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Bulletin Editor
Pene Hutton

DG JACK'S FEBRUARY MESSAGE

 

In February, we celebrate World Awareness in Rotary.  Fittingly, the District Foundation Dinner, delayed by the Snowvember storm last November 21st, was postponed to Friday, February 13th (a lucky day for the Foundation).  We actually had more Rotarians attend this dinner than were scheduled for the first attempt.

 

Your support of the Foundation provides the charge to the “sparkplug that runs the engine” of Rotary – especially our international projects.  This year we had some special celebrations:  Several Clubs received recognition for their members’ contributions to the Foundation and for their exceptional donations.  Some clubs received recognition for their contributions to the Eradication of Polio.  Of special note, the vibrant Rotary Club of Batavia made a special presentation to District Polio Plus Committee Chair Thie Convery.  Our Batavia Rotarians delivered a check for $10,000 which, as Thie noted, will pay for 16,667 doses of polio vaccine (pictured to the left Batavia Rotarians present check to Thie).  AND we recognized new Major Donors in attendance as well. 

 

Since The Rotary Foundation is the best way for District 7090 Rotarians to act on their World Awareness, I’d also like to give you an update on a special event.  This May 9th, at Transit Valley Country Club in East Amherst, NY, we will hold District 7090’s first Million Dollar Dinner.  Under the leadership of PDG and District Foundation Director Karen Oakes, and Carolyn Ferguson, RI Major Gifts Officer (and member extraordinaire of the Ancaster AM Rotary Club) we will hold a special meeting of current and new Major Donors, Paul Harris Society members, Rotary Foundation Benefactors, all working toward providing a $1 million donation to the Foundation. 

 

While the Major Donor category is not necessarily for everyone, it is something in which all Rotarians can participate.  Donations can be made through a commitment to the Paul Harris Society, through a bequest or codicil to one’s will, or through corporate donations in some cases. 

 

If you haven’t had one of the Million Dollar Team members speak to your club yet and you want more information about the dinner, contact me and I’ll put you in touch with the team captain responsible for supporting the dinner for your club. 

 

Rotary is NOT just a club for fat, rich old men.  There are ways that even the youngest Rotarian can participate in supporting the Foundation.  The important idea is that the individual Rotarian consider that the Foundation is his or her “Charity of Choice”.

 

Yours in Rotary,

 

DG Jack

Stories

OUR FOUNDATION DINNER

Over 170 Rotarians and guests representing 40 District 7090 Rotary clubs attended our Foundation Dinner on Friday, February 13, 2015, at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens Restaurant.  It was a fabulous evening for all and included many recognitions of accomplishments in giving to our Rotary Foundation for the Rotary Year 2013 – 2014.  Karen Oakes, PDG & District Foundation Chair, along with Past District Governor Kevin Crouse, PDG Wally Ochterski and Thie Convery, End Polio Chair(s) past and present presided over the awards with brief comments by Governor Jack Amico.
 
Some highlights of the evening included:
 
Roy Sheldrick receiving the RI Citation for Meritorious Service.  This prestigious award recognizes individual Rotarians who have demonstrated outstanding active service to The Rotary Foundation for more than one year.  Examples of eligible service include, but are not limited to Service on Foundation committees at the club, district, or international level, participation in Foundation grants or programs, support of Ambassadorial Scholars, Rotary Peace Fellows, Group Study Exchange teams, or Vocational Training Teams.  (Financial contributions to the Foundation, however notable, are not relevant considerations for this award). 
 
Most of our District Rotarians and even many around the world have heard of Roy, the Ancaster Rotarian who envisioned clean water for the people living in the Artibonite Valley, Haiti.  Roy’s club, the Rotary Club of Ancaster were fully engaged in this vision.   As of 2014, 255 wells have been completed, 737 latrines have been built with funds from Rotary clubs, Rotaract clubs, Interact clubs, the Rotary Foundation, the District and the private sector exceeding $2,500,000.  Congratulations, Roy on this well-deserved recognition!
 
Other individual recognitions included:
  • Bequest Society donors.  Patti and John Walsh, Ancaster AM, Kevin Davis, Brantford Sunrise, and Gail Donus, Lakewood – Chautauqua South.
  • Major Donors.  John and Linda Beyer, Niagara Falls, ON, Thie Convery, Dundas, David G. and Joan Rosner, West Seneca, Roy and Norma Sheldrick, Ancaster.
  • Paul Harris Society members. Julie Coy, Lockport, Umit Eruysal, Welland, Joe Kollee, Niagara Falls, ON, Bert Schertzing, Niagara Falls, ON, Norma Sheldrick, Ancaster, Arnold Westlake, Niagara on the Lake, Anne Bermingham, Hamilton, Thie Convery, Dundas, Melissa Schrock, Akron-Newstead, Carl Vahl, Olean.
Club Awards for the Rotary year 2013 – 2014 included:
  • Polio Recognition. Amherst South, Ancaster AM, Batavia, Brantford, Brantford Sunrise, Buffalo, Clarence, Dundas, Flamborough AM, Grimsby, Jamestown, Kenmore, Lockport, Niagara Falls, Simcoe, St. Catharines, Welland, West Seneca, Williamsville.
  • Top 3 Per Capita Foundation clubs.  Delhi - $618 per member, Niagara Falls, ON - $571 per member, Ancaster - $487 per member.
  • Sustaining Member clubs.  Akron-Newstead, Ancaster, Ancaster AM, Buffalo Sunrise, Clarence, Medina, Stoney Creek, Welland.
  • Every Rotarian Every Year clubs. Akron-Newstead, Ancaster AM, Ancaster, Buffalo Sunrise, Clarence, Delhi, Dundas, E-Club of SOWNY, Hamilton AM, Lewiston-NOTL, Medina, St. Catharines South, St. Catharines Lakeshore, Simcoe, Stoney Creek, Welland.
 
 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING TEAM HEADS OUT

On March 3rd, our VTT to District 7020 boarded the plane in Toronto to take sports education to St. Maarten and Anguilla. Pictured to the right is from top:  Governor Jack Amico, team leader Rotarian Lezlie Murch, Jean Montgomery, Laura Chatterton and Darren Luong.  To the left are VTT chairs Rotarians Roseanne Morissette and Dan Smith.  Missing is Michael Hogg.  For more information on this VTT team and what they are going to do, please go to http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2015/01/22/ambassadors-of-sports.  The Simco Reformer covered this news quite well.
 

$5000 SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED

“If Ebenezer Scrooge grew up in a town where there was a Rotary club, maybe he too could have learned high ethical standards as a child.”  That was only one of many driving forces that won Morgan Bennett a $5,000 District 7090 Scholarship.  Morgan was sponsored by the Westfield/Mayville Rotary Club. She was presented her scholarship check recently by Shefali Clerk, Rotary District 7090 Scholarship Committee chair, who visited the local Rotary for its noon meeting.  Also involved with the scholarship program is Rotarian Dan Smith, Youth Services chair for the club and also District VTT co-chair, who represents the program for the Westfield/Mayville Rotary Club area.
 
Morgan, who was selected from among the sponsored nominations from many Rotary clubs in the district, realized at the beginning of her high school sophomore year what she wanted to do with her life, and that was helping others. Brocton Central was the first school in the county to start a Rotary sponsored group called Interact, just what Morgan needed to help her reach her aspiration.
 
Having been Interact secretary in her junior year and president in her senior year, Morgan was part of every undertaking of the organization, particularly an annual can drive. She recalls 2013 as the best year for this project because one family contributed two trucks full of pop and can bottles, which gave the club more than $100 dollars, to help another family in need. “It is moments in life like that that really make you think,” Morgan recalled, “and moments like that made me fall in love with helping others.”
 
Morgan and her Interact buddies became involved in many other undertakings – helping at the Westfield Soup Kitchen at Thanksgiving time, providing children with play time gifts. “A mother came into the kitchen, tears in her eyes, and gave my friend and me a hug,” she recalls. “It’s moments in your life like that that you will absolutely never forget.”
 
Having graduated in 2014 from Brocton Central School, Morgan is now a freshman at SUNY Fredonia majoring in social work. She has continued her Rotary connections by joining the Fredonia Rotaract Club on campus.  Only first-year post-secondary school students are eligible to submit an application through and endorsed by a Rotary Club in District 7090.
 
Pictured with Morgan is (left to right) Pete Bills, president, Shefali Clerk, District Scholars chair, Dan Smith. Youth Services chair.
 
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NOW IS THE TIME!
Rotary Leadership Institute comes to Niagara County Community College
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Registration Closes March 11, 2015!
 
President-elect’s are working diligently to prepare for their year. Were you asked to join their leadership team as a board member or committee chair? Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is the ideal event to help President-elects and other club leadership teams understand volunteer leadership and the broader world of Rotary. Register at http://www.rotary7090.org in the Upcoming Events section by March 11th. This three-Saturday series of sessions prepares you to be ready to work together for the betterment of your club and Rotary worldwide.
 
Rotary Leadership Institute is open to all Rotarians! Just starting your Rotary journey - this is an ideal event; it is as much about leadership in volunteering as it is about Rotary. Been a Rotary for years feel there is nothing you can learn, well come join us and interact with others members of District 7090 and neighboring districts and learn how other clubs work to support their communities and Rotary.
 
Clubs are encouraged to invest in their member through participation in Rotary Leadership Institute. No refund for cancelations after March 11th. For questions, contact Marlee Diehl, RLI Chair, at marlee@d7090.org.
 
CLUB EVENTS CALENDAR
 
 
Rotary Club of Lewiston/Niagara-on-the-Lake
PINTS! PIEROGIS! PLACEK!
Date: Saturday, March 28, 2015
Location:  Gadawski's Restaurant. 1445 Falls St., Niagara  Falls, NY
Cost: Adults: $25; Children: $15, includes 1 pint of beer, 6 pierogies, samples of fresh placek.
Contact: nwebiz@aol.com or call 716.870.1307 for credit card purchases
Proceeds support Autism Center at Women's & Children's Hospital
 
Rotary Club of Hamburg
12th ANNUAL BREAKFAST WITH THE BUNNY
& Chinese Auction
Date:  Saturday, March 28, 2015
Location:  Oakwood Manor, 2985 Lakewood Drive, Hamburg, NY (across from Hamburg Ice Arena)
Cost: $4 for ages 2 - 10; $7 for ages 11+; includes pancake breakfast, sausage and sides. 
Two seating times:  9 AM - 10:30 AM ans 10:45 AM to 12:00 PM
For tickets and reservations, call: 716.649.5683 or email lavery23@gmail.com
 
 
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Hamilton AM News

HAMILTON AM ROTARIAN VISITS GUATEMALAN PROJECT

Marta Stiteler stands under their plaque on the school room at the new middle school in Union, Guatemala.  Now kids there can stay in their community and study up to Grade 9.  Access Education Guatemala has incorporated plans in this building for a second floor which will serve as a high school.  The gentleman in the photo with Marta is a member of the Rotary Club of Coatepeque, Guatemala.
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Niagara News

WILF WILKINSON, TO SPEAK TO NIAGARA CLUBS

Wilf Wilkinson, past RI President, will be the guest speaker at the annual joint meeting of Niagara Rotary clubs, hosted this year by the Niagara-on-the-Lake club. Anyone interested is welcome to attend on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the White Oaks Resort at the QEW and Glendale Avenue (directions are available online). Tickets are $30 CDN in advance only. To reserve a seat, mail cheque to Rotary Club of NOTL, Box 1232, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0.  For further details, call Ursula Kucharski at 289-868-9365.
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Greater Jamestown AM News

CLASSROOM LIBRARIES EXPAND WITH A GRANT

Scott Sawyer, past president of the Rotary Club of Greater Jamestown AM, recently presented a grant to expand the classroom libraries in grades 2-6 at the Chautauqua Lake Central School. Receiving the envelopes for each classroom are sixth grade teacher Marge Metzger and elementary school principal Ella Ames.  The grant will also provide refreshments for a celebration of reading for each class, after students have read the new books.
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Westfield/Mayville News

WESTFIELD/MAYVILLE INDUCTS NEW MEMBER

Harry Barton, Membership chair of the Rotary Club of Westfield/Mayville pins newly installed member, Donna Flinchbaugh. Donna is the branch manager of Northwest Savings Bank in Mayville and she resides in Brocton.  Formerly she was with M&T Bank for 25 years; she was with BVQI (NA) for four years and Jamestown YWCA for two years. Ms. Flinchbaugh’s community activities include Chautauqua Leadership Network as past president and  chair of the Curriculum Committee; Jamestown YWCA board of directors; treasurer for Workforce Investment Board and the Mayville/Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce. She also is a past member of Rotary Club of Jamestown. A graduate of Houghton College with majors in Business Management and Jamestown Community College for Associate in Applied Science Business Administration, she is married to Todd and has two adult children.
 
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More Westfield Mayville News

WESTFIELD/MAYVILLE SEES IMPACT IN ITS ROTARACTORS

Westfield/Mayville Rotarians are extending an invitation to join them and put into practice a promise some community members may have made long ago. The three words familiar to Rotarians of “Service Above Self”, may describe a pledge community members made but didn’t know how to put it into practice.  And, the Westfield/Mayville club members are ready to tell their neighbors, colleagues and community acquaintances all about Rotary and how to put this possibly forgotten pledge to work for them.
 
Citing examples for this club necessarily includes the many youth they are heavily involved with in Youth Exchange, Rotaract and Interact. Recently, the W/M club was visited by two members of the Fredonia Rotaract, Amanda Cocchiara and Megan Meszaros, who were introduced by Crystal Schrantz, a past club president, YE counselor and club Rotaract representative. Each student described the value of Rotaract involvement and demonstrated their own Service Above Self.
 
Pictured from left to right:  Rotarian Crystal Schrantz, Amanda Cocchiara, Fredonia Rotaract president; and Megan Meszaros, Fredonia Rotaract vice president.
 
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Dundas Valley Sunrise News

EVERYBODY LOVES SKATING AT THE DUNDAS ROTARY ICE RINK

On a very cold winter day, Dundas Valley Sunrise Rotary Club held its annual winter carnival. This year, along with music, hot cider, horse drawn wagon rides, power skating and figure skating demonstrations, ice sculpture Yen from Iceculture Inc. worked his magic on 900 lbs of ice blocks.
 
With plenty of free use ice skates available, everyone was able to skate, even if it was something new to them.  Joan Ballantyne provided the music, along with singer Mike Cook. Of course, Robear, the club’s rink mascot was there to entertain skaters, young and old.
 
Rotary club community service director Bill Armstrong took the opportunity to present $400 to Scott Vance from the Dundas Figure Skating Club.  Skate Canada Dundas Skating Club figure skaters and power skaters entertained the audience with demonstrations of their skills.
 
The winter carnival is held each year on the Family Day weekend and provides a free afternoon for families to enjoy Canada’s national winter pass-time.
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Lewiston - Niagara on the Lake News

YOUTH APPLIES THE 4 WAY TEST TO AUTISM

Below is an essay written by my son's niece, Zoe Shay, who lives in Pennsylvania that employs the Rotary "Four Way Test" to address her understanding and perspective on how the general public perceives those afflicted with the Autism spectrum.  Zoe has been in direct contact with my grandson, Evan, who has lived with autism for his entire 15 years.  Zoe has been exposed to the common mistakes that the uneducated direct towards individuals on the spectrum.  I found the essay to be insightful and truthful.  But most interesting was her use of the Rotary "Four Way Test" to present her ideas below.
 
Ron Danielewicz, President of Lewiston Niagara on the Lake Rotary
 
The Four Way Test
 
One in every sixty-eight children, one in every forty-two boys, forty percent cannot speak, twenty five percent can say a few words but will lose them as they get older. Autism is more common than AIDs, childhood cancer, and diabetes combined. There is no cure, there are treatments like medicines, mental hospitals, and guidance teachers. Although it is this common, people still tend to be unaware, people still tend to laugh, and joke and use rude names and terms and inappropriate references. There is no blood test, or brain scan or x-ray that diagnoses you with autism. It is purely a mental disability, a behavior disorder. Is this truth? Is it fair? Will it build better friendships and goodwill? Will it be beneficial? The Four Way test has shown me that Autism Awareness and education should be spread worldwide.
 
The test asks, is it truth?  Yes, people mock and tease kids who have disabilities. Surveys have shown that sixty-one percent of children with Asperger’s syndrome (a form of autism) are bullied in school. Yes, it effects thousands of lives forever. 36,500 of every 4 million children born each year in the United States will be diagnosed with Autism. Yes, people don’t understand autism or people with autism. Understanding autism is important. Autistic kids are stereotyped as people who have fits, can’t control their movements, rock back and forth and are mentally slow. This is only a small part of the effects of autism, and some don’t affect others. Autistic people can be incredibly intelligent, and/or have multiple other talents. The disability does not limit the possibilities for talent or things to excel at. Autism isn’t always as obvious as it is stereotyped as. Autism doesn’t fall under a category, like the “special ed” kids in assigned classes or the people who sit at the special table at lunch with teachers. A person, cannot tell by looking who or who doesn’t have Autism. That’s why one should be aware, your best friend, your neighbor, the person sitting next you right now. Every person deserves to be treated with respect and understanding. Why only limit that to the people who are just like you?
 
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Hamburg News

HAMBURG WARMS THE CHILDREN

The Rotary Club of Hamburg launched its Warm the Children campaign last October when representatives of the American Gift Fund Louise Y. Mokadam Family Foundation presented a check for $2,500. Pictured from left are: Rotarians Earl Knauss and Liz Angelbeck, Bon and Chris Mokadam of the Foundation, and far right, Rotary Club President Dale Stanley accepting the check. Additional members of the Warm the Children Committee not in the photo were Tom Swarthout and Eileen Hotho of the Rotary Club and Dan Meyer of the Town of Hamburg Lions Club.
 
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BNMC News

BNMC PREPARES AND SERVES MEAL AT KEVIN GUEST HOUSE

In its continuing commitment of service in the community, the Rotary Club of BNMC served the monthly dinner at the Kevin Guest House in Buffalo, NY, on Tuesday, January 20.
Dinner was prepared and served by (left to right): Susan Casilio, Carolyn Casilio, Mary Helenbrooke and Richard Ridenour.
 
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