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Avon Rotary Newsletter |
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President's Message
At our February 17, 2009, meeting, almost-president-elect Kirk Vanderbilt announced an important date for Avon Rotarians: on Saturday, April 25, we will be meeting to work with members of A C E -- that's Avon Community Engaged -- at the Fitness Trail. Remember that this project received District Simplified Grant funds -- so our club must support with hands-on activity. Kirk will be providing more details shortly. Save the date !!
Our newest Paul Harris fellow, Reverend Bert Croop, expressed his gratitude to the club for this award. Bert's next assignment is to encourage his son to visit our club and consider membership!!
District Governor Mike Leone advised us on Monday that he would not be attending this meeting. We do hope he will have an opportunity for an "official" visit in the future. It was excellent to have his message at last week's meeting and presentation of the two Paul Harris fellowships. Due to this shortened meeting, however, the CornFest committee was able to get an early start on their meeting that night.
President-elect Kevin Tompsett reminds us of the District Assembly on April 4 in Waterloo. It's an excellent opportunity to meet other clubs in our district, exchange ideas and plans -- and all at a very low investment in time and money !!
Kevin also announces the first meeting of the newly-formed Auction Committee, on April 28.
The ShelterBox USA box from our club has been deployed to Somaliland, we are advised, "to aid families displaced by ongoing civil conflict. As part of the ongoing 'A Million in Africa' initiative, this deployment addresses the chronic need for shelter and survival essentials by some of Africa's vulnerable refugee populations'." Be aware that due to the volatile piracy situtation in Somalia's waters, delay into the region by ShelterBox teams was necessary until safe operating conditions were in place on the ground. As of January 29, teams were safely in and around Hargeisa, the capital, distributing about 750 boxes and tents to over 7,000 displaced persons. Teams are also distributing "school boxes" with pencils, calculators, notebooks, chalkboards and other supplies for teachers and pupils to resume lessons.
As to celebrations this week:
- Tom Ippolito celebrated three times: for Laurie and Tom Vonglis's excellent production of the February 10 Sweethearts' Dinner; for those who remained behind to be sure the Veterans' Hall was thoroughly cleaned afterward; and his grandson Adam's high honors in sixth grade.
- Helen Zamboni celebrated a week in Florida; but it was not as hot as Bill Shaw's postcard proclaimed! She managed to get in 225 miles of biking while there.
- Gladys Iler celebrated the club's piano being tuned, and escaping the near-flood condition in our Peppermints meeting room.
- Kelly Cole celebrated the Chamber of Commerce's Social Gathering on January 29, honoring Avon farms and farmers. All Avon celebrates this great event, and thanks to Kelly for the idea, the planning, and the work to make it real.
- Tom Vonglis celebrated the new bathroom he completed while Laurie is away basking in the sunshine -- at least, we hope it's warm and sunny.
- Karl Sawicki celebrated Adrienne's safe travel home and Adam's two year stint in Korea completed.
- Bill Wall celebrated his tenth grandchild. However, the baby is not due until August. Celebrate again, then, BIll.!!
- Doctor Bob Hayes celebrated his eighth grandchild, who has actually been born. Joseph was christened recently; and there was a celebration, also, for a week in Arizona.
- Kirk Vanderbilt and Kevin Tompsett enjoyed a trip to the Adirondacks with a group of other friends, having a great time.
- Ted Coyne celebrated the Avon Rotary-Lions' new ambulance; the crew is now meeting up to 90% response on calls. Still a great need for volunteers, however.
- Jim Tompsett missed us on February 10, while he and Sally were in Florida for her brother's death and ensuing issues.
- Ben Siragusa finally admitted to Lynne's buying him a new car. Looks beautiful, Ben.
Our 50 / 50 pot was $23.00 -- remember, you don't win if you don't buy. And the club does not win if you don't buy!!
The Board has asked Linda Kime and Doug Reed to investigate whether the Interact Club will participate in fundraising projects for the water projects we've been asked to support financially. As announced earlier, the Interact-ers will participate in the "Pennies for Polio" project, and we look forward to hearing their progress on that.
Awards nominations are due shortly to District 7120 for our club activities. There is a great deal of information required for this nomination process, to demonstrate how our Club shows that "ROTARY SHARES" through our service projects. Presumably, we also show that "ROTARY MAKES DREAMS REAL".
And we are also undertaking the "Rotary Reads" project for the month of March. We are awaiting word from Superintendent Bruce Amey and Principal Rob Lupisella on setting up this program.
Volunteer help is seriously needed on both the above projects, Rotarians!!
Remember, ROTARY "MAKES DREAMS REAL"!
Youth Exchange
Dear Avon Rotary,
Sorry it's been so long but Germany is... busy! busy! busy! This is a front page article in my city's newspaper about September 11th. The newspaper was really interested in getting a firsthand view of what it was like for a US citizen (especially a Newyorker) that day. Only three weeks into my exchange and everyone already knew my name! I'm still hearing "Du bist Alexandra Zobel! Ja , du warst in die zeitung, oder?"-"You're Alexandra Zobel! You were in the Newspaper, right?". It's really neat.
Well, I'm off to a meeting so I can help with the last preparations for my City's carnival this weekend! There will be much more information coming!
Liebe grusses aus Deutschland!
Alexandra Leigh (Ali) Zobel,
2008-2009 outbound student in
Ganderkesee, Germany
Koomen's Korner
After reading a Bloomberg article on Merced being California's epicenter of the housing crisis ("California Foreclosure Center Shows Obama Challenge"), I contacted former member and past president Steve Newvine to see how he and his wife Vaune were faring.
Very happy to hear from you. Avon Rotary remains a source of many many pleasant memories of our years in Avon.
I appreciate the item about California's housing crisis. Vaune and I live right smack in the middle of the housing crisis ground zero in Merced. But when I went to work for Pacific Gas and Electric two years ago, we weren't sure whether I would be transferred, so we never purchased a house. No regrets. The principle from our first California home (we got out just as prices started to fall, made more equity in two years than we did in twenty living in NYS) is safely tucked away and we call the landlord when something goes wrong. We've been very fortunate. But, it's sad to drive into new housing developments and see so many for sale signs and houses that have been abandoned by their owners. The telltale sign of an abandoned home is the lawn; owners don't turn on the sprinklers and in our climate, it dries up in a matter of days.
Anyway, it was great to hear from you. Take care and please give my best to everyone.
Steve
Looking back on...
| Tue 2/17 | Regular Meeting |
| Program: | No program (CornFest Steering Committee meeting) |
| 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
[No contributions received this week. HK]
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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