Blog

February 13, 2017 Grapevine

This week’s Grapevine includes numerous timely items, including this SPECIAL VIDEO 
Hope to see you this Thursday!
Greeter: Craig Bartoldson
50/50:  Bill Bowen sold tickets. Jim Klein won the ticket drawing but not the winning card. Jim Klein will sell tickets next week.
Birthdays celebrated: Sharon Novak
Guests (hosts):  Lori Taylor (Sandy Hamilton), Eileen Kusnirak (Tina Combs), Heather Band (Doug Band).
Golden Moments: Share yours at any upcoming meeting!
A fond farewell to our Sergeant-at-Arms, Ryan Perks, who recently changed jobs and will be working in Jefferson County. Ryan is an outstanding Rotarian and leader in our community. He will be missed, but we look forward to his visits! Ross Curtis will serve as our new Sergeant at Arms.
MAIN PROGRAM – An outstanding program on Leadership Berkeley, by Chamber of Commerce CEO, Tina Combs. The list of Rotarians who are Leadership Berkeley grads is quite impressive – in numbers and in terms of their community involvement.

L/R:  Tina Combs, Eileen Kusnirak (Rotaract President at Blue Ridge CTC)
BEST AND BRIGHTEST FROM SPRING MILLS HS 

L/R:  Lee Curran, Wiktoria Warzyka (our Exchange Student – MHS), Amy Filip

RECAP OF LAST EVENING MEETING (Feb 9th)
Evening Satellite Rotarians met with Brian Jolliff  – talking about the Pancakes for Polio Breakfast , plans for the Interact/Rotaract mixer – POSSIBLY at 6 on March 21 at Blue Ridge CTC.
 Notice for upcoming NOON meetings – 
Best and Brightest Students each week:  February – Spring Mills HS;   March – Hedgesville HS;  April – Musselman HS;  May – Martinsburg HS
 If you have suggestions for our main program, please see Amanda Giangola, Program Chairman > [email protected]

• This Thursday, February 16th (noon at HI). Main program – Rev/Dr. Ken Walker will be speaking with us about a new homeless shelter in the community.
• Thursday, February 23rd (noon at HI). Main program – Stacie Rohn with the Boys and Girls Club.
• Thursday, March 2nd (noon at HI). Main program – Dr. William Zimmer will be speaking about the upcoming MBA Summit at Shepherd.

• This Thursday, February 16th, 6 pm to 7 pm at the The Hub.

ROTARY NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS  
Also see “Community Announcements” below.

• Bill Stover’s weekly wisdom:  I’d kill for a Nobel Peace Prize!
• More greeters needed! Please see Sandy Hamilton.
• Our outbound exchange student for 2017/2018 is Ben Merzouk from Hedgesville HS. Congrats, Ben!Our ?????inbound exchange student for 2017/2018 will be announced soon, which means we are in the hunt for host families to take portions of the next school year. If you have an interest, please don’t put off getting the facts and making a decision. To see if being a host family is for you, please contact Doug Frye or Craig Bartoldson.
  Our Short Term Exchange Program (STEP) outbound exchange student for this summer is Jemma Piasecki from Martinsburg HS. Congrats, Jemma!
• INTERACT & ROTARACT – our sponsored clubs are on a roll. Interact at Musselman, Hedgesville and Spring Mills are thriving and new chapters are at James Rumsey and Faith Christian have advanced nicely and will soon be chartered. Rotaract at Blue Ridge CTC has new leaders and continues to grow. These programs continue to grow, thanks to the leadership of Berniece Collis and the other Rotarians who serve in a liaison capacity (see contacts at bottom of the Grapevine).
• Applications for Rotary Interact Scholarships (funded by our Golf Tourney) have been mailed to area high schools.
• February – time for 4 Way Test competitions. Volunteers needed now! See Pam Wagoner.
• February 18 – Sunrise Rotary Club’s Black/White Knight Dance – all Rotarians are invited! At the Wherehouse, 411 Auburn St, from 7 to 11 pm. – featuring the high energy Countdown Band. Fundraiser for local charities including Boys and Girls Club. Co-sponsored by WVU Medicine. Tickets are $50 – available at  Sunrise Rotary, Orsini’s, First United Bank, or from Tina Roach (304 671-4587).
• Two dates are now available for Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) training. March 25 (Coal Center, PA) and April 8 (Lewisburg, PA), See Brian Jolliff asap if interested.
• February 26th – The Hagerstown Rotary Bull & Oyster Roast. Great food, beer, wine and fun. Tickets, $50. We’d like to sit together, so contact Brian Jolliff NOW for tickets and seating reservations (19 have already signed up).
• March 10th – Shepherdstown Rotary Wine Tasting Dinner at Bavarian Inn >  CLICK FOR DETAILS
• March 14th at the Martinsburg Holiday Inn – Our own Pam Wagoner will honored by the Boy Scouts of American at its annual Distinguished Citizen Dinner. Please join Pete Mulford at a table of Martinsburg Rotarians. For tickets, contact Doug Band at 304 940-1201 or email [email protected].  Final deadline is 3/1/17. Also, if you’d like to sponsor a LOCAL scout (just $10/month), please use attached form.
• MAY 12 – 14 – DISTRICT CONFERENCE AT SPLIT ROCK RESORT: Fun in the Poconos (Lake Harmony, PA).  Register NOW for best room rates and selection. No special rates offered after April 10.  >  Registration Form

  

• HS MOCK INTERVIEWS on March 8th, 9th, 17th and 24th: Help wanted!

 

• Annual Rotary Foundation Drive moves into high gear!  Checks accepted at every meeting through June.
• SPECIAL WRNR-Rotary Foundation Drive is also in full swing. This innovative project raises money by allowing people and businesses to sponsor PSAs on WRNR for charities and non-profits. More people/businesses are needed to sponsor PSAs plus some Rotarians who would like to record some of the PSAs. 100% of proceeds go to our LOCAL Rotary Foundation. See Brian Jolliff or Mike Hornby for required form shown below.

• GOLF TOURNAMENTS – See community announcements below.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS  

• Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation Competitive Grants. Now open to apply (until 3/1/17) >   click for info
• BE MY VALENTINE! The 4 Plaids Quartet (a 501c3) accepts donations to perform so that it may provide funding for music education in Berkeley County. To book for a little Valentine serenade (just $30) or other occasion, please contact Ross Curtis (304-754-5560) or Ed Grove (304-263-5295).
•  VALENTINE CHOCOLATES –  TO SUPPORT THE SHENANDOAH WOMEN’S CENTER! 

• Annual Heath Screening – For more info from Jim Klein, watch this spot!
• Another High Impact Grant Opportunity! Women Investing in Shepherd (WISH) is now accepting applications from non-profits that meet following criteria (1) Responses to urgent and critical needs (2) Bold new ventures; and/or (3) New approaches to ongoing challenges. Applicant organizations must have a current 501 (c) (3) determination from IRS and be based in and primarily serving the following counties: Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, and Hampshire counties in WV; Frederick, Loudoun, and Clarke counties in VA;  and Frederick and Washington counties in MD. This grant pool is estimated to be $51,250. WISH will award up to two equal grants of $25,625. Applicants must show need for use of this high impact amount in a time span of no greater than three (3) years. Contact – Meg Peterson, mpeterso@shepherd.edu. Letter of Inquiry (submissions) accepted until March 1, 2017 >  CLICK HERE
• March 4th, Holiday Inn, Martinsburg – Saturday Night at the Races Gala – sponsored by the Professional Business Women’s Association to fund local scholarships for continuing educations. MORE INFO
• March 14th at the Martinsburg Holiday Inn – Our own Pam Wagoner will honored by the Boy Scouts of American at its annual Distinguished Citizen Dinner. Please join Pete Mulford at a table he has put together of Martinsburg Rotarians. For tickets, contact Doug Band at 304 940-1201 or email [email protected].  Final deadline is 3/1/17. Also, if you’d like to sponsor a LOCAL scout (just $10/month), please use attached form.
• Full Ride Scholarships at Blue Ridge CTC with benefits are offered by the Power Systems Institute to those wishing to become a lineman. If you know of possible candidates, contact Rotarian Charlene Gilliam (First Energy) asap.
• April 27th (Thursday) Panhandle Home Health MINIATURE Golf Tournament. Shotgun start at 1 pm at JayDee’s Family Fun Center. Registration/cancelation deadline  is April 7. For more info and registration > CLICK HERE
• Fulton L. Walker, Jr. Charity Golf Classic, May 5 at Locust Hill Golf Course (Charles Town).  For more info or to sign up, contact Robert Sowell (571 220-0951) or email >  [email protected]
• OTHER GOLF TOURNAMENTS: April 1, May 1, July 12th.  Chair persons or organizers for these and other golf tournaments should email the Grapevine with particulars (and a flyer, if available) so that each may be properly promoted in the Grapevine.
• Link to upcoming United Way activities > click here
• Chamber’s Calendar of Events > click here