Our own Hazleton Rotarian Rossanna Gabriel, Executive Director of the Hazleton Integration Project, was presented the Diversity Leadership Award from the Luzerne County Branch of the NAACP. The event was held Saturday at the Hayden Family Center for the Arts in Hazleton. Congratulations, Rossanna, on this well deserved honor!
Our very own Gary Perna spoke to us about the Job Corps Centers in Drums and Red Rock and their mission to help students train and advance into the workforce. Samira Miller, student at KJCC also spoke about her individual story.
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You can be part of the celebration by joining our club, contact any member for details!
The Rotary Club of Hazleton is again seeking applicants for scholarships in two categories.
1. Hazleton Rotary will offer four Memorial Scholarships for the first time in 2026.
First Place: $6,000 annually for four years ($24,000 total)
Second Place: $3,500 annually for four years ($14,000 total)
Third Place: $2,000 annually for four years ($8,000 total)
Fourth Place: $1,000 annually for four years ($4,000 total)
2. The 2025 Arthur and Eileen Whitaker Memorial Trade Scholarships are a one-time award of $2,000, coordinated by Hazleton Rotary. There will be two recipients for the first time in 2026.
The Arthur and Eileen Whitaker Memorial Trade Scholarships were 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 years old. Dependents of Hazleton Rotary members are not eligible.
The applications with further details can be downloaded on the column on the right of this page.
The Hazleton Rotary Club and Rotary District 7410 are again sponsoring an essay contest with a cash prize for students in who are juniors or seniors in high schools in the Hazleton Rotary area.
- Essays are submitted individually by the student via email to Kim McNulty, Hazleton Rotary Essay Contest Chair, at kmcnulty@mmiprep.org no later than Friday, February 27, 2026.
- Essays are reviewed locally by a Committee and a local winner is selected. The local essay winner will receive a prize of $100 and will be invited to a Hazleton Rotary Club meeting in the spring to read his/her winning essay to the Club’s members.
- The local winner’s essay will be submitted to Rotary District 7410 to compete at the District level against local winners from all over Northeastern Pennsylvania.
- District readers will evaluate all local winner essays and the top three in the District will be awarded prizes of $1,000 (first place), $500 (second place), and $250 (third place).
Congratulations to our own Hazleton Rotarian Cal Herring on being named Citizen of the Year by the Freeland Sons of Erin. This well-deserved honor recognizes his dedication to our community. Cal will be honored as part of the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Saturday, March 14, beginning with the parade stepping off from MMI’s parking lot. where Cal serves on their board, at noon. The celebration continues with a banquet at Sand Springs, starting with cocktails at 3:00 pm followed by dinner at 4:00 pm, with State Representative Jamie Walsh serving as the dinner speaker. Congratulations Cal!
RYLA is held at Keystone College in Northeastern PA. It is a 5-day, 4-night leadership program for high school sophomores who have shown leadership potential in their home, school, and community. The conference is designed to introduce participants to thoughts and ideas which will strengthen and develop their leadership skills. It also provides an environment where participants may discuss and exchange their ideas with other students from NEPA..
Ryan Schofield, Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Wyoming Valley was our speaker.
Jessica Cronauer, CEO of Leadership Northeast was our speaker. The mission of Leadership Northeast is to develop informed and committed leaders from all segments of the community who will serve, strengthen and improve Northeastern Pennsylvania. Hundreds of people connect with LNE every year through our six Leadership programs, community impact project initiatives and active alumni network. There are multiple entry points into the organization offering varying degrees of opportunity to explore your potential, widen your sphere of influence, engage in authentic relationships with other leaders, and ultimately impact the quality of life in our region.
Hazleton Rotarians Nadine Bott, Michele Kushmeder, Nina Bonus, Anne Frey, Donna Dougherty, Joan Buffington, Michelle Genetti and Altagracia Arias, HIP Volunteer sort and pack coats delivered to local schools.
Two Hazleton Rotarians Assist with Junior Achievement Program
At the Hazleton Middle School, aka “The Castle”, two Hazleton Rotarians, Anne Frey and Jessica Spare, gave their volunteer time to teach breakout sessions with 7th and 8th grade students as part of the Y.E.S. (Your Economic Success) Program sponsored by Junior Achievement. This program would not be possible without community volunteers, such as Jessica and Anne. 30 volunteers were needed in order to make the program happen in Hazleton.
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Terry JonesMarch 2
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Tom LaganaMarch 5
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Pat KorbMarch 6
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Mike ScreenockMarch 13
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Mark ImbriacoMarch 19
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Kim McNultyMarch 23
Serve To Change Lives
8 West Broad Street, Suite 50
Hazleton, PA 18201
United States