Here's what you need to know for this week, including save the dates:
Jinnie, our Rotary Exchange Student from Thailand, arrives August 23 (flight delay). We'll invite her to a meeting soon!
November 5 meeting will be a regular morning session so District Governor Jeremiah Sensenig can attend; Thirsty Thursday will shift to October 29th.
Monocacy Creek cleanup: October 11.
Bethlehem Downtown Club Rummage Sale (September 19) accepting donations for their big garage sale through August 28; proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club. Take your stuff to Akroyd Hardware.
Do you know any nonprofits in Bethlehem that could use $11K? Please send them a note encouraging them to apply for our community grant, as we only have one applicant so far.
Victory House's wish list includes a privacy fence along the greenway (materials donated by Home Depot; volunteer labor/sweat equity needed - maybe this is something MSR could help with?
Global grant update: $55,000 raised for the Kenya (Isiolo) agricultural co-op project; a club trip is planned January 25 to February 7; 5 members traveling are confirmed so far.
Fundraisers:
Please reach out to at least one business or person you know to get donations for Salute the Troops and the 5K. Let's crowdsource this! The talking points are:
Salute the Troops is a concert with the Allentown Band and the Northeast Middle School Band that benefits Victory House, which provides local homeless veterans and homeless men and women with opportunities to transition to independent affordable housing and begin new lives.
Celtic Classic 5K Race: Kicks off the Celtic Classic parade and benefits Rotary's Youth programs including study abroad opportunities and leadership training.
Please join Bethlehem Morning Star Rotary this Thursday, August 27, 2026, for our Live/Hybrid Meeting.Our meet & greet starts at 7:15am with the regular meeting starting at 7:30am.
Our speaker will be Gina Stano, Executive Director, Cancer Support Community Greater Lehigh Valley
The Cancer Support Community’s programs help people affected by cancer – survivors, caregivers, friends and family – regain control of their lives, reduce stress and isolation, and restore a sense of hope for a better quality of life regardless of the stage of the disease or the type of cancer.
This past week's scheduled speaker cancelled due to a family emergency, so President Jennifer proposed a discussion prompt, "If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?" This sparked a rich discussion about philanthropy, stewardship, and community needs, alongside usual club business.
“What Would You Do With the Lottery Money?” It was fascinating to hear what our members would do if they had $$$$ to spend on philanthropic priorities. They ranged from from transportation accessibility and international education access to endowing the Rotary Foundation, focusing on local housing and youth food insecurity, animal-assisted empathy programs for kids, matching-gift incentives, and combating disinformation through education.
A recurring theme: several members favored setting up an endowed, diversified, interest-funded model so that the charity lasts in perpetuity vs. being spent too quickly. Also, that it's hard to give money away! Charlotte shared that she just donated her eagle statue in-kind to the Da Vinci Center to help boost attendance there.
Today's meeting showed again how Morning Star Rotarians are able to adapt on the fly to any changes or situations presented to them and have many fantastic ideas to support our efforts as Rotarians.
The partnership with the Machakos Rotary Club continues to move forward as we prepare for improvements at Kivutini Primary School. With Kenya’s school term and national exams limiting access through October, the local team is shaping a construction plan that keeps students safe and stays within Ministry of Education rules. Some work may begin during the term, but major pieces including sanitation upgrades will launch once schools close in November.
The implementation plan is being finalized now. Funding is in place, district approvals are set, and both clubs are aligned on roles: Machakos leading coordination on the ground, Morning Star supporting monitoring and reporting.
A visit to Kenya by the MSR team is set for January 25–February 6, 2027. During this visit we will celebrate the project completion and assess future opportunities for service and impact. If you are interested in traveling with the team, speak to Janet Kolepp.
Our club is seeking sponsors for the Celtic Classic 5K Race. Sponsorships are the primary way that we raise money to distribute throughout our community. Please share the sponsorship form below with any potential sponsors to make our 2026 race a success.
Turn your clutter into a cause! That box you've been meaning to clean out could make a real difference. Donate your gently used items to help raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem, PA.
Once again Bethlehem Morning Star Rotary is partnering with the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association for their annual Fall Stream Clean-up on Sunday, October 11, 2026 from 9-11:30 AM. The meet-up location is at Sand Island Park, 56 River Street, Bethlehem 18018. Meet at Tennis Court Parking Lot.
Flatiron Building, 5th Floor Community Room
