This month we are celebrating a few of the successes I have heard about during my DG Visits. There is definitely a WOW factor alive in all of our 7090 clubs. I am awed by their many accomplishments. Perhaps, it is because I developed our District’s first Best Practices Manual that these accomplishments so resonate. Today I am sharing some of them with you in the hope that you – our clubs - will send a description of your service activities to our Director of Service Projects, John DePaolo, for further inclusion in our next update. You can contact John using the Organization Chart on our home page at www.rotary7090.org or http://www.rotary7090.org/DistrictOrganizationChart/2016. Some of the WOW factor indeas you have shared with me - in no particular order, just as they popped into my mind today, include:
A fledgling museum needed $600 for paint – this club accepted the challenge and raised $1400 selling hotdogs…all the money went to the museum.
They source sponsors and partners to provide warm clothes for 370 children in their community.
A summer literacy program at an inner-city school needed hands-on participation and 100% of the club’s Rotarians stepped up to do their part.
This club’s thinking ‘outside the building’ developed into a man-cave tour. All kinds of tours seem to bring people out to see what might be with a little work and lots of imagination.
Recently, I was speaking to a club about the upcoming District Conference, when I was asked “How long have you been a Rotarian?” My immediate response was, “I became a Rotarian in 2003!” However, no sooner had the words left my mouth when I replied, “Hang on! That’s not really accurate. I joined Rotary in 2003.I became a Rotarian in 2013 on a trip to Africa!” Driving home after that meeting, I reflected on that exchange, and the 10 year gap in my answer. Don’t misunderstand - I’ve had several meaningful Rotary moments in that 10 year time span. Our family has hosted many youth exchange students. I have served on the board of my Club for most of that time. I acted as the liaison to the Interact club at our school. My husband (also a Rotarian) and I work as mentors with at risk youth with our school on behalf of Rotary. I have been named Rotarian of the Year as well as received the Paul Harris Recognition. I love Rotary! I love Service above Self! However, in 2013, during a trip to Africa to follow up on a water well project my club was involved with, all of that changed. In an instant, I suddenly realized what it meant to be a Rotarian.
How will your Rotary club celebrate The Rotary Foundation Centennial? Yes, this is correct: The Rotary Foundation will be 100 years old in 2016-2017. We want to hear what your club is planning to do to celebrate this important milestone. District Governor Marlee has asked us to develop a keepsake album showcasing the 100 events that we will be doing, or have already done in recognition of this fabulous occasion. What is on your list? Send your articles with photos to oakes.kl@sympatico.ca for inclusion in our Centennial album. Suggestions include:
In Nigeria, one new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case has been reported, from Borno state. Regional outbreak response across north-eastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad sub-region is continuing within the broader humanitarian emergency context. Detection of new cases at this point is not unexpected or unusual, particularly as surveillance is being strengthened.
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Dave Troxell, member of the Rotary Club of Jamestown, and his wife Marissa, spoke to the club recently about the projects that Rotary is helping to fund in Katmandu, Nepal and Central Cambodia, where there is a Rotary club sponsored and supported school. They also reported on their trip to India to do one final massive inoculation against polio. Nothing quite like having club members with their boots on the ground coming back to report on ROTARY - DOING GOOD IN THE WORLD.....
Pictured (left to right): Dave, Marissa, along with members, Dan Overcash and Gordy Black.
The Rotary Club of Amherst recently donated 25 tablets to a school in Tanzania. The tablets were made by BAK USA, a company based in Buffalo, and were purchased with a District grant in partnership with the Rotary Club of Bahari, Tanzania. The tablets were presented to the school by Amherst Rotarian Fiona Barretto. By giving computers and tablets to students in a developing country we open a whole world to them. The tablets will be kept in the school library and available to all the students.
On September 10, the Niagara on the Lake Historical Museum presented “The Sport of Kings” a Polo match with participants from four Toronto-based polo clubs. A large audience watched the exciting games while Niagara on the Lake Rotary Club sold gourmet hamburgers to elegantly dressed spectators. It was a fun way to spend a lovely Saturday afternoon in beautiful Niagara on the Lake.
During her official visit to the Rotary Club of Welland on September 6th, District Governor Marlee inducted three (3) new members: Lauren Gallaccio, Jeff Clemmensen and Liam Clark, two of whom are under 40. The club also presented the DG with a cheque, in the amount of $2,500 (US), to The Rotary Foundation for the Polio Plus Fund.
Recently, Fort Erie received it's Official Club Visit from District Governor Marlee Diehl. She brought greetings from the other 68 clubs in Niagara, and told the Rotarians gathered about a new club, Rotary Club of Hamilton at 5 😄 (aka Tonic at 5), and the closing of the Rotary Club of Tonawanda after 99 years of Service 😢.
Does your club "KERB"? The Rotary Club of St Catharines members got together at member RaRa's home to "Know Every Rotarian Better". This month's KERB was in honour of member Mark Zammitt who also entertained us with his mandolin playing! What a great way of getting to know every Rotarian better!
Have an event in mind? Need equipment? The Rotary Club of Niagara Falls, Ontario, is selling. Original value of the slightly used equipment is $20,oo0. Selling it all for $9000 or best offer. Or, will sell individual pieces as listed:
2 stainless steel cook tanks with baskets (can be used as deep fryers)
Here is news that the Rotary E-Club of Southern Ontario – Western New York (SOWNY) wants to share with our 7090 Rotarians, especially those clubs that are interested in pursuing a grant to be used for micro-finance.
The Toronto International Microfinance Summit (TIMS) is coming up on September 29, 2016 - 6:30 – 10:00 pm at the Royal Canadian Military Institute, Toronto. The summit is Canada’s premier event focusing on domestic and international micro-finance and famed Professor Muhammad Yunus, 2016 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, is a speaker (pictured). For more information go to http://www.microfinanceconference.ca. The Rotary E-Club SOWNY is working with TIMS and hoping to assist in providing live streaming of Professor Yunus address. Rotarian Wendy Bodnoff is Chair of the Rotary E-Club of SOWNY Microfinance Committee; and a Director on the TIMS Board. E-Club President Gordon Crann was a Founding Co-Chair of TIMS. For more information on whether or not this will be live-streamed and how to participate, contact Wendy Bodnoff at wbodnoff@cogeco.ca.
For the past 2 years, BNMC (Buffalo Niagara Medical Center) Rotary has fielded a team of riders each June in the Ride for Roswell, raising more than $10,000. The club is hoping to expand its team beyond the club and rename the team in honor and recognition of Rotary in District 7090. If you are already in the Ride and want to join our team, please reach out. If you have never participated, it is a terrific event and they have routes for all levels of experience, from 3 to 102 miles. There is a great party after the ride and the intention is to set up a tent and call attention to Rotary and the opportunity of Service Above Self (membership). If interested, contact Anthony Billoni at Anthony.billoni@roswellpark.org or 716-857-0527.
Six members of the Rotary Club of Buffalo were presented with Paul Harris Fellow recognitions and also recognized as unsung club heroes by District Governor Marlee Diehl during her visit on September 8th.
Pictured (left to right): Katharine Smith, Nora Eberl, Stan Wyner, Jeff Fancher, Christa Linsey, Hank Sokol, and District Governor Marlee Diehl.
Victoria Turner spoke to the Rotary Club of Lincoln at their breakfast meeting September 6, 2016. Victoria was one of two Youth Exchange (outbound) students sponsored by Lincoln Rotary during the past year. Victoria spent her year, July 2016 through June 2017, in Denmark. Her presentation entitled Mit AAE I Danmark was most interesting and the club reports it learned that Victoria is a great storyteller as she regaled all with tales from what was most definitely an experience of a lifetime for her.
Just because the annual Chautauqua Art Trail has finished its special 8th annual tour for this year, it doesn’t mean you can’t visit any of a variety of artists throughout the year, according to Audrey Kay Dowling, co-founder/charter member of the Chautauqua Crafts Alliance. Mrs. Dowling recently brought the county art world up to date for Westfield/Mayville Rotarians. Introduced by one of the club members, her husband, Don Dowling, she not only has been instrumental in bringing art to the forefront in the county, she is owner of the Portage Hill Gallery, which is located halfway between Westfield and Mayville on Route 394. Pictured are the Dowlings.
What started out in May as a great human interest presentation by guest speaker Mrs. Gina Di Lorenzo of the Quilts of Valour, Niagara Canada Chapter (QOV) quickly offered an opportunity for the Rotary Club of Fonthill to get involved! QOV is a registered charity, non-profit, volunteer-based national program that started in 2006. Since then, in honour of their service and dedication to our country, QOV has provided comfort to Canada’s veterans in their time of need by having donated over 5000 quilts! President Elect Paul Snack immediately identified a disabled veteran now living in a long term care facility who would be a worthy recipient of QOV’s generosity.
Pictured receiving a quilt (left to right): Mrs. Vicky Willis, Major Jeff Willis, Mrs. Jan Easton, VP Quilts of Valour of Eastern Ontario, Zack Snack & President Elect Paul Snack.
Welcome to Fonthill! A lucky 13 years after unveiling the first entry sign on Hwy 20 at Hurricane Road, the Rotary Club of Fonthill was joined by DG Marlee Diehl, Mayor Dave Augustyn, members of Town of Pelham staff and council to unveil the new and improved version. This sign was a true collaboration of club and town. The club sends a special shout out to project chair Rotarian Roy Kirkup and to all who made this such a successful Rotary initiative!
On August 25, the Rotary Club of Niagara Falls Sunrise made a visit to Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre. The Club toured the facilities and most importantly got to visit our good friend Wayne Gilmore whose presence at our meetings has been missed. A $2000 donation was made to Shaver for taking such great care of Wayne and the other patients currently residing there.
Pictured: Jean Armitage and Mary Jane Johnson from Hotel Dieu Shaver as well as Rotarians Wayne Gilmore and Bob Smith.
At the 100th Anniversary Black Bridge Celebration dinner on Saturday, August 12, 2016, Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise's Past President Sue O'Dwyer surprised club member Andy (Rusty) Kooistra with a Paul Harris Fellow Recognition. Besides being a committed RCNS Rotarian who chairs committees, actively supports fundraising events, and is not shy about becoming involved in "sweat equity" projects, Andy spearheaded a massive project in Waterford, a Norfolk County community. Pictured are Sue and Rusty.
The 2016-2017 Rotaract year year at St. Bonaventure began with the club fair on campus September 7. Fifty (50) students signed up, showing interest in participating in the meetings which are starting soon. Pictured left is president, Kyle Ciquera. Vice President Matt Bergstol is right. Good things are happening! Follow them on Twitter #SBUROTARACT
Olean Rotarians Mary Kay Worth, AG for Area 15, is advisor again through her role in the SBU Education Department and Kim Payne is also mentoring.
For almost 20 years, the Rotary clubs of Grand Island, Lewiston / NOTL and Ft. Erie have met once a summer for fellowship and to exchange ideas. GI Rotary President Dan Flaim welcomed all, including 15 children and grandchildren to have fun, as Grand Island hosted 43 at Niagara Power Vista; the newly refurbished visitor center, with both factual and ‘kid-friendly’ stuff, including Power Experience 4-D theatre with shaking seats, light flashes and sprays of mist as you plunge through the turbines and make electricity! Through all the fun, Rotarians never forget community service: considerable extra food was taken after meeting to Niagara Falls, NY, Community Mission to help their soup kitchen the next few days. Grand Island easily beat Lewiston-NOTL in best reaction to hair raising on VandeGraff static electricity generator.
The Rotary Club of Hamburg hosted special visitors on September 6, at JP Fitzgerald's Restaurant in Hamburg, as District Governor Marlee Diehl, her husband Bill Diehl and Assistant Governor, AJ Block, joined the weekly gathering. Pictured are DG Marlee accepting from the President Barbara Stanley a $200 donation to The Rotary Foundation in the Governor's name in appreciation of her service and leadership.
It was all hands on deck for the 29th Annual Lobsterfest, the Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore's biggest fundraiser held on Saturday, September 10. The event went off without a hitch with Committee Director Willy Heibuechel at the helm. There were unlimited lobsters, a fresh oyster bar, roast beef, corn, salad bar, dessert and a full bar to suit every palette. Entertainment was provided by a group of young dancers from a local club. The 50/50 was sold out. It was a great event thanks to the many members and young volunteers who made it all possible.
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Our newsletters help you stay current on the topics that interest you most. Anyone can subscribe once they create an account and sign in. To get started as a new subscriber, or to make changes to your existing subscriptions, click the Manage Subscriptions button below.
Since the launch of Rotary Global Rewards on 1 July 2015, over 100,000 members have visited the site! We would like to thank you for supporting the program by spreading awareness of it among your district and clubs. If you have not visited Rotary Global Rewards recently, we now have over 1,500 offers worldwide. See .jpg)
During her official visit to the Rotary Club of Welland on September 6th, District Governor Marlee inducted three (3) new members: Lauren Gallaccio, Jeff Clemmensen and Liam Clark, two of whom are under 40. The club also presented the DG with a cheque, in the amount of $2,500 (US), to The Rotary Foundation for the Polio Plus Fund..jpg)
Does your club "KERB"? The Rotary Club of St Catharines members got together at member RaRa's home to "Know Every Rotarian Better". This month's KERB was in honour of member Mark Zammitt who also entertained us with his mandolin playing! What a great way of getting to know every Rotarian better!
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Victoria Turner spoke to the Rotary Club of Lincoln at their breakfast meeting September 6, 2016. Victoria was one of two Youth Exchange (outbound) students sponsored by Lincoln Rotary during the past year. Victoria spent her year, July 2016 through June 2017, in Denmark. Her presentation entitled Mit AAE I Danmark was most interesting and the club reports it learned that Victoria is a great storyteller as she regaled all with tales from what was most definitely an experience of a lifetime for her. 
What started out in May as a great human interest presentation by guest speaker Mrs. Gina Di Lorenzo of the Quilts of Valour, Niagara Canada Chapter (QOV) quickly offered an opportunity for the Rotary Club of Fonthill to get involved! QOV is a registered charity, non-profit, volunteer-based national program that started in 2006. Since then, in honour of their service and dedication to our country, QOV has provided comfort to Canada’s veterans in their time of need by having donated over 5000 quilts! President Elect Paul Snack immediately identified a disabled veteran now living in a long term care facility who would be a worthy recipient of QOV’s generosity. 
Welcome to Fonthill! A lucky 13 years after unveiling the first entry sign on Hwy 20 at Hurricane Road, the Rotary Club of Fonthill was joined by DG Marlee Diehl, Mayor Dave Augustyn, members of Town of Pelham staff and council to unveil the new and improved version. This sign was a true collaboration of club and town. The club sends a special shout out to project chair Rotarian Roy Kirkup and to all who made this such a successful Rotary initiative!
At the 100th Anniversary Black Bridge Celebration dinner on Saturday, August 12, 2016, Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise's Past President Sue O'Dwyer surprised club member Andy (Rusty) Kooistra with a Paul Harris Fellow Recognition. Besides being a committed RCNS Rotarian who chairs committees, actively supports fundraising events, and is not shy about becoming involved in "sweat equity" projects, Andy spearheaded a massive project in Waterford, a Norfolk County community. Pictured are Sue and Rusty.
