Meet our 2023-24 Club President: Jenny Baker
You can reach her at jennybrockwellbaker@gmail.com
Executive Board Members:
President-Elect: John Lamanna (lamannaj@outlook.com)
Secretary: Paul Frank (pfrank@ptfassociates.com)
Treasurer: Bob Hall (rdhdds@comcast.net)
Past President: John Elrick (john.elrick@gmail.com)
Board Members:
2021-2024 2022-2025 2023-2026
Heather Hovermale Wilson Gilbert Darcus Breneman
Dave Miles Darla McCrary Gary Chrisman
Jay Smith Chuck Peterson Rick Mabe
Dave Sweeney Ridge White John Elrick
Upcoming Meetings
June 13: Amelia Stansell – Rotary Action Group Against Slavery
June 20: Rotary – Passing of the Gavel
June 27: New Member Talks
Aug 8: Rotary Day at Camp Fantastic at the 4-H Center in Front Royal
Aug 15: Family Picnic
LAST WEEK’S PROGRAM
Our speakers were Johnny Craig and Steven Deadwyler
from TeensInc and t h e T i m b r o o k Achievement Center. Mr. Craig is the Executive Director and Steven is a Mentor and Program
Manager. Together, they provided background information
on TeensInc and the Timbrook Achievement Center, which serve
clients in Winchester and Frederick County. TeensInc is a vocational agriculture (VoAg) non-profit organization that provides training for at risk youth and individuals with disabilities. The primary objective of the program is to prepare students to enter the workforce better
equipped for obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.
This unique training course in green industry jobs provides students with a well-rounded introductory education in agricultural and grounds maintenance. In addition, students learn other important job readiness concepts such as work ethics, employer expectations, job safety, and teamwork. Some of the programs offered by TeensInc include mentoring programs, anger management training, teaching individual living skills and parent/caretaker education. In addition to the vocational training and mentoring services, TeensInc promotes, models and engages participants through events, programs, and activities that facilitate a culture and mindset of “giving back” to our community. On-the-job training is provided as a component of the vocational training program, with many of the projects geared towards providing community service to other non-profit or community organizations, the elderly, and/or individuals with a dis-
ability. In addition to providing community service, TeensInc.
donates a portion of all harvested crops to local non-profits,
soup kitchens, and homeless shelters. The Timbrook Achievement Center operates an after-school program Monday through Thursday from 4:00 – 8:00 pm. Youth participate in two hours of academic instruction and two hours of organized programming. Both programs are in facilities located at 129 Youth Development Court in
Winchester.
JUNE SERVICE PROJECT
The Salvation Army has a free pantry which provides people experiencing food insecurity with enough groceries to last 3-5 days. Currently, these food supplies are being purchased outright to keep their shelves stocked. For some, food pantries are a source of emergency aid to solve a hunger crisis. For others, food pantries supplement low incomes with nutritious meals. At The Salvation Army, their food pantry provides a variety of healthy food and basic-need items for those seeking food assistance and helps them regain household food security. The pantry is open M-F, so food is given out each day. To help them replenish their supplies our Rotary Club is designating them our June Service Project. The items they need most are:
Peanut Butter
Canned Chicken, Tuna, or Pork
Pasta Sauce
Rice
Beans
Boxed Mac & Cheese
Shelf Stable Milk
Cereal
Drop off your donations in the box by the Sgt-at-Arms desk marked “Salvation Army”. Questions? Contact the Impact Committee: Jean Barch (540-247-8402) / barchfam@comcast.net or Dave Miles (757-334-3771) / dave@drdavemiles.com. Please be generous with your contributions. Every item helps.
DON’T FORGET YOUR GUEST!
Many of you brought a potential member to the Membership Social. Now that you’ve got their attention, don’t lose them! Remember to invite them to our next meeting to experience our Club and see if it’s right for them. Applications can be picked up at the Sgt-at-Arms desk, on our website or contact Jean Barch at barchfam@comcast.net.
Newest Member
REBEKAH DESMARAIS – Rebekah is the Executive Director of the Community Foundation of the Northern Shenandoah Valley. She is a hometown lady, graduating from James Wood HS and James Madison University. Rebekah maintains those ties by serving as the President of the JWHS Choral Boosters. In her spare time, she likes to read, go hiking and do some gardening. Rebekah is especially interested in helping with providing safe, healthy living environments as well as growing the local economy. Her interests also include the Rescue Mission and the American Foundation for Suicide Awareness. With her skills in the areas of finance and event planning, she is sure to find many ways to be involved in our Club. Darcus and Dave Sweeney are to be thanked for spotting another great Rotarian in the making.
CAMP FANTASTIC – SAVE THE DATE: AUG 8th
This year’s Rotary Day at Camp Fantastic will be Thursday, August 8, at the 4 H Center in Front Royal.
Winchester Rotarians have traditionally served dinner to the campers annually during the camp’s summer
session. The late Tom Baker, a long-time club member and supporter of the camp, began this tradition. This year a new terrace at the 4 H Center, named in Tom’s honor, will be dedicated at 11:00 am on June 15th. If you would like to help with Rotary Day….contact Dave Smith.
Frothy Fridays!
OUR NEXT FROTHY FRIDAY IS JUNE 28TH!
Frothy Friday will be meeting at Vibrissa on N. Kent St in Winchester from 5:30-7pm. Come have a cold one to celebrate the end of the week with some good friends from Rotary! Hope to see you there!
Health Report of the Week
UPDATE
Libba reported that Ridge White was in the hospital, but he hopes to be home in a day. Libba called the club’s attention to the passing of Diane Ruckman’s father, Charles Orndoff, Sr. She complimented the Winchester Star for publishing a lengthy obituary. Charles was a remarkable public servant, and his impact was signified when the Top of Virginia Chamber of Commerce awarded him their 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. According to Libba, Tootie Rinker will become a grandmother to two granddaughters in early November, thanks to her daughter Robin. Libba congratulated club member Jonathan Reimer for his contributions to the daily comic strip “Pluggers” and she also noted, with pride, that the following businesses or organizations linked to Winchester Rotarians were mentioned as “Stars” in their category in the Winchester Star: Les Veach Insurance; Kern Motor Company; Shenandoah Valley
Westminster Canterbury; Blue Ridge Hospice; Sinclair Health Clinic; Oakcrest ERA realty; Navy Federal Credit Union; Valley Health; the MSV; and White Properties.
HEALTH TIP
Brown rice is a healthy favorite of many….but, Libba relayed instructions on how to make white rice or pasta more nutritious by cooking it one day ahead of time and refrigerating it overnight. This will allow the starch to become “resistant starch” which makes it hold its nutritional value, and helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. She credited her husband for finding this interesting information.
Rotary Road Trip!
Our Club’s latest Road Trip was to Vintage in the Valley in Strasburg on Saturday, April 6th. What a great way to spend a Saturday in Spring! The Box Office Brewery provided a fun lunch spot to start the day full of festivities, crafts and shows. Where will we go next? If you have an idea for another Road Trip, please email Jenny at jennybrockwellbaker@gmail.com
Our Meetings
We are currently meeting in Hybrid mode. Our meetings are held at Winchester Country Club on Thursdays. Doors open at Noon, and the program runs from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. If you choose to view our meetings remotely, there is also a Zoom option. The link for Zoom can be found on the Home Page.
Who we are
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
- FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
- SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
- THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
- FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world.
The Rotary Club of Winchester, founded in 1921, is comprised of some of Winchester’s most prominent community leaders – men and women with a variety of backgrounds in business, professions, religions, civic and non-profit organizations. Our members take action to make the Winchester community stronger through their service, fellowship, and by setting a good example. Every week, we come together to fulfill our commitment to Rotarian values, such as friendship, fellowship, and service to others.
If this sounds like you, Rotary is the right place for you.
A key tenet of Rotary is service.
Our members roll up their sleeves’ to make a difference. Whether it’s collecting for the Salvation Army, handing out dictionaries in our own community, packing food to send to Haiti, the Winchester Rotary Club’s impact can be felt near and far.
If this sounds like you, Rotary is the right place for you.