Oct 28 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Posted by Tom Kolepp

on Oct 28, 2014

President’s Message October 28

Morning Star just concluded a max action Rotary week: Dictionary Project prep; a Morning Star sponsored lecture and follow-on fellowship event; a great weekly meeting; Rotary training; and throw in an exchange student gathering for good measure.

The Dictionary Project committee and volunteers packed and delivered the books to our target schools. Meetings are scheduled for Rotarians to distribute dictionaries. Under Ellen Roberts’ leadership, we will soon complete this project that supports our Rotary Foundation focus on “Maternal & Child Health”.

Wednesday night October 22 brought fifteen Rotarians and guests to the 2014 Sipple Lecture at Moravian College’s Foy Hall to hear Dr. Donna Sabella deliver her talk on “Human Trafficking: Global and Local Perspectives”. Dr. Sabella’s talk was supplemented by other speakers including an American woman who escaped from forced prostitution and trafficking. The flowers MSR sponsored looked beautiful. Morning Star attendees included: Janet Sipple (of course); Joan Paul; Ginny Wolkoff; Cheryl Baker; Tom Bailey; Ed & Bella Ortelli; Jean & Ron Searfoss; Terri & Mike Long; Tom & Yolanda Mohr; exchange student Annika H; and Tom Kolepp. Afterwards, most attendees plus Gary Hartney and Carl Kolepp met at The Brick Restaurant for dinner and fellowship. Thanks to Tom Mohr for making the arrangements.

Our Thursday October 23 meeting’s speaker was Kim Schaffer, Executive Director of Community Bike Works. Kim spoke on “Learning Life Lessons through Bicycle Mechanics” and the positive impact their flagship “Earn A Bike” program has on youth. Stay tuned to hear more about a bicycle collection day to benefit Community Bike Works.

On Saturday October 25, four Morning Star colleagues arose early and drove to the Rotary Foundation Seminar in King of Prussia. Tom Hartzell, Ron Searfoss and Tom and Janet Kolepp attended this informative training session - GLOBAL GRANTS & DISTRICT GRANTS: OUR FOUNDATION DOING GOOD RIGHT HERE AND IN THE WORLD!

Later on Saturday afternoon, ten inbound Rotary exchange students invaded the Kolepp house as Annika hosted a party for her buddies. They watched movies and spent the night – amazingly all asleep by midnight. Tom and Janet chaperoned, made walking tacos for dinner, supplied pizza for late night snack, and made pancake and sausage breakfast before host parents picked them up.

Please put the following MSR events on your calendars and find more details on our MSR website:

Rotary Leadership Institute on Saturday November 8 in Wilkes-Barre. Registration will be refunded by the club upon course completion and car pools will be available. So far, Searfosses, Kolepps and Cheryl Baker are registered. All are welcome. See www.RLInea.org for details and registration for RLI I, II, III or Graduate.
Salute the Troops Concert on Sunday November 9. Chairperson Gary Hartney has distributed tickets and encourages members to recruit sponsors, get in your ads or recognition listings, and line up family and friends to attend.

Our upcoming Thursday meeting will feature Terese Heidenwolf of Lafayette College. Terese is the Director, Research and Instructional Services. She will be speaking about “Information Literacy Outreach” in support of our Dictionary Project.

Don’t forget to invite prospective members to help meet our 2014-2015 objective of increasing net membership by five. If “Every Member Brings a Prospective Member”, we’ll exceed the target.

If you are visiting or want to learn more about Bethlehem Morning Star or Rotary International, please contact Tom Kolepp via email at tkolepp@gmail.com or via mobile phone at 484-241-1251.

Let's continue to "Light Up Rotary" together. Regards. President Tom