Rotateller Rotary Club of Owego, NY
Tuesday, September 18, 2007 Gary Williams, Editor

GUESTS:

• Paul Spence, guest of brother John
• Donna Townsend, guest of Janelle
• Tom Alton, guest of Bill Moon
• Mati Dreier (Germany)
• Joao Couto (Brazil)

It would be interesting to hear the national anthem from the country of each exchange student and also their equivalent to our pledge, if they have one.

HAPPY BIRTH DAY to Annette

MUSIC:

Orv and Carolyn led us in “The More we get Together”

I should have put in a happy dollar, but Carolyn Wright and I were involved with the 25th anniversary celebration of the Tioga Senior Citizens Foundation. We passed out the checks to this year’s grant recipients for a total of over $73,000 for enhance the quality of life of the seniors in Tioga County.

FINES: Carolyn Galatzan

All those who did not get to the Taste of Tioga

Some select individuals who have been away lately

Maria Dixson announced that Christian Thompson went to Switzerland and came in 17th in the world and was the top junior national in the race.

Carolyn Wright shared that she just heard from Suzanne who is doing well in school but now feels more at home in the US than she does in Holland.

Richard shared that he just spoke with Esther and she will be coming back in November.

Orv announced that our 3.5 seniors tennis team came in 3rd in NYS.

Richard reminded everyone of the trip to Lancaster on December 9. The bus will leave at 10:00 AM. There will be the option of purchasing a box lunch.

“Dial M for Murder” John raffled off two tickets to the show this Thursday evening at The Cider Mill. Orv and Carolyn will be going ($35)

Maria Dixson has taken on the responsibility of communicating with our three outbound exchange students. This is what she has heard to-date.

Response from Emily Tholen - Tioga Center:

Szia! This is Emily Tholen from Hungary and I've received your email. I'm quite busy at the moment and don't have much time to give you a detailed update but life in Hungary is wonderful! My host family is extremely helpful and patient, two traits that make them a perfect first host family. The language is coming along slowly. Hungarian is an extremely difficult language but I'm picking it up one word at a time. More later!

Response from Nick Portele - Newark Valley:

Hi, I got your email, busy now, will write more later.

I didn't have the response from Nick at today's meeting. Got is just a bit ago. No response yet from Lisa Kruse - Candor.

MEMBERSHIP DAY:

On September 25, 2007 (NEXT WEEK! In case anyone else is having trouble keeping up with the calendar). Guests will be paid for by the Club. The program will be on a History of Food in the Southern Tier.

BOARD:

The Board meeting has been moved from this coming Thursday to the following Thursday (September 27).

CROP WALK:

Terry spoke on the reasons for the Crop Walk and the organization. It will be on October 28.

FOUNDATION DINNER:

The president of RI will be at the Foundation Dinner at the McKinley on October 24. At least all of the new members should be there.

STUDENTS:

Mati and Joao both commented on making many new friends.

PROGRAM:

Maria Dixson introduced Lisa Engelbert and Marilyn Murray from the Northeast Organic Food Association. The Englebert Farm is in its fifth generation and will soon become a Century Farm. Kevin is now on the board which sets the national standards. Organic farming is growing at the rate of 20% per year. They are involved with accreditation. When Lisa got started, there were 57 farms in their district. Now there are over 230.

In organic farming, no synthetic ingredients can be used. Organic farmers feed the soil instead of feeding the plants. They use green manure (rye or buckwheat which are tilled back into the soil). There is increased labor and costs. The use of manure is an unlikely contaminant of food. The use for organic farmers if very carefully regulated. Their farm went organic, cold turkey in 1981 and were certified in 1984. They had noticed many problems with their crops and animals, all of which are now healthier.

I am sorry that I had to duck out early. This is one of those important, and confusing issues.

Just when I had decided that I would not put so many book reviews in the newsletter, I read Susquehanna Scandal (which I purchased at Riverrow Bookshop). The author is local and the story takes place in Owego commencing in 1851. There are some racy parts. (Please do not take this as a complaint). It is an historical novel which meets my goal in this genre. It tells of a time (and in this case, it also tells about a familiar place and familiar names). It is a good story. It entertains and it stimulates thinking. One part which was particularly interesting was that a group of five men were basically leading the town. This worked (and to some extent is still how things work). Business leaders lead the community. What was the original idea behind Rotary?

The introduction to the book includes a quote about fiction. (As an aside, did you ever think of how the names fiction and non-fiction were chosen, considering all of the idiosyncrasies of our language?)

Fiction, however wild and fanciful,
Is but the copy memory draws from truth;
‘Tis not in human genius to create;
The mind is but a mirror, which reflects
Realities that are; or the dim shadows
Left by the past; upon its placid surface,
Recalled again to life.

The book is to be followed by a work of non-fiction about the same individuals which is scheduled to come out late this year.

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