The featured speaker for January 18, 2022, Rotary Club of Norfolk Zoom meeting hailed from an aptly named city -- Hopewell.
Rotarian Katina Moss brings hope for a bright future to dozens of high school students each year through her leadership in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). RYLA is a Rotary International program that helps teenagers learn lifelong leadership skills.
This year's February 19 and 20 District 7600 RYLA workshop will be virtual for the second year in a row. Moss, an entrepreneur and past president of the Rotary Club of Hopewell, chairs RYLA for the district as well as the Hopewell Youth Service Commission.
Moss reminded our club that today's youth "are going through a lot" in the pandemic. "Some of them have not had a normal year of high school for two years. They need us to pass on our Rotary values and show them we care and want to equip them to lead the world."
Moss says last year's first pandemic-induced virtual RYLA event let teens from around Virginia connect and gain valuable skills through a Zoom weekend workshop. This year's online, interactive event will feature a True Colors personality assessment, peer mentors, inspiring speakers, and small group video projects.
The cost to attend is $200 per student, which helps cover costs of technology, the personality assessment, and other expenses. Moss says it is a myth that online events are less expensive to produce than in-person events. Our Rotary Club typically sponsors two area high school students to attend RYLA.
The club donated a book to Northside Middle School in honor of Katina Moss.
New Rotarians
Vice President Laurie Harrison led the meeting and inducted three new Rotarians. They are:
- Dr. Bob Archer, a psychologist and former chair of Eastern Virginia Medical School's psychology department
- John Miller, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and Navy veteran who works as a civilian with the Department of Defense.
- Kay Stine, vice president for development at the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.
Bob, who races yachts and plays mandolin, is sponsored by John Cameron. John was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship recipient who earned a master's degree in Cambridge, England. He is the past president of the district's Rotary Alumni Association. John Miller is sponsored by Jim Kitz. Kay Stine, who previously owned a children's clothing shop and led development for Norfolk Collegiate School, has four adult children and seven grandchildren living in the region. She is sponsored by Barbara Lipskis.
Club Business
- January 31 is the deadline for area nonprofits to apply for Rotary Club of Norfolk grants. Details and the application are on the club website.
- Walt Sobczyk has arranged for service projects at the foodbank and park cleanup. Details are on the club website.
- Chris Bugg thanked Suds & Bud's sponsors and let club members know more sponsors are needed to support the May 19 event at Norfolk Botanical Garden.
- Club dues are due and some members still owe previous dues. Please pay them promptly.
Happy Bucks
- Bob Ash and his wife, Mary Lewis, recently celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary as well as Bob's 80th birthday.
- Michelle Nettles shared greetings from our former club member Jos Hekking, whom she had lunch with over the holidays when he was back in Hampton Roads from The Netherlands where he lives. He is slated to become president of his Rotary Club.
- Bob Heely and his wife, Lush, recently celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary.
- Jason Drane thanked the club for the prayers and concern for his baby daughter, who is doing well and getting treatment twice a week at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
- Sally Hartman is happy her former colleague Kay Stine joined the club and that she and her husband, Ron, are adopting a cat.