Those pesky critters, like squirrels, mice and groundhogs, come onto our properties for a reason – we simply have to figure out why. Barbara Miller, a retired prosecutor and volunteer for Red Creek Wildlife in Schuykill County and Pocono Wildlife in Monroe County, shared tips for dealing with wildlife that we all will encounter at one time or another. The Wildlife clinics she volunteers for legally take in wild animals who are sick or in trouble – free of charge. These centers are not government funded and rely solely on donations and volunteers. Barbara makes herself available 24/7, and receives an average of 25 emergency calls her day and recues about 2,000 animals per year. She shared particularly helpful information about the habits of deer and their young fawns that included strong warnings not to approach/touch healthy fawns as it will cause them to go into capture myopathy. Handling sick or injured squirrels and rabbits also carry the risk of potentially deadly diseases. She also shared how common pest control techniques, such as glue traps or poisons, can cause long term problems including poisoning of other wildlife. Barbara – wildlife paramedic – left us this important message: There are better options. You can call her at 610-453-4729 any time of day or night!
Other Announcements and Presentations:
Nominating Chair, Ham Malek, presented the following new slate of officers for the 2017-2018 Rotary Year. Special thanks to all who served on this year’s Nominating Committee and helped to select this outstanding leadership team for our Club. Please note that our election of officers will be held during our December 21st Club meeting. Everyone is encouraged to attend to cast their vote.
Directors (2 year term)
Paul Florenz
PK Ghatak
Jill Long
Tyler Papaz
Brennan Pursell
Secretary (1 year term)
Tracy Bozik
Treasurer (1 year term)
Hal Funt
Past President (1 year term)
Gail Evans
President (1 year term)
Gerald Foran
President-Elect (1 year term)
Mark Reed
Vice President (1 year term)
Thea Phalon
Sergeant at Arms (1 year term)
Donald Hunter
Don’t forget to sign up for our annual Salvation Army bell-ringing at Christkindlmarkt from 11:00am to 8:00pm. We only need 1 hour of your time. Please see Ron Bauer to sign up today!
Great news on our efforts to raise money for Polio Plus: our $250 sponsorship for the Purple Pinkie Walk/Run resulted in our Club being credited for a gift of $345 to Polio Plus (a $95 gain on our initial investment). We also raised $290 for Polio Plus from our Thanksgiving Program, for a total of $635 to date. Our Club commitment to Polio Plus this year is $2,250.
During this special season of giving, we are seeking help for a coat drive for the Bethlehem Boys & Girls Club. Through a Rotary-approved organization called Operation Warmth, we have set a goal of purchasing 30 coats at a cost of $18 each. That means we need 30 Rotarians to purchase one coat or 60 Rotarians to donate $9 toward a coat. There are names of children on the Holiday Tree at the registration desk. Please take a name and give your donation to Sylvia Doyle. Please feel free to leave a new pair of winter gloves on the tree if you wish to help decorate the tree!!! Collection dates are today, 12/7 and 12/14. Please help a child stay warm during the cold winter months!
Our Rotary Golf Committee is already hard at work planning our 2017 Golf Tournament, which is scheduled for Monday, May 15 (rain date is May 22). A committee meeting is scheduled on December 21 at 11:15.
Let’s show our support of Morning Star’s Holiday Breakfast meeting on 12/22 here at Moravian Village. Although, it will not replace our Wednesday, 12/21 noon meeting, you can use it as a make-up during the busy holidays. Schedule: 7:10 – 7:30 meet and greet; 7:30 Breakfast and festivities. Cost is $10 per person, plus you can sponsor a member for the Liberty HS Chorus, who will be providing the entertainment. If you are planning to attend, please see Jill Long.
Tracy Bozik, who is coordinating our annual Dictionary Project, is calling for volunteers to distribute dictionaries to third grade students in the BASD. This is one of the most rewarding experiences you can do as a member of our Club. Don’t miss out – call Tracy today to schedule a day and time – from start to finish, it’ll only take an hour out of your day.
Service Project to fight hunger – Saturday, March 11. We will be joining our sister Area 2 Rotary Clubs – Morning Star, Nazareth, Easton, and Saucon Valley. We will be packaging food through Outreach Hunger for local good pantries in our respective communities at Moravian College. Catherine Trawinski and Diane Donaher will be coordinating these efforts for our Club. We will need many volunteers from our Club.
March 11th is also the date our District 7430 has selected to celebrate the RI Foundation’s 100th Anniversary. The celebration will be in the form of a Gala which will be held at Pine Crest Country Club in North Penn. It is close enough for many of us to attend, so please save the date on your calendar.
Our District is planning a fun, yet impactful, service opportunity. On March 26-April 2, 2017, your fellow District 7430 Rotarians will be leaving for a 7 day round trip cruise, leaving from Miami and sailing to the Dominican Republic on the Fathom Adonia, an elegant, yet relaxed, 710 passenger ship. Rotarians will have a chance to serve and participate in impactful service opportunities, such as teaching English, helping with tree planting and reforestation, making water filters for home use, pouring concrete floors, aiding a women’s chocolate cooperative as well as a paper recycling and craft entrepreneurship. When not serving, you can relax at beautiful Amber Cove, a $90 million dollar facility, and enjoy the beach, hiking, touring, zip lining, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, and more! Cost is $299 pp for an inside or outside cabin*, $599 pp for a room with balcony, $999 pp for a suite! Airfare and onshore leisure activities not included.
December 7 will serve as a Club Assembly to disseminate important Club information and have some fun! Don’t miss it!
On a warm day in October, Ingrid Schwab and a team of Rotary staff members join a group of dancing and singing children in Khera Khurd on the outskirts of Delhi, India, for an immunization day rally. “We are greeted with beating drums, beaming smiles, and fragrant flower garlands … we smile and laugh and our delight is captured on camera. Quite a celebration.”
