“Serving Our Communities . . .

In The Valley and Around The World”

February 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from our Assistant Governor ....................2 Message from our District Governor ........................3 Rotary Club of Bridgewater .......................................4 Rotary Club of Broadway-Timberville ......................9 Rotary Club of Harrisonburg ...................................14 Why Rotary................................................................16 Rotary Club of Harrisonburg-Massanutten ............21 Rotary Club of Rockingham County .......................26 Chris Runion, District Governor for 2016-2017 .....31

Schedule of Meetings Monday Rotary Club of Harrisonburg

11:45 AM at Holiday Inn 1400 East Market Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801

Tuesday Rotary Club of Rockingham County

7:00 AM at Holiday Inn 1400 East Market Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801

Rotary Club of Bridgewater

6:00 PM at Bridgewater Retirement Community Houff Center, 302 N. 2nd Street, Bridgewater, Virginia 22812

Rotary Club of Broadway-Timberville 7:00 AM at Town & Country Restaurant 221 W. Lee Street, Broadway, Virginia 22815

Thursday Rotary Club of Harrisonburg-Massanutten

12:00 PM at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community Park Gables Building, 1491 Virginia Avenue Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802

The five Rotary Clubs in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are pleased to bring you this publication. Rotary International is a wonderful 110 year old organization which promotes and develops the better aspects of our human nature. Rotary first came to the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area in 1921. Our motto is “Service above Self.” Winston Churchill once said that, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” The object of Rotary is to encourage the development of friendship and acquaintance as an opportunity for service and to promote high ethical standards in business and professions. We recognize the worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society. One profits most who serves best. Service to others in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life is paramount to us. We believe service to others advances understanding, goodwill, and peace. Our immediate and pressing international health goal is to complete the eradication of Polio – only three countries remain. Rotary launched its PolioPlus program, the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication, in 1979. Since then, Rotary and its partners have helped reduce the number of annual cases from 350,000 to fewer than 250. Additionally, we aim to end illiteracy, make provision of safe water for those without, reduce hunger, and improve the health of the citizens world-wide. Locally, our clubs are engaged in many different facets of improving the lives of individuals in our community from the newborn to our seniors. The local clubs raise funds through many fun events including corn hole tournaments, golf tournaments, pancake and spaghetti dinners, a soap box derby, and car raffles to support local organizations such as First Step, Generations Crossing, the Harrisonburg– Rockingham County Free Clinic, Friendship Industries, Valley Associates for Independent Living, Massanutten Regional Library, The International Festival, The Fairfield Center, Shenandoah Valley Economic Education, the Harrisonburg and Rockingham Thermal Shelter and many, many more organizations. I dare say that there is not a charitable organization in our community that has not been benefitted by our local Rotary Clubs. We financially encourage our students with scholarship and awards for ethical conduct measured by our Four Way Test. The Four-Way Test is an ethical guide for Rotarians to use in their personal and professional relationships. Rotarians recite it at club meetings; it is “Of the things we think, say or do First: Is it the TRUTH? Second: Is it FAIR to all concerned? Third: Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? and Fourth: Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?” We promote peace and understanding by sending our local youth to foreign lands and welcoming international students into our local community to study and learn about new cultures. We send and receive teams of professionals who learn about foreign countries. The goal of this newspaper insert is to introduce Rotary to you, accentuate its basic convictions, display how we Rotarians diligently strive to improve the human condition locally and around the globe by putting our guiding principles into practice. Rotary is not just about charity. Its founder Paul P. Harris once said, Rotary “can do more than that; let it remove the cause of that which makes charity necessary.” Matthew C. Sunderlin Assistant Governor Area 3, District 7570

Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member. Our ongoing commitment Rotarians have not only been present for major events in history— we’ve been a part of them. From the beginning, three key traits have “Whatever Rotary may mean to us, remained strong throughout Rotary: to the world it will be known by the We’re truly international. Only results it achieves.” 16 years after being founded, —Paul P. Harris Rotary had clubs on six continents.

Today we’re working together from around the globe both digitally and in-person to solve some of our world’s most challenging problems. We persevere in tough times. During WWII, Rotary clubs in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Japan were forced to disband. Despite the risks, many continued to meet informally and following the war’s end, Rotary members joined together to rebuild their clubs and their countries. Our commitment to service is ongoing. We began our fight against polio in 1979 with a project to immunize 6 million children in the Philippines. By 2012, only three countries remain polio-endemic— down from 125 in 1988. Rotary is the largest volunteer philanthropic organization in the world, with 33,000 clubs located

in more than 200 countries. We are a global network of more than 1.2 million business and professional volunteers serving our communities ... in the Shenandoah Valley and around the world.

MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR

to participate on the team! They are all currently practicing in their respective fields and have the Rotarians around the world in experience necessary to make a over 200 countries and geographic significant difference. regions, in 530 Districts, have much Also, our district will sponsor a in common. They are individuals Group Study Exchange (GSE). This that want to make a difference in year’s GSE will be with District their communities and the world. They want to eradicate polio, build 7790 in Canada. District 7790 wells, and make other’s lives a little covers Quebec and parts of Maine better. Those people don’t know our and is a large, bilingual district spanning more than 1,000 miles names, but they know Rotary. between some of the 53 clubs. This is an exciting time to be a Like many of the District Rotarian! Rotary International has launched a new initiative that will Governors that have gone before me, allow Rotarians as well as non- I too will focus on the Eradication of Rotarians to “do good in the world” Polio. This year we have a minimum through a Rotary Global Grant. This Polio Goal of $25 per Rotarian as new initiative is called a Vocational our benchmark. We are so close to Training Team, or VTT. District eradicating polio but we cannot give 7570 is planning to launch its’ first up the fight now. We are winning VTT in early 2015. For this project, a team of medical professionals will this “war” day by day thanks to the travel to the Kapsowar Hospital in dedication and commitment of so Kenya. They will provide medical many. Let’s keep our promise to the care to patients, collaborate and children of the world to eradicate train with healthcare personnel polio in their lifetime. And when at the hospital, and also provide you experience a moment of doubt care through several outreach day- just remember that we are only an clinics in Kenya. We have selected “airplane ride away” from Polio a tremendous group of individuals entering our county once again.

ABOUT THE GOVERNOR Our 2014-2015 District Governor is Vivian Crymble of Kingsport, TN. Vivian is a Charter member of the Tri-Cities Rotary Club with perfect attendance for 26 years. She has served three times as the club’s president and also as treasurer, secretary and director. She has served as an Assistant Governor and Chairman of the District

Training Committee. Vivian and her husband Al, also a Rotarian and a Past-President of the Kingsport Rotary Club, have hosted several incoming GSE Team members over the years. Both Vivian and Al are Major Donors, multi-level Paul Harris Fellows, Paul Harris Society Members, Sustainers and Skelton Fellows.

The Rotary Club of

BRIDGEWATER challenges. We hear about the needs of our neighbors both local and abroad. We also learn. In just the last year our guest speakers have taught us about the conflict in Gaza, the vision and direction of Bridgewater College, several local businesses, our unique local history, one woman’s quest to drive around the world, our friends’ effort to help the children of Hati, and the school system’s effort to better use technology into the education of our children. We welcome you to share a meal with us on any Tuesday night and join us in fellowship and service. Warm regards,

The Rotary Club of Bridgewater is a fellowship of business people, professionals, and educators who strive to achieve Rotary’s vision of Service Above Self. We enjoy the comradery and companionship of a shared meal and the shared desire to improve our community. Every year the Rotary Club of Bridgewater touches the lives of our neighbors in the Bridgewater-Dayton area. We provide dictionaries to third graders in the hope that we can provide a spark of curiosity in the mind each and every child in the area. We celebrate those vocational teachers who are providing our children with the skills they need to find gainful employment and know the pride of work. Our club’s members help provide families with a Christmas that they could not otherwise afford. Indeed, our members endeavor in countless ways, large and small, to improve the lives of our neighbors and friends in the Bridgewater-Dayton area. Our efforts do not end in Rockingham County. Through the Rotary Foundation we have enlisted in the worldwide battle to eradicate polio. The Foundation impacts our global neighbors through the efforts of Rotary members to advance peace, fight disease, provide clean water, save mothers and children, support education, and grow local economies. The Bridgewater Rotary Club is proud of its participation in this effort. Every Tuesday night we enjoy a meal together and listen to a guest speaker. While breaking bread, we share our achievements and

Matt Von Schuch, President of the Bridgewater Rotary Club

Meeting and Leadership Team Meeting Time & Location

Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. in Maple Terrace at Bridgewater Retirement Community Contact Dan Plecker, [email protected]

Club Officers

President, Matt Von Schuch Secretary, Dan Plecker Treasurer, David Huffman Sergeant of Arms, Chuck Berbes Past President, Grant Richardson

Directors Committee Chairs

Administration, Doug Wine Service Projects, Johna McFarland Foundation, Sam Moore Membership, Charlette McQuilkin Public Relations, Sally Jane Conner

The Rotary Club of

BRIDGEWATER Dictionary Project One of Rotary’s areas of focus is literacy. The Rotary Club of Bridgewater gives dictionaries to members of the third grade at Blue Ridge Christian School, John Wayland Elementary School and Wilbur Pence Middle School annually. Additional dictionaries are distributed to the Dayton Learning Center. Each dictionary is personalized with the student’s first name, name of the school and the date.

3rd Grade class from John Wayland Elementary School.

Providing Christmas for Families in Bridgewater

Through the local school system, the Rotary Club of Bridgewater shops for families in the area, purchasing toys, clothes, groceries in hopes of making their Christmas a little brighter.

Christmas in July During the month of July members of the Bridgewater Rotary Club bring in canned foods and monetary donations that are given to the Bridgewater Inter-faith Food Pantry. Food collected from the community and given to the Bridgewater Inter-faith Food Pantry.

Thank you letter for dictionary.

The Rotary Club of

BRIDGEWATER Vocational Awards

Clayton Towers recognized for 55 years of perfect attendance.

Teachers from WPMS, TAHS and MTC recognized for their vocational service.

Vocational Service has long been an avenue of service established by Rotary International. It encourages Rotarians to serve others through the vocations and to practice ethical standards. In promoting high ethical standards in our business and professions, the Rotary Club of Bridgewater recognizes the value of education and annually honors an individual from Massanutten Technical Center, Turner Ashby High School and Wilbur S. Pence Middle School who exude excellence in the class room and commitment to our youth.

The Rotary Club of

BRIDGEWATER Scholarship for Senior at Turner Ashby High School

For the last several years, the Rotary Club of Bridgewater has awarded a senior at Turner Ashby High School with a scholarship to be used toward their tuition at a two or four year school.

Adopt-a-Highway Clean-up

If you notice the stretch of highway 257 between Interstate 81 and Route 11 is free of litter, it is because the club has been keeping it litter free for many, many years. Club members, in cooperation with VDOT, picks up trash twice a year. A pizza dinner follows at Bob-a-rea’s.

Blue Ridge Community College Enactus Team.

Four-Way Test Coin Presentation; Past President Grant Richardson, District Governor Nominee Chris Runion, President Matt Von Schuch.

Bridgewater College President David Bushman gives an update on the College to members.

Community Leaders recognized their C it L d i d ffor th i community it service i by being named Paul Harris Fellows.

Guy Von Schuch (7), son of President Matt Von Schuch and Sarah Von Schuch, attending his first Rotary meeting and seems to be very engaged.

The Rotary Club of

BRIDGEWATER The Rotary Club of Bridgewater has, for many years, held two fund raisers to help support the many service projects in the community. These fundraisers are held at Turner Ashby High School (TAHS) from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

with around 600 community members served. Friends and family meet and gather for dinner, conversation and good food!

Bev Moore and Karenell Johnson, daughter of club member John Johnson, cooking sausage for the annual Pancake Supper.

Pancake Supper

Each club member is responsible for selling tickets to the event. The price of the ticket includes “all you can eat and drink.” Food is available for to eat in or take out. In the past, the club has seen net profits from these events to be over $5,000. On Election Day, members, spouses and other volunteers – including students from

David Huffman and Alan Propst greet community members at the annual Pancake Supper.

Bridgewater College, prepare and serve fresh pancakes with sausage and a secret sausage gravy recipe. In the spring, spaghetti, salad and bread are served.

Larry Hoover making pancakes for the Pancake Supper.

Members John Morrow, Forrest Frazier and Matt Von Schuch at the beverage table.

Members begin working the day before gathering materials and food for the event. The day of the event begins at 12:00 noon with members beginning to set-up and cook in the kitchen at TAHS. Members and volunteers prepare the food, greet guests, replenish the serving dishes, make lemonade and coffee, bus tables and clean the trays, pots and pans. The day ends around 9 p.m. Through the years, these two events have become a social event for our community

Thank you to everyone who comes out and support our fund raisers. With your support, the Rotary Club of Bridgewater is able to continue serving our community.

Dan Plecker and volunteers Karl Kwolek, Cliff Miller and Susan Plecker Flood taking a break from cooking pancakes and sausage gravy.

The Rotary Club of

BROADWAY-TIMBERVILLE Scholarships and Ethics Day With Broadway High School is in the heart of our community and our commitment to children as one our areas of focus, we are involved with the success of the local students. Every year we give out three scholarships. One is to a Broadway High School student and two go the students that attend Massanutten Technical Center. We found this was an underserved areas where some kids really need financial help to continue with school. Also every two years the high school has an Ethics Day where local professionals join a class and discuss a video about Ethics. Many of our members participate in this important day.

Casino Night – Night at the Races It all starts here. Casino Night/Night at the Races is our main fundraiser for the year which helps finance most of our projects, scholarships and donations for local and international needs. Annually our fundraiser is attended by over 100 people. While everyone is there to have a good time the proceeds help our club give back to the community. Casino games, 50/50 chances, are horse racing are all part of the event. Intermittently through the event door prizes are given away while a silent auction is being held. The food and drink are drink are plenty and there is always a smile on the lucky winners face as the event concludes with a $1,000 raffle. Chances are increased by winning more funny money or buying more raffles tickets with cash. The real winner is the Broadway-Timberville community. The proceeds go back in to the local community to support the projects and needs of our community. In the past few we have supported the Village Library, the local branch of the Massanutten Regional Library.

The Rotary Club of

BROADWAY-TIMBERVILLE Adopt-a-Highway and Springbrook Road Beautification Twice a year you will see Rotarians in blaze orange in Broadway walking the streets. We recently adopted Sunset Road and at the same time clean up Springbrook Road which runs by Broadway High School. As Rotarians we are proud of where we live and work and want it to be a better place. Springbrook Road runs through Broadway and was starting to get a bit overgrown. Many members of our club volunteered their time and cleared all the brush back on the bank by the High school, mulched the trees that line the road, and restored it to its original intent. We are committed to keeping our community looking good.

Village Library Rotary International has several areas of focus and one of their goals is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity, increase adult literacy. Our club supports literacy in several ways. First, The Broadway –Timberville community is so fortunate to have a branch of the Massanutten Regional Library. So when Village library had an opportunity to move in to a bigger space on Main Street in the Town of Broadway our club decided this was a worthwhile project to take on. After careful planning the move was as smooth and deliberate. Our club got involved early and seized the opportunity to serve our local community. We donated a Rotary car manufactured by our own current President Tim Bryan for the children to sit in and read. Several members assisted in the move to the new space. We were also able to help the Village Library reduce their debt service when we presented a check to them for $5,000.

The Rotary Club of

BROADWAY-TIMBERVILLE Social Services Christmas Shopping In the past, our club used to adopt two local needy families and provide a Christmas meal and presents for the members of the family. Recently we changed our focus. Rockingham County Social Services puts forth a daunting effort of hundreds of volunteers to provide gifts for local children that wouldn’t otherwise have a Christmas. This massive goal touched our club. Now every year we provide for 40 of those children. Our annual shopping trip is finished with a wrapping party.

Pleasant View homes support Nancy Hopkins-Garris, a member and Director of Pleasant View Homes brings us another opportunity to serve the community. There are many residents of Pleasant View Homes that don’t have any involved family or any family left at all. So our members adopt them for Christmas. Nancy brings in a list every year and each member adopts one or two of the residents. We are very fortunate for what we have so giving to a simple pleasure like receiving gift at Christmas is rewarding for everyone.

The Rotary Club of

BROADWAY-TIMBERVILLE Reading at Plains and John C. Myers Elementary School Several years ago Rotarian Dr. Fred Fox had a vision to include all the local schools in a reading project. He approached our club and we accepted the challenge. So we adopted the two local elementary schools. Reading to children is a highly rewarding activity. Every Tuesday and Thursday members of our club go to John C. Myers ES in Broadway and Plains ES in Timberville and read to students. It starts locally to change the world. Time will tell what a difference this small activity will make on these children. (The children being read to love it, but the Rotarian reader gets more good feelings about the activity than anyone.)

Safety for Children Drive Carefully and Protect our Children. In conjunction with other clubs in the area our club purchased these signs that were installed at all of the local schools in the Broadway – Timberville area. In this era of distracted driving, a small reminder like this may save lives. Our children are our future and protecting our future is of utmost importance.

The Rotary Club of

HARRISONBURG Since 1921, the members of the Rotary Club of Harrisonburg have worked to serve Harrisonburg and its surrounding communities by adhering to the Rotary motto, “Service Above Self.” Through the years, local Rotarians have given time, talents and resources to projects like Camp Shenandoah, Price Rotary Senior Center and the First Tee of Harrisonburg. Annually, we organize projects such as One Great Day of Sharing, a food drive to assist local food pantries, the Code of Ethics Award program that recognizes students in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County who demonstrate high ethical standards, and award scholarships to a graduating senior at each area high school. We host a golf tournament that raises tens of thousands of dollars to benefit local charities annually. We also participate in projects like the Blacks Run Clean-Up Day to work along with other groups to serve our community. Internationally, Rotary is committed to endeavors such as eradicating polio, providing clean drinking water in the world’s developing areas, and sponsoring programs to foster world peace. Many of our community’s past and present leaders are Rotarians. A few years ago, I joined Rotary at the urging of my friends and I’ve gained far more from my involvement than I ever imagined. If you would like to find out more about Rotary’s mission and vision, and seek “Service Above Self,” please visit us at www. harrisonburgrotary.org. Tim McAvoy - President Rotary Club of Harrisonburg

The Rotary Club of Harrisonburg is 93 years old. The club was organized by the Rotary Club of Staunton Rotary on March 12th, 1921, received it’s charter on April 1st and held their first official meeting on April 9. Historian John Wayland listed the club’s inception as one of five key events occurring in the city of Harrisonburg. Our Club’s fingerprints are on numerous projects all over Harrisonburg and Rockingham county, as President McAvoy mentioned. More recently, the Rotary Club of Harrisonburg raised $55,000 to put toward the construction of The First Tee of Harrisonburg/Rotary Learning Center, located at Heritage Oaks, the City municipal golf course. The Rotary Club of Harrisonburg is always seeking new, passionate members with new ideas on how to make our local, regional, national and global communities a better place to live for all. If you are interested in making an impact, visit us on Mondays at 11:45am for lunch at the Holiday Inn in Harrisonburg. We’ve got room for you.

International Student Dinner

In January each year, our club hosts a dinner for International students at JMU’s Festival center. These college students are from Bridgewater College, Blue Ridge Community College, Eastern Mennonite University and James Madison University. Students and Rotarians dine, fellowship and play games to learn more about each other’s backgrounds and ambitions.

The Rotary Club of

HARRISONBURG Well of Hope

Ethics Program school are selected from each school on the basis of truthfulness, fairness, consistency, dependability, integrity, service to others, concern for others, friendliness, depth of commitments and reverence. A plaque with the 4 Way Test is presented to the winners as a guide for ethical behavior throughout their lives.

Well of Hope is a truly innovative project that ships containers of shoes to Kenya, then sells them, and uses the money to buy land, build houses and help Kenyan widows take charge of their lives. For many women in Kenya, when their husbands die, they are driven from their homes and left without resources or prospects. With the land and their new homes, these widows can plant gardens and raise chickens to sustain themselves and their children, using any excess as income.

Two communities are in place and a third is being built. These communities allow the widows to make friends, raise their children and have more security.

Our Ethics Program could be our signature event. Held each May, the event honors sixty eight students as recipients of the Rotary Club of Harrisonburg’s Code of Ethics Awards. One male and one female student from each elementary school, middle school, and high

Why Rotary I stay involved with Rotary because of the impact I’ve seen Rotary make in other people’s lives. Whether it is giving kids the opportunity to learn more about science and technology on a soap box derby track, or providing families in South Africa with clean water, Rotary made that difference. Simply put, Rotary gets things done. When local leaders wanted to help families in Haiti after the tragic earthquake a few years ago, they used Rotary to do it. When superstorm Sandy hit the northeast, it was the local Rotary

Clubs that served as a distribution point to collect supplies for those in need. When leaders had an idea about bringing new ideas and dynamic speakers to the Valley it was Rotary that created and facilitated the Valley Business Keynote, the Shenandoah Valley’s largest and premier networking and business leadership event. Membership in Rotary offers more than the professional development opportunities one might expect from joining a civic organization. Numerous networking, marketing, and

leadership opportunities, like in most other organizations, are of course available to Rotarians. But the influence, means, and desire to make a difference in someone else’s life is what distinguishes Rotary from other groups. Rotarians are members of not only their local clubs but also the global organization known as Rotary International. Rotary International is the oldest service organization in the world, and is comprised of more than 33,000 clubs in more than 165 countries, with 1.2 million

members. These members form a global network of business and professional leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world. The backing of this network gives Rotarians the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of not only those living across the street, but around the world.

Travis W. Vance Rotary Club of Rockingham County

This fundraising event was a collaboration of the Harrisonburg / Rockingham County Rotary clubs, to end polio worldwide.

The Rotary Club of

HARRISONBURG One Great Day of Sharing

During October, our club organizes One Great Day of Sharing where food and household products are collected then distributed among nine local food banks. In 2014, generous shoppers donated over 4,240 pounds of those products at Red Front, Friendly City Food Co-op, Kroger and Wal-Mart at Burgess and Dayton. In one day, we impacted thousands of our neighbors of need’s lives.

Golf

The Rotary Club of Harrisonburg’s annual golf tournament is one of the most successful. Each year, $35,000 is raised and pledged to local charities. The 2015 tournament will be held on Friday, April 17 at Lakeview Golf Club. This year’s grant recipients are: New Creation, a light in the darkness of human trafficking; Northeast Neighborhood Association, ensuring a safe, attractive and strong community; and Rebuilding Together, rehabilitates the houses of low-income homeowners, particularly people with disabilities and the elderly.

Scholarships

Each spring, The Rotary Club of Harrisonburg awards Service Scholarships to area high school seniors to recognize achievements in service to their community. Broadway, East Rockingham, Harrisonburg, Spotswood, and Turner Ashby high schools along with Massanutten Technical Center submit applicants for the available scholarships. A $5,000 scholarship is awarded to the top student, $2,500 to 2nd place along with several $1,000 scholarships awarded among other strong applicants. In 2014, $13,000 in scholarships were awarded. One of the primary questions each participant must answer is what is your personal philosophy about Rotary’s motto Service Above Self? It continues to be an honor and a pleasure for the Rotary Club of Harrisonburg to recognize outstanding high school seniors who are an asset to our community.

The Rotary Club of

HARRISONBURG The world is 99 percent polio-free.

We are closer than ever to ending the crippling disease for good, yet we are in emergency mode. We don’t have the funding to finish the job. that’s why we need you to use your network of contacts to help stop this disease. Advocacy is not the job of a small group rotary leaders – it’s up to everyone to make sure polio stays on the global agenda. Write to your government officials. Use your social network to spread the word. provide a link to www.endpolionow.org in your email signature. host a fundraising dinner to help fill the $700 million funding gap that holds us back. Together, we will cross the finish line and leave a legacy of a polio-free world.

The Rotary Club of

HARRISONBURG-MASSANUTTEN Why I’m Still a Rotarian

First Step

I think most of us join Rotary for a variety of reasons, whether that reason is because you’re a young professional looking to connect with other business professionals in the area or perhaps a business associate or boss asked you to join to help further your career, I think most of us probably join Rotary for self-serving purposes. Now having said that I happen to think those are excellent reasons to join a Rotary club and are indeed beneficial reasons that should be embraced. However the reasons you join and the reasons you stay are usually two very different reasons. My story is a pretty familiar story, I assume. I joined Rotary about 5 years ago because a business associate/good friend asked me to join. Assuming it would be good for my career I decided to do so. For a couple years I went to meetings, had lunch, talked to some great people and got involved in some of the things that we did as a club. Although I was enjoying the club I was still pretty ignorant of the big picture. That was until about 3 years in when I went to something called RLI. RLI is an acronym for Rotary Leadership Institute and was a one day class filled with information on Rotary’s main goals, how it functions and its objectives both worldwide and for the locally. RLI was my lightbulb moment and the point that I realized I wasn’t just part of a networking group but a worldwide group of people that are determined to make the world a much better place. When this realization set in, that’s the moment, I became a true Rotarian. The sense of pride and self-worth that comes along with that is something that cannot be portrayed in an article but something that each “Rotarian” feels deeply after their own lightbulb moment, regardless of what triggered it. Obviously your Rotary life is a progression (much like life itself). So it wasn’t until after my lightbulb moment I became even more involved, going from service committee co-chair to the role of President Elect which is the stepping stone to the Club President position that I am currently in. Rotary, in my opinion, is one of those great things in life that the more involved you get and the more you learn about the impact you’re having the more entrenched and passionate you become for the group as a whole. If you’re interested in having a conversation on how to become part of a group that’s motto is “Service above Self” please seek us out and ask the question.

The Harrisonburg Massanutten Rotary Club has shopped each Christmas for the ladies and children of First Step, a shelter for battered women located in Harrisonburg. This twenty plus year old tradition has become a favorite activity for the members of our club during the Christmas season. For those who are trying to make a new start in their lives and the lives of their children, presents of household goods, clothes, and presents are selected wrapped, and delivered to the First Step Shelter a few days before Christmas each year. It is a joy to help those who can use a gesture of encouragement and support and the event adds to the season for our club.

Ron Ross President of The Harrisonburg-Massanutten Rotary Club

The Rotary Club of

HARRISONBURG-MASSANUTTEN Every year, hundreds of thousands of families across the world lose everything when disasters strike. Often with no warning, families lose their homes, their possessions and their livelihoods. Every day they are faced with a battle for survival. Since ShelterBox began in 2000, they have responded to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, typhoons and conflict, delivering emergency humanitarian aid to communities in need. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Syria crisis, and the biggest storm to ever make landfall – Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines; we have responded to some of the largest humanitarian crises the modern world has ever known. Alongside this, we have also helped many thousands of people displaced by disasters that are not featured in the media. Simply put, if there are families in need of emergency shelter, we will do everything we can to help them. The top priority of many aid organizations is to provide food, water and medical care to help people survive the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Without protection from the elements, survivors are at a higher risk as they await nourishment or medical attention. ShelterBox recognized that little or no assistance was given in terms of proper shelter to help them through the first few days, weeks and months as they tried to rebuild their lives. Today, ShelterBox assists disaster survivors during the critical period following a disaster but preceding reconstruction.

storage and purification equipment, solar lamps, When ShelterBoxes are delivered, the standard cooking utensils, a basic tool kit, mosquito nets box weighs 120 lbs. and has approximate dimensions of 33” x 24” x 22”. They are sealed and children’s activity pack. and banded for transit and security. They deliver the essentials people need to begin rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of a disaster. Depending on the location and nature of the When they send boxes, each one is tailored to a disaster the contents of the box may vary but disaster but typically contains a disaster relief tent each box typically contains the following: for a family, thermal blankets and groundsheets, water storage and purification equipment, solar lamps, cooking utensils, a basic tool kit, mosquito Shelter At the heart of every ShelterBox is a disaster nets and a children’s activity pack. relief tent for an extended family. It is custom The ShelterBox solution in disaster response is as Sometimes the aid is not packed in boxes but sent made for ShelterBox by Vango, one of the world’s simple as it is effective. They deliver the essentials in bulk. It is essential that they always support the leading tent manufacturers, and is designed to people need to survive and begin to rebuild their needs of those who have survived disasters and withstand extreme temperatures, high winds and lives in the aftermath of a disaster. this can vary enormously based on the type and heavy rainfall. Internally, each tent has privacy scale of a disaster. We also do this to maximize partitions that allow recipients to divide the space ShelterBox aid is tailored to a disaster but donors’ money, ensuring that they only send what as they see fit. typically includes a disaster relief tent for a is really needed and appropriate for the situation family, thermal blankets and groundsheets, water and culture

The Rotary Club of

HARRISONBURG-MASSANUTTEN Warmth and protection

In addition to the tent, there is a range of other survival equipment including thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets, essential in areas where temperatures plummet at nightfall. Where malaria is prevalent, mosquito nets are supplied, as well as lifesaving means of water purification equipment. Water supplies often become contaminated after a major disaster, as infrastructure and sanitation systems are destroyed. This presents a secondary but no less dangerous threat to survivors than the initial disaster itself.

Self sufficiency

A basic tool kit containing a hammer, axe, saw, trenching shovel, hoe head, pliers and wire cutters enables survivors to improve their immediate environment by chopping firewood or digging a latrine, for example, then when it is possible, to start repairing or rebuilding the home they were forced to leave.

Fit for purpose

Group Study Exchange team from Taiwan at Monticello, touring the area with Rotarian, Jeremy Spilman.

of the new home where water is boiled, food is cooked, and families congregate. In addition, there are pans, utensils, bowls, mugs and water storage containers.

A smile

A children’s pack containing drawing books, crayons and other supplies. For children who have lost most if not all their possessions, these small gifts are treasured. Rotarians Wayne Carickhoff, Gayl Brunk and Troy

Over the past

Suter ringing bells for the Salvation Army.

ShelterBox USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing shelter, warmth and dignity to survivors of disaster and humanitarian crisis worldwide.

Every item is durable, practical and brand new. The box itself is lightweight and waterproof and has been used for a variety of purposes in the past Our organization is supported by individuals and - from water and food storage containers to a cot organizations, including Rotary Clubs, service & for a newborn baby. community groups, schools, faith-based groups and other businesses and foundations.

A heart to the home

Key items are either a wood burning or multifuel stove. The multi-fuel stove can burn anything from diesel to old paint. Some boxes also contain our specially designed wood burning Frontier Stove, pictured below. This provides the heart

The local Rotary Clubs have sent out 10 boxes all over the world to help when disaster strikes.

Frank McMillan With a SheltBox tent in Haiti in Why Harrisonburg - Massanutten is known as the “Fun Club”! March 2010 after the earthquake.

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HARRISONBURG-MASSANUTTEN Rotary Club Raises Money For Local Charities Harrisonburg, VA- More than 40 teams of two turned out at Turner Pavilion in Harrisonburg o Saturday, October 18, 2014 for the Harrisonburg Massanutten Rotary Club’s Cornhole Chalon l lenge. The event, which is in its 3rd year of existence, draws people of all ages and skill levels to p cornhole (bean bag toss) for charity. play The Harrisonburg Massanutten Rotary Club, also known as the “Fun Club”, enjoys raising m money for a good cause, while also having a good time. “The thing about this type of event is that a anyone can throw a cornhole bag”, said event Co-Chair Jeremy Spilman. “We want an event that d draws people from the community and supports the community.” This fundraiser is still new to t area. By getting participants, volunteers, and sponsors from the community, the club hopes to the r raise awareness and draw more participants for the event each year. This year the club raised over $9000 through team signups in amateur and professional bracke as well as through corporate sponsorships and food sales. The proceeds from the event go to ets t three local non-profits, the Harrisonburg Rockingham Free Clinic, Friendship Industries, Inc., and Valley Association for Independent Living, Inc. (VAIL). Gayl Brunk, Executive Director at VAIL, says “The funds will go to direct service of our clients, to teach independent living skills. The clients need help budgeting, meal planning, housekeeping, and paying bills. This is a service we would otherwise not have funding for.” In a change from previous events, the club set up this year’s Cornhole Challenge as a doubleelimination tournament. Club members found that based on surveys of previous participants, the thing they most wanted to see changed was being able to play longer. In between matches, event organizers setup a long toss, sold food, and had a DJ to make the event more “fun”. Next year’s event will most likely see more small changes to increase participation and sponsorships. The Harrisonburg Massanutten Rotary Club was founded in 1992. They are one of 5 clubs in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County area which are part of the Rotary International organizatio tion.

The Rotary Club of

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY Thank you for taking the time to read about Rotary’s work in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, and about some of our Club’s favorite projects and activities. As President of a small but mighty Club, we have a great time giving back to our community, partnering with other Clubs to make positive impacts in lives across the planet, and have a pretty good time doing it. Young or not-so-young, stay-at-home spouse or professional, parent or dog-parent . . . there is something to offer anyone who’s interested in expanding their horizons, bettering the world in which we live, or just want some fellowship to look forward to. You have a standing invitation to come by the Holiday Inn on East Market Street at 7am on most Tuesday mornings for hot coffee, warm welcomes, and a hearty breakfast -- with a side of good humor and a real passion for living a life of “Service above Self.” You can also friend us on Facebook or visit our website (www.rockrotary.org) for more information. We look forward to seeing you soon! Yours in Rotary Service, Mary Colleen Knapp President, Rotary Club of Rockingham County

Celebrating 30 Years

“Founding members of the Rotary Club of Rockingham County gather for a group picture in 1985. Two of the charter members, George Bloomstrom and Earl Taylor, are still members today!

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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY All-American Soap Box Derby

When the Rockingham Rotary Club started the soap box derby eight years ago it was the first such derby in over 50 years in the Friendly City. Each year it has proven to be a fun filled event for the kids, families, Rotarians, and all involved. The derby is run on East Washington Street in Harrisonburg. The City is kind enough to close off the road for the day to keep the racers safe. Racers can reach speeds of more than 30 miles per of the fastest derbies in the nation. Unlike hour coming down the hill, making ours one many soap box derbies, this derby is double elimination. Each participant must race down the hill twice to count as one “run”. This means that even the last place racer in each division races down the hill at least four times, only adding to the overall excitement of the day. The derby is affiliated with the national All American Soap Box Derby based in Akron, Ohio and serves as a qualifying race for their annual national competition.

Each participant must build their car from a designated kit to meet the national standards in each division. Even those kids who purchase a “used” car are always updating to meet specifications, and often to freshen or completely change the paint job. Racers from ages 8 to 17 compete in the three divisions for a chance to represent Harrisonburg and Rockingham County in Akron annually at the National Finals.

speakers to our area. The brainchild of a few Rockingham Rotary Club members, the VBK as enjoyed two years of growth, and has already become an event that business leaders both support and attend. 2014 saw the VBK introduce Mark Fernandes of Luck Companies to the Valley to share about “values based leadership” both in the context of his company, as well as implementation for any company small or large. Mark is charged with transforming Luck Companies into a global Values Based

Leadership (VBL) organization. In his role as Chief Leadership Officer, he serves as a thought leader for the ongoing development of the VBL ideology and model, and is responsible for the integration of VBL within Luck Companies.

Valley Business Keynote

The mission of the Valley Business Keynote (VBK) is to facilitate engaging ideas for local leaders and help fulfill the Valley’s vast potential by bringing excellent

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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY Pioneers of Virginia’s Civil Rights Struggle Share their Story with Local High School Students On April 15th, 2014 the Rotary Club of Rockingham County was honored to host three former students from RR Moton High School, who were part of a student-led strike that eventually became part of the Brown v. Board of Education desegregation ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court. Mrs. Joy Cabarrus Speakes, Rev. J. Samuel Williams, and Mrs. Joan Johns Cobbs (younger sister of 16-year-old strike leader, the late Barbara Johns) joined R.R. Moton Museum Executive Director Lacy

Ward, Jr. (a Past President of the Farmville Rotary Club) for breakfast and a presentation about the Museum. District Governor Ron Mabry, Past District Governor Abe Clyburn, District Governor Nominee Designate Chris Runion, and visiting Rotarians from other Clubs were also on hand. The group then traveled to Rockingham County high schools, where over 800 juniors had the opportunity to hear from the civil rights leaders first-hand. The high school assemblies were made possible due to the

Car Raffle

the prize. These lucky few are brought up front and one ticket is pulled at a time. Those in the audience can then bid on the car. Once a high dollar amount bid is reached, the MC asks each finalist in order if they would like an equal share of the bid price or if they want to continue in pursuit of winning the car. If just ONE finalist refuses, then another ticket is pulled. Needless to say, it’s a good time for a great cause. Contact a club member to pulled and numbers are eliminated until only ask about purchasing tickets for this year’s ten finalists remain. The 2014 event featured event to be held April 25, 2015! a 2014 Dodge Dart as its’ grand prize. Also a chance to relax and enjoy a fun-filled evening with friends and family, the event, held at the Club Level at JMU’s Bridgeforth Stadium, features catered heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and an atmosphere of camaraderie and light-hearted fun. But don’t let the laughs fool you- it is ALL BUSINESS when the ten finalists are announced to compete for

Every year, the Rotary Club of Rockingham County hosts an annual Car Raffle and Silent Auction to benefit three local charities; Last year’s recipients were First Step, Generations Crossing, and The Rockingham Rotary Foundation. Attendees purchase tickets from Rotarians to the event for a chance to win a new car. Tickets are

generosity of a grant from the Rockingham Educational Foundation (REFI) though the generous support of Union First Bank, and in partnership with the Rotary Club of Rockingham County and the Harrisonburg Holiday Inn.

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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY Club Membership and Activities As a club, we believe that a healthy dose of service should be complimented by a healthy dose of fun. In order to be good Rotarians in the Rockingham Rotary Club, we meet and serve together on Tuesday mornings and at club-sponsored events. But we also want to have fun together, which means club picnics, Christmas parties, new member happy hour, and events at local venues where the main goal is to build camaraderie and have a good time with other Rotarians in our area. Our members believe that if you want to serve together and play together, the Rockingham Rotary Club is a great fit! In 2014, the Rockingham Rotary Club experienced incredible growth, inducting 17 new members. These new members come from all ages, industries, and parts of our local community, and have added new perspectives and fresh vision for the future of our club. We hope you’ll consider joining them, and us, as a potential new Rotary member in the near future!

On A Mission By JEREMY HUNT Daily News-Record HARRISONBURG — The way Chris Runion sees it, life›s been good to him. Born in Shenandoah County, Runion grew up working on his family farm and washing dishes as a teenager, jobs that instilled in him an appreciation for hard work. With the support of his family and others, he worked his way through college and now owns a successful Harrisonburg business, Eddie Edwards Signs. Had the genetic lottery gone another way, though, he may not have had the chance to work toward his goals. “The wrong things happen in the right way, and I’m living in a mud hut,” said the 56-year-old Bridgewater-area resident. Of course it takes more than luck to be successful in today’s world — hard work, motivation and a positive attitude go a long way as well. So does the experience, advice and friendship of others - all of which Runion has found at the Harrisonburg Rotary Club, where he’s a member. The support he’s had through the years at Rotary and elsewhere has been key to his success. And it’s one of the reasons he feels compelled to give back to the club, the community and beyond. In addition to Rotary, Runion has worked with the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, and the Boy Scouts, among other groups. Now, he has a new opportunity to serve others in a big way. On March 16, 2014, Runion was nominated district governor of Rotary District 7570 for Rotary year 2016-17. The top leader in every Rotary district is the district governor, whose term begins

Chris Runion of Rockingham County became district governor nominee on March 16, 2014, for Rotary District 7570. He will lead the district, which includes 4,000 Rotary Club members and more than 70 clubs, in Rotary’s 2016-17 year. (Photo by Nikki Fox)

two years after his or her selection by the District Council of Governors. Runion’s term will begin on July 1, 2016. Until then, he will have the title of district governor nominee. The last member of the Harrisonburg club to receive the honor was Abram Clymer in 1999. As governor, Runion will oversee a district that runs from Greenville, Tenn., to Winchester and encompasses more than 70 clubs with more than 4,000 members. “It’s made me a better person,” he said of Rotary. “It makes you focus on things that are beyond your immediate interests.” Runion, an assistant district governor, said each club has its own unique strengths, and it will be his responsibility to leverage them to accomplish as much as possible. He will spend a lot of time on the road, which could be tricky for a guy who’s also a company president. Thankfully, he says, his brother, Bob, will be able to

manage day-to-day operations at Eddie Edwards, and he will also be able to work remotely as needed. Having additional responsibilities is not something he shies away from. Runion and his wife, Jennifer, have a strong desire to serve, and Rotary provides an avenue to make an impact in the local and global community, he said. One of Rotary’s missions that he is particularly passionate about is the eradication of polio. Thanks to efforts by Rotary International and other groups, polio cases have dropped by 99 percent since the club›s first vaccination effort began in the Philippines in 1979. Having an impact far and wide is part of the appeal to being a member of the club, he said. “People I never see, never have any interaction with,” he said, “I can make a difference in their lives.” Contact Jeremy Hunt at 574-6273 or jhunt@ dnronline.com

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