Rotary Club of Kutztown donates more than $20,000 to area non-profits
The Kutztown Rotary Charitable Foundation and Rotary Club of Kutztown held a Foundation Celebration on November 9, 2022, celebrating more than $20,000 donated by the Club and Foundation to area non-profit organizations.
Representatives from the non-profit groups were invited to a dinner at the Kutztown Tavern, where the club holds its weekly meetings. The evening included a program explaining Rotary Club services and fundraising activities of the Club and Foundation. Invited participants then addressed club members on behalf of their organization to tell a little about the organization and how they intend to use the donation they received.
The major fundraiser of the Kutztown Rotary Club to support community donations is the Taste of Kutztown event held in June. A second smaller new Fall fundraising event for the club is the Ghost Tour started in 2022.
If you are interested in learning more about the Kutztown Rotary Club events or in becoming a volunteer or member, please visit our website at www.KutztownRotary.com or facebook page @KutztownRotary.
Pictured here accepting awards for 2022 are representatives from American Red Cross, PA Rivers Chapter; Brandywine Library; Burn Prevention Network; Friend, Inc Community Services; Grey Muzzle Manor; iHART Harvest; Kutztown Area School District Odyssey of the Mind; Kutztown Community Choir; Kutztown Fire and Rescue; Kutztown Library; Kutztown Strong; Lyons Volunteer Fire Company; Reading Flotilla; Rodale Institute; Topton Area Senior Citizens; and Topton Fire Co #1. Recipients unable to attend the event were Allentown Rescue Mission; Brandywine Heights Education Foundation; Brandywine Heights Parent-Teacher Organization; Kutztown Community Partnership; and Topton Mini Museum.
It was wonderful to see a full Club Room at the Kutztown Tavern for our Foundation Celebration.
Kutztown Rotary Club members gathered on November 30 to assemble holiday food boxes for Friend, Inc. to distribute to families in need in our community. Following the suggested list on the Friend, Inc Holiday Box Flyer (found here for anyone interested in donating), members brought 12 of each item to pack and decorate boxes for12 family-sized holiday dinners. The event took place at a regular club meeting. We meet at the Kutztown Tavern on most Wednesday evenings in the club room - why not come out and join in the fun? Or visit our website and hit the contact button if you would like some specific information.
Each month the Kutztown Rotary Club recognizes one outstanding student each from Kutztown Area High School and Brandywine Heights High School. These students are selected by their school administrators and are often picked for significant improvement or overcoming challenges, accomplishments in academics, school participation, and community contributions. These students never fail to impress Rotarians with their positive impact on our community.
Pictured with Kutztown Club Past President Tom Kulp, are the student of the month from Kutztown Area High School, Jake Justeson and from Brandywine Heights High School Colin Kowalchuk. Congratulations to both of you! Please look for an upcoming article in the BerksMont News.
Along with serving the community, members of the Kutztown Rotary Club like to be social. We do a social hour meeting every third Wednesday of the month, we have movie club meetings at area venues, and enjoy many other social activities.
For the month of November, we had movie club at at Ozgoods, Kurt and Pauline's house (thanks for being great hosts!), at the Hildenbrand Funeral Home (great movie and thanks for the pizza and beverages!) and at Eight Oaks. In addition, we did Social Hour this month at the Grand Central Tap Room in Fleetwood with the Fleetwood Club (see pictures below).
Come join our meetings to find out how we do good and have fun!
Member spotlight this month is Florita Hobaugh. Below is a short bio submitted by Florita.
Hi, I am Florita Hobaugh, a Kutztown Rotary Club member since June 17th, 2020.
I am a Foundation Board Member, the Taste of Kutztown Winery/Distillery Coordinator, a member of the Farmers Night Committee, and I enjoy participating in Club service projects. I am a Paul Harris Fellow and a Rotary International Foundation Major Donor. I have attended two Rotary International conventions so far. My Rotary goal is to become active in international service.
I am married to fellow Kutztown Rotary Club member and Past District Governor Bob Hobaugh. My family also includes my daughter Karen, her husband Matthew Korytowski and their infant daughter Alexandra, of Raleigh, NC, and my son Stephen and his wife Rachel Milliron, of Pittsburgh, PA.
I grew up in a large family in the Harrisburg area, graduating from Central Pennsylvania Business School (now Central Pennsylvania College) with a degree in specialized business in 1976. I practiced court reporting from 1976 through the end of 2021. The first twenty years of my career involved legal reporting, that is, trials, hearings and depositions. From 1996 through 2021, after recognizing a need in the community and beyond, I formed my own business captioning for the Hard-of-Hearing, mostly in colleges and graduate schools, as well as at conventions, business meetings and various other settings.
I am a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Kutztown, the Kutztown Community Choir, and the Ontelaunee Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America. I appreciate art, music and culture, I love to sing, travel, read, garden, cook, and I judge antique cars at AACA meets. Most of all I love spending time with my family and friends.
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