STRC - Springfield Township Rotary Club

Springfield Township Rotary Club - Montgomery County, PA

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Meeting Recap

Mapping Our History

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Pictured Left to Right: Wallace and Springfield Rotary President Jim Pearce.

Springfield Rotary was pleased to host Samuel Clay Wallace, Instructor of Geography for Montgomery County Community College as its guest this week. Wallace shared a presentation of the history of the development of maps throughout the world from the ancient Polynesian sea trade routes all the way up to more modern coal mine maps of the 1800’s. Maps are not strictly for depicting locations, and have been used by man throughout the ages for many purposes; trade routes, resources, depicting locations of outbreaks, even mapping smells like at Longwood Gardens!

The Zoo Comes to Rotary

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Mr. Konstant is on the left and Springfield Rotary’s President, Steven Schagrin, is pictured on the right.
Visit from William R. Konstant
In Springfield Rotarys ongoing pursuit to support and understand the communities in and around Springfield Township, they invited the CEO/Exec Dir of Elmwood Park Zoo, William R. Konstant, to speak at their weekly luncheon. Mr. Konstant highlighted the fact that Elmwood Park Zoo opened its doors in 1924 and therefore would be celebrating its 85th Anniversary this year. To encourage attendance, Mr. Konstant will be visiting 85 different small businesses in the area during the month of April and providing each business with 85 passes to provide to the public. The Elmwood Park Zoo will also offer a variety of discounts focusing on certain professions; firefighters, healthcare, police etc.
Mr. Konstant went on to describe the animals housed at the zoo. He spoke specifically about 6 species that were once listed on the endangered species lists: bison, bald eagles, peregrine falcon, timber wolf, American alligator and black footed ferrets. What is most unique about this list of animals is that the Elmwood Park Zoo is the only zoo in the nation where all six species can be seen together. This past season, the Zoo was also the home for two guest bald eagles that stopped by for about a month each before moving on.

Rotarians Welcome Exchange Student

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Pictured Left to Right: Springfield Rotary Club President Steve Schagrin and Rotary Youth Exchange Student Nicholas Minkner.
Springfield Rotarians welcomed their 2007-8 foreign exchange student , Nicholas Minkner, for a final visit to their club. Nicholas came from Germany in last August, and has lived with three different host families during his stay. He described to the Rotary Club the many places up and down the east coast he was able to visit, the sports he’s been able to participate in, and the benefits of having had this exciting opportunity. Rotary Youth Exchange provides for students to study abroad for a year, learn of other cultures and expand their views of the world. Minkner returns shortly to Dresden, Germany to friends and family, but the family he made here will always welcome him back. The Rotary family is global after all!
To learn more about Rotary visit us on the web at www.springfieldrotary.org or www.rotary.org.

Public Speaking Pros Present to Rotary

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Pictured left to Right: Barbara Sherf, Rotary President Steve Schagrin, and D. Michael Smith. For more information on Springfield Rotary and our upcoming events or to contact us, please visit www.SpringfieldRotary.org!
How do you feel when you have to speak in public? Scared, stressed, shy? Have no fear, there is help out there to teach you to communicate not only with speaking to a group but one on one with clients. Rotarian were delighted to welcome D. Michael Smith and Barbara Sherf from Communications Pros, a company designed to teach you how to articulate clearly and accurately to others. Sherf and Smith gave pointers on public speaking, stressing that a strong start is critical, you only have one chance to make a first impression.

Ed Zwicker Presents the Edward Stotesbury Estate

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Pictured Left to Right; Guest Speaker, Ed Zwicker and Springfield Township President Steve Schagrin.
In keeping with tradition, Springfield Rotary was pleased to welcome back Ed Zwicker, President of the Springfield Township Historical Society. Zwicker is the well known publisher of several pictorial histories of Springfield Township which he co-authored with his brother. During his recent visit, Zwicker took Rotarians on a journey back to October 8th, 1921 to the “grand opening” of sorts of Whitemarsh Hall or otherwise known as the Edward Stotesbury Estate. Over 800 guests attended the gala, a celebration of the completion of the hall which was a belated wedding gift to his second wife Eva. The glorious building which had three stories underground and three stories above ground, held an astonishing 1000,000 square feet. It took several years and millions of dollars to construct and was filled with a plethora of European antiques and artifacts. A before and after pictorial revealed the downfall of the ” Versailles of the America’s”. It was demolished on May 1st, 1980 to make way for what is now the Stotesbury Townshomes.

Arborist Speaks to Club

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Pictured Left to Right Kenneth J. LeRoy and Springfield Rotary President Steven Schagrin.

In March 2008, Springfield Rotary was visited by local Arborist and Horticulturist Kenneth J. LeRoy. It’s the time of year we start to think of being outside again, and taking care of some yard work. LeRoy gave Rotarians tips to watch for in regards to the health of their trees on their properties. While they provide us with clean air, aesthetic value and shade, trees are also can be deadly and destructive. Images of tree destruction were shared with the club, illustrating the results from age, wind and disease upon these plants, which can have severe impact upon homes and properties.