"Children of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and education is a critical tool for empowering them." Oliver Tambo, South Africa
Dear Friends,
Greetings and Happy Friday! I hope you've had a wonderful week.
First, a message to the mighty Council Rock Newtown Little League team, their coaches, and families: The Newtown Rotary Club is cheering you on for victory this Saturday! We’re incredibly proud of you. Your team spirit, courage, and skill have inspired and united our community. We can’t wait to celebrate your success!
To our members, thank you to the 22 members and guests who attended our dinner meeting this Tuesday. It was a pleasure to welcome new friends, including Joann and Paula, and we were thrilled to have Michelle, a former NextGen member and guest of Juan Ortiz, back with us as well. Be sure to check out the fun pictures below!
At the meeting, Marissa Christie, President and CEO of the United Way, shared surprising insights about the struggles many in our county face, especially those who are employed but still struggling to make ends meet. She explained how the United Way of Bucks County is addressing these challenges, particularly for ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)—those earning more than the Federal Poverty Level but less than the basic cost of living. In our county, 27% of households fall into the ALICE category (state average: 28%), and 6% live in poverty (state average: 12%). If you missed the meeting, I encourage you to review the additional information provided below.
In other news, our NextGen team is calling for all hands on deck to ensure the success of their upcoming State Street fundraiser. If you have time to help promote the event and secure sponsors, please reach out to Kira Altomari at kabowler512@gmail.com. Additional information is provided below.
As you plan your weekend, don’t forget to visit the Grange Fair, which runs through August 18th. If you wear your Rotary gear, be sure to snap some photos and send them in for our social media!
This week, our new Corporate Member, Ryan Krocker of Rothkoff Eldercare Law Group, and I had the pleasure of attending the Warminster Rotary meeting at the invitation of our District Governor, Katie Farrell. We were warmly welcomed by their president, Karin Suttmann, and Warminster club members. We were there to learn about their exciting new initiative—the Gold Club. This satellite club is designed for retired individuals who are interested in participating in community service projects through the club. The Gold Club is a community action group open to seniors living in senior facilities, offering fellowship, mentoring, and advisory support. Gold Club members help identify community projects, coordinate and implement them in collaboration with the main club, and are also welcome to attend all Rotary Club events and meetings. We hope to offer something similar to our local senior facilities.
Here's the Warminster Rotary Club with our District Governor, Katie Farrell, in the orange jacket, and our Newtown Rotarian, Ryan Krocker, on the far left:
Looking ahead, we're excited to host the Stuff the Bus: Camaraderie for a Cause event for the United Way on August 29th, supporting children in need within our community. Please see the details below.
Also, don’t forget to register for the Vibrant Club Summit—a district event that provides an excellent opportunity to connect with leaders from other clubs, learn more about Rotary, and explore how we can "transform our club for vibrant community impact." This year, the summit is on September 14th. Last year, Kyle Davis, Shari Donahue, and I attended the conference, and it was a fantastic learning experience. You'll meet new friends, and our club will cover the registration cost for members (just bring your paid receipt to a meeting). The registration link is below, and we’ll arrange carpools for the 40-minute drive to the college campus from Newtown.
Finally, next week, we have a special Newtown Rotary Club Lunch at the Temperance House on Wednesday, August 21st. We’ll be hearing about the impact our 2023 donation has had on the lives of preschool children in South Africa. Additional details are provided below.
And now…
Please Meet Another of Your Board Members!
As promised, in this and the coming issues, I’m sharing personal stories and insights from our dedicated board members. Each of them brings unique experiences, talents, and passions to our club. Their contributions help drive our mission and make a positive impact in our community. We hope these profiles give you a deeper understanding of the individuals who guide our club’s efforts and inspire you to engage with our initiatives.
Meet Jenn Ceslak, Secretary of the Board, An Inspiring Journey to the Newtown Rotary Club
1. Personal Journey and Role:
I am a mother of 3 older and historically active children who were involved in a lot of sports and activities. In all cases, I played a leadership role whether it was the Boosters, Board, Committee Chair, etc because I wanted to positively impact those programs and experiences. I felt I could do that because of my corporate Sales & Marketing upbringing with Wyeth, Johnson & Johnson and Market Performance Group. When the kids left the nest, I felt that the Newtown Rotary Club was the perfect place for me to channel that energy, make some wonderful friends and make a positive impact in the community.
2. Impact and Achievements:
I really enjoyed putting some structure around our Committees and recruiting more people to get involved and bring their talents to bear. I am just getting started in my new role of Secretary, but I hope to establish a robust communication mechanism in place to help members feel more connected and aware of what we are working on as a club.
3. Challenges and Future Goals:
One of our biggest opportunities is to create broader awareness of what we’re doing in Newtown Rotary and showcasing our positive impact on the local, national and global level. I hope to tackle that in my other role as Marketing Chair.
4. Community Engagement and Reflections:
I am super excited to see our various Service Projects and Events come to life. These represent the visual articulation of our impact so getting lots of people involved will really help scale our impact and allow us to have fun at the same time. Speaking of people, I continue to be delighted and amazed by the wonderful group of people we have in our Club – we are amazing!
5. Hobbies and Personal Interests:
My main hobby right now is travel because our children live in Chicago, Cleveland and Austin so these are fun places to visit! My husband is trying to get me to play Pickleball because he’s obsessed so that might be my next hobby.
6. Wildcard:
I love going to concerts – I will travel far and wide to see my favorite artists that include Pink, Lady Gaga, Pitbull as well as 80’s bands who can still play. I could be talked into travelling to Europe to see Taylor Swift!
Thank you Jenn, for everything you have accomplished since July, including all the new newsletter content!
Thank you all for your continued support. We appreciate you and all our corporate sponsors, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming meetings and events!
What to Expect:
Complimentary Dining:
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