Five new Kittanning Rotarians were inducted into the group Monday afternoon. Those include: (L-R) Dr. Stan Chapp (sponsored by Pat Wolfe), Laurie Greiner (Mike McElhaney), Brian McInyre (Joely Beeker), Jill Pless (Len Meneely) and Bret Atwood (sponsored by Kara Shirley)
By Jonathan Weaver
A local service organization has new volunteers that will be used in the community for the holiday season.
There were five new community leaders that took an oath of service commitment to the principles of the Kittanning Rotary Club yesterday afternoon during their meeting at the Grace Presbyterian Church in Kittanning.
Those who are now Rotarians include Armstrong School District Superintendent Dr. Stan Chapp, Public Accountant Laurie Greiner, Real Estate Investment Manager Brian McInyre, ARC Manor Assistant Director Jill Pless and Nationwide Insurance Agent Bret Atwood.
It was Club President Mel Check’s first new member induction ceremony since he became president in July.
“I’m extremely happy with the members of this club – especially Mike and Kara, who are on the Membership Committee. We are a club of 18, so when we get five new members, that’s a high percentage,” Check said. “And we have more coming in, so they’ve been doing an awful lot of work. We do a lot for the community, and this means now we can become even more active.
“We’re very happy to have each new member in.
Check, who retired after 34 years at KDKA and currently operates a contractual business, has been a Rotarian for seven years
Northwood Real Estate Investment Manager Brian McIntyre was invited to join the Kittanning Rotary by Richard G. Snyder YMCA CEO Joely Beeker.
“We talked at the YMCA during a soccer game one time and she basically had me there,” McIntyre said. “I’ve been to every meeting since we talked.”
McElhaney – the Rotary Past President – met Greiner through Habitat for Humanity (where he is Executive Director).
“I was going to a Rotary meeting and she said, “What’s that?” She’s really enjoying it – she’s always wanted to volunteer for the community, so here she is,” McElhaney said.
During the luncheon, the nearly-now 20 Rotarians in attendance heard from Rotary Foundation Trustee Stephanie Urchick about her travels and the Foundation goals going into the holiday season of giving.
She asked new and old members alike to recall when they committed themselves to the service organization to help others.
“On that date, the world changed. You said yes to Rotary, and the world has never been the same,” Urchick said. “The day we say yes to Rotary becomes very important in not only our personal history, but in the life of Rotary -because I think service finds us when we need it and the world needs us.
“I have learned more in volunteer service than I ever learned in a classroom.”
Urchick, who joined the Canonsburg Rotary Club October 1, 1991, will also speak in Wilkes-Barre and Chicago around her club activities later this week.