Edition: MMIXXII-VII

Archived in this issue:

Blanket Request Comes From Exchange Student

Club Assembly Showcases Utica Rotary Service

 

 

top

____________________________________________

Blanket Request Comes From Exchange Student

At a Friday meeting in November, Vincent, our exchange student from Belgium, asked our club to consider collecting items for his host mother's English-as-a-Second-Language families. His host mom is, Audrey Kruger, daughter of Utica Rotarian Brymer Humphreys.

You still with me?

Vincent has provided an opportunity for us to get into the holiday (and Rotary) spirit. This Friday at Twin Ponds we will be collecting non-perishable household items - things like blankets, toilet paper, soap, laundry detergent - and Vincent and his fellow Youth Exchange students will distribute the items collected to needy ESL families. This project will be a nice complement to our speaker this week, Utica Rotarian Peter Vogelaar, who will speak about his trip to Myanmar (or is it Burma?),

Here's an idea from that organized PP Andy Alesia - "Place your items in a plastic bucket which will serve both as a vessel for your donation and a useful item for the recipient." It is this kind of "out of the box" thinking that propelled PP Andy to the presidency of the Past Presidents Committee.

Thanks to PP Jack Altdoerffer for providing the punny headline to this article.

 

top

____________________________________________

Club Assembly Showcases Utica Rotary Service

If there was any doubt as to whether Utica Rotarians make a difference in people's lives, it was put to rest at our Club Assembly last Friday at Twin Ponds (five bucks to the first person who correctly diagrams this sentence (including parenthetical expressions)).

Fifteen Utica Rotarians lead the committees of Club Service. These volunteers and their committee members are the operations arm of the club. Bob Mortis and the Program committee provides weekly offerings that are entertaining, educational, inspiring and thought provoking. Megan Balder leads the Friday volunteers, ensuring that our weekly meetings and other club events run like Carol Gilberti's watch. Other Club Service committees include Public Relations, Technology, Mentorship and Finance.

If Club Service is the foundation upon which Utica Rotary is built, then the other committees are the above ground structure familiar to the public. Utica Rotary's Urban Concerns committee addresses the issues of local families in need. We also have committees dedicated to Special Needs, Literacy, Senior Citizens, Youth Services and our 11 year adoption of Columbus School. More far reaching (at least geographically) programs are the bailiwick of the Polio Eradication and Water Quality committees (thanks to Mike Evans for daring your editor to include the word "baliwick" in The Hub this week).

One of the things that makes Utica Rotary the best club in District 7150 is its commitment to international service. PP Jack Altdoerffer and his energetic committee work year round to bring young people from around the world to central New York. Area students experience a life-changing year of travel and study abroad. The Group Study Exchange program introduces us to young professionals, and sends teams to other for six weeks of intense cultural and business activity. Utica Rotarian Pam Matt leads a GSE team to Japan in the spring of 2010.

The founding fathers of Rotary stressed vocational awareness and diversity in Rotary clubs. John Wolff and his Pride of Workmanship committee reached out into our community during the 19th year of the awards. Five dedicated area employees were publicly recognized for their superior work ethic.

Little if any of this would be possible without the money provided by the annual Service Fund drive. Kevin Marken is once again leading the charge, and we are at 50% of our $20,000 goal. Please support your club and its programs with a pledge to the fund. It's a big part of what makes us the best.

President Greg and his team have led us to a first half-year of great accomplishment. In the next six months there is much we can and must do to keep our club strong. We need the energy and support of every one of our 130 active members to make it happen. What will you do for your club in the next six months?

 

top

 

Search for Articles Optional Operators:
*   Wildcard
+   Must be present in every match
-   Must not be present
" " Must match phrase exactly

Back to Current Edition

 

View HUB Archives

 

Utica Rotary Sports

 

 

Click on Your Favorite Rotary Sport For Scores, Standings and Commentary

 

 

Ray Klingensmith
President, Rotary International

 

Rotary International

 

District 7150's Website

 

More Links

 

Do you have Utica Rotary news to share? Email The Hub editorial staff! (past issues available upon request)

 

Rotary Club of Utica
P.O. Box 323
Washington Mills, NY 13479
(315) 272-2468