Good Morning! I'm sitting at home working on my message watching the rain fall in sheets wondering if my grass will start growing since I last mowed two weeks ago. That got me thinking about Bethlehem Rotary and growing our membership! August is Membership Development Month. I was talking to a former member Friday who said he misses the club but just found it hard to get to meetings while seeing clients until noon. I told him don't worry-you don't have to drive-just log in to our weekly Zoom meeting. His eyes widened and and asked for my email so I can forward him a link in the future.
The time is perfect to invite friends and possible new members to attend a meeting as a guest. Zoom makes it easy without leaving your office. I challenge each member to invite someone to a meeting during the next month (or after). We have interesting speakers and updates on the various projects our club does. All you have to do is forward their email to webmaster Al Philpotts at aphilpotts@gmail.com and he will send them a Zoom invite. The continued growth and success of our club depends on new people with diverse skills to advance our mission. Many newer members have joined with the veterans to make Taste & Tunes 2020 a reality and used their unique talents and skills the committee needs during the pandemic. And there are other committees that would appreciate that same infusion of talent and energy!
Last week's meeting was a continuation of our business forum series. Our first speaker was Northeast Community Center (NECC) Executive director Paula Johnson. She outlined the normal operations of the center and then how everything changed due to the pandemic. As an essential organization with a staff of 4 and now no volunteers allowed on the property, NECC stepped in to fill the void of 6 pantries closing. Expanded hours, and from normally serving 220 families per month, jumped to a record 634 families in June, they have met the challenge. To put some perspective on that, they have distributed a whopping 63.7 tons of food since March 25th! They are still a summer feeding site and hope to reopen the After School Homework Club and Connecting Seniors Program if a safe plan can be executed. But all of their fundraising events have been cancelled including the 40th Anniversary Celebration this Fall putting another strain on their operation.
This is why Bethlehem Rotary has joined as a partner to bring Taste & Tunes 2020 Dessert Edition online auction to help NECC continue their mission of feeding fellow residents in need. Even though the staff is busy running the pantry, they are also helping us market T&T with the expertise they have. If you have not done so, please go to ClubRunner and download Taste & Tunes 2020 Sponsor Form and become/recruit sponsors. Or download the Participant Guide-Dessert Commitments Form and ask your favorite bakery or restaurant to participate in our online auction of desserts October 4-18. The need has never been greater-just use some of the statistics from above, and also reminder the rest of the money benefits the Bethlehem Rotary Foundation philanthropic causes.
Paula Johnson of Northeast Community Center
Our second speaker was a great friend of our club-Andy Scott of the Scott Car Dealerships. He walked us through the pandemic timeline from March 20th when sales were shut down and had 120 of 150 employees laid off. He applied and received a PPP loan and made sure it went to the employees. When they did reopen, all employees returned wearing masks, social distancing, plexiglass barriers, and continuing their high level of deep cleaning in the facilities and product.
While the year started with very high sales, the pandemic saw sales plummet with only online sales allowed to be processed. Upon reopening, sales have spiked better than average and the service departments have seen a big uptick.Just like any industry right now, inventories are very low and will be that way until everyone is back to "operating normal".
Andy Scott
This week will be a dual Classification Talk meeting. Carrie Madigan and Laura Cunningham will have the opportunity to tell us about their lives and careers and what led them to become Rotarians. And I will do my best to virtually remove their red "new member" stickers from the badges!
See you Wednesday!
