A working strategic plan, new members, a state-of-the art meeting place, high profile community projects and monthly charitable giving define the Rotary Club of Hudson’s accomplishments in 2021. President Patrick Scherer presides over a group of citizens dedicated to improving life, living and scholarship in our vital town of Hudson. Meeting every Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m., the Club enjoys networking, speaker programs and challenging community projects. Currently 62 members strong, the Club includes many professionals, community leaders and successful business retirees as well as school administrators and board members. The informal weekly discussions are always lively and informative.
Since July, the Club has convened at the new Hudson Meadows Retirement Community on Barlow Road that provides a cafe setting for a continental breakfast and a plush high tech theater for our speaker programs. Meetings continue to be offered on Zoom for those who are concerned with Covid infections or have work/family restrictions that prevent attending live sessions. All interested community members are welcome as guests.
New members from a variety of backgrounds joined the Club in 2021 adding a wealth of talent and business/professional savvy to our ranks. A short profile of each follows:
- Terry Bortnik--real estate professional, Humane Society, sky diver
- Dr. Patricia Goetz--child and adolescent psychiatrist, former city council candidate
- Geoff Korff--founder and CEO of Galenas
- Joe Resnik--past president of the Mentor and Hudson Rotary Clubs
- Jerry Zemlicka--local bank branch manager
- Tom Petropoulos--a skilled photographer who works for the Akron Board of Legal Assoc.
If you are interested in learning more about the Rotary Club of Hudson, attending a meeting or applying for membership, please contact Mike Swain at swainmp1448@gmail.com
Driving Rotary activities for the first time in its history is a long range strategic plan approved earlier this year by the membership. It not only defines Rotary’s major community commitments but establishes a committee structure to accomplish the many tasks. New members are encouraged to participate in a committee of their choice, providing fresh ideas and enthusiastic involvement. Some of the committees always needing an extra hand are Programming, Youth Leadership Development, Community Service Projects, Fund Raising, Community Health and Safety Services, Community Events and the Rotary Foundation.Speakers participating in Rotary’s weekly meetings have been entrepreneurs, candidates for local office, health care professionals, sports leaders, cultural venue representatives, history experts and High School Service Learning students. In addition, live interviews with our own members regarding their backgrounds, community service and business/professions made for interesting Club discussions. A few of the more fascinating entrepreneurs who spoke were David Thorn of DTR Associates, owner of Thorncreek Winery; Steve Marks, author of the Muffin Man Chronicles and owner of the Main Street Gourmet in Akron and Arthur Brite, management consultant and author of Successful Managers Must Lead. Representatives of the Cleveland Orchestra, Apollo’s Fire, CVNP Conservancy and Akron Zoo as well as sports leaders from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Monsters, Indians and Browns all provided interesting and revealing stories.
Serving the youth of Hudson were many ongoing Rotary activities including support of and participation in the HHS Service Learning program, sponsoring an annual 4 Way Speech Contest and providing college scholarships for six seniors. Members of the HHS Service Learning class regularly visit the Rotary assembly revealing their community service assignments and future plans. Of course, Santa-on-the Green is one of Hudson’s favorite youth(and parent) activities.This past year marked the start of embracing a community charitable cause each month, allowing Club members to donate funds, goods or service to needy organizations. Many of the involvements have been going on for years. Some of the charities supported are the Food Bank, Valor Home, Veterans clothing drive, Pints for Polio, Gift of Life, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy Scout facilities, EMS Outreach, Hudson Job Search, Hudson Library, HCTV, Music from the Western Reserve, St Vincent DePaul and Drug Safe Hudson.
Finally, and in keeping with the Strategic Plan, the Rotary Club of Hudson has adopted and will provide major support for two important community projects--the renovation of the Scouts historic log cabin and the establishment of pollinator gardens starting with Ellsworth Hills Elementary School. Fundraising for the Scout Cabin repairs and refurbishing launched in October has already generated over $75,000 in donations, brick sales and pledges toward the $200,000 goal. Progress of the campaign as well as details regarding the 90 year history of the cabin originally built by Rotary as well as repairs planned can be viewed at www.rotaryhudson.org. 
The Ellsworth Hills Elementary School pollinator garden planting was a joint effort with the Hudson Clocktower Rotary Club to honor Past District Governor, Hudsonian Pat Meyers. By summer’s end there was a beautiful garden of flowers and bushes attracting butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, catepillars, finches, moths and praying mantis that delighted the students. More gardens are being considered. Rotarians Serve to Change Lives