Many of you couldn’t care less. You don’t know whether it is Peyton or Eli. You heard he is no longer a Patriot. You can’t name the home towns for the Buccaneers or the Chiefs. You couldn’t care less. You heard advertisers have been pulling out. Great. The ads used to be the big deal. Maybe the Presidential Inaugural youth poet Laureate Amanda Gorman can pull something off during the pre-game. But.......
I get it. You couldn’t care less.
Please let me tell you why less is MORE! It is a win-win when you help fill up our 100 squares game for Superbowl Sunday on February 7th. I know you care about pitching in to meet the hunger that students and families in our East Penn School District are facing. Emmaus Rotary has been stepping up. We are distributing over 150 bags of food on Wednesdays. We couldn’t care more for the well-being of our neighbors and community members.
Right now, we are scrambling to raise the $20,000 bill we anticipate will be the cost of food for the rest of this school year. We are writing grants. We are talking to local businesses and industries. And a few of us dreamed up this fun game of luck which has the potential to raise $3,000 toward that total if we sell all 100 squares on our first ever pop-up Superbowl Lottery Fundraiser!
The last I heard, we are approaching about 50% of squares being claimed. We need a whiteout…. We need to sell all 100 squares. Each one costs $55-- clever, right? For Superbowl LV. Then it is all luck! The entire grid is filled randomly. Teams, scores and fans who bought squares are all located on the x-y axis by chance. We even had to buy a County Game of Chance license for this fund-raiser! The prizes? Lots of them. Cash money.
“But, Lexa, I would rather just give that money to the Emmaus Rotary Foundation so it can go directly to pay for food,” you say. Great. Do it by buying a ticket/ a square-- or two. If you lose; it’s all good. Emmaus Rotary gets the money. Remember I said our club is guaranteed a $3000 profit if all the squares are sold? Your money can make money. And, if you win? Hey, you can donate back your winnings-- $100, $200 or $500!! Do you see how it is all a win-win?
Talk to your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
Let’s get these squares sold and filled out.
“Less is More” (**) when it is a “win-win”.
Yours in Rotary,
Lexa Shallcross
Emmaus Rotary President, 2020-2021
(**) Less snow would have made today’s dig out much more easy.
I hope you are all finished clearing your steps, sidewalks, and driveways.
THIS POOL IS REALLY SUPER! You should have received an email through club runner from Gary Guthrie about a Superbowl pool that our club is running for this year's big game. It is SUPER because not only can you win some BIG money but the proceeds go towards our continued support for the East Penn School District food program. What could more SUPER than that! To make it even better, it is a 100 percent total chance game and you do not even have to know who is playing in the game or even know anything about football!
The cost is $55 per block and we are only selling 100 spaces in this total game of chance. Look for the email for complete information and to register your name.
Payment: Please make checks payable to ERC Foundation. They can be mailed to Ashly Lorah, 191 Main St., Emmaus, PA 18049. Don Blose will also be accepting payment via Venmo. Regardless of how you purchase your squares (s), please include name and email address for all square purchases. Due to the current mail situation, I recommend that you email me g.guthrieerc@gmail.com when you send the check or pay Don so that we know to add you to the board. If you have and questions please contact Gary via email of Sal Verrastro via cell phone (610-533-5621).
How our Super Bowl Pool Works!
We have developed a 10×10 grid of squares (like a checkerboard). Each of the Super Bowl teams are assigned to x and y axis. So this year the Kansas City Chiefs will be on one axis and the Tampa Bay Bucs will be assigned to the other axis. After we fill up the board randomly with YOUR names, one name in each square, we will draw a numerical value of 1-9, selected randomly for each axis.
We will then take the scores at the end of each quarter and the final score and if your name is in the square with that score you WIN. For example in the pool block below, if at the end of the first quarter, KC is leading 7 to 3, and your name is in that block you win the first quarter prize. Please call me if you have any questions. Thanks. Sal Verrastro
We will continue to meet virtually! There will not be an in-person meeting this week and it will continue that way until further notice. But it is always wonderful to see your smiling faces when you do join us online!
Brookside CC has notified us that they made the decision to close Brookside Country Club down until March! So we know for sure that we will continue to meet virtually through February. We will be sure to keep you all updated. But until then, all Rotarians and Guests are welcome to join in virtually as follows:
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.
Last Week's Meeting was presented by Mr. Bob Lankin who not only served the District 7450 as Governor in 2005, but has been a volunteer at the State Correctional Institution at Graterford for 4 decades! He is an advocate of ending "mass incarceration" Bob educated us on the current stare of affairs in our national prisons. He noted that since 1980 we have more than doubled the number of people in prison in this country and the costs of housing a prisoner can cost between $35,000 and $60,000 per year to the taxpayers. Bob explained the reasons that we incarcerate people and why so many of them are being held too long in prison. Bob explained why this mass incarceration has grown and how we can begin to reduce the number of people in jail such as the elimination of the cash bail requirements. He supported his idea with the fact that there are 400,000 people in jail right now just waiting for their trials. Bob also stresses that we should eliminate the “life-in-prison without parole” sentencing. Mr. Lankin also explained how society has “dumped” the mentally ill people into prison in lieu of dealing with the mental illness first. If you would like to know more, please check out Bob at this blog: BobLankinsBlog.net. Thanks Bob what a great presentation!!!
Thanks to our President-elect Mike Waddell, we have insider knowledge and have learned that there will be a District-wide membership initiative announced in this month. So let’s be alert and geared up to give it an Emmaus Rotary push!
This membership initiative is multifaceted and includes:
Governor's PI Challenge - media resources to empower sharing the good work you do and invite others to join.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Introductory Workshop - will introduce you to ways to invite and welcome ALL possible community people to be members. (Look for registration information in the 2/4/21 District Bulletin)
Rotary Rebound: S.T.A.R.T. Now! Email Campaign - D7430 Membership Chair Gary Volpe will be sharing ideas to kickstart your membership drive.
Rebound Incentive - Clubs will receive a $100 award for each new member added during the months of February, March & April. (More information will be forth coming)
Start Satellite Clubs - What group of people might you bring together to add a Satellite to your club? Young professionals? EcoClub? Service Club? International Travel? Local Veterans?
RI President Holger Knaack inspired us all when he said "Everything we do opens another opportunity to someone, somewhere!" This is our call to action. Who will you invite today?
“Keep an eye here to find out more. As we learn it, we’ll print it.” -Trumpet Editor
Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab Centers, located in both Fountain Hill and Allentown, is looking to our Rotary Community to help brighten the day of some residents who have been unable to have visitors or social programming for many months. Inspirational and nonreligious cards and or letters along with Valentine greetings too, would be a welcomed addition to everyone’s day. Please sign your correspondence “from an Emmaus Rotarian” or feel free to just sign your name. The dedicated staff at Cedarbrook would also enjoy notes as well !! Mail all items to the attention of Kerry Magliane, Cedarbrook Senior Care & Rehab., 350 S. Cedarbrook Road, Allentown, PA 18104. Thank you all for your kind attention.
Weekly Door Prize Donations Needed! Be our next meeting's prize sponsor!
It seems like we all like the idea of winning a festive prize at our meetings (in person or online). We have had some very generous and fun donations since incorporating this new aspect to our meetings. Many thanks to all who have donated a prize! It is a nice way to give back to each other. Do you have a hobby or talent you can share with the club? Maybe you love to bake, sew, or garden (IE Garlic). Let’s get creative with our door prizes and share a little bit about ourselves in the process! How about we show some love to the local businesses in our community? They have shown us support with raffle donations and sponsorships throughout the years. Consider purchasing a $20.00 gift card from one of the many small businesses in the East Penn Area. As we know every little bit helps. It's also a great way to start a conversation about Rotary and invite business owners and managers to a club meeting.
So if you’d like to sponsor a door prize contact Don Blose, Meghan Reed, Sal Verrastro or Lexa Shallcross.
COMMUNITY JOINT EFFORT NEEDED FOR FAMILIES FACING HUNGER
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.
NOW is the time to make your decision to become better educated about world-wide Rotary. If you have any wish to maximize your Rotary club membership, especially if you are new to your club, RLI makes it easy. Attend the virtual RLI training session on March 13, 2021. DEADLINE TO REGISTER FRIDAY March 5th.
Any Rotarian, newcomer and “seasoned" members, who attends a day of RLI programs becomes a more valuable, and more dedicated, member of your Rotary club.
Please register NOW for Part I, II, III, and if you have graduated you may register for the Post Graduate Course.
Click the link, on the left hand side under "Upcoming Classes", Find the information for the 7430 – Pottstown RLI and click on "more info", the next screen click "RLI Registration" on bottom right. Enter the security code as shown in the box, and click "Register Now". At this point you will be able to enter your information.
For other information or registration help, please feel free to call or e-mail Len Gieseler, District Chair, at 610-323-2201 or lgieseler2023@gmail.com.
February is Peace and Conflict Prevention / Resolution Month
Rotary creates environments of peace
As a humanitarian organization, peace is a cornerstone of our mission. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect.
By carrying out service projects and supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, our members take action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.
Our commitment to peacebuilding today answers new challenges: how we can make the greatest possible impact and how we can achieve our vision of lasting change. We are approaching the concept of peace with greater cohesion and inclusivity, broadening the scope of what we mean by peacebuilding, and finding more ways for people to get involved.
Rotary creates environments where peace can happen.
For more information go to: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/promoting-peace
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
