|
|
|
|
|
ROTARY CHANGEOVER
By Fred Gifford
|
On Wednesday evening, June 22, 2005, members of the Clifton Springs Rotary Club gathered upstairs at Warfield's Restaurant for a delightful meal and celebration of their "change-over" night. The Rotary year runs from July 1 to June 30 and the officers for the Clifton Springs Rotary year 2004-2005 stepped down to make way for the new slate taking over for the 2005-2006 year.
This is a special year for Rotary International in that it is celebrating its 100th Anniversary since it's founding by Paul Harris in Chicago in 1905. Since that time this organization, whose motto is "Service, Above Self", has spread worldwide. Today it boasts over 1.2 million members in 168 countries and has been a beacon of compassion & understanding to people around the globe. In recent years it has undertaken many jobs one of the most important being the goal of helping to reduce the global incidence of polio. It is estimated that from over 350,000 cases in 1988, with the help of Rotary we today find less than 1,200 cases internationally.
Outgoing President, Charlotte Wytias, chaired the meeting on the 22nd. She reviewed the story of Rotary International and the part out local club has had in during the past 12 months. The local board for the year 2004-05 included president Charlotte Wytias, president elect, William Anderson, vice-president, Nico Karagosian, secretary, Robert Kloepfel, treasurer, Hugh Kane and immediate past president, Deb Cary. Also on the board were the following members, Tom Bova, Gary Carnevale, Wayne Freiert, Rod Goodman, Linda Lindner, Scott MacDonell, Dick VanHorne and the late, Ken Maslyn. Members of the board are often heads of the many committees necessary to help run the organization with success.
In addition to the expenses of running the local cub, few know of the many projects undertaken each year made to the community and world at large. Here are some of our efforts during the past 12 months: Polio Plus, $2720; National Bone Marrow Program, $325; Cub Scouts, $440; local YMCA $900; Rotary Youth Awards $450; Ontario Co. Project "Lifesaver" $305; C. S. Skate Park $1000; Tsunami Relief, $855; Rotary Foundation, $2500; Student Scholarships, $2000; Ontario ARC, $200; and the C.S. Hospital & Clinic, $1000.
Each year the Clifton Springs Rotary Club selects several persons in or near this community to be awarded Rotary's highest honor, the Paul Harris Award. This year three very worthy individuals received this honor and are as follows: CAROL WOOD, RAYMOND WEIDMANN & MARK KOWALSKI. Carol has given hours of service to this community especially as a member of the C. S. Hospital Auxiliary and at our local library. Ray, as well as being one of our past presidents, has promoted Clifton Springs through his excellent work on the Chamber of Commerce and is known for his work in helping area students to be given dictionaries to assist their education. Mark is president of G. W. Lisk Corporation and has been on many committees one of the major of these being the United Way. We salute these newly honored members who join a long and distinguished list of noted citizens of the past who have received this award.
As the evening came to a close, Charlotte Wytias handed over the gavel to the incoming president, Bill Anderson, who with his new slate of officers & trustees will lead the club during the balance of this 100th year of Rotary and on into the new year of 2006. We look forward to the growth of this important organization in this village. The weekly gathering of these community business leaders each Tuesday noon at the Clifton Springs Hospital Dining Room does much to promote and carry forward the promise of all Rotarians to SERVE others and promote better understanding among the peoples of the world.
|
|
|
Click On Banner For More Information
|
