2021 Newark Rotary Report

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY CLUB

REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY 2021

Building trust and mutual respect See story pages 16-17

Thanks to the

Newark Morning Rotary Club for all your service to our community!

Marie Holliday, Managing Director Rotary Member Since 2006

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NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 3

A word from the President Newark Morning Rotary Club

unity,

Dear Members of the Comm

r Community!

Rotary 2021 Report to Ou ing orn M rk wa Ne e th to draiser e Welcom Community, our major fun e th to rt po Re e th ay, tod fits returned For 22 years, from 2000 to DOLLARS, with all the pro ON LI IL M E ON y arl ne each year, has earned directly to the community. termined February 1999, we were de in d me for s wa n tio iza an rtisers and all When this service org rk community. To our adve wa Ne r ou in th wi ce for a we thank each of to be recognized as ors, and fellow Rotarians, ns spo es, ess sin bu eir th e of who patroniz r place. d our community is a bette an ce en fer dif a de ma ve you. You ha us who very one, especially for those of ery ev for ge en all ch a s wa being able to This past year people. We flourish when er oth th wi e ac o-f e-t fac much like being meetings filled that need to om Zo kly ee W er. oth ch ea off bounce ideas and thoughts unity. continue to serve our comm to us led ab en d an t ten ex a small ntoring project to st year, we developed a me pa is th of s ue iss l na tio en na Out of the rked with youth to strength wo , urs ne pre tre en ul ssf ce use for help minorities become suc a new bond with Sean’s Ho ted tia ini d an e, lic po al loc is issue. relationships with the ues. See their stories in th iss er oth d an on ssi pre de t young people with our routines and habits bu ge an ch to us of all d ce for of The pandemic might have constant since the founding ed ain rem ve ha ey Th d. ge Rotary values have not chan ars ago.

Rotary International 116 ye e Self.

ov We are built on Service Ab Yours in service,

Dennis Greenhouse

Club President, 2020-2021

PAGE 4 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Dedicated to Service Rotary club dedicated to serving the community before self

T

wenty-three years have gone by since this club started. But the members of the Newark Morning Rotary club have continued their determination to use their time, talents and resources to serve the community – both locally and internationally. From the first organizational meeting in December of 1998, the members have dedicated themselves to the motto of Rotary, Service Above Self. Nearly $800,000 has been raised over the past 22 years through Reports to the Community We give money when vital and time when imperative. In November 2020, $3,000 was raised through sponsorships of 60 Flags For Heroes project. In April 2021, more than $36,000 was collected in sales advertising from the 2021 Report to the Community, with one hundred percent of the profits earmarked for community service projects.

This past year was unpredictable but this club continued to serve the community.

Here is a list of the accomplishments for the past year since our last Report was published:

 To support the new Newark Police Athletic and Activities League (PAL) program, this club worked with Newark Area Welfare Committee (NARC) to purchase and outfit a traveling PAL center van. Rotarians contributed nearly $11,000 to decorate and outfit the

Rotary Opens Opportunities Each July a new leader takes the helm as president of Rotary International.

As leader of one of the largest global service organizations, they present their theme for the year as a guide or inspiration for the 1.2 million Rotarians around the world .

RI President Holger Knaack, from Ratzeburg, Germany, soon learned that his year as president would be tested as all of our routines and expectations for 2020 were turned upside down and sideways. He realized, since Rotary was founded in 1905, the world has faced many more catastrophes but Rotary has survived and helped the world heal.

“Every great challenge is an opportunity for renewal and growth,” Knaack said to incoming local leaders in January 2020. Little did he know the challenge ahead would be so great.

His theme “Rotary Opens Opportunities” proved to be significant in the past year. Rotarians around the globe realized they were not going to be doing business as usual through 2020. The pandemic has impacted every one of us in every country, every town, village, or community.

“We believe in creating opportunities for others and for ourselves,”Knaack said. “We believe that our acts of service, large and small, generate opportunities for people who need our help, and that Rotary opens opportunities for us to live a richer, more meaningful life, with friends around the world, based on our core values.”

As you read the articles in this 2021 Report to the Community, you will find ways Rotarians have adapted and opened opportunities to continue our Service Above Self.

Robin Broomall, editor van with educational materials, small compressor and freezer, sports equipment, computers and games that will be used by neighborhood children as the van CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 5

Advertiser list

4Sight Group …………………………………..11 Amy O Fit Training ……………………………54 Bassett, Dawson & Foy ……………....Back cover Bayshore Transportation System…...………….14 Blue Hen Chiropractic & Wellnes.s …………..11 Boulden Brothers ……………………………...58 Camp Bow Wow ………………………………18 CBM Insurance ………………………………... 7 Connolly Gallagher …………………………..57 Courtyard Marriott at UD .….. inside back cover Cover & Rossiter .. ……………………………. 3 Curran, James P. Esq…...………………………51 Daddy O’s Restaurant / Chef Du Jour Catering ….......……………..53 Delaware Business Now …….. ………………. 66 Delaware Dental Sleep Medicine ..……………14 Delaware General Assembly ……..…………...68 Delaware Window Supply …………………….7 Delcollo Security Technologies, Inc ….………14 Delle Donne & Associates ……………………30 Diamond State Photography ……….…………51 Edward Jones/Mike Laur ……………..………..78 Expedia Cruise Ship Centers ………...………..54 Gellert Scali Busenkell & Brown …………....86 Halligan, Deborah J., DDS …………………...51 HempWorx ………..............................……….22 Hillside Heating & Cooling ……………………80 Home Grown Café ……………………………57 Howard Bank ……………………………..….24 Hyde, Steve & Lisa …………………………..24 Ian’s Lawn Service ……………….……………21 Independence Prosthetics-Orthopedic.......……21 Iron Hill Science Center ……………………..46 Jason Lawhorn Candidate Committee ...……...40 K & S Auto.........................................................38 Kalin Eye Associates ……………….……….. 60 King Print & Promo ……………………………28 Little Goat Roasting Co. ……………………...67

Mallard Financial Partners ……….………….. 23 Matt Meyer/New Castle County Exec....……...24 MDavis & Sons ……………………………… 20 MGK Writing Solutions .............. …………... 46 Moon Air, Inc. ………................................. … 60 National 5 & 10 ……………………………….50 Newark Area Welfare Committee …….……...86 Newark Arts Alliance …………………………54 Newark Country Club ………………………. 20 Newark Urgent Care ………………………...66 Pat’s Pizza &Barley Bar ………………...……..64 Prayer Temple Ministries …………….……... 66 Precision Wealth Partners …………..………..38 Prices Corner Car Wash ……………….…… 46 RBC Wealth Management …………………..31 R.T. Foard Funeral Home ……….....Inside Front Rosen, Michael D.D.S. ……………………... 25 SBA Delaware ……………………………… 60 SDS, Inc……………………………………… 23 State Line Liquors …………………………... 30 The Newark Partnership …………………… 26 The Summit ……………………...... ………... 22 Today Media, Inc ……………………………. 40 Turn of the Wrench ………………………….. 54 UD Master Players Concert Series ...…………67 UD STAR Campus ……………………… center W. L. Gore & Associates ……………………28 Washington House Condo Association ....……53 Weiner Benefits Group ……………………... 56 Wings to Go ………………………………….. 51 WSFS Bank …………………….......... ……… 9 Young Conaway ……………………………..18

A special “thank you” to each one of our advertisers

PAGE 6 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

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he Newark Morning Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges and appreciates the support of the businesses and individuals who advertise in this Report. Their generosity has funded the preparation, printing, and distribution of the 2020 Report to the Community.

All proceeds, which exceed $36,000 at press time, will go directly back into the community through donations, awards, support of local businesses, and Rotary service projects. Members of the club ask readers to patronize these supporters and tell them that they appreciate the financial support that they have provided.

2021 Report to The Community Is published by the Newark Morning Rotary Club Dennis Greenhouse, President Kelly Bachman, Project Director Robin Broomall, Editor Janice Rash, Designer, Pagination Cover photo submitted by Robin Broomall ™2021 Newark Morning Rotary Club, DE

Thank you

To Rotarian Robin Broomall for her unending number of articles and photos that she made available for the Rotary Report.

To Rotarian Kelly Bachman for taking on the job of organizing and motivating the sale of a record number of ads.



To Janice Rash, graphic designer

for putting her heart and soul and creative talents into making this Report as professional and interesting to read as possible. Even though copy is written by Rotarians and pictures taken by them, it is Janice who makes it all come to life. Her creativity has been seen in every one of the 22 Reports issued since 2000.

Website: www.nmrde.org Follow us on Facebook! http://www. facebook.com/pages/Newark-MorningRotary-Club/79380101585

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 7

Who are those masked people?

In spite of a pandemic, trash continues to litter our highways. Newark Morning Rotarians and friends donned their usual glo-green vests provided by DelDOT, clutched their grabber sticks and trash bags, and adjusted their face masks before tackling a mile long stretch of Old Baltimore Pike between Iron Hill and the Maryland state line. Assisting in the Fall 2020 cleanup are (back row) Jillian Chase, Anthony Santoro, Jeff Morton, Jamie Zingaro, Jerry Holt, Don Newcomb, (front) Nancy Chase, Paul Keely, and Cindi Viviano.

SERVICE CONTINUED

moves to different Newark neighborhoods throughout the summer. NARC purchased the van. See related cover story.

 Members assembled 120 “birthday boxes” for Meals on Wheels recipients. See related story.

 The Iron Hill Museum and Science Center had to cancel its fundraising events but we were able to support them with a donation of $1,500 to help with educational programs and youth activities.

 Shoes That Fit of Newark received a donation of $1,500 to purchase and distribute new clothing to needy school children.

 Members helped sort food items and fill backpacks

for school children at the Food Bank of Delaware. Food was distributed through the schools to those who were financially constrained. See related story.

 Lori’s Hands, a UD community health program con-

tinued to receive our support through hands-on activities. See related story.

 Scholarships are typically awarded to graduates of James H. Groves Adult High School. Even though that was not possible this year, we continued to support two previous recipients at local schools with $4,000 going directly to pay their tuition.  A donation of $395 was made to the DFRC by placing an ad in the 2021 program book. The annual Blue/Gold game will return to Newark in June.

the needy with food, rent, and utility bills. Their usual holiday food boxes were not able to be filled this year but they still found ways to support the needy community.

 In June 2021 the Ray Civatte Community Service Award, with a check for $500, will be awarded to Sasha Aber, owner of Home Grown Café, for her work in getting meals delivered to front-line workers in the midst of the pandemic. See related story.

 Relay For Life, helping to find a cure for cancer, received $500. Even though there was a pandemic with little interaction, the need for cancer research continues.

 Members rose to the challenge and contributed more than $4,200 to pay for the meals provided by Home Grown Café to feed healthcare workers at Christiana Care Hospital.

 Newark Area Welfare Fund received $5,000 to support

PAGE 8 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Local roots.

Local knowledge.

Local relationships.

That’s so Wiss Fiss.

At WSFS Bank, we understand the importance of community banking.

The local knowledge that comes from nearly 200 years of doing business right here. The understanding that comes from having generations of neighbors as Customers.

And there is another reason we believe local roots matter. When you bank with WSFS Bank your money stays right here, helping the people and businesses in the communities where you live and work.

To us, local banking means more than just having local offices.

It means that when the communities we serve succeed, we succeed.

Member FDIC | wsfsbank.com

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 9

Check presented to Troop 603 Rotarian Robin Broomall was happy to represent the Newark Morning Rotarians in presenting a check for $1,000 to Boy Scout Troop 603. This is a good kickoff to their hectic month of Christmas tree sales, their major fundraiser for the year, on Old Baltimore Pike at Iron Hill. Rotarians have been supporting scouts for nearly 15 years, with cash contributions to support scouting events and activities as well as a merit badge program offered through Iron Hill Merit Badge Center.

SERVICE CONTINUED

 A contribution of $1,000 was made to Disaster USA to purchase protective clothing (PPE) for healthcare workers.  To support our faithful servers and cooks at the

Courtyard Newark who had to be let go due to the pandemic, the club contributed $1,000 to help with personal expenses.

 One hundred gift cards at $25 each were purchased through the ACME Foundation and distributed to many neighbors living in Section 8 Housing. A simple gift card of $25 can help buy groceries when you have bare cupboards. 

Nearly 1,000 cards and notes were written by members and delivered to shut-ins and those in nursing homes.

The notes of “thinking about you” helped lighten the spirits of many elderly who were unable to congregate or meet with their friends.

 Members personally assisted the local businesses that advertise regularly in the club’s Report to the Community by purposely utilizing their services, shopping at their businesses, or getting takeout meals from the restaurants. 

$1,000 was donated to Eco Plastic Products to help with their business during the pandemic. A picnic bench was purchased and will be located at the STAR campus courtesy of

the Rotary club.

 Project CURE received $1,000 to assist in moving medical supplies around the world where they were most needed.  In June 2021 the Public Service Award will be presented to Matthew Piechnik with UD’s Emergency Care Unit.  The Spirit in Business Award, along with $250, will be presented to reNu Chiropractic, Wellness, and Injury Center.  Our November display of Flags For Heroes raised about $3,000 for our service projects. See related story.  Boy Scout Troop 603, meeting at Kingswood Church, was presented $1000 to support scouts attending summer camp and continuing their scouting experience.  More than 1,000 paperback student dictionaries were purchased and distributed to third graders in the Christina Schools and Newark Charter. See related story.  Thanksgiving turkeys for the Food Bank of Delaware were purchased with a $1,000 donation from the club. A separate donation of $1,000 was made to the Food Bank to help with the demand of the community during the pandemic.

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Rotary success depends on good leaders

W

hile Rotary is an international organization, with many humanitarian projects being conducted worldwide, most of the action happens at the local level, with clubs committed to community service. Like all Rotary clubs, the Newark Morning club operates under the standard constitution adopted by Rotary International in 1905.

It provides for a Board of Directors as the governing body, a president and other officers. The officers of each club are elected by their membership to serve one-year terms, beginning July 1 each year.

The Newark Morning club uses the recommended committee plan to carry out its service projects and keep a balanced focus on its mission. The five main committees, or avenues of service, are club, community, international, vocational and Next Generation.

Each member chairs at least one project or event per year focused on these areas, but they often assist on many other projects.

The club is a member of Rotary International.

The individuals are members of the Newark Morning Rotary Club. Individuals are not members of Rotary International.

Greenhouse Henderson Sierer

Luck

Klapinsky

The Leaders July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021

President..............................Dennis Greenhouse President Elect......................... Joyce Henderson Vice President.................................. Polly Sierer Secretary.................................. C. Michael Luck Treasurer ..................................Shawn Klapinsky Sergeant At Arms ........................... Stewart Lee Director of Membership .................... Paul Keely Director of Fund Raising ..............Mike Reckner Director of Project Management...... Tom Minto Director of Rotary Foundation... Marie Holliday Director of Administration .......Robin Broomall Immediate Past President..............Evelyn Hayes Club Photographers .................Robin Broomall, William A. Sullivan

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 11

Bell Ringers Neither rain nor snow nor dark of night will keep Rotarians from ringing the bell. Three evenings outside of Boscov’s Department Store, Newark Morning Rotarians took turns manning the red kettle for the annual Salvation Army Kettle Drive. They are always surprised at the generosity of the people entering and leaving the store. This year Paul Keely and Evelyn Hayes were bundled up on an especially cold and blustery night.

SERVICE CONTINUED 

An Interact Club continued at Newark Charter High School, sponsored by the Newark Morning Rotarians. This is a high school level service club that is affiliated with a Rotary club.

 On three cold and damp evenings in December

members rang the bell for the annual Kettle Drive for Salvation Army.

 Clothing was purchased by members to restock the emergency supply closet for Nurse Marguerite Diehl at McVey School. This was a departure from our normal way of supporting the school but we still found an opportunity to help.  Grocery store gift cards, totaling $750, were donated to the PTA at Downes Elementary School for distribution to needy families in the school.

 Junior Achievement of Delaware’s BizTown received $3,450 to support economic education for school children.

Because the center was closed to visitors, financial education programs were conducted on-line through the school year.  Rise Against Hunger, a meal packaging program, was not able to conduct meal-packing events with volunteers.

Instead they used contributions to directly purchase foods to be sent to several third-world communities. This club donated $2,100 for rice, soy, dried vegetables and other ingredients for families to cook and have hot meals during the pandemic.  Third grade students at Gateway Lab School received copies of Elena Delle Donne’s book about bullying. Rotarians also spent a day reading portions of the book via Zoom to the students. Copies were purchased at $4 each and distributed free of charge to the students.



 This club collaborated with the Rotary Peace Corp literacy program to supply books in a school library in the Dominican Republic at a cost of $1,000. See related story.



In addition to distributing money raised through the 2020 Report to the Community, Rotarians are quick to dig into their own pockets to support projects in the community.

A donation of $1,000 for Disaster Relief was made to ShelterBox for a complete tent and emergency kit for a family left homeless by a natural disaster.

A donation of $3,600 enables Easter Seals to present four scholarships for handicapped individuals to attend a week at Camp Fairlee this summer.

PAGE 12 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Not all work Cindi Viviano and Jamie Zingaro had dueling pick-up sticks while collecting trash along Old Baltimore Pike for Adopt-A-Highway. Rotarians like to have fun while they work!

SERVICE CONTINUED  Newark Morning Rotarians personally contributed more than $11,000 this year to The Rotary Foundation’s annual fund to help with international humanitarian programs. It was second in the district out of 40 clubs with a per capita of $295.

The club is also a major supporter of Rotary International’s program to eradicate polio from the world, with more than $2,800 contributed tis year. These funds were made possible by the generosity of the club’s members, NOT through the proceeds of the Report to the Community. See related story. 

Members of Newark Morning Rotary are 100% in giving personally to The Rotary Foundation. See related story about The Rotary Foundation.

 A special silent auction along with additional donations during the World’s Greatest Meal via Zoom, hosted by the club in October of 2020, raised nearly $2,000 to be credited to The Rotary Foundation’s effort to eradicate polio.

 Rotarians mentored students in Newark Charter High School’s Global Leadership program.  Members helped the60 counselors of Camp Fairlee, the Easter Seals Camp in Chestertown, Md., by providing Welcome Bags for them upon arrival at camp this summer. Bags contained toiletries, tablets, and bug spray which were donated by the members at a cost of approximately $1,200.  Adopt A Highway program was supported again this year on Old Baltimore Pike – with 15 members, friends, and family members donning glow-in-the-dark DelDOT vests and black trash bags. We clean a two-mile stretch east from the Maryland State line two times a year – in Spring and again in Fall. 

 On Valentine’s Day, 2021, more than 50 pounds of food items were collected by Rotarians to stock the shelves of the Food Bank.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 13

Bayshore wwwbayshoreteam.com

Office MOving fine Art StOrAge MOving & StOrAge recOrdS MAnAgeMent 302-366-0220

PAGE 14 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Women Not your Grandfather’s Rotary club Chase

Moore

DelPercio

Henderson

Holiday

Bachman

I

f you heard that your grandfather or uncle was in Rotary years ago, well, let me tell you that Rotary is not the same as it was back then.

Rotary clubs got their start from the vision of Chicago attorney, Paul Harris, who formed the first Rotary Club in February 1905 so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and give back to their communities, while forming meaningful, lifelong friendships.

That is still true today.

But although clubs have been dedicated to the idea of service for more than 115 years, many were not always fond of the idea of allowing women to join the clubs.

It was in 1950 that a Rotary club in India first proposed deleting the word “male” from the Standard Rotary Club Constitution but that radical thought just was not

McMillian

Sierer

accepted by “the good ol’ boys.”

After several attempts to admit women within the Rotary organization were unsuccessful, a California Rotary club finally took the issue to the courts.

Thirty-seven years after the first proposal to allow female members into Rotary, on May 4, 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Rotary clubs could no longer exclude women from membership on the basis of gender.

Today there are more than 220,000 female Rotarians, working alongside their male club mates, to serve their community.

The Newark Morning Rotary Club has always welcomed women into the family. Today they fill 35% of the club’s membership and hold several leadership roles, all while balancing professional and personal lives.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 15

Traveling PAL Center

National 5&10 – Donation of $2,000 of arts and craft supplies and various sports helped extend our offerings to the project. From left, Chris Angelo of National 5&10, Councilman Jason Lawhorn, Sgt. Greg D’Elia of NPD, Rotarians Polly Sierer and Jerry Holt, and Cindi Brooks of National 5&10.

T

he Newark Morning Rotary Club has partnered with the Newark Police Department to tackle two opportunities with one solution.

Firstly, as seen in national news, there is often a disconnect between today’s youth and the local police. Based on their limited exposure to and experience with police, many of today’s low-income youngsters do not have a trusting relationship with nor do they have respect for law enforcement. It is a challenge for officers to get to know the kids in many of these neighborhoods. Many youth grow up thinking of law enforcement as “enforcers.”

Secondly, although the City of Newark has 32 parks spread out across the city, many lower income children do not live near a park and have neither a safe place to play nor easy access to city-provided recreational and educational activities at parks. Once school is out for the weekend or summer break, they are left on their own, often playing in the streets.

The Newark Police Department FOP Lodge #4 has recognized the need to provide opportunities for these children and has long-term plans to build a Police Athletic

League (PAL) Center in Newark.

In the meantime, before funds can be raised to construct an actual center, a traveling mini PAL Center in a mobile trailer will travel around the city bringing recreational and educational activities to various neighborhoods where low-income children can participate in organized recreational activities. There will be additional items for the youth to take home to play with in their own backyards. The trailer will travel weekends and throughout summer months, weather permitting.

Officers will have a chance to play games, read books, and interact with the children. In return the children will get to know the officers and build relationships and trust with them in a stress-free, atmosphere where the children live. As relationships develop and grow, any barriers should improve over time.

FOP Lodge #4 and Newark PAL is fully committed to this project. Newark PAL Board Members include Newark Police Department Master Corporal Morgan Fountain and Sergeant Greg D’Elia, as well as our club Rotarian and City Councilman Jason Lawhorn.

PAGE 16 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Coming this Summer

Trailer – The plain-Jane trailer will be wrapped in an attractive design and appear in low-income neighborhoods where neighbor children and parents can interact with police in a positive environment.

The trailer has been purchased by the Newark Area Welfare Committee at a cost of $12,500.

The Newark Morning Rotary Club is contributing more than $6,000 into outfitting the trailer with equipment such as flying discs, jump ropes, basketballs, footballs, large wooden dice set, paddle ball games, bands for threelegged races, soccer net and balls, tug of war rope, bean bag toss, and other games and activities. Books and other small items will be given to the children to own.

NMRC also purchased a portable generator and two small freezers to keep ice cream treats frozen and ready to hand out.

Rotarians are also contributing to the cost of the trailer, starting out as just a plain-Jane trailer, to be brightly wrapped by Carvertise.

When Rotarian and Former Mayor Polly Sierer went shopping at National 5&10 on Main Street for items to stock the trailer, the Handloff family (Owners) immediately offered to help with a donation of $2,000 worth of

arts and craft supplies.

Newark Bike Project, having a strong relationship with the NPD, is planning to donate bicycles. Friends of Fusion Foundation has committed financially by assisting with equipment, supplies and the trailer wrap. The Christiana Rotary is also involved in this project.

“The impact of this project in our community will be enormous,” said Polly Sierer. “This is yet another great example of our community coming together, with the help of Newark Morning Rotary and many other partners in Newark, to work towards the goal of providing important outreach to citizens in Newark.”

Rotarian and Councilman Jason Lawhorn approved of the project.

“Newark is a community of neighbors, but that community is more than just the people who live here,” he said. “So many of our businesses care as much about Newark as they do their bottom line. We are so grateful to National 5 & 10 supporting this project.”

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 17

PAGE 18 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Even a pandemic doesn’t stop the leaves from needing to be raked. Newark Morning Rotarians worked with volunteers from Lori’s Hands to tidy several clients’ yards in the Newark area. From left, Shawn Klapinsky, UD students Shirelee Moorman and Elizabeth Weimer, Paul Keely, Jamie Zingaro, Laura DelPercio, and Robin Broomall.

Lori’s Hands

Helping Hands during a Pandemic

T

he grass still grows, the leaves fall, weeds grow, and groceries need to be purchased despite a global pandemic. And someone needs to take care of such

chores.

For some of our neighbors with chronic illnesses, that just isn’t possible. That’s where Lori’s Hands steps in.

Lori’s Hands, a community health service learning program, brings undergraduate students into meaningful volunteer service for adults living with chronic illnesses in Newark. Most of the student volunteers are from the UD nursing program but others are invited to participate.

But when most of UD students were ordered to go home early last Spring, that left a gap in the weekly visits for nearly 120 clients of Lori’s Hands.

Over the past year, Lori’s Hands students who were still in the area provided contactless grocery shopping and prescription deliveries, helped with outdoor tasks like yard work and taking out the trash, made safe distanced companionship visits, completed countless phone and video calls, organized and attended virtual events, wrote letters, and more.

Newark Morning Rotarians also wrote hundreds of notes and cards that were delivered to clients of Lori’s Hands.

Lori’s Hands Expands Lori’s Hands now accepts referrals in Baltimore, Md., as well as here in Newark. If you know a community member living with a chronic illness who would like help with some day to day tasks and who would like interacting with college students, make a referral today.

The mission of Lori’s Hands is to transform a student’s understanding of community health by matching them with individuals living with chronic illnesses such as cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Parkinson’s, COPD, congestive heart failure, or chronic kidney disease. Some clients just need companionship since they are living on their own or have few relatives close by.

For more information on Lori’s Hands, visit www.lorishands.org.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 19

Rotary International Statement on Racism

A

t Rotary, we have no tolerance for racism. Promoting respect, celebrating diversity, demanding ethical leadership, and working tirelessly to advance peace are central tenets of our work.

We have more work to do to create more just, open, and welcoming communities for all people.

We know there are no easy fixes and that chal-

lenging conversations and work lie before all of us.

Rotary’s strength has long been our ability and commitment to bringing people together. We will tap into that strength now as we stand with those who are working for peace and justice.

Rotary will do our part to listen, learn, and take action to ensure that we continue to contribute to making positive change.

www.mdavisinc.com

PAGE 20 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING

For the 12th straight year, the Rotary Foundation (TRF) has received the highest possible score from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the United States. TRF has earned the maximum 100 points for both demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. Also, TRF received its 12th straight 4-Star rating. Only 1% of the charities the organization evaluates have received at least 11 consecutive 4-Star evaluations, setting TRF apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness

IAN’S LAWN SERVICE “A Cut Above”

302-383-1712 • Mowing • Leaf Removal • Mulch/Stone • Sidewalk/ Spreading Driveway Edging • Snow Removal • Spring/Fall Yard • Hedge/Tree Clean-ups Trimming & Removal • Power Washing • Vacation/Seasonal Service

Ian Chiappa

15 Farmhouse Road, Newark, DE 19711

ianchia18@comcast.net

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 21

Check to Food Bank

It was a cold blustery November day when Rotarian Robin Broomall delivered a check for $1,000 and a frozen turkey to the Food Bank of Delaware on Lake Drive. Since 2003 the Newark Morning Rotary Club has been supporting the Food Bank’s turkey drive with a monetary donation. They also volunteer their time during the year to sort pallets of non-perishables and frozen foods as well as pack backpacks of food for school children to enjoy on weekends.

PAGE 22 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Thank you, Rotarians Thank you, Rotarians, family members and friends of Rotary who have very generously donated dollars and support to the many efforts of the Newark Morning Rotary Club.

As we often say, we give money when vital and time when imperative.

Without your financial contributions, many of our programs and contributions would have to be scaled back or dropped.

Without the many helping hands of family and friends, we could not get done what we want to accomplish.

You don’t have to be a Rotarian to live our motto of Service Above Self.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 23

PAGE 24 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Rotarians Have Heart

This might look like just someone’s grocery shopping for the week. But to the hungry it can look like a lifesaver!

As part of the Rotary club’s annual Rotary Has Heart event, members donate non-perishables and dry goods to the Food Bank on Valentine’s Day. This year they donated a whopping 300 pounds of soups, vegetables, canned meats, Ramen noodles and other essentials. This was delivered to the Food Bank where it will be sorted and combined with other donations, placed in the Food Bank’s pantry, or made available for churches and other food pantry organizations.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 25

PAGE 26 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Forming a Stronger Community T

he Newark Partnership (TNP) is working every day to build upon the Newark community’s distinctive “small town feel” with big-idea-innovation to enrich the city’s prosperity and quality of life. We do this by being a hub of community information for students, residents, businesses and nonprofits of all sizes, as well as those who work here or visit for fun. Over the last year, the Partnership has been challenged to creatively meet the needs of our community. Throughout the pandemic we have worked to become an online information resource, both for COVID-19 updates, as well as a connector for residents, students, nonprofits, and businesses. Through our popular “Knowing Newark” and “Community Conversation” events, we provide opportunities for these diverse groups to interact and dialogue to better understand and learn from one another.

There are three core program areas in TNP that correspond to its hybrid mission: promoting citywide economic development; connecting and supporting community-based nonprofit institutions; and engaging residents in community advocacy for the ongoing improvement of the quality of life.

TNP is a proud member of the Newark Morning Rotary (NMR) and we are proud that NMR is also a member of TNP. The partnership between TNP and NMR exemplifies the collaboration and coalition building that is inherent in the Newark community’s spirit and soul. We hope you will join us, too, through a membership, attending a meeting, or an event (or two).

Newark Morning’s Mission The mission of the Newark Morning Rotary club is to advance the programs of Rotary International and to improve the quality of life of people in need in the Greater Newark area. We support a variety of community service projects through financial assistance and handson activities while maintaining a warm environment of fellowship among our members.

This mission also includes the support of the businesses in the Newark area. Rotary’s earliest beginnings were built on a foundation of business men getting together to discuss issues and challenges they saw in their own communities and then find a solution to those challenges.

The Newark Partnership shares Rotary’s mission, knowing that by strengthening the business environment, we strengthen the community’s quality of life.

Newark Morning Rotarians are proud to join The Newark Partnership.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 27

PAGE 28 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

“Hail to the Chief”

Mr. President!

A

fter a full career of public service, Dennis Greenhouse finally earned the title of Mr. President!

He was inducted as club president on July 1, 2020 by our District Governor Steven Capelli.

Dennis has held a variety of positions, beginning in banking and corporate affairs before getting into politics.

He was elected State of Delaware auditor from 1983 to 1989, then New Castle County Executive from 1989 to 1997.

He jokes that he never lost an election!

After his stint of 8 years in New Castle County, Dennis went to work in the White House – yes, THE White House – in the office of National Drug Control Policy, then in various positions and offices connected with policing and victims of crime, law enforcement, crime prevention and community revitalization. For two years at the Justice Department he directed the operations of the State Compensation and Assistance Division, providing funding to the states and territories for victim compensation and victim assistance.

Today Dennis provides consulting services to state and local governments as well as private and Tribal entities to develop programs for neighborhood stabilization, crime prevention, and community development.

But there was one position he never got to hold. The President, Dennis Greenhouse oval office eluded him.

So now he finally earned the title of Mr. President, even Under Dennis’s leadership, the club has renewed its service to if it is for only one year as president of the Newark Morn- the community, initiating several projects that were inspired ing Rotary Club. by social issues nationwide. The club’s FACT taskforce took on the difficult issue of inequality and focused on a program to Being a Rotarian since 2015, Dennis has served in a help women and minorities become successful entrepreneurs. variety of leadership and support roles, including being a The Business Advisory Project will connect our highly qualified Board member, vice president, president-elect and most members with budding entrepreneurs in a mentorship program. recently taking the top leadership position as president. The project of participating with the Newark PAL will bring He will serve as the club’s leader until June 30, 2021. our youth and police together to strengthen understanding and respect.

During this unusual year, Dennis held no gavel and never got to greet a single member in person. But he did preside Thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership through this year. at Zoom meetings and called the group to order precisely And after June 30, we can call you “Dennis” again. at 7 a.m. each week.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 29

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NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 31

Red, White, and Blue

Flags for heroes

T

he red, white and blue flew high in front of Newark City Hall over Veteran’s Day weekend in November, with each of the 60 flags representing someone’s hero.

It did not need to be a veteran. Heroes come in all sizes, shapes, and occupations in life. The heroes represented by the flags in Newark were veterans representing all wars our country has fought, friends and family members, firefighters, police officers and other public servants.

Individuals and a few businesses paid $50 to sponsor each flag they wanted displayed in honor of one special person. A commemorative tag was attached to each pole recognizing the hero and the sponsor.

This was the fourth time the Newark Morning Rotary Club participated in the Flags For Heroes program. Proceeds for the project will benefit the club’s service projects in the Newark community. Nearly $3,000 was raised this year.

“As the word spreads about sponsoring flags, we are looking forward to a bigger display next year,” said Rotarian Paul Keely. “Because the flags are stored throughout the rest of the year and used again, our profit will be larger, too.”

This year’s chair of Flags For Heroes , Rotarian and Councilman Jason Lawhorn, is looking to future displays and a more noticeable and expandable location. Plans are to display flags at the Newark Reservoir Park, highly visible to the many visitors of the park, walkers around the reservoir trail, and families visiting Preston’s Playground. Flags will be seen from as far away as Cleveland Avenue.

In past years a short ceremony recognizing the heroes was held on the city hall lawn with nearly 50 community members, Rotarians, and some of the heroes in attendance.

The National Anthem was played on the saxophone by Gaetano “Vinnie” Vinciguerra and each hero’s name was read. The ceremony was not held in November 2020 due to the pandemic.

Flags For Heroes has become a Rotary club project for more than 15 clubs across Delaware and Eastern Shore of Maryland. You will see large displays on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Veterans Day weekends. In just four years, nearly $20,000 has been raised by the Newark Morning club to support scholarships, youth programs, humanitarian needs, and school programs.

To sponsor a Flag for your hero on Veterans Day 2021, visit nmrde.org and place a request in the Comment section.

PAGE 32 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Helping Our Neighbors Supporting literacy through the Peace Corps

What child does not like reading about dinosaurs and sea creatures, mystery stories, and fun rhymes – all in their native language? Through a literacy project, children at their elementary schools in several communities in the Dominican Republic will receive more than 2,000 books in the first shipment, courtesy of Rotary clubs here in Newark, Florida, and the Dominican Republic.

The Newark Morning Rotarians have partnered with other Rotary clubs to supply books to school children in the Dominican Republic where their access to easy to read books for elementary children is quite limited.

S

tarted in 2018, the goal of the literacy project is to ship pallets of books, written in Spanish, to elementary schools and libraries in the home towns of returned Peace Corps volunteers on the island. The Peace Corps volunteers will then help distribute the books among the schools where the need is greatest.

Books would include a wide selection of readers for every level, library bound non-fiction series, and library bound Dr. Seuss books. Not only will they provide opportunities for the children to improve their reading skills but also entertainment as well as knowledge about the world outside of their community.

The Cantonment Rotary Club of Pensacola, Florida, sponsored the project in coordination with The Santa Domingo Mirado Rotary Club. Newark Morning Rotary

Club contributed $1,000 toward the goal of $7,500.

The first shipment of books was leaving the port in late February, 2021.

“Participating in this literacy project is an important step for the Newark Morning Rotarians,” said Joyce Henderson, president-elect of the club. As chair of the club’s International committee, she has forged a relationship with Carl Dickerson , member of the Cantonment Rotary Club, and has several other potential international projects lined up for Newark Rotarians to participate in.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 33

ROTARY OPENS

Fighting inequality with education and mentoring

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t all started with a difficult conversation about hot issues in the national press – racism and inequality. In Spring 2020, several members of Newark Morning Rotary club joined in a Zoom session where we spoke frankly and openly about our feelings and emotions.

We came away from the discussion with a determination to make a difference in our community, based on our skills, talents, and resources with a taskforce aptly named FACT, after the Four-Way Test of things we think, say, and do, a mantra practiced by Rotarians worldwide.

The mission of FACT is to engage members on the topic of racism and inequality and to provide educational programming so that we can make a meaningful impact in the Greater Newark community.

I

The outcome was three fold:

1. Support of Newark Police Department’s PAL project to develop a more positive relationship between local police and minority and underserved youth (see story on pages…)

2. Support women and minorities in the Newark area who have aspirations of being entrepreneurs 3. Provide a mentoring program to local aspiring entrepreneurs, enabling them to be successful members of their families and the community.

The Traveling PAL trailer will be making rounds to underserved neighborhoods this summer. The first class of an introduction to business basics concluded in March 2021. The Business Advisory Program started after that.

See story on page 16 & 17.

Rotary Opens Opportunities.

The Four Way Test is the most widely printed and quoted statement of business ethics in the world of Rotary

t was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of the Chicago-based Club Aluminum Company, which was facing bankruptcy. Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depressioncaused financial difficulties. He drew up a 24-word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The Four-Way Test became the guide for sales, production, advertising and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company was credited to this simple philosophy.

Taylor became president of Rotary International in 1954-55. The Four-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1934 and has been translated into more than 100 languages.

Today it still represents the philosophy of more than 1.8 million Rotarians worldwide.

The Four Way Test of the things we think, say and do.

1. Is it the truth?

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

PAGE 34 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

OPPORTUNITIES

Education and Mentoring for Success

“I just want to be my own boss.”

E

asy words to say but not always easy to follow through on. Without understanding the whole enchilada, many budding entrepreneurs jump into their dream of business ownership on a whim and a prayer.

The Newark Morning Rotary Club supports women and minorities in the Greater Newark area who want to start their own businesses to support their families and be contributors to the community. Starting with a good education on the basics of business ownership and developing a strong business plan are keys to success.

Rotarian Clinton Tymes, chairman of the club’s FACT taskforce, taught a 9-week program on business basics covering topics about business structure, advantages and disadvantages of types of businesses, choosing company name, developing a business plan, marketing strategies, budgeting projections, and marketing .

One objective was to insure the participants asked themselves the difficult questions upfront before leaping head first into “being my own boss.” Are you prepared to work long hours and make sacrifices? Are you a good salesperson? Do you have family support? Can you prepare a detailed business plan? Do you like working LONG hours?

The program was conducted in partnership with Newark NAACP, True Access Capital, Women’s Business Center, Small Business Development Center, and SBA 18 participated in the weekly online program with 11 completing the course. Some of their businesses include nurse practician, janitorial service, business and diversity consulting, daycare, physical fitness training, construction and assisting minority students in STEM majors.

“This course has been one of the most rewarding and informational business courses I have been involved in,” said Kagame, one of the graduates. “I learned a great deal and am deeply grateful for the team to make this possible.”

Newark Rotary Business Advisory Program

A

committee of experienced business leaders from the Newark Morning Rotary Club will mentor graduates of the Business Education Program. The advisory committee will be comprised of small business owners, leaders and industry professionals in areas such as banking, legal, accounting, marketing, technology, and more.

This program is based on a Rotary program called “Launch Detroit” where the Rotary clubs in Michigan started a mentorship program to help bring businesses back into the Detroit area.

The ultimate goal is to have these new entrepreneurs get started on the right foot, grow their bottom line and hopefully expand their company’s employment base.

Mentors will meet with their “clients” in monthly hour to 90 minute sessions to discuss obstacles and barriers to growth and sustainability.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 35

Shoes that fit

Our support continues…

I

n the last 20 years, the Newark Morning Rotary club has contributed nearly $35,000 to Shoes That Fit of Delaware.

Starting in 2001, when we first learned of the Glauser’s efforts to supply our homeless and neediest children with proper fitting clothes and shoes, we were committed to supporting them with annual contributions.

It started with just $700 in 2001, but as our funding grew, we increased the annual contribution to $2,000 beginning in 2005. Now it is just a standard line item in our annual budget.

The Glauser’s raise funds to purchase new clothes, for specific children as well as outfitting a school nurse’s closet with emergency items, such as school uniforms, underwear, socks, shirts, pants, coats, and shoes.

They turned their little used living room into a miniwarehouse, storing items until the right need arose. They made sure the items they purchased were quality, not just the cheapest they could find.

New and proper fitting clothes mean more than just a well clothed child. It brings a sense of pride and washes away the shame of not looking like the rest of their peers.

It brings increased self-esteem, which helps them in the classroom.

We Rotarians are proud to be able to continue our support of Shoes That Fit of Delaware.

For more information on Shoes That Fit, visit www. shoesthatfit.org.

PAGE 36 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Public Service award Detective skills help save lives

T

he Newark Morning Rotary Club recognized Matthew Piechnik, a senior at the University of Delaware and a valuable member of the student-run UD Emergency Care Unit (UDECU), with the Public Service Award for 2021.

Matthew, a senior majoring in medical diagnostics, joined the UDECU in Fall of 2017 and shortly after completed his EMS Field Training. In addition to his being a technician, he soon took on more responsibilities in administrative roles, creating and improving the probationary training curriculum and revamping the field training program, all while logging an impressive 1,700+ hours of service on UD-1. This includes regular shifts and extra-duty standby assignments at events.

He also serves as a part-time EMT for Aetna, Hose, Hook, and Ladder during the school year and as a responder for the Dewey Beach Surf and Rescue during the summer months.

During covid-19 pandemic, Matthew continued to be creative in providing online Zoom trainings and networking with other local fire departments to continue improving the training process, incorporating case studies and online videos.

“Matthew knows that he doesn’t train today’s members, but tomorrow’s leaders,” said Robin Tsang, director of EMS at UD who nominated Matthew for the award.

Matthew Piechnik, volunteers with UD’s student-run Emergency Care Unit , as an EMT as well as Training Coordinator, training other student volunteers to be detectives when assessing emergency situations. lot of cases, having the worst experience of their life. I can hopefully ameliorate how bad it’s going to be for them.”

Matthew says you need detective skills to be an

Besides a plaque honoring the recipient, the Public Service Award carries a $250 check made out to the charity of his choice. Matthew had his check presented to the Nemours Fund.

“Within a short time of arriving on a scene, you have to figure out what’s going on and what you see around you,” Matthew said. “I really like this challenge. And in doing this job, I get to provide care for people who are, in a

Thank you, Matthew, for your dedication to assisting your fellow UD students in need and for your initiative in developing new leaders for tomorrow.

EMT.

What is UDECU? The unit is a student-run group of volunteer, nationally registered EMT’s who respond to everything from bee sings to cardiac arrest. They will answer calls of distress with proper equipment from defibrillators to other necessary medical supplies, via UD quick-response vehicles, bikes, or their own ambulance.

To learn more about UDECU visit www.ems.udel. edu.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 37

Helping Families in Need The Newark Morning Rotarians proudly give assistance when needed. Each year they participate in Downes Elementary School Mitten Tree project where families in need are helped out with new clothes for the children. Instead of clothes, the Rotarians purchase gift cards that the families can use to buy food, clothes, or gifts for their children for the holidays. In December Rotarian Eric Cannon, center, presented 15 Walmart gift cards, valued at $50 each, to Academic Dean Josh Cohen and School Nurse Trudy Small to be distributed to the families.

PAGE 38 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Happy Birthday Box

Everyone has a birthday!

F

or the past two years, the Newark Morning Rotarians have been packing and distributing birthday boxes to Meals on Wheels recipients out of the Newark Senior Center.

About 120 neighbors get meals delivered every day.

Many of them are shut-ins or have few family members nearby to handle daily activities such as making a hot dinner. They might feel very alone or forgotten on their one special day of the year.

On their birthday, as their usual volunteer from the Senior Center Meals on Wheels program delivers their hot meal for the day, they also receive a special box filled with treats such as cookies, crackers, candy, pretzels, juice box and other small items such as a magazine, notepad, small night light, doodle pad or word-find book, calendar or small holiday trinket courtesy of the Rotarians.

Birthday cards are signed by the Rotarians and included

in the white box before sealing with a ribbon and Happy Birthday sticker.

“These are all the items that someone who cannot get out of the house to do their own shopping would not usually put on a list for someone to else to pick up for them,” said Rotarian Robin Broomall. “But little things like this will brighten their day.”

More than 300 Birthday Boxes have been packed by the Rotarians so far. The volunteers delivering them have reported back to Senior Center staff that the recipients are often overwhelmed that someone would think of them. Many thank you cards have been received.

“They are just so surprised when they get that birthday box,” said Rotarian Barry Baker. He and his wife Judy are volunteer deliverers for Meals on Wheels. “They just love that someone else thought of them.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 39

Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore

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n 1907, Ohio businessman Edgar Allen lost his son in a streetcar accident. The lack of adequate medical services available to save his son prompted Allen to sell his business and begin a fund-raising campaign to build a hospital in his hometown of Elyria, Ohio. He soon realized that children with disabilities were little served and so he began the National Society for Crippled Children.

In Spring 1934, the organization issued its first Easter seals fund raising campaign, selling small stickers, or seals, with the picture of a lily, the symbol of spring. By 1967, the Easter “seal” was so well recognized, the organization formally adopted the name “Easter Seals.”

Edgar Allen was a Rotarian. The first president of the National Society for Crippled Children was Paul Harris, founder of Rotary International.

Today both men, side by side, are on the Points of Light Monument in Washington, D.C., recognizing volunteers of significance to our country.

Rotarians across the country have donated more than $5 million dollars to Easterseals.

Since 1992, our own Rotary District 7630, covering Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, has donated more than $1 million to local facilities.

PAGE 40 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Welcome Bags

Rotarians Support Easterseals

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here can young adults with differing disabilities go to have fun like others their age? And how can a caregiver of a child bound to a wheelchair find a few days of respite?

Easterseals of Delaware and Maryland Eastern Shore provides answers to both of their needs, with many services and programs for individuals with a disability, special need, or aging condition, and their caregivers, as well.

One opportunity that Easterseals provides is near and dear to Rotarians’ hearts. Camp Fairlee, located in Chestertown, Md., offers summer camping experiences to enable the attendees to participate in activities that others in their age group might do. Trail walks, rope walks, arts and crafts, evening bonfires, swimming, canoeing, and so much more take place in an environment that is safe and meets the needs of each individual.

camp, it serves as a cafeteria, arts and crafts center, theater, and nurse station.

Newark Morning Rotary Club contributes nearly $4,000 annually in scholarship money to assist campers who cannot otherwise afford a week away at camp.

They pack Welcome Bags for the counselors who assist at summer camp. They fly in from many parts of the world, often with the bare essentials until they can get to shop. Sixty bags are filled with a variety of toiletries, such as shampoo, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, mouthwash, hand sanitizer, lip balm and bug spray. Also included are small tablets, pens, and flashlights. The colorful bags can be used by the counselors all summer as they go from activity to activity with their campers.

Many Rotary clubs on the peninsula, support Camp Fairlee monetarily as well as physically.

Rotarians will spend a day helping spruce up the grounds and buildings for Spring Cleanup, build picnic tables and benches, paint cabins, spread mulch, and contribute supplies. They also serve on the Easterseals Board of Directors.

The large pavilion was built and paid for by Rotary District 7630 about five years ago. Integral to summer

Welcome Bags ready to go.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 41

Receiving kits via boat following Malawi flood in 2015

A happy recipient of a kit for her family’s shelter

Shelterbox

Dealing with the virus

W

hen the call to action is given, Rotarians are first to step up to help.

Newark Morning Rotarians have supported ShelterBox USA for 20 years, contributing at least $1,000 a year to sponsor a tent and accompanying kit that will support up to 10 people for as long as six months.

ShelterBox USA is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization, and Rotary sponsored, registered in the State of Florida, that is ready in an instant to help in areas hit by hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters and conflict. They provide humanitarian relief to tens of thousands around the world, in the U.S., and more importantly in nations that have virtually no ability to respond to a catastrophe on this scale.

The organization provides people with temporary shelter until they are able to rebuild their homes, water purification kits, blankets, mosquito nets, simple cooking utensils, tools, solar lights, and activity sets for children.

Those living in refugee camps or in makeshift settlements were especially vulnerable due to the pandemic.

Travel restrictions made work more challenging. But Shelterbox continued to work with their local partners in

Tents set up following Indonesia earthquake in 2018

Syria, Somaliland, Cameroon, and Ethopia.

To help control the spread of covid-19, the family tents and shelters allowed those on crowded camps to self-isolate and social distance.

Private shelter helps families limit their exposure to the virus. Aid packages are customized to include soap and hand-washing basins.

Personal cooking equipment and sleeping mats help reduce physical interaction and sharing between families.

Water purification tools provide access to clean water that might not otherwise be available.

While it might be easy for us to “shelter in place”, having a shelter is critical need for people who are struggling to survive after losing their home to disaster or conflict.

Again, Rotary Opens Opportunities, and Rotarians are quick to respond.

To learn more about this program, visit www.shelterboxusa.org.

Image credit: Muhammed Said/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images.

PAGE 42 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Thank you, from Junior Achievemen

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March 2021 Dear Newark Morning Rotarians, Your organizations contribution of $3 ,450 each year is enabling JA of Delaware to make great progress in our mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Creating an entrepreneurial eco-system, developing sustainable school to career pipelines, and prioritizing education al attainment as a young person’s most critical financial decision are all at the heart of what JA is already doing for over 16,000 local students.

Your thoughtful support is also drivin g us closer to our goals of meeting or exceeding JA USA Operatin g Performance Standards… and increase in students served and instructional contact hours delivered.

On behalf of the Junior Achievement of Delaware board of directors and the students we serve, please acc ept my heartfelt gratitude for support of our mission.

Warmest regards, Rob Epps President

The Newark Morning Rotary Club initiated a partnership with JA Delaware in 2005 to support the Rotary Center in Biz Town at the Wilmington facility. In the 2020-2021 school year, students were not able to visit in

person but JA adapted its program to online education and still met with hundreds of youngsters across the region.

The Newark Morning Rotary club has invested nearly $50,000 in the educational JA program.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 43

P

A Clean Car is a Happy Car

R

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Providing the highest quality washes and detailing service.

302.994.6045 3213 Kirkwood Highway Wilmington, DE 19808 www.pricescornercarwash.com

marygkonwinski@gmail.com

PAGE 46 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Preston’s Playground

Newark Morning Rotary is proud to be a $5,200 sponsor of Preston’s Playground, an inclusive play structure that invites children of all abilities to come and have fun. The playground, located in Newark’s Reservoir Park, was officially opened in November 2018.

Inclusive playground changes everything “Go run and play,” parents typically shout to their children when they get to the park.

For many youngsters that is just not possible because of their wheelchairs, leg braces, respirators and other lifesupporting equipment, along with physical impairments that make traditional play equipment impossible for them.

Preston’s Playground in Newark changed that on Nov. 19, 2018, when the inclusive playground opened on the City of Newark’s park at Newark Reservoir, off Old Paper Mill Road.

that specializes in inclusive playgrounds, it is about 8,400 sq. ft. area over a rubber base. The three entrance/exit ramps allow for easy access. The design includes slides, rock wall, tunnels, steering wheels, and telescopes. A “rock and wave” boat is a big hit for all children, even those in wheelchairs.

Standard as well as belted swings line one side of the playground.

Newark Morning Rotary Club is proud to be a part of that as a sponsor of Preston’s Playground with a donation of $5,200. The playground has become a destination for many families.

Preston’s Playground is named for Preston Buenaga, born with developmental delays caused by mitochondrial disease. His mother Deb dreamed of a playground where her son could participate along with other children. In 2011 she started Preston’s March For Energy which provides adaptive bicycles for children who cannot ride a traditional bicycle.

It was three years from conception to completion, with fundraising of nearly half a million dollars to securing the partnership with city of Newark Parks and Recreation Department to many hours of volunteers sweating in the August sun. Construction was further slowed because of rainy weather.

When Deb met Nic DeCaire, then owner of Fusion Fitness, they created the first “Means Everyone 5K” in July 2016. The unique racing event attracted runners of all abilities, including those who had to ride in special running chairs. This was the kickoff fundraiser for Preston’s Playground.

But on opening day, it was all sunshine and lollipops for the many children that ran to the playground.

“This is something that will benefit children for years to come,” said then Mayor Polly Sierer at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The specially designed playground grew from the idea that all children, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, should have the chance to play and have fun right with each other. Designed by PlayCore, a Tennessee company

For more information on Preston’s Playground, visit www.prestonsplayground.com.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 47

Ray Civatte award R

einvent? Reorganize? Reinvigorate? No problem for one local businesswoman.

It has been a 21-year tradition for the Newark Morning Rotary Club to recognize a community member with the Ray Civatte Community Service Award. The award is typically presented at the annual meeting in June where the members can meet this incredible individual who has unselfishly given his/her time, talents, and resources to make a big difference in our society. This year’s award and accompanying $500 was delayed and will be presented in June 2021, one year later.

The award goes to a non-Rotarian who lives the Curbside delivery had a different meaning when the hatch of motto of Service Above Self, the long standing motto of Sasha’s car opened revealing trays and boxes or deliciously Rotarians worldwide. prepared meals.

The pandemic hit hard in April 2020 with all nonessential businesses ordered closed. That included restaurants. Not wanting to lose her loyal customers, let all staff go, and shutter her restaurant, Sasha Aber looked for alternatives to the way Home Grown Café was always run.

Like many other restaurants across the country, Sasha and her staff adjusted to pick-up orders from curbside. But that wasn’t enough for her.

No cold pizza for this unit. Many medical staff said they appreciated receiving the healthy and nutritious meals after being on duty 12 hours or more.

Sasha launched a program to support our local healthcare workers who were risking their lives on the front lines of the global covid-19 health crisis. Adopt-AUnit was created to allow individuals to donate online and allow Home Grown to provide meals for staff at Christiana Care and other medical facilities.

It didn’t take long for healthy competition to begin with some staff members forming teams and encouraging friends and relatives to donate to their team.

Newark Morning Rotary was a team in itself and raised $4,267 to feed units at Christiana Care.

Unit workers arrived at curbside with empty wheelchairs and carts to receive their Home Grown meals.

Sasha and her staff prepared the meals and she delivered them in her car to specified units at medical facilities in Wilmington, Newark, and Middletown.

Units were comprised of 20 to 70 employees working four different daily shifts. Within six weeks the program raised more than $24,000 from online donations which provided meals to 34 units on 54 different shifts,

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A Home Grown Hero

Sasha Aber changed her kitchen at Home Grown Café from serving individual entrees to making platters and trays of fresh foods, entrees, sandwiches, salads, and side dishes for medical units during the height of the pandemic.

It was late, dark, cold, and snowy some nights but the sight of great food warmed everyone’s hearts.

It was thumbs up and all smiles when these medical workers saw the menu for their dinner break.

In Memory of Ray Civatte

“Sasha certainly unselfishly gave her personal as well money, and utilized her business to provide support to an as business, time, talent, resources, and contacts to make a important part of our community – our healthcare workers.” difference in our community during this pandemic,” stated Sasha’s recent effort during the pandemic is certainly an Rotarian Polly Sierer who nominated her for the Service Award. “She quickly planned, mobilized, raised significant example of Service Above Self.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 49

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NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 51

POLIO

We are STILL this close…

We’ve said it before.

We are “this close” to eradicating—POLIO

The Rotary Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced on January 22, 2020 that their long-term fundraising partnership, which generates up to $150 million annually for polio eradication, will continue. Under the agreement, Rotary is committed to raising $50 million a year over the next three years, and each dollar will be matched with an additional two dollars by the Gates Foundation.

In a video address at the 2020 Rotary International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, Bill Gates told incoming district governors that the partnership with Rotary needs to continue.

“The Gates Foundation’s longstanding partnership with

Rotary has been vital to fighting polio,” Gates said. “That’s why we’re extending our funding match, so every dollar that Rotary raises is met with two more.”

He added, “I believe that together, we can make eradication a reality.”

The funding will support polio eradication efforts such as disease surveillance, technical assistance, and operational support for immunization activities.

The partnership between Rotary and the Gates Foundation has yielded $2 billion, and Rotarians have given countless volunteer hours to fight polio since Rotary started its PolioPlus program in 1985.

Visit endpolio.org to learn more and donate.

Why is the last mile so important?

As of March 2020, there were 27 cases of Wild Polio reported, with 25 in Pakistan and 2 in Afghanistan.

This is down from 173 cases reported in 2019. That is great news. But we must remain vigilant.

Many adults who were “cured” of polio as a child are now seeing crippling symptoms showing up again. Wheelchairs, braces, physical therapy and many debilitating diseases are seeing a comeback in polio survivors. John Nanni, member of Middletown Odessa Rotary Club, had polio as a child and was considered “cured” until he developed other symptoms as an adult. A large sign on the back of his wheelchair says “This is what polio looks like.” He doesn’t let his crippling disease stop him from championing the fight against polio. Rotarian Robin Broomall found him at the Rotary International convention in Toronto in June 2019.

There have not been any cases of Wild Polio virus anywhere in the world in nearly five years except in the three endemic countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. And Nigeria has been Wild Polio free for three years. It takes five years of no cases before a country is considered free of Wild Polio.

It took more than 20 years for the U.S. to become polio-free even after the polio vaccine was readily available. We are working in areas now that don’t even have health systems that are as well-developed as the U.S.

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NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 53

Discover your community art center where you’ll find an Art Gallery, a store filled with locally made arts and crafts, and a place to take classes in the arts.

NAA Events!

Deerfield Wine Tasting Sept. 10, 5-7pm.

Fall Art Shows • Mark Starr Solo Show, Autumn Scenes & Patched & Pieced Holiday Art Market • Nov. 23 to Dec. 30 The Gingerbread Bash • Sat., Dec. 4, 6-9pm

The Newark Arts Alliance www.newarkartsalliance.org

276 E. Main St., Suite 102, Newark, DE 19711 302-266-7266 info@newarkartsalliance.org PAGE 54 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Unlocking the Light

I

t can strike anywhere, anytime, in any family. It often comes as a complete shock, was not fore seen, and creates many questions that cannot be answered. It’s a battle of darkness.

The Locke family in Newark faced such a situation when their son Sean lost his battle to depression just weeks before his 24th birthday. A bright kid, athletic, loved by many friends, and with a great future ahead of him, he did not ask for help and no one knew what he was battling deep inside. More than 4,000 attended his funeral.

Two years later, on Sept. 24, 2020, Sean’s House, located on W. Main Street, opened as a safe haven for young adults from 14 to 24 years, where they could seek help for their fears and hidden feelings of depression.

SL24 Unlocke the Light, a non-profit foundation, was created to promote mental wellness and provide access to trained peer support specialists. It educates on depression and suicide prevention and assists in connecting the community with needed mental health resources. Sean’s House provides a safe space for doing homework, relaxing with friends, or talking with a trained specialist.

SL 24 are Sean’s initials and the number he wore on his basketball jersey as a three-time All American and captain of the UD basketball team.

Chris Locke, Sean’s father, was a speaker at a Newark Morning Rotary meeting where he openly talked about the loss of his son, the struggle for his family to move forward, and the outcome that will help many other young adults who might be experiencing the same darkness that Sean did.

“Get help. Don’t live in darkness. Don’t live behind the mask,” Chris Locke told the Rotarians. “These are the words Sean would say if he were here today.”

For more information on SL24 and Sean’s House and additional resources, visit www.unlockethelight.com.

Moving Forward

In 2020, the Newark Morning Rotarians contributed $900 toward the opening of Sean’s House. In the upcoming year they will be working on a $10,000 grant project to continue support of SL24 Unlocke the Light by providing weekly family-style meals and daily snacks for the visitors and families of those who are seeking help.

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“Violins versus Violence” “Violins versus Violence” is a new anti-violence and anti-hate project from the University of Delaware Master Players Concert Series.

The project, which will debut in Fall 2021, invites hundreds of young American violinists to participate in a unique music video that will allow them to express their support for racial, religious, and cultural equity through their own talents.

The participants will be joined by acclaimed violinists from many cultural backgrounds. This impactful video will be distributed online and shared with major media outlets for global broadcasting.

“Violins versus Violence” is conceptualized and produced by Xiang “Sean” Gao, Trustees Distinguished Professor of Music (violin and music management) and Founding Artistic Director of the UD Masters Players Concert Series.

Gao is the creator of Shanghai Sonatas, the new musical promoting Holocaust-Genocide awareness and classical music.

Those interested in supporting the project can donate online at bit.ly/supportmp.

Art by David Brinley, University of Delaware professor of Art and Design.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 59

Rotary Rocks!

Word of the day:

Thank you for donating your time and energy to our community!

Adjective

“Out of this world service”

410-392-9350

Alphabetical (al/pha/bet/ic/al) Meaning: Relating to the arrangement of letters or characters in a customary order

In the last few years, the Internet has taken over our ability to search for words in alphabetical order. Today we Google a word or just speak into our Smart phones to ask Siri or Alexa for the spelling or definition. Some schools now decline the free student dictionary citing the use of computers and Chromebooks as more important for students than an actual book in their hands.

The dictionary keeps our universe in alphabetical order. The ability to use alphabetical order is still important in helping us look up words in a dictionary, find recipes in a cookbook, get phone numbers or addresses in a phone book, navigate a business directory, or look up information in the index of a book. But then when was the last time you used a dictionary, a cookbook, or phone book? Perhaps it’s time to dust off your old favorite tomes and keep the dictionary by your reading chair.

Robin Broomall, editor

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DICTIONARIES

Literacy has always been a priority in the Rotary world.

H

ow do you get students to be good writers? What is a good way to get them interested in reading, learning new words, and thinking creatively? Give them a free book that can open their eyes to a world to learning.

Give them a dictionary that is easy to navigate and contains a ton of other interesting facts about history, astronomy, historical personalities, science, and sign language.

Each September Newark Morning Rotarians make sure our local third graders have their own personal student dictionaries to help with their classwork as well as homework.

With the pandemic and many students not in the schools, that was delayed by a few months, but seven schools did receive their free student dictionaries.

For nearly 20 years, this club has distributed more than 1,000 student dictionaries annually, at a cost of nearly

$3,000 each year, to McVey, Maclary, West Park, Brader, and Jennie Smith Elementary Schools as well as Newark Charter, and The Delaware School for the Deaf. One school declined to receive them because of the covid-19 fears. They are free to the students.

The dictionaries are part of The Dictionary Project, a Rotary sponsored organization. For many students this dictionary is the first new book they personally own. Many do not have a dictionary in their home. Students are instructed that this is their property and they can keep at school or take home to use for homework if they desire. It is not property of the school.

The Newark Morning Rotary club alone has distributed more than 11,000 copies so far. Nationally The Dictionary Project has reached more than 34 million students since 1995.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 61

Pandemic year Rotary Opens Opportunities

It has been quite a year to remember – or forget.

Since March 2020 our world has been turned upside down and backwards. Doing the expected was no longer possible and our personal and business routines were literally trashed.

Our Rotary club also had to make adjustments.

Since we are all volunteers, we had the luxury of cancelling weekly meetings and planned service activities – for about one week! Then we adjusted to the new norm, looked at what opportunities were now opening before us so that we could still live our Rotary motto of Service Above Self and RI President Holger Knaack theme Rotary Opens Opportunities.

Opportunity One: our own family Not wanting to disconnect from our friends and members, we immediately transitioned to Zoom meetings, stuck to a somewhat regular meeting agenda and started discussions on what we could and should be doing.

Since weekly meetings were no longer held at the Courtyard Newark, we immediately thought of our servers and Courtyard staff who had become like family to us. We made personal donations and club contributions to help them get through the period until unemployment started.

We reached out to any members who were about to face a loss of income or other hardship and offered assistance, hope and prayers.

Opportunity two: our neighbors in need Nearly 1,000 cards and notes of encouragement were written and delivered to elderly in nursing and assisted living facilities, senior living communities and clients of Lori’s Hands. Throughout the year we continued to deliver stacks of note cards, letters of hope, stories of our families and vacation places we had visited. One year later we still get cards back from some of them, expressing gratefulness for our little acts of kindness. $2,500 in ACME gift cards were purchased and distributed to those in need through the Newark Area Welfare Committee. Additional funds were distributed to local organizations impacted by the pandemic or who were on the front lines of offering assistance to caregivers and to the sick.

Our annual budget no longer mattered. Our neighbors were in need. We continued to make contributions to the organizations we had committed to before the pandemic hit and in several cases actually increased our donations.

Opportunity three: our loyal advertisers Those who needed help navigating the Federal Payroll Protection Program were directed to our members who worked at local banks, CPA firms, or the SBA. Our members patronized local restaurants by ordering take-out meals and purchase gift cards to be used at a later date or

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For the past year, Newark Morning Rotarians held their weekly meetings via Zoom so they could continue learning about the community and its needs. On April 15, 2021, the speaker was Guanmarco Martuscelli, shown at left, owner of Klondike Kate’s, La Casa Pasta, and The Chesapeake Inn, talking about the challenges of restaurants during the year of covid. to be given out as Random Acts of Kindness to whomever we saw that appeared in need. See the story about our efforts through Home Grown’s Adopt-A-Unit to support the medical personnel who were at the front lines of this pandemic.

Opportunity four: society’s issues When the nation was focused on societal needs, our members held frank discussions on racism and injustices with minorities. Out of those discussions, two specific opportunities emerged.

On pages 16 and 17, and on the cover of this Report to the Community, you will read about our partnership with the Newark Police Department and their initial steps to create a Newark PAL center. Years away from having an actual building, the PAL Board imagined a traveling center that could reach out to our youth in their own neighborhoods. We saw this as an opportunity to build and strengthen the relationships between our minority and underserved youngsters and the local police. At a time when trust is low between these two parties, this was the perfect time to get involved.

members and created an entrepreneurial business program to help women and minority individuals living in the Newark area get the education and support they need to be successful in their ventures. The 12-week education program, followed by a mentor program, is a great start to success. See the full story on pages 34 and 35.

The Rotarians will continue to support our local businesses, advertisers, caregivers, and neighbors in need throughout the coming months to help in our health and economic recovery.

We stand behind our friends and the Newark community in time of need!

We also looked at the skills and talents of our own

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 63

Helping our neighbors 2021

NAWC lars l o D d n a s u o Five Th

This year Newark Morning Rotary Club was honored to contribute $5,000 to support the mission of the Newark Area Welfare Committee in helping neighbors who are financially challenged, whether it be helping to pay an electric bill, filling their pantry, paying rent,

5,000.00

otary Club

ning R Newark Mor

finding temporary housing, or supplying new shoes. In a particularly trying year, NAWC was not able to distribute its Holiday Food Boxes. However, they were able to presented City of Newark with $19,800 to contribute to past due utility accounts for 98 Newark residents who have been confronted with financial hardship during the pandemic.

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Emergency clothes are always needed in the school nurse’s closet. Rotarians re-stocked the McVey closet with more than 200 pairs of socks, underwear, and stretch and sweatpants.

McVey Clothes I

n a typical year, Newark Morning Rotarians would be hitting the stores in December for bargains in kid’s clothes. But of course, this was not a typical year. So they adjusted and came up with a solution for their need to “shop”.

For nearly 20 years, McVey Elementary School nurse Marguerite Diehl would give us a list of needy students (first name only) and the specific size, color, and requests of clothing items they needed. Parents had been consulted beforehand.

The Rotarians then would each take one child and shop for their shirts, shoes, underwear, coat, jeans, pj’s, socks, or whatever was requested in the specific size and color. Sometime a roll of gift wrap was included. Just before the December Winter break, the clothes would be delivered to Nurse Diehl in plain black bags and parents were notified to pick up items for their child.

With students being taught mostly via Internet this year, Nurse Diehl could not give us a list of names and items needed.

But Rotarians were not to be deterred.

Every elementary school nurse keeps an emergency supply closet to take care of the playground incidents of torn pants or the occasional sick one who needs a change of clothes. Nurse Diehl gave us a list of items she needed to re-stock her closet.

Rotarians immediately started on-line shopping and ordered girls’ and boys’ underwear, socks, stretch pants and sweats in multiple sizes. Nearly 200 items were delivered to the school.

Nurse Diehl knows the value of new clothes on a child, even if case of an emergency.

“The smiles on the children’s faces when they are wearing new clothing items are wonderful to see,” she has said each year. “ It is obvious they feel a sense of pride with their new attire.”

We are glad to help.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 65

OPEN 24/7

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Cables, anyone?

How many Rotarians - or spouses – does it take to set up a camera for a hybrid meeting? Apparently more cables and connectors than one has!

Rotarians Michael Luck, left, and Bob Cronin, right, get assistance from Jim Broomall in finding just the right connections for a camera and audio system so that the club’s meetings will still be online when they finally return to in-person meetings. Since March 2020 they have not missed a week of fun, fellowship, and education by meeting on Zoom. Fellow Rotarians from North Carolina and Florida and members on vacation have been able to stay in touch.

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Doris Chan Leach

Spirit in Business award

Community support is its mission

T

he bottom line in any company is something the owner or manager keeps in mind when making all decisions. But sometimes there is something just as important – serving the community.

In 2021 the Newark Morning Rotary Club honored reNu Chiropractic, Wellness, and Injury Center for its commitment to the Greater Newark community with the club’s Spirit in Business Award. They received a plaque and $250 toward their community service.

Nominated by Rotarian Joyce Henderson, reNu , located on South College Ave., was recognized as a visible leader for following their mission not only to enhance their business but also to commit to better health and wellness of the community.

Owned by Doris Chan Leach, reNu teaches wellness and development strategies to enhance the health and well-being of families and students who live in the Greater

Newark area that are suffering from acute and chronic pain conditions.

Last year, reNu performed more than 120 hours of complimentary services to include health screenings, massages, and health education for four school districts, colleges and universities, state offices, nursing homes, banks, medical facilities and hotels.

They routinely sponsor the UD athletic and Newark City island beautification programs as well as appear at Newark Community Days and the Vegan Festival. They collect toys for Toys For Tots and food staples for Delaware Food Pantry and the Food Bank of Delaware.

During the past year’s pandemic, reNu developed a gift certificate program to provide frontline workers with wellness gift certificates.

Congratulations to Doris Chan Leach and the whole reNu team and Thank You for all you do.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 69

Anthony Santoro counted the number of orange juice bottles to be packed.

Jillian, an Interact student at Newark Charter High School, daughter of Rotarian Nancy Chase, worked the assembly line

Bill Sullivan opened cartons of canned vegetables and meats.

PAGE 70 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Food Bank

Weary packers Jerry Holt and Steve Fangman were ready for a break.

– Bill Sullivan and Nancy Chase kept the assembly line moving.

T

wice a year Newark Morning Rotarians and family members volunteer at the Food Bank of Delaware in Newark by sorting and packing donated food items.

Working in an assembly line, they pack about 600 weekend meals for local children in less than 2 hours.

This past year, even with children not being in school full time, the packages were still assembled and sent off to local schools where families could pick them up.

The Food Bank‘s Back Pack Program provides a variety of ready to eat or easy to prepare foods for children in K-12 grades identified as from low-income families. Back packs are filled by volunteers each week and delivered by the Food Bank to the schools where the school nurse discretely distributes them to the identified child before leaving school for the weekend.

More than 5,000 children in Delaware receive Back Pack food each week, including a variety of foods all kids love, including such items as shelf-stable milk, juices, granola bars, applesauce and cereal. Packaged meals such as macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, beef stew and more are easily heated in a microwave.

182 cartons of individual bags, containing juices, boxed milk, soups, canned and dry vegetables, were packed within 2 hours

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 71

MEET THE NEWARK MORNING ROTARY CLUB 2021

Louise Amick Higher Education

Louise’s career as a college math professor included fourteen years at Lincoln University and twenty-three at her alma mater Washington College. She received teaching awards at both institutions. It was at Washington College where she met her husband, the late Sen. Steve Amick.

Kelly Bachman Communications

Kelly has more than 15 years of experience in communications, spending a majority of her career in government roles before joining the University of Delaware as Director of Communications for the College of Health Sciences. She volunteers with several local non-profit organizations and lives in Newark with her husband and two children.

Barry Baker

Electrical Engineering Barry retired from a career that included working on the “Minute Man Missile” with Boeing, 31 years with DuPont, and 11 years with his own business manufacturing textile parts. He holds seven patents in industrial hygiene instruments. He and wife Judy are active in their church and enjoy traveling, delivering Meals on Wheels.

Tim Boulden Heating Contractor

Tim is president of Boulden Brothers Plumbing, Heating, Air and Electric in Newark, which was founded in 1946.

Tim says, “Rotary allows me to serve the community in different ways than I have in the past. I am grateful to be in a group that does so much good for Newark.”

Robin Broomall Personal Development Charter Member

Robin is a consultant in leadership and communications programs. A Rotarian since 1993, she is a co-founder and past-president of this club and is active at the district level.

She is president of the Board of Directors of Delaware Academy of Science at Iron Hill Museum and Science Center.

Charles J. Brown III Business Litigation

Charlie is a partner with Gellert Scali Busenkill & Brown LLC, focusing on business law, including contract disputes, commercial debt collection, bankruptcy, and real estate. His hobbies include practicing tae kwan do. Charlie and wife Tracy are UD grads and have three children.

Eric Cannon

Paramedics Charter Member A native Delawarean, Eric was educated at Friends School , UD and The Wilmington Medical Center School of Paramedics Training. After a 31-year career in Emergency Medical Service, Eric was in automobile sales for eight years.

He then worked in the funeral industry until 2019. Eric is now enjoying the retired life.

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Stephen Fangman

Nancy Chase Hospitality

Nancy has worked at Grain, a craft bar and kitchen, since it opened in 2015, starting as a host and holding management and administrative positions as they expand. Prior to that, she worked at the Blood Bank of Delmarva on the mobile team supporting many blood drives. Having grown up in Windy Hills and Oaklands, she is active in Windy Hills and Covered Bridge Farms Civic Associations. When not working, she enjoys walking in White Clay Creek Park, reading, doing DIY projects, or frequenting small local businesses.

Funeral Directing

Real Estate

Bob is a Broker Associate with the Newark office of Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate. Native of Newark, Bob and wife Becky enjoy time in Canaan Valley, WV, with three children and seven grandchildren.

Frederick J. Dawson,

A Licensed Funeral Director since 1975, Bob is president of R. T. Foard Funeral Home and Crematory, with four locations in Cecil County and Newark. A past president of this club, Bob has been a member of several service and professional organizations in Cecil and New Castle counties, including serving as president of the Maryland State Licensing Board of Morticians during the late 1980’s.

Donna Friswell

ChFC, CLU

Travel Agency Mgt. Charter Member

Wealth Manager Charter Member

Fred is Executive Vice President of Bassett, Dawson, & Foy, Inc., an independent firm (Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC) located in Wilmington. He is a chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter. Fred is a member of Club Phred, a rock and roll band, helping to earn more than $5M for local charities.

Donna was the owner of Charlie B. Travels, a Newark Main Street business for more than 30 years. A past president of this club, Donna is now retired and spends winters aboard a 30’ sailboat in the warm waters of Cocoa, FL. She maintains perfect attendance by attending several Florida Rotary clubs.

Dennis Greenhouse

Laura DelPercio

Government Consulting

Consulting

A native Delawarean, Laura is a graduate of St. Mark’s HS, Widener University, and Colorado Technical Institute. She is the General Manager of Club Pilates Pike Creek. She runs her own business consulting overwhelmed business owners reach and improve their profits. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including Great Dames and Ministry of Caring.

Steve served his country in the U.S. Air Force as a Firefighter. He is Director of Business Development for Moon Air Inc. in Elkton. He lives in the Fair Hill, MD area with his son and daughter-in-law while they build their new home for their expanding family. Steve is active in community projects in both Newark and Elkton areas.

Robert T. Foard

Bob Cronin

HVAC Service

Dennis works with companies to develop their relationships with the public sector. He held elected office as State Auditor and as New Castle County Executive before joining the Federal government, first with the White House and then the Justice Department. He is now retired from Federal service and full-time back in Delaware.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 73

Evelyn Hayes Nursing Education

Evelyn is a retired UD Trustee Distinguished Professor Emerita for nursing. A retired Colonel (US Army Reserve, Nurse Corps), she proudly served 23 years in a variety of roles and settings, with her last assignment as Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Chief of Nursing Administration at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. She now volunteers at Christiana Care and is involved with several community and nursing-related organizations..

Joyce Henderson Higher Education

Joyce is an adjunct faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences at UD. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from Salisbury State University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management from UD.Joyce is a senior advisor to the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources and is President of the Board of Directors at Gateway Lab School. She is a Fulbright Scholar.

Marie Holliday Tax Accountant

Marie is the Managing Director at Cover Rossiter, certified public accountants and advisors with offices in Wilmington. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at UD. She and husband Al raised three children and now enjoy spare time at the beach.

Jerry Holt

Quality Management Jerry retired from a 47+ year career with DuPont, Honeywell, and General Electric. He and wife Hannslore live in Newark. He is active in the church and enjoys reading and traveling. Jerry says, “I joined Rotary to contribute to the community that has given so much to us.”

John Hornor Ceramic Engineering

John retired from a 30 year career with DuPont, Lanxide, and General Electric. He is Vice-Chair of Hope Dining Room in Newark and supports the Newark Arts Alliance.

John says, “I joined Rotary to meet more members of the community and to expand my volunteering efforts.”

Paul Keely

Marketing & Communications Paul owns King Print & Promo, providing tangible marketing and communications tools to businesses. He is married to his high school sweetheart Eileen, has four children and three grandchildren. As a past president of this club, Paul is constantly inspired by the great work and big hearts of his fellow Rotarians.

Shawn Klapinsky Certified Public Accounting Charter Member

Shawn is a Certified Public Accountant who owns his own firm, Shawn. W. Klapinsky, CPA, specializing in tax and consulting services for small to medium sized business, individuals, trusts, and estates. He is a past president and has been treasurer of the club for 15 years.

Michael Laur Financial Advisor

Mike is a financial advisor with Edward Jones on Main Street in Newark. A past president of this club, Mike enjoys spin cast and fly fishing in fresh and saltwater and playing soccer year-round. He lives in Wilmington with wife Karissa and three children.

PAGE 74 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Joshua Martin

Jason Lawhorn

Chemical Engineering

Small Business

Jason is a Research Manager at Advanced Materials Technology and a Councilman for Newark, Del. He is a lifelong Delawarean and joined Rotary in 2019.

Margie Masino

Stewart Lee

Local Historian

Banking

Stewart is a commercial banker with Howard Bank in its Newark office. He is a member of the Board of Directors of St. Mark’s High School, past Board member of Open Door of Delaware, and current member of the Finance Committee at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church.

C. Michael Luck Financial Planning

Mike is a Senior Vice President, financial Advisor, and CFP® professional with RBC Wealth Management offering investment advisory, retirement income and financial planning. He serves as Advisory Chair of the UD Masters Players and is on the Finance Council and in ministry for Holy Angels parish. Mike and wife Karen live in Newark .

Christina MacMillan Construction

Christina is the Vice President of Strategic Development for M. Davis & Sons, Inc. She volunteers for multiple organizations, including the Women’s Business Enterprise Center-East. She resides in Newark with her husband and two sons.

Josh received his Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from UD in 2008 and is employed as a process engineer with II-VI, Inc. in Newark. He is past president of this club as well as the Delaware Academy of Science, Inc. He and wife Katie live in Newark with their two children.

Margie is well known in the Newark area for her volunteerism in several organizations. She works part-time in the funeral business, is waiting to be trained for the USO, is on the collections committee for Delaware Historical and Cultural Affairs, and is past-president of the Newark Historical Society. In addition, not that she has any extra time, she is pursuing a degree in Anthropology at UD. Margie was a research assistant for the artist and author of Robert F. Kennedy Funeral Train – The People’s View. And she helps her brother in Kirk’s Flowers during rush season.

William McNabola Financial Advising

After retiring from Hercules and a short career as a financial advisor, Bill worked as a sculptor, producing a range of pieces, mostly figurative, of clay, steel, stone, and sculpey polymer. Bill resigned from this club in April 2021 as he and wife Yvonne transitioned to Ann’s Choice in Warminster, Pa. He hopes to become a member of another Rotary club upon settling in their new environment. Best wishes to Bill and Yvonne.

Tom Minto Retail Banking

Tom is a Retail Office Manager at WSFS Bank in Newark.

He works with both individuals and small business on their banking and lending needs.

Both Tom and his wife are Penn State grads. They moved to Newark in 1994 and have three children who attend UD.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 75

Erastus Mong’are International Development

Erastus is the founder and Executive Director for StartUpAfrica, Inc. a Diaspora international non-profit organization that supports African youth in the building of business skills and in endeavors that foster financial independence, create jobs, and grow African economies.He develops entrepreneurial initiatives, working on a model for youth programs, with the vision to impact the lives of 10 million youth through job creation by 2030. Erastus has received numerous awards for his work, including Kenya’s Presidential Head of State Commendation award.

Welcome to Rotary, Erastus.

Leann Moore Non-Profit Development

Leann is Executive Director for The Newark Partnership. She joined Rotary in 2021 because she is committed to volunteerism and community development. She is on the Advisory Board for the Brandywine Valley SPCA, as well as the Board of Directors for the Newark Senior Center.

She is a member of the Delaware NAACP and Mary Ann’s List, as well as a Program Director for Kay’s Kamp and Court Appointed Advocate for children in foster care. Rotary welcomes all younger members of the community who are eager to be of service.

Don Newcomb Information Technology

Don is the Director of Information Technology specializing in computer networking with Simms Associates, Inc., providing business consulting, disaster and recovery planning, Internet access and email, as well as security assessments. He is also owner of SDS, Inc., an IT consulting business. With more than 30 years of computer networking experience, Don is an MCSE and attended more than 500 hours of Microsoft Certified Training seminars and classes.

Jennifer Pilcher Small Business Administration

Jennifer handles public affairs for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Delaware District Office, developing and implementing media and public outreach strategy. She earned a J.D. from Widener University Law School and a B.A. from UD. She is a native Delawarean, living in Wilmington with her family and two dogs.

Douglas Rainey Media

Doug is Chief Content Officer for Delaware Business Now, a five-day-a-week business newsletter and website that covers the First State and adjacent areas. He also served as editor of the Delaware Business Ledger, Delaware Business Review, and the Newark Post. Doug and wife Sharon reside in Bear.

Michael Reckner

Employee Benefits Mike is a partner at Weiner Benefits Group, specializing in employee benefits, strategic planning, HR systems and compliance, as well as healthcare funding options and reform. Mike is a UD graduate and is married, living in Newark with five children, three of whom are at Newark Charter.

Paul Sayther Flight Safety

Paul, having flown for more than 50 years in the military (USCG), airline, and corporate world, is a flight simulator instructor for Flight Safety Int’l at Wilmington Airport in the Gulfstream G-IV aircraft. Besides aviation, Paul has had several businesses over the years, ranging from building and operating paddlewheel boats on the Mississippi to selling Oriental rugs made in Afghanistan in Delaware.

Anthony Santoro Photography

Anthony is owner of Diamond State Photography. As a professional photographer he partners with businesses as well as the real estate professionals to provide photography and video content for their properties.

Before starting his business, Anthony spent a number of years in fire protection, security, HVAC, and electrical industries. He has been an active community volunteer for many years and is a Past President of the Christiana Rotary Club. Anthony joined Newark Morning Rotary in 2020.

He and his wife live in Newark and have two children. s and is a Past President of the Christiana Rotary Club.

PAGE 76 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Polly Sierer

Non-profit Management As the former Mayor of the City of Newark, Polly is chair of The Newark Partnership, president of Newark Welfare Committee, vice-president of Board of Directors of Bike Delaware, member of Board of Friends of Fusion Foundation, committee member of Bike Newark, and active volunteer at Newark Empowerment Center. Polly is an avid tennis player and enjoys time with her grandchildren

Mark Sisk

Clinton Tymes

Small Business Development Clinton is retired from UD where he held the position of State Director for Small Business Development Center Network. He continues to be connected through his work with True Access Capital. He and wife Barbara have two children and four grandchildren.

Cindi Viviano

Trial Law

Advertising Sales

Mark is with the law firm of James P. Curran, Jr. He also sings and plays guitar with fellow Rotarian Fred Dawson in Club Phred, a rock and roll band, which has raised more than $5M for various charities.

Cindi is a Senior Account Manager with Delaware Today Magazine. From Michigan, she is a biking and hiking enthusiast and took up rowing in the past two years. Cindi’s favorite part of Rotary is the Fellowship.

Jamie Zingaro

Greg Stephens

Communications

Biological Sciences

Greg is a retired biology professor from UD. In addition to teaching several physiology courses, he conducted research on the evolution of lipoproteins and cardiovascular control mechanisms. Today he lives in Lewes, DE with his wife Carol where they regularly kayak, bike and hike.

Jamie works at W. L. Gore and Associates in Newark. He enjoys the fellowship of Rotary as well as the opportunities for volunteering and working on service projects. He lives in Newark and enjoys spending time with his family, gardening, and other outdoor activities.

William A. Sullivan Hotel Management

Bill is the Managing Director of the Courtyard Newark at the University of Delaware and adjunct professor in the University’s Hospitality program. He is current chair of Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and on the Board of the Delaware Hotel and Lodging Association. He is a graduate of UD Lerner College of Business.

Rotary Opens Opportunities

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 77

PAGE 78 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Classified info that is no secret!

M

EMBERSHIP in a Rotary club is by invitation and was based on the founder's paradigm of choosing one representative of each business, profession, or institution in the community.

What is called a "classification" is used to ensure the members of a club comprise a cross section of their community's business and professional life.

A Rotarian's classification describes either the principal business or professional service of the organization that he or she works for or the Rotarian's own activity within the organization.

The classification is determined by the activities or services to society rather than by the position held by the particular individual.

The classification principle fosters a fellowship for service based on diversity of interest and prevents a club from being dominated by any one group.

Here is a list of the classifications and members of the

Newark Morning Rotary Club.

The Four Way Test is the most widely printed and quoted statement of business ethics in the world of Rotary It was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of the Chicagobased Club Aluminum Company, which was facing bankruptcy. Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depression-caused financial difficulties. He drew up a 24-word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The Four-Way Test became the guide for sales, production, advertising and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company was credited to this simple philosophy.

Taylor became president of Rotary International in 1954-55. The Four-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1934 and has been translated into more than 100 languages. Today it still represents the philosophy of more than 1.8 million Rotarians worldwide.

The Four Way Test of the things we think, say and do.

1. Is it the truth?

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

2021 Report Classified Info Member Classification Louise Amick* Higher Education Kelly Bachman Communications Barry Baker Electrical Engineering Tim Boulden Heating Contracting Robin Broomall Consulting Charlie Brown Business Litigation Eric Cannon Retired EMT Nancy Chase Hospitality Robert Cronin Real Estate Fred Dawson Wealth Management Laura DelPercio Consulting Stephen Fangman HVAC Service Robert T. Foard Funeral Directing Donna Friswell Travel Agency Dennis Greenhouse Government Consulting Evelyn Hayes Nursing Education Joyce Henderson Higher Education Marie Holiday Tax Accounting Jerry Holt Quality Management John Hornor Ceramic Engineering Paul Keely Marketing Shawn Klapinsky Certified Public Accounting Mike Laur Financial Advising Jason Lawhorn Small Business Stewart Lee Banking Michael Luck Financial Planning Christina MacMillan Construction Joshua Martin Chemical Engineering Margie Masino Historian Bill McNabola Financial Advising Tom Minto Banking Erastus Mong’are Int’l Development Leann Moore Non Profit Development Don Newcomb Information Technology Jenifer Pilcher Sm. Business Administration Doug Rainey Media Michael Reckner Employee Benefits Anthony Santoro Photography Paul Sayther Flight Safety Polly Sierer Non Profit Management Mark Sisk Trial Law Gregory Stephens Biological Science Bill Sullivan Hotel Management Clinton Tymes Small Business Development Cindi Viviano Media Advertising James Zingaro Communications *Honorary member

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 79

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PAGE 80 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Who are these Rotarians?

They’re just like YOU and ME!

T

here are lots of service organizations for anyone to join. But what makes Rotary clubs different from all the others?

It’s the people who join a Rotary club!

Rotarians are busy people just like you. They are your neighbors, your co-workers, your kid’s friends’ parents.

They are your tax preparer, accountant, lawyer, car salesman, insurance man or woman, professor, doctor or dentist, hotel manager, restaurant owner, public relations manager, or graphics printer. They are engineers, advisors, consultants, educators and sales people. They sell you your home, prepare your taxes, fix your heater, and teach your kids.

But what sets them apart from other busy people is that Rotarians have an obsession about solving problems and wanting to help others. They are constantly on the lookout for areas of concern in the community that need to be addressed. It might be a local park in disrepair, a student who needs financial help, or a non-profit organization that needs more cash. Then they look for additional resources or partners to make the changes that are necessary.

Their focus is not only on the communities where they live but humanitarian issues around the globe.

and may be conscious about political issues, you would never know it because politics plays no part in Rotary.

Newark Morning Rotarians are “morning people” in that their meeting days start early – 7 a.m. with the ring of the bell to convene their usual Thursday gathering.

They are then ready for 75 minutes of fun, camaraderie, light-hearted joking and poking fun at one another.

Guests often comment on the level of energy they have so early in the morning!

But all joking aside, they get down to business with a weekly program featuring a speaker from the community or a representative of a non-profit from the area. This is how they keep abreast of the pulse of Newark and really understand the needs of our neighbors.

A Board of Directors in each Rotary club guides that particular group in the decision making as to what projects, events, or direction the club wants to go, as long as it falls under the guidelines of Rotary International. Each club is independent of another.

Newark Morning Rotary club meets every Thursday, 7:00 A.M.

Members of the Newark Morning Rotary Club are typical of the more than 1,220,000 Rotarians around the world. Look at their bios in this Report and you will see they all have busy lives outside of Rotary, too. Some are retired but most still work full-time. They are men and women of all ages, some with young kids still of school age and others with grandchildren.

When the bell rings at 8:15, the Newark Morning Rotarians are off to their individual work or family obligations. Busy people never let grass grow under their feet!

Even though Rotarians keep up on current events

For more information about Rotary go to www.rotary.org

Can’t make a breakfast meeting?

Two other Rotary clubs are available in the Newark area Newark Rotary Club Meets: Mondays at 6 p.m.

Skipjacks Info: 302-598-3250

Christiana Rotary Club Meets: Thursdays at Noon Christiana Hilton Info: 302-235-5598

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 81

PAGE 82 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Gateway –

This was not a typical Zoom class for students

Michael Smith read passages of the book to students, parents, and staff at Gateway Lab School.

S

tudents at Gateway Lab School started off their school day on a Friday in February by participating in a Zoom class. That was not unusual this year. But the session was more than about reading and math.

They were treated to a reading by Rep. Michael Smith, Newark, of Elena Delle Donne’s book “Hoops”, a personal story about bullying others who might be of a different race, a different size or shape, or have a handicap.

Delle Donne, a Delaware native and star of University of Delaware Women’s Basketball from 2009 to 2013, currently plays professionally for the Washington Mystics Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Her own story inspired her to write several books for children 8-12 years old encouraging them to be kind, make good decisions, and not judge others because they are different.

Delle Donne herself was 6’0” when she started sixth grade. She recalls many times growing up when people would make fun of her height. Even her doctor wanted to give her medication to slow her growth. She credits her mother for helping her be proud of her height and use it to an advantage.

The Newark Morning Rotary Club purchased 40 copies of Delle Donne’s book for students at Gateway. The school is a public charter school serving children in grades three to eight who struggle with achieving academic success in a traditional classroom.

Besides Smith doing the reading, the event was enjoyed by students, parents, staff, and six other Rotarians.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 83

PAGE 84 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’

Both Janice Rash and Robin Broomall will be retiring after this 2021 edition of the Report to the Community.

Janice, the graphic designer, and Robin, first as copy writer then editor, have worked on all 22 issues of the club’s largest fundraiser.

T

he Newark Morning Rotary Club has just published its 22nd edition of the Report to the Community. A lot of its success was due to one person – Janice Rash, graphic designer.

When former Newark Morning Rotarian Jim Streit, then publisher of the Newark Post, asked Janice to help him design the cover of the first Report in 2000, Janice immediately jumped in. At that time she was working in the graphics department of the Cecil Whig, parent company of the Newark Post.

Every year after that first issue, Janice became more involved with the Report as graphic designer, laying out advertisements, dropping in copy, and designing the cover.

When Streit moved to Florida in 2006, he was confident she could take over the job of laying out pages as well as designing ads when necessary.

“When Jim left for Florida, he said ‘you can do it’ and I have had the joy of doing it ever since,” she said upon wrapping up her 22nd issue.

Janice met her late husband Jack when her family moved from Chester, Pa. to Elkton in 1956 and they raised four children there. For seven years Janice ran a hot dog

cart until their youngest went to college. After that she began a 20-year career in the graphics department of Cecil Whig.

Even after officially retiring from The Whig, Janice continued to hone her graphic skills and dedicated herself to a quality product.

At 82, Janice is now ready to hand the responsibility of designing the Report over to someone else.

“She is one of the most talented people I know,” said Robin Broomall who worked closely with Janice on Reports. “I would just give her copy, a few pictures, and turn her loose on designing the articles. Much of the success of the Reports was due to her. She is very inspiring.”

Robin also worked on every issue of the Report to the Community, first as copy writer under Streit, then as editor since the 2003 issue. She wrote everything that was not an advertisement in each issue and took photos all year long to include with articles.

Robin is also retiring as editor after this 2021 issue.

Thank you, Janice and Robin, for your dedication to the Report to the Community.

NEWARK MORNING ROTARY'S 'REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY' • PAGE 85

1201 N. Orange Street, Suite 300, Wilmington, DE 19801

PAGE 86 • NEWARK MORNING ROTARY’S ‘REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY’8