Rotary was founded on Feb 23, 1905, so it is now celebrating its 116th Anniversary/
Birthday. It is the world’s first service club.

 

 

 

Thanks to Jon Buxton for this contribution to today’s Bulletin.

 

Most folks in Rotary know me as the pastor of Tunkhannock United Methodist Church.  These days during the pandemic, I can be found online leading worship rather than in an in-person service. What you may not know about me is that every winter – pandemic or not – I can also be found on a ski slope. I am a professional ski instructor at Elk Mountain in Uniondale, PA. I spend most Saturdays in winter on the slopes out in God’s creation teaching adults and children how to ski.

 

I was introduced to skiing at a young age when my family would go on ski trips with our local church youth group. I fell in love with the sport and I skied off and on whenever I could get the time.  But it wasn’t until seven years ago during a sabbatical that I had the free time to take a Ski Instructor’s Course at Elk Mountain and began teaching there on a weekly basis. 

 

I began teaching in Elk’s Children’s Program on weekends where kids ages 6-14 were enrolled in half-day or full day classes.  In the Children’s Program I would spend time teaching kids techniques like creating a “pizza” wedge with their skis for speed control or beginning parallel skiing. We would also have individual pre-school children sign up for hour long lessons where I utilized a small tool called an “Edgie Wedgie” which helps young children to keep their ski tips together.

 

For small children, I also use a hula hoop as a way to help them control their speed; I ski backwards in front of them with the hula hoop between us. Whenever we teach children, the key is to make it fun by incorporating the skiing skills into games, activities and adventures that we play on the slopes.

 

Since my first ski instructor’s course in 2013, I have joined the ranks of the Professional Ski Instructors of America. I am now a certified PSIA Alpine Level 1 instructor with a Children’s Specialist 1 certification.

 

This year with COVID-19, Elk Mountain, like all businesses has had to make many adjustments to their normal operations in order to open and operate safely for the general public.  Having large group classes and gathering children together in the Children’s Program was no longer possible. Instead, we have implemented private classes and classes for small groups of families and friends. 

 

Elk has implemented the use of a phone app where instructors are assigned their specific lesson by being given a description of the person (or persons) they will be instructing, the learner’s skiing ability, and where to meet.  Masks are required when entering lift lines or indoors but can be lowered when actively skiing. This winter, with the healthy amount of snow that we have had, coupled with the fact that everyone has been cooped up indoors for so long, the ski industry has had an incredible season. Elk has been exceptionally busy every weekend.

 

For me, being a ski instructor is a true joy and a wonderful way to embrace the long winters in NEPA.  I feel privileged to be able to spend so much time out in God’s creation, enjoying beautiful winter vistas on the mountain and to help introduce others to this great winter sport.  So, enjoy the snow! Come on up to Elk on a Saturday and request a lesson with me. We’ll have some fun skiing together!

 

Jon Buxton

 

 

As mentioned in the front-page article in the Feb 24 Examiner, Rotary is in charge of signing up volunteers for future COVID-19 vaccine clinics to be held in Wyo Cty.  People are needed who can man computers, greet and escort people, help with car parking, as well as those certified to give injections.

 

If you want to sign up to help at a future clinic (dates still to be determined), go to our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tunkhannockrotaryclub), click on the link to the online form and fill in your information.  When clinic dates have been determined, you will be notified and if available for those dates, you will be asked which tasks and times would work for you.

 

 

Ann sent to Pres. Terri and Secretary Carol a note that involves driving to Sayre for the COVID vaccine.

 

Ann wrote “I got my second shot there yesterday - very organized and they only make appointments once they actually have the vaccine.

 

I don’t know how many of our members who are currently eligible have been unable to schedule appointments. But, if they are looking to schedule this could be an option.”

 

 

 

This week was a great week for getting the word out locally about the activities of our Tunkhannock Rotary. 

 

The Feb 24 Examiner contained the front-page article (above) about the EMA planned vaccine clinics being planned by Gene Dziak for Wyo Cty.  Rotary was prominently mentioned in the article including quotes from Pres. Terri Detrick.

 

The same issue of the Examiner, contained on page 2, an article about the Rotary District 7410 Auction that mentioned projects funded by Tunkhannock Rotary with money from District Grants.  There was also a summary of the kinds of items available at the auction and the link to the auction site.

 

Last week’s Penny Saver also had 2 word ads for the Rotary District 7410 Auction with a link to the auction site.

 

The Feb 24 Examiner contained an article about our $2,000 donation to the Seven Loaves Soup Kitchen, which brought our total donation to the Kitchen for 2020 and 2021 to $8,000.

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President Terri Detrick brought the meeting to order at 12:15 PM online via Zoom. George Gay lead the Pledge of Allegiance, Dave Wilson gave the invocation and Terri Detrick led the first recitation of the 4-Way Test.

 

 

Raleigh Bloch - guest speaker

 

 

 

Samantha Maruzzelli shared that John Hovan had an aortic valve replacement and is now home.  Please wish him “Get Well Soon”.

 

 

There will be a Flash meeting tonight at 5:30 PM via Zoom.

 

 

 

Last night there was a Membership Zoom meeting for the District since we need 29 new members to get to 1100 members by June 30 or we will have to merge with other Districts.

 

Mary suggested you wear your Rotary pin which may spark a conversation about Rotary with someone who sees it.  One perk right now is the new members will have no dues for the next year thru June 30, 2022 since the District will pay dues for them and the Club has waived any residual club portion of the dues.  This may be a good opportunity for Cooperate memberships or asking people we know to join.

 

 

The article on the Donation to Women with Children appeared in the Feb 17 Examiner.

 

Still looking for people to write short stories for the Weekly Bulletin.  Showcase your favorite hobby, trip, piece of info about yourself that others might not know, original poem, salute to a special event, etc.  Please get your piece to me by 5 PM on a Tues for inclusion in the Wed Bulletin.

 

 

Sam wants everyone to get your annual Rotary Foundation donation in as soon as possible and she can help you with your donation.

 

 

Pres Terri delivered the dictionaries to the school and they were distributed to the 3^rd graders. We have already received a thank you note from them.

 

 

Laura Charles is looking for some volunteers who speak Spanish.  The Committee will keep up the advertising blitz, although we have enough volunteers to get through the first 2-day clinic.  So far, no dates for the first 2-day clinic.

 

But keep looking for more volunteers for when they need help for the proposed big public clinic at the Fairgrounds at a later date. 

 

 

 

Samantha has worked on the redesign of our Club Banner and a new 4-Way Test banner, both of which will be a retractable banner format.  We will be doing it with a Rotarian company in Plymouth, that has been working with our District.  The Board approved this purchase at the Feb 16 Board Meeting.

 

 

We have been asked by Dave Palmer to consider taking over the youth programs at Elk Lake School.  The Board approved this suggestion and the financial implications. Carol suggested maybe starting an Interact Club there, if they currently do not have one.

 

Anne Sehne will also look to manage it as a potential location for an exchange student but making sure that our club only supports a total of 2 inbound exchange students between TAHS and Elk Lake.

 

Sam is considering setting up a satellite Club in the that area also and this may help get the word out re Tunkhannock Rotary.

 

 

The Board is working with Mary to explore ideas for a District grant for her year as President.  If you have any ideas for projects that benefit our community, please get them to Mary.

 

 

Elaine gave the Treasurer’s report that was presented at the Feb 16 Board of Director’s Meeting. Aside from Rotary Foundation donations that are outstanding from our Club, we still have a few $500 community organization donations to give.

 

 

 

The Rotary Auction began Feb 1 and will run until March 14^th. You can view and bid on the items at https://www.trellis.org/rotaryauction.  Many local items are available, including $100 gift cards to Sicklers Home Supply, $20 off at Antonio’s, Nimble Hill Wine Basket plus packages from several other wineries, Wine Festival Tickets (Tunkhannock and Dallas Wine & Brew), Lodging packages at Shadowbrook Inn & Resort, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn and Shadowbrook (some with Dietrich tickets or golf packages), packages from Nature’s Creations and paintings by local artists.

 

In addition, there are a lot of items throughout Northeastern PA including: jewelry, adult beverages, candy (Gertrude Hawks and Leopolds), grocery stores (Weis, Wegmans, Schiel and Price Chopper), restaurants, services (will, AAA gift memberships, advertising, tax return) gift cards and tickets to sporting activities (golf, rafting) & events (Railriders, Penguins, Pocono Raceway).

 

 

Peace Fellowship applications are available.  Next week, an article on these Fellowships will be sent to the Examiner newspaper to see if there are any interested applicants.

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Terri Detrick asked everyone to silently say to themselves the 4-Way Test before they go about the rest of their day.

 

President Terri Detrick adjourned the meeting at 12.58 PM.

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Raleigh Bloch is the President of the Board of Directors of the Seven Loaves Soup Kitchen, which is a 501(c)3 organization.  It opened in September 2007.

 

Each meal is planned with nutrition in mind. Every day at least one meat, a starch, two vegetables, salad, fruit, and dessert are provided in take-out containers.

 

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Soup Kitchen’s dining room is closed and meals are provided for take-out only, Monday through Friday from 5:00 pm. to 6:00 p.m.

 

Soup kitchen is doing well in spite of the pandemic.  Our community is great and very supportive as a small town with a lot of giving people with great organizations like Rotary that support community programs.  How many towns our size would have places like the Soup Kitchen and the churches that support people in our communities?

 

They set a record for the number of meals made in 2020 with 18,882 meals served, or approximately 75 meals per day.  There were 252 volunteers during 2020 that donated 7,163 hr of their time.  They could not open their doors without these volunteers.

 

They have a food closet and make up bags of food ahead of time. The bags are put in the entry to allow people to take a bag of food when they pick up their meal.  They need to protect their volunteers, so they can’t let people inside to select food.

 

2021 is also record breaking as they partnered with United Way and the FED program to help out.  Meals prepared rose to 140 meals per day, however the FED program stopped as of Feb 1.

 

The Seven Loaves Soup Kitchen budget for 2021 is $113,000. Weis, Walmart and others donate food to the Soup Kitchen. They are getting $45,000 worth of food from their food donators.  The Soup Kitchen does not take government funding due to the regulations tied to such funding.

 

After the Zoom meeting, Pres. Terri met up with Raleigh at the Soup Kitchen to present the Kitchen with a check for $2,000, which brings Rotary's total donations to the Soup Kitchen to $8,000 for 2020 and 2021.