Liberty Rotary Club had a number of guest speakers at our meeting on 9/27/23.
Our first speakers were members of the local scout troop for girls. Sophia Ferguson and Elaina-Louise Ramirez told us of the hard work they have put in to learn skills and earn merit badges. They also spoke of how much they enjoyed the experience of being a scout. Elaina recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout! Her Eagle Scout Project made improvements to building access at Hanofee Park in Liberty. These improvements make facilities accessible to everyone, including those who may be physically challenged.
Our second set of speakers included Sullivan County’s Poet Laureate - Dr. Sharon Kennedy-Nolle and her Ambassador – Mykenzi. Dr. Kennedy-Nolle spoke of how she shares her passion for poetry with our youth and the myriad of benefits people receive from the experience. Her desire to share this art form and encourage young people to find their voice through poetry is impressive. Mykenzi shared a poem that she wrote, which was quite powerful and delivered with great conviction.
Our final speaker was Theresa Sareo. Theresa is a singer-songwriter who has overcome much trauma in her life. She was visiting our area to present a program called Alive Again. Through the program, she offers students the opportunity to express their own ideas regarding compassion, empathy, kindness, respect and their aspirations in life in reference to disabilities and acceptance. Programs were to be held at Liberty Schools and RJK Middle School in Monticello.
All of our guests delivered powerful messages about the amazing things our youth can accomplish. Their desire to help teens discover their untapped potential was truly inspiring. We thank them for the work that they do and for sharing their stories with our club.
