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Upcoming Events
Flash Meeting
Bogey's Shadowbrook
Mar 07, 2019 5:30 PM
 
Board of Director's Meeting
Mar 19, 2019
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Flash Meeting
Bogey's Shadowbrook
Mar 21, 2019 5:30 PM
 
Flash Meeting
Bogey's Shadowbrook
Apr 04, 2019 5:30 PM
 
Board of Director's Meeting
Apr 16, 2019
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Flash Meeting
Bogey's Shadowbrook
Apr 18, 2019 5:30 PM
 
2019 Rotary Relays Invitational
May 01, 2019 4:30 PM
 
Flash Meeting
Bogey's Shadowbrook
May 02, 2019 5:30 PM
 
Flash Meeting
Bogey's Shadowbrook
May 16, 2019 5:30 PM
 
Board of Director's Meeting
May 21, 2019
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Speakers
Feb 28, 2019
Northeast Sight - services for blind and visually impaired
Mar 07, 2019
Wellness
Mar 14, 2019
Annual Trip to Haiti to Help People in Need
Mar 21, 2019
Mar 28, 2019
Women with Children Program - Exciting Updates
View entire list
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
ClubRunner
News
Jan 31 Rotary Luncheon
Pledge and Invocation:
 
President Mike Markovitz brought the meeting to order at 12:15 PM at Purkey’s Pink Apple with Patty Ehrenzeller leading the Pledge of Allegiance and Lou Divis giving the Invocation.
 
Guests:
 
Betsy Vannatta – guest speaker –United Methodist Homes
 
Community News:
 
Ad. Tom Kukuchka advertised the Sunday, Feb 17 Triton Hose Company Pizza Fundraiser - Pizza will be available for pre-sale only and wings, while available. The pizza can be picked up baked or unbaked from 10 AM to 1 PM. Tickets for the pizza must be purchased in advance ($13 per pie) and Tommy has tickets (or any other member of the Triton or at Gay’s).
 
Club News:
 
Nominations for Tunkhannock Rotary President 2020-2021
 
Pres. Mike is looking for Nominations for Tunkhannock Rotary President for 2020-2021 as Susan Kelly has had to decline her election as President for that year.  Please provide any nominations to Pres. Mike as soon as possible.
 
Board of Directors Meeting
 
The next Board of Director’s Meeting will be Tuesday February 19, 2019 at the Community Bank in Tunkhannock at 7:30 AM in the Main Conference Room.
 
Flash Meeting
 
Thursday, Feb 7th - there will be a Flash meeting at 5:30 PM at Bogeys.
 
Committee Reports
 
Fellowship Committee - Ann Way / Francine Kanyok
 
The committee is looking for ideas to enhance the Spring mixer to attract new members.
 
2019 Harvest and Wine Festival Committee:  Ron Furman
 
If you are on the Festival Committee, please see the e-mail from Ron Furman regarding startup of this year’s meetings / schedule.  The first meeting will be Monday evening, Feb 4th, at 6 pm at the Tunkhannock Public Library.
 
They are working on getting a different Bandshell, since the one we have used in the past is no longer available to us.
 
Membership / Recruitment / Retention Committees – Ron Furman / Mary Tempest
 
Ron will be updating all the committee summaries and giving a copy to new members, to help them select committees to join. Also, much of this info will also go on the website.
 
Drug Takeback Project Committee – Frank Oliver / Carol Ziomek
 
The next National Drug Take Back Day will be Sat April 27, 2019 from 10 AM to 2 PM.
 
Rotary Relays Project Committee – Chair Rod Azar
 
Pres Mike has spoken with Rod and the 2019 Tunkhannock Rotary Relays Invitational will be held Wednesday May 1, 2019 at 4:30pm at the Tunkhannock High School Football Field. Rod will need lots of volunteers so please plan to help and put this on your calendar.
 
Exchange Student Report:  
 
Anne Sehne – Andrew moved to second host family and John should be with his 2nd host family soon.
 
Anne is waiting to hear if the Brazilian exchange student will get a visa to come to US.
 
District News:  Pres. Mike Markovitz
 
District 7410 Conference is April 5-6, 2019 at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel in Scranton.  Registration info is available at the District 7410 website.  You can use the link on our home page to get to the District home page.
 
Secretary’s Report – Carol Ziomek
 
Newsletter went out and website updated. Several stories went in for the Feb District newsletter.
 
New Member Induction – Ron Furman
 
Ron Furman inducted Peter Sehne into Rotary. Peter was sponsored and pinned by his wife Anne Sehne.
 

Anne and Peter Sehne and Membership Chair Ron Furman

New Member Introductions/Ice Breaker:
Peter Sehne
Peter joked that he decided to join Rotary to spend more time with his wife, since she is so busy with the District and our local Exchange Student Programs.  Anne and Peter have 3 children.
 
Peter has enjoyed meeting and hosting many exchange students. All three of his children have been Rotary outbound exchange students: Adam (2012-2013 outbound to Ecuador), Stefan (2015-2016 outbound to Brazil), and Anika (2016-2017 outbound to France after an earlier short-term exchange).  He felt that he would now like to give back.  
 
Peter has had a variety of work experiences in the Army and in civilian life. He has done, satellite repair, was a dental assistant and then worked in sales and marketing.  For the last 17 yr., he has been a prison guard at the Waymart State Correctional Facility. 
 
Although he may not be able to attend many of our lunchtime meetings, he will join the Harvest & Wine Festival committee.
Our next Meeting will be Thursday, Jan 31. Our guest speaker will be Timothy Genetti, District Conference Chair, who will talk about the upcoming 2019 District Conference.
 
Prior to adjournment, Patty Ehrenzeller led the recitation of the 4-Way Test by the attendees.
 
President Mike Markovitz adjourned the meeting at 1:30 PM.

Guest Speaker: 
Betsy Vannatta
United Methodist Homes Mission and Services
 
Betsy is the VP Sales and Marketing at United Methodist Homes (UMH) at their Corporate Offices in Binghamton, NY. They are a faith-based nonprofit founded in 1958, with approximately 1100 residents in 4 locations (2 locations each in PA and NY).
 
Independent living and full services are available so that people can age in place in our communities.  They may be bringing home care to PA in the future.
Their Mission is to provide a wide range of senior living services with exceptional care and compassion with a “Live-Better Lifestyle.”
 
The 2 PA locations are the Wesley Village Campus in Pittston and the Tunkhannock Campus.
 
The Wesley Village Campus has independent living apartments. Currently, Brooks Estate at Wesley has 103 independent living cottages with an additional 73 being constructed.  The Brooks Estate Expansion will be a 55+ community. 
 
The Tunkhannock Campus has personal care residents, who enjoy an active lifestyle with an emphasis on independence and dignity.  They are provided with activities that focus on physical and mental wellness. Tunkhannock has no long-term care.
 
It provides assisted personal care in a 38-bed facility when keeping up home becomes too much for individuals and they need help with their meals and medicines. Residents are kept as independent as possible, including driving.
 
United Methodist Homes are non-denominational; thus, you do not have to be a Methodist.
 
After Betsy finished her presentation, Tom Kukuchka told the story of how the UMH in Tunkhannock had acquired the house next to their facility that needed to be torn down to make their current parking lot.  Rotary volunteered to tear down the house in exchange for $25K (which was a bargain for the demolition). The Rotarians demolished the house in a speedy fashion and then donated $22K of that money to the Rotary Foundation Polio Campaign.
 

Betsy Vannatta
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Thomas Daniels
February 5
 
Judd Fitze
February 11
 
Annette Chickey
February 13
 
David Kuffa
February 14
 
Tom Kukuchka
February 18
 
Michael Markovitz
February 24
 
Susan Kelly
February 27
 
Join Date
Bill Barber
February 14, 2008
11 years
 
Kristin Smith-Gary
February 16, 2015
4 years
 
Steve Thomas
February 18, 1982
37 years
 
Ann Marie Stevens
February 24, 2016
3 years
 
Rick Miller
February 24, 2016
3 years
 
Elaine Walker
February 28, 2017
2 years