YWCA Visits

Posted by Gary Reel
Leah Brooks and Susan Burney from the YWCA of Youngstown spoke to Austintown Rotary on Monday.  The building was built in 1911 and has served many different functions over the years. From inexpensive and safe housing for single women, immigrant shelter, vocational skills center, recreation, and fitness to current role with single parent housing, school latchkey programs at Watson and Woodside in Austintown, social work and counseling today.  They have been able to land several HUD grants to finance renovation of the building, changing dorm space to single bedroom and efficiency apartments.  They are planning to demolish the pool space and put in a cybercafe, day care area, and empowerment rooms for job counseling.

Gary opened with invocation and pledge, God Bless America. 

 

Visitors were Tom Baker from Warren, Matt Cottel from Wheeling, WV (here to support the YWCA speaker), Erica Cunningham (Mike's fiancee helping with Reverse Raffle) and three Interact students from Fitch-Liana Defuria, Samantha Devenport, and Bethany Mattern.
 
Ram was song leader with the "More We Get Together" song. Very appropriate with a filled room.
 
Mike announced the Mahoning joint meeting next Wednesday at the Holiday Inn in Boardman at 12 p.m. for $10 at the door.  10 from our club will be going, and others can still go.  The speaker is David Lee with US Secret Service.

The 4 Way Speech contest will be Feb. 23, and Mentoring Day on March 23.
 
Rescue Mission on Feb. 23. The sheet was passed around.
 
Mike thanked Melissa Crowley, Dave Buttar, and Susan Leetch for all the work they did for the Austintown Rotary 40th Anniversary party on Jan. 31. Great party!
 
Only 23 tickets left for the Reverse Raffle, Mike is smiling today, but still need to be sold out by then.  If you haven't taken any, please get in touch with Mike now so nobody is disappointed or not doing their share.  In the spirit of Rotary, we will be raffling off a ticket or two, taking $5 tickets from the secretary or 3 for $10 until $150 is in hand, then raffle one off.  We got $75 today, so probably next week one will go.  It's a nice way to have an extra for small price and maybe invite a friend for first time.
 
David Buttar hosted fellowship since he forgot the volunteer list for February at his office.  He fined himself for forgetting, then anyone who missed the 40th Anniversary party.
 
Mike closed reminding members to SELL TICKETS, get donations, and be ready for a great night on Mar. 7