Not a day goes by when I am not asked how Bethlehem Rotary is doing since we have not met in person for regular meetings in a year. I reply "amazingly well and stronger than ever." Credit President Thea and Webmaster Al for transitioning meetings to Zoom to keep us connected and credit everyone who has stepped up to the plate to keep our many projects--new & recurring--on track and following the 2020-21 theme of "Rotary Opens Opportunities." Little did we know last April 1 that we still would be Zooming a year later. But we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our first combination Zoom and in-person Happy Hour occurred Thursday successfully and we will fine tune it in April to accommodate more interaction between virtual and in-person attendees. And it was great seeing some familiar faces!
April is shaping up to be a busy month. Karley has interesting and timely speakers/programs scheduled. Look for an update on our Dictionary Program placement at BASD elementary schools for 3rd graders (AND 4th graders who missed out last year due to the shut down). Lisa Jordan is spearheading our annual Plant a Tree for each Bethlehem Rotarian for Earth Day April 22. Diane, Maria, and Thea have organized our new Liberty HS Interact Club charter on April 26. Finally, the District Conference starts April 30 and runs through May 2.
The highlight of the District Conference will be on May 1 when 5000+Pennsylvania Rotarians perform a "Day of Service" from 1-5 PM. PLEASE mark the date on your calendar and be ready to help clean, weed, and paint on our own Centennial Park on Sand Island. Being outdoors will provide an opportunity to meet in-person, socially distanced and maintaining "our" park which is appreciated more than ever by residents looking to enjoy the great Lehigh River corridor. We look forward to Camp Neidig students joining us in what will be a fun, rewarding day.
Last week Tim Mulligan, President & CEO of Communities In Schools-Eastern PA, joined us to explain how CIS has been working harder than ever to help students deal with the changed world we currently are in. CIS serves 32,000 students in 40 schools across a three-county area and places staff in schools, helping draw resources from the community to the school and to remove barriers that prevent students from succeeding. Many students have felt alone with schools being closed and CIS staff has been there to support each child's emotional and mental health to bridge the gap from school counselors that have too many students and not enough time to meet some students' social-emotional needs.
Tim presented videos featuring staff counselors at Northeast Middle School and Liberty High School who explained the various issues students are currently grappling with. It could be a parent losing a job, food insecurity, social issues, feeling alone due to minimal in-school interaction. Whatever the problem, the CIS staff works to find the proper help to keep the student moving forward. After the video message from Dr. Joseph Roy of BASD, Tim made a very important point: One relationship can change someone-not a program. At the conclusion of the program Tim reminded us that Bethlehem Rotary played a prominent role in getting CIS launched in 1983, then known as Cities in Schools. Tim will be calling on our members to share their memories from that period when CIS celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023. Visit www.ciseasternpa.org to learn more about CIS.
This week is a dual classification talk meeting when we will learn about two of our newer members. Patrick Kerssen is a local musician, Moravian College alumni, and a performer for our 2019 Taste & Tunes. You never know, he may just play a song or two on the piano? Michelle Morton is Executive Director of Presbyterian Senior Living-Kirkland Village and has been making an impact on our club. Plan to join us as we learn more about these two new and active members we have known only virtually. PLUS we will take you on a 5-minute video tour of Rotary International World Headquarters in Evanston, IL.
