Due to our weekly Thursday morning meeting catering deadlines, it is necessary to make a decision concerning any changes to either meet as usual (live/hybrid), or to switch to virtual only by 9:00 PM on Tuesday. These decisions will be done based on best available weather forecasts.
Please check your emails and the Morning Star Rotary website (morningstarrotary.org) on Wednesdays when inclement weather is forecast for Thursday mornings.
Thank you for understanding as we try to be fair to all concerned during bad weather.
Our Annual Holiday Meeting is one of the most wonderful events of each Rotary Year! This past week, the talented singers and musicians of the Liberty High School A Cappella Choir along with an Instrumental Ensemble from the LHS Grenadier Band serenaded us with holiday favorites. Plus, the morning would not be complete without the musical magnificence of our very own Rick Santee on the accordion. A fantastic and enjoyable time was had by both young and old!
At our December 18, 2025 Holiday Meeting, the Salute the Troops Concert Co-Chairs, Rod & Sheila Seifert presented a MSR grant check for $4000 to Tom Carson, Executive Director of Victory House of Lehigh Valley. Morning Star Rotary, through our annual concert, continues to support the fantastic work of Victory House!
At our 2025 Annual Holiday Meeting, Morning Star Rotary presented a Paul Harris Fellow to Tom Carson, Executive Director of Victory House of Lehigh Valley. Tom has devoted his career to helping veterans experiencing homelessness find their own way.
Tom spent eight years in the Air Force and then came home to return to civilian life. He says it was a tough transition watching friends who had jobs, homes, and families. The GI bill meant college was an option, and he first attended Northampton Community College, then Penn State University-Lehigh Valley where he graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation and human services (RHS) that would provide him with the foundation to pursue a career helping others.
Tom first started working at Victory House while doing his RHS internship. Since then, he has been promoted from case manager to program director to Associate Executive Director and finally to his current position, Executive Director, in 2022. We were pleased to be able to recognize his exemplary work with homeless veterans in our community by presenting him with a Paul Harris Fellow.
Morning Star Rotary will be volunteering at the Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering on three evenings during the 2026 winter months. We will serve food, wash dishes, and monitor the showers for the guests at the shelter. The Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering is located at Christ Church UCC at 75 E Market Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018.
Due to our weekly Thursday morning meeting catering deadlines, it is necessary to make a decision concerning any changes to either meet as usual, hybrid, or to switch to virtual only by 9:00 PM on Tuesday. These decisions will be done based on best available weather forecasts. Please check your emails and the Morning Star Rotary (morningstarrotary.org) website on Wednesdays when inclement weather is forecast for Thursday mornings. Thank you for understanding as we try to be fair to all concerned during bad weather.
HAVE YOU MADE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE ROTARY FOUNDATION THIS
ROTARY YEAR?
Bethlehem Morning Star Rotary will match member contributions to Rotary Foundation with club points during the 2025-26 Rotary year. A minimum $100 contribution is required. For contributions of greater than $100, the club will match a maximum of 200 points. This will help newer members achieve their first Paul Harris Fellow quicker, and encourage other members to contribute at a higher level. Major donors not eligible for points. Points will be given for contributions retroactive to July 1, 2025 and continue through June 30, 2026.
See Foundation Chair, Tom Hartzell for information on making your contribution. You can send your contribution on-line or give your check (payable to Rotary Foundation) to Tom. You can also mail a check to Tom Hartzell, 1341 Biafore Avenue, Bethlehem, Pa 18017.
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