Thursday, August 6 we had the pleasure of hearing fromour own Cheryl Baker, as CEO of Equi-librium, where horses give people the opportunity to achieve balance in body, mind and spirit. Ironically, the program, founded in 2001, is an evolution from the services formerly offered by Easter Seals’ RISE program. The irony comes from the fact RISE started as a gift from Rotary.
The focus of Equi-librium is therapeutic horsemanship activities for those with various physical disabilities, cognitive, behavioral and mental health and developmental issues. The range in ages of participants in the 10 programs offered is from 2 to 84! These programs are conducted by 6 PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) instructors and a legion of 175 dedicated volunteers. The programs are customized to the needs of the individual to most effectively achieve the positive outcomes desired, no matter the disabilities or ages involved.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Equi-librium depends on these people plus fees for services (participants pay about a third of program costs) and special events, grants and donations.
Plans are germinating for a combination Vocational ‘Sweat Equity” project and a Fellowship event at Equi-librium later this year. More information to follow but don’t throw out those gently worn shoes! The Shoes for Shoesprogram helps recycle shoes to families abroad and put shoes on the horses at Equi-librium!
The MSR Race Committee is moving forward at full sprint.
Our 25th Anniversary 5K/10K race is quickly approaching. The Race Committee is asking for everyone's help in soliciting sponsors for the race. Please see the Sponsorship form and information in the Downloads section. Please use this for your personal sponsorship opportunity and pass along to friends, family and colleagues. Ginny Wolkoff and Eileen Dunn volunteered to further coordinate sponsorship efforts. If you have opportunities in this area please give the information to them. This event is an “All Hands On Deck” key major event for us.
Please join us this Thursday when Kathy Zoshak, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, will tell us about the Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel.
Just a few days from now, on 11 August, we will mark a tremendous milestone: one full year without a single case of polio caused by wild poliovirus in Africa.
The magnitude of this achievement can hardly be overstated. A polio-free Africa has been within sight, so near and yet so far, for over a decade. The hard work and commitment that have brought us to this point have been nothing short of heroic. Tens of thousands of health workers reached hundreds of millions of children with vaccine, in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. Together, we have done what once seemed impossible: We have stopped polio in Africa.
Yet this progress, momentous as it is, is still fragile. As long as polio exists in the two remaining endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the virus still has the potential to spread and to spark new outbreaks. Now, more than ever, we need the power of all of Rotary to carry us through to the end: not just a polio-free Africa, but a polio-free world.
Wherever you live, whether your country has just conquered polio or has been polio-free for decades, we need your voice, and your help. I ask all of you to read and use the materials in this tool kit to find ways to raise awareness in your community, and beyond. We need every Rotarian, in every Rotary club, to be talking about polio: making sure that media outlets report on our progress and our elected officials see polio eradication as a global priority. Your grassroots work helps drive the increased media coverage we have seen in the past year, which in turn drives global backing of our work to eradicate polio. Together, we will keep polio front and center in our communities and on our national agendas, keeping up the energy and the momentum that will push us through to the finish.
The battle in Africa has, for the moment, been won, but we need the strength of every Rotarian to help us win the war. Together, we will End Polio Now and truly Be a Gift to the World.
Warm regards,
K.R. Ravindran
President, Rotary International
News media prominently featured Rotary and its 30 years of work to protect children from the crippling effects of polio when Nigeria marked its one-year milestone in July, including:
Yesterday I enjoyed a delicious breakfast hosted by Tore and Charlotte Hartmann-Hansen, and shared with Jenna Archuleta. Jenna is Major Gifts Officer, Zone 32 for Rotary International. Warm conversation, Rotary stories and info, plus a fantastic omelet and other goodies were enjoyed by all. As you can see, even Benny got into the act!
Many thanks, Tore & Charlotte!
Club Information
Welcome to our Club!
Service Above Self
Thursdays
7am Meet and Greet
7:30 Meeting Starts
Moravian Village
526 Wood Street
(Across from the Post Office)
Bethlehem,
PA 18018 United States
