The Rotary Leadership Summit for Peace held this last weekend in Gettysburg was a blast!I feel sorry for those that missed it.The Ghost Tours went well on Friday night, about half of the weekend attendees went.The Lincoln Leadership Institute did a fabulous job keeping us entertained and learning – not so much about how the battles at Gettysburg went, they discussed how the leaders got even mutineers to follow them into battle.They extended an offer to attendees and members of the clubs to attend one of their classes for half price.Given the value of what we got on Saturday, I’m considering attending (especially if it’s half price!).
We kept everything on schedule, there was a bike ride or time at the Adams County Winery or short presentations given at the Rotary Village Saturday afternoon.There was even time for relaxing and the weather was great!Fire pits on the outdoor areas were a draw for making new friends and talking to old friends.Food was good and plentiful and the staff pleasant.
My fellow DGs, Mary Cook (7430), Jan Biros (7450), Tim Genetti (7410), Michael Thompson (7505), Bob Law (7475), and Cynthia Randina (7490) were such a pleasure to work with – the 20 months of preparation into this flew by and I’ll miss our weekly zoom calls.The admins who helped make this run so smoothly were our own Melissa Kopp-Smith, Diane Rotondelli, Nancy Lindel, Wendy Gibson, Brenda Browning, along with Cindy Hornaman, and Nikki Mederos.Gail Winterstella worked with the Sargeant-at-Arms which included our own David Corman (Uptown York), Glen Bootay (E-Town) and Jim Gainer (Hershey).
Sunday morning was the District breakouts – for us we had a wonderful Four Way Speech Contest.The students presented applied the Four Way Test to Being Human, Sexual Assault, Education, Driving and Swearing.What a way to start the day!We recognized the Rotarians who passed this year, presented a few awards (see separate article), briefly touched on the District Strategic Plan (more on that next week) and pulled the tickets for the meals I offered as a fund raiser!Winners were Glen Bootay, Thomas Jones, and Karen Tillman.Wish I could do something for everyone that bought tickets, however, I’d get nothing else done over the next couple of months except cooking!
With a couple of months to go, I can finally focus on a few things I still hope to accomplish (Past District Governor gatherings and Assistant Governor meetings), along with what will flow over into the PDG year.If you have ideas, send them along to mbtexaspa@gmail.com.What a great District we have – so thankful for all you all do to make it so!
The District 7390 Outstanding Service Award is presented to one District Rotarian per year. We are looking for a Rotarian that has served in a District leadership role or done dynamic, innovative work on a District Committee for three or more years. This person should have also crafted or contributed to a well-developed strategy to achieve District goals and ultimately made the District stronger.
The 2025-2026 recipient of the District 7390 Outstanding Service Award is Fred Gellert. Fred is a member of the Rotary Club of Carlisle-Sunrise, where he joined in 2012. He is a member of the Paul Harris Society, Polio Plus Society and is a Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation. Fred is a Past Club President and a Past District Governor. At the district level he formed the District Learning Committee and serves on the RYLA planning committee. Fred’s passion for learning, teaching and youth are evident in all that he does within Rotary and beyond!
Dogged Pursuit Award
The District 7390 dogged pursuit award was invented by PDG John Judson in 2014-15 to recognize Rotarians who are so passionate about their Rotary duties that they “doggedly pursue” you to grow attendance or get people involved.
The 2025-2026 recipient of the Dogged Pursuit Award is Rick Coplen! Rick is a member of the Rotary Club of Carlisle and founded the Rotary Veterans Initiative in District 7390. Rick is dedicated to helping Veterans succeed by supporting their education, training and job search opportunities.
D7390 Lifetime Achievement Award
To be eligible for the District 7390 Lifetime Achievement Award, Rotarians are required to have at least 25 years of Rotary membership and demonstrate effective work at the Club and District levels.
The 2025-2026 recipient of the District 7390 Lifetime Achievement Award is Dennis Zubler. Dennis joined the Rotary Club of Elizabethtown in 1995. Dennis’s contributions to Rotary go far beyond the Club level. He served as Club President, then at the District level he was an Assistant Governor, Area Foundation Coordinator, District Governor, Co-Chair of the Extension Committee, Chair of the District International Service Committee and Co-Chair of the Major Donor Committee. Beyond the District, Dennis served as faculty for the President Elect Learning Seminar and Faculty for the Rotary Leadership Institute.
Dennis has been a dedicated Rotarian for the past 31 years. He is a Paul Harris Fellow, Paul Harris Society Member, Polio Plus Society Member and a Major Donor. Dennis has served his Club, the District and Rotary International, with the highest ideals and standards.
The finals of the Rotary Four-Way Test SPEECH Contest were held during the District session at the Leadership Summit. If you missed the finals, the students presented topics that ranged from swearing, sexual assault, bad driving and cheating on homework. The speeches this year were absolutely excellent!!
The winning students were:
Ian Mathers (Manheim Township HS - Lancaster Sunrise Rotary Club)
Help make our District Environment Day of Service a success! If your club is still looking for a project for our District’s Environment Day of Service on or near April 25, consider helping with one of the many Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful events near your club. To find one in your own backyard, go to https://cleanup.keeppabeautiful.org/Calendar.html , type in your zip code, and see if the event fits your schedule and interests. These events typically last only a few hours on a single day and are already set up and organized. They are actively looking for volunteers! Check them out!
Also, please take pictures of your event and send them to Melissa so we can include them on our district environment web page!
Also consider teaming up with another Rotary club in our district. Register your Clubs Project here.
Check out the list here of projects that Clubs are already planning to complete!
Rotary Club of Carlisle – Sunrise in a partnership with Redwood Materials in Carson City, Nevada, will be collecting and recycling lithium-ion batteries and rechargeable devices. Join us on Saturday, 16 May 2026 between 10AM and 4PM at the Army Heritage Education Center Parking Lot (950 Soldiers Dr., Carlisle, PA) and bring your discarded lithium-ion batteries and rechargeable devices including smartphones, tablets, electric toothbrushes, laptops, power tool batteries, lawn equipment batteries, rechargeable vacuum batteries, wireless headphones, and any other lithium-ion battery and help close the loop.
The District Learning Committee is hard at work building opportunities for our Rotarians to grow their knowledge and skills. To that end, we are starting a series of monthly on-line learning sessions on various topics that should be helpful to your Rotarians and club leaders. Please join us the 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. to LEARN more about Rotary!
April 28: Club planning, goals, assessing, communicating
May 26: Youth Services (RYLA, Youth Exchange, Four-Way Test Essay & Speech)
June 23: Rotary Outside the Club
Pre-Registration for the Zoom Meetings is required! Register here to receive the Zoom link!
Check out the Upcoming Club Events Around the District! If you want your Club events listed in the newsletter, simply send an email with details to office@rotary7390.org!
Joan Erney and Joe McNally represented the West Shore by attending the New Cumberland Pick up Day on 4/11 as one of the many environmental projects to participate in.
The Rotary Club of York North recently recognized three new Paul Harris Fellows.Gary La Tulippe, Courtney Buechler, and Shane and David Patterson were congratulated for their continued giving to the Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary Foundation supports grants that fund polio eradication, water projects, and other humanitarian needs around the world.
The Paul Harris Fellow is awarded to individuals who have contributed $1,000 or more—or have had that amount donated in their name—to support the Foundation’s humanitarian, educational, and peace-building programs around the world.
Named after Paul Harris, the honor recognizes a commitment to Rotary’s mission of “Service Above Self” and advancing global good through initiatives like disease eradication (including polio), clean water, education, and community development.
In a powerful show of community spirit and historical pride, eight local Rotary Clubs joined forces on Saturday to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States by planting “Liberty Trees” in all 72 municipalities throughout York County.
The countywide initiative was organized in partnership with York County’s History Made Here Committee, tying together environmental stewardship with a celebration of America’s founding. The effort echoes the spirit of the original Liberty Trees—symbols of unity and resistance during the era of the American Revolution. Members of the York East Rotary Club and their families played an active role in the project, participating in multiple tree planting ceremonies across several municipalities. Their involvement reflected Rotary’s long-standing commitment to service above self, while also helping to leave a lasting, visible legacy for future generations.
Rotary District 7390 Governor Mary Brunski attended one of the local plantings and emphasized the deeper meaning behind the initiative. She noted that the project aligns closely with Rotary’s focus on environmental sustainability—one of the organization’s key areas of service. Beyond their symbolic connection to America’s founding, the Liberty Trees serve as a tangible investment in the future—enhancing local landscapes, improving air quality, and providing shade and beauty for years to come.
As York County looks ahead to the nation’s semi-quin centennial celebration, the coordinated planting effort stands as a meaningful tribute to both the past and the future—rooted in history, and growing toward tomorrow.
Please join us for the Hershey Rotary Club’s 56th annual dinner auction, when we will be celebrating America’s 250th! The festivities will begin at 5:00 PM on Saturday May 30, at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey Pennsylvania.
This memorable event will feature:
a silent auction (which will begin 2 weeks before the event; stay tuned for info about the website for the auction platform and how to register to bid - you can bid even if you can’t attend the actual event on the 30th).
a live auction
a fabulous dinner with menu options including for vegetarians
great entertainment: Boogie and the Belles will be performing their signature "Andrews
Sisters" style songs including "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" plus their unique jazzified national anthem. Their appearance along with the Generations Big Band promises to RAISE THE ROOF!
All net proceeds go to support community grants for local non-profits and also the youth services programs for students at Hershey High School, The Milton Hershey School, and Middletown Area High School.
To find out more, and to register/purchase tickets, please click here.
For more information please contact Brian Harris at 717.514.4447 or Tom Jones at 717.979.0578.
The Rotary Club of Lancaster invites fellow Rotarians to be part of one of our most impactful (and fun) annual events—Wheels & Wings Festival & 5K, taking place on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at Lancaster Airport. This year, the need is especially urgent. Due to a significant budget shortfall, the School District of Lancaster is canceling summer enrichment programs. For many students, these programs provide critical opportunities for continued learning, mentorship, and engagement.
For nearly two decades, our Club has partnered with United Way of Lancaster County to support Summer Youth Experience programs, helping local nonprofits fill that gap. Wheels & Wings is a key driver of that effort. We invite you to:
Join us as a runner, walker, car show participant, or attendee
Spread the word within your club and community
Consider organizing a group to attend or participate together
And of course we're always looking for more sponsors and volunteers!
Thank you in advance for helping us extend the impact of our annual major fundraiser!
Fly-in and active airport setting
Car show with nearly 20 award categories
Chip-timed 5K on a fast, scenic course
Food trucks, music, and family-friendly activities
