Over the past six months, the Olean Rotary Club has been kept busy every season. As we wrap up the current Rotary year, we just want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the community for your continued support!This year’s Rotary theme was the Magic of Rotary, which showcases the power of people coming together to make a difference — in our neighborhoods, in our world, and in each other’s lives. Your generosity, involvement, and spirit of service have helped make this year truly remarkable.
After our December holiday party, the Rotary Club of Olean paused meetings until mid-January. When we gathered again, guests included a local rheumatologist who helped us understand her field of health better, a newspaper editor who spoke about the dangers facing the news industry, a representative from the department of aging, and our own Joe Higgins shared a slideshow of pictures from his recent world travels.
Sadly, the club lost one of its long-time members when George Hendrix passed away at the age of 92 on April 7th. George joined the Club on August 29, 1960, and for more than 60 years, he remained an active and dedicated member. His contributions, friendship, and unwavering support left a lasting impact on all of us. He will be deeply missed.
On April 8th, the club held its annual Service Above Self Dinner at Woodside Tavern. This year, the honorees were the Sisters of St. Francis, who have been serving our community since 1859 when their congregation was founded. The dinner was well attended. On May 6th, District Governor David Alexander visited the club, along with past District Governor Scott Marcin. The second annual Rotary Disc-Golf Tournament was announced and will take place this summer on July 20th in Gargoyle Park. The tournament is supported by the Twin Tiers Disc Golf Association.
On June 24th, the Rotary Club of Ellicottville joined us for our annual changeover dinner, as we united in fellowship and shared purpose. This year it was held in Olean at Brother’s Bistro, and the Olean Rotary Club reclaimed the trophy for best attendance.
After four years of dedicated service as Club President, Paula Bernstein has stepped down from the role but will continue to serve as Area Governor for Area 15.
“As we mark the transition from one Rotary year to the next, we honor the service of our outgoing officers and welcome those who will lead us forward,” Paula said. “Rooted in our guiding principle, Service Above Self, we reaffirm our commitment to our communities and to one another. Together, we carry on the legacy of Rotary—creating lasting change both locally and globally. It has been an absolute pleasure to serve my community as Club President over the past four years. During that time, I have done my best to live by the words Service Above Self.”