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The Purple Pinkie!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Sep 21, 2017

The Rotary Club of Doylestown is proud to support global efforts to eradicate polio!

One way you can us in our efforts is by supporting the local Purple Pinkie Run in Schnecksville, PA on October 14th!

Can't come on the 14th? Sponsor one of our runners . . . "End Polio Pete" or "Let's Get Purple Allen".

Why is it called "Purple Pinkie" ?

When vaccinating the children in remote parts of the world, the medical team hands out candy. But kids, being smart, started showing up in line multiple times to get more. So the medical folks began to roll the children's’ pinkie finger in purple ink to identify those who’d been inoculated. Today, we run with “Purple Pinkies” to show our support of the people needing our help to fight this horrible disease.

All of this leads up to World Polio Day on October 24th.

Find out how you can participate in or sponsor this event by viewing the PDFs below:

2017 Registration Form

2017 Sponsorship Form

Jim Sell sells Arts and Culture

Jim Sell, Executive Director of the Arts and Cultural Council of Bucks County, gave us an overview of this non-profit's activities. Their mission is to create a more vibrant community by fostering, strengthening and promoting local artists of all genres. Fresh off a successful Plein Air Art Festival and Competition, a "Behind the Scenes" tour of Perkasie and Sellersville, entitled P.S., I love you (get it?), is planned for Sept. 23rd. Go to the carousel in Perkasie Park at noon, if you are interested. And check out bucksarts.org for a list of upcoming events.

Incidentally, Jim is a member of the Bristol Rotary Club and we enjoyed having him visit!

Habitat for Humanity: Volunteer Opportunities

Colleen Brink, Volunteer & Outreach Director for Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, presented great volunteer opportunities for our Club to participate in a home build. Colleen described the various types of projects that Habitat conducts, including creating home ownership, educating clients on home buyer process, a home repair program, and the Re-Store, Re-Cycle, Re-Use program! Eight hands went in the air when she asked who would like to participate in a home build day. So look for further information coming soon!

Member Classification Speeches

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Sep 06, 2017

Last Wednesday, Rotarians Chris Nurney and Robert Ainey both gave their classification speeches. It was an interesting evening getting to know more about two of our members. Both characters in their own right! One a real estate agent, the other a CPA; both have a passion for Rotary, THE FOUR WAY TEST, and all that we do as a Club!

Turn The Town Teal!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Sep 02, 2017

Several Rotarians were out in force Saturday morning, September 2, Turning The Town Teal!

In support of Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, volunteers gathered in town to tie teal ribbons on light posts and trees to remind everyone of the silent dangers posed by ovarian cancer.

The Rotary Club of Doylestown is a proud sponsor of this event!

Rotarians Pat Rider, Don Rider, Pat Petrillo, and Mark Hoffman (and his family: Lisa, Madeline, and Samuel) helped turn Broad Street teal!

Job Opportunities for Young Adults with Special Needs

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 30, 2017

At the Tuesday, August 29th Sun Rise meeting, the Club was joined by Mary Lowe, a Job Coach for the Bucks County Intermediate Unit. Mary described the important work of the Bucks IU to prepare young adults with special needs from across Bucks County to find and maintain meaningful employment. Mary shared her diverse and impressive professional experiences and how they have positioned her to support both employers and Bucks IU students throughout the job search, application, and work process. The Club was impressed with Mary's expertise in the field and her commitment to supporting our county's young adults with special needs!

Mary Lowe with Rotarian (and Bucks IU Executive Director) Mark Hoffman

A Dentist... and Three Candy Bars

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 24, 2017

On Tuesday, August 22nd, the Sun Risers enjoyed coffee and conversation. Pat Petrillo provided the group with a very interesting Classification Speech, highlighting his career as a dentist in the military and in private practice. It became immediately clear to all in attendance that Pat’s career has been guided by the highest ethics and dedication to patient well-being.

Mark Hoffman facilitated a brief “quiz” about the history of Rotary and of Doylestown Borough. Fitting for a meeting featuring a dentist's classification speech, three Rotarians with the "highest scores" on the quiz enjoyed chocolate bars as prizes!

Rotarian Pat Petrillo offers wisdom and humor during his Classification Speech.

Summer Picnic 2017!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 17, 2017

The Rotary Club of Doylestown held its summer picnic on Wednesday, August 16, 2017. A great time was had by all at the beautiful Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center. We were graciously hosted by Rotarian Chris Brockett, CEO of Ivy Hill, and his amazing family and staff. The Club toured the property, met some amazing horses, enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner, played lawn games, and celebrated another successful summer of community service!

Friends from Zhenjiang China

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 15, 2017

On Tuesday, August 15th, the Sun Risers were joined by two visiting teachers from Zhenjiang China, the city where Pearl Buck lived 18 years. The teachers are here as part of a cultural visit and home stay experience for eight students from the school. Pearl Buck actually attended the same school the students attend and later served as a teacher at the school after graduation from college. The students are experiencing family life, our culture and, of course, sightseeing. Following this first week with local families, the group of students and teachers will travel to Washington DC and New York City. Many thanks to Rotarian Janet Mintzer, President & CEO of Pearl S. Buck International, for coordinating our time this morning with our guests. We had a wonderful conversation about their school and education in China.

In photo (left to right): Shanming Zhao, Janet Mintzer, Zhuzhu Pan)

Rotarians In Hats

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 08, 2017

The Sun Risers of the Rotary Club of Doylestown met on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. The club focused much of its hour together on fellowship, learning more about one another through an ice breaker activity with M&Ms!!!

Rotarian Gail Linenberg also recognized five members of the club for supporting our morning meetings over the past year. As a thank you, Gail generously gifted each with a new Rotary hat!

An Action-Packed Meeting!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 05, 2017

At the August 2, 2017 meeting, Immediate Past President Amy Parenti recognized Bill Angel with a plaque honoring his commitment to the ideals of Rotary!

The Club also heard from two of our current college scholarship students, Dan and Adreana, who gave us updates on their studies, community service, and future plans.

Chris and Ashley Gasperi joined us, too, and presented how their organization ekenywa (which means "a new beginning" in Swahili) is going to make a significant impact for students in Kenya. We wish them luck as they prepare to move their family to Kenya to carry out this mission!

Honoring Doylestown Rotarian Carol Ferguson!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 02, 2017

At the Tuesday, August 1, 2017 Sun Rise meeting, the Club's Immediate Past President, Amy Parenti, proudly honored club member Carol Ferguson for her incredible efforts advocating for the Polio Survivors.

Congratulations, Carol - This is a much deserved honor. We are so proud that you are a Doylestown Rotarian!

The Rotary's 2017 Doylestown at Dusk Car Show Was a HUGE Success!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Aug 02, 2017

The Club's 2017 Doylestown at Dusk Car Show was a HUGE success.

The club thanks our generous sponsors, amazing participants, enthusiastic visitors, and wonderful Borough for its support in making this year's event the best car show ever!

Welcoming the New District Governor and A New Member!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on Jul 20, 2017

The Rotary Club of Doylestown met on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. At the meeting, the group celebrated the success of the past weekend's very successful car show! In addition, the group was joined by New District Governor Rick Gromis. The Club was also extremely pleased to induct our newest member, Inge Karlberg-Stannick.

Sponsoring Students at a Local Leadership Camp

Posted on Jul 05, 2017

The Rotary Club of Doylestown was pleased to sponsor six talented students from Central Bucks West at Camp Neidig Leadership Training June 16th – 19th.

Also in attendance were Rotary members Ed Suarez and Dave Woffendin. Dave has successfully coordinated the program for over 15 years (and who personally knows the program well, having attended the Camp himself in 1968!) and will pass the baton to Ed going forward. Thank you, Dave, for your extraordinary service!

The program has changed a lot since then: the students sleep in cabins instead of tents and women were not able to participate until 1990! Times have changed! The Central Buck students was very inclusive with four young ladies and two young men.

The Leadership event culminated with a graduation event and chicken dinner attended by all parents. The students have been invited to a Rotary meeting, coming soon, to share their leadership experiences with the Club.

A Visit from Dr. Jeff Buckwalter

Posted on Jun 09, 2017

At our Tuesday, June 6^th Sunrise Meeting, Jim Dowling introduced his friend and Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve Board Member, Dr. Jeff Buckwalter, the Fern Whisperer. Radiating warmth and enthusiasm for the subject of nature, Jeff shared his belief that exposure to the lush loveliness of the wildflower preserve helps to center people. And as an MD/ENT specializing in ears and how important they are to our ability to balance as we age, he sees the parallels between balance in people and balance in nature. He extolls the beauty of Bucks County, in general, and the Wildflower Preserve, in particular, and seduced us all into planning a trip to 1635 River Road to see the 800 specimens of native flora. We can even buy some for our own gardens – the wildflower sale is happening now.

Visit www.bhwp.org to get a virtual tour of this gorgeous outdoor museum.

Rotarians Honor Vets this Memorial Day!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on May 30, 2017

The Rotary Club of Doylestown was honored to participate in this year's Doylestown Memorial Day Parade!

See below for some great photos of Rotarians proudly driving local veterans the parade route.

Supporting Those In Need

Posted on May 24, 2017

It took a big slurp of coffee to swallow the news that there are 41,000 people living below the poverty level in wealthy Bucks County. That’s the number Joe Cuozzo, Development Director of the Bucks County Opportunity Council, left hanging in the air on Tuesday morning, May 23rd. With so many in need, the BCOC utilizes a vast team of volunteers, along with their 30 staff members, to make a dent in the poverty level. Here are some volunteer opportunities for our club*, or individual members:

Donate your vehicle, or the funds to support the Wheels to Work program directly. (Our club gave a grant for this program last year)
Provide job support such as coaching, resume writing/interviewing, childcare back-up, work-appropriate attire… to help clients achieve self-sufficiency
Lead a food drive for Operation Helping Hand, in March*
Donate hours to working at DVU in the Hope of the Harvest Garden (this can be one 2 hour work session or a weekly commitment)*
Partner with a participant in the Economic Self-Sufficiency Program (average commitment of $3000)*
Sponsor students for up to 3 years at BCCC through the Gateway Scholarship (average commitment of $3000-$12,000)
Volunteer as a Tax Preparer, if you have the skills

Last year, the BCOC helped 15 families leap out of poverty and the program continues to grow. Additionally, the organization helps feed the hungry with fresh food through their “Fresh Connect” program, respond to emergency housing/heating needs, find rides for people without vehicles, etc. They save 4 of our tax dollars for every $1 they spend, thanks to volunteers who pitch in with body, mind, soul and cold, hard cash, around the framework this excellent organization provides. And thank you, Jim Dowling, for bringing Joe to breakfast!

Jim Cuozzo and Rotarian Jim Dowling are pictured left-to-right.

Announcements were mostly about the car show. Next Tuesday morning, Bruce will be centerstage to answer all our car show questions. June 1 is the next car show meeting, at CB Ambulance, 7 pm, on East St next to 7-11.

Rotary welcomes VITA Education Services!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on May 17, 2017

The Doylestown Rotary "Sunrisers" met on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at Coach's. Jim Dowling introduced our invited guest speakers, Linda Wolfson and John Walko. Linda serves as the Executive Director of VITA Education Services. John is a volunteer and former Board President for VITA. Linda and John provided a very interesting look at their work supporting local efforts to increase literacy. VITA specifically support those in the criminal justice system; those who are unemployed, underemployed, and undereducated; those seeking support with English as a second language; and those seeking their GED. Linda and John impressed the group with their passion and dedication to serving our local community, sharing amny stories of how the power of their staff and volunteers has changed lives for the better through education and decision-making support.

To learn more about VITA, visit their website: www.vitaeducation.org

Pictured in photo (Left to right): VITA Volunteer John Walko, VITA Executive Director Linda Wolfson, Rotary Member Jim Dowling

Welcome, Donyale! Thank You, Florence!

Posted by Mark Hoffman on May 10, 2017

On Tuesday, May 9, 2017, The Rotary Club of Doylestown inducted a new member! Please welcome Donyale Showers, the Executive Director of Twining Village, a Continuing Care Senior Living Center in Holland, Pa. Donyale has already been active in Rotary activities for the past few months! Thank you and welcome, Donyale! Donyale is picture with Gail Linenberg, Club VP, and Bob Tessier, Membership Chair.

Also on May 9, 2017, the Club welcomed Florence Kowacska, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County. Florence informed us that 103 homes have been built and 40 repaired since 1990, when Habitat for Humanity came to Bucks County. In addition, two Re-Store locations collect and resell used appliances, cabinets, furniture, books and even offer some new items (furniture from Mealy’s and new cabinets from a local supplier), as a HfH funding source.
So – who gets these HfH homes? Families who demonstrate need, can pay a mortgage and can invest 200 hours of sweat equity into the job. As Florence said, it’s a “hand up, not a hand out”. For families who cannot qualify, there is an “Almost Home” program to help them fix credit issues and learn how to save money, among other things, so they can qualify for a home. Another program called “A Brush with Kindness” helps low income families preserve their homes. Volunteers fix minor exterior problems and some interior ones. The home-owners pay part of the cost, while Habitat funds the rest and volunteers do the work. This program will be expanded in upcoming years, since there is great need for it in our county. Florence encouraged us to participate in Habitat for Humanity by taking our used items to Re-store and by volunteering to help build or fix homes. Of course, donations are very welcome, too. A big thank you to Florence for an interesting and professionally presented program! Florence is pictured with club member Jim Dowling.

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