Shana Smith passionately serves as a Central Office Family and Community Outreach Coordinator for the Canton City School District. She has over 20 years of experience in working with high-need populations, which include replicating the SPARK Ohio kindergarten readiness initiative in six Ohio counties and assisting in the establishment of an alternative high school within the Canton City School District. 
 
In her current role, she works collaboratively with district personnel and community-based partners to address the academic and non-academic needs of all learners. She also serves on the board of the Myers Lake YMCA and the Ohio Optometric Foundation's iSee Program.
 
Ms. Smith received her Bachelor of Science degree from Kent State University, her Master's of Business Administration from Ashland University, and currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Ashland University. 
 

She has two daughters, Dayanna and Amya Worley, and her son, Demarlo Rozier Jr. 

 

SPEAKER CHAIR - MARK CLENDENIN

INVOCATOR - PP PAUL WHITE

GREETER LEADER - JENNIE GEORGE

It's the "GIVING" time of year and that means we are nearing our annual "Pack the Bus" event!!

 

The Rotary Club of Canton has joined forces with the McKinley High School Band and will partner the 3rd Annual "Pack The Bus" event. We are very excited to get word out to more people this year to help as many children and their families over the Holiday season as we can. The collection date will be held on Thursday, December 19th from 10 am - 5 pm. Bring your non-perishable food items, new clothing and hygiene supplies to the Zimmerman Symphony Center, 2331 - 17th St. N.W., Canton (located next to the McKinley High School). The McKinley High School Band Director and volunteers from the Rotary Club of Canton will be on hand with the band's equipment trailer to collect and transport the collected items to a Canton City Elementary School where the items will be unloaded and sorted so they can be distributed to the children in need.

 

Here's how you can help:

 

By the way, did you know the Canton City School District's poverty rate is near 100%?!?! This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in a young child's life to provide them with food in their bellies, clothes on their back and the opportunity to have a toothbrush/toothpaste and shampoo/soap for their personal hygiene over the holiday season.

 

Download the flyer here and give to your friends, co-workers or a community location to help get the word out.

 

Please contact PP Michelle Mullaly with any questions or if you are interested in volunteering. She can be reached at 330-452-3434 x603.

 

The Rotary Club of Canton received information regarding Rotary Foundation Month and a Paul Harris Fellow Challenge with Matching Donations from Dr. Peter Apicella, District 6650 Foundation Chair.

 

Dr. Apicella would like everyone to be aware that we have a special PAUL HARRIS FELLOW CHALLENGE with MATCHING DONATIONS!

 

PDG Geoff and Kim Goll have pledged to MATCH ALL DONATIONS FROM $100-$500 with Foundation Points to HELP ROTARIANS EARN THEIR FIRST OR NEXT PAUL HARRIS FELLOW RECOGNITION. (Note: $1,000 or 1,000 Foundation Points = one Paul Harris Fellow recognition).This contest has raised over $100,000 over the past 4 years for the Rotary International Foundation. 

 

If you are interested, please contact President Mark Rojek (330) 832-2112 or the Rotary office (330) 452-2882 for more details. Deadline date is December 31, 2019.

 

 

This year begins a new expansion to our "Character Count Champions" which, in the past, awarded two scholarships funded by the Mayfield Scholarship Fund of the YMCA. After discussions between the Rotary Club of Canton and the Eric Snow Family YMCA we have decided to further recognize these outstanding students from McKinley Senior High School by creating the "Character Counts Scholarship Program". In the months of October, November, December, February, March and April two students, chosen by teachers and counselors from the school, will each be awarded with a $500 scholarship based on demonstrating leadership, scholastic achievement, personal integrity, and active engagement in their school and community along with demonstrating the 6 pillars of character: Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Respect, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. 

 

The Scholarship grants can be used for students planning on college, trade school training, job skills training, military involvement...whatever the recipients pursue after high school. The students, along with a family member, will be invited to a Rotary meeting and be recognized for their positive accomplishments. The scholarships will be presented to the "Character Champs" at their year-end school assembly.

 

During the November 15, 2019 meeting, Canton Rotarian Mike Brown, who is the Executive Director of the Eric Snow Family Center as well as the "Character Counts" Leader through Canton Rotary, presented the October and November Character Counts Scholarship recipients. The October and November winners were: Madeline Dodson, Kaylee Sinclair, Le'Jan Marshall and Courtland Faulkner.

 

Below is the description of each High School Senior provided by their teacher or counselor from McKinley High School which made them a "Character Counts Scholarship" winner:

 

 

"This Questbridge finalist is the epitome of perseverance. She is an example of not allowing life's circumstances to deter you from your dreams. Madeline has been a member of McKinley's swimming, tennis, and golf teams. Madeline always takes small opportunities and uses them to her advantage. When in elementary school, Madeline watched the show Gilmore Girls, the main character's dream was to go to Harvard and she was accepted into Harvard, and Yale. Ever since then, it has been Madeline's dream to go to Harvard, understanding that it would take a lot of hard work, she had her mind made up. She has taken the most rigorous courses and never gave herself an easy year. She has been extremely organized with her time and obligations. She's had her share of obstacles in life, including losing everything in a fire, but that didn't affect where she wanted to go in her life. She is always in school with a curious and passionate outlook on learning. She has constantly pushed herself to the next level. Madeline hasn't let the hiccups in life define who she is instead she's used them to push her forward to where she wanted to go. Madeline currently has a 4.4 GPA and has applied to Brown, Yale, Harvard, and other Ivy Leagues. We are anxiously awaiting to see if she will be a Questbridge winner. Congratulations Madeline on this great honor."

 

 

"Currently, Kaylee is in our Culinary program and Chef Escola says this about her: Kaylee is an extremely conscientious and caring individual. She shows up on time all the time. When we need volunteers for after school activities she is the first to volunteer and she is the last to leave. She is an absolute asset to our culinary program and will be a valuable asset in the future to her employer. She is a perfectionist in the classroom and in the restaurant. She strives to be great, and it shows!!! Kaylee is working as a hostess at Applebee's and has been saving money for a trip to Colorado to see her mom. Kaylee also enjoys writing, and loves to write about things she is passionate about. Kaylee plans to join the Navy, and pursue medical school with an ROTC program. Kaylee's dream career is to be a neonatal nurse. Thank you for taking pride in our Country and wanting to serve this great nation."

 

 

"All throughout high school Le'Jan has tried his absolute best. He shows character in and outside of school and stands up for what he believes is the right thing. He grew up knowing right from wrong and stands by that. He is seen in the school among adults and peers as a leader. This is important to him because he says "it's hard to become who you really are if you're a follower". He seeks to show people where you can go if you show your true potential. After high school Le'Jan desires to pursue a career in engineering. He wants to be one of the many people who change the world for the better. New things are created everyday to help people and he wants to help create those new things. Le'Jan plans to attend The Ohio State University for mechanical engineering in the Fall of 2020. Congratulations to you Le'Jan, your heart is pure and you truly make our school a better place."

 

 

"Courtland Faulkner enjoys participating in any school event that he has the opportunity to attend. He takes great pride in his school and his grades. He believes that grades reflect how much effort was put into them. Courtland believes that being involved is extremely important whether that be in school, in the community, or in the city. He is a firm believer that as we as individuals should always respect everyone that we come into contact with, regardless of how much tension is between us. Courtland plans to attend college to pursue an engineering degree, particularly mechanical or biomedical. He grew up loving math, science, and solving real world problems so choosing engineering was the uncomplicated decision. As of now he hasn't solidified that fits him best but we are positive that wherever he goes he'll make the best of it. Congratulations Courtland, thank you for always representing McKinley with such pride and class."

 

 

 

 

NEWS FLASH:    President Elect Drew Pelger has announced that if (WHEN?) he reaches his Charitable Fund Drive monetary goal of $12,000, he will participate in one of the local "POLAR BEAR  PLUNGES"...brrrrr.

 

 

If you're not familiar with a "Polar Bear Plunge", it is when otherwise sane people decide to jump into a freezing cold body of water in the middle of winter! YIKES! 

 

 

The President Elect plays a very important role in the Club as he leads the annual Charitable Fund Drive to raise money to fund our myriad community service projects. Throughout each Rotary year, we provide important funding for projects such as Rotary Scouts, Junior Achievement, Student Scholarships, and the Philomatheon Society, to name just a few.

 

Please feel free to contact the Rotary office to make a contribution to this important Charitable Fund drive on your credit card. You can also mail a check payable to the Canton Rotary Charitable Fund to 116 Cleveland Ave. N.W., Suite 307, Canton, OH 44702.

 

**Download the Charitable Pledge form HERE

 

Thank you for your consideration of this vital drive which helps support our Club's work in the community in which we live!

 

 

 

 

The Rotary Club of Canton will once again join the bell-ringing efforts of the Salvation Army during its annual Holiday Red Kettle fundraising . Rotarian James Boggs will be chairing this event and will have sign-up sheets available during Friday meetings for those members who choose to volunteer.

 

We will be manning the kettles on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at the Giant Eagle on the Strip, 6493 Strip Ave NW, North Canton, OH 44720 between the hours of 10:00 am - 7:00 pm. Each time slot will consist of TWO Rotarians manning the kettle for a ONE HOUR shift.

 

 

     11am-12pm

 

                      

Please contact Rotarian James Boggs at (412) 558-6671 if you would like to volunteer. As a reminder, we will have the volunteer sign-up sheet available beginning this Friday during the meeting.

 

 

During the meeting on November 15, 2019, President Mark Rojek welcomed the 48 members and 12 guests to the meeting. 

 

Thank you to the following Rotarians: David Roberts who gave the Invocation; Bill Sparks for playing the piano; Bruce Hale and Alex Dowell for greeting members and guests; Lynn Hamilton at the attendance table; and Paula Mastroianni, Paul Hervey, Steve Fettman and Vice President Mark Clendenin for being liasons with the Character Count recipients and their family members.

 

Congratulations to Rotarian Jon Adland for having the winning 50/50 ticket worth $32.00!

 

Secretary Julia Dick welcomed the following guests to the meeting: Celia King (speaker); Madeline Dodson, Kaylee Sinclair, Breanna Worth, Jennifer Miller, Carol Czivok, Nour Kelly, Victoria Phillips, Courtland Faulkner and Le'Jen Marshall (Character Counts); Tim Haverstock (guest of Steve Fettman); Dallas Godfrey (guest of President Mark Rojek).

 

President Mark then took the opportunity to remind everyone about the Charitable Fund Drive which is underway. He stated President Elect Drew Pelger is in the process of preparing a letter which will be sent to each member giving them insight into his monetary goal of $12,000 and what community programs this money has helped in the past. This fund is the "lifeblood" of our efforts to give back and each member is asked to please consider supporting this endeavor. 

 

President Mark also announced we will once again have the annual "Pack The Bus" event taking place on Thursday, December 19, 2019 from 10 am - 5 pm. This year though the Rotary Club of Canton will partner with the McKinley High School Band in efforts of helping raise further awareness of the critical need the children of the Canton City School District has over the holiday season...did you know the poverty rate is near 100%?!? He stated there were flyers for this event on the tables and to please help get word out to the community. Many Canton Rotarians are going to be needed to volunteer to collect the food and new clothing as well as to help unload items at the school.

 

Health Screen Chairman Bob Matthews took the opportunity to thank all those who volunteered to make this the biggest Health Screen event to date!

 

Rotarian Mike Brown presented the October and November Character Champ Scholarship recipients...Madeline Dodson, Kaylee Sinclair, Le'Jan Marshall and Courtland Faulkner (*see story above).

 

 

President Mark then introduced the speaker for the meeting Celia King from Arrants McSwain Team Building with her presentation on "Helping Leaders Build Strong Teams".

 

 

The meeting concluded with the following announcements: