Acting President, Steve Dunton called the meeting to order by leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Todd Hearty, Program Host, followed with the invocation. Steve thanked Todd and Dave Renninger for checking us in this morning and welcoming our visitors, Lindsey Malin, Jill Smith, Cindy Billideau and Eleanor Sovacool.
PROGRAM:
Steve then turned the program over to Todd Hearty, Program Host. He began with a few jokes, one of which was personalized with the names of Rotarians, Dick Hall and Tom Loepp. You can ask him to tell you the joke when you check in next week. Todd then introduced his wife, Angie Hearty who is the Child Nutrition Services Supervisor for the Stow-Munroe Falls Schools. Todd and Angie live in Stow and are the parents of 4 adult children.
Angie began by introducing the idea that the main purpose of her department is to “feed the babies.” The school system is on board with her philosophy that all children will do better in school if they are fed nutritiously and are not hungry. Angie supervises 9 managers, 21 cooks/servers and a data tech/transporter in the schools of Stow and Munroe Falls who provide both breakfast and lunch every school day. With a school population of 4800 students, they have served 25,837 breakfasts and 103,179 lunches so far this year. 37.7% of their students are meal program eligible. Groceries, equipment repair and payroll are their highest costs. The cost of paper is up 10% this year and because their equipment dates back to the time the high school opened, their repair costs are high. The tariffs are impacting the cost of paper and other serving items that come from overseas.
Interestingly the US Department of Defense is their funding source. This originated when many of their recruits came to them malnourished and the department wanted to assure that their recruits grew up well-fed. Now the school system focuses on healthy food that the children will eat and also utilizes high protein options. They try to do this by also serving foods that appeal to the “kiddos” rather than see food wasted. However, they try new foods with the students on “Try It Tuesdays” and yesterday, for example found that burritos were quite a success.
Future impacts include SNAP suspension, the cost of protein options, and the needs of food-insecure students. Angie's department is continually involved with teachers, principals and other staff as far as recognizing symptoms of food-insecurity. Previously there has been a problem with some parents acquiring negative lunch balances that effect the department's bottom line. However, some community members are paying past due balances for those parents. In the future they want to reduce sugar content of their meals and to continually try to recipes while still serving the favorites. There are on-line menus available where elementary students are offered two meals. At the high school there are more options such as a taco bar, a salad bar, pizza and of course a wider selection of fruits and vegetables. More choices are available with the goal of reducing waste, and there is a real push toward students having breakfast as a foundation of being ready to learn.
As family circumstances change, people can go off and on subsidized meal programs. There are certain regulations that people need to meet for the free or reduced meal programs. In the summer, people are given information about food pantries and can get a summer EBT card which allows a family $150.00 per student.
BUSINESS MEETING:
CELEBRATIONS:
Happy Bucks:
Police Chief Jeff Film told us that he will be retiring this Friday, November 14. He will be celebrated that evening with at The Center with a send-off reception. See the attached flier for more information: We all wish him well!
Jeff also explained that he has Shop With A Cop tickets. They are only $5.00 per ticket. E-mail him at jfilm706@gmail.com if you would like tickets. Each student is able to purchase about $300 worth of gifts for their families and also some gifts of their own. Last year 30 students from Stow participated and Munroe Falls also administers this program. For more detail, see the e-mail that Jeff sent today and or the attached flier. You could be a winner too with the right ticket.
Dave Renninger happily reported, after last night's basketball game between Kent and Akron U., that the wagon wheel is back at Kent.
Rotary Anniversaries: Christine Farranda has been a Rotarian for six years and Will Sumpter for two.
Wedding Anniversaries:John and Janet Long are celebrating 51 years of marriage this week and Mary and Ron Dula, 37 years.
Drawing: Our speaker, Angie pulled the winning ticket but then Denise Green drew the 3 of diamonds so the pot will continue to grow.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Rotary Foundation: Dave Renninger thanked everyone who has donated so far, and asks that we continue the good work. Remember to get your information to Dave or Maria Ferrara if you are having donations automatically withdrawn so that you can be included in our club's total.
Operation Full Plate: Bob Oborn announced that there is a friendly competition going on with which district or zone is giving the most to address food insecurity. He asks that we keep track of what we donate, either in money, goods or time to address the problem. He will gather the information.
Keys to Serenity; is a toy drive that the district is sponsoring. Get any toys that you are donating to the Oborns by December 17.
Stuff the Ambulance: To address the topic of food insecurity in our area during these difficult times, see the attached flier for how you can help. Times and places for where to give your donations along with what is requested for the families is in the attached flier. Mary Parr stated that the response last weekend was amazing. People are very generous and want to help each other.
Foodbank: Today is our time to volunteer from 4:30 to 6:30. We have 8 people signed up so far.
Board Meeting is this Friday, November 14 at 7:15 a.m. at City Hall. Board members are expected to attend but others are welcome.
Dictionaries: They will be delivered after the meeting next week.
Holiday Helping Hands: John Pribonic will have the list of families next week for us. Our wrapping party will be Wednesday, December 10 in the evening at City Hall. There will be no morning meeting that week.
Thanksgiving: There will be no morning meeting the day before Thanksgiving on November 26.
Football Pool Winners: Dick Hall read the list of people who won in Week 9 of the Football Pool. The only club winner was Denise Green. Otherwise we made 11 other people happy by selling them books earlier this year.
Steve closed the meeting by leading us in the Four-Way Test.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Today: 4:30-6:30 Volunteer time at the Foodbank
Friday, November 14, 7:15 a.m. Board Meeting at City Hall
Wednesday, November 19, 7:30 a.m. regular morning meeting at The Center when Sammy Canto of We Rock will be our speaker.
Wednesday, November 19, Dictionary Delivery after the morning meeting.
Wednesday November 26, No Morning Meeting. Happy Thanksgiving!
Saturdays November 22nd, November 29th and December 13th and 20th ring bells for the Salvation Army at Acme from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday December 10, no morning meeting but Holiday Wrapping Party in the evening at City Hall.