By now, all of you have heard the injunctions I recite at the end of our Thursday morning meetings: “Wear your masks. Be sociable, but keep your distances. Use your hand sanitizers. Be safe- stay well.” We are close to seeing the end of this pandemic caused by the virulent Covid19 virus. So let me add this: Stay patient. Stay the course. Together, we have got this.
I am now fortunately numbered among the 75% of Americans over the age of 65 who are now fully immunized. And I am thankful. I got my two shots at the Kasych Pavilion on the LV Hospital Center Cedar Crest campus. As our lines moved toward the staging area, we passed several large graphics on the hospital walls. One caught my eye. It read:
The point is not to payback
kindness but to pass it on.
At first, I thought it was a deep sentiment. Then as I pondered it, I realized it is a pale shadow of the service Rotary extends with goodwill, peace, and friendship around the world. Together, we offer our skills, experiences, expertise, leadership, time, and money to make a lasting change in this uncertain world.
One of the frameworks that helps us channel our efforts is the enumeration of Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus. These include:
Peacebuilding and conflict resolution
Disease prevention and treatment
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Maternal and child health
Basic education and literacy
Community economic development
Supporting the environment
This is Maternal and child health month. As privileged, middle-class Americans we may not pay much attention to this area. But when we open our eyes, ears, and hearts, we know there is much to do both at home and aboard. A few days ago, I heard of a program in Indian which is teaching the midwives not to put the naked newborn on the dirt floor so that they can push on the mother’s belly to expel all of the afterbirth where bad spirits hide! To do this, the mentors had to pay attention to the culture and learn that the gatekeepers for this customary way of childbirth were the vigilant mother-in-laws and the fathers. Working together, mothers and babies and fathers and paternal grandmas are all doing well!
Have you read this far? Thank you.
So here is a “ pop-up quiz”. There will be a prize for the first Emmaus Rotarian who finds the word I believe holds Rotary’s true essence and strength. Your hint? I have used it 3 times in this letter. You may text or phone your answer to me. Use the ClubRunner app on your phone for quick access to my cell number.
We now have a new link for our virtual meetings!!!
Our Meetings will continue to be Hybrid until further notice. While we will continue to meet in-person at Brookside Country Club we will also continue to provide you the meeting virtually. If you prefer not to join us in-person, you are more than welcome to join us virtually this week and every week if you desire.
If you are joining us online, please use the link below to join us this Thursday, at 7:30 AM or sooner if you would like.
We still encourage you to invite a virtual guest to help introduce Rotary to someone who could make a great Rotarian. Simply share the link provided in the red section below with your guest. Pleas ask all guest to sign in as - their name (guest of...?) - in the name field so we know who they were invited by.
To enter the virtual meeting, just click this link or copy and paste it into your URL Browser. Please note that you will need Firefox or Google Chrome as your browser to join the meetings.
2) Scroll down on the sign in page and you will see the list of recorded meetings under "Public Room Recordings".
3) Click on the blue presentation button of the meeting you'd like to view. 4) Click on the triangle shaped play button at the bottom left of the screen to play the recording.
5) Enjoy!
MANY THANKS TO ERIC LOCH AND JOHN CHISCA FOR MAKING THE HYBRID MEETINGS POSSIBLE EACH WEEK!
Friends - July 1, 2021 when I assume the Presidency of the Emmaus Rotary Club is just around the corner and one of the most important steps leading up to the new Rotary year is making sure that our committees are all in place and Chaired by the right people. Our committees do amazing work year after year only because of the passionate, committed and knowledgeable people who chair those committees and do the behind the scenes work week after week.
So, I am asking all current Chairpersons to stay on as Chairs next year. However, if you decide that you don't want to please let me know by April 15 and, if possible, suggest someone to take your place. If I don't hear from you I'll presume that you will remain as your committee's chair or co-chair.
Also, we have two Chair needs:
1. Larry Delhagen has done yeoman's work for many years as Chair of the Camp Neidig committee and has agreed to see it through this year. However, he is stepping away from this position and we need someone to take on this very important position for our Club. Larry has graciously offered to help anyone who takes it over and you can certainly contact him if you have questions about the responsibilities if you are interested. 2. We also need a Chair for the Mini-golf fundraiser. Wade is now Co-chairing the membership committee and Kev Basara has moved onto one of the membership project teams. The groundwork has been laid for this fundraiser and Wade will be the support person for whomever takes it over.
FYI - the members on each committee can be found in Club Runner. Many thanks for all you do and I'm looking forward to a very service oriented and successful 2021-2022.
EMMAUS ROTARY CLUB - BOARD OF DIRECTORS Elections for 2021-2022
Given the Club is meeting physically and virtually, we are planning to vote for our four Board of Directors seats with the ballots going out by email. These are Directors who will serve on the ERC Board from July 1st, 2021 until June 30th, 2022.
The first ballot consists of the names of all members with exception of current office holders. It goes by email to all active and satellite members on Thursday April 8th. Votes must be received by the Secretary before midnight Tuesday April 13th. The top 8 vote getters will be on the second ballot, going to all active and satellite members by email on Thursday April 15th. Ballots must be received by the Secretary before midnight Tuesday April 20th.
There are four choices on voting – choose only one:
• You can forward the ballot email to me at jim.palmquist01@gmail.com typing in the four names you vote for.
• You can call 484-575-6038 and leave a voice mail giving the four names you vote for.
• You can text me at 484-575-6038 typing in the four names you vote for.
• You can postal mail your vote to me at the below address but it must arrive by the deadlines to be counted. You can dispense with your name here. We trust Rotarians to vote ethically.
The four Board of Directors selected will go out by email to the Club soon after the votes are tallied.
Jim Palmquist
International Sponsor, IPTI Women Peacebuilders West Africa GG1757637
Club Secretary, Emmaus Rotary Club 5427; District 7430
TEAM WORK! Last week our club came together as one team for a great Service Project for the Allentown Rescue Mission. We assemble over 60 bags containing items for the men.
All of the items assembled were donated by the members of this fantastic club.
Many thanks to Karen Hobson and Nicole and Nicole Steirer who organized this event.
Don't Forget!!! To celebrate Earth Day the Emmaus / Upper Milford Environmental Environmental Advisory Councils are looking for volunteers to help with Earth Day clean-up. We need you Emmaus Rotarians, friends and family - let's put together some eager teams of volunteers to help with our Earth Day Clean-up - This Saturday, April 17th starting at 8.30 am starting in the Emmaus Community Park. Information, gloves and garbage bags are provided - usually over by 1 pm - SAVE THE DATE !! More information will follow - there will not be a recycle truck this time.
PLEASE NOTE!! Starting April 11, contractors will close the southbound traffic on Route 29 to the bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad near Big Woody's on Chestnut Street (Upper Milford) as work continues on the bridge. The closure and detour will continue for at least three months (YIKES!). The North bound traffic will not be detoured. The south bound traffic will be detoured for five miles! The project should be completed in November 2021.
Camp Neidig will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2021. Neidig Chairs from each club should go to www.campneidig.com.
For more information about Camp Neidig and we would like to encourage any high school aged Juniors and Seniors within our district (children or grandchildren) to visit the website using the following link:
To register the club, the chairperson can click on the "2021 Club Registration Page". We are asking for clubs to register by April 15th.
Once the club is registered, they will be sent a link to register their individual students. We are opening the 2021 Camp to both Junior and Senior high school students. This year, the Neidig Chairs from each club need to register their students rather than letting the students do it on their own.
Deadline for camper registration is April 26th.
If the club is not holding a service project on May 1, the Camp Neidig Committee will assign the student to a project near their home address. This and other information can be found in the Club Chairperson Packet.
One of the best ways to have a successful club is to grow your club. As your club membership grows you will be able to provide additional services. The more services a club does the more successful it becomes. So let me give you an idea to increase membership during these unusual times.
It is important to remember that every person you talk to is a potential member. Ask them to visit your club or come to help with a project. You will be pleasantly surprised when that person says ‘I have been looking for some way togive back…’ I have done this many times with great success.
Look, I will be the first to admit it is more difficult when you can’t meet face to face. So, here is your challenge. Pick up the phone and call just one person that you think would make a good Rotarian. Just One! You may be amazed by the response.
Don’t forget the Rotary Rebound incentive; every new member you sign up before May 1st will earn your club $100.00.
So, S.T.A.R.T. Now! Pick up the phone andSimply Talk About Rotary Today
Rotary makes high-quality health care available to vulnerable mothers and children so they can live longer and grow stronger.
We expand access to quality care, so mothers and children everywhere can have the same opportunities for a healthy future. An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation — all of which can be prevented.
The Rotary Foundation reaches mothers and children in need by giving communities the help and training they need to take control of their own maternal and infant health care.
For more information go to: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/saving-mothers-and-children
Rotary Service Notification: If anyone is interested in receiving the Covid-19 Vaccination, you are advised to make yourself eligible at either St Luke’s Health Network or Lehigh Valley Health Network.
LVHN to Open Vaccine Eligibility to Everyone 16 and Older Beginning April 13
Beginning April 13, there are three ways to schedule a vaccination appointment for any LVHN COVID-19 vaccination event, including drive-through clinics:
People with a MyLVHN account, the health network’s patient portal, can log in and click “Schedule your appointment” next to the vaccination announcement on the home screen. Under “Menu,” you also can click “COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling.” You also can click “Visits” and “Schedule an appointment.” MyLVHN is the fastest and easiest way to schedule.
People without a MyLVHN account can visit LVHN.org/appointment and follow the directions.
You can call LVHN’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 833-584-6283 (833-LVHN-CVD). The COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline hours of operation are Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. However, because of large demand and call volume, you may be placed on hold.
Appointments will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. LVHN has prepared for expanded eligibility by opening new, larger vaccine clinics, hosting ongoing mass vaccination drive-throughs and by offering appointments at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Pocono, LVH–Hazleton and LVH–Schuylkill. With these expanded efforts, LVHN expects to deliver up to 36,000 doses per week.
Many thanks to our own Bob Goehler for this information.
As you all know the Emmaus Rotary leads the establishment of the East Penn Food Coalition along with other community service groups to meet hunger needs in the East Penn School District Community.
We have reached a critical point to fund the East Penn Food Coalition, Feed East Penn Students Program. We currently serve over 200 children a week and need your help to raise money to continue to feed hungry kids in our community.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are seeking business, grants, and individual donations to support over $20,000 in need.
You can provide help for our neighbors in need in the following ways:
If you are interested in being part of this group, please let us know. Thanks to all of those who have contributed thus far.
We can all work together to help the families in our own East Penn Community.
Lastly, we also need your help in sharing our mission with your friends, family and colleagues. Here are quick and easy ways to participate in crowd funding.
Share the link on your social media pages. (Share on your own page and in groups you belong to)
Email your contact list.
If you own a business share with your clients via email or social media.
COVID-19 is impacting us all in our personal, professional and Rotary lives. We must base our decisions about Rotary activities on the health and safety of our members and compliance with government and health regulations. Even though we may not be able to conduct the usual weekly in person meetings, many of our clubs are leading or participating in food and other relief programs in their communities. These efforts will likely be continuing through the balance of this Rotary year and into the future.
With this in mind, the following are guidelines for all Rotary District 7430 activities:
All guidelines set forth by the Governor, counties and other authorized persons in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the CDC should be followed.
Should any Rotarian be diagnosed with or have symptoms that they suspect to be consistent with COVID-19, that Rotarian shall:
Not participate in any Rotary event that involves a personal appearance at the event.
Report their diagnoses or symptoms to the Rotarian supervising any program in which they have participated in-person within fourteen (14) days before the diagnoses or occurrence of symptoms.
We also suggest that you adopt guidelines for your clubs that reflect the current health crisis.
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
