Our program for our January 17th meeting was intended to be a classification talk by Dee Dee Foran. However, due to a misunderstanding, the meeting setup was cancelled by Moravian Village. Dee Dee’s classification talk will be rescheduled for April. My apologies to all members who came expecting a meeting, please let Tracy Bozik know that you came, and she will give you a meeting credit.
To be clear, we have never cancelled a meeting based on whether or not area schools are open. That is the policy of Bethlehem Morning Star Club, because their meeting is held early in the morning. Since our meeting is at noon, area roads and sidewalks are often cleared by meeting time. It has been our policy that the club president should make the decision to cancel, and communicate through an e-mail blast. Gerry Long has suggested that we also create a phone-chain so that we can alert members using both phone and e-mail. I think this is a good idea, and I will create a phone chain system to distribute.
I hope all of our members plan to attend our January 24th program, and bring a guest. Bethlehem Rotary was invited to visit the new West Wing facility by our Past President Chad Paul, who is the President and CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and also Bethlehem Rotarian Ron Bauer, who has been a BFTP Board member for the past 18 years. Since its founding in 1983, BFTP has been responsible for creating and maintaining over 40,000 jobs in Eastern Pennsylvania. It will be a great program, and a chance to demonstrate the quality of our weekly programs to potential members. Thanks to our dedicated Program Committee for all their hard work.
Announcements:
Our Bethlehem Rotary meeting of January 24th will be held at Ben Franklin Technology Partners West Wing. This is the brand new 20,000 square foot addition which will support the creation of new technology-based jobs in the Lehigh Valley.
SAVE THE DATE …..PDG Doug Cook, the District Foundation Chair, has announced that the 2nd Annual Foundation gala will be held on March 17, 2018. All proceeds of the event will go to the Annual Fund to be used for projects locally, and around the world.
Our Club has received a request from PDG Doug Cook to donate a basket from Bethlehem Rotary Club to the Gala Committee’s auction. Our club has traditionally donated one or two baskets of Bethlehem-related items for the auction. Please consider donating an item for the Bethlehem Rotary Basket. Dee Dee will be collecting items for the basket at our meeting.
Darlene Heller advised me that there are plans to open a “Bob Cohen Room” at the Bethlehem Public Library. This Cohen room will be a concert venue and multi-use space that will host lectures, meetings, plays, art galleries and all sorts of uses not yet imagined! For more information go to: https://www.bapl.org/support-the-library/cohen-room/
District 7430 has announced that the District will sponsor a Rotary Friendship Exchange which will take place between April 26, 2018 and May 7, 2018. There will be 6 Rotarian couples from Sweden who will be visiting us during this time. Our District 7430 will be providing an itinerary and a van for transportation during their visit, but we are looking for Rotarians who are willing to provide the couples with a place to stay during their visit. The visiting Rotarians will be paying for all of their own activities and tours while they are here. The District expects that they will plan on the Rotarians spending between one and three days at each home, depending on the eventual itinerary. This is a great way to enjoy the international nature of your Rotary experience, that is, by getting to know Rotarians from around the world right in your own home. If you would like more information, please contact me.
Severe storms, an earthquake, and hurricanes are wreaking havoc across the globe from the United States and Mexico to South Asia and Africa. The Rotary Foundation and Rotary clubs in affected areas are helping bring emergency aid to battered communities.
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