger Meals”
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Equipment for homeless Youth through Kevin Coleman Foundation
  • “Overcoming Poverty” through Children’s Advantage
  • Nutrition education through Axcess Pointe community center
  • Kent City Schools literacy and art programs
  • College students mission trips through United Christian Ministries
Read more...
Rotareminder for April 6, 2021
Welcome to new members!
Phil Lanier, Director of Marketing and New Business Development at DS Architecture, and Ben Wolford, editor and publisher of The Portager, were inducted as new members.  Lanier lives in Kent with his wife Emily and two children.  Wolford is our first member who lives in a foreign country.  He and his wife, Christina, who is a human rights attorney with the UN, live in Brazil with their two young children.
 
Announcements:
 
SAVE THE DATE:  The Rotary Gala celebrating our 100 years in Rotary will be held on Saturday, October 23, 2021. 
 
Grants:  Shawn Gordon announced that the district grant applications are due on May 15.  The Board is working on ideas.
 
“Stand Together Against Hate:” Tom Hatch encouraged members to attend a peaceful demonstration on April 7 at the KSU Music Building.
 
Cereal Box Challenge - See separate story by Todd Kamenash
 
Thanks Laing!  Todd Kamenash thanked Laing Kennedy for sharing his insights into the NCAA Final Four women’s and men’s basketball tournament games.
 
Club history:  Jim Myers talked about activities of the Club at the beginning of World War II.
 
Vaccine volunteers needed:  Contact the Portage County Health Department if you can help with vaccine distribution.
 
Stanton Middle School Student of the Month:
Savannah Zanders is an eighth grader who plays the violin in the orchestra.  She also plays soccer, is a member of the STEM Club, Student Council and the Environmental Club.  An excellent student, she is involved in dance lessons and her church.
Program:  The Kent Rotary Foundation
Paul Organ gave a summary of the history and activities of the Kent Rotary Foundation, including positive news about a recent fundraising campaign with members.  Here are the visual aids from his presentation.
 
Responder: Tom Myers, who has been involved in the Kent Rotary Foundation since it was started during the presidency of Dr. Glenn Saltzman.
 
Submitted by Mary Beth Harper
 
Read more...
Kent Rotary History Moment for Apr 6, 2021
The meeting of the Rotary club of Kent held on July 1, 1941, witness the installation of a new president Earl Crecraft.  President Earl referred to the fact that he remembered the Rotary club of Kent when he was young in years and reminded members that in 1921,  when he was a professor in Akron University, he had appeared before the club and had spoken on the “City Manager Plan.”
Because of the war in Europe and because of the preparation for anticipated hostilities which were being initiated in the United States, President Crecraft named a new committee for the year,  the Committee on National Defense.  Through the efforts of this committee a clever and colorful Rotary float appeared in the Nation Defense Day parade on a Sunday in October of 1941.

Directly after the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, this committee became active in determining how Rotarians and our club could best serve the country and also in organizing for the sale of war bonds.

More Moments in our history during war years to follow next week.

Jim Myers
 
Read more...
Salvation Army needs help with food drive...
Member picture Thank you to the Kent Rotarians and Habitat for Humanity of Portage County staff who volunteered to serve others through Salvation Army’s food program that kicks off May 5th. If you are working that day, please arrive between 8:00 & 8:30 a.m. Everyone should dress for the weather.  After all cars have received their food and departed, cleanup begins and is usually done by 12:00-1:00 P.M.
 
The site is in Kent at the corner of 261 and Summit St. in the Kent State parking lot. It is located down the road directly across from Kent Christian Life Center
 
Volunteer opportunities will continue each month during the warmer months. If you would like to volunteer on another first Wednesday to help pass out food, please contact Rotarian Rachel Kerns at rkerns@habitatofportage.org or contact Salvation Army's Bonnie Schubert  at Bonnie.Schubert@USE.SalvationArmy.Org
 
Rachel Kerns
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.
There are two ways to donate:
  1. Follow the link in the attached flyer (tinyurl.com/kentwins). It will open a wish list in Amazon that automatically sends items to the Ben Curtis Family Foundation. To participate in our challenge with SMF, select the single-serving size cereal boxes option.
  1. Purchase single-serving size cereal boxes and drop them off. Here are the dates and times drop-off is available:
Friday, April 16th from Noon-2pm, 2121 Brady Lake Road, Kent 44240
Tuesday, April 20th from 10am-Noon, 2121 Brady Lake Road, Kent 44240
Friday, April 30th from Noon-2pm, 2121 Brady Lake Road, Kent 44240
 
Yours in service,
 
Todd E. Kamenash
Read more...
Portage County Health District needs volunteers...
The Portage county Health District is conducting COVID-19 vaccine clinics on Tuesdays at the KSU Fieldhouse and I am Volunteering, therefore I may miss the next few Rotary meetings.
 
The PC Health Dept is in need of more Volunteers both Medical and Non-medical. The link is below.
 
 
Thanks, Bill 
 

Rotary Club of Kent Ohio - Videos
Rotary Club of Kent eBulletin Submissions
Information in this eBulletin comes primarily from the Rotareminder, board meeting minutes, and stories submitted by members. 
 
If you have any Rotary stories, events or speaker information to benefit the Club, please submit it to info.rotarykentohio.org@gmail.com. We will add it to the next appropriate eBulletin.
Speakers
Apr 13, 2021 12:15 PM
Her new book, The Other Veterans of World War II: Stories from Behind the Front Lines.

Rona SimmonsRona 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.

Apr 20, 2021 12:15 PM
His new true crime history book, The Potato Masher Murder: Death at the Hands of a Jealous Husband
Apr 27, 2021 12:15 PM
Moralists in Disguise
May 04, 2021 12:15 PM
His new sports history book, The Turnpike Rivalry: The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns
View entire list
Sponsors
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Upcoming Events
Online Kent Rotary Foundation
Apr 13, 2021
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
 
Online Rotary Ways & Means Budget Meeting
Apr 14, 2021 10:00 AM
 
Online -Kent Rotary Club Board Meeting
Online
Apr 15, 2021
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
 
Online-Kent Rotary Club Meeting
May 11, 2021
12:15 PM - 1:00 PM
 
View entire list
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Howard Boyle
April 3
 
Lauren Talion
April 5
 
Joe Marken
April 6
 
Brian Bachtel
April 7
 
Amanda Senn
April 10
 
Jim Myers
April 10
 
Anthony Horton
April 13
 
Duane Fitts
April 14
 
Bill Doane
April 26
 
Olivia Pilon
April 29
 
James Bear
April 30
 
Club Information
Meetings moved online until further notice.
Kent
Service Above Self
Tuesdays at 11:45 AM
United Meth. Church
1435 E. Main St.
Kent, OH 44240
United States of America
Mailing address: Rotary Club of Kent P.O. Box 6 Kent, Ohio 44240
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