Our meeting last week featured youth! Annika, our Finnish Exchange Student, was on hand for her last visit before returning home this Wednesday.
Her two host fathers, Tom Kolepp and Tom Mohr, presented her with one of our new Morning Star Rotary banners to take back to her home club in Finland. (Her final host Mom, Cheryl Baker, was unable to attend.) The entire club enjoyed the time we shared with Annika. We are very sad to see her leave, and look forward to her return someday.
The Camp Neidig Team, Charlie Incalcaterra, Rick Morrissey and John St. Clair, presentation on the Camp Neidig Leadership Program was educational and entertaining. Beginning with an excellent video from the website showing activities and interactions of campers and staff, Charlie then gave a ‘cliff notes’ version of his keynote speech from the closing ceremonies at the camp. “The heart and soul of Rotary can be wrapped up in one word – Service. Rotary has as its motto, “Service Above Self.” As an organization our members are committed to serving others even if it means self-sacrifice.” A quote from State Representative Dan Truitt summarizes this concept, “Learn the true joy of helping someone else when you have absolutely nothing to gain from it. There is a ‘nirvana’ of sorts that you can achieve when you stop living to acquire stuff, and start living to help others improve their lives.”
Three of our four campers, Abby Burnett from Freedom, Colleen O’Reilly from Bethlehem Catholic and Jack Painter from Moravian Academy, each then had a few minutes to talk about Camp Neidig. They were unanimous in how unique and positive the experience was. They were immersed in a culture of leadership and trust with 140 other incoming senior high students from all over southeast Pennsylvania. In three days they found trust was earned, honesty was critical and they learned to work together to capitalize on their individual strengths and adapt to individual weaknesses for the tribe. A key learning experience was that leadership is a skill. You can learn and develop it to be more productive in all areas of your life. Walk the walk and lead by example. The future is looking bright indeed! Future Rotarians I hope!
Please join us this Thursday when we will have Jayne Ann Recker, Executive Director – Celtic Cultural Alliance, present to us on the CCA and the Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival. Kilts optional!
Please “Be a Gift to the World” - like Charity, it begins at home.
President Ron
