Lafayette College has many avenues for students to be involved in service: the Landis Center for Community Engagement, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, Greek life organization philanthropy and more. But what about off the hill?
Easton’s Rotary Club chapter is a vibrant community of Eastonians looking to help out through community service.
“Everybody that’s involved really cares about the community,” said Andrew Bogoly, the chapter’s secretary.
As part of an international service organization, Easton’s chapter is dedicated to giving back.
“Our motto is ‘service above self,’ and that’s the whole reason you join Rotary,” said Paul Braden, who has been a chapter member for 45 years. He currently serves as the chairman of the Easton Rotary Service Foundation, founded in 1974 to support Easton area charity projects.
“We are just people who want to do good in our community and be good people at the end of the day, and we can do that by servicing others and being a friend,” said Lynn Schoof, the recently inducted chapter president.
The chapter currently has just over 50 members.
Schoof and Bogoly said they became involved in the chapter for business purposes.
“I stayed because I really enjoyed the group and I enjoyed what we did,” said Schoof, who was inducted in 2020.
The chapter hosts several large service events throughout the year, such as the annual Jack Bennett Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament, a high school basketball tournament and fundraiser, and Mother’s Day “Pack the Purse” in May, an event to donate purses and essential items to Third Street Alliance.
This past Valentine’s Day, for the continuous 25th year, the chapter donated hundreds of teddy bears to the cancer units and children’s hospitals of Lehigh Valley Health Network Hecktown Oaks and St. Luke’s.
“It is really inspiring to our patients that people from the community will come together to make donations like this,” said Kelly McCready, the director of community giving for Lehigh Valley Health Network.
“It’s so great to see the smiles on their faces,” Schoof said about the teddy bear recipients.
The chapter also works to support other organizations, with volunteers and finances, such as the Miracle League of Northampton County, along with hosting donation drives and other projects such as environmental clean-ups. It also provides grants and awards to the Easton community, such as Teacher of the Year.
“It feels like we do little stuff throughout the year, but the little stuff is very impactful,” Schoof said.
In March, the chapter is hosting a book donation drive for the Northampton County Juvenile Justice Center in collaboration with the Swingle Family Foundation, the board of which three Rotarians are on.
“If you need something, our members are there,” Schoof said. “Our members show up.”
The main thread between the Lafayette community and Rotary Club chapter is Sue Herschlag, a Rotarian and the health profession’s program administrative coordinator. Herschlag declined to comment.
In the past, the chapter has collaborated with Engineers Without Borders and Lafayette Initiative for Malagasy Education, more commonly known as LIME.
“I would love to see more collaboration with the groups at Lafayette,” Schoof said. She added that she would love to see a Rotaract Club — a Rotary Club program dedicated to young adults — at Lafayette.
The worldwide Rotary Club is dedicated to making a difference and lasting change through service projects focused on several key themes, such as promoting peace and supporting education. The organization was founded in 1905 and became the world’s first service organization. It currently has 1.2 million members across 45,000 clubs worldwide.
Easton’s chapter is part of District 7430, which encompasses 45 clubs and over 1,700 members in Southeastern Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1914, inspired by the nearby Allentown chapter.
Easton’s Rotary Club chapter meets weekly on Thursdays, either at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays for socializing or noon on the other Thursdays at the Pomfret Club. Bogoly said that students are welcome to attend meetings and meet members. Schoof expressed enthusiasm about students becoming involved.
“If other students are really interested in trying to help out the community and be involved in their community, Rotary is a good way to do it,” Bogoly said, highlighting the benefits of becoming a part of an international organization.
Membership dues are quarterly, according to Schoof. For members under 40, dues are $40 per quarter, or $160 per year, and for those over 40, $65 per quarter, or $260 per year.
“They’ll get out a lot more than what they put into it,” she said about students joining. “Trust me.”
