Family Freedom Center: Neighborhood Youth Services
Join Harbortown Rotary this Wednesday morning, April 19 at 7:30am as we hear from Pez Davila,Operations Director for Family Freedom Center: Neighborhood Youth Services (NYS).
Pez Davila is originally from Bridgeton, NJ — a small town with a big reputation — and not for all the right reasons. Growing up was rough, and at times, it seemed as though those struggles would never end. However, they were a part of what his life would look like forever. It was not until Pez found a mentor who showed him that he, and others in the similar situations, could be better and overcome obstacles.
After high school, Pez went to Word Of Life Bible Institute where he worked as a camp counselor and program coordinator. Pez was able to work with families and mentor youth from all around the world, giving him insight and compassion for different backgrounds, cultures, and individual people. Pez knew then he had an innate desire to serve those around him. About six years ago, Pez moved to Duluth, MN. Although it was completely out of his norm, and far from what the east coast was like, Pez immediately fell in love with the city. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth and studied Physical Education and Political Science.
Throughout college and after graduating, Pez worked within the community as a mentor for youth and advocate for families who otherwise felt as though they had no voice. Individuals who, like him, thought that their current hardships were the only reality they would ever have. This led Pez to seek a position in Duluth where he could be more effective and have greater resources to serve and connect Duluth. That position was found at Neighborhood Youth Services.
Pez is now the Operations Director for Family Freedom Center: Neighborhood Youth Services (NYS) in Duluth, MN. NYS is based out of the Washington Center. NYS has been able to do some amazing things for, and throughout, this beautiful city. Some examples of the wide-reaching impact include: tutoring students, providing meals and clothes for families, helping teens and parents with GEDs and job placement, housing assistance, building relationships with local businesses, running city-wide events, and connecting the people of our city to one another. Pez is humbled to be a part of an organization that serves each individual that comes through the doors.
Harbortown Rotary's next Evening Fireside meeting will be held at Ridgeview Country Club (700 W Redwing St, Duluth, MN 55803) at 5:00pm on Wednesday, April 26. Committee chairs will provide updated to club members on the happenings of their groups.
It’s everyone’s favorite time of year! Spring has sprung, and that means its time again for my Rotary Club’s annual cash raffle! Proceeds from the raffle help fund the numerous community programs we support through Harbortown Rotary. From Boys and Girls Clubs, Foster Parent programs, Life House, STARBASE, youth STEM education, robotics teams, youth scholarships, and more - Harbortown gifted over $10,000 back into community youth programs.
There’s nothing to lose when the youth of the community win! Tickets are $100 each and only 500 sold.
Drawing will be held on June 21, 2023 at Ridgeview Country Club.
1st Prize: $10,000 cash (1 winner)
2nd Prize: $2,500 cash (2 winners)
3rd Prize: $1,000 cash (2 winners)
4th Prize: $500 cash each (10 winners)
5th Prize: $200 cash each (15 winners)
Tickets can be picked up at your next Rotary morning meeting!
Join Harbortown Rotary for our next club social outing as we hit the town
Thursday, May 4 for dinner, drinks, and dance lessons!
We will meet for dinner and drinks at 5:00pm Crooked Pint (1402 W. Arrowhead Rd., Duluth, MN 55811) and then walk next door to North Shore Ballroom (1515 Kenwood Ave., Duluth, MN 55811) at 7:00pm for group dance lessons! Can't attend the whole time? No worries! Come for as long or as little as you can.
Partners and significant others are welcome to join!
Interested in a fun night out?
Please RSVP with Chloe Strand via email (chloestrand90@gmail.com) or text (218.340.2531)!
Members who were previously scheduled for meeting duties on Wednesday, June 7th have now been moved to Wednesday, June 14th due to a switch in our hands-on volunteer meeting in June. The duty roster has been updated on the Harbortown website to reflect the change to June 7th for the service project and June 14th for our regular morning meeting.
The 2023 Bike Duluth Festival fundraiser will be held on
Friday, July 7 - Sunday, July 9, 2023 at Spirit Mountain.
The 2023 Harbortown Rotary Charitable Foundation Golf Fundraiser will be held on
Monday, July 24, 2023 at Ridgeview Country Club.
This fundraiser to benefits the Robert Hermans Scholarship Fund and the Donald Holm Founders Fund.
COME JOIN US as we raise funds that make impacts on the lives of local youth!
Go to: www.harbortownrotary.com, click on the HTR Charitable Foundation Golf Fundraiser link, pull up the 2023 Registration form, complete the form, and then send/email the completed form to either Greg Goldman, Juhl Halverson, or Scott Fisher.
"We do it because we love our country." That's how Effat Naz, a polio survivor, sums up why she chose to join Pakistan's polio vaccinators. Women make up two-thirds of that workforce in a country where cultural norms prevent men from entering many people's homes. In this issue of Rotary magazine, you'll learn how women like Effat are not just helping end a disease, but driving change in their country.
April is Environmental Month for Rotary, and we'll take you to southern Turkey, where a warming world and historic wildfires have added peril for the semi-nomadic people of the Taurus Mountains. The region's Rotary clubs are leading an economic recovery effort aimed at preserving a traditional way of life.
Also this month, meet Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee, who led Liberian women in a nonviolent movement that helped end their country's civil war. Don't miss the chance to see her in person on the mainstage of the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne: Register now.
Imagine! 2023 is the first-ever Tri-District Conference for Rotarians and Rotaractors from International Districts 5580, 5950, and 5960. Get ready for an engaging weekend filled with education, camaraderie, celebration, inspiration, personal growth, and fun!
By participating in this one-of-a-kind event, your club will be measurably stronger, healthier, and happier in the year to come. Your ticket gives you full access to the entire conference, and guests are invited to fully participate.
Join Harbortown Rotary on a trip of a lifetime to Cochabamba, Bolivia! October 19-29, 2023.
The estimated total cost of the trip will be dependent on the side adventures the group chooses to take (between ~$1,600 to ~$2,400 total, plus travel expenses to Miami, Florida). Harbortown's International Committee has money set aside for those interested in the adventure: $500 to those who have taken a trip before and $750 travel voucher for first timers.
Please contact Karl Everett if you are interested in learning more or going on the trip! Karl Everett (218.491.3422 / karl_everett@q.com)
Mano a Mano’s Center for Ecological Agriculture: Water, Food, Health and Education: A Journey to Learn: Mano a Mano and Harbortown Rotary invite you on a 10 day trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia! Through this unique experience, you will meet high Andean subsistence farm families and be immersed in their daily lives. Travelers will take part in Mano a Mano’s teaching of farming practices that protect the fragile natural environment and improve health and distribution of medical and school supplies. Throughout this journey, you will see projects that accomplished our original vision and so much more.
What is Mano a Mano International? A grass-roots non-profit organization based in St. Paul, MN whose mission is to create partnerships that improve health and increase economic well-being.
Who can go on this trip? Adults and children accompanied by a parent or guardian are welcome. Where will we stay? Comfortable and clean hotels.
Where will we go? Bolivia’s third largest city, Cochabamba, located in the Andes at 8,000 feet above sea level, and rural communities that tourists rarely visit.
If you have an upcoming program duty (please check the upcoming duty roster), please be sure to secure a speaker and provide notice to Chloe Strand (Chloe.Strand@hdcmn.org) as soon as that speaker is confirmed. If you are unable to confirm a speaker, please contact Rick Oase (rickoase@yahoo.com) or Stephanie Judd (sljudd@gmail.com) for help, consider other program ideas like a Ted Talk, presenting yourself on a relevant topic or your business, or creating some excitement for a community organization you are passionate about. It is your program, so think about what is interesting and engaging to you and share it with others!
If for some reason you are unable to switch duties with another member or you have simply exhausted all efforts to find a speaker, please notify Rick or Stephanie no later than 3 business days before the meeting (the Friday before the meeting your program is scheduled).
President Mary Durward is bringing her laptop to the Kitchi Gammi Club for weekly Harbortown meetings. Presenters may bring a USB drive with the PowerPoint presentation (or whatever is wanted to be shown on the projector while speaking). Please share this information with your program's presenter.
Thank you for your help and thank you to all who are working hard to find engaging content for our upcoming sessions!
Upcoming Program Duties:
05.10 - Service Project: Duluth Armory
05.17 - East Junior Rotarians
05.24 - Denfeld Junior Rotarians
05.31 - Kevin Anderson
06.07 - Service Project: East All Night Grad Party Hands-On (No morning meeting)
For news, announcements, event promotion, social media, media releases, and more, please contact Charity Johnson (csjohnson@starbasemn.org / 218.788.7288) and Chloe Strand (chloestrand90@gmail.com / 218.340.2531).
For Scuttlebutt: If you are hosting the program speaker, please copy Chloe on the speaker's name, organization, and email. If you are the chair of a Harbortown Committee, please update Chloe on relevant information regarding grants and awards, meetings or news. Chloe and Charity will use this information to create more dynamic and engaging content to share with potential club members and on social media!
It is our goal to continue to share the good work that Harbortown Rotary is doing in our community, so your help and support is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
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