President Annette Oborn welcomed us for the first meeting of the new year by leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Program Host, Linda Trevorrow followed with an invocation from "The Book of Monbeck" about service.
Annette then thanked Sgt. at Arms, Steve Dunton and his helper Gail Moseley for welcoming us this morning.
CELEBRATIONS:
Rotary Anniversary: Congratulate Dick Hall for celebrating 32 years as a Rotarian this week.
Wedding Anniversary: Roger and Judy Cline celebrated 59 years of marriage yesterday.
Birthdays: Roger Cline and Bob Sweitzer are celebrating birthdays this week and Maria Ferrara led us in singing to them.
Drawing: The President's table had the winning ticket but drew the six of diamonds so the pot will continue to grow.
CONCERNS:
Jeff Film had surgery last week and will be out 3-4 weeks.
Bob Oborn is still recovering from surgery.
John Long's wife, Janet, is still recovering from her fall.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Foodbank: Remember that our new date to volunteer is the second Wednesday of each month, so volunteers are needed for Wednesday, January 10 from 4:30 to 6:30 at the Foodbank.
Teacher Supply Closet: Be ready to help with delivery after the meeting next week. But, Dinah Henderson will let Annette know whether or not there are deliveries since the teachers will have just returned from their holiday break.
Board Meeting: Our board will meet on Friday, January 12 at 7:15 a.m. at City Hall. Members are expected to attend but all are welcome. There was no board meeting in December, so the minutes of the November meeting are attached to these minutes.
Fifth Wednesday Event: There will be no morning meeting on January 31, Instead we will attend "Cher" The Musical at E.J Thomas Hall. Tickets will be $15 and Gail will have a sign-up sheet next week.
Membership Committee: The committee is tentatively planning an event for the evening of February 29. Stay tuned for further details.
Selfie Challenge: Annie Hanson reminded us that we are nearing the end of our Facebook Selfie Challenge.....did she say prizes? Take a photo of yourself wearing a Rotary pin or work shirt and either post it yourself in Facebook with #SMFRotary, or text it to Annie at 330-730-6424 and she will post it for you.
Haven of Rest Coffee Drive: Bring your donations to the meeting, ask Annette to pick them up or have Amazon deliver them directly to the Oborns, at 381 Silver Valley Blvd, Munroe Falls, OH 44262, However you do it, plan to donate coffee this month. Our goal is 250 containers this year, topping last year's 220.
Maria and the Balance, with our own Maria Ferrara will present a free show at Jilly's Music Room (next to Luigi's) in Akron on Saturday, January 20 from 7:30 to about 11:00. The event is free but come with an appetite so you can order from the menu. Maria will share some original works and also pieces from the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac, accompanied by her band. Contact Maria if you are interested and she will reserve a block of tickets.
Bulldog Bag Items: The following items are needed from us by January 10: Ramen noodle packs, Nutrigrain bars, toothpaste and toothbrushes, boxes of 8 granola bars, 8 packets of hot chocolate and Manwich/sloppy joe mix. Drop the items off in the lobby of City Hall, or at the library.
PROGRAM:
Program Host, Linda Trevorrow said that her Rotary Moment was being president during Covid when "Rotary Romper Room" happened every week over zoom....an interesting time. She also talked about how meaningful the Dictionary Project and Salvation Army Bell-Ringing are as a time to actively provide service.
She then introduced Walter Sestilli who is from Lorain County where he played football and later taught chemistry and physics at Field High School and also coached football there. This morning, however, his topic was coin collecting.
He stated that an integral part of coin collecting are the stories behind the coins. His collecting days started with finding coins on the ground and putting them in a jar. A friend of his father's was in a coin club and got him interested in that.
He explained that millions of coins of each denomination are produced every year but not as many are being used with the increase in credit cards. Coins are still given as change, but are not used as much as payment as they used to be. He told the story of how he was at the Casino where he got a 1911 penny in change that was worth $50.
If you have a coin that you feel may be valuable, try publications such as Redbook - United States Coin, which is the story of coins and their worth today. Another reliable publication is Coin Worth. Making the Grade has pictures and descriptions of all U.S. coins. Walter says that if you have a good coin, get it graded and make sure it is not counterfeit. Executive Coin on #91 is one reliable dealer in the area. Coin clubs are resources for selling coins as they have monthly auctions. Walter also showed us a variety of ways that coins are displayed.
Many in the room were wondering about coins they might have in their piggy banks or closets after Walter's presentation. He opened our eyes to possibilities.
Annette ended the meeting by leading us in the Four-Way Test.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Wednesday, January 10, 7:30 a.m. morning meeting at Bellacinos when Dr. Lei Xu from Kent State will be our speaker about "AI and Its Inpact on the "Average Joe".
Wednesday, January 10, Foodbank volunteer time from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Foodbank
Friday, January 12, 7:15 a.m. Board Meeting at City Hall
Wednesday, January 31, No morning meeting but in the evening attend "Cher the Musical" at E.J. Thomas Hall. Your $15 ticket includes a parking pass.
Saturday, May 11, Heroes Day
Friday, June 14, Golf Outing at Fox Den
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Submitted by Andy Denton
Andrea Denton
330-474-7265
330-414-1934