Austin Miller and his partner Marita are owners of Kahiniwalla, a distributor of heirloom goods for children and families ethically handcrafted with respect for people and the planet. The Kahiniwalla brand story honors each individual who touches the products they sell - from the artisans who handcraft each toy to the future leaders who play with them.
Austin discovered his passion as a product designer living, with his family, in Bangladesh while working with local designers to create products marketable in the US. Through his work, he discovered Pebble. Pebble provides local, living-wage jobs to more than 12,000 women in over 120 rural centers in Bangladesh. This commitment to equity impacts entire communities as women are given a voice and no longer need to leave their children with grandparents and migrate to the cities in search of employment.
Kahiniwalla is the North American distributor for Pebble. By partnering with Pebble, the Millers have been able to marry their values of compassion, imagination, and sustainability. They delight in the fact that their work puts sustainable handmade toys into the hands of the next generation.
Austin and Marita live in Canton and have three sons Jensen, Pruitt, and Riley.
REMINDER! We have a NEW permanent location for our Friday luncheon meetings!
Hey, we're be back in Beautiful Downtown Canton!
We will now be at the historic Christ Presbyterian Church at 530 Tuscarawas Street West, right across Tusc from McKinley High School Downtown Campus (the old Timken High).
Access to their mobility-friendly parking lot on the west side of the building is off of 2nd Street SW, from McKinley Avenue S. The building entrance is the middle door on the parking lot side. Meeting room is at the top of the stairs and, should you care to use it, there is an elevator just inside the entrance. (Please let President Mark know if you think you might need help navigating to the meeting that day.)
Meals will be provided by our old friend Terry from Mr. Mike's Catering. As you may remember, they always served us great food when we were across the street from Tim's Tavern. (See below for this week's menu).
WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK TO MAKE A RESERVATION FOR THE MEETING! (No payment is necessary when reserving). THIS ALLOWS US TO HAVE AN ACCURATE COUNT FOR THE CATERER SO WE ARE NOT OVERPAYING FOR MEALS! Payment options will be available at the meeting. If you need help using the Eventbrite site, please contact President Mark: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-rotary-club-of-canton-ohio-18781258928
President Mark has set up Zoom access for EVERY week through next June. The link stays the same, and for us to join the Zoom meeting, we will enter the passcode 6650.
Meeting ID: 836 4900 5179 Passcode: 6650 One tap mobile +16465588656,,83649005179#,,,,*6650# US (New York) +13017158592,,83649005179#,,,,*6650# US (Washington DC)
Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 836 4900 5179 Passcode: 6650 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kgeHaSYrs
I may not be sitting outside today working, as the rain has arrived, but it does give me pause to reflect on what beautiful weather we’ve had. It reminds me that less than desirable weather is not only inevitable, but necessary, and that beautiful weather will be here again. This reminded me a great deal of what our club has been going through.
We were all moving along nicely pre-covid, and then we hit a bit of bad weather, and now here we are emerging as the light begins to shine again.
I would be remiss if I didn’t say that our lunch meeting last week stirred up some great emotions in me. I saw Rotarians I haven’t seen in a while, guests, and even a pending new member. If that wasn’t enough, we had many members pitching in to help where they could and I had Bill Sparks on the piano. As happy as I am with our journey so far, there is more work to be done. We are working hard to retain and add to our membership, and that’s important.
I'm appreciative of the commitment each of you has made to Canton Rotary and likewise, I am committed to each of you. We are, as they say, family and there is no way I'll let my family struggle without providing workable solutions.
The pandemic was brutal on our club, as well as being difficult on all of us individually. Your club leaders have spent many hours not only navigating this, but also developing plans to re-emerge as a leaner, more agile, and community focused organization.
My year is all about furthering the passions of new and existing members and helping them to see Canton Rotary as a place to give their passion a home. I've long felt that Canton Rotary isn't defined by projects, but rather friendships, collaborations, and resources that can be focused on the passions of our members. That's where I think we shine the brightest.
President Mark welcomed a total of 34 Canton Rotarians (32 on site + 2 on Zoom), plus guests Joel Harris (our speaker, thank you Joel!), Rich Micelli (has applied to be our newest member!), and Brian Bowman, visiting Perry Rotarian.
From Secretary Paula:
This day in history:
· 1918 – The first woman enlists in the US Marine Corps.
· 1942 - The Manhattan Project begins under the direction of US General Leslie Groves. The aim: to deliver the atomic bomb.
· 1956 – Elvis Presley releases his hit single “Don’t Be Cruel”.
· 1961 – Berlin becomes a divided nation as soldiers lay down barbed wire and bricks between the Soviet-controlled East Berlin and the democratic western section of the city.
· 2008 – Super swimmer, Michael Phelps, wins three gold medals, all in record time, at the Beijing Olympics.
· 2016 – Michael Phelps ends his swimming career by winning is 23rd gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
Fun Fact:
Today is both Filet Mignon Day and Prosecco Day. Sounds like a great combination to me!
Paula collected Happy Bucks from PP Drew Pelger, Becky Clark, Vice President Paul Hervey, PP Mark Rojek, and President Mark.
Mark's comments:
Welcomed attendees back to our traditional meetings and was especially excited to see so many Rotarians, including our pianist Bill Sparks.
Fielded questions from members as to club activities and events.
Reminded everyone present of the need to serve in some capacity in one of our many committees.
Reminded members to update their membership information on Club Runner. If you need assistance, reach out to Sue Marzanno and she will be happy to train you up as she does with new members.
