Avon Rotary Newsletter

Issue #18     2008-11-16

President's Message

Many thanks to Laurie Vonglis for her very complete and fun notes from the club meeting of Tuesday, November 11.

Former Prez Bill Wall presided at the meeting. There was a light crowd: Veterans' Day. No Gladys Iler, and No Music!!

Special guest was Naomi Silver, COO of the Rochester Red Wings. Thanks to Shirley Figueroa for arranging her visit.

Announcements for the good of the club:

• Geneseo Speech and Hearing Clinic announces its services and welcomes patients;
• East Avon Fire Department announced its turkey raffle for November 15;
• Postcard received from Shirley Figueroa while on vacation in Bermuda;
• Thank you received from John and Colleen Dougherty, for support for the 3-Day Breast Fest Walk in Washington DC;
• Teresa House is seeking donations;
• Salvation Army is looking for someone to run the local program; Kirk Vanderbilt and Charles Feller have "retired" after five years of diligent service;
• Men's Hair Care package was left behind at the auction -- claimed by Dave Henehan;

Celebrations:

• Shirley celebrated her vacation trip to Bermuda.
• Helen Zamboni celebrated new neighbors: the male neighbor is an attorney. Future member, Helen? Tim and Marne Rogers are officially out of Avon -- not a celebration for Helen.
• Mark Evans celebrated a successful Club auction, thanks to all the workers. We took in $13,000 and Mark is looking for suggestions on improving next year's auction. Wouldn't a working committee help, Mark? A committee would help spread the assignments.
• Jerry Dougherty moved bricks for Jill Wall, which she purchased at the auction -- this help was in exchange for Bill's helping raise the new flagpole in the cemetery.
• Sue O'Hearn celebrated the help she received from Wayne Warriner and Bill Wall in hauling her "loot" home from the auction.
• Joe Callahan celebrated Veterans' Day. He's a vet and his grandson helped him rake leaves on his day off from school!
• Jim Tompsett celebrated a new Subaru.
• Doc Hayes celebrated a good season by the Avon football team.
• Margo Harper celebrated a good season by her favorite football team in Michigan.
• Bill Wall celebrated Veterans' Day and the Marine Corps party on Saturday night.
• Jerry Dougherty finally admitted to poker winnings and celebrated that. Too bad someone had to "squeal" on Jerry.

Future events:

• Next week's program will be on the Rotary Foundation, presented by Joe Callahan.
• Jim Tompsett and Joe will be attending a Rotary Foundation luncheon Sunday, November 27, at Belhurst Castle in Geneva.
• Bill Wall discussed Board-approved donations from Monday's Board meeting.
• Steve Stevenson discussed special contributions made by Club members Jerry, Ben (not to be confused with Ben and Jerry) and Margo, to Yusef, a club visitor two years ago. These donations allowed him to attend school and to support his family. He is now a licensed trail guide for Mt. Kilimanjaro. In recognition, he has sent our club a "speaking stick" which is now mounted on the president's podium. This will be a reminder of the significance of Rotary: individuals making a difference around the world, and individual actions having a ripple effect with this good deed done for Yusef.

Our very special guest, Naomi Silver, is the daughter of Morrie Silver, for whom Silver Baseball Stadium in Rochester is named. She talked of the Red Wings -- the longest continuously-running ball club in history, originally affiliated with the Cardinals. In 1952, as a cost-cutting decision, the Cardinals decided to eliminate one of their three minor league teams and chose Rochester as the loser. At that time, Mr. Silver raised funds by selling stock in the ball club franchise, which then became Rochester Community Baseball. The Red Wings continued to stay in Rochester and became an affiliate of the Orioles. The partnership lasted several years, but then changed to the Twins. The role of the major league team is to provide coaches and players and to pay salaries.

Last year, Batavia was threatened with loss of their AA team, but the Silvers stepped in and purchased that franchise. They now manage that club in an effort to keep baseball in Batavia. Both teams share a philosophy for great customer service and a mission for success.

Mr. Silver was a lover of Rochester and of sports. He was once part owner of the Amerks hockey team. Rochester Community Baseball still has 7,000 shareholders. At one time they considered moving to Avon and building a stadium here, due to Rochester's unwillingness to help with stadium problems. At that point, the City of Rochester reconsidered!!

Police Chief Jim Carney discussed a presentation made several years ago on drugs and addiction. The two presenters have been asked to return to Avon and will again present to Avon Central School, and then to staff and parents, as well as the community. Jim asked for any donation our club could make, to help offset the cost of the speakers. He will provide cost estimate and dates for the Board to consider; other community groups have been asked to contribute, also.

50/50 winner was Joe Callahan !!

You can all see what an excellent job Laurie has done in recording our club's program and activities for November 11. Next week, you'll have to put up with what I can remember at the meeting!!

Remember, ROTARY "MAKES DREAMS REAL"!

President Barbara Herman

Looking back on...

Tue 11/11	Regular Meeting
Program:	Naomi Silver, COO of Rochester Red Wings
Attendance:	Absentees were not reported. President Barbara encourages all who missed a meeting to call another AWOL and do a make-up together. For nearby make-up options, check the back of our paper directory or the on-line directory of District club meeting times and places. If you do a make-up, please tell Secretary Diana about it right away, so the correct numbers are reported to the District.

Looking forward to...

The Avon Rotary calendar is also available at http://www.avonrotary.org/calendar.php.

Thoughts for the week

[No contributions received this week. HK]

Please submit your favorite sayings, noteworthy events, jokes, and I'll gladly include it here (as long as it is politically / socially / morally / culturally / philosophically / ... correct, of course. :-)

 

The Avon Rotary Newsletter, instigated by Pres. Jim Tompsett, continues to be published weekly during Pres. Barb Herman's reign. Day of issue hovers around the end of the week. If you have any items you'd like to include in the newsletter, please send Hans a note by Friday!