The Rotary Club of Kent
February 27, 2024
Vice President Rachel, standing in for President Asad, called the meeting to order at 12:10. Our patriotic song was the National Anthem led by Dominique Bollenbacher and played by David Dix. It was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation by Ann Moneypenny. We sang “That’s Amore.”
VISITORS
Rotarian Kaleena Gharky was visiting from the Aurora club. Guest of Ann Moneypenny was Dennis Campbell, newly named Executive Director of the Kent Chamber of Commerce.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Stacey Richardson noted that at each table were forms to donate items for the upcoming Rotary Auction. She asked everyone to refer potential sponsors to Roger Sidoti, this year’s Sponsorship Chair. She also encouraged everyone to attend the Addams Family Musical at TRHS this week.
- Amy Mucha noted that there’s still time to sign up to be a Rotary Reader in local schools next week on Wednesday.
- Todd Kamenash reminded that the Bracket Buster opportunity goes to support our literacy programs. He also asked everyone to complete Youth Protection Training at our website.
- Dom Bollenbacher reminded everyone that there’s a Climate Action Committee meeting at the library tonight at 7. She noted the passing of Carl form Grazers Restaurant. He will be with a fundraiser and memorial service at Over Easy.
- Bill Childers encouraged everyone to attend the Kent Lions Pancake Breakfast coming up soon.
HAPPY BUCKS
- Paul Organ announced that his business, Marathon Financial, has been in its new offices for about a month.
- Ann Moneypenny is grateful for her new boss, Dennis Campbell.
- Tom Larkin reminded us that The Addams Family Musical will be held at Roosevelt HS this Thursday through Saturday at 7 and on Sunday at 3.
- Carol Crimi, winner of last year’s Bracket Buster, thanked Todd Kamenash for picking her winning teams.
- Kathy Myers is thankful for both the recent sun and snow.
- Todd Kamenash is pleased to have Mark Frisone here today as one of our speakers.
PROGRAM
Bill Childers introduced today’s speakers from AxessPointe Community Health Centers and Family and Community Services which have recently merged to form a combined healthcare and social service organization that provides a wide variety of services in Summit, Portage, Trumbull, and Mahoning counties.
Dr. Demond Scott, medical Director of AxessPoint spoke first noting that AxessPoint is a Federally Qualified Health Center. These centers were originally funded in the 1960s by the federal government to bring basic healthcare to rural and urban underserved populations. Today, FQHCs serve a much wider cross section of the population, about half of whom have health insurance beyond that provided by Medicare and Medicaid.
AxessPoint provides primary care, oral health, pediatric care, optometry, and podiatry services. Dr. Scott interned at Summa and is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Wright State. He added that the newly-merged organization is now better able to provide mobile outreach, tackle the problems of infant mortality, address health disparities, and lower healthcare costs.
Matt Slater, who has been with Family and Community Services for 23 years and is now Director of Development, spoke next. He noted that the organization provides social services through Freedom House, Miller House, King/Kennedy Center, and Kentway. Funded by United Way, the Mental Health and Recovery Board, FC&S has created a safety net for people who lack resources. They have recently received State of Ohio funding to renovate offices in Ravenna.
Mark Frisone, Executive Director of the newly merged organization spoke last and thanked Kent Rotarians for their support over many years. He posited that the healthcare system in our country is broken and this merger of medical and social services represents a new approach to solving longstanding societal problems. He noted that the recent change at Summa to a for-profit model has enabled AxessPoint to compete effectively for medical talent in our area.
Frisone also announced they will soon open a new clinic in Akron in association with the LeBron James organization as well as clinics in Youngstown, Warren, and Ravenna. Coleman Health Services will provide behavioral health services at the Akron clinic located near James’ I Promise school. This new model of combined medical and social services will be able to treat all the needs that people have.
He encouraged everyone to donate and become a patient.
RESPONSE
Rachel Kerns, who is Director of Habitat for Humanity in Portage County, thanked our speakers and added special thanks to Family and Community Services for the support they have given Habitat for Humanity over the years.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas Hatch
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