At our weekly meeting on April 7, 2017, Canton Rotarian Rob Roland (sponsor) introduced new member, Gary Sirak, to the Rotary Club of Canton.
Gary was born in Canton, Ohio and graduated from Oakwood High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University of Ohio in 1973. Gary is President of Sirak Financial Services, a family owned business that was started in 1957, now celebrating its 60th Anniversary. Gary has authored two books: 'If Your Money Talked… What Secrets Would It Tell'?; and 'The American Dream Revisited'. Gary is a well known fixture in the Canton area and has served on many boards throughout the community. He currently serves on the board of the Stark County Community Foundation and public radio station 91.3 The Summit. Gary has been featured in over 85 radio interviews about financial planning.
Gary and his wife Linda live in Canton. Their son Max is a free-lance writer in Colorado.
At our weekly meeting on April 7, 2017, Canton Rotarian Rob Roland (sponsor) introduced new member, Matthew DiRuzza, to the Rotary Club of Canton.
Matt was born in Canton, Ohio and attended St. Joan of Arc, later graduating from Perry High School. After graduating with a degree in Economics from The Ohio State University, Matt moved back to Canton to start his family and begin his career.
Matt got his start in the insurance industry working for AultCare for over 13 years. He then succumbed to the very persuasive overtures of Gary Sirak and joined Sirak Financial as an independent agent and financial advisor. Most of Matt’s business is focused on group benefits, but he also regularly helps individuals with personal financial planning.
Matt currently resides in Jackson Township with wife Erin and four children, a daughter who is 17, and three sons ages 15, 10 and 4. The older two attend Central Catholic while the younger two attend St. Michael’s. Matt and his family are parishioners at St. Michael’s. He spends most of his free time attending his kids sporting events.
Nominations for Rotarian of the Year Award are now being accepted. Nominations require submission of a completed nomination form outlining the candidate's fulfillment of the award criteria. Deadline to submit your nomination is Friday, April 21, 2017.
Please keep in mind that current Officers of the Club (Craig Young, Amanda Tietze, Michelle Mullaly, Suzette Matthews and Tom Clevenger), along with the past Award winners (PP Paul White, Dale Holwick, PP Mike Gregorek, PDG/PP Bob Pattison and PDG/PP Dave Ewing) are not eligible. ALL nominations will be kept confidential and we ask that you do the same. Results and the name of the award winner will be announced at the May 5, 2017 meeting.
You may download the Nomination Form here or pick one up at a regular meeting. Completed forms may be returned to the Canton Rotary office, located at 116 Cleveland Ave. N.W., Suite 307, Canton, 44702, emailed to the office at info@cantonrotary.org, or brought to a Friday meeting and given to President Elect Michelle Mullaly.
Fellowship Chair Shawn Dougherty is attempting to arrange a group of Canton Rotarians and significant others to attend the 15th Annual Vintage Jackson on April 21, 2017, at Shady Hollow Country Club. Cost is $60 per person, with proceeds going to help the Rotary Club of Jackson's Foundation, which supports Jackson Township first responders, protective vests for safety forces, community scholarships, and the Pegasus Farm's Military Family Center (a District 6650 project).
Cost includes sampling of 30 unique wines, hors d'oeuvres, and a silent auction.........and, most importantly, FUN with your fellow Rotarians!
The Rotary Club of Canton will once again hold its semi-annual Health Screen & Wellness Fair on Saturday, April 29, 2017. This event will be held at Mercy Medical Center, Mercy Hall Auditorium, 1320 Mercy Drive N.W., Canton 44708.
A 12-hour fast is recommended for those being tested to achieve more accurate results. In addition to the blood screenings, Mercy Medical Center service lines will be offering additional free health screenings and educational materials.
Registration for this event is available on the Rotary Club of Canton's home page or by clicking this LINK. You may also contact the Rotary office for assistance with Registration. Please click on thisLINKto view the flyer and the descriptions of available tests.
At our weekly meeting on April 7, 2017, President Craig Young welcomed our 67 members and 1 guest to the meeting.
Rotarian Steve Fettman gave the Invocation.
President Craig then asked all members celebrating an April birthday to please stand and be recognized.
Secretary Suzette Matthews welcomed the following guest to the meeting: Enzo Fatigati (guest of Suzette Matthews);
The "Happy Bucks" news was then provided by the following:
$1: Bill Liber: In celebration of the birth of his new granddaughter, Harper Diane Liber.
$1: PP Dan Matthews: In celebration of guest Enzo Fatigati.
$2: PP Dan Matthews: In recognition of our two new members: Gary Sirak and Matthew DiRuzza.
$1: PresidentCraig Young: In recognition of Judge Curt Werren, who was featured in a recent edition of The Canton Repository for his work and dedication on the Recovery Court.
$5: Ashley Abrigg: In recognition of the Canton Regency and all the good things it has to offer. In addition, 'Goooooooo Tribe!'
$1: Lynn Hamilton: In recognition of the Stark County Republican Party McKinley Banquet and the great speaker there, Jane Timken, on Thursday, April 6, 2017.
$1: PP Virginia Neutzling: To encourage Rotarians to attend an event Wednesday, April 11th, at the Wilkoff Court Yard at the Canton Museum of Art, to hear the history of Taggart's. You can call the Museum of Art for lunch reservations. Cost is $15 per person.
$1: Mark Shaffer: In recognition of having the opportunity to being featured in a "Brush with Fame" feature in the Rep, when he and son posed with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.; two other NASCAR drivers they encountered recognized he was a Rotarian because of the Rotary pin he was wearing.
$1: Stephanie Werren: To celebrate Leadership Stark County's 31st Anniversary and to announce the opportunity to sign up for next year's class: applications are due Friday, April 14, 2017.
$2: PP Paul White: In recognition of Curt and Stephanie Werren's triplets': Grace & Hannah, who have been accepted to The Naval Academy; and Jack, who has been accepted at The Ohio State University.
$1: PP Paul White: In recognition of the Canton Rotary/Mercy Health & Wellness event on Saturday, April 29, 2017. Come one and all!
$1: Suzette Matthews: in celebration of Jan Baker being in attendance at the meeting today.
Rotarian Rob Roland (sponsor) then took to the podium to introduce the newest members to the Rotary Club of Canton, Gary Sirak and Matthew DiRuzza (*please see stories above for their bio's).
Rotarian Mark Clendenin announced an upcoming Club Project -- food packing/backpacks for kids which will be held on May 3, 2017, from 12-1pm at Goodwill. We will need 8 Rotarians to volunteer to help.
President Craig reminded everyone about the "Rotarian of the Year" Nominations forms on each table. The Nominations must be turned in no later than April 21, 2017 and the announcement of this year's recipient will be made during the May 5, 2017 meeting.
Rotarian Mark Rojek reminded everyone about the upcoming Health Screen & Wellness Fair which will take place on Saturday, April 29, 2017. Mark then stated he would be sending an email to every member in the Club following today's meeting. This email is a way for you to reach out to your friends and colleagues informing them of this event. Mark asked that everyone take the opportunity to get the word out about this event and pick up a flyer on your way out the door and post it at your place of business, church or Dr. office.
April Speaker Chair Nick Perini introduced his speaker for the meeting, Dr. Cecil Bergen.
President Craig concluded the meeting with the following club information:
There will be NO MEETING on Friday, April 14, 2017, due to Good Friday;
Remember to check your email regarding the Health Screen & Wellness Fair. Also, there are flyers available to take with you regarding this event. We ask that you post this flyer at your place of business, church or Dr. Office.
The following Rotarian turned in makeups during Friday's meeting: PDG/PP Bob Pattison (4 - Cocoa Beach FL)
The Rotary Club of Canton once again had a fine showing over the weekend at the District 6650 annual District Conference. On Saturday, April 8, 2017, District Awards for projects submitted in various categories were presented to the winning clubs.
This year the Rotary Club of Canton submitted projects in the categories of:
Roland Luhman - Community Avenue:
Membership Development Initiatives (Rotary Club of Canton's partnership with Leadership Stark County); LINK to view submission
Operation Save a Life (New Member Project - Free Fire Alarm distribution) LINK to view submission
Robert Manchester - Vocational Avenue:
"Career Connections" Program - Junior Achievement LINK to view submission
The Rotary Club of Canton was very fortunate to win the Robert Manchester Vocational Award for the Junior Achievement "Career Connections" Project!
The Rotary Club of Canton has partnered with Junior Achievement of East Central Ohio to offer mentoring opportunities to our members, who present Junior Achievement programs in our local schools, particularly in the Canton City School District. Our Canton Rotarians provide their business or professional expertise to the students, as well as their personal experience, so students can connect both the JA and school curricula to the real world of jobs and business. This year's award winning activity specifically included mentoring opportunities at McKinley High School, with Rotarians presenting JA "Hire Me!", where they teach students what it takes to get and keep a job, and JA Professional Conversation, where juniors sit and talk with Rotarian members in order to prepare for job interviews.
The Rotary Club of Canton also received recognition for for its financial support of Rotary's Polio Eradication campaign.
The Rotary Club of Canton received a "Thank You" letter dated April 5, 2017, from Nancy Schoenbaum, Treasurer of Camp Tuscazoar Foundation, Inc. Nancy writes:
"Rotary Club of Canton -- The Camp Tuscazoar Foundation wishes to thank you for the donation of $100.00 which will be put into our savings account for future use on a special project. We are so grateful for gifts like yours which give us even more reasons to keep this wonderful place we call Tuscazoar available to the youth of Northeastern Ohio. As you know, our camp is operated totally by volunteers and has no paid staff. The wonderful thing is that every dollar donated to us is used 100% for the camp.
Again, thank you for your wonderful donation and we hope to be using it soon."
In 2017-18, we’ll answer the question “What is Rotary?” with RI President-elect Ian H.S. Riseley’s theme, Rotary: Making a Difference. “Whether we’re building a new playground or a new school, improving medical care or sanitation, training conflict mediators or midwives, we know that the work we do will change people’s lives — in ways large and small — for the better.”
THERE WILL BE 
Gary was born in Canton, Ohio and graduated from Oakwood High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University of Ohio in 1973. Gary is President of Sirak Financial Services, a family owned business that was started in 1957, now celebrating its 60th Anniversary. Gary has authored two books: 'If Your Money Talked… What Secrets Would It Tell'?; and 'The American Dream Revisited'. Gary is a well known fixture in the Canton area and has served on many boards throughout the community. He currently serves on the board of the Stark County Community Foundation and public radio station 91.3 The Summit. Gary has been featured in over 85 radio interviews about financial planning.
Matt was born in Canton, Ohio and attended St. Joan of Arc, later graduating from Perry High School. After graduating with a degree in Economics from The Ohio State University, Matt moved back to Canton to start his family and begin his career. 
Nominations for Rotarian of the Year Award are now being accepted. Nominations require submission of a completed nomination form outlining the candidate's fulfillment of the award criteria. Deadline to submit your nomination is Friday, April 21, 2017.
Fellowship Chair Shawn Dougherty is attempting to arrange a group of Canton Rotarians and significant others to attend the 15th Annual Vintage Jackson on April 21, 2017, at Shady Hollow Country Club. Cost is $60 per person, with proceeds going to help the Rotary Club of Jackson's Foundation, which supports Jackson Township first responders, protective vests for safety forces, community scholarships, and the Pegasus Farm's Military Family Center (a District 6650 project).
The Rotary Club of Canton will once again hold its semi-annual Health Screen & Wellness Fair on Saturday, April 29, 2017. This event will be held at Mercy Medical Center, Mercy Hall Auditorium, 1320 Mercy Drive N.W., Canton 44708. .jpg)
At our weekly meeting on April 7, 2017, President Craig Young welcomed our 67 members and 1 guest to the meeting..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Canton received a "Thank You" letter dated April 5, 2017, from Nancy Schoenbaum, Treasurer of Camp Tuscazoar Foundation, Inc. Nancy writes:
In 2017-18, we’ll answer the question “What is Rotary?” with RI President-elect Ian H.S. Riseley’s theme, Rotary: Making a Difference. “Whether we’re building a new playground or a new school, improving medical care or sanitation, training conflict mediators or midwives, we know that the work we do will change people’s lives — in ways large and small — for the better.”