Rotary Shares an Interest in Protecting our Common Legacy:
THE ENVIRONMENT
April is Environment Month in Rotary. It’s a time when Rotarians around the globe are committing themselves to protecting and sustaining our common home. They do this by working on environmental projects in their local communities, by changing their personal habits to be more environmentally friendly, and by assisting Rotarians in other parts of the world to protect and sustain our natural environment. Read more...
~Terry L. Reed, Chair, District Environmental Sustainability Team
Getting Rid of Those Nasty Invasive Plants Along Streams
More than 28,000 miles, or 1/3 of all Pennsylvania waterways, are impaired in some way. The major threats to our streams are agricultural runoff, acid mine drainage, and urban sprawl. But that’s only part of the problem. Another serious issue along streams is the invasion of nonnative plants. More than 140 invasive plant species live in the state, many of them inhabit the areas around streams. Read on about this and what you can do about it.
~ Terry L. Reed, Chair, District Environmental Sustainability Team, West Reading-Wyomissing Rotary Club
Why We Support Native Plant Pollinator Gardens
For many years almost exclusively, non-native plants sold in our garden centers have focused on ornamental characteristics: pretty flowers, a specimen for a hedge or a foundation plant as a home accent. Now, the question we should all consider before purchasing a plant for our landscape is, “What is its ecological function?” In other words, what does this plant DO for pollinators such as bees, other beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife to support a biodiverse ecosystem? Learn more about this here.
~ Rick Morrissey, Rotary Club of Bethlehem Morning Star
~ Kay Greenawalt, Rotary Club of Hamburg
Spoiler Alert!
You're not the only person throwing out fuzzy asparagus.
For the typical American home, food waste is a significant problem. At scale on the national level, it’s staggering, and as the adage goes, a goal without a plan is just a wish. Rotary is working on a plan.
How bad is the problem of food waste in the United States? To fully understand the scope of the solution needed, FDA research found that combined food loss from retailers to consumers constituted 31% total loss. That’s 133 billion pounds of food worth $161 billion. Although there is movement at the federal level to reduce waste by 2030, Rotary has focused our attention at the local community level with programs to reclaim unused food before it becomes waste, and reuse food waste through composting programs. Learn more about this here.
~Leonard Reed, Rotary Club of Emmaus
Pennsylvania Promotes Advanced Recycling
Pennsylvania now characterizes advanced recycling of plastics as manufacturing to promote the reuse of plastics. The Act amends the Solid Waste Management Act by changing references to the Department of Environmental Resources to the Department of Environmental Protection and clarifying that post-use polymers that are converted using advanced recycling are not considered waste. Read more about this important change!
~Bob Hobaugh, PDG, Kutztown Rotary Club
What's Your Carbon Footprint?
Have you ever wondered how your daily habits impact the environment? Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases—like carbon dioxide and methane—generated by your actions. In the United States, the average person’s footprint is about 14–16 tons per year, one of the highest in the world. The good news? Small, simple changes at home can make a meaningful difference. Read on. ~Loretta Ottinger, DGND, Fleetwood
We Need To Plant More Trees
Across the globe, more than 24 million acres of forest are lost each year, and here in the United States, we lose roughly 36 million urban and community trees annually. Development, wildfires, invasive pests, and climate stress all contribute to a steady decline in our tree canopy. Read on about how tree planting is one small action we can take with big outcomes.
April is Environmental Sustainability month. Invite committee chairman Terry Reed to come speak to your club about the different initiatives. Mark your calendars: April 11th is Rotary Day of Service, and you're encouraged to do an outdoor project on that day or sometime during the month.
Enjoy this music video of District 7430 Clubs and the work we do for Environmental Sustainability (you may even see yourself).
April is right around the corner. Don't forget to register for the upcoming Multi-District Leadership Summit in April, to be held in Gettysburg, PA.
Youth Exchange Peace Poll Installation
As part of the Rotary District 7430 Youth Exchange Program, the Wyomissing Public Library was selected to receive a Rotary Peace Pole, which was dedicated at the library, located at 9 Reading Boulevard in Wyomissing, in March 2026. Read more here.
Mental Health & Wellness - Learn QPR
Three free educational events are scheduled to teach individuals how to recognize the warning signs of suicide &learn strategies to offer hope to support someone. Learn QPR - Question, Persuade, and Respond. Join us at one of these FREE events, open to Rotarians & community members.
Monday, April 6 from 6-8:00 pm at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg, PA. 18073 Hosted by Upper Perk Rotary Club
Tuesday, April 21 from 6-8:00 pm at the Northampton County Human Services Building at 2801 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem, PA. 18020. Hosted by the Easton Rotary Club
Monday, May 6 from 5:30–7:30 pm (location TBA) in Bucks County.
STEM YEA: What's New in 2026
STEM Youth Explorer Academy is scheduled for July 9-12, 2026, at Kutztown University. The theme is “Astrobiology: the Search for Life on Mars”. Some new activities include using “Night Sky Apps” and learning about ground-penetrating radar. There are some new teachers and interns this year! We are still registering volunteers for this amazing service project. To learn more, go to stemyea.com, and please don’t hesitate to join us. There are no charges for meals or dorms for volunteers.
~ Gwenn Carr
~ Club News ~
The Hatboro Rotary Club is making reading accessible for every family bringing children's books right to where they are, at local laundromats! While the wash cycle runs, little ones can pick up a book, get lost in a story, and keep their love of reading spinning. Early literacy matters, and not every family has easy access to books at home. By placing children's books where families already spend time, we're helping make reading a natural, everyday moment for every child in the community.~submitted by Barbara Rudakevych
The Rotary Club of Doylestown congratulates Tom Kube on his 51st club year anniversary! The club is celebrating his milestone in mid-March by interviewing him, along with his wife and son. Many fun memories will be shared, and there will be a gorgeous cake. It's a tribute to the value of Rotary that members stay involved, like Tom has, for decades!
In other news, the Doylestown Borough Dam Cleanup will occur 2 weeks before trout fishing opening day (April 4), at which time Doylestown Rotary partners with the town to host a free fishing day for local kids 15 and under. The day will feature burgers and dogs, and snacks, and even help kids bait and unhook fish. ~submitted by Gail Linenberg
Perkasie Rotary Celebrates Centennial:Some clubs hold a gala banquet. Others build a monument. Perkasie Rotary celebrates the only way it knows how – with Service. The celebration for the club’s centennial kicked off in September 2025, carrying out 100 Acts of Service in 100 days. Sunday, December 14, was the 100th day, and club members and friends braved the elements to gather at the Hilltown German Club to prepare turkey dinners to deliver to families in need. Club member Kristine “Krissy” Fallows is the founder of the non-profit Angels Sharing the Warmth and partnered with the club to assemble the meals for delivery. She also partnered with the culinary students at the Upper Bucks Tech School to collect food items and cook the turkeys in advance. Although the original goal was 100 meals, the final count was 160 meals delivered to families in need. ~submitted by Bill Tuszynski
Spring-Ford Rotary shares the following spring events:
Sat, 4/11: Perkiomen Creek Clean-Up Day in Collegeville, PA.
Sat, 4/25: Arbor Day Tree Giveaway at Spring-Ford High School from 8am-12noon.
Sat, 4/25: HAPPY 100TH ANNIVERSARY SPRING FORD
Reading Rotary Club: Join the Reading Rotary Club fundraiser on 4/15, celebrating the remarkable culinary and horticulture students from Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology Center! Enjoy a hot buffet & desserts, raffles and more.
Supporting Food Insecurity - Here We Grow Again!
District 7430 Rotary Clubs support Food Banks and pantries throughout our region. Every month, this list grows. If your club supports a food bank and isn't listed here, please drop us a note and let us know!
Allentown West - Lowhill Food Pantry and Parkland Cares
Ambler - Maddie Dixon Community Cupboard
Bethlehem Morning Star - The Bethlehem Emergency Shelter
Blue Bell - Family Promise, Montco Community College Food Bank
Central Bucks - The Grace Project
Collegeville - Daily Bread Community Food Pantry
Lehigh Valley Passport - Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank, Conference Kitchen at the Lehigh Conference of Churches
Nazareth - Nazareth Area Food Bank
Norristown - Patrician Society
Northwestern Lehigh Interact - school district snack packs
Parkland Interact - school district snack packs
Perkasie - Pennridge FISH, Angels Sharing the Warmth
Quakertown - Quakertown Food Pantry
Slatington - Northern Area Food Bank, Slatington Area Food Bank
Souderton-Telford - Keystone Opportunity Center
Springfield Township-Flourtown - various
Upper Perkiomen - Open Link Food Pantry
Warminster - Warminster Food Bank
Warrington - Family Service Association of Bucks County, PA
West Reading-Wyomissing - Hope Rescue and LightHouse Mission
Happenings
Kutztown: 100th Anniversary Dinner celebration on 4/1
Pottstown: Annual Pancake Breakfast on 4/4
Reading: Rising Stars of Reading on 4/15
Warminster: 6th Annual Golf Outing on 4/24
Norristown: Annual Pancake Breakfast on 4/25
Quakertown: Designer Bag Bingo on 5/8
Whitehall: Paws in the Parkway on 5/9
Welcome & Congratulations
Congratulations
District 7430 Winner of the 4-Way Speech Contest!
Doylestown Rotary: 50 Year Rotarian Anniversary
Spring-Ford Rotary: Happy 100th Anniversary
Welcome & Welcome Back
Hatboro Rotary: New member Rob Magnant, returning member Tom Post.
Beyond Borders
District 7430 is a part of Rotary International Zone 32. Our Zone Director is Chris Etienne, and she is hosting a special dinner during the Rotary International Convention in Taipai this coming June. Travelling in June? You're invited to attend! Click here.
Next up!
May is
YOUTH SERVICE MONTH
Let us know by 4/20 what your club is doing for this important area of focus.
working on environmental projects in their local communities, by changing their personal habits to be more environmentally friendly, and by assisting Rotarians in other parts of the world to protect and sustain our natural environment. 
impaired in some way. The major threats to our streams are agricultural runoff, acid mine drainage, and urban sprawl. But that’s only part of the problem. Another serious issue along streams is the invasion of nonnative plants. More than 140 invasive plant species live in the state, many of them inhabit the areas around streams. 
centers have focused on ornamental characteristics: pretty flowers, a specimen for a hedge or a foundation plant as a home accent. Now, the question we should all consider before purchasing a plant for our landscape is, “What is its ecological function?” In other words, what does this plant DO for pollinators such as bees, other beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife to support a biodiverse ecosystem? 
Pennsylvania now characterizes advanced recycling of plastics as manufacturing to promote the reuse of plastics. The Act amends the Solid Waste Management Act by changing references to the Department of Environmental Resources to the Department of Environmental Protection and clarifying that post-use polymers that are converted using advanced recycling are not considered waste. 
year, and here in the United States, we lose roughly 36 million urban and community trees annually. Development, wildfires, invasive pests, and climate stress all contribute to a steady decline in our tree canopy. 
Wyomissing Public Library was selected to receive a Rotary Peace Pole, which was dedicated at the library, located at 9 Reading Boulevard in Wyomissing, in March 2026. 
bringing children's books right to where they are, at local laundromats! While the wash cycle runs, little ones can pick up a book, get lost in a story, and keep their love of reading spinning. Early literacy matters, and not every family has easy access to books at home. By placing children's books where families already spend time, we're helping make reading a natural, everyday moment for every child in the community.
by interviewing him, along with his wife and son. Many fun memories will be shared, and there will be a gorgeous cake. It's a tribute to the value of Rotary that members stay involved, like Tom has, for decades! 
off in September 2025, carrying out 100 Acts of Service in 100 days. 
Sat, 4/11: Perkiomen Creek Clean-Up Day in Collegeville, PA. 
