"Showers on Sunday morning held attendance down at the 3rd Annual Dublin AM Rotary Classic Car Show in the historic downtown Dublin, Ohio business district. When I arrived around 11 o'clock, only 18 cars had registered for the show. After the rain took a break for a few hours and the roads started to dry, the final registration reached 51 cars.

The show presented "Top 30" picks and a Best of Show.

Our good friends, Jeff Shankle and Dave Bratton received special awards. Jeff's 1972 Buick station wagon received the Woodhouse Day Spa's pick and Dave's 1937 Ford convertible received the "Wild Ride" award.

The Best of Show award went to the 1961 Morgan 4/4 Series III belonging to Chuck Putsch.

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This week's exciting program featured Dwight Smith. Dwight's many accomplishments as a business and community leader include CEO of Sophisticated Systems, Director of The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and member of the Nationwide Children's Hospital board of directors. When I spoke with him earlier this week, he reminded me, "those are things I do, not who I am." His talk is devoted to a program he co-founded - My Special Word (www.myspecialword.com).  

Excerpt From an article in COLUMBUS MONTHLY:

"Dwight Smith's Quest to Empower Children Through Words" by Peter Tonguette

When is the last time you thought about how best to embody a word?

My Special Word co-founder Dwight Smith frequently asks young people to think about the words they use to describe themselves. In fact, when the Dublin resident introduces his program to children, he peppers them with questions.

After selecting a word they feel defines them—say, smart or caring—children explain their choice as well as how they express it in everyday life. “The fourth question is, ‘What can we do to help you become that very special person that you aspire to be?’” Smith, 63, says. “That’s simple, but it’s impactful.”

Smith, chairman and CEO of the technology services company Sophisticated Systems Inc., developed the nonprofit My Special Word with his wife, Renee, with the idea that language could be a change agent: If young people associate themselves with a positive word they can claim as their own, good outcomes can follow.

Where does your interest in working with young people come from?

When I was young, like maybe 20, 25 years old, I prayed the following prayer: “Lord, you have blessed me. What would you have me do with the talent and the opportunities that you have given me?” The answer, as clear as I’m talking to you, was, “Help my children.” There are a lot of causes to fight for—a cure for cancer, injustice, aging, domestic violence—but, for me, from the time I was in my early 20s, it was always on my heart to support and love children.  (More at https://www.columbusmonthly.com/story/lifestyle/2020/12/09/dwight-smiths-quest-to-empower-children-through-words/43276791/ )

Despite being born with only one hand, Aaron didn't try out his first prosthesis until he was a freshman in high school. Unfortunately, it did not fit well – and it was expensive, especially considering that he would eventually outgrow it. Disappointed but not defeated, Aaron embarked on a do-it-yourself mission to make his own prosthesis.

At 15, Aaron designed and 3-D printed his own prosthesis utilizing New Albany School’s MIT Fabrication Lab. With the help of E-Nable, a global movement dedicated to 3D printing prosthetics hands and arms for those in need, Aaron collaborated with them to test their open-source designs.

Inspired to purchase his own 3D printer, he raised enough money through a Kickstarter campaign to make this a reality and then later launched Form5 Prosthetics. In its first year as an organization (2018), Form5 provided five recipients with prosthetic devices, held various fundraising events, and collected plastic waste that could be recycled into 3D printer filament material. Additionally, Aaron began bridging industries, inviting passionate, talented professionals to serve on Form5’s board of directors.

In conjunction with running a full-fledged nonprofit organization, Aaron recently graduated from The Ohio State University.  Aaron is also President Elect of the New Albany Rotary.

If you are looking for some inspiration, definitely watch this video on our YouTube Channel !!

This year the Club supported two scholarship programs for seniors who reside within and attend the Dublin City School district.  These students must be seniors who are graduating in the Spring of 2022 and enrolled in an accredited university, college, or technical school for Fall 2022.

The Dublin AM Rotary Interact Community Service Scholarships are awarded to students who have participated and are currently active in their high school's Interact Club.  Additional consideration will include the length of membership in Interact during high school, if they held an office within their Club, and work outside the Club through community service and volunteer work avenues.  

Four students received this scholarship: 
 Avani Ghosh Jerome   $500
 Joseph Bender Jerome   $500
 Saeed Sanaallah Scioto  $1,000
 Sharayu Kadam Coffman   $1,000

The Dublin AM Rotary Community Service Scholarship applicants are assessed based on academic success, demonstrated leadership and community service, a pledge that they have led, and continue to lead an alcohol and drug-free lifestyle, an essay, and financial need.  This year's recipients are: 

Coffman
  Laksh Dhir   $1,000
  Dane Piekarski   $1,000

Jerome
  Dinesh Bojja   $1,000
  Ciara Reitz   $1,000

Scioto
  Moksh Desai
  Spencer J McClellan

Thanks to your hard work and generous support, we awarded nine scholarships totaling $9,000 - $3,000 for each high school.  You will have an opportunity to hear their's stories and career aspirations at the April 22nd meeting.  You'll want to join this meeting in person, if possible.  

As you listen to their stories, you will realize you have made a lasting impact on each of these students and raised awareness for the mission of Rotary. 

Dana L. McDaniel became the City of Dublin’s fifth city manager on January 31, 2015. As city manager, he serves as the chief administrative and law enforcement officer and is responsible to City Council for the day-to-day operations of the City. McDaniel has been employed by the City for 30 years. He has served in various roles, including management assistant to the city manager, director of service, deputy city manager/director of economic development and director of development. Prior to starting his career in Dublin, he served as an intern in both the Cities of Lebanon and Gahanna, Ohio.

McDaniel served with the City of Dublin during a time of rapid growth and expansion. As the City’s first director of service, he led the establishment of a service department that was one of only nine in North America to be accredited by the American Public Works Association.

McDaniel was instrumental in the development of Dublink, Dublin’s state-of-the-art broadband fiber-optic network. He is co-founder of the Central Ohio Research Network and helped create the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, which currently houses more than 50 start-up companies. McDaniel oversaw the expansion of economic development programming resulting in the attraction, retention, and expansion of more than 14,000 jobs.

Under his leadership, the City was twice named a Top 7 Intelligent City in the world by the New York-based Intelligent Community Forum and also received numerous awards from the International Economic Development Council, the Ohio Economic Development Association, and the Mid-America Economic Development Association.

In 2018, McDaniel was recognized by the Asian-American Commerce Group as the Government Leader of the Year for his efforts in increasing the visibility of Asian-Americans.  McDaniel also received the 2018 C-Suite award from Columbus Business First as one of the most admired executives in Columbus in the category of institutions. This award acknowledged McDaniel among the region’s most-accomplished business leaders, “inspiring and encouraging others in the community with his integrity and excellence”.

In 2016, he was recognized by the Ohio State University Alumni Association for Outstanding Public Service. Five years earlier, he was awarded the Outstanding Alumnus Award from The Ohio State University John Glenn School of Public Affairs. In 2013, McDaniel was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Intelligent Community Forum. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce recognized him with its President’s Award in 2014 for his dedication to the Dublin Chamber and its business community.

McDaniel earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration from Miami University of Ohio and his master’s in public administration from The Ohio State University John Glenn College of Public Affairs. McDaniel also received a master’s degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College.

McDaniel currently serves on several regional and local boards, including the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s (MORPC) Transportation and Policy Committee, Development Advisory Committee of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, Franklin County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency, Ohio City/County Management Association, the Central Ohio Mayors and Managers Association, and Dublin Chamber of Commerce.  He recently chaired MORPC’s Smart Region Task Force and is currently Chair of the US33 Corridor Council of Governments.

He retired from the Ohio National Guard following a 35-year distinguished career. McDaniel enlisted as a Private/E1, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. McDaniel served in numerous command and staff positions from platoon to division levels. He is an Iraq war veteran.

He and his wife Lisa Patt-McDaniel are Dublin residents and the parents of two daughters, Caitlyn and Colleen.