What is your favorite color? Yes, I know, that is a tough question but I can tell you one of my favorites is the color green. Okay, I will tell you why, but only if I can also pen the minutes of the Rotary Club of Harrisburg’s March 11 meeting.
Salads, lettuce, cucumbers…everyone loves a healthy, nutritious, green salad, and our meeting room was filled to the brim with the YCDT students as President Ellen rang the bell at 12:12, Vlad offered the reflection, we recited the Pledge and enjoyed a meet and greet and President-Elect Scott introduced the three guests with members’ Holiday, Mariani and Ski.
Vegetables, Broccoli, Asparagus---let’s stay healthy and eat our green veggies, and YCDT Co-chairs Andy Philips and Brad Gebhart started today’s program with a deserved applause for our student guests, a thank you to the YCDT committee and a quick reminder that this program is unique to our Club as it was created to commemorate our 100th anniversary in 2011. Marion joined the dynamic duo in touting the significance of this program that has annually worked with youth from area schools like McDevitt, Harrisburg High, Sci-Tech and Cougar.
Sporting Fields, the green grass of football and baseball and golf courses, and six different groups of students came forward with a self-introduction and brief explanation of their descriptive poster that included ones termed Brightside, and The Apple Tree. The students had used these posters to fuel their inspiration as they sought to secure the most pressing need for community support. The choice was difficult but they landed on support for after school programs.
Shamrocks and all the Luck of the Irish Green as we soon celebrate St. Pats, and this group of 40 students launched an RFP for a $5,000 grant and received 18 applications. That list was pared to the final four finalists with the award recipient to be announced in April. In the meantime, this group will focus on fundraising with friends, family, personal donations as well as a Philly Pretzel sale. (Many Club members came prepared to support their campaign as Peggy had promised a one-day match to what was raised.)
Meeting adjourned at 12:49 and don’t be green with envy if you missed this wonderful presentation. Perhaps you would consider sending some green money (or a check) to our Rotary office though as it would be super to see the total flow past the goal. Okay, hop like a frog to our next Rotary meeting and we will see you all there.
- Submitted by Andy Rebuck