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Weirton Rotary discusses polio program
By ANGELINA DICKSON - Staff writer (adickson@weirtondailytimes.com) , Weirton Daily Times Dec 6, 2011-Rotary Clubs everywhere are working to raise money by June 2012 to eradicate polio from the world and with only four countries showing signs of the disease and hundreds of millions of dollars raised, the goal is nearly complete.

The Rotary Club of Weirton recently heard from George Atwell, a past district governor for Rotary District 7610, who has made several trips around to world to put drops of the polio vaccine in the mouths of children.

Some of the countries Atwell has been to include India, Egypt and Nigeria. He said statistics show the numbers are down in India with only one case being reported since January, but in other places such as Afghanistan, the number of cases is climbing.

"We're very close to doing the job," he said.

Atwell discussed his trips to the various countries and how it was to interact with the local governments, which were not always the most welcoming, and how the locals treated them. He said the locals were much more receptive to their presence which made it easier to help immunize the children. 		"Sometimes children have to be immunized up to three times," he said noting the vaccine comes in a bottle with 40 drops and requires two drops on the tongue to take effect, "and they can't be immunized too soon."

Atwell said Rotary has already contributed millions of dollars for polio vaccinations within its own clubs and fundraising; however, Rotary also benefits from outside grants, including recent contributions totaling $355 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

According to Dr. Subramonium Jayakumar, Bill Gates announced in January 2009 the foundation would make the contribution and Rotary, in turn, pledged to raise $200 million in matching funds within three years which means Rotary has until June 2012.

"We've almost raised enough and I believe we will have enough by then," said Jayakumar.

On the local level, Jayakumar said the Rotary Club of Weirton is trying to raise $35,000 for the next International Immunization Day. He said some of the members of the club are going to India to help with the vaccinations but the date is yet to be announced.

Anyone wishing to help the Rotary Club of Weirton and the fight against polio can do so by contacting a local member.

FIGHTING POLIO — The Rotary Club of Weirton learned about some of the strides that have been made through the Polio Plus program implemented by Rotary International to eradicate polio throughout the world. Pictured is George Atwell, back, explaining a PowerPoint presentation with the help of club member Mike Gianni. -- Angelina Dickson


Anne Barth speaks to The Rotary Club of Parkersburg
TechConnect’s efforts in WV -  December 6, 2011

By WAYNE TOWNER (wtowner@newsandsentinel.com) , Parkersburg News and Sentinel

PARKERSBURG - A West Virginia development organization has been working to increase West Virginia's participation in the high-tech sector and support entrepreneurship.

Anne Barth, executive director of TechConnect West Virginia, spoke Monday at the weekly luncheon of the Parkersburg Rotary Club at the Blennerhassett Hotel.

TechConnect was launched as a nonprofit economic development organization to foster technology and innovation in West Virginia by advancing science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship in the state, Barth said. It is a coalition from private industry, higher education and research and the public sector with the Department of Commerce and the state development office to help entrepreneurs start companies and create jobs.

"We are interested in the whole economic continuum, from research discoveries and innovations, all of the way through commercialization, to new companies and new jobs," Barth said. "Our goals are to diversify the economy and create high-paying jobs through tech-based economic development." 		Barth said tech-related jobs are growing faster than most other industry sectors and are projected to grow by more than 10 percent through 2014. In addition to faster growth, the jobs tend to pay more on average, up to twice as much as the service industry and 1.5 times as much as manufacturing, she said.

In 2009, TechConnect released a "Blueprint for Technology-Based Economic Development in West Virginia" which it developed with the Battelle Institute. Barth said it identified four areas of technology strength where West Virginia has the best chance of developing a robust innovation technology: advanced energy, chemicals and advanced materials, biometrics and biotechnology.

"The model is for TechConnect member organizations to provide the services and mentorship needed by entrepreneurs and startups," Barth said. "This might be business and technical assistance, market analyses, legal and accounting expertise, identifying management personnel or exploring options for capital," she said.

In addition to strategic planning, TechConnect advocates policies that will help build the intellectual and physical infrastructure for innovation, she said. The program supported the creation of the Research Trust Fund, or 'Bucks for Brains,' to strengthen university research to attract faculty whose scientific research will lead to new patents and new products, Barth said.

"The ultimate goal is for West Virginia residents to reap financial benefits from industries this investment creates," she said.
Rotary golden gavel returns to the Rotary Club of  Weirton
November 26, 2011
 By ANGELINA DICKSON (adickson@weirtondailytimes.com) , Weirton Daily Times Save

After making its way through the 30 clubs in the Rotary District 7350, the Golden Gavel finally made its way back home to Weirton this week.

Frances Smith, president of the Rotary Club of Morgantown, said it was an honor to visit the Weirton Heights Club and she was glad to be able to bring the gavel back to Weirton. She presented the golden gavel to Club President Dr. J.K. Luthra on Tuesday. 		District Governor Ed Powell handed off the Golden Gavel to his home club of Weirton Heights in July and he said he's glad to see it make it's way back.

"We appreciate having Frances up here to return the gavel," he said. "It made it's way through the district fairly quickly and made it back here in a timely manner."

The purpose for creating the Golden Gavel was to promote communication between the clubs in the local district. The Golden Gavel was created approximately 30 to 35 years ago in Martins Ferry, Ohio. Information that is usually transferred from club to club along with the gavel includes types of activities in which other clubs are involved, fundraising events, club membership and partnerships throughout the district as well as the community.



Ohio Valley University president speaks to Rotarybr>  
November 8, 2011 By MICHAEL ERB (merb@newsandsentinel.com)
 PARKERSBURG - Harold Shank, Ohio Valley University president, spoke Monday to the Parkersburg Rotary Club about coming to the Mid-Ohio Valley and about the qualities making OVU unique.

"We expect great things to be found in big places. We don't expect big things to be found in small places," he said. "I believe I have found a treasure here."

 Shank said the college's academics, combined with a transformative experience for students and a first-rate faculty make OVU a top-notch higher education institution.

But Shank also stressed the college's spiritual goals as one of OVU's defining quality.

"We're a mission-driven university. This is really what we do," he said. "We are not simply transferring knowledge. We are building character."

Shank most recently was the professor of Old Testament at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City. He is a noted author and minister with 32 years of service to the Highland Street Church of Christ in Memphis, Tenn. Since 1996 Shank has been the national spokesperson for the Christian Child and Family Services Association, and he is the reviews editor for the Christian Chronicle, a monthly newspaper serving Churches of Christ.

Shank said during his first year as president of OVU he plans to spend a lot of time listening and learning, but said a year from now he expects to provide more direction and guidance to the college and its community.


Mid-Ohio Valley Wildlife Pests


November 15, 2011
By WAYNE TOWNER
Parkersburg News and Sentinel

PARKERSBURG - Wildlife pests have long been a problem for Mid-Ohio Valley residents and have been joined in recent years by a growing number of feral domestic animals, primarily cats and dogs.

The Parkersburg Rotary Club heard from Bill Tadlock, co-owner of Pest Pro Wildlife Removal and Pest Control in Vienna, during the club's weekly luncheon meeting Monday at the Blennerhassett Hotel.

Tadlock has been working in the pest control industry since 1988 and has been operating Pest Pro for more than a year. He told about changes in the pest control industry over the years and the ways it has become more sustainable and more environmentally friendly.

He also talked about the increasing need for animal control services. Pest Pro is licensed by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources for wildlife damage control and Tadlock deals with a variety of situations under that program, including racoon removal, skunk removal and many other types.

On the other side, Tadlock said there has been a growing problem with feral domestic animals, particularly cats, but he is not licensed to deal with domestics. Tadlock said he works closely with the Humane Society, the American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals and other organizations to handle domestic animals, and in his work with wildlife.

In addition to raccoons and skunks, Tadlock said locally he handles a lot of calls regarding squirrels, bats and snakes. He does a lot of live-trapping and relocation of wildlife to designated areas, which usually involves assessments by the DNR to determine that the animals are fit to be relocated.

Tadlock said many other cases involve exclusion, or preventing animals from getting inside something.

"A lot of times it is not necessarily the animal that's the problem, it's because they have access to a structure. When the structure is properly repaired, you won't have an animal problem that's getting into your home or residence or your storage building," he said.


Wood County Sheriff Jeff Sandy Reports
Click on picture for complete text



PARKERSBURG - October 31. The Parkersburg Rotary Club heard Monday from Sheriff Jeff Sandy about changes and improvements that have occurred in the Wood County Sheriff's Office in the past two years.

Sandy said the positive changes in the department over the past few years have resulted from a team effort in the sheriff's department and with county officials. In January 2009, his staff began an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the department and found the biggest strength was-and remains- its employees, he said.

The biggest weakness was internal controls and much work has been done in the past two years to improve those controls, Sandy said.

"For the sake of some great public servants, do not allow the actions of three percent of the workforce cloud the achievements of the hard working men and women I have the honor to lead," Sandy said.

Among the improvements Sandy noted has been greater scrutiny in the hiring process, with full background checks and polygraph testing for deputy candidates. The department has improved its internal controls and accountability, which initially resulted in the discovery of embezzlement and missing funds within the department, Sandy said.

After those problems were addressed, new policies and procedures were enacted to increase internal controls, he said.

"Our last audit showed that our efforts have worked. What we did was simply install checks and balances," Sandy said.

Other efforts by members of the department, the Wood County Commission and others have resulted in improvements for vehicles, equipment, radios, firearms and facilities, Sandy said. The department has worked to hire retired military and police officers for non-law enforcement functions like security and mental hygiene transportation, freeing up more deputies for patrol duties and reducing overtime costs, he said.

Fiscally, Sandy said he is proud that Wood County is the first sheriff's office in West Virginia to be fully transparent, meaning every bank account it handles of taxpayer money can be seen online at www.woodcountywv.com. He said administrative changes to place all budgets, payrolls and procurement activity in the department under one office have permitted the sheriff's office to be $380,546.04 under budget during the past three years.


Sour Mash Memorial--Brittany Lincicome helps the Rotary Clubs of Parkersburg and Wood County raise $25,000



VIENNA - The fan following for LPGA Tour professional Brittany Lincicome and the money raised for charity continued to escalate as the 40th annual Sour Mash Memorial golf tournament came to a close Monday afternoon at Parkersburg Country Club.

Lincicome made her annual visit to the Mid-Ohio Valley and played an 18-hole exhibition match with PCC golf professional Scott Davidson as her playing partner. The two teammates used a best ball format and were opposed by a foursome of Steve Norman, Ryan Norman, Vince Guice and Dave Poling, who competed using a scramble format.

The foursome may have had the upper hand after shooting an 11-under-par 62 and winning by six strokes, but it was Lincicome who captivated the large galleries. And in turn, she gained just that many more supporters for the future.

"That means a lot seeing the new faces and the old faces," Lincicome said.

Even though Lincicome experienced her share of struggles adapting to the speed of the greens, she turned in a round of 71.

"The line was perfectly fine - it just needed a couple more rolls or rotations to hold its line to get it to the hole," Lincicome said. "Last year, I came from an event where they were rolling a 14 (on the stimpmeter) then I came here and they were rolling an 8 or 9. It's definitely different and it's just more rhythm. It feels as if you have to take the putter back further and accelerate harder.

"It wasn't the golf course's fault. It was my fault."

Lincicome and Davidson received some assistance on the back nine and were allowed two chances for every putt.

 "One guy was an 'B' player and the other three were 'A' players, and Scott and I weren't playing to the best of our abilities - they were killing us," Lincicome said. "It was still fun and we had a good time. They can say they beat us and they will be happy until next year."

The event, which was presented by the Parkersburg and Wood County Rotary clubs, was geared toward charity and raised $25,000 for both scholarship and grant recipients.

The scholarship recipients included Joel Davis, James Fankhauser, Kyle Hines, Benjamin Kunselman, Michael Tanner, Callie Witkosky and Robert Fenton.

The grant recipients included the Humane Society of Parkersburg, YMCA of Parkersburg, Good Samaritan Clinic, Parkersburg and Wood County Public Library, West Virginia University at Parkersburg Foundation and Williamstown Improvement Network.

"I'm not sure if the money raised is a record, but that is a pretty good number for us based historically on what we've been able to do," said Jerry Parkins, who serves as the president of the Parkersburg Rotary Club.

It was also a bonus having Lincicome present to make the event that much more special.

"Having Lincicome here continues to generate interest and excitement," Parkins continued. "It also helps with her having some local ties and fortunately she has been playing very well as of late."

The event experienced a one-hour rain and lightning delay just as soon as Lincicome and company finished the seventh hole. As soon as play resumed, the 25-year-old native of Seminole, Fla.. admitted she was not totally on her 'A' game as far as her driving accuracy was concerned.

Still, Lincicome managed to record both her birdies on the back nine. Her approach shot from 125 yards on the 14th hole stuck to within 12 feet and she converted the putt for a birdie '3.'

On the 18th, par 5, her drive sailed approximately 265 yards and was sitting in the middle of the fairway another 250 yards from the green. Her second shot came up short in the greenside rough but she chipped close enough where she could sink the putt for birdie.

At the banquet, Lincicome made it clear she would love to return and try to get back into the winning column. Earning a spot in the featured group for next year was the foursome of Steve Wilson, Ross Draber, Mike Lewis and Chad Mildren.

"I'm coming back for sure next year - I already saw my competition, so we're ready to go," Lincicome said.


Scott Harris talks about the Mountain State Forest Festival
 The Mountain State Forest Festival will mark its 75th anniversary this fall and Director General Scott Harris told Rotary Club of Elkins members Monday that the theme, “Celebrating Family Memories,” correlates to the generations of families who have attended the festival together.

“Some of my best memories of the festival were time spent with family and friends,” Harris said. “Some of those things change as you get older, whether it’s sitting and watching the parade with your mom and dad or watching the lumberjack contest or walking through the park on a school tour. It’s a time to celebrate with your family.”

Harris explained that the festival is dependent on hundreds of committee members and thousands of volunteers. he said Rotary members Amy Schumacher, an assistant director, and Renee Teter Heckel, executive director, have worked diligently coordinating events.



“So many people from the community are involved with the festival as volunteers and I think that’s why it’s lasted 75 years,” Harris said. “It’s one of the oldest in West Virginia, and that says a lot for the community. The festival has nearly 75 events and every event is headed up by volunteers. It’s amazing how much dedication everyone has.”

Harris said the Forest Festival is an opportunity to share the community’s cultural and industrial heritage, and it showcases the role the region’s natural resources play in economic development. He added that the festival also plays a significant role in the local and state economy while offering something for everyone to enjoy, including the carnival, parades, exhibits, arts and crafts, the royal court and coronation of Queen Silvia, among other festivities.
“It’s kind of like a homecoming because it brings lot of people into town,” Harris said. “It celebrates our industry and heritage.”

As a prelude to the festival, Harris said the West Virginia Cultural Center in Charleston will have an exhibit consisting of Forest Festival memorabilia on display for the next 14 weeks. The display includes more than 30 gowns and many other items including queen’s crowns.

“The display is a great way to publicize what the festival is all about and how great it is,” Harris said. “The festival has become a historical part of West Virginia, and I think everyone who has a chance should go see the display.”

For more information on the Mountain State Forest Festival, visit www.forestfestival.com or call the festival office at 304-636-1824.
    Contact Ben Simmons by email at bsimmons@theintermountain.com


By Ben Simmons
Staff Writer
Social worker Kelly Rayfield talking about the Rehabilitation and Care Center
 
Elkins Rehabilitation and Care Center is helping people rehabilitate in a home-style setting and avoid long term care whenever possible, representatives told the Rotary Club of Elkins at Monday’s meeting.

ERCC Director of Social Services Michelle Chenoweth and social worker Kelly Rayfield spoke to the club about the many different services offered at the center.

Rayfield said the center has 111 beds for patients and employs more than 75 professionals including nurses and other care givers. She said staff members assist clients with daily living activities and can administer wound care, catheters, feeding tubes and other necessary treatment.

According to Rayfield, complete comprehensive care is the goal for patients and their families. She said several support groups are offered including residence and family councils, where concerns can be voiced.
“We want families and people in the community to know that the care we provide to their family members is comprehensive and compassionate,” Rayfield. “Our staff really cares about their family members.”

ERCC recently changed its name to include rehabilitation in the title because the company wanted to stress the importance of rehabilitating patients, Rayfield said. She said about 70 percent of the clients are long-term patients, while the other 30 percent are utilizing short term rehabilitation services.

“We saw our focus moving toward the short term rehabilitation services,” Rayfield. “It became such an important part of the care that we provide, that we needed it to be a part of our name.”
Chenoweth said the center offers several other services to make residents comfortable. She said a Beauty shop, a gift shop, laundry service, spiritual care and transportation services are available at the center.

While on the road to recovery, Chenoweth said patients can take advantage of many different therapy services including occupational, physical and speech therapy. She said a dementia/long-term memory loss care program is also in place, along with a restorative walking program and pet therapy program.

“The therapy services are essential,” Chenoweth said. “We have people who come in that have had a stroke or hip replacement or a knee replacement and the therapy services are very instrumental in their healing progress and getting back into the community and back into their regular lives.”
According to Chenoweth, the center’s focus is geared toward helping people get back into their home and avoid long-term care.

“People can come for a couple of weeks and get their skilled services, maybe an IV or antibiotics or therapy services, so they can go back into the community rather than being a resident in a long-term nursing home,” Chenoweth said.

The Elkins Regional Convalescent Center is located on the Beverly Five-lane at 1175 Beverly Pike. For more information call 304-636-1391.

Contact Ben Simmons by email at bsimmons@theintermountain.com.


Powell attends first meeting as Rotary District Governor
July 13, 2011


By ANGELINA DICKSON - Staff writer (adickson@weirtondailytimes.com) , Weirton Daily Times

 
WEIRTON - Rotary District 7530 Governor Ed Powell began his journey through the clubs this week, starting with his home club at Weirton Heights.

Powell laid out some of his ideas for the coming year.

He said one of the things he wanted to do was challenge everyone not to just follow the Four Way Test but to live it.		 In addition, he would like to get back to some of the basics of Rotary and keep in line with the year's theme of reaching within to embrace humanity.

Powell said one of his top priorities includes a membership drive. He said he would like to make significant strides in membership numbers by the end of the year. He informed the club there may be $20,000 for a public relations campaign. Other goals include supporting local food banks and utility assistance programs.

"There is a tremendous need still in the area and throughout the region," he said.

Another goal, said Powell, includes furthering Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio. He said there were only 205 cases reported last year. He said without the support of the clubs in the district and those at his home club, he wouldn't be able to do anything.

"You are the ones who believe in the ideals of Rotary and I look forward to the challenges of the year ahead," he said.

Powell added foundation goals include increasing major donors, Paul Harris Fellows and benefactors. Office goals also include promoting the five avenues of service and broadening Rotary awareness in the community.


Our State Parks at Rotary
July 19, 2011


By MICHAEL ERB (merb@newsandsentinel.com) , Parkersburg News and Sentinel
 
PARKERSBURG - A state official walked members of the Rotary Club of Parkersburg  through the history of the state's parks.

Robert Beanblossom, district administrator for the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division, described more than 100 years of progress, hurdles and development for the state's park system.

Beanblossom said the movement toward national and later state parks came out of the late 1800s when officials first began to discuss the idea of preserving areas of nature from development, both for the use of the public and to preserve natural resources.
 The idea gained ground in the early 1900s, particularly during the 1920s when states were encouraged to purchase land to receive federal dollars for the creation of parks. Beanblossom said a 1927 report in West Virginia pointed to more than 20 sites within the state, including Blennerhassett Island in Wood County, as possible areas to purchase.

Blennerhassett Island, however, wasn't named as a state park until 1989.

Though West Virginia has seen a great amount of support for its parks, Beanblossom said it has also faced several hurdles, including a massive drop in attendance during World War II and several fights for funding. During the 1990s several legislative attempts to scale back the state's parks program were made. When those failed, the program actually was expanded with $44 million more in state funding.

The state parks program now serves more than 7.5 million visitors annually, brings in about $23 million in direct revenue and more than $127 million in tourist spending throughout the state, Beanblossom said.

"We do have a pretty outstanding parks system in West Virginia," he said.



Newell: Point Park on track Mayor
speaks to Rotary
July 12, 2011


By MICHAEL ERB (merb@newsandsentinel.com) , Parkersburg News and Sentinel

PARKERSBURG - Mayor Bob Newell said construction at Point Park is progressing well, with a completion date in late September or early October.

Newell spoke Monday to the Rotary Club of Parkersburg, showing photos of the construction so far at the park and talking about plans for the park.

The construction expands the park's original 1 acre of space to nearly 6 acres, and adds amphitheater seating for about 800, Newell said.

"We have a lot of things planned for the amphitheater," he said. "We have groups already planning things and working on things."		 Newell said the design of the park and amphitheater also will allow for floating stages, and the city already is talking with the American Wind Symphony about bringing a floating show to the park in July 2012.

During non-event days the park will be open to traffic, but will be closed to vehicles during events, providing more space for people.

"If we have a big event in Point Park, such as homecoming, there will be no cars allowed in, so there will be acres of flat land for people to come and put down blankets and lawn chairs."

The park is designed so most areas still allow for a view of the amphitheater even if people are sitting on the ground, he said.

Newell said the park will allow for riverboats to dock and connect to utilities, and the engineers have placed fish habitats along the shoreline, providing places for fishing. Newell said there are long-term plans to create a marina and to extend a walking trail from the park to other areas of the city and eventually connect with county walking trails.

Newell said officials still anticipate completion of the park by the end of September or in early October.


Ed Powell, Area Rotarian, is District Governor 7530
 July 1, 2011 By WARREN SCOTT - Staff writer
(wscott@heraldstaronline.com) , Weirton Daily Times
WEIRTON - Rotary leaders and members from various parts of Northern West Virginia gathered at the Weirton Holiday Inn Thursday for the installation of Ed Powell, a member of the Rotary Club of Weirton Heights, as district governor.

Through the position, Powell will oversee and assist 30 Rotary clubs in the Northern Panhandle and Northern Central West Virginia.

A Weirton native, Powell is a retired Weirton Steel employee and former president of the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce. He currently works as a business analyst for the West Virginia Small Business Development Center.

He joined the Rotary Club of Weirton Heights in 1993 at the invitation of Al Lauttamus and has since served as its president, a member of its board of directors and assistant district governor.

Powell said of being named district governor, "It's quite an honor. I'm humbled to serve."

He said he didn't set out to become district governor but he did want to do more for Rotary International, and that led to his assuming the role.

Powell said preparing for the job has been a three-year process, with he and 29 other prospective district governors from the Southeastern United States and Caribbean Islands attending several training seminars at sites ranging from San Diego to New Orleans as well as West Virginia.


He has set several goals for the clubs in his district but he said chief among them is raising membership to meet Rotary International's requirement for at least 1,200 Rotarians in a district - the district currently has about 1,150 - and making more people aware of Rotary's efforts locally and around the world.

Powell said the efforts of Rotary International have brought polio vaccine to many underdeveloped nations where the disease is still a threat. They also have helped to bring immunizations against rubella to India and other nations, he noted.

And the Weirton Heights club's annual Mardi Gras event, which has raised money for the Community Bread Basket and other causes, is typical of the ways in which Rotary clubs have helped to make a difference in their own communities, he said.
Bill D'Alesio pins Ed Powell as District Governor. Dave Riggleman helping with the installation.
 
Dr. J.K. Luthra, president-elect of the Weirton Heights club, said Powell embodies the spirit of Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self."

As chairman of the Weirton Festival of Nations, Luthra said he observed as Powell, as a volunteer for the event, took on a job few wanted: selling tickets at the door, where he would not be able to see the entertainment inside.

The Rev. Chuck Jerman, pastor of Weirton's three United Methodist churches, said Powell invited him to join Rotary and he has been impressed since by the organization's efforts to improve the lives of those less fortunate on various parts of the globe.

Jody Light, a past district governor from Buckhannon, W.Va., recalled Powell's assistance in providing her information about his club electronically.

She said Powell always responded to any call for assistance with enthusiasm and she jokingly called him the Energizer Bunny.

Outgoing District Governor Ranjit Majumder of Morgantown was on hand to administer oaths to Powell and District Governor-Elect Greg Smith of Parkersburg and District Governor-Nominee J.R. Wolfe of Bruceton Mills, who each will prepare to follow Powell's leadership in the next few years.

The event also provided the opportunity for Dave Riggleman, regional Rotary Foundation coordinator and a founding member of the Weirton Heights club who since has relocated to Bridgeport, W.Va., to recognize Powell, Luthra and current president Carole Scheerbaum as Paul Harris Fellows.

Named for the founder of Rotary International, the award is given to Rotarians who have contributed $1,000 to the Rotary International Foundation.



Caridi impressed with WVU football May 17, 2011l


By DAVE POE (dpoe@newsandsentinel.com)

Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Announcer speaks at Rotary Club of Parkersburg

West Virginia University sports announcer Tony Caridi -whose signature line is "no matter where you are, it's great day to be a Mountaineer'' -made it a great day to be a Mountaineer in Parkersburg on Monday when he served as the guest speaker at the Parkersburg Rotary Club.

Caridi spoke on a wide variety of subjects, naturally concentrating on WVU football.

A constant observer of Mountaineer sports who has been at WVU since 1984, Caridi was impressed with the transition made by the football staff during spring drills.

"It was a challenging coaching situation,'' he said.

Caridi is excited by the new offense being installed by offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who will become WVU's head coach following the 2011 season.

"It's the same offense he installed at Houston and Oklahoma State,'' Caridi said. "Houston put up record numbers and Oklahoma State's

Caridi likes what Holgorsen is trying to do and believes it is a perfect fit for Mountaineer quarterback Geno Smith.

"It requires a quarterback who is accurate, tough and doesn't have happy feet,'' Caridi said.

"The last thing you want to see in that offense is the quarterback run the ball.''

Caridi explained the offense is based on a fast tempo designed to wear down the opposing defense as the game progresses. It calls for no substitutions so the defense can't substitute.

Caridi believes Smith could be special in this system.

"He could leave WVU as the all-time leading passer in WVU history,'' Caridi said.

Being in Parkersburg, Caridi naturally talked about the local members of the Mountaineers.

"Matt Lindamood had a great spring,'' said Caridi of the former Parkersburg High School all-state running back who walked on at WVU and is now on scholarship. Caridi said Holgorsen told him he had a fullback at Oklahoma State that made all-Big 12 "who isn't half the football player Matt Lindamood is.'' Caridi said to look for Lindamood to be the lead blocker out of the backfield and also to have some passes thrown his way.

Caridi couldn't shed any additional light on the situation regarding offensive lineman Josh Jenkins, a three-time all-state selection at PHS who has been a two-year starter at WVU. "It's going to be 6-to-8 weeks before they know if JJ's knee injury heals,'' Caridi said. "If he needs surgery, he will be out for the season.''

As for longsnapper Cody Nutter, an all-state selection at Parkersburg South, Caridi said if you never hear about the longsnapper he is doing a great job.

The only time you notice the longsnapper is when something goes wrong. Since Nutter has been filling that role, nothing has gone wrong.

Caridi's one note of caution regarding Mountaineer football was the kicking game, which he described as "an adventure'' last season.

Caridi noted that five of the first six football games are in Morgantown, where Bill Stewart has compiled a record of 19-2. The only road game the first half of the season is a short trip to Maryland.

Caridi spoke on a wide range of WVU issues which will be the subject of future stories and sports columns.


Rotarians have Brazilian visitors


This picture is of the GSE team (with banners) at Greg Smith mother's house in Parkersburg.

March 31, 2011 By WARREN SCOTT

WELLSBURG - Members of area Rotary clubs are learning about various aspects of life in Brazil through five fellow Rotarians from the largest country in South America.

The Brooke County Rotary Club heard Thursday from the five, who are members of a Rotary International Group Study Exchange team.

GSE teams are comprised of Rotary members from various fields who agree to spend five weeks in another country to learn about its culture and share details of their own in an effort to promote good will between nations.

The team from Brazil includes:

Alberto Otaviano Diniz Araujo, the team's captain, who owns a beverage and mineral water distributing company in his home city of Itapeccerica, which translated from Brazil's native language of Portuguese means "Slippery Rock."

Dr. Michael Palma, Brooke County Rotary president, revealed that Araujo taught himself English by watching movies and listening to music.

Danilo Jose Silvieri, who operates and teaches at a Wizard school, one of an international franchise of schools aimed at teaching English as a second language to children, teens and adults.

Silvieri said he hopes to learn about the American school system.

Leonardo Nogueira Falcao, a business professor at the University of Itauna who assists his wife as an independent distributor for Herbalife, an international producer of nutrition, weight loss and skin care products.

He said Itauna, like many Brazilian cities, developed around a church, and its church is literally at the center of town. Brazil has the largest population of Catholics in the world.

Maria Clara de Melo Rego, a teacher and international relations officer for the UNIS Educational Group who lives in Varginha, a city whose name is pronounced much like Virginia. 		De Melo Rego said the city became so well known for an alleged incident involving an unidentified flying object in the 1990s that city leaders decided to capitalize on it, adding statues of extraterrestrials and flying saucers in various areas.

She added a UFO convention there draws many visitors from around the world.

Pauline Freire Pimenta, an executive secretary involved with public relations at the Federal University of Lavras who recently married a history teacher.

Asked about schools in Brazil, she said depending on the region, children typically attend school from ages 6 to 18. At the elementary level, they study many of the same subjects American children do, but their days are shorter, beginning at 7 a.m. and ending around noon, she said.

Following high school, students may further their educations at universities. The cost of enrollment is a small fee, but admission is very selective, with prospective students required to successfully complete a difficult examination to show their eligibility, Pimenta said.

Asked about access to healthcare, de Melo Rego said the government has invested a lot into public health, though private medical care also is available, but access varies according to region.

For example, people of lower incomes in rural areas have less access to it and other modern amenities, she said.

Pimenta said Brazilians in urban areas enjoy watching television and use the Internet for work and recreation, but laptop computers cost twice as much as they do in the U.S.

Danilo said most products in Brazil are more expensive, and the nation ranks second in the world for its taxes.

Aided by a computer and large screen, the five shared photos of their families and cities and of themselves enjoying hobbies ranging from soccer, a very popular sport in Brazil played by 50 professional teams; to rock music, with de Melo Rego revealing she is a KISS fan.

Falcao said his Rotary club is small but active and has held bingos to raise funds for various community projects, collected food for the poor and provided computers to students with disabilities.

Palma presented to each team member saucers from the Homer Laughlin China Co. bearing Rotary symbols. The Newell-based manufacturer is among various places throughout the region on the group's itinerary during their five-week stay.



(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com)
Weirton Daily Times.


Rotary Clubs of Mon-Preston
Stop Hunger Now!
March 12, 2011



Several Rotarians from clubs in Morgantown and Preston County were sufficiently inspired by last year’s District Conference Stop Hunger Now event to set themselves a challenge; they decided to stage the first-ever Mon-Preston County Cooperative International Hunger Project! Rotary Clubs of Cheat Lake, Kingwood, Morgantown, Morgantown North, Newberg and Westover agreed to contribute some International dollars to feed hungry children.

 Despite some nailbiting by organizers concerned about having adequate help, one-hundred and sixty-seven caring individuals showed up at Wesley United Methodist Church Gym (Wesley contributed a convenient venue and some additional funds) and had a rousing good time packaging 20,835 meals under the aegis of Stop Hunger Now.

In two hours nutritionally balanced plastic-packaged meals were ready for shipment to one of the 72 countries where Stop Hunger Now distributes food for school-based feeding programs. Hungry families in most developing countries do not send children to school if any cost is involved; they need the money for food. But they gratefully enroll them when a hot meal is part of the educational package.

Assembled volunteers (who reportedly had a great time!) also included folks from Webelos Pack 81 and The Preston County Inn in Kingwood, the Mountaineer Challenge Academy, Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, Wesley UMC, MHS Interact and Sundale Volunteers. They were standing in line for a chance to help! After-the-packing enthusiasm suggests we may have an launched an Annual Event; most observers want to double the number of meals next year!



Doctor speaks on acid reflux


Dr Drexel Dobson, Camden-Clark with Joyce Mather, President Rotary Club of Parkersburg

March 8, 2011 - By BRETT DUNLAP bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

PARKERSBURG - People with consistent acid reflux could have a surgical option, thanks to a new procedure being offered at the Camden Clark Medical Center.

"Heartburn is a problem that affects a certain amount of people throughout the world and certainly in America," he said. "It is a significant medical problem that affects the majority of Americans."

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause heartburn, acid regurgitation, discomfort and problems swallowing.

Around 35 million Americans suffer from it and 15 million experience at least one attack a day, Dobson said.

"A lot of people are basically married to their medications," he said. "Many can't get by without taking something. GERD gets worse over time."

GERD can lead to other health problems, including asthma, dental erosion, and burning throat/mouth pain.

"What it boils down to is there is a little valve at the top of the stomach which is supposed to close and prevent things in the stomach from going back up where acid is not wanted," Dobson said. "Our stomachs are designed to handle acid. It has several barriers to help to prevent acid from destroying the stomach.

"Sometimes the valve no longer works well or is no longer the size or the shape it should be."

Since this valve is not working properly, in many cases acid from the stomach rolls back up and causes problems. In some instances, it can lead to esophageal cancer and chronic pain.

It is treated with a variety of antacids and drugs. Some medications are expensive, have limited results over time in blocking acid and have side effects, Dobson said.

"Sometimes it requires surgery," Dobson said.

The Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) Procedure requires no incisions as it is performed entirely through the patient's mouth using a special device.

The device is moved into position inside the stomach to reconstruct the body's natural antireflux barrier by pulling down the edges of the stomach around the opening and recreating the valve that has fallen apart.

Once the procedure is completed, patients are first placed on a liquid diet and allowed to slowly build up to more solid foods. Most patients are able to return to work and normal activities within a couple of days after the procedure, he said.

There are between 30 and 40 doctors, including Dobson, nationwide who are doing the procedure, he said.

No procedures have been performed locally, but Dobson said there are many people who would be eligible for this procedure.

"When you look at everyone who has reflux, only 30 to 45 percent of the people we see are candidates for it," he said. "Surgery is an option, provided they don't have any mitigating medical problems or other circumstances that would render surgery less advisible.

Once the procedure is completed, patients are first placed on a liquid diet and allowed to slowly build up to more solid foods. Most patients are able to return to work and normal activities within a couple of days after the procedure, he said.

There are between 30 and 40 doctors, including Dobson, nationwide who are doing the procedure, he said.

No procedures have been performed locally, but Dobson said there are many people who would be eligible for this procedure.

"When you look at everyone who has reflux, only 30 to 45 percent of the people we see are candidates for it," he said. "Surgery is an option, provided they don't have any mitigating medical problems or other circumstances that would render surgery less advisible.

People on many long-term drugs could benefit, Dobson said.

"The issue is that medications that are long term have their side effects ... like bone loss and causing gastric polyps and we don't know what that will mean 30-40 years from now," Dobson said. "Those are the people this procedure could help."


Tomblin speaks on community college
 

Dr. Marie Foster Gnagy, President of WVUP and Joanne Tomblin, first lady.

February 22, 2011 - By MICHAEL ERB merb@newsandsentinel.com
 

PARKERSBURG - State officials want more students at West Virginia community and technical colleges to receive degrees.

West Virginia first lady Joanne Tomblin made several stops in the area Monday promoting a statewide initiative encouraging state community and technical colleges to retain more students.

Tomblin toured West Virginia University at Parkersburg's Jackson County Center Monday morning and then spoke to the Parkersburg Rotary Club at the Blennerhassett Hotel.

Tomblin, who also is president of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, said while the state has seen a steady increase in the number of students enrolled in West Virginia's 10 community and technical colleges, the number of students who actually achieve a certification or degree remains relatively low. Nationally the country is rapidly falling behind other nations in the number of degrees issued, she said.

"We have a lot of work to do, and West Virginia needs to be part of that effort," she said?

Monday's visit marked the last in a series of community and technical college tours where the institutions were being asked to sign both a national and state pledge to increase the number of degrees issued. Tomblin said each community college is being asked to develop a comprehensive plan for retaining students and encouraging them to achieve certifications or degrees.

For West Virginia University at Parkersburg, the largest community college in the state and one of the largest higher education institutions in West Virginia, the pledge translates to about 16,000 new degrees issued by 2015.

Tomblin and Council for Community and Technical College Education Chancellor Jim Skidmore met with West Virginia University at Parkersburg President Marie Foster Gnage Monday afternoon, with Gnage formally signing the retention pledge. Several officials from WVU-P presented information on different programs already being initiated on campus to help with the process, including better student outreach and guidance.

"We want to try new things, but at the same time we are mindful that these new things need to be successful," said Rhonda Richards, senior vice president for academic affairs at WVU-P.

Tomblin said increased vocational offerings and online courses both will be vital to helping more students achieve a degree. But Tomblin added those were only parts of the overall picture.

Flexibility, she said, is one of the community college system's greatest assets when developing programs and helping students to achieve academic goals.



Jackson Herald - Jan 19, 2011


The Rotary Club of Ripley on behalf of The International Fellowship of Scouting Rotarians presented the prestigious Cliff Dochterman Award to Dr. William C.  (Bill) Kuryla at their luncheon meeting on Wednesday January 19, 2011. This award is presented to those rare individuals who have dedicated a major portion of their lives to the Scout Oath and Law and to the Rotary motto, “Service Above Self”. An average of only one in 24,000 Rotarians worldwide and one in 50,000 people in the Scouting movement worldwide have received this award.

Ripley Rotary President Dick Ledford with the assistance of Dale Musgrave, Scout Executive of the Allohak Counsil BSA, Jack Kaull, President of the Allohak Council BSA, and Scot Freshwater, Executive Vice President of Allohak Council BSA presented the award to Dr. Kuryla. 		Dr. Kuryla’s service to Rotary began with his joining the Rotary Club of St. Albans in 1968. He is a past president of the Ripley Rotary Club, a Paul Harris Fellow, and is currently Secretary of Ripley Rotary. He is actively involved in all aspects of Rotary and can be seen helping with all Rotary projects in this area.

Dr. Kuryla is a 60 year veteran of the Boy Scouts of America. As a boy he earned the rank of Eagle (Bronze Palm), Air Explorer Ace, Explorer Silver Award and the God and Country Award.

His service as an adult spans a wide range of positions, programs and levels. His past service includes: Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, Associate Explorer Advisor, District Training Chairman, District Chairman, Council Training Chairman, Council Commissioner, Council Executive Board Member, and a variety of jobs on the regional and national levels.

Presently he is Vice President for ScoutReach and Past President of the Allohak Council BSA, a Member-at-Large of the National Council of the BSA, a Past Vice Chairman of the National Cub Scout Committee. He is a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, The Sliver Antelope Award, and the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and is one of those rare individuals who holds the 4-beads of a Wood Badge Course Course Director for both Boy Scout and Cub Scout Program Area.


Jack GIbbons
By Wayne Sheets
Rotary Club of Elkins

Davis and Elkins Artist-in-Residence Pianist Jack Gibbons entertained Elkins Rotarians at their weekly luncheon on Jan. 31. The weekly luncheon was held in the recreation room at the First United Methodist Church. After lunch, Rotary members and their guests moved to the sanctuary where Gibbons performed a medley of Gershwin’s most memorable works.

 During the concert Gibbons took time between pieces to reminisce about his childhood, education and his work as a world renowned pianist and composer. He remarked that he considered himself a most fortunate person coming from a modest yet musically talented family whose mother and father insisted that their children learn to perform and appreciate music. One of his most dramatic experiences in adult life was his involvement in a horrific automobile crash that left his left arm broken and in splinters. “It was truly a miracle,” Gibbons said, “that the doctors were able to restore my arm. The nerves were severely damaged; my mind would tell one finger to move and the one next to it would move. Basically, I had to learn to play the piano all over again,” he said.

Gibbons also said that Elkins and Davis and Elkins College provided him the quiet “noise free” environment he had been searching for for years in which to concentrate on his composing. It is the ideal place and I’m happy and fortunate to be here,” he said.

Patricia Schumann, Vice President for College Advancement, introduced Gibbons saying, “Jack Gibbons was introduced to D&E and to the Elkins community last spring when Doris Buffett brought him to perform and teach for the Gershwin Gala. Fortunately for us, the both fell in love with Elkins and Jack returned last fall as a visiting artist at Davis and Elkins College.”

 According to Schumann, Gibbons has been described as “one of England’s most exciting young pianist.” He began performing in public at the age of 10, made his professional solo recital debut at the age of 15, his London debut at 17 and at 20 won the Newport International Pianoforte Competition. Since then he has been thrilling audiences throughout Europe and the United States and his performances have garnered worldwide critical acclaim.

Schumann stated, “Gibbons is best known for his meticulous reconstructions of Gershwin’s breathtaking improvisations. He is, as well, a great performer of Chopin giving an all Chopin concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, which he will reprise in Elkins on February 13 on the Davis and Elkins Campus.”


Consolidation progress of Camden-Clark Memorial and St. Joseph's Hospitals 

Tom Jones, CEO West Virginia United Health System (WVUHS) and Joyce Mather President of the Rotary Club of Parkersburg

PARKERSBURG - With the consolidation of Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital moving along, the CEO of the group under which both hospitals will be coming together, said they are looking forward to working with local officials.

Tom Jones, president and CEO of West Virginia United Health System, spoke Monday to the Parkersburg Rotary Club at the Blennerhassett Hotel.

Jones laid out what West Virginia United Health System (WVUHS) was, how the merger would be accomplished and what role local hospital officials will be playing in the WVUHS as a whole. Being a part of the WVUHS will provide both hospitals with cost savings as well as opportunities to increase education and research. He also talked about the possibility of bringing new services to the area, services neither hospital could have afforded on their own.

Last week, the West Virginia Health Care Authority approved the Certificate of Need for WVUHS to purchase St. Joseph's Hospital. Both hospitals will be consolidated under the CCMH legal and governance structure and operate as a subsidiary of WVUHS.

''All of the regulatory hurdles have been overcome,'' Jones said. ''This will definitely happen.''

 

Using the analogy of buying a house, Jones said they were "waiting to get the final mortgage papers signed" in their purchase of St. Joseph's Hospital.

''We hope to have that done by the first of March,'' he said. ''Under the worst of circumstances, it would be no later than the first of April.''

Once together, local hospital officials will have a role in WVUHS decisions. 

''First of all, five people from this area will be appointed directly to the board of the West Virginia United Health System and they will represent the Parkersburg community on that board to make sure we make good decisions,'' Smith said. ''The second thing is they will continue to serve on the board of the local entity here.

''We need those board members and continue to rely on their input. That local input is the single most important thing we rely on.''

Mike King, president and CEO of Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital, said they were close to finalizing all of the offers to the employees of St. Joseph's Hospital. Over the past month, St. Joseph's employees have been filling out employment paperwork with CCMH. 

''Virtually, almost every employee will be extended an offer,'' King said. ''There are some folks who will not be hired, but that only amounts to a handful of people.

''They will know by the end of the month if they have jobs.''

People's past job performances and legal factors were considered.

King said he has met with most of the St. Joe employees and the majority should be receiving letters soon about their employment status.

He also said they have formed transition teams that will be comparing operations and policies at both facilities, utilizing the best of both groups.

When the transition becomes official, patients and employees won't notice any real difference the day after.

''The next day is going to be remarkedly anti-climatic, because you are going to come in and do the exact same thing you did the day before and in the exact same way,'' King said.


Rotary Club looks back at past - January 1861
Jan 4, 2011 By BRETT DUNLAP, bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

PARKERSBURG - Whether it remain with Virginia in the face of possible secession or find an alternative, like forming a separate state, was the basis of a January 1861 meeting held in Parkersburg.

Parts of that meeting were recreated Monday for the Parkersburg Rotary Club.

Dave McKain, a local historian as well as director of the West Virginia Oil and Gas Museum and Henderson Hall, gathered local Rotary members to play the parts of famous local residents and used actual records and transcripts of the time to formulate lines read by the volunteers.

In the past, it was common for such speeches to last 45 minutes to an hour, so McKain said they had to cut them down a little bit to fit within the Rotary's meeting time.

''We were celebrating the sesquicentennial of Parkersburg's first meeting, prior to the Civil War, to take a position on secession,'' McKain said. ''We are celebrating the 150th anniversary of a great event, a very important event in the history of West Virginia, that took place right here in Parkersburg.''

The original meeting was one of the first steps that eventually led to the formation of the state of West Virginia.

McKain played the part of a local newspaper editor at the time with the last name of Wharton who was at the original meeting. Local businessman Doug Kreinik played the part of Arthur I. Boreman; John Hoffman of Artsbridge played Gen. John Jay Jackson; Rich Schaffer, senior vice president of the West Virginia Credit Union League, played the part of P.G. Van Winkle; and Bob Enoch of the Wood County Historical Society played the part of Judge William L. Jackson

''The citizens of Wood County are divided as to loyalties for the Union and for the new Confederacy,'' McKain said as Wharton. ''However, the general mood is distinctly for staying with the Union, as are most citizens of Virginia. But there are strong feelings both way.''

The participants in the original meeting discussed the secession of South Carolina from the Union on Dec. 20, 1860 and a push for Virginia, which Parkersburg was a part of at the time, to follow and how the election of Abraham Lincoln as president played into some people's decision to support secession.

 

 

The participants discussed their options from following the rest of Virginia into secession, the possibility of forming their own state and finding a way to keep Virginia in the Union.

P.G. Van Winkle, a railroad president and oilman at the time, became a strong supporter of forming a new state. He eventually became West Virginia's first U.S. senator.

 ''We are deeply impressed with the conviction that our national prosperity, our hopes of happiness and future security depend on preserving the Union as it is and we see nothing in the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency of the United States - as much as we may have desired the election of another as affording any just or reasonable cause for the abandonment of what we regard as the best government ever yet devised by the wisdom and patriotism of men,'' Schaffer said as Van Winkle.

Arthur I. Boreman, a local attorney and a member of the Virginia Legislature at the time, became West Virginia's first governor.

''Why should we leave the union and give up the best government conceived by man?'' Kreinik asked as Boreman. ''Will the new Confederacy offer the same protection and freedoms that we now have? I don't want to risk the change.''

Gen. John Jay Jackson, a local attorney and member of the Virginia Legislature at the time, did not support secession, but did not agree with forming a new state either. He wanted to try to resolve the situation with Virginia.

''I believe that it is unconstitutional,'' Hoffman said as Jackson on the issue of secession. ''What happens if the majority does decide to secede? What do the people who want to stay in the Union do then?''

McKain said John Jay Jackson retired from politics before the real push for West Virginia statehood began.

Some in attendance of the original meeting were in full favor of secession and following the rest of Virginia.

''I just want to say that our fortunes lie with Virginia, and whatever Virginia does we should do likewise - and I want you to know that I will follow 'Mother Virginia' to the ends of the Earth and so will many of your constituents,'' Enoch said as Judge William L. Jackson.

Judge William L. Jackson became an unpopular figure locally, Enoch said.

Parkersburg played an important role in the formation of the state, Enoch said.

''This was the first public meeting in western Virginia and it laid the groundwork for how our representatives eventually made their decision (in forming West Virginia),'' he said. ''This was an important piece of history.''



Rotary makes Christmas merry


Jerry Simpson and Dr Heather Stone prepare for Adopt-A-Family

WELLSBURG Dec 29 - Three Brooke County families had a merrier Christmas this year thanks to the Brooke County Rotary Club.

"Community service projects like Adopt-a-Family are the heart and soul of Rotary," Simpson said at a recent Rotary meeting at the Station Grille in Wellsburg.

"It's a great feeling knowing that the club helped these families have a real Christmas," he added.

For its annual Adopt-a-Family Christmas project, Simpson organizes three teams from the club's 15 members and assigns a team to each family.

Team members solicit food and gift donations and purchase items based on the families' needs. The club then comes together to pick up the donated items and deliver them along with the gifts to the families.

This year members met on Dec. 16 at member Theresa Hedmond's home.

"We do it quietly - without fanfare," Jerry said. "Families are grateful but proud, so we don't make a big deal out of it.

"These are families on the bubble. They don't want to be where they are, but some may have lost a job or are coping with a serious illness. They just need a helping hand and we're glad we can step in and help. It's easy to take Christmas for granted, but when you realize there are families who won't have a Christmas, it makes you appreciate what you have," he said.

Dr. Michael Palma, the club's president, said of Simpson, "He does a terrific job, from getting in touch with the schools to motivating the members to go out and solicit donations.

 "Rotary's motto is 'Service Above Self,' and Adopt-a-Family is the embodiment of Rotary's commitment to community service," Palma added.

Nadine Sweda, principal of Jefferson Primary School, said she's aware of the impact the club has made on the families.

She told members at a recent meeting, "Words can't express what the club does for these families. You just don't know how much your efforts are appreciated by the families and by the school."

Response from the community sometimes results in the club having more than the families need.

n that case, the remaining items are donated to a local charity. This year, surplus items were given to the Follansbee R.E.A.C.H. Program, a local food pantry.

The Brooke County Rotary also raised $1,000 for the Holy Family Food Bank in Beech Bottom for Thanksgiving and conducted a food drive among Brooke County schools to help the pantry replenish its shelves.

New club member Gerry Henwood of Wellsburg asked club members to help with his longstanding community service project, collecting money for shoes for children in need at Franklin Primary School.

"Our club members really respond to needs in the community and we usually get 100 percent participation from our members for the club projects," said Palma.

Rotary District Governor-elect Ed Powell described the Brooke club as one of the most active in the district.

"We have great clubs who live the Rotary motto, 'Service Above Self,' but the Brooke club has an outstanding track record of community service. Adopt-a-Family is a perfect example of the Rotary mission and the impact it can have in a community," he said.

The Brooke Rotary club meets each Thursday at noon at the Station Grille restaurant. Prospective members are welcome.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com )



Elkins Club Donates World Atlases to County Fifth Graders..
.WayneRotary Club of Elkins

On a wintery Wednesday afternoon recently, Rotarian Donna Seibert journeyed across the snow covered roads to Pickens to complete the Rotary Club of Elkins’ program of giving each fifth grader a Webster’s International Atlas. For the past six years, according to Rotarian Grace Roy, the club had given each third grader a dictionary. This year the program was changed to giving atlases. “While the dictionaries were well received by the third graders, I believe giving the atlases will work out better since they were well received also,” Roy said.

Roy went on to say that she believed the dictionary distribution program began in 2004 and was originally a Rotary District-driven (Rotary District 7530) project. “For the past several years including this year, however,” Roy said, “the project has been sponsored and funded by the Rotary Club of Elkins.”

“The fifth grade students at Pickens School – five of them – were happy to receive the atlases,” Seibert said. “Their first exploration of their new tome was to see if they could find their home town – and they did.” She informed the students, as their teachers looked on, that the atlases were for use in the classroom and at home.

 “I hope you will find them useful in your studies about the world and that you will take care of them so that you will have them for many years to come,” Seibert told the students.
 

According to Rotarian Amy Schumacher, who chaired the committee responsible for the success of the program and who made the presentation to the fifth graders at Midland Elementary, one student, as soon as he had his copy in his hands started looking to see if he could find the place in Qatar where his daddy is stationed with the US Coast Guard.  Suddenly, he shouted out that he had found where his daddy was.  “It’s very satisfying to see students enjoy learning experiences,” Schumacher said.

 

Schumacher attributed the success of this year’s project to the help of many Rotarians, especially fellow Rotarian Grace Roy.  The atlases were received from the Dictionary Project (www.dictionaryproject.org) and, with the help of several other members of the Rotary Club, prepared for distribution by placing the Rotary International emblem in the book so that children would know from whom they were received.

 

The club celebrated its annual Christmas luncheon on Monday, Dec. 6, with a buffet-style lunch in the Rotary room at the Elkins “Y”.  Over 65 members of the club and their guests enjoyed lunch while sharing seasonal memories with one another.

 

The club is also engaged in erecting Rotary Safety Signs.  The signs, stamped with the Rotary emblem, warn motorists that they are entering a school zone and to be cautious of children who might not be watchful for vehicular traffic.  The signs have been erected at each school within the Elkins City Limits and are planned to be placed at all schools in Randolph County as soon as weather permits.



Rotary Club of Elkins sponsors Polio Plus Concert
Elkins:  Guitarist Seth Maynard accompanies vocalist Linda Wagnor.

Over 300 people, according to Rotarian Charlie Friddle’s headcount near the mid-point of the show, attend the Elkins Rotary Club’s PolioPlus Concert on Nov. 11. There was something on the musical menu for everyone.

A hearty “thank you” goes out to Rotarians Bob Dunkerley, Charlie Friddle, Ron LaNeve, and the many others who spent so much time putting it together. A very special thanks is extended to Kenny Sexton, owner and producer of the American Mountain Theater, for serving as emcee. His humor kept things most interesting during breaks between acts. 		According to Club President Pat Schoonover, not a single group asked to perform refused the invitation if they were not already committed. She said, “Everyone, Rotarians and performers alike, made every effort to see that the concert was a success.”

She added, “While the evening’s event raised over $3,420, all of which will go to world wide Rotary efforts to eradicate the dreaded polio disease, it also went a long way in letting the public know what the local Rotary clubs and the International organization is doing to make life better for mankind.”

President Schoonover also expressed her sincere thanks to Rotarians Mike Ellis, owner of Papa John’s Pizza, for furnishing food for the performers, Pat Schumann of D&E College for her efforts securing the use of Harper-McNeeley Auditorium, Rotary District Governor Ranjit K. Majumder for speaking to the crowd and the many others who did so much behind the scenes to insure the program’s success.

Ron LaNeve, PolioPlus Coordinator for the Elkins Rotary Club told the crowd that a dose of polio vaccine costs about 80 cents. At that rate, the concert raised enough money to immunize nearly 4,300 children in the endemic countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.



Rotary Club of Harrison County Assists with
American Red Cross Blood Drive
November 13, 2010
 
Pictured l-r: Rotary President Mike Lambiotte, Ellen Robinson, Rotary Treasurer, Kiwanis President and League Financial Board Chair Lu Bush.

Harrison County Rotary:

Ellen Robinson, Senior Field Representative of the American Red Cross, was the special guest of the Harrison County Rotary on October 14, 2010.

She was invited by Rotarian Lu Anne Bush and welcomed by club President Mike Lambiotte.

The Harrison County Rotary, The Clarksburg League for Service and the Bridgeport Kiwanis are working with the local chapter of the American Red Cross to co-sponsor a major blood drive to be held on November 13 (Saturday) from 9-2 pm at the Clarksburg American Legion hall.

Robinson gave several compelling reasons for donating blood: This chapter of the Red Cross covers 8 counties in North Central West Virginia and disperses approximately 7,000 units of blood per year.

Every three seconds someone needs blood and in a severe trauma situation, using 50 units of blood/victim is not unusual.

The two most sought-after blood types are O+ and O-. O+ is the most common, therefore it is most needed. While O- is the rarest type (only 7% of the population), but it can be transfused to anyone, regardless of blood type.

Beyond the obvious benefit of saving lives, Robinson stated that the donor actually receives a ‘mini-physical’ and if any irregularities show up following blood analysis, the donor is notified and encouraged to see their own physician.

She added some interesting facts: A person can donate every 56 days. A blood donation only lasts 42 days. Giving blood routinely lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels in men but does not have the same effect in women.

Robinson concluded her presentation by saying to give blood you have to weigh at least 110 lbs. and be at least 17 years of age. However, one can give at 16 with written consent of parent or guardian.

She also reminded donors to bring their donor card or driver’s license for identification.

Following her presentation, several members of Rotary signed up as donors and plan to attend as a group.

If you would like to participate in the November 13 blood drive, contact Ellen Robinson at 1.304.281.9498.

The Harrison county Rotary meets every Thursday at 7:30 am. at the Eat ‘n Park restaurant off Lodgeville Road. If you would like to learn more about their club, their activities and community service visit their website www.harrisoncountyrotary.org.



Pictured l-r: Chip VanAlsburg, Chris Phillips and Rotary President Mike Lambiotte
Harrison County Rotary:

On October 7, 2010, club President Mike Lambiotte welcomed Chip VanAlsburg, General Manager of Frontier Communications, to their weekly breakfast meeting.

Accompanying VanAlsburg was Chris Phillips, Technical Supervisor for this district of Frontier Communications.

Following breakfast and a short business meeting, VanAlsburg was introduced by long-time friend and past Rotary president Larry Cottrill.

VanAlsburg’s presentation was titled “Taking West Virginia from the 47th to 5th most wired state in America.” He began by giving a brief history of communications in West Virginia. He said the goal of his company is to extend broad band communications to 85% of the households in West Virginia within a 5 year period. He went on to explain the economic opportunities this expansion held for our state. 		Their motto is “Putting the Customer First.” VanAlsburg discussed their ‘holistic’ philosophy as it applies to doing whatever it takes to make West Virginia ‘wired.”

He talked about the thousands of dollars Frontier is investing in the region and also the many laborer and technicians being hired. When asked about closing any local facilities he said, “Absolutely not. In fact we are actually improving and expanding many facilities.”

He was also very pleased that Frontier Communications has signed a two-year contract extension with the union, ending months of speculation.

He concluded by stating that Frontier Communications is the largest tele-communications company in West Virginia and is the fifth largest in America and they will use all the resources at their disposal to “Take West Virginia from the 47th to the 5th most wired state in America.”

Members of the Harrison County Rotary were most pleased when VanAlsburg announced he had decided to join their Rotary club, becoming the second new member since July.

The Harrison County Rotary meets every Thursday, 7:30 am. at Eat ‘n Park restaurant off Lodgeville Road.

If you would like to learn more about their club, its activities and community service, visit their website: www.harrisoncountyrotary.org


Peurto Rico GSE Team

Amanda Pitzer, left, and Taryn Moser, relate their experiences while in Puerto Rico during their visit there in April 2010 to members of the Rotary Club of Elkins at their weekly luncheon on Monday, Oct. 25.

The pair were a part of Rotary's District 7530 Group Study Exchange program that sponsors non-Rotarian business people and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 years of age who are in the early stages of their careers.

The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six week, team members experienced the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practices abroad, develop personal and professional relationships and exchange ideas.

The team leader for the trip to Puerto Rico was David Cooper president of the Tucker County Rotary Club.

During their presentation Pitzer and Moser compared many interesting differences and similarities between their host country and their home state of West Virginia. While the two countries are similar in physical size, "Puerto Rico," according to the couple, "is a very crowded place with over 4.0 million residents compared to West Virginia's approximately 1.8 million."
The couple said that their hosts were much like West Virginians being very friendly and eager to learn about the customs and culture of their guests native land.

When asked what the learned about how the Puerto Rico's feel about becoming a state of the United States of America they said the reactions were mixed.  "There are many aspects of the debate," they said, "and the reactions are as varied and mixed as the many different groups we heard express an opinion."

While there the young women visited with many families, the longest stay with any one family was a mere six days.   

Pitzer is executive director of Friends of the Cheat and Moser is a GIS Analysis working for Derow Enterprises.
 


Lt Col Robert Sweet

Pilots speak to Rotary

October 19, 2010 - By MICHAEL ERB merb@newsandsentinel.com

PARKERSBURG - Fresh from his performance at the 2010 Air Expo, Lt. Col. Robert Sweet took time Monday to speak to the Parkersburg Rotary Club.

Sweet and members of the U.S. Air Force A-10 Demonstration team spoke briefly with Rotary members and showed video of the team from an air show last year in Dayton, Ohio.

Sweet said the A-10 fighter planes used by the team were built in the early 1980s, but their engineering has allowed the aircrafts to continue to function as air support for soldiers fighting in Afghanistan.

"The Taliban hate the A-10," he said. "Their nickname for it is 'The Monster.' "

 

Sweet said the purpose of the team performing in local air shows isn't to show off, but rather to give people a better understanding of the military's skill and power.

"It is not a waste of time," he said. "It's to come out and show the American people what we're capable of."

Sweet also spoke briefly about his experience as a prisoner of war during the Gulf War in 1991. Sweet, a graduate of Parkersburg South High School, was a lieutenant when his A-10 was shot down by Iraqi forces and he was taken prisoner for several weeks.

A Rotary member asked Sweet about footage of his release and how when the soldier saluted Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, then the head of America's armed forces, the general hugged him. Sweet said the general fought hard for the release of American servicemen being held as prisoners of war.

"I still don't think anybody can put their finger on what leadership is," Sweet said. "That was true leadership."

Sweet said the local community was extremely supportive of his family while he was fighting and lost in Iraq, and took a moment to give his condolences to the family of David Alan Hess, another Parkersburg South grad and serviceman who recently was killed in Afghanistan.

"My heart goes out to him and his family," Sweet said.

 




Randolph Co. BOE Superintendent Addresses
Elkins Rotary

By Wayne Sheets
Contributing Business Writer

Dr. James Phares, superintendent of Randolph County Schools addressed Rotary Club of Elkins members at their weekly luncheon on Monday regarding the importance of the passage of the school levy.

Phares said, “We have tried to present the levy in the manner of an information campaign instead of a political one. The idea being that if we present the information as to why the excess levy is needed and how the money will be spent voters will have a much better understanding of the underlying reasons why it is needed. If people understand the issues, they can make decisions based on facts not political innuendo. If passed, the levy would go into effect on July 1, 2011.

“Should the levy pass,” Phares said, “it is structured in a manner that will cap each year’s proceeds at a maximum of $2.8 million and a maximum of $14 million over the five-year life of the program. Levy proceeds will be in addition to money received through the state’s board of education school allocation formula.”

According to Dr. Phares, the levy is 100 percent student centered – no proceeds of the levy will benefit the staff and support personnel. The money will be spent in support of school programs within the county including library partnerships, ArtsBank, music, elementary field trip support, extracurricular program support, technology and maintenance.

 

Phares noted that the levy is needed to keep all schools in operation. “The desire of the people to keep their school open and functioning is as strong in Pickens and Harman as it is in Elkins,” Phares said. He also noted the importance of keeping each school open because of the time and travel restraints placed on the transport of younger children.

Passage of the levy will also eliminate some of the fundraising efforts by children trying to raise money for extracurricular activities during their non-school time,” Phares said. “Each year children spend countless hours trying to sell various products to community members in their efforts to raise money to support extracurricular activities. A part the levy proceeds will go to support these activities and eliminate the need of student’s trying to raise money for these projects.”

Phares asked that everyone consider the benefits of the passage of the levy and the affects of non-passage of the levy. He said, “We’ve spent the last 18 months gathering information, assembling data and doing all we can to win back the confidence of the citizens of Randolph County so that we can create a better school system for our children. I ask that every voter consider what this will do for our students and whether or not the levy is a worthwhile investment in them.”

In other Rotary news, Rotary International has declared Oct. 24 through 29, 2010, as Global Polio Eradication week with Oct. 24 designated World Polio Eradication Day.

 You do not have to be a Rotarian to help in this cause. You may contribute to the Elkins Rotary Club’s efforts to do their part toward raising $200 million to match $355 million in challenge grants received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The resulting $555 million will directly support immunization campaigns in developing countries where polio continues to infect and paralyze children robbing them of their futures and compounding the hardships faced by their families. Donations may be made through any Rotarian. For more information, visit www.rotary.org.




Sour Mash officials present grants to local organizations
 
October 12, 2010 - By JODY MURPHY jmurphy@newsandsentinel.com

PARKERSBURG - Officials handed out close to $20,000 in grants Monday at the Parkersburg Rotary Club at the Blennerhassett Hotel.

Jerry Parkins, chairman of the Sour Mash Golf Tournament grant committee and president-elect of Parkersburg Rotary, recognized the five organizations that were awarded grants.

Parkins, along with representatives from the Wood County Rotary Club, handed out grants to Artsbridge, for an arts festival; the Gabriel Project to provide baby cribs; the Parkersburg Boys and Girls Club, for a fire extinguisher system in the kitchen; Parkersburg High Stadium Committee, for renovations to the track and the Erickson All-Sports Facility, for stadium locker room expansion.

Sour Mash officials also provided money to the county's four high school golf programs and Bryce-Lietzke-Martin Scholarship Fund.

With support from various individuals, local businesses and community charities, the Parkersburg and Wood County rotary clubs golf tournaments have raised more than $1 million for local charities, according to Parkins.

 The annual golf tournament has been raising funds for almost 40 years. It got off to a solid start in the 1970s partnering with PGA Tour professional Bruce Lietzke. Recently the event has managed to align itself with LPGA star Brittany Lincicome, who has ties to the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Last year, the Sour Mash Memorial distributed more than $20,000.

In conjunction with the 2010 tournament, held in July, Edwin Dils was honored for his years of community service. The 1940 graduate of Parkersburg High School was influential in the creation and growth of many organizations, including the Parkersburg Rotary. He passed away last month at the age of 88.

Greg Smith, event organizer for the Air Expo 2010, was the Rotary's speaker.

Smith said the theme for this year's expo is "A Salute to Those Who Serve" and will recognize not only the military but also law enforcement and emergency services, with police vehicle, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles on display at the event.

The expo will also have several demonstrations of aerobatic flying, local radio control airplane clubs and the Ohio Valley Sky Divers. The expo will end with the annual Mark Mondo candy drop.

One of the demonstration teams will be the U.S. Air Force A-10 Demonstration Team from Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. The other will be the U.S. Navy F-18 Eastern Demonstration Team.



President Nathan with Lt. Knight talked to the Bridgeport Club about the West Virginia Junior Fire Fighter Camp held every summer for youth between the ages of 14 and 17 who want to learn more about fire fighting and emergency medical services.		 They practice fire fighting techniques, discover how to develop the “right stuff” for a fire fighting career, try on equipment and other fire fighting and safety apparatus, and play sports, swim, and have fun.

Hands on aircraft rescue fire fighting, CPR & First Aid, fireground operations, ground and aerial ladders, hoseline operations, leadership and team-building, portable fire extinguishes, personal protective equipment, self-contained breathing apparatus, vehicle extrication, vehicle fires, special operations. This is the one camp that provides hands-on experience to the youth attending.



Comedian Dan Kamin Entertains Elkins Rotarians

By Wayne Sheets
Contributing Business Writer
 
(Click on picture for link to Dan Kamin's web page)

Rotarians enjoyed an unusual luncheon presentation on Monday, Oct. 10 by Dan Kamin who created Johnny Depp’s comedy moves in “Benny and Joon” and trained Robert Downey, Jr. for his Oscar-nominated performance in “Chaplin.” Kamin began his routine by talking about stress and the many ways in which it could be managed. Before long he had his audience enthralled going through what he called “simple exercises one can do to manage stress.” Before long Kamin became the butt of his own joke and to reveal how his comedy presentation ended would reveal some of the content in his upcoming performances at the Randolph County Community Arts Center’s Great Hall on Oct. 15 and 16. Let’s suffice it to say that he is hilarious.

During the second segment of his all too short program he talked about comedy as an art form and how our society uses comedy not only to control and relieve stress but as a form of entertainment as well. “Comedy,” Kamin said, “is all about poking fun at a person who is having a bad day or someone who is having a bad time in front of an audience.” He also talked briefly about how he became involved in comedy.

Critics have described Kamin as demented, charming and brilliant. He created the physical comedy sequences for “Chaplin” and “Benny and Joon.” He trained Robert Downey, Jr. and Johnny Depp for their acclaimed starring performances in those popular films.

Kamin said, “The arts center is basically unleashing me on Elkins for a whole week. I’ll freak people out by strolling around in slow motion. I’ll be the worse luncheon speaker the town has ever seen and I’ll perform for several school groups to combat the influence of rational thought.”

In other Rotary news, the club will be hosting “A Concert to end Polio” on Nov. 11 at Harper-McNeely Auditorium on the Davis and Elkins College Campus. The concert, according to Rotarian Bob Dunkerley the mastermind behind the concert, will feature a musical evening with Elkins’ best musicians performing rock, pop, country, jazz, classical, blues and much more.

Tickets may be obtained from any Rotarian and are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the show will start at 7:30 p.m. All seats are general admission.

All proceeds will go toward Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate Polio in the four remaining endemic countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.

To show his support for Rotary’s efforts to rid the world of the dreadful disease, Governor Joe Manchin on Sep. 24 issued a proclamation supporting the efforts of every Rotary Club in West Virginia and asked every citizen of the Mountain State to join the observance of October 24-30 as Rotary Polio Eradication Week.

World Polio Day will be observed on Oct. 24, 2010.

For more information, visit rotary.org/endpolio on the Internet.



Kessler speaks to Rotary

about shale mining



October 5, 2010 Parkersburg

By Michael Erb, merb@newsandsentinel.com
PARKERSBURG - A state senator says harvesting the oil and gas reserves trapped within West Virginia's Marcellus shale are vital to the economic future of the state and its people.

Sen. Jeff Kessler of the 2nd Senatorial District told the Parkersburg Rotary Club on Monday the Marcellus shale represents a "crucial aspect" of financial growth for the state.

"Everyone needs energy. We still have it," he said. "I think it is West Virginia's decade."

The Marcellus shale is a geological formation nearly a mile below the earth. The shale runs from New York through most of the Appalachia region.

Miners extract natural gas and oil from the shale through a process called hydraulic fracturing or "fracking." Crews drill horizontal mine shafts, then force large quantities of water, sand and chemicals into the shale, fracturing the structure and causing the gas and oil to rise where it can be collected.

But the project is not without its pitfalls. Concerns ranging from the state of country roads to the impact on local water tables abound, Kessler said.

The process requires huge amounts of water and sand, and some critics fear the process can taint underground water supplies. Kessler also said the weight of the supplies requires dozens of large vehicles to make multiple trips to mining sites using local roads, many of which are not designed for large vehicles. The trucks can slow and snarl local traffic, damage roads and cause noise and mess for local residents.

There also are concerns about the process tainting local water sources. In addition to the chemicals used in the fracking process, the shale itself can contain a host of toxic substances, from radon to chemicals found in antifreeze. Those chemicals could easily join with wastewater from the process, bubbling up to the surface, fouling the water table or draining into local waterways.

Kessler said he and other legislators are already looking at creating state guidelines for mining, which would include safety measures for mining vehicles, requiring mine owners to help pay for road repairs, and even economic plans to set aside money from the mines to create a "future fund" for West Virginia residents.

But Kessler also said the process of mining the shale is "in its infancy," and officials are still working out many of the details on how people will be compensated for the use of their property and how to properly address all safety concerns.

Kessler said he believes the Marcellus shale represents a financial windfall for the state and could propel West Virginia into the top ranks economically.

"We will have the opportunity to be a real leader in the nation in this," he said. "This is going to be what creates opportunity for this state."



 

 

 

August 3, 2010 - By ANGELINA DICKSON, Staff writer
Daily Times - WeirtonDailyTImes.com

 WEIRTON - The Rotary Club of Weirton Heights welcomed Rotary District 7530 District Governor Ranjit K. Majumder during the club's regular meeting today.

Majumder graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of Calcutta in Calcutta, India with honors in psychology and moved to the United States for further education where he earned a doctor of philosophy in psychology from the University of Oklahoma. He has specialized in the area of neuropsychology and he is a licensed psychologist.

Majumder stated he feels moving forward, not dwelling on "what we've always done" is the key to success. He said Weirton is rooted in tradition, but it must not hinder progress.

"This is a changing world and we must be prepared to change with it," began Majumder by quoting Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary.

Majumder said the most important aspect of Rotary is its members. He said there are 1.3 million members meaning there are 2.6 million hands working through Rotary to make the world a better place.

"Those hands can move mountains, plant trees, build shelter boxes and put a drop in a child's mouth to prevent polio," he said.




Majumder introduced the new year's theme for Rotary - "Building Communities, Bridging Continents." He said it is an extension of last year's theme "The future of Rotary is in your hands." He noted that Rotarians are not just good people and they don't just talk but "we do things" and he intends to think big in the coming year.

Several of the goals Majumder has planned for Rotary include raising $200,000 for the district, which includes 30 clubs. He said another project he would like for the clubs to consider is a rubella vaccination to prevent blindness, heart problems and mental retardation in children. He said it costs approximately $1.05 to vaccinate one person.

"We are not going to do what New York is doing or what Pennsylvania is doing, but we are going to do what we can do," he said.

Another change coming to Rotary, according to Majumder, is a fifth avenue of service. Rotary stands by club service, community service, vocational service and international service and will now include new generation service, an avenue of service geared toward youth and the changing world.

Members of the Rotary Club of Weirton Heights received a full list of local and global projects, membership goals, Rotary Foundation goals, the Governor Office goals as well as encouragement for each of the clubs to receive the Rotary International Presidential Citation, the Governor's Citation and be represented at the District Conference set to take place in Morgantown. Club members were also encouraged to attend the Rotary International Conference set to take place in New Orleans.

(Dickson can be contacted at adickson@weirtondailytimes.com)


Morgantown and Saint Mary’s, W.Va., natives Sarah Perry and Meaghan Cochrane have been awarded the 2010-2011 Rotary International District 7530 Ambassadorial Scholarships for one year of academic study in another country. Both recent graduates will be using the scholarship to pursue Masters Degrees.

Valued at a maximum level of $25,000, the award covers round-trip transportation, tuition and fees, room and board, intensive-language training, if needed, and necessary educational supplies for one year. Designed to promote and strengthen international understanding and goodwill, the scholarship gives students the opportunity to study abroad in more than 80 nations.

Perry, who is sponsored by the Morgantown Rotary club, graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in Business Administration and plans to study International Marketing at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland. Cochrane graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College with a degree in English and is sponsored by the Buckhannon Rotary club. She will be studying International Management at the Antwerp International Business School in Belgium.

As an elected member to the Student Government Association’s Board of Governors, Perry served on numerous campus committees, and promoted community service and leadership. She was also active in the WVU Marketing Club and Campus Crusade for Christ.

While at Wesleyan, Cochrane served as an AmeriCorps mentor with Energy Express and a Group Leader for the Freshmen Orientation Program. She was also named Editor-in-Chief of Vandalia, the campus’ literary magazine, and was a staff writer for the university newspaper, Pharos.

“I am delighted that we are sending them,” said Ranjit Majumder, District Governor. “Not only will they be great ambassadors promoting world peace, but after their return, they will broaden our understanding of the world.”

While abroad, Ambassadorial Scholars participate in service projects and speak to Rotary clubs, schools, civic organizations, and other forums, where they act as “ambassadors of goodwill.” Upon their return to the United States, they speak about their experiences and their host countries to local Rotary clubs.



Sarah Perry

Sarah Perry- Morgantown

Megan Cochrane - Saint Mary's

Approximately 700 Ambassadorial scholarships are awarded around the world each year by the Rotary Foundation. Founded in 1947, today it is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. The program has sponsored more than 40,000 Rotary Scholars since its inception.


“We are wishing both Sarah and Meaghan great journeys and are confident in their abilities to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas,” Majumder said.



May 18, 2010 Buckhannon

The oil and gas industry is a big part of the economy in West Virginia, as members of the Buckhannon Rotary received upfront information during their meeting Tuesday.

Don Supcoe, president of Independent Oil and Gas Association (IOGA) of West Virginia, provided a brief history of the company and mentioned a few of the benefits that occur from oil and gas production.

Formed in 1959, IOGA is a statewide nonprofit trade association that represents companies engaged in the extraction and production of natural gas and oil in the state, Supcoe said. IOGA was formed to promote and protect a strong, competitive and capable independent natural gas and oil producing industry in the state.

In 1991, Supcoe said IOGA approved the mission statement that better defines the association's purpose and goals. IOGA's mission statement is as follows:

- Identifying and educating IOGA members of the challenges and opportunities confronting the industry.

- Encouraging and projecting a unity of purpose among membership.

- Educating the general public, elected and appointed representatives about the importance of the industry.

Don Supcoe

IOGA President

By Gary Mallonee, Staff Writer
The InterMountain


- And protecting and improving both the business and natural environment of the state

In 2008, more than 8,000 West Virginians were employed directly by the oil and gas industry and another 13,000 were employed indirectly by the industry, Supcoe said. The average income in the state is around $19,417 per year, while the average salary of workers in the oil and gas industry is around $60,000.

The oil and gas industry is a big part of the economy in West Virginia, as members of the Buckhannon Rotary received upfront information during their meeting Tuesday.


Harrison County Rotary

On May 6, 2010, members of the Harrison County Rotary Club partnered with several residents of the Maplewood Retirement Community to provide food for the 16 families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Morgantown.

Under the direction of Kristi-Parks Davis, Activity Director at Maplewood, several of the residents came together to prepare trays of lasagna, salad and bread while the Rotarians provided several deserts.

Members of the Harrison County Rotary met at Maplewood to load the food and transport it to the Ronald McDonald House.

Upon arriving at the Ronald McDonald House they were met by Shift Supervisor Jessica DeHaven who assisted in placing the food in one of the two family kitchens. The Rotarians were hoping they would be able to serve dinner to the families but they had not returned from the hospital.

Jessica DeHaven provided a tour of the facility which included the double kitchen area, family room, dining areas, laundry room and recreation areas.

Franzi

The Ronald McDonald House is located at 841 Country Club Drive, Morgantown and is located within walking distance of Ruby Memorial and WVH Hospitals.

They provide temporary housing for families with a child (age 18 and under) who is being treated at area hospitals and whom live at least 50 miles outside the Morgantown area.

This particular house has 16 rooms available for families, each equipped with 2 twin sized beds, private bath and shower, telephone and all necessary amenities. A $12.00 a night fee is “requested” for each room.

The Ronald McDonald House may be contacted by calling 304.598.0050 or you can visit their web site www.rmhcmgtn.org.

Top:
Pictured from left to right (seated): Lisa Cottrill, Pina Price, Jessica DeHaven (standing) Mike Lambiotte, Melanie Chancey, David Jones, Dennis Shreve, Franzi Jansche (the club’s German exchange student), Larry Cottrill and Jim Denny.

Left:
On the way out, Franzi Jansche said goodbye to the life-sized version of Ronald McDonald, as seen in the picture.



PARKERSBURG - In a farewell speech to the Parkersburg Rotary Club, retiring Superintendent Bill Niday left members with dire financial predictions for Wood County Schools.

Niday was the guest speaker at the Rotary's Monday meeting, his last address to the group before he retires at the end of July. Niday said the school system is facing a financial crisis as several state and federal funding sources are set to end in 2011.

Niday also said those drops in funding likely will mean cuts in teachers and staff, the largest expense in the district's $129 million budget.

Niday said the budget has remained stable over the last few years due to federal stimulus and stabilization funds. Though the state has had to cut areas of funding, officials managed to "backfill" those funding gaps with federal money.

But Niday said those funds run out this coming year.

"We're going to be OK next school year," he said, "but we will be facing some major budget issues in 2011-12."

While other school systems throughout the nation have had to make difficult budget cuts due to state funding cuts, West Virginia school systems have remained relatively untouched due to the presence of federal dollars, Niday said. Specific areas of concern, he said, lie with special education, Title I funding for high-poverty schools, and state budget reductions.

 "If we hadn't had Title I stimulus money, we would have lost $400,000 (in funding) two years ago. Last year we would have lost another $500,000," he said.

State funding cuts, had they not been backfilled with federal stabilization money, would have required a $3 million cut to Wood County Schools' budget, Niday said. Next year those stabilization funds will replace $4 million in lost funding.

Those federal funding sources, however, all end within the next year, he said.

"You will have no stimulus funds for Title I or special education. You will have no stabilization money," Niday said. "For me, 2011-12 shapes up as a good year to be retired."

Niday said the massive drop in funding will force many difficult decisions on how to maintain personnel and programs, decisions which will be made by the Wood County Board of Education and incoming Superintendent Pat Law.

"Eighty-five percent of our budget is people," Niday said. "At some point you have to make cuts there."

Wood County Schools is one of the largest employers in the county, with 1,600 teachers, administrators and service personnel.

Niday also spoke briefly about upcoming debates over teacher pay, merit-based pay and dealing with non-performing employees. Several changes in education being put forth by President Barack Obama's administration require school systems to come up with ways to judge teacher performance, offer rewards for good performance and eliminate consistently low-performing teachers and administrators.

Niday said those changes will be difficult to implement, but he understood their necessity.

"We have been bad at, and by 'we' I mean administrators. We have been bad about just saying, 'It is hard to fire a teacher,'" he said. "If the kids aren't learning, we're not doing our job. That is something we need to change. We need to get past that mindset."

by MICHAEL ERB Parkersburg News and Sentinel


Toni Caridi believes West Virginia University athletics is in a golden age. Voice of the Mountaineers
Toni Caridi, Jenny Keup and John Hoffman talk
about football outside of the tent...photo by Clark
Reese

PARKERSBURG by Wayne Towner- Tony Caridi, the "Voice of the Mountaineers," believes West Virginia University athletics is in a golden age, with continued success in its football and basketball programs.

Caridi, who has spent the last 24 years with Mountaineer Sports Network, was the speaker at Monday's weekly luncheon of the Parkersburg Rotary Club.

During his time with MSN, Caridi has spent the last 13 seasons as radio play-by-play announcer for Mountaineer football and basketball on MSN. Along with his play-by-play duties, Caridi continues to serve as a co-host and feature contributor for the television shows "Mountaineer Magazine" and "Mountaineer Jammin'."

In addition to MSN, Caridi has done play-by-play for ESPN, PIA Radio, the BIG EAST, Prime, Atlantic 10, Creative Sports and Mutual broadcasts. He is the sports director of the MetroNews Radio Network and hosts a nightly statewide sports talk show as well as working with coaches Bill Stewart and Bob Huggins on their statewide talk shows.

 He has been named the West Virginia Sportscaster of the Year on three occasions.

Caridi talked about three main topics during Monday's program, the Mountaineer basketball program, the football program and recent talk about conference expansions that might affect WVU.

"As everyone knows, it's been a really productive year, it's been a very memorable year all around," he said.

Caridi said he was present for all of the basketball games in the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

"It was wonderful, it was a storybook-type of a run. It was the kind of a run that everyone always dreams about," he said.

Caridi hosts a nightly statewide talk show and said he has received positive responses from across West Virginia regarding the basketball program's successes this winter.

"You can tell the great excitement, the great pride that folks have after what was just a wonderful year," he said.

Looking ahead at the next football season at WVU, Caridi said the team is in good shape and of the main question marks will be how quickly starting quarterback Geno Smith can become comfortable and "play instead of think."

Regarding possible changes in the college football conferences, Caridi said it may be the end of 2010 before much is known about what will happen and how wide the effects will be. The Big Ten Conference is studying plans to expand and if it decides to add one team, there will not be much change seen, Caridi said. If it decides to add three to five teams, that could spread to affect several conferences and lead to extensive shakeups, he said.

Wayne Towner -- Parkersburg News and Sentinel



District 7530 Hosts Successful RLI

The WVU Mountaineers are off to a good start this season with a 2-1 record currently and District 7530 has scored a winning touchdown by hosting a successful RLI event in Morgantown on September 19, 2009. The event was held at the WVU Mountainlair Student Union with 30 Rotarians participating; 17 in Part I, 8 in Part II, and 5 in Part III.
 
Those graduating were Michael Ellington of the Rotary Club of Morgantown, Richard Guttman of Rotary Club of Morgantown, K. Brad Merrifield of the Rotary Club of Fairmont, Daniel Miller of the Rotary Club of South Fairmont, and Patricia Schoonover of the Rotary Club of Elkins.

Facilitators for the event included PDG Dave Cavender (RLI WV State Chair & Event Program Coordinator), PDG Sandy Duckworth, PP Steve Cook, PDG Jerry Evans, PDG Dr. S. “Jay” Jayakumar, Rtn. Earline Orndorff, PP William “Bill” Orndorff, PDG John “Jack” Porter, and PP J. R. Wolfe. Special thanks to Bill, Earlene, Jerry, Sandy, and Steve for traveling from Virginia to facilitate at the Morgantown event.

Thanks to WVU Mountainlair Director and RLI Graduate, Michael Ellington and his superb staff for their excellent event assistance.		 RLI Graduates & Facilitators

David Cavender, Michael Ellington, Jerry Evans, Daniel Miller, J. R. Wolfe, K. Brad Merrifield, John “Jack” Porter, Richard Guttman, Earline Orndorff, Patricia Schoonover, William “Bill” Orndorff, and Sandy Duckworth. 

Not pictured:  Steve Cook, Dr. S. “Jay” Jayakumar, and Grace Roy.



PARKERSBURG - West Virginia University President Jim Clements spoke to the Parkersburg Rotary Club saying his first year as West Virginia University's president has been "magical," but said he has many more years ahead of him as the leader of the state's largest university.

Clements was hired to replace interim president J. Peter Magrath who replaced Michael Garrison after the university president was forced to resign amid a degree scandal involving Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter.

Clements said his goal for the past year has been to rebuild the faculty and stability of West Virginia University.

When he was hired, "I was the fourth person to sit in that chair in the president's office in 22 months," he said. He later spoke of the university's need for stability in its leadership, and said prior to be hired by WVU, "I was at one place for 20 years. I'm not going anywhere."

Several resignations and retirements followed Garrison's departure, leaving Clements with a handful of interim directors and a large number of vacancies to fill.

 "The first thing I had to do was build a team," he said. While many positions were filled over the last year, several Rotary members asked about the university's most recent vacancy, that of the athletic director.

Clements said he couldn't comment on the process, as he was still establishing a search committee, but said the college already has received a large number of applications, bolstered by the WVU men's basketball team's race to the Final 4 tournament.

That event also has helped the university in recruiting new students.

"Admissions are up. Applications are up. Hits to the Web site are up," he said.


Future WVU students with President Jim Clements.

Clements said overall he feels the university sits in a better position that it had occupied before he took over as president.

"We are strong. We are stable. We are feeling good," he said.

Clements took time during the luncheon to heap praise on West Virginia University at Parkersburg, which last year reached an agreement with WVU to continue using its name while acting as a separate yet affiliated campus. Clements also praised the work of WVU-P President Marie Foster Gnage in bolstering enrollment

Clements, however, did not comment on whether WVU-P's expanding baccalaureate degree programs affected enrollment of local students at the Morgantown university.

Clements said Wood County has historically been a good source of in-state enrollment, with more than 3,000 alumni living in the county and more than 700 freshmen from the county enrolled at WVU. 


Parkersburg-University of Charleston President Speaks/span>

University of Charleston President Edwin Welch spoke at Monday’s meeting of the Rotary Club of Parkersburg at the Blennerhassett Hotel. Here President Welch talking with Whitney Parkins, an entering undergraduate, and Whitney Sandy, a new student in the Pharmacy Phd program.(Photo by Clark Reese)

By Parkersburg News and Sentinel, MICHAEL ERB merb@newsandsentinel.com March 30, 2010

PARKERSBURG - The University of Charleston continues to grow in both enrollment and facilities. College President Edwin Welch spoke at Monday's meeting of the Rotary Club of Parkersburg at the Blennerhassett Hotel, talking about the private college's growth, plans for future development and some of the hurdles faced by the institution.

Welch has been president of the college since 1989.

Over the last four years the college has had a 60 percent growth in student enrollment. Welch credited the college's school of pharmacy, which was added in 2006, as accounting for a significant portion of enrollment growth. The University of Charleston serves more than 1,400 graduate and undergraduate students.



Welch said about two-thirds of the school's undergraduate students and a third of its graduate students hail from West Virginia, a population he said has been increasingly difficult to maintain. Welch said the state's Promise Scholarship program, which awards partial or full scholarships to high-performing West Virginia students who attend public colleges, has driven more students away from private colleges in recent years.

The school has added seven buildings to its campus during the last 12 years, investing more than $100 million in the school's facilities. The college has added one new building or program each year since 2001.

The college plans to add a physicians assistant program next year, the first part of a planned graduate health care program, as well as upgrade and expand its sports and fitness center, he said. "We are one check away from starting work on it," he said. "It is a rather big check."

Welch said tuition at the University of Charleston is about $24,000 a year, about $2,000 less than the national average for private colleges. Room and board can add another $8,000-$10,000 a year, he said, and 65 percent of the college's student body lives on campus. Welch said 97 percent of the college's students receive employment or apply for a graduate program within six months of graduation. A third of the students attending the college graduate in less than four years.

"We are one check away from starting work on it," he said. "It is a rather big check."

Welch said tuition at the University of Charleston is about $24,000 a year, about $2,000 less than the national average for private colleges. Room and board can add another $8,000-$10,000 a year, he said, and 65 percent of the college's student body lives on campus.

Welch said 97 percent of the college's students receive employment or apply for a graduate program within six months of graduation. A third of the students attending the college graduate in less than four years.


Fairmont - Overstock Outlet Auction
An auction may be a good fund raiser for your club. A professional crew brought in two large truckloads of all kinds of items (see brochure). About half a dozen Rotarians helped and another half bid. But you can see many people in the community joined in on the bidding and fun. The auction grossed about $7,000 with the club getting 10-15%. The auctioneer noted that as the community learns about what you can get, the auction grows considerably. You can contact Brad Merrifield for more information.











MORGANTOWN -- Many people took advantage of health screenings Saturday in Morgantown.br>
The Rotary Club of Morgantown teamed up HealthSouth and WVU Hospitals for its annual fundraiser.

People were able to have blood drawn as part of a multiphasic screening.

The rotary club is able to offer the screenings at a cheaper price to the public. "We're partnering with two medical partners here in town trying to do our part for the betterment of the Morgantown Community," said Harry Grandon.

It's not too late to participate in the health screenings.

The Rotary club will hold another day of screenings next Saturday August 15 from 6:30 until 11 in the morning.

Appointments are encouraged but not necessary.

Robert Brandfass--Rotary Club of Morgantown
Click above for story and video. Thanks WBOY!
Parkersburg Club inducts 14 Paul Harris Fellows (PHF) and 3 Paul Harris Plus. Michael Palma, District Foundation Chair 2009-10, notes that this was the most PHF since the formation of the club in 1919.

Pictured front row: Jefferey Campbell, Alice Harris (PHF+2), Michael Flanagan, Michael Seeley (PHF+1), Michael A King, Jon Leavitt (Club Foundation Chair); Second row: Greg Smith (PHF+1), Don Dooley, Joanne Argabrite, Lisa Martin, Halcourt P Foss; top row: Jennifer Keup, Michael Palma (District Foundation Chair), Paul Ferrell and Richard Schaffer. Not pictured were: Marie Foster Gnage, Robert S Boone and Frank Deem.











The 2009 RYLA students at Jackson's Mill.
Each supported by a local club in District 7530












Elkins Rotary Inducts New Members
By Wayne Sheets Contributing Business Writer

Rick Reese, Governor of Rotary District 7530, joined Rotary Club of Elkins President Pat Schumann and members on Monday, (Feb. 23, 2009) for the induction of the largest group of new members in recent memory.

In his remarks, Reese informed the newly installed members of Rotary’s mission and goals and challenged them to join the efforts of the International organization in supporting them. “You are now a member of one of the most dynamic organization in the world,” Reese said. “First, you are reminded of the worldwide association is to provide service to others, promote high ethical standards, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional and community leaders. Secondly, you are to consider the four-way test in all things you think, say and do: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships, and Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

Reese went on to inform the new members of the organization’s successful campaign against polio. “In 1985,” he said, “when Rotary joined the fight against the		  deadly disease, over 350,000 children was inflicted each year with polio. By 2008, there were fewer than 2000 cases reported worldwide. Today, polio has been totally eradicated from all but four countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria.” He also mentioned the many local projects that Rotary is involve in including the support of schools, libraries, clean water projects and the continuing battle against child mortality.

After their induction, each new member was introduced to the group and gave a brief biography of them self.

Those inducted as new members were Dr. David Currence, Bob Dunkerly, Mike Ellis, Willis McCollum, Dr. Mathew “Matt” Cupp, and Samantha Storch. Charlie Friddle reinstated his membership. Sponsors of the new members were Rotarians Pat Schumann, Grace Roy, Pat Schoonover, Gary Chase, Carol Cain, Dan Bucher and John Henning.

The induction was a result of the club’s membership drive spearheaded by President Schumann and others of the membership committee.

Rotary International is a global organization involving more than 33,000 clubs with 1.2 million members in 200 countries.


On March 16 six professionals from Northern West Virginia have started a four-week Vocational and Cultural Education program in Central Japan. The Program is known as a "Group Study Exchange"; operated by area Rotary Clubs and The Rotary Foundation, an educational and international peace and understanding effort.

The Team departed the Morgantown Airport on Monday morning. They will stay with Japanese Rotarians, receive on-the-job training in their professions and learn about the Japanese culture. They are scheduled to return on April 18. The Rotary Foundation and area Rotarians pay all of the expenses.

West Virginians leaving Monday for this once in a lifetime experience are: Lea Broderick, a musician from Preston County, Dr. Carmen Burrell, a physician from Harrison County, Jeff Johnson, an forest health expert from Upshur County, Thomas Minney, a nature conservation expert from Randolph County and Adelhide Schaupp, an affordable homebuilder from Morgantown. The team is lead by Rotarian Robert Brandfass, General Counsel for West Virginia United Health Systems in Morgantown.

Before
GSE Team to Japan
Thomas, Lea, Robert, Carmen, Adelheid and Jeff
After
 


 
Thanks to the following for working at the
Community Thanksgiving: Sharon Welsch,
Lori Grisell, Karen Neubauer, Nila Chaddock and
Bob Hunt.  

Bob Hunt and Lori Grisell making green beans -->

from Mound Breezes		 Making green beans
 
Golden Gavel Presentation
Golden Gavel Continues....

Rotarian Jo Ann Peterson, left, of the Kingwood Rotary Club presents the Golden Gavel and the Kingwood Club's banner to Pat Schumann, president of the Rotary Club of Elkins.

Peterson owns Mountaineer Country Tours in Kingwood, W.Va. and is a strong supporter of Elkins as a tourist destination. During her remarks to Elkins Rotary Club members at their weekly luncheon on Monday she said that Elkins is the most popular destination of people booking tours through her agency. She said that while the excursion trains and the American Mountain Theater provide excellent entertainment opportunities, the town needs more entertainment venues. She mentioned that she had attended shows in Branson, Mo., and those at the American Mountain Theater are as good if not better than those she saw in Branson. "A shortage of hotel/motel accommodations during the peak tourist season is becoming a problem," Peterson said. "We are trying to find accommodations in Elkins for the coming season and are running into problems finding the necessary lodging for some of our tour groups," she said. Peterson has been a Rotarian for three and a half years.
The Golden Gavel begins its journey each year at the home club of the District Governor, is presented by one club to another through the district ending up back at the District Governor's club by the end of his or her tenure in office. This year's journey began at the Grafton Club home of District Governor Rick Reese. The mission of the program is to give one club within the district an opportunity to present a program at the receiving club's regular meeting thus promoting a unique way for clubs to form relationships and encourage camaraderie among the members. The delivering club has the responsibility for presenting the program at the receiving club's regular meeting.
President Pat Schumann delivered the gavel to the Fairmont Club.



 
Morgantown RLI a Great Success
September 30, 2008 (Morgantown, WV). The WVU Mountaineers may be off to a slow start this season with a 2-2 record currently but District 7530 has scored a winning touchdown by hosting a successful RLI event in Morgantown on September 20, 2008.

The event was held at the WVU Mountainlair Student Union with 23 Rotarians participating; 15 in Part I, 5 in Part II, and 3 in Part III.

Those graduating were Marli Jenkins of the Rotary Club of Grafton, Louis Spatafore of the Rotary Club of Fairmont, and Donna Seibert of the Rotary Club of Elkins.


Facilitators and some students for the event included: Larry Cottrill (Harrison Co), PP Steve Cook, PDG Dave Cavender (RLI WV State Chair & Event Program Coordinator), PP J. R. Wolfe, PDG Mary Dean (RLI Zone 33 Treasurer & Board Member), PDG Jerry Evans, PDG Jack Porter, PP Grace Roy (RLI District 7530 Chair & Event Facility Coordinator) and Mike Lambiotte (Harrison Co).

Special thanks to Steve and Jerry for traveling from Virginia to facilitate at the Morgantown event and thanks to Jack and J.R. for facilitator “pinch-hitting” on short notice. Thanks also to Michael Ellington of the Rotary Club of Morgantown who is Director of the WVU Mountainlair and also an RLI participant, for his tremendous event assistance.

Article by Grace Roy, RLI 7530 District Chair
Elkins Annual Picnic
For the first time in the history of the Rotary Club of Elkins, President Pat Schumann extended an invitation to former club members to attend the club’s annual picnic. An invitation was also extended to members of its sister organization in Tucker County to attend as well. The invitations resulted in more than 90 Rotarians, past and present, and members of their families, joining the picnic held at Alpine Shores Picnic Grounds on Monday evening.

Schumann said, “I am extremely pleased to see so many of our former members and members of the Tucker County Club joining us. I think we have a good thing going here and look forward to next year’s event.” Several of the guest from Tucker County expressed delight in being asked to join the celebration. Many former members of the Elkins club also expressed excitement about being asked to attend.

Expert chef Tom Williams, with the help of Rotarians Dan Bucher, Mike Taylor and others, prepared his famous Bar-B-Qued chicken. Hot dogs were also a part of the fare accompanied by baked beans, cold slaw, rolls and soft drinks.

Several engaged in games for the young and young-at-heart. It appeared that the young usually won out of the young-at-heart, however.

Attendees were entertained with hits from the past and present by the “Rotary Rambles” a local country and pop band.

By Wayne Sheets