Pen Hills Rotary keen to expand membership The number of residents who are members has declined in recent years, and the club has been looking for ways to remain active.

The Penn Hills Rotary (Pennsylvania, US — District 7300) is soliciting local businesses to become members, so that the club can continue to provide services in the community.

The number of residents who are members has declined in recent years, and the club has been looking for ways to remain active. One idea is to look toward Penn Hills companies.

“I thought we needed corporate members. So we pounded the pavement and did some recruiting,” said President Karen Lantz.

The Rotary currently has 12 members, and hopes to add three or four more by the end of the year, she said.

Lantz said she believes it will be easier to sustain the Rotary’s ranks with corporate members.

“Solo members are interested for a while and then it kind of wanes,” she said.

“Some (members) get sick, or they travel and they can’t make the meetings.”

Business members can send alternates to meetings, if the regular representative can’t make be there.

Lantz said the club held a recent mixer at The Barn on Jefferson Road, and she handed out complimentary tickets.

One company to receive tickets was Grifols, a global health care company that has a Biomat USA plasma donor facility on Frankstown Road in Penn Hills.

Representatives at the local branch said they plan to join the Rotary in the near future.

“We want to be a great neighbour, because we want to let the community know we intend to be here for a while,” said Brandon Spurgeon, assistant manager.

The company already is in the Penn Hills Chamber of Commerce.

The team plans to volunteer for Rotarian efforts and find opportunities for donations.

“We’re definitely looking to help increase efforts with a sponsorship. We want to get our staff out into the community to let people know that we are here and we’re into team building with the community,” said Shawn Frick, the centre’s manager.

The Penn Hills Rotary has gained two new members since March: John Brown, a retired stock broker, and Mark Lantz, Karen’s husband, a contractor.

The Rotary also gave a $1,000 scholarship to Miray Hanner, a Penn Hills High School graduate who plans to attend Duquesne University in the fall.

Hanner is a member of Penn Hills Interact, the high school arm of the Rotary.

Lantz said the Rotary already has been “very productive” this year, and with new members could do more.

In addition to giving scholarships, the Rotary distributes dictionaries to third-graders in Penn Hills and coordinates the community’s Breakfast with Santa and Halloween parade events.