Volume 33                             April 20, 2023

Stories MEETING THIS WEEK - FRIDAY AT CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 11:45 AM OUR MEETING THIS WEEK IS FRIDAY @ 11:45 AM   CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH   PLEASE JOIN US! MARY ELLEN ICAZA, CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STARK DISTRICT LIBRARY   Mary Ellen Icaza joined Stark Library in 2018 as CEO and Executive Director. She is an innovative library leader who is fervent about making library services accessible for all. She has expertise in strategic planning, community engagement, and library technology, and is passionate about early childhood literacy – a passion that extends into her personal life.   Mary Ellen currently serves on the Canton Chamber of Commerce Board, Aultman Women’s Board, Kent State Stark Advisory Board, the Ohio Library Council Board, and the Public Library Association Board. In 2018, Mary Ellen was honored with the EPIC Award for Education from Montgomery Community Media, which recognizes leaders for excellence in creating and sharing within the community. In 2004, she was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker and was selected as a participant in the 2015 American Library Association Leadership Institute.   Prior to joining Stark Library, Mary Ellen led educational programming, community outreach and special events for Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) in Maryland, a large urban county near Washington, DC.  She represented MCPL to county and state government agencies, local schools, partners, and elected officials, and managed nine of the library system’s 21 branches.  Her programming expertise includes workforce development, business, early literacy, summer reading, children’s, teens’, and adults’ and programs for the under-served in the community.   Mary Ellen earned a Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in English (Magna Cum Laude) from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.   Mary Ellen, her husband Javier and their children, Christian and Victoria, reside in Plain Township and are thrilled to be a part of the Stark community.  MENU APRIL 21, 2023 Cream of Potato Soup   Chicken Wrap   Marinated Green Bean Salad   Mini Salad Bar   Beverages   Dessert     ZOOM LINK FOR MEETINGS **NEW**Updated Zoom Link for Friday Meetings   For those of us who are joining our Friday meetings via Zoom, a new link has been created to use starting with this Friday's meeting.  The old link will no longer be active so please save this new link for future reference. Thank you and we'll "see" you Friday!   https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83365192773?pwd=RFBvVHZKcERrNmJkNy9rTUw4QlJKQT09   UPCOMING CANTON ROTARY EVENTS! MARK YOUR CALENDAR!  NEXT WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING: WED. 4/26/23 - CONESTOGA GRILL, 5 PM (Board of Trustees will meet at 4 PM before the social meeting)   BACKPACK THE BUS PROJECT: for Stark Hunger Task Force - Saturday June 3, 2023 See Past President Mark Clendenin for details or to volunteer   NEW PROJECT! STARK COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE'S "GRAB, GO & GROW" BABY SHOWER: Saturday June 3, 2023 - William Hunter Center, 3015 Mahoning Rd. NE, Canton, 10 to 4 PM. We will be providing volunteers to help direct attendees, maybe serve sno-cones or cotton candy. Possible plan  4to 6 volunteers for each of  3 - two hour shifts. Sue Marzano is chairing this project, with Kara Bond & maybe Emily Callan co-chairs, operating as the New Member Committee.  More details to follow.    ANNUAL DISTRICT 6650 CONFERENCE: Fri. June 16th & Sat. June 17th: This will be our own District Governor Michelle Charles' 'swan song' (notice the classical music reference!), hosted by the Rotary Club of Canton, so we want to put on a great conference with GREAT ATTENDANCE BY CANTON ROTARY! VP Jennie George is chairing the Planning Committee for this conference. Tentative plan now is for a big public event at Centennial Plaza on Friday evening, then the main conference will be Saturday morning & afternoon at the Embassy Suites by Hilton on Freedom Ave. in North Canton (between Applegrove & Shuffel just off I-77). You'll have a great opportunity to learn more about Rotary, network with Rotarians from throughout the District, enjoy a light breakfast and lunch, and possibly take part in a local community service project! WE REALLY WOULD LOVE A HUGE TURNOUT FROM ALL OUR CANTON ROTARIANS!  (Board members and officers are especially encouraged to attend.)    CANTON ROTARY GOLF OUTING: This outing is still on the calendar for Wednesday June 21st, but there is a chance that we will instead share a golf outing with Plain Rotary in August. Stay posted.      JUNE 16TH & 17TH, DISTRICT 6650 CONFERENCE! MARK YOUR CALENDAR!    As the PROUD home club of our outstanding District Governor, Michelle Charles, we will be hosting this year's District 6650 Annual Conference.   Dates are Friday June 16th & Saturday June 17th.    Plans are being made now, so not all deets are known yet, but a STELLAR committee is starting to burn their creative brain cells to make this a GREAT conference, with an emphasis on fellowship, fun, and honoring the accomplishments of the clubs and Rotarians in our district!   Tentative plan is to have a social & fun event on Friday evening, we hope downtown, maybe at Centennial Plaza. (It'll look warmer in June!)   Saturday's conference will be at the Embassy Suites, 7883 Freedom Ave. NW, North Canton, OH 44720 (no downtown Canton venues were available).   So please make plans to join us for this conference and help honor District Governor Michelle!    (PS - We will need volunteers to help with running the conference - set-up, registration, check-in, hospitality, cat-herding, tear-down, etc. Please consider helping!)