Ithaca Rotary Launches 27th Annual Share the Warmth
Collection of warm winter clothing underway; ends December 18th
.png)
THE 27th annual Share the Warmth campaign has kicked off, with over 20 collection sites around Ithaca and Tompkins County. Donations of clean new or gently used winter clothing will be collected, sorted, and distributed across the area by volunteers from a number of partner organizations: the Ithaca, Dryden, and Trumansburg Rotary Clubs; Cornell University; Ithaca College; Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga; and Finger Lakes ReUse.
The familiar “red box” collection bins can be found at locations around Tompkins County: Agway True Value Home Center (Cayuga Mall), BorgWarner Morse Systems (Warren Rd.), CFCU Community Credit Union (Main Branches), Island Health & Fitness (Taughannock Blvd. and Community Corners), Ithaca College Campus Center, Ithaca Community Childcare Center (579 Warren Rd.), Kendal at Ithaca, Mama Goose (430 W. State St.), P&C Fresh, Seneca Place (inside Tioga St. entrance), Triphammer Marketplace (outside Ithaca Bakery), Wegmans, YMCA, the Dryden Community Center Café, and the Shur-Save and St. James Catholic Church—both in Trumansburg, as well as at locations around the Cornell campus.
Each location will be accessible for a five-week collection period, scheduled to conclude on December 18th. Clothes will be picked up by Finger Lakes ReUse, sorted by Rotary volunteers, and readied for distribution through the Samaritan Center of Catholic Charities. The donated clothing is then distributed by Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga free of charge to individuals who need such items for the winter months. Distribution will take place December 2–13 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM).
All winter clothing in good repair is accepted. There is a special need for children’s and larger-sized outerwear (2X and up) and large-sized boots (13 and up), as well as coats, snow pants and boots; blankets; and hats, scarves, and mittens for all. Each article of clothing donated should be new or gently used, and clean for future recipients. Note that the emphasis is on outerwear!
Share the Warmth was initiated by the Ithaca Rotary Club in 1987 on the Cornell campus and then in 1993 throughout the county. Last year, the program distributed more than 3,620 items to 805 adults and 631 children across Tompkins County.
For more information about Share the Warmth, please contact Richard Kops (925-818-1357) or Loralyn Light (607-592-2561).
At our Nov. 13 meeting, Dennis Gray acknowledged a $77,000 grant for Costa Rica, and the “FAB 5” from our International Committee who were leaving soon for that very same Costa Rica. The FAB 5 is Mary-Lynn Cummings (team leader), Maricelis Acevedo, Josephine Allen, Juliet Gibbs, and Dennis Gray, who are now in Costa Rica with the Dynamic Duo, Nancy Potter and Jorge Gull! Nancy writes,
Mary said that whatever her needs are, Dan has the solution! He consistently provides excellent customer service to everyone who walks into the Pack ’n Ship Store. “Dan is personable, professional, knowledgeable, and always has the customer’s best interest in mind. Working for a small, sole proprietor service business, customer satisfaction means everything, and Dan earns the respect and trust of Pack ’n Ship Store customers every day.”
Dale Flinn introduced Dr. Josephine McAllister of Dermatology Associates of Ithaca, who introduced her office manager Ashley Dickson.
Brett Bossard introduced Peter Radez (right) from the Boyce Thompson Institute, representing nominator Sophia Darling, V.P. for Finance & Operations.
Rotarian Bob Gravani nominated Matthieu Stratton, who has been the Business Administrator for the Department of Food Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell since 2008. The department has 25 faculty, 258 students, and 100 research and extension staff members with a budget of 12 million dollars.
.jpg)
Ithaca Rotary’s Pass the Gavel ceremony took place at the Club’s June 26 meeting. President Mary Berens opened the program by recapping her year at the top, saying she had “more fun than a barrel of monkeys!” She gave special recognition to a handful of Club members, citing members who brought in new members, and those who had helped to make her year a rousing success. Mary unveiled a knot of Rotary neckties, which she awarded to these individuals.
Pass the Gavel moved over to the new side with, again, the golden voice of Geoff Dunn, now President-Elect. Geoff introduced Frank and his table of guests, including his son, Thomas, who might be a hand taller than Frank, and Thomas’ girlfriend Lauren. Those family members who were unable to come were also noted; Frank’s wife of 25 years, Melanie, son Clement, daughter Cassidy, and new grandchild Oliver Edwin Towner. Frank’s sheep and chickens also did not make the trip down from N. Lansing.
Attention then turned to the hall’s side entrance, where another fully attired clown (Heidi Goldstein) slipped in gracefully. Once at the podium, and with Siu Ling at the piano, Heidi sang a lovely rendition of “Send In the Clowns,” with words by Roger Sibley.
The sautee continued (it wasn’t really a roast) with former YMCA Board President, Allan VanDeMark, whose day job is attorney with Williamson, Clune, and Stevens, stepping up to give the “inside story” on “Who is the real Frank Towner?”
Frank walked through the lineup of our Club’s past presidents, each of whom was wearing a clown nose and dancing to the Village People song YMCA. When things had calmed down a bit, Frank and Mary conducted the traditional exchange of pins, and Frank made a few remarks, regularly punctuated with, ‘I know I’m out of time, but just one more thing I want to say.’
