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Installation of the 2026-2027 Executive Board for the Rotary Club of Slippery Rock was held June 29 during a Noon luncheon at NexTier. Officers installed were: President – Judith “Judy” Hughes, PDG, Immediate Past President – Bradley “Brad” Smith and Vice President and Public Image – Steven Plavny. Also, Secretary – Regina “Reg” Greenwald, Treasurer – Abby Smith and Foundation – James “Jim” Hughes.
Since their installation, the team has been busy planning their fall and winter activities, including VillageFest 2026 and Shelter Box on September 12, the speaker’s bureau and holiday community service projects. President Hughes and her officers are also finalizing a membership wants and needs survey and developing a formal plan to increase Rotary membership during upcoming year for both the Slippery Rock and Harrisville Satellite Clubs and Rotaract at Slippery Rock University.
In lieu of a formal speaker, Rotarian Steven Plavny walked members through the new website for the Slippery Rock Rotary and Harrisville Satellite Club during their weekly meeting on Tuesday, July14. The new site has been up and running for over a month. Plavny demonstrated the newest addition to the site is an online Marketplace where members can pay club membership dues or make contributions to their Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) or Polio Plus Donations. In addition, the public can use Marketplace to purchase tickets to local Rotary sponsored events or to make Patron Donations in support of the club’s numerous community service projects. Another unique feature of the new Slippery Rock site is that Rotarians worldwide can attend our meetings live via the site. All they need is the Zoom password which is available from any club member prior to the call. Visit:
www.slipperyrockrotary.org.
Slippery Rock Rotarian Dr. Chad H. Smith, MD, MPH, an oncologist at UPMC Jameson, celebrated his first year of Rotary membership by becoming the club’s newest Paul Harris Fellow. He was inducted by fellow member and Foundation Steward James Hughes during the weekly breakfast meeting on Tuesday, July 21, when he received his certificate and pin.
Harrisville Satellite Rotarians Ben Robertson and Don Fink of Blackwood Arts will be showing the 1925 silent picture “The Big Parade,” later this year at their area theatre. Since the classic film was inspired by the paintings of Andrew Wyeth and the historic Brandywine Valley of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Harrisville club decided to take a road trip there to learn more about father and son realist painters Andrew and Jamie Wyeth. Rotarians toured the painters home in Chadd’s Ford, visited the Brandywine Museum and the Karl J. Kuerner Farm. Kuerner is a contemporary mentee of Andrew Wyeth, alive today, who is known for his works of American Realism and the local Brandywine countryside.
On day two of their trip, the Harrisville club visited Longwood Gardens. Longwood Gardens is a world-renowned horticultural display garden created by industrialist Pierre DuPont in Kennett Square, PA. It features over 100 acres of conservatories, fountains, treehouses, and meadows and contains over 10,000 species of plants and flowers. All participants agreed that it was a great trip for socializing and relationship building with fellow Rotarians.
Rotarian Judy Hughes and Harrisville Rotary Patron Dale Doran toured J & J Farms Animal Sanctuary, Inc., on Tuesday, July 14. Founded by Jessica Poutous and Jesse Blake, the sanctuary is a non-profit organization whose mission is to rescue, provide care, comfort and rehabilitate to abused, abandoned or otherwise unwanted farm animals, many with special needs. According to Poutous, “We provide a lifelong home to each of our adopted creatures, full of love, compassion and environmental enrichment. From tiny bantam chickens and ducks to giant draft horses, barn cats and dogs over 150 animals are currently living their best lives here at J&J.”
Blake explained, “We are not an animal shelter – we’re a sanctuary for farm animals. We can’t accept surrendered casts, dogs or wildlife. Please contact your local animal shelter, humane society or licensed wildlife professional for assistance.”
Hughes and Doran ended their visit by presenting the owners with a $300 donation from the Harrisville Satellite Club for their humanitarian efforts on the farm.
According to the American Red Cross America’s blood supply is the lowest it’s been in over 4 years. To that end, the Rotary Club of Slippery Rock will be sponsoring a blood drive on Wednesday, August 12, from Noon – 5:30 p.m. at Slippery Rock’s Center Presbyterian Church. Donors will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card via email for their generosity. The Slippery Rock club also has blood drives scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, and December 2, 2026 at the church.