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Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
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Bulletin Editor
Al Philpotts
Meeting Responsibilities
Greeter
 
Invocation
Clennon, Hopeton
 
Introduction of Visitors & Guests
 
Luncheon Treasurer
 
50/50 Draw
 
Sergeant-at-Arms (shared by service team)
 
Speakers
Jun 23, 2021
Challenges facing the American corrections system.
Jun 30, 2021
Changeover Meeting
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Upcoming Events
Monthly RAGAS Committee Meeting
Zoom meeting
Jul 05, 2021
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
 
Monthly RAGAS Committee Meeting
Zoom meeting
Aug 02, 2021
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
 
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Sunday June 20, 2021
 
Last week a familiar face, Billy Staples, Zoomed in from Jill & Gerry Long's house with an interactive program about BEST Inc.  The organization provides scholarship awards to qualifying students in need of financial help. To ensure success they pair the student with a mentor whose responsibility is to follow the student throughout his/her college career and beyond.  Once again Bethlehem Rotary is sponsoring a student in the BEST program. Freedom High School graduate Kate Walker will be attending Millersville University this Fall pursuing a career in special education and her mentor will be our own Maria Dietrich. While Kate was unable to attend our meeting, another student-Destiny Silva from Easton H.S. talked about the help she is receiving from BEST that is guiding her to attend Penn State University. Former Philadelphia Phillies catcher and Liberty H.S. graduate Matt McBride gave his personal insight of the program and lauded the strong mentoring program for accountability.
 
Since 2008 Best has helped guide 114 students to graduate college and return to the Lehigh Valley. Over that time they have achieved a 91% graduation success rate, and currently have 18 students in college. Margie Markus, an educator with 44 years experience gave her insight as both a mentor and student coordinator about how BEST enables the students to develop independence. An important caveat of the program is that the recipients are expected to return to the Lehigh Valley and accept, if offered, local employment for two years. Many thanks to Jill & Gerry Long for hosting the cadre of BEST participants at their house. To learn more about the scholarship program and the upcoming golf tournament with Major League baseball players in July, please go to www.thebestscholars.org.
 
Upcoming Events:
 
  • Thursday June 24-5:30-6:30PM is the Monthly Happy Hour at Twisted Olive restaurant at 51 West Broad St. I will be hosting the in-person while Al Philpotts will be hosting the Zoom for those unable to join us live.
     
  • Wednesday June 30- 12:00 Noon-Bethlehem Rotary Officer Changeover Meeting & Lunch at EDGE Restaurant at 74 West Broad St. This will an in-person event hopefully on the patio (weather permitting) and a boxed lunch will be available.
     
  • Wednesday July 7- 12:00 Noon- Bethlehem Rotary weekly meeting at EDGE Restaurant. 2019 National Plumbing Instructor of the Year Ken Midgett is our featured speaker. Well known as an excellent teacher and mentor locally from Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Ken will give his insight to the importance of Vocational training and how we can fix the Skilled Trades Deficit that is adversely impacting every business currently. This will be a great meeting to attend -AND- invite prospective members to learn about an important Rotary Area of Focus.
 
Be sure to join my last Zoom meeting as President with the 2021-22 Club Budget being presented to membership.  Our speaker on Wednesday is Edward Sweeney, former Director of Corrections for Lehigh County and currently CEO of Sweeney Corrections. He will be talking about the challenges facing the American corrections system.
 
 
Yours in Rotary service,
 
President Pete Mickolay