Congratulations to our Paul Harris recipients.
Thank you for your dedication and commitment.
 Ashtabula - William HoweThe person chosen from the Rotary Club Ashtabula to receive the Paul Harris Fellow is not a Rotarian, although he exemplifies a Rotarian in every sense of the word. If you spend time with him it’s easy to tell his character would pass the four way test. When it comes to volunteering we can count on him to be there. Especially at Wine and Walleye, he’s the first to volunteer to work the Beer Tent. We have our Rotary Park that our Club maintains, and our recipient has taken it upon himself on his own time to do some maintenance work. For these reasons and many more, our nomination for the 2022-23 Rotary Year is William Howe. |
 Burton-Middlefield – Andrew PlesoAndrew Pleso joined Rotary only a short year and a half ago. Since joining he has shown to be a dedicated member who is anxious and willing to take on any assigned task at Burton-Middlefield events. He enthusiastically accepted the position of chair of our yearly fund raiser called the "Jeep Invasion" which is a gathering of Jeep Wrangler models. This event is a fund raiser that our club puts on to raise money for a multitude of Veteran needs in Geauga County. This year over $15,000 was raised to benefit many veteran's causes in conjunction with the county Veteran's Services Agency. The almost cult like Jeep Wrangler owners gather at a local drive-in theater for viewing of other Jeeps by the participants, coffee and donuts with patriotic activities by and for veterans. This is followed by a 20 mile tour of the county behind the squad car of the county sheriff. The tour has run through county park trails and this year through an active sand mining pit where the jeepers got to show their off-road skills with their pride and joy Wranglers. They return to the drive-in for hot dogs and the awarding of prizes based on their entry ticket numbers. Andrew organized this entire event this year including music, prizes, advertising, signage, registration and every other aspect of the event. Our club has been fortunate to have him join us as a member. |
 Chagrin Valley – Karen PocciaKaren has been instrumental in rebuilding our club’s committees and reinvigorating our club. She has maintained our hybrid meeting structure. She led many of our successful fundraisers. |
 Fairlawn – Ken SmithIf you were to ask those that know Ken, whether that be fellow Rotarians, Friends, Family, or Co-workers, to describe him, in only a few words, those words would be: selfless, giving, caring, hardworking, generous, fair, and kind. Ken is the person that always volunteers first to take on the toughest part of the job. Ken sacrifices his personal time to help and give back to others. He leads by example. As a past president of Rotary Club of Fairlawn, Ken has played an integral role in the annual fundraiser each year. In fact, since Ken joined the club, he has been instrumental in ensuring the club has moved in a positive direction. The bottom line is that Ken care about those around him and it shows in everything he does. |
 Hillcrest Sunrise – Joseph CiceroJoe exemplifies a True Rotarian. Always working behind the scenes getting the job done. Always completing a task without hesitation. Never says "no". Service Above Self completely describes Joe. He serves on several Community Boards: Senior Transportation Connection Board; Ursuline Nuns Board; Project NICU Board, Community Partnership on the Aging Board: while volunteering with Meals on Wheels almost daily. |
 Northampton-Cuyahoga Valley – Joel MorganJoel Morgan is an outstanding candidate for the Rotary Paul Harris Award due to his commitment and contributions to the community. As a devoted supporter of our school district's butterfly garden, Joel has tirelessly dedicated his time and expertise to create a haven for native plants and butterflies. His passion for preserving the environment has not only beautified the region but also raised awareness about the importance of ecological conservation. This garden was made possible by a Rotary grant and Joel has coordinated efforts with our school district to work collaboratively with our Rotary club on maintaining and preserving this great space. Furthermore, his role as the youth protection officer demonstrates his dedication to safeguarding the welfare of the younger generation. His exceptional work in this capacity has not only ensured a safe and nurturing environment for our youth but has also set a remarkable example for others to follow. Additionally, Joel's active participation in various club fundraising events showcases his dedication to Rotary's mission of service above self. His efforts have significantly contributed to the success of these events, raising funds that support numerous charitable initiatives. Joel Morgan's commitment and multifaceted contributions to both the environment and the community make him a truly deserving recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris Award. |
 Port-Summit - Shelley MonachinoSpringfield Local Schools Superintendent Shelley Monachino has been a breath of fresh air since joining the Rotary Club of Port Summit. She has taken an active role in all our club's fundraising efforts, service projects, and particularly all projects relating to students and youth. She took the initiative to rewrite the process by which we advertise, interview, and choose scholarship applicants, and she was instrumental in serving at the Club and District Four-Way Speech contests, both at Springfield Jr/Sr High School. Shelley is a natural leader, and will lead our club as Club President commencing April 2024. We are very lucky and blessed to have her as a member of the Rotary Club of Port Summit. |
 Twinsburg – Carol BranstetterCarol Branstetter grew up on a small farm in Central Missouri. She graduated valedictorian of her high school class. She is a Chemical Engineer from the University of Missouri, Columbia. She married her HS sweetheart, Scott and worked in the process controls industry until the birth of their first child. She’s been an active stay at home mom for almost 21 years. She homeschooled both boys in order to provide them a great science-based education. She started and led a First Lego League robotics team consisting of 6-8 wild and wonderful 6-8th graders. Her teams competed at the state level, winning multiple awards for design and team spirit. When her husband became Scoutmaster of Troop 223, she enthusiastically supported him and gave selflessly to the troop. She used her knowledge and passion from the First Lego League experience to become a counselor for the Robotics Merit Badge. And in a huge show of support for family & scouting, she and Scott spent their 25th wedding anniversary backpacking the Presidential Range of the White Mountains in New Hampshire with a high adventure crew of Scouts. Carol’s involvement with the Scouts led to a partnership with the Rotary Club of Twinsburg. The club runs a program known as The Parade of Flags. This program involves installing hundreds of American flags on subscribers’ tree lawns during five holidays. The program is a major fundraiser for the Club, proceeds of which benefit many community organizations, including the Scouts. Carol brought her characteristic level of organization and excellence to the execution of the program. She managed routing, distribution and marshaling the large number of scout families required to install and remove the flags throughout the year. During her tenure Carol helped to significantly grow the program, which is now a seminal event in the Twinsburg community and one which brings visibility to the Club and engenders much goodwill throughout. |