Rotareminder
The Rotary Club of Kent
October 7, 2025
President Amanda Senn called the meeting to order at 12:20. We sang the National Anthem and Sue Hetrick offered the invocation. David Dix and Dom Bollenbacher led us in singing “The KSU Fight Song” in celebration of Kent State Homecoming.
There were no visiting Rotarians at today’s meeting. Ryan Brannon of Bent Tree Coffee Roasters was the guest of Anne Moneypenny. Holly Slocum from Kent State was the guest of Dave Myers and Leila Griffiths of Scouting America attended with our Speaker, Nate Watson.
Announcements
- Dennis Campbell invited everyone interested to attend a breakfast at PARTA next Tuesday morning for a behind the scenes look.
- Todd Packer encouraged everyone to attend a Better World Day event, “Inclusive Design for a Better World,” on October 14 from 5 to 8 pm in Cleveland. Tickets available at Eventbrite.com
- Bill Childers thanked Sue Whiting, Nithya Venkataraman, and Will Underwood for helping with the food distribution project. There will be another opportunity on November 5.
- Nancy Whitehead noted that there will be a Kent Rotary Foundation meeting at the library at 7 pm next Tuesday
- Kaleena Gharky invited all to attend the Habitat for Humanity Gala at the New Center on November 8.
- Dom Bollenbacher is looking for sponsors and activity leaders for the annual Snow Day on January 24. On November 29, the Chamber and Main Street Kent will combine to sponsor the Festival of Lights and Small Business Saturday.
- Dom also reminded us that the October 21 club meeting with be held at the new City Hall featuring tours of the new building.
- Matt Carter asked for help with the candy giveaway that Rotoract will hold on October 30.
Moment of Silence
President Amanda asked for a moment of silence to honor our friend and longtime Kent Mayor, Jerry Fiala, who passed away last week.
October Birthdays
Those present who are celebrating a birthday in October recalled a favorite place they have visited, but probably won’t see again:
Laing Kennedy – Lake Placid
Mitch Planey – Cook’s Forest
Kathy Myers – Hong Kong
Bob Lohman – not present
Jeff Roeger – the Vatican and Cleveland Stadium for the chair grab at the last Browns game.
Nithya Venkataraman – Taiwan
Tom Larkin – not present
Samantha Stephens – not present
Laura Martin Miller – Greece
Bill Childers – Stonehenge and Pompeii in the same week
Anne Moneypenny – Drag Racing at Indianapolis
Greg Dostal – Like Jeff Roeger, the Cleveland Stadium for the last Browns game and chair grab.
Amanda Senn noted that she and her husband also have a Browns Stadium chair from the last game at Cleveland Stadium, but they bought it online.
Stanton Student of the Month
Andrew Van Damme: all A’s, trumpet player, star golf player, volunteer with the Ben Curtis Foundation, is this month’s Student of the Month. His proud parents were in attendance to see him receive this award.
Today’s Program: Nate Watson of Scouting America
Nate, a former Kent Rotarian and Senior VP of Scouting America’s Great Trail Council, explained that the Great Trail Council covers Trumball, Mahoning, Portage, Summit, Medina, parts of Wayne counties and serves over 7000 young people with the goal of preparing youth to be successful citizens and leaders.
About 2.3 percent of eligible youth in the Great Trail Council area are participating as members. That’s a high percentage relative to other Councils. In 2025 so far, the Council has attracted almost 500 new recruits.
The area cub scout packs and scouting troops have access to Camp Manatoc, the scout reservation in the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, for year-round camping, summer day and sleepover camps, and other year-round programs. Through a grant from Kent Rotary Foundation, Scouts were able to purchase AEDs for Camp Manatoc.
Since 2019, Boy Scouts of America changed its name to Scouting America to be welcoming to both girls and boys. Today, about 20 percent of Scouting America members are female. Individual Troops can be single gender or coed. Both girls and boys are able to become Eagle Scouts.
Currently, the Great Trail Council is raising funds to build a Skilled Trades Education Center, which will open next Spring to train youth in trades such as carpentry, plumbing, welding, and HVAC.
Ways to support Scouting America include attending the October 17-19 Hayrides at Camp Manatoc, become a Merit Badge counselor (about 140 different Merit Badges are offered), share and teach your skills with youth attending the Skilled Trades Education Center, and buy popcorn from a Scout in your neighborhood.
Response
Dennis Campbell thanked Nate for giving Kent Rotary a glimpse into the world of Scouting today and expressed his gratitude for the lifelong opportunities Scouting has provided him.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas Hatch
