Hamburg Rotary

The Rotary Club of Hamburg, commonly known as Hamburg Rotary, is a volunteer service organization serving the borough of Hamburg and the surrounding communities of Northern Berks County, Pennsylvania. The club is a chartered member of Rotary International, the global service organization founded on the motto "Service Above Self," and belongs to Rotary District 7430, which covers a portion of southeastern Pennsylvania.

Rotary International is made up of more than 31,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographic areas, with roughly 1.2 million members worldwide. Those clubs work on issues that include poverty, disease, hunger, illiteracy and environmental protection, along with Rotary's long running campaign to eradicate polio. Hamburg Rotary operates as a local expression of that network: a group of men and women from the Hamburg area who pool their time, professional skills and fundraising capacity to support neighbors close to home while also contributing to international relief efforts.

Meeting Schedule and Location

The club meets in person at the Municipal Building, 61 N. Third St., Hamburg, PA 19526. The regular meeting time is Thursday at 7:30 a.m., including the second Thursday of each month. The fourth Thursday of the month shifts to a noon meeting, giving members whose schedules do not accommodate an early breakfast an alternative time to attend.

On the first Thursday of each month, the club gathers in the evening instead of the morning. That meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Westy on State Street in West Hamburg and combines dinner with a Club Assembly, the business session where members review finances, plan upcoming projects and set club priorities. There is no morning meeting on those first Thursdays.

Hamburg Rotary also operates a satellite club, which gives prospective and current members additional flexibility in how and when they participate. Visitors and anyone curious about Rotary are generally welcome at meetings.

Fundraising: The Annual Golf Tournament

The centerpiece of the club's fundraising calendar is the Hamburg Rotary Golf Tournament, which has now passed its twenty-second year. The outing is held at Galen Hall Golf Club and regularly fills its field with 128 golfers. Participants receive a catered meal prepared by David Shefter of the Wherehouse in Hamburg. The tournament is chaired by club member Keith Phillips and raises money for the club's work every year.

Proceeds from the tournament fund essentially all of the club's community philanthropy, from charitable grants to local nonprofits to the scholarships awarded to graduating high school students. Because the event is organized and staffed by Rotarians themselves, a large share of the money raised flows directly back into Northern Berks County programs.

Local Charitable Giving

Hamburg Rotary directs annual financial support to organizations that provide direct services in the community. The club also funds scholarships for local high school seniors and supports the Northern Berks Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month program, which recognizes area students for academic achievement, character and service.

Internationally, the club contributes to ShelterBox USA, a Rotary partner organization that delivers emergency shelter and essential supplies to families displaced by natural disasters and conflict. The club has also made a special contribution to the Maui Rotary club to assist with wildfire restoration efforts in Hawaii.

Youth and Student Programs

A significant portion of the club's work is aimed at students in the Hamburg Area School District.

• 4-Way Test Speech Contest: Hamburg Area High School students deliver persuasive speeches of five to seven minutes, judged against Rotary's 4-Way Test, the ethical standard that asks whether a statement or action is truthful, fair to all concerned, likely to build goodwill and better friendships, and beneficial to all concerned.
• Camp Neidig Youth Leadership Sponsorship: The club sponsors Hamburg Area High School juniors to attend the three-day Camp Neidig leadership camp, where roughly 120 campers from across southeastern Pennsylvania take part in team-building exercises and leadership training.
• Student Scholarships: Awards to local high school students, funded by golf tournament proceeds.

Community Events and Volunteering

For more than ten years, Hamburg Rotary has hosted the lunch stop for the Schuylkill River Sojourn, the multi-day paddling trip that travels the length of the Schuylkill River each June. The club sets up at the Peter Yarnell Landing Schuylkill River Trailhead and serves roughly 120 to 129 kayakers a midday meal of cold cuts, fresh vegetables, cookies, pretzels and chips, accompanied by live music. The stop has become one of the more recognizable waypoints on the Sojourn route.

Members also staff booths, hand out information and help direct visitors at the annual Hamburg-er Fest, the street festival organized by the Our Town Foundation. Another ongoing commitment is the Inter-Club Potato Project, a joint effort with neighboring Rotary clubs in which volunteers harvest potatoes at a farm outside Shoemakersville for distribution to area food pantries and hunger relief agencies.

Programs and Speakers

Weekly meetings typically feature a guest speaker drawn from local government, nonprofits, schools and area businesses. Recent presenters have included Hamburg Public Library Director Chelsea Williams and Salvation Army Office Manager and Caseworker Amy Shanaman. The speaker program keeps members informed about needs and developments in the Northern Berks area and often shapes where the club directs its resources.

Leadership and Membership

Club leadership includes President Roger Burnish, President Elect Gregory J. Rautzhan, Treasurer Eric S. George and Secretary Jeanette E. Heckman. Tom Roth, a recent past president, serves as the contact for the club.

Membership is open to men and women in the Hamburg and Northern Berks area who are interested in community service. Members choose among the breakfast meetings, the monthly noon meeting, the evening Club Assembly and the satellite club, and they are eligible to take part in Rotary District 7430 conferences, training sessions and multi-club projects.