Thank You

Hope Ignites Northeastern Ohio (Boys Hope Girls Hope) sent us a nice thank you card from the Eddy Bond Baseball Game

Club Dues

During the town hall meeting we asked whether due to rising costs we should keep the dues the same, and bill for the installation banquet separately, or increase the monthly dues and keep the installation banquet ticket as part of the dues.  The vote was in favor of increasing the dues, and keeping the installation banquet as part of the dues.  Accordingly the club board agreed to increase the dues by $5 a month, starting September 1st.  You will see the new amount with your September invoice.

We are still working with ClubRunner to improve the billing module in ClubRunner.  If you login to ClubRunner on the Financials tab or your profile the Balance should be correct.  If it is not correct please contact Barb or John so we can correct it.

Strongsville Rotary Foundation Update

Foundation President Brian Kiplinger provided a recap of last week’s Strongsville Rotary Foundation Board meeting. In keeping with the board’s commitment to transparency, Brian highlighted the foundation’s finances, recent donations, and ongoing projects.

As of July, the Foundation maintains approximately $40,000 in cash and $330,000 in investments. During the month, about $4,000 in donations were received, including a $2,000 gift toward the Safety Town Project, ongoing contributions through Costco (thanks to member Patrick Dominguez), and other individual donations. Combined with investment growth, revenue totaled about $8,000. Expenses, however, reached $10,000—primarily due to scholarships and the Foundation’s share of the annual banquet—resulting in a modest $2,000 loss for the month. Work continues on finalizing this year’s budget, which is expected to balance around $100,000 in revenue and expenses.

The board also reviewed several contribution requests:

Cleveland Metroparks sent thanks for Rotary’s past support of the Albion Woods picnic area.

A $1,000 sponsorship was approved for the Strongsville Education Foundation’s annual Casino Night, which raises funds to benefit Strongsville City Schools.

A new partnership began with Angel Eyes, a nonprofit supporting families facing infant and pregnancy loss, with a $200 golf outing sponsorship.

The board discussed a potential $5,000 contribution toward a Leadership Mission International project supporting girls’ education in Honduras, with an eye toward multiplying the impact through district and global grants.

Finally, the board revisited the idea of reviving the Harry Fuehrer Community Service Award, named in honor of our club’s first president, to recognize individuals or couples who have made an enduring impact on the Strongsville community. A committee will soon be formed to seek nominations.

A Visit from the Strongsville Library

Last Friday, we welcomed Megan Barrett, Branch Manager of the Strongsville Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. Megan has 15 years of library experience in a wide variety of roles and is also co-author of Cultivating Connected Learning Library Programs for Youth. She holds a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Penn State and a master’s degree from Villanova.

Megan shared exciting updates from the library system, including the arrival of a new CEO, Jamar Rahmi, recognized nationally as a library leader. CCPL is also launching a community survey to better understand the needs of residents and how the library can continue to serve them.

The Strongsville Branch remains one of the busiest in the system, with the highest circulation of all 27 branches and the strongest participation in summer reading programs—helped along by a sweet partnership with Mitchell’s Ice Cream.

Megan highlighted the wide range of services available at the library:

• Author Events: Heather Gudenkauf, thriller author, will appear November 5. The larger Writer’s Center Stage series features major names such as Ian McEwan and Malcolm Gladwell.
• Student Support: Online tutoring through tutor.com (K–12), plus Student Success Centers at other branches.
• Unique Offerings: A toy lending library, maker and cooking programs for kids, sewing classes for teens and adults, and a full lineup of craft, technology, and book programs.
• Everyday Services: Free daily printing, faxing, scanning, passport services seven days a week, and reservable study/meeting rooms with hybrid meeting technology.
• Special Spaces: Audio and video recording studios with Adobe Creative Suite access—perfect for podcasts, music, or school projects.
• Digital Resources: eBooks, audiobooks, streaming movies and music, newspapers, genealogy tools, LinkedIn Learning, Consumer Reports, and more—all free with a library card.

Megan reminded us that the Strongsville Library is not only a place for books, but also a hub for lifelong learning, creativity, and community connection.