From left: Kevin Noll, Karen DeMatteo, Debby York and Luanne Linares

West End Rotary added to its ranks when Luanne Linares became the club’s newest member.

Luanne has been living and working in the West End for the past ten years. She has been employed with First Northern Bank & Trust for the past 5 years, working in their Stroudsburg, Palmerton and now Gilbert offices where she is the Assistant Branch Manager. Luanne is also involved in the community by serving on the Board of Trustees of the Western Pocono Community Library as well as the West End Committee of the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce. Luanne was sponsored by club President Debby York and inducted by Assistant Gov. Karen DeMatteo, the immediate past president of the Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs.

In that ceremony, District Gov. Barbara Huffman-Belon installed officers and directors for the 2015-16 Rotary year. Officers are: Debby York, president; Ed Gallagher, president-elect; Honi Lynn Gruenberg, vice president; Diana Cardwell, secretary; Frank Mullane, treasurer; Dave Pierce, sergeant-at-arms, and Kevin Noll, immediate past president. Directors are: Jeff Widmer, public relations; Karin-Susan Breitlauch, membership; Jim Mannello, service projects; Joey Krawitz, club administration; Gruenberg, Rotary Foundation; and Luanne Linares, youth services.

In his remarks, Kevin reviewed the club’s contributions to the community last year. They included providing a stair chair for West End Ambulance, dictionaries to every third grader in the Pleasant Valley School District and winter coats to needy children. Fundraising events and service projects such as the Oktoberfest and Car Show, Basket Bingo and wheelchair rentals at the West End Fair rounded out the list.

The club also presented awards for service to the community. Awards and their recipients were: Service Above Self, Ed Gallagher; Rotarian of the Year, Jim Mannello; Reach One Keep One membership recruitment and retention, Karin Breitlauch. Kevin distributed presidential citations to Honi Gruenberg, Debbie Borger, Dave Pierce and Jeff Widmer.

Seven Rotarians were made Paul Harris Fellows: Kevin Noll, Dave Pierce, Maureen Tatu, Frank Mullane, Diana Cardwell, Karin Breitlauch and Erin Gallagher. Eight club members received perfect attendance awards: Kevin Noll, Ed Gallagher, Karin Breitlauch, Honi Gruenberg, Diana Cardwell, Jeff Widmer and two Rotarians from the Slate Belt satellite club, Valerie Noble and Bill Skinner.

A new honor Kevin created, the Quiet Rotarian award for service without fanfare, went to Diana Cardwell, Frank Mullane and Joey Krawitz. For his service, Kevin received a president’s gavel and plaque.