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.
Two guests were welcomed:
o Alyssa, who was also a guest last week.
o Brian, a friend of Kevin, who is a Bay High graduate with family connections to the area. He expressed interest in giving back now that his children are older.
Club Calendar and Upcoming Events
A series of upcoming dates and events were announced:
o April 6th (Monday after Easter): An Art Fest meeting will be held at 6:00 PM at the library.
o Blanket Making Project: At 5:00 PM on April 6th, before the Art Fest meeting, members will gather to make 10 fleece blankets for an Interact project for the district conference.
o Pancake Breakfast: A pancake breakfast is planned for April 8th to celebrate the club’s anniversary. Andrew had previously agreed to make the pancakes. This is also seen as a good opportunity for members to bring guests.
o North Coast Rotary Culinary Wine Experience: The event is on April 18th. At least eight club members have registered to attend as a group to support the North Coast Rotary club.
o April 24th-25th: The District Conference will take place.
o April 29th: Diapers will be taken to Providence House. Members are encouraged to bring diapers or give cash for a Costco trip.
o May 13th: The “Over 90” event will be held at the community services center. Rachel will manage sign-ups via Club Runner.
o May 22nd: A flag-placing event at Lakeview Cemetery will take place from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Members can also sign up for other times.
o June 2nd: The installation of the new president, Jeff Apple, will be held at Houlihan’s.
Art Fest Corporate Sponsorship Update
The club has raised $14,000 in sponsorships toward a $20,000 goal, surpassing last year’s total of $15,000. Several members volunteered to contact specific companies for sponsorship, including Highland, American Greetings, Logan Clutch, BMW Westlake, Watersheds, Neverman Insurance, Red Egg Music (?), Polish Pottery, and the UBS office in Westlake.
Youth Challenge Service Project Recap
Thanks were given to members who helped clean seven or eight vans for Youth Challenge on a cold Saturday. Chris, the CEO of Youth Challenge, will be invited to speak to the club in May or June. The project was a valuable experience for members who had supported the organization but had not previously visited its offices.
District News and Initiatives
House of Friendship: The club needs to prepare a display for the “House of Friendship” at the District Conference to showcase its projects. Jeff and another speaker will talk to Andrew about updating the display board. The deadline to respond is April 10th. Lisa offered help with graphic design and printing, noting project photos are in the ClubRunner image library.
250th Birthday Initiatives: Two new district initiatives are planned for the nation’s 250th birthday:
o Tree Planting: A district-wide effort to plant trees, with the goal of getting the club’s name out.
o 250 Acts of Kindness: An initiative to mindfully perform and share acts of kindness on social media.
District Conference Speakers:
o Wisdom Adu will speak on Friday night and is also scheduled to visit the club.
o Katie Spotz, an endurance athlete rowing across the Pacific to raise money for water projects, is the keynote speaker for Saturday. A request for a club donation to her cause will be
made.
Guest Speaker: Star Camp Update
History and Mission: Jim and Lori provided an update on Star Camp, now in its 17th year. It began with 20 kids and 5 staff and grew to a staff of 81 last summer. Initially for individuals on the autism spectrum, it now inclusively serves children with all disabilities alongside their typical peers, making it one of the first inclusive camps in Northeast Ohio. The camp’s mission also includes spreading a “kids first” mindset back into the community.
Camp Operations and Structure: A typical day includes a “Walking Club,” a group meeting with “shout outs,” and a structured schedule of physical activities, academics, and social skills. Activities include adaptive P.E., music therapy, reading, math, and social skills lessons. The camp uses visual schedules and iPads to support campers.
Support and Staffing: The camp reviews each child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and employs a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to review behavior plans and train staff. Specialized staff include board-certified music therapists, a yoga teacher for “zones of regulation,” and adaptive physical education teachers. Last summer, social skills instruction was differentiated into levels to better cater to
individual needs. The camp also offers a “transition week” for participants aged 16+ to focus on high school transitions.
New Developments and Challenges: A new aquatics program focused on water safety, based on a research-based model from Ohio State University, will be piloted this summer. However, the camp faces significant challenges with space and safety, which limits its capacity. Expanding the duration is not feasible due to staff sustainability, as many are exhausted after the intensive two-week session.
Registration and Demand: The camp no longer needs to advertise. Registration opens in January, closes by the end of February, and currently has a waiting list of 30 to 40 families.
Community Impact: A participant shared a personal story of their son who attended Star Camp, met his first friend there, and is now an independent adult, expressing deep gratitude for the camp’s impact.
AI Suggestions
AI has identified the following issues that were not concluded in the meeting or lack clear action items; please pay attention:
1. The club is still seeking candidates for the President-Elect position beginning July 1st of this year, but no new volunteers or a plan to find them was discussed.
2. The specific room for the blanket-making activity on April 6th was not confirmed. A speaker mentioned to “Stay tuned for the room,” which needs to be communicated to members.
3. The pancake breakfast on April 8th was confirmed, but no specific person was assigned to organize or send out the communication encouraging guest invitations.
4. A speaker mentioned wanting to meet the mayor, but a concrete action item to schedule the “State of the Union” address for May or June was not assigned to a specific person.
5. While a potential visit to Star Camp was mentioned, the details and timing were not finalized, though a person was assigned to coordinate it.
Meeting adjourned at 8:25am after a round of Happy Bucks.