North Coast Rotary

Skillful Presenters and Writers Cover Weighty topics using the 4-Way Test 

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The 4-Way Test is an ethical problem-solving tool, the subject of which area middle school students write essays and area high school students write speeches for presentation.  Ben Hodge, Superintendent of Avon Local Schools and North Coast Rotary’s Speech and Essay Contest Chair, coordinates both programs with the assistance of Avon, Avon Lake and Brookside teachers.  2024 marked the 12th year for North Coast Rotary’s Speech Contest and the 8th year for the Essay Contest.  

This year, Max Wojtus, Avon High School, won North Coast Rotary’s 4-Way Test Speech Contest and went on to compete with 15 other speech contest winners in the recent District competition. Avon High School junior Anika Singh placed second in North Coast Rotary’s contest; Avon Lake’s Kamryn Hess placed third and Avon Lake’s Tyler Birk and Brookside’s Bree Fawley placed fourth.  Speech topics included: Why Smoking Cigarettes Should be Banned; Money Can’t Buy Happiness; Child Abuse; Hypermasculinity; and Being a Woman in STEM.

Twelve students, six each, from Avon’s and Avon Lake’s middle school participated in the 4-Way Test Essay contest.  They were the top twelve of many submissions.  Six won cash awards and all students were recognized with certificates.  “Embracing Uniqueness” the essay written by an Avon Lake Student; won first place overall and first place for Avon Lake.  Avon Student’s submission “AI in the Art Community” placed second overall and placed first for Avon; and Avon Lake student’s essay “Honesty is the Best Policy” placed 3rd overall and second place for Avon Lake.  Three other Student’s essays won cash awards. 

 

We commend those students who participate in these competitions; they invest extra time and effort to understand and apply ethical decision-making tools like the 4-Way test. North Coast Rotary also recognizes and thanks the teachers, and speech and essay judges who assist us in these programs. 

A Big Thank You to Tri-C Westshore, our Sponsors and Sip & Support Guests

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With the tremendous support of Tri-C Westshore, North Coast Rotary’s sixth Wine Tasting Fundraiser was our most successful event ever.  One hundred guests enjoyed sampling the wines from six regions around the world arranged through Heidelberg Distributors.  “The food was fabulous!” Gourmet appetizers were provided by Aramark chefs; mini beef-wellingtons and sweet and spicy candied bacon twists were crowd favorites. Tri-C Creative Arts’ students displayed (and sold) their art.  A variety of raffle baskets and music performed by a trio of Tri-C students contributed to everyone’s overall enjoyment.  Plans are already underway for the 7th Sip and Support event to be held at Tri-C Westshore in 2025.

See More Here: 2024 Sip and Support Wine Tasting Fundraiser – A Success!

Welcome New Member Robyn Gauder

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“I look forward to all that is to come serving this community and working with this incredible team,” said Robyn Gauder, Membership Director of the French Creek Family Y as she was inducted into North Coast Rotary by President Joe Matuscak.

We look forward to Robyn’s involvement in our service efforts throughout our communities and region.

Rotary supports CRS Easter Brunch Bags

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Mindy Penn at CRS accepted North Coast Rotary’s donation of 60 dozen eggs for the Community Resource Services’ Easter brunch bags for families in need. 

Volunteers from New Westsiders supplied an additional 30 dozen eggs for a successful Easter Brunch Bag project. 

On May 14th, Rotarians will help CRS sort and stock donations from the “Stamp Out Hunger” campaign.

Community Support is important to us; thank you to CRS for providing these opportunities to help!

Save the Date Sip and Support Fundraiser

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North Coast Rotary’s Wine Tasting (and signature fundraiser) is back! Tri-C Westshore Campus (Sip & Support’s Presenting Sponsor) is hosting at their campus just off Bradley Road. 

Tickets purchased in advance are $50 each; the door-price will be $60 each.

Buy Sip and Support Tickets – $50 each

Tickets include unlimited samplings of 30 wines from around the world supplied by Heidelberg Distributors; Gourmet appetizers provided by Aramark; entertaining music, an artwalk and more!  Buy Sip and Support Tickets – $50 each

Holiday Tour, Service, Donations and Socials

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Rotarians kicked off the 2023 Holiday Season with a grand tour of Green Circle Growers, an expanding 50+ year-old family owned company providing seasonal indoor plants, succulents, and much more! 

Rotarians and Friends Tour Green Circle Growers

We joined with Lorain County Community College’s Veterans Services Ryan Murphy, Veteran and Military Service Officer to provide toys for military families.

Blankets for Beds – Thanks to our community donors and Ridge Cleaners, we donated more blankets to Good Knights and 45 comforters to Lorain Coordinated Entry, a central point of access to homeless services.

For the CRS teens’ holiday program, we donated $200 in gift cards!

Continuing our support for Parent Information Nights at Avon Middle School we donated refreshments and assisted with childcare.

The Club hosted a get-together with pizza for Rotarians and friends at Avon’s Wine Room; beverages, good wine or beer, casual conversation and support for our Instant Bingo Fundraiser. 

But the best was when President Joe Matuscak and Maggie generously hosted the club-members and spouses and friends for a holiday social at their home. Guests enjoyed a catered meal and a “tour” of Joe’s many collections.

You might consider joining us!

Welcome New Members!

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North Coast Rotary enthusiastically welcomed three valued additions to our membership:  Avon Lake City Schools Superintendent Joelle Magyar, Main Event Sales Manager Diamonds Holsey and French Creek Family Y Membership Director Taylor Robinson.  

They have already made a difference in our club and foundation.

In spite of their busy schedules, Superintendent Magyar and Asst. Supt. Jack Dibbee (alternate Rotarian) involved themselves in Rotary’s Pizza Bake-Off Fundraiser at the Avon Lake High School to ensure its success! 

Main Event Manager Diamonds Holsey has donated game passes to the Students of the Month from Avon, Avon Lake and Brookside High Schools, and recently hosted Rotarians for a tour and meeting.  

Membership Director Taylor Robinson is the Y’s liaison, helping North Coast Rotary with the Blankets for Beds collection, Rotary Garden at the French Creek Family Y and our weekly meetings.

North Coast Rotary has 30 members from various locales with a range of expertise, and all with a commitment to helping our communities, regions and the world to be a better place now and in the future.  

Join Rotary

Parent Assistance Programs through Local Schools

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North Coast Rotary is supporting local schools with their efforts to help families with a variety of parent assistance programs.  With Supt. Ben Hodge’s support Rotarians are helping with Avon City School’s SOAR Through Parenting programs with topics geared towards children age kindergarten through 5th grade.  In October, parents attended the interactive program and discussion on “Teaching Social Skills & Responding to Bullying”, presented by school social workers Lauren Eigenbrod and Rebekah Bryson. The November program was “Raising well-adjusted children and improving their self-esteem.” Parents engaged with the Social Workers and each other and were appreciative of written and emailed resource material. Rotarians donated the refreshments and helped as needed.  

Two more sessions are planned in Avon to include “Distinguishing between generalized anxiety and stressful situations” and “How to teach appropriate use of screen time and social media.”  Please reach out to Lauren or Beka if you need more information:  eigenbrodl@avoneagles.org or brysonr@avoneagles.org