Welcome to Rotary!
The Rotary Club of Greenfield, Ohio meets at 11:30 a.m. each Thursday at the Catch 22 Sports Pub located at 250 Jefferson St., Greenfield, Ohio. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Zoom option is also available to members and guests.
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Rotary Club of Greenfield forms
closed Facebook group for new streaming format As the coronavirus pandemic continues, the Greenfield Rotary Club has decided to stream its meetings using the Facebook Live format. From spring 2020 until Jan. 13, 2022 the club offered Zoom as a means for members to join in the club meetings, but participation has been low and those who were not at the Catch 22 in person had difficulty understanding what was being said. It is hoped that the quality will be better with the switch to Facebook Live. Each local Rotarian who has a Facebook account should have received an invitation to participation in the Facebook Live sessions. To check on this, go to your Facebook account and click on your notifications icon (it looks like a bell). This was set up as a closed group, and so participants must accept an invitation in order to participate. If you haven’t been invited, or need technical assistance, please email the club via the “Contact the club!” resource at the bottom of Rotary club's home page. As it appears that most club members have been vaccinated, the Greenfield Rotary Club continues to meet in person each Thursday for lunch at 11:30 a.m., with the business meeting usually starting around 12:20 p.m. We hope to see you in person or via Facebook Live as our Rotary club continues working to help our community and the world as part of Rotary International. Rotary clubs joining forces in March for
50th annual Radio-Telethon to benefit HCSCA The Rotary Clubs of Greenfield and Hillsboro will be joining forces once again Wednesday, March 30, 2022 to help raise money for the Highland County Society of Children and Adults. On that date, the 50th annual Ernie Blankenship Memorial Radio-Telethon will take place from the Hillsboro Orpheum. The activities will be broadcast on local radio stations and community access television channel, as well as streamed from the HCSCA website, www.hicoso.org according to Rocky Coss of the Hillsboro Rotary Club. During 2020 and 2021 the radio-telethon took place in June of each year because of concerns over the covid pandemic. Based on indications that the omicron surge should be tailing off soon, Rotarians decided to return the radio-telethon to the last Wednesday in March, where it has taken place for most of the past 50 years. Fore more information about the Highland County Society for Children and Adults, visit the organization’s website at www.hicoso.org. Donations can be made via the website at any time.  Greenfield Rotary President Wes Surritt is pictured with District Governor Carol Hughes, who visited the Greenfield club on Nov. 18.
District Governor Carol Hughes
visits Greenfield Rotary Club Greenfield Rotary Club hosted District Governor Carol Hughes on Nov. 18 and received an inspiring and interesting message from the Springboro resident. DG Hughes, a native of England, emigrated to Ohio in 1993 and has enjoyed a varied career including teaching elementary school, working with the YMCA, and serving as an executive with the Springboro Chamber of Commerce. She has also been involved in Rotary and risen through the leadership ranks of that organization, including her current role leading Rotarians in District 6670. DG Hughes shared some thoughts from Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta, who challenged Rotarians to help the organization grow with the slogan "Each one bring one." DG Hughes encouraged each Rotarian to invite guests to club meetings so they can see what Rotary is all about. The motto of Rotary is “Service Above Self,” and Rotarians have accomplished many good things since the organization was founded in 1905. She mentioned that Rotary undertook the huge task of trying to eradicate polio with a worldwide effort in 1988, and while there are still a very few cases of polio (just four so far this year) in underdeveloped countries, the effort seems headed to a successful conclusion. DG Hughes has studied the composition of the Greenfield club and said there are currently 33 members, with 23 being male and 10 female. The average age of the Greenfield RotaryClub is 56, with just three members currently under 40 years of age. She encouraged the Greenfield club to invite potential members and share some of the good things that the club has done through the years. Realizing that not everyone can easily attend a noon meeting on Thursdays, the district governor encouraged club members to consider establishing a satellite club that would meet in the evening, or for a breakfast meeting. DG Hughes read a quote from the late Rotary founder, Paul Harris, stating that times change and Rotary needs to change with them. She encouraged club members to be creative and responsive to the needs of community members who might like to join but need some flexibility. She also addressed visiting McClain High School seniors in the audience and encouraged them to get involved in programs offered by Rotary. Rotary International is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, she said, and will continue to make a positive difference in the world. DG Hughes received a standing ovation from the Rotarians in attendance, and presented local Rotary President Wes Surritt with a flag from her home club. She is in the process of visiting all 48 clubs in the district. For more information about Rotary, here are some useful links: Rotary International: www.rotary.org District 6670: www.rotary6670.org District 6670 events noted by DG Carol Hughes
The following information is from the Rotary District 6670 newsletter: Some upcoming District events to add to your calendar: DaCdb University Trainings Nov 30, Dec 7, Dec 14, (zoom) President Elect Training Dec 15, Feb 23 (zoom) Rotary Leadership Institute Part II Jan 13, 20, 27 (zoom) Rotary Leadership Institute Part III May 14 (in person) Grant Training Seminar Feb 9 (zoom) District Team Training Seminar Feb 16 (zoom) President Elect Training Seminar Mar 11-12 (in person) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Mar 18-20 (in person) District 4 Way Speech Contest Mar 27 (in person) Youth Peace Advocacy Leadership and Service Day April 23 (in person) District Gala Dinner/Conference April 29 (in person) District Day of Service April 30 (in person) All the above events plus some additional Club events are listed on the District website at www.RotaryDistrict6670.org. As you can see, a lot of these events are on zoom. All links can be found on the website. A message from Chair Beth Huber re: District
4 Way Speech Contest scheduled March 27, 2022 It’s Speech Contest Time Again! Hello fellow Rotarians. Please Mark Sunday, March 27, 2022, on your calendars. It is the date for the next District Rotary 4 Way Test Speech Contest. It will be held at Wright State University beginning at noon (and ending around 5 p.m.). Look for all the forms on the District Web site after 12/1/21. It will run much the same as in 2019 (remember back then!), but if you are new to this, please jump right in, we will help. We will need:
Thank you – and Happy Holidays Rotary supporters honored at Appreciation Dinner; Borsini, Wells tabbed for Paul Harris FellowshipBuyers of limited-edition prints and other supporters of Greenfield Rotary Club were honored at the club’s annual appreciation dinner November 11, 2021 at the Washington Country Club.
Club President Wes Surritt welcomed members and guests to the annual event, which featured a delicious meal of prime rib, chicken or a vegetarian option. The club president expressed gratitude for the excellent community support shown by the print buyers and introduced a number of special guests, including Assistant District Governor Beth Huber and her husband Jerry; Greene Countrie Towne Festival Queen Jacolyn Bolender; Bonnie Baldridge, who is involved with the Greene Countrie Towne Festival Queen Pageant, and Charles Shonkwiler and his wife Rita, representing the Greenfield Antique Car Club. President Surritt also acknowledged supports who were unable to attend, including artist Tammy Wells, creator numerous limited edition prints sold at the festival, Ken Friedman of the Greenfield Antique Car Club, Greg Miller of the Greenfield Antique Tractor Club, and Gary Binegar and Rod Halterman of Binegar Auction Service. Unable to attend but receiving praise for their contributions to Rotary were District Governor Sigrid Solomon, reigning Greene Countrie Towne Festival Queen Emma Smith, artist Tammy Wells who has created a number of limited edition prints that the club sells at the festival each July, auctioneers Gary and Mandy Binegar, Matt and Ellen Binegar and Rod Halterman, and the Greenfield Antique Tractor Club. Also recognized were the buyers of limited edition prints that have been a mainstay of the Greene Countrie Towne Festival for approximately 30 years, helping to raise money for the Rotary Club that is then put back into the Greenfield community. This year the buyers included Greenfield Research, Sitterle Insurance, Wooden It Be Nice, Southern Hills Community Bank, Adena Greenfield Medical Center, Dr. Richard Mizer and Cristy Hill, Murray-Fettro Funeral Home and Corner Healthmart Pharmacy, Community Savings Bank, Weller’s Plumbing & Heating, and Jim and Merleen Van Dyke. A highlight of the evening was the announcement of a two new Paul Harris Fellow honored for their service to the club and the community. The honorees for 2021 are Dr. Eric Borsini and Tammy Wells. Dr. Borsini, who served as club president in 2009-10 and has served the community service through volunteerism and as a member of the Greenfield Village Council, was congratulated by Pat Hays for epitomizing Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.” Dr. Borsiniexpressed his thanks to the club as well as his gratitude for being part of the Greenfield community, where everyone knows everyone else and people work together to make the village a better place in which to live, work and raise families. Although unable to attend the dinner, Tammy Wells also was recognized for having created the limited edition prints sold at Rotary auctions since 2003. Revenues from the sales have helped Rotary finance many projects for the benefit of the community and helped the club maintain the Ralph W. Phillips Civic & Recreation Center. Pat Hays explained that the Paul Harris Fellowship is named in honor of Rotary’s founder, who with three other businessmen launched the very first Rotary club in Chicago in 1905. The club sends $1,000 to Rotary International for each Paul Harris Fellowship it awards, and the money is used to help people around the world as part of the international organization’s outreach. It appears that the club has now sponsored 50 Paul Harris Fellows since it made George M. Waddell the club’s first recipient in 1985. During the evening it was noted that the Greenfield Rotary Club was chartered in May of 1922 and will be celebrating its 100thanniversary next year. The evening concluded with a drawing for table arrangements. In closing, President Surritt thanked everyone who attended and noted that, whether they are Rotarians or not, they deserve thanks for their efforts on behalf of the Greenfield community. The club wishes to thank Angela Shepherd for coordinating details for the festive dinner and program.  Outgoing Rotary president Ron Coffey (left) congratulates 2021-22 President Wes Surritt at the Greenfield Rotary Club meeting on July 1.
Wes Surritt welcomed as
new club president on July 1 As a new Rotary year began on July 1, Wes Surritt began his duties as club president of the Greenfield club. Ron Coffey, who served as president during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 years, congratulated Surritt at the club's meeting and wished him well. Both men have led the club in the past, with Coffey serving as president in 1987-88 and Surritt handling the presidential duties about six years ago. The Rotary Club of Greenfield was chartered in May of 1922, and during Wes Surritt's term as president the club plans to celebrate its centennial. The new president of Rotary International is Shekhar Mehta, and the theme of his presidency is Serve to Change Lives. Carol Hughes of the Springboro Rotary Club is the new district governor of District 6670. Beth Huber of the Wilmington Rotary Club is continuing to serve as assistant district governor. Other club officials are listed in the column at left. The Greenfield Rotary Club meets at 11:30 a.m. each Thursday (except holidays) at the Catch 22 Sports Pub, 250 Jefferson St. in Greenfield. 2021 Ernie Blankenship Memorial radio-telethon total surpasses $92K as donations continue The Hillsboro and Greenfield Rotary Clubs joined forces for the 49th Annual Ernie Blankenship Memorial Radio-Telethon as a combined virtual event only, and Highland Countians generously pledged more than $88,000 for the Highland County Society for Children and Adults. By July 1 the total raised had risen to more than $92,000 as donations continued to come in. The event took place on June 23 from 7-9 p.m. and was broadcast live from the Hillsboro Orpheum on the Spectrum Community Access TV Channel, WSRW Radio 1590 AM and WVNU Radio 97.5FM. In addition, the event was live-streamed on the Society’s website, hicoso.org. Hosts for the evening were Rick Williams and Ron Coffey, and they took turns interviewing donors, giving updates and showcasing items that were sold at silent auction near the close of the radio-telethon. The Southern Hills Community Bank served as host for the event this year, helping to plan the activities, coordinating publicity, contacting donors for the auction items and seeing to it that plenty of food and refreshments were on hand for the evening. Rotarian Rocky Coss, whose wife Gayle is executive director of the Highland County Society for Children and Adults, also was instrumental in the planning of the event, conducting several Zoom meetings with committee members and Rotary club representatives. The Hillsboro Orpheum was buzzing with activity and conversation as it was open to the public this year after being a virtual affair in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. For those who missed seing the telethon “live,” it was posted to youtube and can still be seen at the society’s website, www.hicoso.org Popular auction items this year included framed, autographed photos of Ohio State icons Archie Griffin, Jerry Lucas and Jack Nicklaus, a three-day stay in Gatlinburg, TN, an Ohio State football autographed by Head Coach Ryan Day, tickets to see the Beach Boys, Chicago and Jason Aldean, a one-year membership in the Highland County Family YMCA branch, two family passes for up to six persons at the Wildlife Safari Park in Port Clinton, Ohio, an autographed action photograph of Johnny Bench, a baseball autographed by Tony Perez and some autographed Cincinnati Bengals items. Even though the radio-telethon is over, contributions are welcome at any time. Checks payable to HCSCA may be mailed to: HCCSA, P.O. Box 258, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Donations also may be dropped off at any financial institution in Highland County.  Ron Coffey presents a check to Alyson Murphy, winner of the local Rotary Four Way Test speech contest, as Steve Hunter, Andrew Surritt and Quincey Gray look on.
Alyson Murphy wins local Four-Way Test
speech contest at McClain High School Alyson Murphy, a junior at McClain High School, won the Rotary Four Way Test speech contest April 20 at MHS and received a $200 check from Greenfield Rotary Club President Ron Coffey. Also pictured are Rotarians Steve Hunter, Andrew Surritt and Quincey Gray, who is also Greenfield superintendent of schools. Alyson is scheduled to present her winning speech to the local Rotary club and plans to participate in the Rotary District 6670 speech contest. Community leaders with Rotary connections have passed away in 2021
Several local Rotarians and former Rotarians have passed away in 2021, saddening those who knew them and prompting warm thoughts of their contributions to the greater Greenfield community. Club President Ron Coffey encouraged Rotarians to keep the families of these fine people in their thoughts and prayers: Paul S. Wisecup: The Greenfield Rotary club recently received sad news that longtime Rotarian Paul S. Wisecup passed away on June 13, 2021 in Colorado. Paul was a proud and active Rotarian for approximately 55 years in both Greenfield, Ohio and Colorado. He was a Paul Harris Fellow and received a Diamond Pin for contributions to Rotary over and above the normal standard for Paul Harris Fellows. Paul grew up in Greenfield and was a graduate of Edward Lee McClain High School. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and later owned and co-owned businesses in Colorado. He and his wife Mary returned to Ohio upon his retirement and he was a very active member of the Greenfield Rotary Club from about 2010-2015. Greenfield Rotarians fondly remember his enthusiasm, leadership and sense of humor at Rotary dinners, auctions, festivals and projects such as distributing dictionaries to elementary students in the Greenfield Exempted Village School District. “Paul’s magnetic personality and love for Rotary were always apparent, and his enthusiasm was quite contagious,” remembered Rotarian Ron Coffey. “Many of our members have fond memories of working alongside Paul at various Rotary events. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mary and the Wisecup family.” Paul and Mary returned to Colorado after he experienced some health setbacks. He was made an honorary member in recognition of his many contributions to the Greenfield club. A memorial service took place at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 29 at the Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield, beginning with a veteran’s appreciation service. Burial of cremains followed at the South Salem Cemetery where military rites were provided by the Concerned Veterans of Greenfield. Paul’s obituary can be found at the Murray-Fettro Funeral Home website, http://murrayfettro.com David D. Moon, who passed away on March 24, was a former Greenfield Rotarian and Jaycee, and a community leader. In the 1970s or '80s, as the local Jaycee chapter was about to fold, David saw to it that the ownership of the former armory property was transferred to the Greenfield Rotary Club. He also helped run Greenfield Printing & Publishing for about 30 years, providing many jobs for the people of Greenfield and area. His funeral took place on March 30. Dr. Ronald E. Vaughan, former superintendent of schools, passed away on March 29. Under his leadership, people like coach Rick Van Matre, band director Mark Robertson and musician/director Dale Knauer were brought to the Greenfield Schools. As a result, the community enjoyed many athletic victories and musical performances by the McClain Marching Band, the McClain Show Choir as well as excellent stage and musical productions. A memorial service took place June 12 at the Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield. Charlotte Phillips, longtime Rotary member and pianist, passed away Feb. 11. She shared her musical gifts by serving as organist at the First United Methodist Church for more than four decades, and Charlotte participated in countless school, church and community musical productions. Generations of McClain High School students learned to sing with Charlotte as their accompanist. Her late husband, Ralph W. Phillips, also was a Rotarian and community leader, and the former armory property was renamed the Ralph W. Phillips Community Recreation & Civic Center in his honor. "Rotarians are difference makers, and we salute these individuals for all they have done for our community as Rotarians and as individuals," Coffey said. "As the Greenfield Rotary Club approaches its 100th birthday in 2022, we hope to raise up a new generation of Rotarians to do more good works and be known as difference makers." 
Superintendents Tim Dettwiller of Fairfield Local Schools and Quincey Gray of Greenfield Exempted Village Schools met with Greenfield Rotarians on Nov. 19, 2020 to discuss the Highland County Business Advisory Council.
Superintendents Dettwiller, Gray tell Rotarians about Hi-Co Business Advisory Council
Local Superintendents Tim Dettwiller (Fairlfield Local Schools) and Quincey Gray (Greenfield Exempted Village Schools) presented an interesting program to Greenfield Rotarians on Nov. 19 about their mutual efforts to help local students make connections that can help them choose fulfilling careers in line with their interests and abilities. Dettwiller and Gray are active members in the Southern Ohio Education Service Center (ESC), which helps test students to determine their skills and partners with area employers to allow students to job shadow or intern with those businesses and learn first-hand how companies operate. The educators explained that school systems are moving away from the old DE/OWE model where students worked part-time for a single employer to a model that allows more exploration of the work environment. A key component of the ESC program is involvement of local employers willing to take on a student for a time in the hope of a long-term payoff. Students are assessed as to their interests, future plans, and abilities in an effort to create hope for a fulfilling career in business or industry where opportunities exist, resulting in “win-win” relationships for employers and employees. Students involved in the program can be paid for their internship time as long as they meet certain requirements. Employers benefit because the state’s Jobs Ohio program will pay the interns for their time, and those internships could bear fruit in the form of long-term commitments which would help both the interns and the companies bringing them on as employees. The program extends beyond Highland County, with the following school districts currently participating: Adams County Ohio Valley LSD, Bright Local, Fairfield Local, Greenfield EVSD, Lynchburg-Clay LSD as well as the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center. Superintendents Dettwiller and Gray encourage local business representatives to contact them if they would like to know more about the Highland County Business Advisory Council. |
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