Rotary life is filled with a variety of fellowships for members (and spouses, too!) who share a common interest in recreational activities, sports, hobbies or professions. Each fellowship operates independently but membership enables Rotarians to make lasting friendships outside their own club or district. Fellowships range from amateur radio, to antiques to cooking, curling, fishing, home exchanges, motorcycling, Scuba diving … and, yes, wine! The Rotary Wine Appreciation Fellowship is chaired by PDG Conrad C. Heede of the Rotary club of Grapevine (seems appropriate!).
Within this global fellowship, there are a number of chapters associated with specific areas; it is proposed that there be a chapter of the Rotary Wine Appreciation Fellowship in District 7090 – which also seems appropriate given the focus on wineries in northern New York State and in southern Ontario. I have contacted Conrad Heede to indicate to him that we will be attempting to establish a chapter in District 7090. Membership fees are $26 (US) or equivalent; a lifetime membership is available for $103.50 (US); a lifetime membership (LTM) pin is available for $10. Lifetime membership means no annual billing, a special corkscrew pin and invitations to lifetime member only events.
The purposes of a local chapter of the Rotary Wine Appreciation Fellowship would be to:
learn more about wine and gain a better appreciation for the many aspects of wine through wine events, tours or dinners;
meet during the year for fun and fellowship; most local chapters include some fundraising activities as part of their events (wine bottle raffle, wine-tasting events)
perhaps assist with wine tours at the 2018 RI convention in Toronto.
I would be interested in knowing if there are any Rotarians in District 7090 who would be interested in joining this fellowship.
Please contact me directly if you are interested in joining, please forward your name to me and I will develop a mailing list and work with a few people to get the local chapter going.
Too often Rotary fails to tell our local communities and those organizations we support what Rotary is all about. To those clubs that have developed a key group to “Shout IT from the Roof Tops” – congratulations! To the rest of us, what are we waiting for – it is up to us to learn how to use the modern tools we have available. The good work of Rotary is just too important not to be SHOUTED ABOUT.
RI President Gary Huang (2014-2015) had a perfect theme “LIGHT UP ROTARY.” He understood that Rotary must let our communities, local and internationally, know all of our good work. Good work might be picking up litter on the sides of the roads, reading to our elementary students, sitting with a patient in hospice or managing a fundraiser to earn the revenue for the next club’s project. Whatever your club is excited about “LIGHT IT UP” or Shout about IT.
Ever find out you don’t have a speaker! Yikes! Never let it happen! The Albion Rotary, where I am a member has had a speaker for every meeting of our 93 years; it is the apex of pride that our members and guests will always have an interesting speaker. BUT IF, reach out, that is what your district is really good at; we have expert speakers who (notice is good) will gladly speak at your club’s meeting to bring you the most up to date information on one of the five avenues of service or Rotary in general – both to your club and to the public. Don’t be shy, it only takes a few minutes for you to source the right person. Here is how: go to www.Rotary7090.org, scroll down, and keep scrolling, almost there…to the heading – District Info, see Organization. There are dozens of Rotarians who will come or help you find someone. Once you choose the avenue and name, click and it will open to a message box. Build it right into your annual program schedule to have a guest Rotary speaker at least quarterly.
Are you still unsure of how to make use of your District? You need to establish the process for using Rotary resources, as well as, Face Book / Social Media to promote your events and brag about what good work your club is undertaking. By doing it in a coordinated fashion your club will soon be friends with people who you may not know personally, however they may be like us and want to give back and you have just shown them the way…join Rotary or be a friend of Rotary and help out on a project where they are passionate to start. The Holley Club ran out of beef at their Beefeaters Dinner when they used Facebook to expand their market, first time ever.
The District’s “Best Practices” started a couple of years, as an Assistant Governor project when we were sharing all these club accolades. It just keeps growing, all good stuff. This living document is only as good as the information that the clubs and the AG share for input. We do not judge your best practices against anyone else’s. Your club decides what you consider a club best practice. Send your submission by email to marlee@d7090.org. District Best Practices is on the District web site at http://www.Rotary7090.org or simply Google it.
We know our Assistant Governors are one of our District’s best practices. They are the clubs first line of an access to District leaders ensuring you have the answers and assistance when you need it. A great place to self-promote is at your bi-monthly Area meetings; clubs should support others’ events.
Our District has participated in the RI public relations grant for the past several years with many clubs benefitting from our Director of PR, Paul McAfee, helping clubs learn to use Facebook and other social media venues. It is with regret Rotary International has no ongoing PR grant available for the upcoming year. It is recommended that each club allow for some expenditures in their budgets to promote club events and be the starting point to pique the interest of potential members. Together District 7090 can show case our “good works” to the world through our use of social media.
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-American violinist, conductor, and pedagogue. Paul Martin is a former Prime Minister of Canada.
What do an Israeli-born classical violinist and a former prime minister of Canada have in common? If you are waiting for a punch line, you can stop. The answer is: polio.
Having survived polio as children in Israel and Canada respectively, we know first-hand what this disease can mean. We were both fortunate to recover from the crippling virus and pursue successful careers doing what we love, in music and in public life.
You are lucky to live in a country that has eradicated polio. Canada was one of the first nations to eliminate this potentially fatal disease, which can cause paralysis and other debilitating symptoms.
Effective vaccines have made polio a receding memory in the developed world. Israel and Canada (and the rest of the Western Hemisphere) were deemed polio-free more than two decades ago. On the occasion of World Immunization Week, we are close to making history, as Africa is on the verge of becoming polio-free, with no new cases reported in Nigeria for the past eight months.
North Americans might be surprised to learn that polio not only still exists, but continues to infect and paralyze children in some parts of the world. This is despite the fact that the disease is completely vaccine-preventable.
Tragically, the children most at risk are the ones with the least hope of meaningful, productive lives once they are disabled. This is just so wrong.
Thanks to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), launched by Rotary International, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – and joined more recently by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – polio is more than 99 per cent gone from most of the world.
In 2014, fewer than 400 cases were reported worldwide, down from about 350,000 a year when the campaign began in 1988. Today, polio remains endemic in only three countries, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, although the virus can re-emerge in areas where it was previously stopped, including Israel, where it returned briefly in 2013.
Thanks to a vaccine, one of the most terrible diseases in history – smallpox – no longer exists. Thanks to vaccines, diseases that used to be common in our countries and around the world, including measles, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, mumps and tetanus, can now be easily prevented.
During this World Immunization Week, we remind people to be grateful for the progress made against polio. However, as the measles outbreak in North America continues to spread, we recognize the reality that infectious diseases remain a mere airplane ride away and pose a very real threat to every unvaccinated child.
Economically speaking, the stakes are high. The total global investment in polio eradication now stands at more than $11-billion, an investment the world cannot afford to squander by stopping short of the goal. Furthermore, if we eradicate polio, we could save up to $50-billion by 2035 in direct and indirect health-care costs, not to mention the immeasurable savings in human suffering.
Canada must be commended for being a leader from the start, committing more than $400-million (U.S.) to the polio eradication effort. Without continued commitment, Canada knows that the cost of failure would extend far beyond the estimated 200,000 annual polio cases if the last 1 per cent is not wiped out now.
The GPEI has assembled a powerful infrastructure of disease prevention and surveillance, multilateral networks equipped to respond to outbreaks (such as measles) across borders, and well-trained health-care professionals. Over the past year, the largest Ebola outbreak in history has claimed more than 10,000 lives and continues to spread, but in Nigeria, the extensive polio-eradication infrastructure there was used to successfully thwart the virus within a matter of months.
Hundreds of thousands of local health workers have spearheaded vaccination campaigns. In vaccination drives in India, upwards of 85 per cent of health workers are women, as is the case in Nigeria and Pakistan. They take great risks, sometimes paying with their lives when meeting resistance from extremists, to bring the benefits of vaccines to more than 2.5 billion children globally. Their sacrifice cannot be in vain now that we have reached the final hurdle.
So, again, what do this classical violinist and former prime minister have in common? Not only polio but the determination to end it forever.
Please help to End Polio Now. Ask your club to donate!
It’s May and the flora are in bloom. The District membership is up with thanks to Brian Carmichael and his membership efforts and to all of our vibrant clubs who are steadily adding new members. I’ve asked you all to “Light Up Rotary” this year and you certainly have, in actions AND in numbers. I’m also excited to let you all know that, in the last few months, we’ve chartered three new Rotaract Clubs – Hamilton Community Rotaract, St. Bonaventure University Rotaract and, coming soon, a new Rotoract club serving the beautiful Norfolk Valley in Southern Ontario.
I thought I’d take a few paragraphs this month to introduce (or re-introduce) our members to a special program in our District. Gift of life is a Rotarian-based organization that over the past 4 decades has helped more than 17,000 children from emerging countries receive treatment for their heart disease. These children have come from 67 different countries and, without G-O-L, they would not have been treated. That means that they would have died.
Today, there are over 70 Gift of Life programs throughout the world mostly based in Rotary Clubs or Rotary Districts on 5 continents. The program provides transportation and heart related medical/surgical treatment to small children from the third world.
We are blessed to have one of those 70 programs right here in District 7090, a district-wide organization based out of the Hamburg Sunrise Rotary Club. Dr. John D. Rydzik leads the District 7090 effort to “save children - one little heart at a time". As of the last three children saved in 2014, the District 7090 Gift of Life program has saved the lives of 41 kids.
Our Gift Of Life Program is primarily supported by an annual Golf Outing Fund Raiser. This year it will take place on June 15th at Lancaster Country Club. The cost is $150 per golfer and includes lunch, dinner and soft-drinks on the course. They are looking for golfers AND for sponsors – further information is available from Hamburg Sunrise member Charlie Brooks at Charlie.Brooks@lakeshoresavings.com. He can provide you with sign up forms for golfers and order forms for sponsors. Thanks to John, Charlie and all of the Hamburg Sunrise Rotarians for all they do for the children in the name of Rotary. And thanks to all of you who support this wonderful program.
Helen Armstrong, from Niagara College, spoke to the Lewiston/Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary Club on May 6, 2015. She told about her travels to Kenya on Safari and her experiences teaching youngsters of the Maasai Tribe. Helen was instrumental, along with Rotarian John Morley, in establishing a Rotary Scholarship for an outstanding student at Niagara College's Canadian Food and Wine Institute.
Pictured are Helen Armstrong and Lewiston/NOTL Rotarian John Morley.
The Dundas Valley Sunrise Rotary Club held its 15th annual Paul Harris dinner and celebration this week. The club honoured some Rotarians and also non-Rotarians from the community and made a special presentation to Susan Lowery, in memory of her late husband and Rotarian, David Lowery. For their contributions to the Stars of Dundas - an annual event celebrating local talent - the club honoured Erin Bree Pierce LeBlanc and Joan Ballantyne. For contributions to various community programs, awards were presented to Jim Sweetman (environmental – given by David Carson) and to Max Ratevosian and Melania Lawliw (arts – both given by Wayne Massey). An award was presented “in absentia” to Dr. Anka Masek Tonkovic and will be given in Croatia to the recipient by Rotarian Vlad Veckie later this summer. The club is most grateful to District Governor Elect Kevin Crosby for his attendance at the event and for taking part in the presentation of the Paul Harris Awards.
The club was honoured to have as its guest speaker, Glen Grunwald, the director of Athletics and Recreation at McMaster University. Glen was a former NCAA basketball player and captain of the 1981 NCAA champion Indiana Hoosiers. His career has involved General Manager’s roles with the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Glen’s talk was an inspiration to the members and guests.
District Governor Elect, Kevin Crosby, congratulates Jim Sweetman on his Paul Harris Award. Jim was honoured for his contributions to the local community in the area of the environment.
Rotarian and Paul Harris Society member, Ernie Romain, shares a joyful moment with Glen Grunwald, the guest speaker at the DVSRC Paul Harris dinner.
PDG Ralph Montesanto never misses a moment for a hug as he presents Joan Ballantyne, a wonderful supporter of the arts in Dundas, with her Paul Harris Award.
The Rotary Club of Hamburg (evening) recently held its popular Breakfast with the Bunny fundraiser and community event. Families enjoyed a tasty pancake breakfast and a visit with the Bunny while supporting the Rotary Club to fund children's programs and projects. Past beneficiaries of Breakfast with the Bunny funds include the Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program, Read to Succeed literacy project and Village of Hamburg Recreation.
Pictured ready to dish up hot breakfasts are from left, volunteers Sheila Flint, Joanne O'Hara, Linda Bastedo and Lynn Woolley, with Rotarian Eileen Hotho.
Rotary Club of Brantford Sunrise Member Susan Brown, was recently recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow, for her outstanding volunteer efforts with many community organizations. These include Rotary Club of Brantford Sunrise, Chamber of Commerce Brantford Brant, Enterprise Brant and the BSO to name just a few. A Paul Harris Fellow is the highest honour that a Rotary Club can bestow on any person or business. It recognizes and acknowledges Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self”.
In the photo, President Elect Kevin Davis (left) and President Jeff Perkins awarding Susan Brown with the certificate recognizing her as a Paul Harris Fellow.
Rotary Club of Albion celebrated their annual St. Patrick’s Ham Dinner on March 12th. We were fortunate to have guest servers District Governor Jack Amico and his wife Delores (Mike). Serving in the picture left to right, Marlee Diehl, Mike Amico, Brad Shlep, who has 56 years perfect attendance at Albion, and DG Jack Amico. This was the club’s first year hosting the event at the First Presbyterian Church of Albion. Those who joined us for dinner appreciated our new venue.
Come and join us for the Rotary Strawberry Festival on June 12 and 13. For more information, contact marlee@d7090.org.
Anthony Barone, newly hired coach for the Jamestown Jammers was the speaker April 8, 2015 at the Rotary Club of Greater Jamestown AM. He updated the Rotary club’s members on the plans for the newly acquired team, which include financial investment in the stadium, new family friendly activities at the ballpark and better food!
In photo, Anthony Barone with President Bill Burley.
The charter/organizational meeting for the new Rotaract Club of St. Bonaventure University, sponsored by the Olean Rotary Club, was held on March 30, 2015. Our Olean Rotary Club Intern, Mike Cipolla from the SBU Business Department, organized the meeting with help from Rotarian Kim Payne. Mary Kay Worth, president of the Olean Club, qualifies to serve as the ROTARACT Club advisor in her capacity as adjunct professor in the Education Department.
At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Jamestown, Tory Irgang, Program Committee Member, introduced Mr. Bill Thomas. A native of rural Chautauqua County and graduate of Falconer Central School in 1998, Mr. Thomas is the co-founder and manager of the Jamestown BioDome Project in downtown Jamestown. Additionally he owns and operates his own screen print shop, organizes events for the Active Artists Alliance and occasionally creates mixed-media collage based artworks from found and salvaged materials.
In photo, left to right, Tory Irgang, Bill Thomas and President Todd Allen.
At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Jamestown, the club welcomed two new members, Jeff Smith and Kurt Johnson.
Sponsored by Rotary Club Member Linda DeJoseph, Mr. Smith is the new Executive Director of St. Susan’s Center in Jamestown. A native of the area, Mr. Smith spent many years in restaurant and hotel management with the Marriott chain before returning home to serve St. Susan’s Center. Sponsored by Rotary Club Member John Lloyd, Kurt Johnson was announced as a new member as well. Mr. Johnson is the owner of Shawbuck’s and operates one of the area’s newest restaurants, Shawbuck’s Press Room. Kurt is well known in the Jamestown area and the Press Room restaurant was just named Restaurant of the Year by the Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce.
In photo, (l to r) John Lloyd, Kurt Johnson, Jeff Smith, Spud Ericson (filling in for Linda DeJoseph), and Noon Rotary President, Todd Allen.
The Rotary Club of Dundas gave a posthumous Paul Harris award to Dr. Charles Victor Roman at the Paul Harris Awards Night on Monday, April 27th at the Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club. Nerene Virgin accepted the award, on behalf of Dr. Roman. The Rotary Club of Dundas Paul Harris Award is the first public award bestowed upon Dr. Roman in Canada.
Below is some information on Dr. Roman. Photo: Nerene Virgin and Clare Crozier, Dundas Museum and Archives. Photo courtesy Capture The Moment Photography
After a tour of the new Federal Courthouse in Buffalo on April 23, Rotarian Ginny Parsons escorted visiting Rotarian from India, Ragini Srinivas to City Hall.
Ginny says, "We had a nice time...we visited with the Treasurer of the City, Mike Seaman and the Director of Neighborhood Watch Program, Richard Lee. Rich gave us a tour of the City Hall Observation Deck with humorous incite and anecdotes. He has worked at city hall for many years and has some interesting stories. Our guest was amazed at the city plan....concentric circles, like DC and Paris....you can see the streets radiating off from Shelton Square."
In the photo, President Bob Galdys exchanges club banners/flags with Ragini, from left to right: Bill Larkin, Bob Galdys, Ragini Srinivas, and Chris Fetter.
NEW DISTRICT LOGO AND COMMUNICATIONS & PRIVACY POLICY
At the April 25, 2015 meeting of your District Council, the logo to the left was approved as the new District logo in accordance with the new RI branding intiative. You can also go online to the RI website, log in and go to the branding center to create a new logo for your club - Wowsa!
Additionally, the following policy was updated and approved. It is hoped that Rotarians would monitor and reduce the amount of email traffic going out from their clubs. When it comes to our club events, we want to Light Up Rotary by sharing it with non-Rotarians instead of preaching to the converted. Please - it is in the best interests of us all, that we respect our fellow Rotarians by not blanketing Rotarians and District clubs to invite everyone to our events. Beneath the policy, are some tips for sharing your news with other clubs that will help you and not incite the disdain of other Rotarians who are inundated with emails.
District 7090 Communications & Privacy Policy is as follows:
Rotarians should not use the District directories as a commercial mailing list, nor make it possible for anyone else to use it for that purpose.
The online directories are not are not available for use by Rotarians, Rotary Clubs or sponsored Youth programs in contacting all District clubs for fundraising or event purposes.
Clubs wishing to solicit funds from other Clubs must first obtain permission from the District Council annually.
Clubs wishing to solicit other clubs for support for their international projects, must work through the District’s World Community Service Committee to be designated as an Approved Project for that purpose through the District Council.
A club desiring to request the cooperation of all District 7090 clubs, in connection with any matter or utilizing email or postal service mail, shall first submit its purpose and plans to the respective governor or governors who will bring the request to District Council to secure its approval.
Recommended Tips for 'Getting the Word Out' to other clubs:
Visit or make up at a club(s) in your area to make the announcement. Clubs/Rotarians are more likely to respond to a personal invitation than an email.
Enlist the cooperation of club presidents in your area at an Area meeting with your Assistant Governor. Perhaps they will make the announcement for you at their meetings.
Send information to newsletter editor, Pene Hutton, at phutton@netsync.net for the Club Events Calendar in the monthly newsletter. Think a couple of months ahead so that timely announcement can be made.
If you have a club Club Runner website, put your event on your club calendar and select the option to send it to District website calendar.
The Rotary Club of Hamburg (evening) recently held its popular Breakfast with the Bunny fundraiser and community event. Families enjoyed a tasty pancake breakfast and a visit with the Bunny while supporting the Rotary Club to fund children's programs and projects. Past beneficiaries of Breakfast with the Bunny funds include the Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program, Read to Succeed literacy project and Village of Hamburg Recreation.
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At the April 25, 2015 meeting of your District Council, the logo to the left was approved as the new District logo in accordance with the new RI branding intiative. You can also go online to the RI website, log in and go to the branding center to create a new logo for your club - Wowsa!