Rotateller Rotary Club of Owego, NY
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 Gary Williams, Editor

VISITORS AND GUESTS:

Bob Banker, wonderful husband of Bernie, and our speakers for the day from Project Recovery: Ellen Maranca, Rich Schappelt and Jessica Esquirel.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOE DI COSIMO.

MUSIC:

We sang "Give My Regards to Broadway," appropriate to send Suzanne and Mrinalini away on their Youth Exchange trip to New York City this coming weekend!

FINES:

Orv fined everyone wearing no pin AND not helping at the Adopt-A-Highway pickup last Saturday. Al fined Leah an extra $1 for arriving just as he rang the bell for the business portion.

HAPPY DOLLARS:

• Keith Lewis - the arrival of his first child, Jillian Lewis, on Friday the 13th.
• Another dollar - his new respect for women.
• John - advertising dollar for the repeat playing of the film "Inconvenient Truth" Wednesday evening at Ti-Ahwaga.
• Carl - the good time he and Wilma had taking Suzanne to the Ethnic festival over the weekend.
• Annette - successful concert at the Middle School where 600 well-behaved students gave a standing ovation for a violin/piano concert.
• Carolyn for the remarkable event of a child , and not a grandchild, arriving for an Owego Rotarian;
• Orv for the good number of people at the road cleanup; Bill for his "find" at the road cleanup.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

DRYDEN CLUB CHARTER MEETING will be held on November 10 at 6:30 at TC3. Cost is $35, checks to Dryden Rotary Club. Call Carolyn W. for information and sign-up.

FOUNDATION SEMINAR: held at Maine-Endwell High School November 11 from 8:30-12:30; focus is membership. Cost paid by club.

DISTRICT Youth Exchange INTERVIEWS will be held in Newark Valley for the potential outbound students. This will also be on November 11.

DUES ARE DUE! Ask Carolyn if you're not sure if you've paid.

Jeannette presented prizes for finds at the road cleanup: Annette for the most unspeakable find; Bill for finding a purse and Merl for the biggest find.

Salvation Army will be looking for help with collections again this year. See Bill Moon to help out.

Bernie announced a wine tasting and food evening to benefit American Cancer Society Relay for Life to be held at the Elk's on 11/4; $20. Also tags for children's gifts for the holiday party at the Elk's Club will soon appear. See Bernie for information.

The week for Exchange Students:

Mrinalini had a long week. The Foundation Dinner was Thursday; she sat with Endwell Club members. Friday was her last away volleyball game. Saturday was the Operalogue with Harry and John. Monday was the last volleyball game, followed by a celebration because she is the lone senior on the team.

Suzanne found a woman who spoke Dutch at the Ethnic Festival. Later she saw the same woman at the Opera House. She met another woman who was from her island in the Netherlands and will be visiting there soon. This is directly from Suzanne: "Going for ice cream with Harry is so much fun!"

Highlights of the Owego Rotary October 19, 2006 board meeting

September attendance: 68%; 21 with 100% attendance. Total - 57 members at the end of September.

Clarification: there was no cost to Owego Rotary for the sales of strawberry shortcakes in Ithaca in June.

The Tioga Business Show 2006 turned out to be good PR: beautiful basket as door prize brought many to the table; good to have exchange students on hand; good number of names interested in Rotary membership gathered and given to the membership team. Board recommends participating in the 2007 show.

Issue is still under study, but the board agreed to study a new arrangement for chairman and team captains for the Annual Raffle project and to move the raffle drawing date back to October. Tickets should still be available for members to begin selling before the Strawberry Festival. President’s Planning Committee will work out the details.

Estimated expense totals were presented by Youth Services Chairman, Secretary, Membership Chairman and Rotary Foundation Chairman. Numbers will be plugged into the budget and will aid in future money decision making.

The club will provide matching money up to $1,000, for members who wish to contribute to The Rotary Foundation. Minimum match is $50 and the maximum per member is $100. See Annette.

The new Little League/ Teener League dugout, Eagle Scout project directed by Mike Poffenbarger, is finished. Owego Rotary contributed $700 for basic materials. Scouts provided the labor.

Eighty logo tee shirts, at a cost of $5 each, will be purchased for District 7170 Inbound Exchange Students and Interact Club participants at the District Holiday Party to be held in Owego December 7-9.

Next meeting Thursday, November 16, 2006 at the Treadway at 7:30 AM. Every member is welcome and encouraged to attend.

PROGRAM:

Program chairman John Spencer introduced the speakers from Project RECOVERY, which is an outreach organization funded by FEMA, working with the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier. Ellen Maranca is team leader for the Tioga Co. team of outreach workers who are working with those affected by the flooding; Rich Schappelt is on the team of outreach workers who visit homes and businesses to provide support, advice and information, and help with paperwork and deadlines. They have made over 1,000 visits and talked to more than 800 different people. Jessica Esquirel addresses the emotional needs. She has found fatigue, anger, sickness and sadness in those affected by the disaster. She offered tips. HALT. Don't get Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. Do get exercise, take time out, do things you enjoy and keep up with friends and family.

The group will be having two community days to provide respite for those affected by the flooding and its aftermath. Owego 12/9 from 11-3 at the Elk's; Waverly date and place to be announced. They are looking for donations of help, food, craft supplied, door prizes and publicity.

50/50: It's ED, again.

Next week's program: Thomas Reedy "Art of Business Leadership."

Back to Meetings