Special presentations of grant checks from the club made by Bill Braun, on behalf of the philanthropy committee:
$2000 to the Adams County Farmers Market to support their work providing fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income families and senior citizens. Accepting the check and sharing a brief summary of the program success was Reza Djaiai, market manager and program director.
$1000 to Waldo's & Company - a non-profit organization located in Gettysburg. Their goal is to enrich the Gettysburg area by enjoying community, fostering creativity, and advancing culture. They strive to provide a framework for creativity for artists, musicians, and creatives of all types.
$1000 to the Adams County Public Library to support their early literacy program that supplies newborns with their first book and an introduction to the Library system. Laura Goss, Executive Director, accepted the grant.
Above is President-Elect Ken Farabaugh (presiding in President Brad's absence), SFC Bill Farris and Vice-President Larry Redding
Sergeant First Class (SFC) William Farris provided the membership with an overview of the recruitment and retention of citizens into the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. SFC Farris joined the PA Army National Guard in 1996 as a Combat Engineer in Johnstown and served in that capacity until 2003, including a deployment for Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2003 he was selected to become an active recruiter for the PA Army National Guard and became an expert recruiter. SFC Farris has served as a senior recruiter in Johnston, Greensburg and Gettysburg. His current assignment supports F Company 328th Brigade Support Battalion in Gettysburg.
In his current role, SFC Farris gauges his success on the success of the individuals that join the Army National Guard and ultimately serve the community, state and nation. Recruits join THE TEAMS - (Tradition, Honor, Experience, Training, Education, Adventure, Money, Selfless Service). In the Mechanicsburg Region, approximately 50 recruits making initial application each day. From the initial recruiting applications, only 5 successfully make the final selection. Basic requirements include being between 17 and 35 years of age, be a high school junior, senior or graduate, pass the ASVAB test, and meet medical, physical and background checks. Because the medical check includes over 168 questions, most individuals that don’t make the final selection, miss due to medical requirements.
Member of the citizen soldier PA Army National Guard serve two missions – Support the State, Support the Nation. The PA Governor and the US President direct their missions. Locally, the Guard was recently needed to assist with rescuing flood victims in York County. They can be deployed anywhere in the world. Pennsylvania has the second largest National Guard force in the United States with over 15,000 soldiers (Texas is the largest with 20,000). Jobs within the Guard are very diverse, with the majority needs being within the trades (mechanics, plumbing, etc.), field artillery and medical. The local Battalion has over $20 million in equipment and resources to support missions and, if needed, provide power, food and water to 800 people at one time.
Enlistees commit to paid basic training (10 weeks) and advanced training (6 week or more) and one weekend a month plus two-week summer training. Enlistment bonuses and numerous scholarship and tuition opportunities are available. The PA Army National Guard will pay up to 100% of the tuition to a State System of Higher Ed university and most PA community colleges, like HACC. Montgomery GI Bill benefits are also available. Students can serve their country and community while going to college at the same time.
The program closed with a Q & A session and a huge thank you to Sergeant First Class William Farris for his service to our country!
About 20 Rotarians gathered at the home of Charlie Gomer on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 for our regular 4th Wednesday of the Month meeting. Charlie owns Gettysburg Daylilies and Peafowl. Above, Charlie Gomer shows one of his special Daylilies in his expansive garden of these flowers.
There were too many beautiful sights to show all of them in photos, but here is a small sampling. There are some more available on The Rotary Club of Gettysburg Facebook page.
The Rotary International Convention will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii, June 6-10, 2020.
PDG John Kramb had been to many of these in various parts of the world. He encourages all Rotarians to attend and so he has decided to give us a Top Ten List for the reasons to go to the RI Convention this year. These will be presented in a weekly countdown to the number one reason. July 8 update! Only six more to reach number one!
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7.Learn to surf
8.The Beyond Borders dinner is a fun evening in which to meet other Rotarians from our Zone. Ask Kramb what a zone is.
Please sign up for these meeting duties to help Kyle Willet as he takes on the Club Service duties.
It's easy to sell 50/50 tickets and you were going to be at the meeting anyhow, right?
Invocation is just as easy. You can pray in the way that is most comfortable to you.
The registration is usually as simple as greeting the members and making sure they sign in. You'll receive some simple instructions on what to do when visitors arrive.
If you don't want to volunteer, Kyle can seek you out and pressure you into serving. (BTW have you seen the size of that guy?!)
$1000 to Waldo's & Company - a non-profit organization located in Gettysburg. Their goal is to enrich the Gettysburg area by enjoying community, fostering creativity, and advancing culture. They strive to provide a framework for creativity for artists, musicians, and creatives of all types.
Above is President-Elect Ken Farabaugh (presiding in President Brad's absence), SFC Bill Farris and Vice-President Larry Redding
About 20 Rotarians gathered at the home of Charlie Gomer on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 for our regular 4th Wednesday of the Month meeting. Charlie owns Gettysburg Daylilies and Peafowl. Above, Charlie Gomer shows one of his special Daylilies in his expansive garden of these flowers.
There were too many beautiful sights to show all of them in photos, but here is a small sampling. There are some more available on The Rotary Club of Gettysburg Facebook page.
