If ever a song was handcrafted and tailor made to sum up the personality, enthusiasm, and absolute spunk of a human being, than “Raise a Little Hell,” by Trooper, is the banner song for Melisa Schrock, District Governor Elect of 7090. Melisa embodies a new vision, an inner strength, a purposeful direction to lead, govern, solidify, and expand the Rotary Mission; one we all know and love. Her formidable savvy and grit is contagious...so look out District 7090 Rotarians, are you ready to “Raise a little Hell?”

 

Almost a decade and a half ago, this Energizer Bunny, an eternally optimistic, charismatic, and service above self kind of gal; our very own Melisa Schlock's world changed, when she became a Rotarian and joined the Rotary Club of Akron. Not only did she discover an additional and profound purpose in her daily existence, but she also found the love of her life; her soulmate and best friend, John Schrock. While both of these dynamos lived and worked in Akron, they did not know one another.  As the stars aligned in the Rotary heavens and blue and gold fate would have it, that all changed during one Business to Business Tradeshow where the future lovebirds had display booths directly next to one another. John was an Akron Club Rotarian; Melisa had never heard of Rotary and John invited her to a meeting.  As John’s guest, she attended her very first Rotary meeting in April of 2003 and became a member in June of the same year.  “If you don’t like what you got, Why don’t you change it?”

 

That grand moment of becoming a Rotarian and following through with active participation, supported her during a challenging but not back breaking, life situation.  The struggle, hurt, and emotional hardship of divorce was ever present in our District Governor Elect’s life in 2003. Melisa has commented that she was going through, “a horrid divorce at the time, I joined Rotary and it gave me a whole new group of friends who became my strength that saw me through some dark days. Rotary gave me the opportunity to help people.” Her lifelong passion and hope of helping others came to fruition as a new Rotarian while her heart and soul was supported by newfound Rotary friends; the rough spot started to heal and morph into a shiny new interior and exterior. “If you’re world is all screwed up, rearrange it!”

 

“Rotary was the bomb, I didn’t think it could get any better,” says Melisa, when reflecting upon her early years as a Rotarian. Yet, it did get better; the Rotary Mission, Melisa’s passion, and the profound desire to graciously and bravely live up to service above self, soared exponentially to new heights when Melisa went to Africa in 2013. Stepping off the comfort and security of an international jet plane and descending steps into the unknown, a world of “...poverty, disease, starvation, everywhere! Children were hungry; women and their little ones walked miles each day for water; girls were not allowed to attend school, homes were literally huts which were made of mud. It was just SO much to process and completely overwhelming.”

 

Doing all, being all, donating all, isn’t possible for every Rotarian.  Melisa is the type of individual who rolls up her sleeves, walks in the mud, trudges through the poverty and contaminated water, to be a #changemaker. She fully embraces the fact that she is unable to donate one million dollars to the End Polio Now campaign; she admits she has not orchestrated massive global grants to build hospitals in third world countries, but in Melisa’s words, the moment she saw the fruits of her work in Africa, she knew she “...made a big difference to the people in African Villages and it made an even bigger impact in my heart.”

 

The gentleman, friend, business partner, and Rotarian that Melisa married is a second dad to her two beautiful, intelligent, and young Rotarian at heart daughters, Lindsay and Erin. Another generation has sprung forth, service above self has flourished, and the girls have been involved in Rotary from the time they were 3 and 5 years old.  Selling 50/50 tickets, helping at spaghetti dinners, Christmas auctions and highway clean ups, as well as starting an Early Act Club at their school, to joining Interact Club.  Lindsay accompanied Mom to the RI convention in Atlanta and discovered her passion in learning about Human Trafficking and is now looking for ways to become more involved locally. Erin has been inspired by Mom’s trip to Africa and subsequently went with Mom on a Service trip to Haiti and has been selected for Youth Exchange and will be going to Paraguay this year!  During the Christmas Break Erin and Mom went to the Dominican Republic for a service project with their Interact Club. The future Gov chaperoned 9 hormonal, excitable, and overly talkative teenage girls.  Who will be the Rotarian in our District to find Melisa’s Super Hero Cape? She surely most sport one on occasion!  “I’m raising Rotarians; we are truly a family of Rotarians,” Melisa often states in that proud Akron Club, District 7090, RI, sort of way! This “Raising a Little Hell” DG Elect gleefully sings about the love that she never knew.  Her heart belongs to her faith, her hubby, her children, and our Rotary! We are now all, future “Hellraisers!”

 

Fellow Rotarians, be prepared for this vigorous and enlightened gal who truly has been Raising Hell in the best way possible since 2003!  Let’s go 7090...be inspired to partake in an international service project, sign up to work one more community event, and let your Rotarian commitment and pride shine, for all to see.  Hang on tight, it’s going to be a superb District 7090 kind of year! Be a #changemaker that welcomes “Raising a Little Hell,” let your Rotarian beliefs and pride burn bright as we welcome our District Governor, the one...the only... Melisa Schrock!

 

By the way, husband John, surprised Melisa with a 50-1, birthday party following the changeover ceremonies.  Yes, the man bakes - cakes, cupcakes and surprises!  For more photos of the changeover, go to https://www.facebook.com/RotaryDistrict7090/.