Join us this week on Zoom for a discussion lead by Alex Mosakowski on our Rotary Club's signature project. Join us this week on Zoom for a discussion lead by Alex Mosakowski on our Rotary Club's signature project. 
Here are a few pictures from kids showing off their own books that they received from our Rotary Club through our donation along with a Rotary District Literacy Grant. 
All the photos will be uploaded to a photo album on our website soon. 
Rotarian Greg Bachjman introduced ESU Head Softball Coach April Rosales to our Rotary Club recently. April is in her sixth season as head coach. This team is way more that just softball...they are winning both on and off the field with the best team GPA, and they are leading the country with 345 volunteer service hours in our community, demonstrating the great character of this team. Their 10-2 record is the best start since 2006, and they play for each other with what is characterized as "the E-State of Mind." There have been challenges since last March from COVID, but also from the untimely death of a former player "Jacie" Stephens-Cochran during the birth of her first child. Jacie's and her husband's son, Jaxon Jay survived and is now 8 months old. The team is in the midst of a scholarship drive at ESU in Jacie's name, and they are trying to raise the needed funds to push this fund to an endowed scholarship for ESU. Contributions can be made to ahuddles@emporia.edu.
An online news story on Jacie:
Rotarian Greg Bachman introduced third-year Emporia State University Head Baseball Coach Seth Wheeler at a recent meeting of our club. Seth was connecting by Zoom from the press box scouting another team. The team has had a tough schedule so far, with a record to date of 5-6. There are many things that currently be currently controlled, but Coach Wheeler has confidence in his team. He gave as an example Blake Arrow, a player from Wichita who is small in stature and was not highly recruited out of high school. After playing for Coffeyville Community College, Blake walked on to the ESU team in 2018 and started competing for a starting spot, made great improvements and ended up batting on the team's lead-off spot. As a psychology major, Coach Stanbrough has worked with him to create a winning attitude that has propelled him as a walk-on playing outfield to winning the short-stop position and is now the second best player on the team.
The next two weekends at ESU, fans will be able to see ESU play some really high-rated team in the country.
Our Rotary Club was joined by Dena Russell-Marino, Jacque Wellnitz and Karen Belford to provide new insights of our local Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. Dena is a Rotary Club Member and the director of the local chapter, and Karen is also a Rotary Club member and talked about being part of a couples Big with her husband Jim. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a mentoring relationship with someone older who can make a big impact on the kids participating in the program. Ranging in age from 5 to 17, 25% of the kids participating in the program are in extreme poverty households, and are at-risk. Many kids come into the program with little hope for their future, and many cannot articulate a dream or a goal. When matched with a Big, many experience for the first time a healthy relationship. The kids that are matched with Bigs are more likely to continue in school, have normal peer relationships, hold down a job with a livable wage by age 25, and be more civically engaged as an adult. Jim and Karen Belford together are what is called a Couples Big with the program. They provide consistency and a positive role model for their match. They invite their match over to their home for something as simple as dinner and a movie.
There are 20 matches in Emporia now with a goal to reach 30 matches in 2021. 90 are on the waiting list currently.
Welcome Dave Zimmerman as our newest Rotary Club member. Thanks for joining, Dave!
Rob Gilligan of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau provided information on what Ignite Emporia is all about for our club members. 
The research results that depict potential roadblocks for our community, and the strategies to solve these community issues were presented.
Please welcome Jason Kuehl as our newest Rotary Club member. Jason is an Emporia State University accounting major. Ed Bashaw sponsored Jason. Thanks for joining our club, Jason.The Emporia Rotary Club now has a PayPal account, which we will be trying out for a year. This means you can now use PayPal for handling dues, sending Happy Bucks, and making donations for End Polio Now. Our PayPal page is available on our club website (rotaryemporia.com) at the top of the screen.
How do I use PayPal?
Clicking on the "donate" button will take you to our PayPal page. Enter the amount you wish to pay and select where the money should be designated. If you wish, you can make it a regular, monthly donation (must have a PayPal account). You can then choose to pay using your PayPal account or your Debit or Credit Card.
Is there a fee?
PayPal is free to use, except when you receive money from a purchase or send payments using a Debit or Credit Card. If you choose to send a donation or payment using a Debit or Credit Card, a transaction fee will be taken out of your payment. The transaction fee for Debit or Credit Cards is 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. There is no fee if you send a donation or payment using your bank account.
Do I need a PayPal account?
A PayPal account is not required, but it is recommended to avoid sending payments with transaction fees. A PayPal account is the only method that allows you to send payments linked to your bank account, thus avoiding any transaction fees.
How do I set up an account?
You can sign up for a free personal account at www.paypal.com. You will be asked to verify your phone number, e-mail, login credentials, name, and address. You will then be asked to link your account to a Debit/Credit Card and/or bank account. You can link your account to multiple payment options and select a preferred payment option. You will be asked to confirm two small deposits to your Debit/Credit Card and/or bank account. It will take 3-5 business days for these deposits to appear in your bank account and will be withdrawn within 10 days.
Can I use PayPal on my phone?
Yes, you can download the PayPal Mobile App. You can send payments to our PayPal link: http://paypal.me/rotaryemporia or search for us by our e-mail at rotaryemporia@gmail.com. You will not be able to select a designation for the payment, so make sure to let our treasurer, Dan Robertson, know.
For further questions, ask Alex Mosakowski at amosakow@gmail.com.
For those wanting to make year-end contributions to The Rotary Foundation, please send checks to Navrat’s Inc ATTN: Richard Duncan PO Box N Emporia, KS 66801. Note whether you want it to go towards the Annual Fund or Polio Plus.
Thanks,
Richard Duncan
Navrat’s Inc.
728 Mechanic St.
Emporia, KS 66801
620-342-2092
www.navrats.com
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