We are neighbors, community leaders and global citizens uniting for the common good. With you, we can accomplish even more! - "Allentown Rotary Means Business."
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Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night nor COVID stays these Allentown Rotarians from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Sorry for the plagiarism, but after several disappointing postponements, we finally had the opportunity to conduct our world-renowned Monte Carlo Night with our long-time good friends at Good Shepherd.
The house was filled. Through their superlative gambling prowess, 44 wheel-chair bound residents achieved a complete winning wipeout of all the donated prizes. Despite Tyler Stalletti dealing from the bottom of the deck and Julie Ambrose deliberately double-dealing, the blackjack players cleaned house.
Even the blackjack players at the table of the demonic duo (Kathy Frasier and Tom Gehringer) managed to overcome the ungodly odds and also cleaned house. Over at the roulette table, Tina and Larry Campbell tried similar shenanigans. The residents quickly caught on to the misplacement of bets and the incorrect odds calculations. And, again, despite not releasing the fire engine, these roulette players cleaned house.
The picture was similar at Bingo. Despite consistently insisting there was a “D” in BINGO, Linda tried to read “D56” in an attempt to thwart our astute residents from covering the called out number. They would have none of it. Additionally, Marci Schick, Nancy Schlake and Theresa Podugski routinely circulated through the crowd trying to uncover already called out numbers, thereby, ensuring a non-winning card. Our residents would have none of it and again, they cleaned house.
Thanks to the volunteers mentioned above and thank to the many members that donated the prizes. And, despite some Allentown Rotary mischief, we thank the staff at Good Shepard for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the company of the residents. We hope they had as good a time as we did. Thank you.
Thank you to Rolf Schlake for organizing this wonderful event and to all the ARC volunteers! We have also received this thank you letter from Good Shepherd and wanted to share it with all of you:
"Dear Rolf and Allentown Rotary Club,
Thank you so much for hosting the annual Raker Monte Carlo Night. Thank you for your extraordinary kindness of donating your valuable time in running the games and sharing your kindness toward the residents. The residents all had a great time playing the games. You have helped touch the lives of our residents with your compassion. We appreciate all the wonderful prizes you donated for the evening. They missed having you come in the past. We hope to see you again next year for the event again."
The Board of Directors has diligently worked on updates to the Club's By-Laws for over a year, and will be bringing these proposed changes to the membership. These changes will provide greater flexibility for club operations and reflect more accurately how the club currently operates.
Please plan to attend the April 28 Club meeting at the Red Ticket Cafe where club members will vote on these proposed changes. It is important that the Board hears from you, our members, and that we have enough in attendance for a quorum.
Be on the look out next week for an email with additional information, including specifics regarding these proposed changes.
Emmaus Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Allentown Joint Service Project! Rotary District 7430 Day of Environmental Service
Wildlands Black River Sanctuary Planting Project Saturday, April 29, 2023 8:00 am - "12:00" pm
The more hands-on deck the less time this will take! Rain Date TBD if needed.
Join Allentown and Emmaus Rotary Clubs & Interact Clubs to plant native species in the public access parking area as the first leg of the Wildlands Black River Sanctuary Preservation Project!
The 180-acre Black River Sanctuary, located just northeast of Emmaus, PA, is unique in many ways. It contains the headwaters for three different watersheds, has the exposed “spine” of the south mountain, numerous wetlands, meadows, and forests; is home to hundreds of different species from butterflies to bears and all located within minutes of the cities of the Lehigh Valley. Parking areas will incorporate aspects that are designed to have the smallest impact as possible and enhance the conservation values of the property. The parking areas will incorporate the use of native plants as buffers and visual cues that will delineate the limits of the lot as well as demonstrate the values of native plantings in the landscape.
Only volunteers who register to attend using this event page will receive important volunteer information. Please email Meghan Reed with questions.
Details on- parking, exact address, etc. and a list of suggested tools/supplies will be posted/emailed prior to service date and emailed to registered volunteers.
NOTE: this preserve doesn’t have any restroom facilities yet or any other infrastructure (picnic tables, etc.) Volunteers might want to bring folding chairs and expect to drive for restroom relief. We don’t expect this will be an all-day event.
Thank you Lisa Luciano for organizing a night of fun and fellowship at the Iron Pigs on May 10th! Our club reserved the 1st Base PenTeleData Party Porch at Coca-Cola Park to watch the Lehigh Valley IronPigs take on the Memphis Red Birds. A beautiful evening enjoying each others' company.
The Club will again be holding its traditional celebratory Changeover Dinner, one of the most significant and fun evenings of our Rotary year on Saturday, June 24. The event will run from 5:00pm - 8:30pm at Cedar Crest College in the Tompkins Center's conference center. (This is the same room we hold our regular club meetings.) The cost is $45 per person and is a BYOB event; however, a bartender will be provided who will pour your drinks and provide mixers and soft drinks.
The evening will be as follows:
5:00 - hors d'oeuvres of hummus, Baba ghanoush, olives, feta cheeses, stuffed grapes, assorted meats and cheeses, grilled pita and crackers
5:45 - comments from President John and President-Elect Rosaria
6:30 - buffet dinner of garden salad, chicken piccata, pan seared salmon, gemelli pasta with seasonal vegetables, roasted fingerling potatoes, a roasted vegetable medley and dessert.
Any questions? Contact Kathy Frazier at 484-602-6611 or by email.
Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Please give it a try and let us know your feedback. We may start recording our club's Zoom meetings in the future, so if you miss a club meeting, you can click the link and it's just like being there!
William T. “Bill” Eliason, Colonel, USAF (Retired), Ph.D., is the Director of the National Defense University Press and Editor in Chief of Joint Force Quarterly, the professional military journal of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and serves as an adjunct professor of Strategy at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at Ft McNair in Washington, DC. He holds the academic rank of Senior Research Fellow. Prior to arriving at NDU, Colonel Eliason served for over 30 years on active duty in a variety of operational and staff positions as a Master Air Battle Manager qualified as an aircrew member in U.S. and NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (E-3) aircraft and commander of a Control and Reporting Center (CRC). He is a graduate of every level of USAF professional military education including Class III of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. His service included duty in (or above) nearly 40 countries and at every level of command in the USAF as well as duty with Joint and NATO commands including service on the staffs at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, the Air Staff at The Pentagon, Seventh Air Force in Korea and the United States Joint Forces Command.
Colonel Eliason completed his military career on the faculty and Director of the Joint Advanced Warfighting School at the National Defense University’s Joint Forces Staff College while simultaneously earning his doctorate in international studies from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He served as the second leader of the school during an intense period of growth and expanding positive impact on the Joint Force. One of the USAF’s leading strategists, decorated combat squadron commander and theater campaign planner, he was hand-picked to lead a campaign assessment team to Kabul, Afghanistan where he worked directly for the ISAF Commander to refine the command’s approach to that conflict. Since becoming a civilian faculty member at NDU, Dr. Eliason has taught strategy and other core courses as well as participating faculty in a NDU wide concentration focused on simulating the National Security Council. While clearly an Airman at heart, Dr. Eliason brings a wealth of U.S. Air Force, Joint, Combined, and Interagency experience and contacts as well as a professor’s inside view of joint professional military education to his position. His academic interests lie in history and international relations with his specific focus on U.S. leadership in nuclear arms control agreements and non-proliferation. He is also a community volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol, the USAF Auxiliary, National Capital Wing as a fully qualified Mission Pilot and commander of the Arlington Composite Squadron.
Contact Information:
William T. “Bill” Eliason, Colonel, USAF (Ret), Ph.D.
Rotary partners with Bahçeşehir University to establish Peace Center in TurkeyNew center will train regional peacebuilders through a one-year Rotary Peace
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