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Avon Rotary Newsletter |
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President's Message
As we draw closer to Christmas Day, I want to send out to each of you my hopes and wishes for you and your families to enjoy a wonderful Christmas, full of the blessings which we can each find at this culmination of each year, and the hope which we find at the beginning of each new year. Each of us can only pray that the year 2009 brings some lessening of hostilities, some settling of our financial crises, and some improvement in the regard the rest of the world has for us. We each KNOW that we are good people, and want only the opportunity to have other nations' peoples know that of us.
As many of you already know, there will be a gathering at Hurricane Technologies on Tuesday, December 23, at 5:00. As one of our members has assured us, "The Club that prays together, stays together." There will be no regular meeting of the Club again until Tuesday, January 6, at our normal time.
Our thoughts and prayers go to the family of Brian Zamaira: Tim Stanton, Club president in 1991, as well as Tim's dad, Dick Stanton, longtime Avon Rotarian, Rotarian of the Year 1977, and Paul Harris fellow.
Thanks again to those club members who help to reinforce our commitment to our local students: Kirk Vanderbilt, at the Student of the Month presentation to Sheridan Corrigan on December 15; and Helen Zamboni, representing our club at the School 33 Literacy Project presentation on December 15.
It was great fun to read the letters from 3rd graders at Avon Central School, thanking us for their own personal dictionaries.
Kelly Cole was the first club member to be fined for arriving late at our meeting on December 16. A warning to all the others!!
The new officers for the year beginning July 1 were elected that night: Kevin Tompsett, to be your president; Hans Koomen, president-elect; Treasurer Kelly Cole, Secretary Bruce Burritt, Board members Kirk Vanderbilt, Laurie Vonglis, and Bob Hayes; and past-president Barbara Herman.
Congratulations to Doc and Polly Hayes. Their new grandson, Joseph Robert, is the first boy among the last 8 grandchildren.
And congratulations to Helen Zamboni, elected to a term on Livingston County Chamber of Commerce board. She also reported that the Salvation Army bellringers were able to pry several "silent" contributions from husband Steve Rosen. Good work, bellringers!!
We won't even talk about the fines UNJUSTLY levied at your president. Nor will we talk about other items aimed at your president during the December 16 meeting. It's lonely at the top, Kevin, so be prepared for the slings and arrows and old shoes.
Many thanks to Margo Harper for her continuing generosity: she has matched the "Strive for Five" donations from club members going to the District's drive for dollars for the Polio Plus program.
An excellent presentation by James Harrington, director of the Ugandan Water Project, and Jesse Sprinkle, who has worked with him on the installation of water tanks in that country. The Board will be considering a contribution to them when we meet in January.
A "heads up" for all Avon: the Chamber of Commerce will be honoring local farmers and farms, on Thursday, January 29, at a social gathering at the Community Center behind Peppermints. Be sure to watch the PennySaver for details -- or ask Kelly Cole, the Chamber's president for details. Generous financial support is coming from Rotarians Hal Cole, Ted Coyne, Tom Vonglis, and Jerry Dougherty.
Tom Vonglis was the lucky 50/50 winner. You have to play in order to have a chance to win, folks!
The January Board of Directors meeting will be rescheduled, from January 12. Our international visitors enjoying the Milt Matthews Hospitality Program will still be with us on that date. We will set a date and advise club members. Board meetings are always open for "makeup" purposes.
And, just because the holidays are with us, don't forget our membership drive. If anyone needs assistance or information, contact Steve Stephenson or Bruce Burritt. We will plan on inducting our new member, Bob French, at the January 6 meeting.
Merry Christmas, Avon Rotarians.
Remember, ROTARY "MAKES DREAMS REAL"!
Looking back on...
| Tue 12/16 | Regular Meeting |
| Program: | Ugandan Water Project. |
| 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. |
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Looking forward to...
The Avon Rotary calendar is also available at http://www.avonrotary.org/calendar.php.
Thoughts for the week
This week's thoughts are courtesy of Charlie Pease.
Q. What do the Buffalo Bills and an opossum have in common?
A. Both roll over and play dead at home, and get killed on the road.
Please submit your favorite sayings, noteworthy
events, jokes, and I'll gladly include it here.
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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! |
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