Thank you to all who helped to make our June 12th lunch meeting a success!
Our meeting featured a performance by this year’s Walter A. Schrempel Scholarship Award winner, Mariah Nagle. Mariah sang four songs which simply filled the room and made us all proud to have our club associated with the scholarship that she earned! She graduated from Liberty High School this year, and this Spring, she was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at this year’s Freddy Awards for her performance as Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Mariah plans to pursue her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, where she will study for two years in New York and two years in Los Angeles! Congratulations and thank you to Mariah!
Maria Nagle
A special thank you to Al Philpotts who, in addition to making all of the logistical arrangements for Mariah’s performance, provided some background and history to the Schrempel Scholarship and its connection to our club. I have included the narrative that Al shared with us at the meeting on Wednesday. This helps us to understand the relationship between this important scholarship and our club!
From 1870 onwards, four generations of the Schrempel family have contributed their gifts of artistry, business and community service to Bethlehem. Emil Sr., Emil Jr., Walter A. Schrempel and Dr. Martha Schrempel, who will introduce this year’s winner of the Walter A. Schrempel Scholarship in Music.
Walter operated the family coal and ice business from 1912 to 1954, buying the business from his grandfather in the 1920s. He served as the Director of Civil Defense for the city of Bethlehem during World War I and World War II. Walter advocated that school children and workers should return to their homes in a war emergency where they would be safer than in a civil defense shelter. He was a much-sought out speaker for Rotary International and was elected district governor of the 179th district.
Walter was a talented musician, playing the organ for the First Moravian Church throughout his life. Walter married Rose Strauss who died in 1942, then married Frances Kratz, in 1945, who was a gifted musician, teacher and conductor. She was the organist and choir director for Advent Moravian Church, Bethlehem, for 36 years.
The Rotary club established the Walter A. Schrempel Scholarship in Music for high school seniors, in his honor. Every year seniors within the footprint of the Bethlehem Area School District are invited to audition for the scholarship, which pays $1,000 directly to the academic institution that the winner will attend upon high school graduation.
Dr. Martha Schrempel helps us greatly with outreach to schools and music teachers and coordinates auditions held annually at Moravian College. Dr. Schrempel graduated from Vassar College, Temple University and the Juilliard School. She has played in concerts throughout the world and is considered an extraordinary performer. She is principal keyboardist in the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, a member of the Satori chamber music group, and on the piano faculty of Moravian College, where she received the T. Edgar Shields prize for outstanding studio teaching.
Also at the meeting, we inducted two club members to Rotary International. Will Rathbone and Anne Miliham became the 9th and 10th member to inducted into RI this year. Thank you to Gary Mauer and Gerry Foran who have served as sponsors for Will and Anne, respectively. Congratulations Will and Anne!
This week, you should have received an e-mail from Thea Lind that included a survey link. The survey is designed to gauge your perspectives on club engagement, service activities and initiatives that we have supported in the past. As a club, it is extremely important that we avoid spreading ourselves too thin by supporting initiatives or participating in activities that do not resonate with enough members of our club. The survey only takes a few minutes and will be a very helpful tool to assist Thea and the Board focus the efforts of our club.
As a result of a connection with our own Hank Barnette, this past week, a Rotary Youth Exchange participant that has been residing in York, PA for the past year reached out to us so that he might learn more about the points of interest in Bethlehem. Elias Kelsner, who lives in Hernnhut, Germany, understands the historical connection between his home town and Bethlehem and wanted to see, first hand, this area. Charlene Donches-Mower has graciously agreed to meet with Elias this Friday morning to show him our beautiful city!! I would like to have a member of our club meet with Elias, so if you are available/interested, please let me know. They will meet on Friday morning at 8:00AM at the Hotel Bethlehem. I would imagine it would not take more than 15 minutes or so to simply meet and welcome Elias on behalf of our club. Thank you for considering to help in this way.
At this week’s meeting we will be getting an update on the great and continued work of our RAGAS Committee. In addition, we will be inducting new RI member Jim Geiger with his wife, Deb, serving as his sponsor!
The DYK (Did You Know) this week:
- Our club hosted the District 743 Conference in 1947. The Conference was chaired by District Governor Walter Schrempel. The conference included tours of Bethlehem Steel and golf at Saucon Valley Country Club.
I thought this was timely, given we just presented the scholarship in his honor!
Who knew?????? Now you do!!
Some reminders:
- New Member Orientation will be held on Tuesday, June 18th at the offices of Hampson Mowrer Kreitz (53 S. Commerce Way, Suite 150). Even if you are not a “new” member, if you have not attended an orientation meeting, I would strongly encourage you to do so… all are welcome!
- The Changeover Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26th, so please mark your calendar as Thea will take the reins! Mark your calendar!
