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Recap - Thank you to Kristina Heaney, Monroe County Conservation District Mgr. I heard she talked about the WHY. Why should we care, why does it matter, why does it affect me....? In a nut shell everything is related and one thing leads to another. All actions have consequences or benefits, we just need o be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Grants Update: The grant application process is now closed. We received 6 applications. Last year I believe we had over 15. It is unfortunate that those organizations that did not receive grants in 2024 did not reapply. Stroudsburgs Rotary Foundation chair, Christie Bowers will review all the information and make sure it's complete, she will set up a meeting with the committee to review and discuss the amounts to disperse. This grant process is the time where we see our fundraising efforts helping non--profits in our local communities. As President I feel I fell short on emphasizing to our Rotarians the importance of reaching out to the non-profits.Up until the day before there were only 2 submissions. I did a last minute email the day before the due date to 4 non-profits and I am happy they were all able to submit their applications on time and very grateful. It appears that some members had confusion on the process and on who is allowed to apply. All 501(c)(3) non-profits can applyfor up to $2000, however those that relate to the areas of focus may get precedence. To be elevated to the District, grants that have Rotary involvement get more precedence than those just asking for money to purchase something, and the local Rotary group has to match the same amount. **There is a request that we look into partnering with PM United Way annually for their backpack giveaway, and not wait every other year for them to apply. Please give us your feedback. This falls into Rotary's new impact plan by having greater exposure by partnering with a larger organization which leads to a larger impact on the community with a sustainable project. Evening Meeting: The evening members participated in River Road Roadside Cleanup sponsored by Shawnee Inn on the rescheduled date Saturday April 26. Street 2 Feet and DOT took over our area by Interstate 80 near the Sunoco station so we looked into other opportunities. In attendance were: Satellite Chair, Gene Prospero, Lance Godfrey, John Beljean, Mt Top Rotarian Michele Baehr, a newly minted Park Range (name?) and Zerla Bartolome. It's wonderful to hear how one of our newer Rotarians made the comment, "Who would have thought picking up garbage on a slightly rainy morning would be so much fun?" The Satellite members know how to enjoy the moment and create laughter. Thank you all for your service. Danica Hartenfels Honored On another note, about 16 Rotarians and significant others attended the Friends of Scouting dinner honoring Rotarian Danica Haretenfels who received the Distinguished Citizen Award along with Dr Steven Mazza who received the Good Scout Award. It was a wonderful night and well deserved for both recipients. The funds received benefit the Scouts of the Poconos, which is led by our very own President Elect Ed Schaefer. |
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