Oct. 6 President's Message

Posted by Ron Searfoss 
on Oct 06, 2015
 
A ClubRunner glitch is omitting most events and all speakers from the emailed bulletin.
Please click the link or go to www.morninstarrotary.org to see the full bulletin online.
 
Last Thursday we had the pleasure of hearing from Alan Jennings of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley.
Founded in 1965, it is now over 50 years of Action. Alan has been with CACLV since 1980 and was appointed Executive Director in March, 1990. He has been the driving force behind a range of CACLV programs designed to improve the quality of life for low-income people. Among these are the Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania, which has distributed more than 120 million pounds of food to agencies that provide food assistance throughout a six-county area, the Sixth Street Shelter and its long-term transitional housing programs, which have housed more than 3,000 homeless families, the Energy Partnership, which has weatherized over 20,000 homes throughout six counties and Safe Harbor Easton (which the agency spun off in 2012).
During Alan’s tenure, CACLV has grown from nine employees and a $500,000 budget to 90 employees and a budget (including four subsidiaries) of approximately $20 million.
 
Alan is a very strong advocate for personal responsibility. People must want to solve their own problems. Human services will not solve the problems, especially for people living crisis to crisis. CACLV processes nearly $4 million in microloans annually in its role as an entrepreneur generator. CACLV believes in fair market opportunities.
 
Broad issues impacting all our lives which Alan highlighted are
  1. Wages and income disparity; a negative spiraling effect impacting everyone.
  2. Housing, which needs to be addressed in real terms being much more localized markets oriented.  The number of Millennials exceeds Baby Boomers and for the most part they are interested in being in vibrant urban markets. The demand for rental units has far surpassed the supply of availability in our Lehigh Valley cities.
  3. Wealth disparity continues to expand in key areas of housing, savings and retirement provisions.
  4. Race is a very real issue. Just look at the composition of the Boards of Directors all around the Lehigh Valley.
Alan provided much food for thought.  Unfortunately we ran out of time before we could engage in a Q & A.  But we hope to have Alan back in the not too distant future.
 
Jess Elliott has scheduled a Membership Committee planning meeting Wednesday October 7 at Wegmans 512 at 5:30 pm to plan the Membership Happy Hour/Mixer. 
 
Marianne Aronson and Ellen Roberts will provide a brief update on the Dictionary Project on Thursday. Please be sure to volunteer and participate in the preparation and distribution of the books.
 
The Salute the Troops Concert, November 8, preparations will be full speed ahead with ticket sales and sponsorship acquisition.
 
The 9th Annual Sipple Lecture, “Homeless and Hungry: Community, Nursing, and Health Care’s Influence” on October 21st at Moravian College followed by MSR fellowship.
 
October 31st is Rotary Foundation and Grant Training in Blue Bell. This is a great opportunity for any Rotarian – new or “veteran” – to learn more about this very important part of Rotary.
 
Your participation is needed and encouraged to make these events successful and help build the MSR club in our communities.
 
The Nominating Committee will begin preparations for identifying candidates for the Board of Directors and Officers.  Anyone wishing to step up to a leadership role in helping the Club progress, please contact any committee member. You will enrich the club and your own experiences as a Rotarian.  Besides, we have FUN!
 
Please join us Thursday when Mike Stershic will talk to us about Discover Lehigh Valley.
 
 
 
 
“Be a Gift to the World”
President Ron