Shhh…. Don’t tell Sarge. I am sure my omission is fineable!
At the 2021 Emmaus Flag Day Program on Monday evening, June 14th, I was given a few minutes to speak. I bragged on Emmaus Rotary and Rotary International. And I failed to mention our new Flag Subscription Program!! On Flag Day, no less! Mea culpa.
Despite my misstep, the ceremony went smoothly thanks to the months of planning by our ERC Flag Day Committee headed by Sue Straeter. The rain held off. Local Veterans and Scouts advanced the colors. The contest winners were posed and presented outstanding recitations on “What the Flag Means to Me”. Cynthia Zettlemoyer's Musikschule students captured the hearts of the audience with their spirited patriotic medley and sing-a-long.
Dr. Raymond Fritz, Jr. struck just the right tone as a guest speaker who knew his audience well. He spoke as a local guy who valued the opportunities this great country and the military gave him to succeed and serve. He was part of Seal Team Team One and spent over 28 years in the active and reserve military. After congratulating the Flag Day contest winners--
Addison Lausch
Jasmine Beckles
Matthew Oviedo
Connor Iyengar
Ellas Patterson
Chase Will
Fritz turned back to the audience to thank their families for raising such fine young people and then stated that he was optimstic because they were our future.
Parents, teachers, and all manner of adults say that: “the young people are our future”. I know that Emmaus Rotary has from time to time said something similar: “Our Interactors are the future of Rotary”. Let me suggest something different. Young people and members of the Emmaus High School Interact Club are also our now-- our present. Right now they are serving and leading and inspiring everyone around them. In some ways, they are our leading-edge or cutting edge.
Time is funny that way. I imagine that everyone on the Flag Day committee is stunned that it finally happened-- that no virus nor downpour interfered. Months of planning for an hour program. Let me say thank you again to Sue Straeter, Ceil Birdsell, Valerie Deneen, Rory King, Doug Reichley, Roger Whitcomb, and John Zettlemoyer.
Yes, time flies. This is my penultimate president’s message for the Trumpet. On June 24, we will pass the President’s gavel to Mike Waddell. Please try to attend that morning’s meeting. It is an inspirational ceremony. Past ERC presidents will join me and line up in solidarity to show that the past, the present, and the future of Rotary are all in good hands!
Thursday, June 24th is also the date for our next Board meeting. Please get any reports or agenda items to me. And semi-annual dues are due. Speak to Jim Palmquist, our Secretary, if you have questions or did not receive an email bill. Thank you.
What a Celebration! This event gave new meaning to "Patriotism". Many thanks to our Rotarians who made this event possible, especially, Sue Straeter, Ceil Birdsell, Valerie Deneen, Doug Reichley, Rory King, Roger Whitcomb, and John Zettlemoyer.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO ERIC LOCH AND JOHN CHISCA FOR MAKING THE HYBRID MEETINGS POSSIBLE EACH WEEK! And a special thanks to Wade George for helping with the camera and microphone this week.
Last week’s program was a chilling presentation about an international program to facilitate the placement of low-smoke, fuel-efficient, and safe cookstoves in collaboration with local communities of mostly Latin American which will support families and protect the environment.
THEIR MISSION: “We empower local people in Latin America to produce safe, clean-burning cookstoves” .
To date, the StoveTeam group has made safe kitchens a reality for more than half a million people.
AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM: Each year, smoke inhalation from indoor cooking fires kills more people than malaria and AIDS combined. And CO2 emissions from cooking fires are a major contributor to climate change. StoveTeam's innovative model for launching local projects in Latin America has been awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Partnership for Clean Indoor Air Award for Developing Local Markets for creating local employment while improving health and reducing air pollution. To date, local projects started by StoveTeam in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Mexico have produced more than 78,000 stoves, improving the lives of more than half a million people and preventing nearly one million tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
COOKSTOVES ARE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE: Each $100 Justa cookstove saves 15 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, equivalent to the average American’s yearly carbon footprint.
There are also over a dozen ways to get involved, plus inspiring stories from the field at stoveteam.org/next-steps
Anyone who would like to write to to the Stove Team can do that at: PO Box 14707, Portland, ORStoveTeam is currently focusing on our Justa stove project in Guatemala.
Their goal is to install 5,000 cookstoves into homes in the next 3 years. They are working on gathering club and district support to fund their efforts and would welcome any support from our club or advice on approaching our district.
HOLIDAY FLAG PROGRAM - It is not too late to sign up for this new program which is designed to provide each recipient with an American Flag to be installed in your yard at each of the following US holidays. For an annual subscription of $49, a 3' x 5' American Flag will be placed in a designated area in your yard and removed immediately after each date:
Memorial Day
Flag Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Patriots Day
Veterans Day
To sign up please use this link: Flags.EmmausRotary.org
August is Membership and New Club Development Month, when Rotary Clubs, around the world focus on membership in Rotary. Does your club have a plan? Are you executing your own plan to invite your friends and business associates to join your Rotary Club?
It’s time. Time to celebrate your Rotary club, your members, and the good you do in your community and around the world......
There are many ways to join in the celebration, but here are a few activities to get you started:
Say it loud, say it proud! Let everyone in your social network know that you are a proud member by changing your Twitter and Facebook profile to the I’m a Proud Member,I’m a Proud Rotaractor, or I am a Proud Interactorgraphic. Copy and save the graphic as your profile picture for August.
We Are Rotary. Using the hashtag #WeAreRotary, post photos to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Vine of your club members at work in your community or abroad to show how Rotary makes a positive impact in the world.
Making a difference. Rotary clubs are known for the high-impact service projects they undertake locally and globally. Share stories about your service projects and how they improve lives on Rotary Showcase. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see what Rotary members around the world are doing to celebrate Membership Month.
What does Rotary mean to you? Rotary members have pushed polio to the brink of eradication, delivered clean water to those in need, improved their local communities, provided scholarships to the next generation of peacemakers, and continued to do good in the world.
As members we are all responsible for making each week's meeting a success. Beginning this week we shall resume listing the weekly assignment in the newsletter so please see below to verify who has what in-person meeting assignments. PLEASE NOTE: If you prefer NOT to be on this list or if you prefer NOT to be given a specific assignment, please let me (Sal) know via text, phone call or email. I will respect any requests.
The assignments below are selected from our membership list and are in alphabetical order (or close to it). Should you be unavailable to make it to the meeting to fulfil your assignment, please do one of the following:
- Switch with someone else from another week.
- Contact another member to fill your slot.
- If either one of the above attempts is unsuccessful, please notify the Trumpet Editor ASAP.
August 5th:
Sign-In-Table: Sal Verrastro & Kev Basara
Greeter: Geoff Boyer
Invocation / Moment of Reflection: Rick Zayaitz
EREY: Ceil Birdsell
August 12th:
Sign-In-Table: Dave Coult & Mario Cozzubbo
Greeter: Doug Brinker
Invocation / Moment of Reflection: John Chisca
EREY:
August 19th:
Sign-In-Table: Craig Collins & David Dunn
Greeter: Dee Egg
Invocation / Moment of Reflection: Valerie Deneen
EREY: Bill Erdman
August 26th:
Sign-In-Table: Mark Erle & Alan Fornwalt
Greeter: Marge Geosits
Invocation / Moment of Reflection: Bob Goehler
EREY: Wade George
September 2nd:
Sign-In-Table: Steve Gould & Laura Groh
Greeter: Gary Guthrie
Invocation / Moment of Reflection: Rose Galeano-Phillips
EREY: Keith Heffner
Welcome to the Emmaus Rotary Club!
We meet at 7:30 AM on Thursday mornings
at Brookside Country Club, 901 Willow Lane, Macungie, PA 18062
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Sue read an entry from one of the students
President Lexa Shallcross brings it home!
