Pledge and Invocation:
 
President Sandra Lane brought the meeting to order at 12:15 PM at Purkey’s Pink Apple with Karen Fuller leading the Pledge of Allegiance and Lou Divis giving the Invocation.
 
Guests:
 
 
Club News:
 
Ad Buck – Terri Detrick   Tunkhannock Business & Professional Women’s Community Blood Drive will be held Wed Aug 21 from 10-6 PM at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Please donate blood to help those in need of blood.
 
Jeannie Brady thanked everyone for helping her celebrate her 30th Anniversary of her Real Estate Business.
 
Peace Camp – Lou Divis
 
Lou Divis reported that there were 20 kids at Peace Camp last week with help from 1 Interactor. The Interactor enjoyed it so much, she will volunteer to help next year also.  Rotarians Mike Markovitz (dive team & ambulance), Cammie Anderson (drugs and alcohol) and Ron Furman (maple syrup) gave talks and the kids loved to get onto the jet ski that Mike brought as part of the Tunkhannock Community Ambulance Associations Dive Team.  Rotarian Samantha Maruzzelli provided the lunches for the kids and they especially like the pizza in Lazybrook Park.
 
Kiwanis Kayak/Canoe Race
 
Patty Ehrenzeller brought the trophy from the Kiwanis kayak/canoe race that we did not win this year but could win next year.  We were outnumbered as there were 2 Kiwanis but only 1 Rotarian on the River.  Sunday was very, very hot and it was a 12-mile distance.  
 
Rotary family member Amy Markovitz won the woman’s race and daughter Kaitlyn Markovitz won the award for the most dedicated paddler.  Unfortunately, Rotarian Mike Markovitz spent most of the day trying to get the hydrofoil boat working and did to make it into the race.
 
Next year, Kiwanis may consider a separate fun event for Kiwanians and Rotarians to get out onto the River with a shorter distance and maybe some food at the end.
 
Paul Harris Presentation – Pres. Sandy Lane
 
Pres. Sandy presented Karen Fuller with her Paul Harris +4 pin. Although this duty normally falls to the Chair of the Foundation Committee, Karen is the new chair, so Pres. Sandy made the presentation.
 

Karen Fuller (left) receiving her Paul Harris +4 pin from Pres. Sandy Lane
Club Dues
 
Annual Club dues are now due as we have already had to pay both Rotary International and Rotary District 7410 for each member on our membership rolls on July 1. Please make checks payable to Tunkhannock Rotary Club and get them to Elaine Walker or her cover as soon as possible or mail to Tunkhannock Rotary Club, P.O. Box 325, Tunkhannock, Pa 18657.
 
Next Flash Meeting
 
The next Flash Meeting will be Thursday, Aug 1st, 2019 at 5:30 pm at Bogey’s Restaurant. Immediate. Past President Mike Markovitz will be conducting the meeting. Mike has sent out an e-mail asking who plans to attend, so he knows if there will be anyone attending during these summer vacation days.  Please respond to Mike’s message if you plan to attend.
 
I am Rotary Photo Project – Sam Maruzzelli
 
 
Committee Reports:
 
2019 Harvest and Wine Festival Committee:
 
The next Meeting will be Monday evening Aug 5 at 6 pm at the Tunkhannock Library. Rack cards and posters will be distributed after the Triton Carnival is over.
 
Rotary Foundation – Karen Fuller/Samantha Maruzzelli
 
Chair Karen Fuller is printing out reports from the RI website.  Our club had the largest giving in our District 7410 for this year.
 
Public Relations Committee – Chelsea English/Gina Suydam
 
Secretary Carol reported that Chelsea is trying to get a PR meeting to discuss the Facebook, Instagram and website activities necessary to advertise the Oct 12 Harvest & Wine Festival. We need to advertise that online ticket sales on our Website will begin Aug 1 and local site ticket sales will begin Aug 19.
 
The committee also needs to consider all the PR needed for the upcoming year to ensure our events are appropriately advertised.
 
District News:
 
See the July District newsletter for information on the various events and activities happening in District 7410. Please support our fellow Rotarians at other clubs in our District for their fun upcoming activities/events.
 
RailRiders Baseball Game
 
The District is sponsoring seats at an Aug 11 RailRiders Baseball game. Tickets are $12 each with half going to Polio.  We still have 36  tickets available. In Elaine’s absence please see Carol or Pres. Sandy for tickets.

Our next Meeting will be Thursday, Aug 1 and our guest speaker will be Jenny Huang, our 2019-2020 Outbound Exchange Student to Bolivia.
 
Prior to adjournment, Karen Fuller led the recitation of the 4-Way Test by the attendees.
 
President Sandra Lane adjourned the meeting at 1:30 PM.

Guest Speaker: 
Doug Harbach
Director of Communications, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
 
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regulates legalized gambling in PA. There are no taxpayer expenses as the gambling revenues cover these.  There are 7 board members (term limit of 6 yrs) and 300 staff (40% actually in the casinos).
 
They regulate land based casinos (slot and table games), online gambling and will be regulating newer venues such as mini-casinos, interactive gaming, sports wagering, fantasy sports contests, video gaming terminals at truck stops, and gaming in airport boarding areas.
 
The Board does not regulate horse racing, lottery games or small games of chance.
 
Mohegan was the first casino in PA in 2006. There are now 12 licensed casinos, most in eastern PA, where most of the population is and close to the borders with other states. There is a new casino being built in Philly.  There are also 5 mini casinos (750 slots and 50 tables) approved for underserved areas. There are also 8 approved land-based sports wagering locations (6 at casinos).
The Board collects about 1.4 billion in tax revenue per year. Citizens benefit with property tax reductions (homestead reduction) and horse racing also get some benefits. Luzerne county also gets added money since it is hosting a casino.
 
The Homestead reduction for 2019 is $234 per school property tax in the Tunkhannock area.
 
Internet casino gambling will also be regulated by them, with safeguards to ensure player is age 21 and above. This will add to the property tax reduction coffers.  Airports can now also have these online gambling pads in their boarding areas, where you can do online gambling while waiting for you plane, includes the Scranton-WB Airport.
 
Sports wagering is the newest bigger area of interest, both land-based and online. 4 online and 9 land based were approved and the number will continue to expand.  You must be 21 or over to participate.
 
Fantasy sports games also will now be regulated, since it is gambling. New regulations will be put in place to make it more fair. There will be a 15% tax payable to the state of PA.  The software will geolocate you and if you cross border out of PA, it will shut you off.
 
There are also going to be video gaming terminals for large truck stops.  Tax revenue from these terminals will go to the General Fund.
 
Casinos have been fined over $9 million for violations to the gambling regulations.
 
The Board also pays attention to problem gambling. There are various tools for individuals who cannot afford to gamble. All casinos must have phone numbers to get help and you do get to talk to a live person.  There is a self-exclusion program to ban yourself from a casino, but you cannot ban your spouse. 14-15,000 people have signed up for this program. This list also goes for online gambling. If you violate by being caught gambling, you can be arrested for trespassing and your winnings confiscated for the problem gambling fund.
 
Slot machines pay back about 90% of what money goes in.  The 26,000 casinos in PA are all attached to a central computer and must pay at least 85% of what goes in. Approximately, 70% of the gross casino revenues is from slot machines.
 

Doug Harbach