Home Page | Rotary Club of Tunkhannock

On the first and third Thursday's of every month, the Tunkhannock Rotary will hold a flash club meeting at 5:30 PM at Bogey's at Shadowbrook Inn & Resort. This is a 15-30 minute meeting for those members or prospective members who cannot make our regular 12:15 PM meeting. If they so desire, members and guests can stay after the meeting for drinks and/or dinner.

If you are interested in joining Rotary, but cannot make our luncheon meetings, please join us at one of our Thursday flash meetings to learn more about Rotary and our international and community based activities.

Welcome to our Website!

Service Above Self

We meet Thursdays at 12:15 PM
Purkey's Pink Apple

651 SR 6 W
Tunkhannock, PA 18657
United States

District Site

Bulletins

Tony Sykes Inducted into Tunkhannock Rotary

At the Sept 27 Tunkhannock Rotary, Tony Sykes was inducted into Rotary by Membership Chair Ron Furman. Harry Sharpe was Tony's sponsor. Pres. Mike Markovitz then presented Tony with his membership packet and his yellow Rotary hat to be worn at outdoor Rotary events. Please warmly welcome Tony as one of our newest Rotarians.

L to R: Tony Sykes, Ron Furman and Pres. Mike Markovitz

Rod Azar & Bob Brown Speak about Tunkhannock Tiger Fund

Rotarian Rod Azar and guest Robert Brown spoke at the Sept 13 Rotary Luncheon about the Tunkhannock Tiger Fund. Rod and Bob are both on the Advisory Council for the Tiger Fund, which was set up in 2017 to raise private monies to bridge the gap between the school district’s budget resources and the needs of the students. Extracurricular, co-curricular and STEM-related activities are areas the fund is designed to support.

The Tiger Fund provides donors with the ability to earmark money for a specific purpose or leave money in general to the Fund so that moneys can be used in the best interests of the kids guided by the Advisory Council.

The Tiger Fund raises money thru banner sponsorships, which cost $500 for the first year and $300 for renewal. They can sell a bunch more for other sports fields. EITC tax credits, Talents & Treasurers of Tunkhannock Gala, Wills & Estates, Corporate donations, private donations are all ways that businesses and individuals can help.

Robert Brown (left) and Rotarian Rod Azar

Rotarian Rod Azar Awarded Club Designated Paul Harris

At the Sept 13 Tunkhannock Rotary luncheon, a special Paul Harris Fellow presentation was made to Rotarian Rod Azar. Past President Samantha Maruzzelli presented a Club Designated Paul Harris Fellow certificate and pin to Rod for his outstanding work on club projects, especially resurrecting the Rotary Relays. Club President Mike Markovitz then gave Rod a Paul Harris Fellow medallion for him to wear to Club and Foundation events. Rod thanked the club for this special award.

Pres. Mike Markovitz (left), Rod Azar and Past Pres. Samantha Maruzzelli

Inbound Exchange Students Report on Classes

At the Sept 13 Rotary Meeting at Purkey's Pink Apple, the club heard from our 2 inbound exchange students about the classes they are taking at Tunkhannock Area High School.

Andrew is from Poland. He likes his classes here including: AP physics, calculus, robotics, graphics and electronics. He will also be playing soccer.

John is from Brazil and 17 years old. He is taking classes in: graphics, 3D printing, computer and electronic devices.

Andrew (left) and John

Donna Fetzko Helped Rotarians Destress on Sept 6

At the Sept 6 Tunkhannock Rotary Luncheon at Purkey's Pink Apple, the guest speaker was Donna Fetzko. Donna spoke about the fact that untreated chronic stress can result in many illnesses including major immune suppression plus cardiac illnesses. Walking and eating healthy can help manage stress, but there are 3 additional things that we can do.

1. Posture is an issue – We sit a lot. Sitting is the new smoking disease. We are sitting with rounded shoulders and rounded lower back. Lift up and wag your tail.

2. Practice breathing to calm our monkey minds – Buddha says our mind is filled with crazy monkeys jumping around. Calm and focus your mind to tame the monkeys. Breathing can help to calm your mind and be in the moment. If you can do it for 5-10 min, it is a form of meditation and can even help you sleep. However, do not do when driving.

3. Yoga Moment – Donna ended by leading the group through a series of yoga moves to relax various parts of our bodies.

Donna Fetzko

Jeff Swire Spoke at Aug 30 Rotary Luncheon

Jeff Swire, Sergeant first class Army retired, spoke at the Aug 30 Tunkhannock Rotary Meeting at Purkey's Pink Apple. Jeff spoke about Patriot's Cove in Noxen, which has been established as a place of healing for our Veterans and First Responders severely injured in the line of duty. They also provide a place for support and healing for their Caregivers. They are helping healing of the injured by fostering productive communication, a re-connection to nature and the tranquility and challenge of trout fishing.

Patriot's Cove is situated on 18 acres of Land in Noxen, PA with Beaver Run waterway running through it. They built a brook trout habitat in 4 days utilizing 15 volunteers for 3/4 miles of their stream. In 3 days with help from 12 Misericordia freshmen, they just planted an orchard of mature fruit trees and berry bushes with 30 trees. The money for the orchard was raised and donated by a Bible camp ($1,200). Their attendees will be able to fish and forage next year.

Jeff Swire

Chief Detective David Ide Spoke at Aug 23 Rotary Luncheon

At the Aug 23 Tunkhannock Rotary Luncheon at Purkey's Pink Apple, Wyoming County Chief Detective David Ide spoke to the Club about the drug and alcohol problems in our County. He detailed some of the programs that law enforcement have put in place to help with this problem, including the DARE program in our Schools, the permanent Drug Drop boxes, the semi-annual Drug Take Back events and the Police Athletic League. Although these programs have helped, drugs are still the biggest problem in our County.

Detective Ide suggested that some type of Community Civic Center could help keep our youth busy and away from the drug culture in our community. He remarked that it could start small in existing spaces and eventually grow into a giant civic center. It would take all community organizations and groups working together to accomplish such a goal.

Wyoming County Chief Detective David Ide

Gina Suydam Inducted as Newest Member

At the Aug 16 Tunkhannock Rotary Luncheon at Purkey's Pink Apple, Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce President, Gina Suydam, was inducted into Rotary by Membership Chair Ron Furman. George Gay was Gina's sponsor, who pinned her with her new Rotary pin. Pres. Mike Markovitz then presented Gina with her membership packet and her yellow Rotary hat to be worn at outdoor Rotary events. Please warmly welcome Gina as one of our newest Rotarians.

L to R: George Gay, Gina Suydam, Ron Furman and Pres. Mike Markovitz

Rotary Grant to Tunkhannock Community Ambulance Association

At a recent Rotary meeting, President Mike Markovitz presented a grant for $6,000 to Amy Markovitz and Ben Hall from the Tunkhannock Community Ambulance Association (TCAA). The money is a Tunkhannock Rotary grant to the TCAA for the purchase of a QCPR system, including a Rescue Annie and Baby, which are electronic mannequins for use in training first responders and community members on proper techniques for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The new mannequins will feed back to a computer and it will tell them how good they are with their chest compressions including: compression depth, compression rate, hand placement and other salient facts. This system will give the best life-saving CPR training available.

Tunkhannock Rotary applied for a Rotary District Grant of $4,000 and added $2,000 from the Club to make this grant possible. This is one of many projects funded from the proceeds of the Annual Harvest and Wine Festival, which will take place this year on Oct 13, 2018 at Lazybrook Park.

TCAA members Amy Markovitz and Ben Hall receiving the $6,000 grant from Pres. Mike Markovitz

Norm Kelly Named District 7410 Rotarian of the Year

CONGRATULATIONS, to Tunkhannock Rotarian Norm Kelly on being named District 7410 Rotarian of the Year for 2017-2018. Norm received his award from outgoing District Governor Karin Susan Breitlauch at the Banner Exchange on Sunday, July 1 at the Ramada Inn in Clark Summit.

Norm has been very active in Rotary at both the club and District level, serving in many capacities including as a past Club President, ongoing member of the Board of Directors, chair of the International Project Committee and member of the Harvest & Wine Festival planning committee.

At the District level, he has served as Assistant Governor of Cluster 2 for over 4 years until he turned that job over to his successor on July 1 and serves on the District Foundation Committee. DG Karin remarked that she could always depend on Norm to help out in any way whenever she asked. The clubs in Cluster 2 also could depend on Norm to attend their meetings, help them in many situations and keep them updated on District happenings.

DG Karin Breitlauch presenting Rotarian of the Year Award to Norm Kelly

Mehoopany Wind Farm Donates for July 3rd Fireworks

Neal Allred from the Mehoopany Wind Farm presented Fireworks Chair Harry Sharpe and Presidents Mike Markovitz and Samantha Maruzzelli with a check for $5,000 towards the July 3^rd Fireworks.

L to R: Mike Markovitz, Neal Allread, Harry Sharpe and Samantha Maruzzelli

Mini Libraries Installed in Tunkhannock Area

To promote literacy in our community, the Tunkhannock Rotary has installed 5 free mini-libraries in the Tunkhannock area. The libraries were built by Norm Werkheiser and the project was led by Marta Kovacs-Ruiz. The first library was installed outside the Wyoming County Cultural Center at the Dietrich Theater (photo below). Participants are encouraged to take a book and, if possible, leave a book in the library for others. There is no charge for the books.

Additional mini-libraries have been installed at: Creekside Gardens, Lazybrook Park, Eaton Hills and Susquehanna Apartments.

The Club is grateful to the Tunkhannock Public Library and its Executive Director and Rotarian Kristin Smith-Gary for the donation of some books for the mini-libraries from their surplus books collected, but not sold, at their periodic book sale fund-raisers.

The mini-libraries project was funded by the proceeds from the 2017 Harvest & Wine Festival and is part of Rotary’s commitment to “making a difference” in our community.

Builder Norm Werkheiser and project leader Marta Kovacs-Ruiz

Installer Ryan Visneski

I joined the Tunkhannock Rotary 4 years ago this past May. I showed up at my first meeting, and knew very few people in the room, and was very apprehensive. I was quickly mentored and learned about what Rotary actually was and did for our local, national, and international community, and knew rapidly that this was a very good choice in my life to continue to give back. Rotary truly is the Best Service Organization in the World! It is irreplaceable!

Rotary International President – Barry Rassin - selected the theme as “Be the Inspiration” for the 2018 – 2019 Rotary year, calling on us to work toward a sustainable future and to inspire Rotarians and the community at large. To achieve his vision, It’s our job to motivate our members. He also stated, “I want you to inspire in your clubs, your Rotarians, that desire for something greater. The drive to do more, to be more, to create something that will live beyond each of us.” I am in hopes that I can help District Governor (DG) Roger Mattes to be an inspiration and fill our Rotary Meeting each week with inspired members who are motivated to continue to do good for our local, national and international community.

I plan to work with our new Membership Chair, Ron Furman to find ways to help get some of our current members, who have not been able to participate, involved, active, and participating in our events. I would also like to continue with some of our immediate past president’s great ideas of the Mixers and the Evening Flash meetings on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursday nights, for folks who aren’t always able to make the lunch meeting. I will be asking our board of directors and members of the club for any ideas and thoughts they have to get folks involved / increase our new memberships to the club, especially the younger generation.

During my recent PETS Training, DG Roger, made a comment that he is Most Inspired by seeing Rotarians in Action, completing service projects. I would like to work with this club on developing service projects that allow for all of our members to get involved and get their hands “dirty”. I would also like to further explore ideas about developing activities for our Tunkhannock youth to draw them away from the increasing drug problem in our area.

DG Roger also stated that “Each individual Rotary Club has its own unique characteristics and has done many wonderful things for the communities they serve”. He would now like the clubs to act in unison on various projects, allowing them to reach higher goals. I will be talking to our board of directors and members about how we can help accomplish this with ideas for future service projects where we can work with our neighboring Clubs and District, accomplishing greater achievements. I also would like to bring some fun, enjoyable times of fellowship into our club. I want to hear from you, what your ideas are and what your opinions are.

I humbly accept the post of President of the Rotary Club of Tunkhannock. Thank you for your confidence in me and Thank you for this great honor! I can only hope that I can provide the leadership to this club that I have seen first-hand from the great Presidents before me. I do feel this is the Best Rotary Club Around and I am Very Proud to call myself a Tunkhannock Rotarian, and most importantly, I Am Very Proud of You as Tunkhannock Rotarians, for all that you have accomplished! Thank you and I look forward to working with you all over the next year!

2018-2019 Rotary Theme: Be the Inspiration

RI President-elect Barry Rassin’s theme for 2018-19, Be the Inspiration, asks Rotarians to inspire change in the world and in each other. “I ask all of you to Be the Inspiration to help Rotary move from reaction to action — to take a hard look at the environmental issues that affect health and welfare around the world and do what we can to help.”

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