The Rotary Club of Greater Jamestown AM recently inducted two new members into the club.  While this is always an auspicious occasion, there was something special about these two new members. 

 

Steve Hayes is a former Rotarian at the Rotary Club of Greece, NY and was interested in getting involved in Rotary again.  Steve works for the Bank of America and spends some time traveling providing technology oversight to the bank’s wealth management team.  Because of his interesting and flexible position in business, Steve is able to work out of his home in Bemus Point, a location that beckoned them back as he and his wife would, when able, spend as much time as possible visiting the summer childhood cottage of his wife’s family.  Steve is interested in getting connected and involved in his new community.

 

Nick Hill is a former Interactor with the Interact Club of Brocton, NY.  After completing his degree at the State University of New York at Fredonia, Nick was hired by Rotarian Dan Blixt to handle their inside sales at WE Electric Motors.  It was not long before Rotarian Dan started bringing Nick to Rotary meetings.  Nick is excited to be uniting with Rotary again, this time as a Rotarian.

 

The Rotary Club of Greater Jamestown AM is proud that these two new members are proof that people are not just leaving western New York, but many are returning to their roots, thrilled to be able to call Chautauqua County their community, and are putting their hands to the plow through the vehicle that is Rotary. Welcome Steve and Nick!

 

Photos:  Left (L to R): President Bill Burley, new member Steve Hayes and Membership Chair, Don Ray.  Right (L to R): President Bill Burley, new member Nick Hill and his sponsor, Dan Blixt.

 

Members of WDHS Interact Club (Waterdown District High School) hosted a school property cleanup on Earth Day. There was an outstanding turnout of over 500 staff and students!

 

At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Jamestown, the club welcomed two new Paul Harris Fellows, Lucy Miller and Helen Merrill.

 

The club was honored to present Lucy Miller with her third Paul Harris Award.  One of eight children and born on a farm, Lucy began her lifetime of achievement early on, graduating from high school at sixteen.  Mrs. Miller's generosity and kindness have resulted in her receiving the Masonic "DeWitt Clinton" Award, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Axel Carlson Award, the Woman of the Year Award, and three Paul Harris Fellows, among others.  She loves music, playing the saxophone, trombone, hand bells, organ, and the piano of course, playing for Little Theatre, Junior Guilders, Jamestown High School and many area churches.  Lucy not only loves music but her community and her family.  She is the mother of 5, grandmother of 11, great grandmother of 20 and also has a great great grandchild. Her volunteer service includes St. Susan's Center, Audubon, the Humane Society, Lutheran and Tanglewood. 

 

Lucy's good friend of 50 years, Helen Merrill, came to the Rotary meeting to honor her friend.  What she didn't realize was that Lucy was also honoring her.  As a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, Lucy can present a Paul Harris Award to someone else of her choosing.  Lucy chose her friend and colleague Helen for that honor.  Lucy and Helen are similar in their love for family, community and music.  Helen is the mother of 2 sons, and has two grandsons.  Her husband and high school sweet heart is Rotarian Norm Merrill.  She volunteers at WCA Hospital, the American Heart Association, Easter Seals, the cancer center, PTA, and of course at Little Theatre, where she is a full time volunteer.  She has received many awards including the Masonic "DeWitt Clinton" Award, the Sertoma Service to Mankind Award, the American Heart Association Friend of Heart, S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. Award of Harmony and the Woman of the Year Award.  Together Lucy and Helen have taken the Guilders to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Universal Studios, Disney World (4 times), the Kennedy Center, the White House, England, and Paris, and they aren't finished yet.

Thank you Lucy and Helen for all you do for Rotary, your community, and especially our young people. 

 

In the photo (L to R):  Spud Ericson, Foundation Chair, Lucy Miller, Helen Merrill, and Rotary Club of Jamestown President, Todd Allen.  

On June 10, 2015, the Rotary Club of Lewiston, NY & Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON presented scholarships to graduating seniors from Lewiston-Porter High School. The recipients were Brenna Donovan and Brittany Mezhir   Brenna will be attending the State University of New York at Fredonia, to major in Environmental Science while Brittany will be going to Pittsburgh to major in Business.

 

Pictured are (L to R) Rotary Community Service Chair Anne Hopkins, Brenna, Brittany and Rotary Club President Ron Danielewicz.

The Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) Canada, District 7090 made a major contribution to drill a well in the Village of Sanyuyo near Jalapa Guatemala. The Well came in with sufficient water to serve over 5,000 people the year round.

 

Total funding was provided by Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake, a Rotarian member of the club, Wells of Hope, (a local charity the club has supported for over 10 years) and Sircorp, an Ontario restaurant chain. Total cost US$89,000 for the well plus US$22,000 for the generator.

 

Wells of Hope, who owns the drilling rig, drilled the well to 870 feet in the mountain area with an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level.  As there is no electricity in the area, an agreement was reached with the village water committee to ensure sustainability through a program where the villagers contribute to fund and extend the distribution system, maintenance of the system, including the large in ground storage tanks, and fuel for the ongoing operations of the generator.

 

The village turned out in strength to celebrate the water being turned on thereby eliminating the long daily hike for the village women to fetch contaminated water for the family. 

 

Any club in the district who is interested in joining the next program please contact: cliffjbrown@mac.com.   

 

Wells of Hope has a facility with accommodation in Jalapa to house anyone interested in visiting the area to investigate the extensive programs being provided to the mountain villages.

 

 

Recently, the Canada Day team from the Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) met with the Friends of Fort George in the park to finalize details of the Canada Day event.

 

We also took pictures of passing the flag from the Friends of Fort George to Rotary, a symbolic gesture to recognize that Rotary will now be in charge of the Canada Day celebrations held in Simcoe Park. The event includes a pancake breakfast, a luncheon barbecue, a parade with a celebration cake which is 4 feet by 8 feet in dimension, music in the bandshell along with displays of antique cars and stands for other charitable organizations.

 

Passing the flag (L to R): Amanda Gamble, Executive Director of Friends of Fort George; Jim Alexander, Ad Hoc Director and Erika Alexander, General Manager, both Friends of Fort George. Receiving the flag, Nina Cole, President of the Rotary Club of NOTL and Betty Desero, co-chairs of the event along with Joan Coyne chair of the pancake breakfast.

 

 

Salamanca Rotary hosted their annual awards breakfast and honored graduating seniors. The group included Student of the Month winners, the Gerald Fordham Memorial Essay Contest winners, the ACE (Accepting the Challenge of Education Award), an Art award, a Math award and a Language award. Students include: Sabrina DeBoy, Katie Chamberlain, McKenzie Whitmore, Haylei Siebert, Kashauna Learn, Matt Brahaney, Tyler Siperek, Mariah Hayes, Joshua Forthman, Shelby Stephan, Alissa Williams and Ashley Fisher.

 

President Debra Eysaman commented that Rotarian Sheryl S. Nussbaum has been working on several Literacy Projects with students at the Salamanca Youth Center throughout the 2014 - 2015 School Year.  These include "Scrapbooking Your Favorite Novel," Building a Magical Kingdom," inspired by reading the novel, Bridge to Terabithia, and the "Reading Under the Sun" Program.  Sheryl also introduced her latest endeavor, "Reading With Pizzazz," the Pre-Teen Book Club sponsored by the Salamanca Rotary.  Meetings will be held at the Salamanca Public Library, beginning Tuesday, June 30, 2015. Novels will be chosen by members and participants who attend every session, will be entered into a drawing to win a Kindle Fire HD7!!

 

Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore President Jon Asplin presdented Paul Harris Fellow recognitions to deserving Rotarians Ellen Wodchis, Marlene Mader and Linda Landry.  Art Wing, Past District Governor helped with the presentation.  PDG Art gave an informative talk on how important Our Foundation is to the Rotary story. 

 

For over 45 years, the Rotary Club of Welland has recognized 10 graduates, one male and one female, from each of the five Secondary Schools in Welland. These students have been chosen by their peers and Guidance staff because they personify the motto of Rotary “Service Above Self”. They have made worthy contribution to the life of the school and the community at large and possess the qualities, abilities and interests that make them worthy representatives of their schools. At the same time, achieving academic success. 

 

Each student receives: a Rotary gold medallion inscribed with their name, school and year and a $100.00 bursary presented at their Graduation ceremony.  Their names are engraved on a permanent plaque that is displayed in their respective schools as well as a personal certificate presented at a Rotary luncheon meeting in their honour which reads as follows:  “Of all the things we think say or do: Is it the truth? Is it Fair to all concerned?  Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? The Rotary Club of Welland in recognition of your integrity, selflessness and worthy contribution to the life of your school with the unwavering commitment to the needs of others, exemplified by the Rotary Motto Service Above Self.”

 

At our Meeting of June 9^th, we had the pleasure of meeting these remarkable young men and women. They were asked to present a summary of the accomplishments, participation and contribution; however not of themselves, but of their fellow class mate.