From the biggest stages to small town 俄亥俄州, 丽塔•莫里诺 supports Ironton community

在艾尔顿小镇的中心, 俄亥俄州, 这里是美国历史最悠久的阵亡将士纪念日游行地, stage and screen icon 丽塔•莫里诺 graced the Bowman Auditorium on bet8九州登录入口’s 南校区 with her humor and heart. 年仅92岁, 莫雷诺, EGOT的赢家, delighted the audience with her smart quips and anecdotes from her storied life, 和她的经纪人兼老朋友一起, 艾尔顿人约翰·弗格森说.

Although 莫雷诺's visit to Ironton was to visit Ferguson and see the famous Memorial Day parade, it was not only for leisure; it was also a heartfelt gesture of support for the local community. 应弗格森的邀请, 莫雷诺 eagerly agreed to lend her voice free of charge to a fundraising event benefiting 俄亥俄州南部的 bet8九州登录入口学院, 为当地孩子举办的夏令营, 以及艾尔顿扶轮护理奖学金, 哪些项目赋予了该地区有抱负的护士力量.

“It’s so important to bring any artistic and cultural expression to our community,bet8九州登录入口南校区院长兼扶轮社员黛博拉·马林斯基说. “在艾尔顿, the University is at the center of arts and culture in the area and to have a legend like 丽塔•莫里诺 here to share her stories and visit our small town just left me speechless.”

“We are very excited to have Rita here and grateful to John for making this connection and bringing this opportunity to our community,——马蒂·康利, 艾尔顿扶轮社社长, 说. “It's heartening to know that Rita simply wants to enjoy our hometown parade and immerse herself in our community. 她在这个过程中的支持是非常了不起的. 这个活动促进了我们地区的青少年服务, 完全符合扶轮对社区支持的承诺. Rita's participation in our mission is invaluable, and we're extremely grateful for her impact."

在谈话中, 莫雷诺回忆了她生命中的关键时刻, 马丁·路德·金的葬礼.“我有一个梦想”的演讲, 到凭借《bet8网页登录》获得奥斯卡奖,以及她从波多黎各出发的旅程, 去纽约, 好莱坞以及由此带来的挑战. She shared intimate stories and witty one-liners that had the audience laughing uncontrollably and emphasized the importance of education and community support, 她的灵感来自于她在热门儿童节目《bet8九州登录入口》中的经历.”

莫雷诺 expressed the gratification of utilizing her talent on the show to educate children, yet she also recognized that education extended beyond the younger demographic. She noted that adults learning English in America would also watch the show to enhance their language skills as well.

bet8九州登录入口学院, 由于大流行，一个长期项目暂停了, offers children in Ironton not only educational opportunities but connections, 资源, 有价值的生活技能，比如健康和健康, 烹饪和更多, 让他们感受一下大学是什么样的. The Academy also provides students with meals every day and swag that is useful during their time there, 在家里也是一样. 通过活动的收益和社区的慷慨, the Academy is reigniting its mission of providing educational enrichment and affordable summer childcare options for families this July.

"bet8九州登录入口学院 is a transformative force in our community that offers children summer learning opportunities at an affordable rate, 确保该地区家庭的无障碍和教育体验,马林斯基强调.

另外, the Rotary nursing scholarships offer local traditional and non-traditional students a pathway to pursue education in healthcare whether that is at the 南校区 或其他地方. 通过投资这些人, 社区培养了一种回馈的循环, as many recipients return to serve their hometowns as healthcare professionals.

“俄亥俄州的护理项目 draws both traditional and non-traditional students so the opportunity to receive a scholarship to support their education and career goals, 他们的职业道路也很重要,马林斯基补充道. “One of our main goals as educators and rotary members is to make education more accessible regardless of where students choose to go, and it is apparent in their actions and words how appreciative they are of the recognition and to be given a chance.” 

在她迷人的谈话中, 莫雷诺还深入研究了韧性的主题, aligning perfectly with Rotary's yearlong emphasis on women and mental health. 莫雷诺通过赋予妇女权力的努力体现了这一承诺, 尤其是拉丁裔女性, 以及她对心理健康问题的开放态度. She is not only a cultural icon but also a passionate advocate and humanitarian.

对于弗格森, 莫雷诺的来访象征着世界之间的一座桥梁, 展示了团结我们所有人的共同人性. 他称赞莫雷诺的谦逊和对社会事业的倡导, 敦促他人同情和理解.

“我很高兴丽塔能来这里，这有很多原因，”弗格森说. “Our world today is so segmented and there is a lot of thought that the people in New York and Los Angeles are different than the people in the middle of the country and I think it’s really good to see that there are people like Rita that tie their own shoelaces…and actually really care about other people. And to hear her express her own gratitude for the feeling that our little town gives her is amazing. I think the valuable message in all this is to take time to hear someone else’s story before you try to tell yours and I think that is what Rita has really done and is doing here.”

在她的结束语中, 莫雷诺表达了她对艾尔顿的喜爱, her words resonating deeply and encapsulating the warmth and hospitality of the community she had come to cherish.

“I love Ironton, it’s gorgeous…it’s my own little Puerto Rico in 俄亥俄州,” 莫雷诺 说.

当夜晚接近尾声时, 观众沉浸在莫雷诺的存在中, 被她的话所鼓舞，被回馈社会的集体精神所激励.

“We are so thrilled that you came to Ironton and to this campus and provided this opportunity for our community, you are an absolute inspiration not just to everyone in this room but in our community,马林斯基在活动结束时评论道. “We are so happy that you were able to do this for us and that in being here together you could help the children in our community in a number of ways. 我无法表达这对我们有多重要.”