02-18 Rotary Club Meeting: New Member Induction, Edna House Presentation, and Art Fest Planning
Date: 2026-02-18 07:29:18
Member Attendees: Shane O'Brien, Katie Yeager, Jeff Appel, Joe Kraft, Tianyi Krupka, Amy Kubacki, Andrew Mangels, Bob Mavor, Terri Speck, Lisa Hebert, Kevin Krantz, Brian Moran, Joe Hudak, Scott Goggin, John Hanna, Rachel Mavor, Glenn Fehribach, Tim Opsitnick, and Gary Lydrickson.
Guests: Mike Yeager (Katie's Father and Rotarian from the Sparta TN Club) who joined to see Katie's husband, Shane, inducted into the club. Also, Tianyi's sister who recently moved to the US joined us.
Transcription Summary from Audio Recording (Full notes available upon request.)
OPENING & CLUB BUSINESS
The meeting opened with Rotary protocol, including the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and the Four-Way Test.
The group sang “Happy Birthday” to Glenn, as his birthday fell on a meeting day.
Induction of a New Member
Shane O’Brien was officially inducted into the Rotary Club of Westlake Bay Village. Amy raised Shane for his prior involvement in club activities like the golf outing and art fest before he officially became a member. Assistant Governor Andrew Mangels conducted the induction ceremony, explaining the responsibilities and principles of being a Rotarian, including service, good citizenship, and the motto “Service Above Self.” Shane pledged to uphold the club’s expectations and the rules of Rotary International. The club members formally welcomed Shane as a new colleague and friend.
Guest Introductions
Katie introduced her father, Mike Yeager, who joined the meeting virtually from Wisconsin. Mike is a long-standing Rotarian with nearly 40 years of membership.
Tianyi introduced her older sister, who recently arrived in the US after a 16-year green card process.
Club Business and Announcements
- Four-Way Test Speech Contest: Scott has identified four potential participants, with one application submitted. Volunteers are in place. ď‚·
- Scholarship Application Review: A volunteer was needed to review applications from Bay High School. Tianyi volunteered to assist Jim. Last year, there were about 33-34 applications from both Bay and Westlake high schools, with one student selected from each.
- District Conference and “Pack Away Hunger” Project: The conference is on April 24th-25th. The club has budgeted funds for the “Pack Away Hunger” literacy project. Sponsoring the conference (options from $50 to $2,000) will be discussed at the next meeting.
- District Conference Display (“House of Friendship”): The club will create a competitive display to highlight its activities. [Speaker 3] will lead the effort with Lisa. Suggestions included featuring the art festival, a caricature of Terry (incoming district governor), and the April 29th diaper drop.
- Art Fest:
Sponsorships: Brian is the new sponsorship coordinator with a goal of $20,000. Over $11,000 is already committed. Brian will email a list of ~100 potential sponsors for members to contact. The sponsor packet is on the website. - Logistics: A list of the 25 signed-up artists will be shared on Google Drive. Joe will produce promotional postcards, and flyers will be available later. A 50/50 raffle will be discussed at the March 2nd Art Fest meeting.
- Meetings: The next Art Fest meeting is Monday, the 2nd of the month, at the library (room unconfirmed).
- An event, “Join Us to Build a Perfect Rotary Club,” is on Saturday, February 21st, in Twinsburg.
- The Gallaghers sent a thank-you note for the opportunity to speak about their Nairobi trip.
- The North Coast Club is holding a wine event on April 18th. o Judges are needed for the district four-way test contest on April 18th at Springfield High School.
Presentation by Sarah “Murph” Murphy from The Edna House
Amy introduced Sarah “Murph” Murphy, the new Executive Director of the Edna House. An alumna of the program since 2015, she joined the staff in 2019 and was instrumental in a $1.25 million capital campaign.
Personal Story: Murph shared her personal story of addiction, progressing from a promising career to alcoholism, which led to job loss, health issues, and estrangement from her family. She found help at The Edna House, which accepted her without money or insurance. ď‚· About The Edna House: Founded in 2004, The Edna House provides a safe place for women seeking sobriety. It is located at West 65th and Madison and can support up to 47 women (currently 32 residents).
Recovery Program: The minimum six-month program focuses on mind, body, and spirit. Phase One (First 90 Days): Residents are immersed in recovery groups and do not work or attend school. They live in an open, 25-bed dorm to prevent isolation and foster support. Volunteers teach skills like emotional regulation, yoga, music therapy, cooking, and home maintenance. o Reintegration: An employment readiness program assists with financial literacy, obtaining essential documents, and healthcare enrollment. Residents attend nightly outside AA meetings to build a sober support network.
Funding and Operations: The Edna House is independent of government funding. Revenue comes from two major fundraisers, grants, private donations, and resident program fees ($375/month once
employed). The mortgage on its buildings has been paid off. Capital Improvements & Fundraising: Murph is applying for a grant from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation for central air
conditioning and a garage. An upcoming fundraiser is the “Sober St. Patrick’s Day” celebration on Saturday, March 21st, at the UAW hall in Parma, featuring food by Edwins and a bagpipe band. Raffle items
include a Cavs suite, Guardians tickets, and Zach Bryan concert
tickets.
Action Items:
Andrew will send a reminder with the room number for the Art Fest meeting at the library.
Lisa owes Katie a script for the emcee at the speech contest.
The club needs to ensure the earmarked donation for the “Pack Away Hunger” project is submitted.
Andrew will be the contact person for the “House of Friendship” display,
Brian will email the list of potential Art Fest sponsors to members.
Joe Kraft will put the list of registered artists on the Google Drive.
Andrew will follow up to get the high-resolution logo for the Beck Center.
The topic of a 50/50 raffle will be added to the agenda for the March 2nd Art Fest meeting.
An email will be sent out asking who might want to attend the Edna House agency tour on April 7th.
AI has identified the following issues that were not concluded in the meeting or lack clear action items; please pay attention:
1. The exact room for the upcoming Art Fest meeting at the library was not confirmed.
2. The club discussed sponsoring the district conference, but no decision was made. This topic was deferred to the next meeting.
3. A deadline for the “House of Friendship” display submission was mentioned but not specified.
Meeting adjourned at 8:25am after a round of Happy Bucks.