Here's an addendum to the wrap-up of the club's January 7 meeting. The report about our Vocational Services efforts was deleted by Clubrunner too late Thursday night for me to rewrite it. Here's the rest of the story.

Vocational Service. The "program" portion of the meeting featured a look at the club's Vocational Service. Vocational Service is one of Rotary's four Avenues of Service, which are comprised of:
Vocational Service. The "program" portion of the meeting featured a look at the club's Vocational Service. Vocational Service is one of Rotary's four Avenues of Service, which are comprised of:

* Club Service: Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the smooth functioning of Rotary clubs.

* Community Service: Community Service is the opportunity Rotary clubs have to implement club projects and activities that improve life in the local community.

* International Service: International Service encompasses efforts to expand Rotary's humanitarian reach around the world and to promote world understanding and peace.

* Vocational Service: Vocational Service involves club members serving others through their professions and aspiring to high ethical standards.

Bart James is a newly elected director overseeing Vocational Service, replacing Brian Kiplinger, who has been elected to a vice president position. Bart reviewed the club's Vocational Service projects, which include:

* RYLA - Rotary Youth Ladership Awards. This is Rotary's leadership training program for young people. RYLA participants can be ages 14-30. RYLA emphasizes leadership, citizenship, and personal growth, and aims to demonstrate Rotary's respect and concern for youth, provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders, encourage leadership of youth by youth and publicly recognize young people who are rendering service to their communities. District 6603 holds an annual RYLA camp at Hiram College. Marc Amato heads up the RYLA program for our club.

* Interact - Interact is a Rotary Club for high school students. The Strongsville High School Interact Club, with about 30 members, does a variety of service projects. The club's signature project is its annual charity volleyball tournament. The club also participated in the recent Be The Match bone marrow drive and assisted with Strongsville's Winter Wonderland. The club is advised by John Young, a counselor at the school. Bart James is taking over the oversight of the club from Brian Kipliinger. There are about 11,000 Interact clubs arund the world. By the way, our club plans to field a team or two at the volleyball tournament. If you are interested, get more information from Rick Peephole Voigt or Bart James.

* Four Way Test Speech Contest - Each spring we invite four Strongsville High School students to a meeting to present speeches based on Rotary's Four Way Test of the thngs we say and do. The winners get cash prizes of $250, $200 and $150. This year's competition will be held on March 18. The first place winner will go on to compete in the District 6603 contest on April 16, at Beachwood High School. Lena Knight and Barb Davis are organizing the contest this year, taking over for Elaine Taylor, who has handled it for many years.

* Business Expo. Dan Cricks led the drive to put on a Rotary Business Expo in 2009. After a successful event, the 2010 event expended, with participation of the city of Strongsville's Economic Development Department and the Strongsville Chamber of Commerce. The event, held at the Recreation Center, featured 80 locals businesses. From the proceeds, $1,000 was raised for the Strongsville Food Bank.

* Scholarships. Headed up by Joe Weber, the Strongsville Rotary Foundation awards five $1,500 scholarships each year to high school seniors. Three go to Strongsville High School students and one each to a Polaris student and a parachial school student. Three scholarships also are awarded to students in the high school's Connections program, which assists students with special circumstances who need extra guidance. Two $500 scholarships also are given to a male and a female "unsung hero" selected by coaches at the high school.

Rotary also has an Ambassadorial Scholarship program that provides a $27,000 grant to a ccllege student to study abroad. The broad is assigned. The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas. The program sponsors academic year scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies. While abroad, scholars serve as goodwill ambassadors to the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with Rotarians and others the experiences that led to a greater understanding of their host country. Rotary awards about 500 scholarship a year, but no Strongsville student has ever received one.