Stories

Eugene M. Dougherty, 86, of Hazleton, passed away on January 4, 2025 at Advent Health Hospital in Celebration, Florida after a hard-fought battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). He enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren and most especially the love of his life, Ethel. He will surely be remembered as a man who adored and loved his family, loved his community and spent his life working hard for both.

Our new District 7410 Governor Bill Skinner made his official visit to our club with the latest on the district’s goals and plans for Rotary year 2024-25.

We were honored to have CEO Darren Buttle lead us through Muzo Industries. He explained and demonstrated many of the very innovative products. This is a global company that is based here in the Valmont Industrial Park.  Their furniture equips major corporations like Google and Coca-Cola, but can also be found in classrooms and many educational spaces including at MMI, the Hazleton Launchbox and CAN BE  Innovation Center.

Dr. Christine Cabell discussed Skin Cancer Prevention.

Hazleton Rotary will offer three Memorial Scholarships in 2024. The first award will be $3,000 annually for four years ($12,000 scholarship total). The second award will be $2,000 annually for four years ($8,000 scholarship total). The third award will be $1,000 annually foR four years ($4,000 scholarship total). Additionally, The Arthur and Eileen Whitaker Memorial Trade Scholarship was established in 2023 to further area students’ formal training and education in a bona fide trade school or similar training/educational program, including but not limited to, plumbing, welding, electrical, HVAC, masonry, truck and automotive maintenance, automotive repair, CDL licensure, beauty school, barber school, massage therapy, and licensed practical nurse programs, but excluding education and training for which a baccalaureate or higher degree may be awarded. Applicants must reside within the boundaries of the Hazleton Area School District and must be under the age of 30. Additional information and applications can be obtained in the Rotary  Download files section on the right side of this page.

The Greater Hazleton Civic Partnership application and information can also be accessed in that section of this page.

Hazleton Rotary President Alan Whitaker says “This will be the first “Pints for Polio” event the Hazleton Club has held and we want to thank Bottlenecks for agreeing to hold the project at their restaurant and for offering the donation. It’s an easy, fun way for people to help join the battle to end polio.”
Rotary International has been working to eradicate polio for more than 30 years, and has made incredible progress in the fight to rid the world of it forever.
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, they’ve helped to reduce polio cases by more than 99.9 percent.
It’s crucial to eliminate polio from the last three countries where it remains endemic and to keep other countries polio-free.
If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
We’re close to eradicating polio, but we’re not done yet. Funds are still needed to continue immunization and surveillance efforts. With your help, Greater Hazleton will get us closer to the finish line.
We’re inviting the community to be a part of history. Join us for pint or two, and bring a friend, or two, to “Pints for Polio.”
Sincere appreciation to Rotary Club Member Mike Cammisa who is the General Manager at Bottlenecks and owner, Jay Misto for their assistance with this project.

The following students have been selected as the Rotary Club Scholarship winners for 2019. 

Coleman Smith, MMI Preparatory, will receive a scholarship of $2000.00 per year for a total of $8000 for four years.  Kaitlyn Beiler and Morgan Long will each receive a scholarship valued at $1250.00 a year for a total of $5000 for four years.

Coleman, MMI Preparatory School, is the son of Laura and Keith Smith.  He plans to attend Pennsylvania State University, University Park with an intended double Major in Nuclear and Electrical Engineering.

The daughter of Keang and James Beiler, Kaitlyn, Hazleton Area High School, will major in Electrical Engineering and/or Computer Science at Cornell University.

Morgan, MMI Preparatory School, is the son of Theresa and David Long.  He will attend Lehigh University as a member of the Computer Science and Business dual degree honors program.

Morgan, Coleman and Kaitlyn will be guest speakers at the Hazleton Rotary Club meeting sometime this summer

Katherine Oh will be installed as the 98th President of the Rotary Club of Hazleton at the annual Presidents Party to be held at the Valley Country Club on June 27, 2018.

Kathie has been a member of the Rotary Club of Hazleton for five years and she was sponsored for membership by Mary Celeste Kosko.

When asked what her goals for the club would be, Kathie replied, “This years Rotary theme is "Be The Inspiration" and I believe the goals of the Hazleton Rotary Club for the upcoming fiscal year should be to see that we are answering “yes” to each of our “4 way test” questions as we plan and complete each of our community services and projects.

The crowd included present and former board of trustees members, current and past staff members and many other dignitaries from throughout the community.

A formal program was held with opening remarks from Gary M. Lawler, president of the HAPL board of trustees and Chancellor of Penn State Hazleton.

The final presentation of the evening was given by Mary C. Malone, past president of the board of trustees, and Jeff Gicking, Hazleton Area Public Library board member emeritus.

Reinmiller was brought to the stage for the unveiling of a new sign, which will mark the renaming of the Hazleton Area Public Library Valley branch in his honor.

As executive director of the library, Reinmiller had worked tirelessly with the board of trustees and Conyngham borough officials to move the library from its former Main Street location to the former schoolhouse, which now serves as the Conyngham borough offices and council chambers.