Want to experience the camaraderie of Rotary but can’t make the breakfast meeting? The West End Rotary PM Fellowship Club meets almost every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Cherry’s Restaurant, Route 209, Kresgeville. The club combines socializing with service in an informal setting. Join us.

              DGE Irene Carey

The West End Rotary Club board took a number of actions this month. Here are the calendar highlights:

• There will be no meetings, AM or PM, on Thursday, July 4 because of the holiday.
• The installation of officers and directors will be held on Thursday, July 11 at Cherry’s Restaurant, Route 209, Kresgeville. There will be no AM or PM meetings that day.
• District Governor Irene Carey will pay her official visit to the club on Thursday, July 18.
• Starting in July, board meetings will be held at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month, location TBD.
• Also starting in July, Club Assembly will be held on the fourth Thursday of each month.
• The Oktoberfest and Car Show will be held on Sunday, October 20 at the American Legion, Route 209, Gilbert (near the entrance to the West End Fair).
• The 5k Bear Run and Fun Walk will be held in the spring of 2014.

Daryll Speicher of the Monroe County Environmental Education Center talks about backyard habitats for birds with Karen Ecke and members of the West End Rotary Club.

Three Pleasant Valley High School juniors have won the 2013 West End Rotary Essay Contest.

The winners are: Nina Rose M. Giambalvo, first place; Rachel Wenrich, second, and Katheryn Hull, third. The students received certificates of achievement and monetary awards in the amounts of $150, $100 and $75, respectively. They were honored at the regular Thursday breakfast meeting of the club in Brodheadsville by club members and Pleasant Valley High School Principal John Gress.

The club has forwarded the first-place essay to Rotary International District 7410, where it will be judged along with the essays from approximately 50 high schools in Northeast Pennsylvania. The district essay awards will be presented in June. Some 100 students entered the West End essay contest. This year’s topic was “Describe your personal role model and how that person influenced you to make a difference in your community.”

Nina Rose Giambalvo selected her mother, Tracey, as her role model and indicated that her parents “felt it was an important value to contribute to the family and neighborhood because charity starts at home and our neighborhood is important to our home.” Nina volunteers for several organizations including the LEO and KEY clubs at her high school, Wesley Enhanced Living, Mrs. Bush’s Personal Care Homes and AWSOM, the Animal Welfare Society of Monroe County. She is a member of the Pocono Medical Explorers, a junior sergeant-at-arms for the American Legion Unit 928 and is active in the local Italian heritage group.

Rachel Wenrich wrote that her role model, actor Jennifer Lawrence, inspired her “to volunteer for something that you are passionate about,” which in her case is volunteering at an animal shelter, the Special Olympics, helping to build a memorial garden, participating in Relay for Life, donating her clothing to families in need and teaching children to ride horses through the Equi-Librium program for disabled youth.

Katheryn Hull wrote that her older brother was her personal role model and inspired her to participate in her community by volunteering at a daycare center, and teaching autistic children to ride horses at the local Equi-Librium horse farm.

“Rotary sponsor programs such as the essay contest because they help students improve their writing abilities, self-confidence and leadership skills,” said essay contest Chair Elaine Ackroyd-Kelly. “It also encourages young people to embrace community service early in their lives and careers.” Those comments were echoed by West End Rotary Club President Jill Rehrig, who thanked school officials and parents for stressing the importance of those values.

West End Rotary is part of Rotary International, a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service and encourages high ethical standards in all vocations. At the local level the club conducts several fundraisers to support students, firefighters, police, libraries, the Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network and other organizations within the community.

The club meets at 7:30 a.m. most Thursdays at the Western Pocono Community Library in Brodheadsville.

Antique planes and cars come together on Sunday, May 26 when the Mt. Pocono Rotary Club sponsors its annual Fly-in, Drive-in Breakfast at the Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport in Mount Pocono. The show runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. rain or shine.

This year Aviation Day wil feature static displays, military airplanes, refreshments and the Pocono Raceway pace car. Airplane and helicopter rides are available. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Young Eagles EAA Program will offer free rides to children ages 8-17.

The event is also sponsored by Baileys Rib and Steakhouse and Smuggler's Cove. It is hosted by the Pocono Mountains Airport Authority and Moyer Aviation. Proceeds will benefit Rotary causes including Polio Plus and the Pocono Mountain Public Library.

Club President Jill Rehrig pins the lapel of Linda Salas-Mamary to welcome her as a member of West End Rotary. Linda is the area director at Riverside Rehabilitation. Her classification is occupational therapist.

The same day West End Rotary inducted Jennifer May into the evening Fellowship Club. Her classification is advisor and her sponsor is Jill Rehrig. Jennifer works at the PA CareerLink center in Tannersville as an employment counselor. Prior to that she worked as an instructor and admissions counselor at Lehigh Carbon Community College. She has a masters of education degree from DeSales University and a B.S. degree in education from West Chester University.

Please be sure to give a warm welcome to our newest members.

President Jill has released the schedule of board meetings and club assemblies for 2013.

Board Meetings
May 15, Jill's office
June 12, Jill's office

All board meetings start at 6 p.m.

Club Assembly
April 25
May 23
Jun. 20

For our newest members we offer West End Rotary's traditional table blessing before each meeting:

For these and all thy gifts of love
We give thee thanks and praise.
Look down our Father from above
And bless us all our days.