⚙️ Corning Rotary 8-22-24 Cogs eBulletin (Aug. 22, 2024)

Welcome to Corning Rotary!

Thursdays at 12:00 p.m.

DoubleTree

125 Denison Parkway E
Corning, NY 14830
United States of America

We meet the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Corning Radisson/soon to be DoubleTree. More information below. Meetings are hybrid; a zoom link is available.

Zoom Meeting

8-15-2024 Club Meeting

Posted by Jan Harvey on Aug. 15, 2024

Greeter- Cory Walker

50/50- Yumiko Akiba
Invocation- John Brown
COGS- Jan Harvey
Photographer- Bill Boland

Welcome to our guests and visiting Rotarians:

Jen Batzing introduced Bryan Kelley, school administration intern
Jan Harvey introduced Norma Reily and Mary Green from the committee planning the 2025 District Conference being held here at the Radisson!

A special appearance of long-time MIA Cathy Crandall was a welcome sight. Come again, Cathy!

Announcements:

House with Heart is looking for a remote volunteer to serve in a special volunteer capacity. Check with Dick Puccio for details. rcpuccio@gmail.com

Camp Star wrap-up: Special THANK YOU to Cathy Buck for her work in

organizing our pizza and dance party. There were 61 campers there this year! And 7 volunteers from the club lent a hand to the counselors, serving the pizza. DJ Curtis from Bobby K dished up the music and got all the campers movin' and groovin' and having a good time.

There is a Board of Directors meeting on Monday, 8-19, at 6:00 via zoom. (Zoom link is the same one we use for Rotary lunch) This is an open meeting and club members are invited to attend. The Board will be covering the results of the member survey.

Stacy Ward announced a Club Social Thursday, 8-29, at 5:30 at the Iron Flamingo on Baker Street in Corning. Invite someone who should be introduced to Rotary as a prospective member!

Past President Dale Wexell invited club members to the Sept. 21 "STAND UP! FOR LIBRARIES EVENT" at 171 Cedar Street. The inaugural Library Lion Award is being awarded by the Foundation for Southern Tier Libraries to Rotarian Pauline Emery. Tickets are $75 but Dale has a special promotional savings. Contact him at dwexell@stny.rr.com.

Les Rosenbloom was pleased to announce that a Three Sapphire Paul Harris pin was earned and awarded to Wendy Winnett.

President Ernie Danforth announced the awarding of our club's Global Grant for Soyodi, Uganda, and congratulated Ray Defendorf for all his persistence, dedication and work on this grant. It is quite an accomplishment! By the way, now that the grant has been awarded, we need to collect the pledges made by some of our club members. If you made a pledge, keep your eye out for an email on how to pay that pledge!

Good News:

Ray Defendorf thanks members for their prayers and had his first chemotherapy infusion right before the club meeting. So far, so good.
Rick Davis was diagnosed with cancer 19 years ago and was only given 3 years to live. Rick obviously can't count.
Rugmani Kutty is celebrating India's 75th Independence Day.
Stacy Ward is taking her younger daughter off to college at Syracuse. Her older daughter is also going back to school to work on her Master's degree. Stacy is going to be an empty-nester!
Past District Govenor Norma Reily congratulated Ray Defendorf for his hard work in being awarded the Global Grant, saying it was the largest Global Grant given by the Rotary International to a club in this district! She also mentioned the Annual District Conference will be held May2-4, 2025 here in Corning.
Past President Stu Sammis was excited that his son, Dane, and his family have finally moved into their own house. And that his daughter, Steph, and her family are moving into Stu's house. I am not sure Stu was the winner on this one.
Les Rosenbloom crowed about his wife, Sheryl, making a hole in one on the Par 3 #5 on Bitter Creek (one of the courses at Willowcreek)

Rotary Biography challenge

Today's Biography Spotlight was on Ray Defendorf. Remember to turn in your biography to Ernie!

New Member:

Gretta Tomb introduced our newest member, Barbara Richter. A home-grown Corningite who went to Kent Phillips Elementary School, Northside Junior High and East High School, Barb graduated Magna Cum Laude from SUNY at Oswego. After teaching for 13 years in Harpursville, NY, Barb returned to Corning to teach at Carder Elementary until retiring in 2011. She served on various committees throughout her career including the Math Committee with Winfield's Ross Perry! Barb has been a very active community member since her retirement including but not limited to First Presbyterian Church in Painted Post and Meals on Wheels.

Club Update:

Past Pres Stu Sammis filled us in on the upcoming fundraiser, Oktoberfest, to be held Saturday, October 12, in the Civic Center Ice Rink. Full details can be had by going to:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RT355eoKuEJozzNfJrH6mAqP87SMe771/edit#slide=id.p1

Oktoberfest is planned to be the second yearly major fundraiser for the club to provide the funds we want to run our programs in the community, provide scholarships and the funds for various nonprofits that Rotary supports. This will be an "all hands-on deck" opportunity with lots of volunteer slots to be filled.

50/50 today was won by Bill Boland