Avon Rotary Newsletter

Issue #26     2009-02-08

President's Message

We're glad to have Margo Harper looking much healthier this week as she led us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Bert Croop offered his blessing on behalf of the entire club.

And the club welcomed prospective members Doug Hollinger, Dan Jones and Mary Ellen Clark.

Let's all continue to work on attracting new members: our membership total has remained STATIC this year. If each ONE of us brought ONE prospective member to visit, what a great outreach effort and great possibility in growing our club. Steve Stephenson reminds us that the membership contest did not produce the hoped-for results -- so: NO WINNERS -- NO FREE LUNCH. Keep on trying, folks.

First Tuesday of February brought three birthday celebrants: Steve Stephenson, Bill Gee, and Hans Koomen. Mark Evans was celebrating a wedding anniversary.

A really MOMENTOUS occasion: we all witnessed Ernie Wiard actually spend money!!! Ernie sponsored the purchase of the No Fine button for BIll Gee for February.

Laurie Vonglis announced a "last call" for our Sweethearts' Dinner next week. We'll be gathering at 5:00 p.m. at the Veterans' Hall in East Avon, for a dinner catered by Julie Carney of Carney Catering. And remember that the Interact Club, mentored by Linda Kime and Doug Reed, will be providing scrumptious desserts for everyone to bid on. The dessert auction proceeds will help fund Interact projects.

Our Avon High School Student of the Month winners were recognized on February 4. School Principal Chris Salinas takes us into the winning student's classroom, so that the other students understand and applaud the student each month. For January, the Student is Claire Mulligan. For February, the Student is Julianna Karr. Past Prez Mark Evans, our designated photog, accompanied me to the school.

We've received acknowledgment of our contribution to the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. And a note from Past ADG Richard Nereau commends all our Area 8 clubs for our contributions to the Literacy Project: the books collected have been donated to city schools #33 and #34 (both K - 8), Mount Morris Central School (K - 12) and East High School, dictionaries. In addition, over 800 lbs. of clothing have been distributed to tornado victims, needy families and the homeless. He further challenges us to collect an additional 1,000 books per club over the next 12 months. Let's work to meet this challenge.

We also re-read a message from District Secretary Bill Redden, from the International Assembly in San Diego: Rotarians there welcomed Bill Gates, Jr., and heard his message. To date, Rotarians have committed more than US $60 million toward the original US$100 million Gates challenge grant, to eradicate polio. He announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has decided to increase its challenge grant by US$225 million -- a total of US$335 million. By accepting this increase, Rotary also accepts the challenge to raise an additional US$100 by June 2012. This drives the combined Rotary-Gates total to US$555 million. Separately, the UK pledged US$150 million and Germany US$130 million to the initiative.

For those of you who enjoy supporting other District 7120 clubs, the Pittsford club's "Taste of Pittsford" on March 16, wine, food, and a silent auction, is co-sponsored by Pittsford Chamber of Commerce. All auction items are gift certificates -- easy to carry home -- and ticket sales are limited to 400.

Bob House celebrated being home from their trip to Florida and Georgia. Charles Feller celebrated two weeks on the northern island of New Zealand. Tom Ippolito celebrated his grandson's achieving 100% on his science test.

Tom Vonglis celebrated the Avon Chamber of Commerce's gathering on January 29, recognizing Avon farms and farmers. About 100 people attended: sponsors included King Cole Bean & Feed, Perdue Farms, National Grid, Ted Coyne/New Way Equipment, Tom & Laurie Vonglis/ Hurricane Technologies, Lou Masi/Mascot Inc, and Jerry Dougherty. Carney Catering provided excellent hors d'oeuvres. A great evening for Avonites.

Doug Hollinger, an Avon neighbor and 25-year teacher at Pavilion High School, presented information on a project he is developing in the western Thailand-eastern Myanmar (Burma) areas. Under the Global Youth Service Team banner, he has taken students for two years to the area to build solar-powered electrical systems on schools and health care facilities in remote settlements, to help improve medical care and education. The Board will consider this and other projects for funding.

District Governor Mike Leone was unable to be present, as promised tonight. He anticipates attending our next meeting on February 17. Jerry Dougherty celebrated winning the 50/50 pot of $22 by sharing with other Rotarians. Thanks, Jerry!!

Hope to see you all with your sweethearts on Tuesday, February 10.

Remember, ROTARY "MAKES DREAMS REAL"!

President Barbara Herman


[Here's an old presidential message that was intended for publication on 1/18 but that issue never happened because of your editor's absence and subsequent backlog. My apologies. HK]

We enjoyed a wonderful Rotarian couple visiting our club last week: Suresh and Madhu Chandrasekhar, from District 3150, Hyderabad, India. The Brighton Club has been sponsoring and organizing the Milt Matthews Hospitality Exchange for District Governors-elect for many years. Thanks to those Avon Rotarians who assisted with great snacks for our Sunday welcome party, for entertaining and touring with them, especially Bob French, who took us to Niagara Falls on Monday.

Madhu had been advised before coming to us, that it would be "cold" in Rochester, so she brought with her a warm sweater and a pair of knitted mittens. Needless to say, neither of them was prepared for the kind of "cold" we are accustomed to! Suresh kept marveling that, "despite all this, life goes on!!" Madhu brought gifts to all the women club members. As many of you know, they are required to bring gifts representative of their district to 250 other DGEs they will interact with at the training week in San Diego, which begins today.

We were certainly impressed by Suresh's presentation and his ability to work with other districts -- in Germany, in Brazil, and two or three U.S. districts -- to achieve the school desks and the water projects for their district needs.

While they were here, Suresh asked to meet the Interact Club, and we were able to set up a meeting with Interact President Danielle McBride for an exchange of ideas. Thanks to principal Chris Salinas for arranging this.

The Board of Directors held its January meeting on Tuesday, January 13, after Suresh and Madhu had gone on to their next host family. Discussions included topics and arrangements for the Retreat (see below). Eagle Scout candidate Matt Stevens continues work on the roadside sign with service club postings.

We learned last week of Margo Harper's having been hospitalized during a trip to Florida. Get well, fast, Margo, and return to us. Thanks to Sue O'Hearn for accepting an assignment on Sunshine. We hope Margo's recovery is speeded along.

Each of you will be receiving an e-mail asking for classification and volunteer information. Please be sure to answer promptly. Bring your completed questionnaire to our next meeting on Tuesday.

The Board of Directors will be meeting at Tom and Laurie Vonglis's Adirondack site for a work/planning/seminar/retreat on Friday and Saturday of this week. We are grateful for their offering the use of their place for our Board retreat.

Happy Birthday greetings, once again, to all the January birthday members. MANY of us believe that January people are the finest of all. Birthdays in January included Jerry Dougherty, Charles Feller, Bob House, Diana Williams and MOI !!

Upcoming events: Avon Central School is hosting its volunteer fair on February 12 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This wiill be an opportunity to connect with students and other folks in the community, and inform them about Rotary. We need a volunteer from our club to be present. Please contact any Board member to volunteer.

The Youth Bureau/Board of Livingston County announces its annual Teen Recognition Awards. Deadline for nominations is February 13. Please consider nominating a teenager you know. Forms are available from www.livingstoncounty.us/youth.htm.

Four Avon Rotarians traveled to Perry to help the club celebrate its 85th anniversary last week. As you know, Perry considers Avon its "child", since they sponsored the Avon Club 82 years ago. It was a fine fun meeting, with excellent food, at the (new) Hole in the Wall Restaurant in Perry. Thanks to Jim Tompsett for organizing our visit, and to Ernie Wiard and Joe Callahan for attending. We have a new banner to add to our wall collection and (at last) a directory for #7120 for the current year.

Linda Kime and Doug Reed have been continuing to work with the Interact-ers. They'll be bringing luscious baked goods to our February 10 "Sweethearts (and-Other- Good People) " meeting. Please be there, and bid on the baked goods -- it will help the Interact Club to generate some income for their projects. And make your reservation for that dinner meeting with Laurie Vonglis.

We had a nice Christmas note from last year's Milt Matthews visitors, Debbie and Terry Daley, from Rockhampton, Australia. Debbie announces they are "off to China" and sends love and best wishes to our club members. It is truly when we meet Rotarians from around the world that we see the international good will and accomplishments of Rotary Clubs and realize that Rotary can MAKE DREAMS REAL.

See you all on Tuesday, January 20.

Remember, ROTARY "MAKES DREAMS REAL"!

President Barbara Herman

Youth Exchange

Dear Avon Rotary,

Greetings from Germany! Sorry I haven't written much in the past months but I've been super busy. I want the club to know that I absolutely love it here and am having the best time! I attached a newspaper article so you can take a peek into what I've been doing. This was from a bike tour last year but I finally got it scanned! The distance was pretty tough to cover but I had a lot of fun and actually won an award for being the participant who lives the farthest away. That was the third time I was in the newspaper, I plan to send the other articles too in the next weeks!

Lots of love <3

Ali Zobel, 2008-2009 outbound student in Ganderkesee, Germany ("Ganderkuhsay")

Looking back on...

Tue 2/3 Regular Meeting
Program: Third World Water Purification (High School Project), Doug Hollinger
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

Ben & Jerry created the "Yes Pecan!" ice cream flavor for Obama. They then asked the public what to create for George W. Bush. Here are some favorite responses:


Please submit your favorite sayings, noteworthy events, jokes, and I'll gladly include it here.

 

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!