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Tomorrow’s meeting:
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Pass The Gavel: Thank you Frank Towner; Welcome Geoff Dunn! June 17, 2020
Newsletter Reporter: Kelly Buck | Photos: Mike Brown | Editor: Ted Schiele It was the final meeting as President of the Rotary Club of Ithaca for Frank Towner; he kept to his playbook and led the Four-Way Test.
 For her Thought for The Day, Kelly Buck read a poem about COVID-19. “In the Time of Pandemic,” by Kitty O’Meara, begins, “And the people stayed home.” The poem has been a social media sensation around the world, and the author and her poem have appeared in countless publications. Rotarians were clearly moved by Kelly’s reading. The text of the poem is below. Two of the many articles are from “O, The Oprah Magazine” and from the “Wisconsin State Journal.” There are a number of YouTube readings, but this was my favorite among those I watched. “In the Time of Pandemic,” by Kitty O’Meara
AND THE PEOPLE stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.
And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed. There were no guests or visiting Rotarians last week. However, there is a correction/ update about Aly Evan’s guest at our June 10 meeting, Stamie Despo. Aly met Stamie a few weeks ago on a local Zoom meeting, and her sixth sense pushed her to introduce Stamie to our Club. Most recently, Stamie served as head of Susan G. Komen in Charlotte, North Carolina, overseeing operations spanning North Carolina and South Carolina. Prior to Komen, Stamie was the Director of Alumni Relations and External Constituents at UNC Charlotte’s The William States Lee College of Engineering. She currently consults on nonprofit operations, culture, board development and strategy in order for organizations to achieve greater impact. We all look forward to seeing Stamie again soon.
Tomorrow’s meeting is Pass The Gavel, and event emcee Catrina VanAtta asked everyone to bring a Toasting beverage to the Zoom so we can serve up a Toast to outgoing Pres. Frank and to incoming Pres. Geoff Dunn.
Kelly Buck announced that the Seventh Annual Rotary Road Rally is set for Sunday August 9. As in previous years, Rotarians are asked to contribute 25 small giveaway items for the goody bags, and larger items for the prize table. Please make arrangements with Kelly to get items to her. Additional prize information and rally details will be shared soon. Mark your calendar for August 9!
Aly Evans reported that the annual Community Grants call for proposals would be (has now been) sent out June 18. Thanks to last year’s banner ad sales in the LAFF Gazette, there is about $11,000 to grant this year. Deadline for applications is August 7.
Linda Brisson gave an update on the Youth Exchange program. The District met on May 6 and decided there would be no outgoing students this year. We had four set to go, all of whom have the option to postpone until 2021-2022.
Linda had updates regarding our exchange students from this year; Marcello made it home safely to Argentina where he had to quarantine for 14 days, and Koo will be leaving on July 9, after Lansing HS graduation. Koo was an outstanding exchange student, and Lansing HS has been highly receptive to continuing the program. Linda B. thanked Linda Pasto for being a liaison to LHS. Koo will quarantine in Tokyo for 2 weeks before returning home to Sapporo.
Nancy Potter announced that the global grant request is finally to the Rotary Foundation. The writing process was intensive, and she thanked all those involved in pulling it together.
Ron Provus lauded the success of the Tastes of Gorges initiative, and thanked Dennis Gray and Maricelis Acevedo for their initiative. There has been a lot of positive feedback, and Ron asked Geoff to look into possibly putting a free PSA on the radio about it. This week the featured restaurant is Crossroads, in Lansing. Note the promo goes on all week, not just Fridays.
 President Frank collected Happy Dollars: big anniversaries and birthdays, Thousand Islands, Notes to Neighbors, a son’s Ph.D., the IHS Class of 2020, exceeding our Polio Plus, and annual fund goals for 2019-2020.
 Ivy Stevens-Gupta announced that yes indeed, our club did meet its annual fund and Polio Plus fundraising goals for the year, and thus we are eligible to get the anonymous matching grant. Maricelis will take over as Foundation Chair next year.
Ivy also had the honor of presenting President Frank with a Paul Harris Fellowship. Frank said years ago he committed to making a $10 gift per month, and now it’s paid off. Congrats and thanks Frank! Well deserved!
President Frank then had the privilege of announcing his pick for this year’s Rotarian of the Year. Linda Brisson is the deserving individual receiving this title. Frank recognized Linda B. for her enthusiasm, hard work, and outstanding effort with the youth exchange program in a most unusual year. Linda called it a “labor of love.” Congratulations 1,000X, Linda!
Catrina introduced the day’s speakers, Pat Jebbett and Diana Crouch of the T.C. Health Department’s Healthy Neighbors Program. TCHD is one of 19 counties that receive the HNP grant from the NYS Department of Health.
The program inspects and evaluates homes for health and safety, then provides certain items that are needed to best protect the home. Any householder in Tompkins County may request an in-home, or now virtual, inspection. Householders may be homeowners or renters.
When Pat or Diana conduct an inspection, they look for hazards and toxins around the indoor environment, and for routine safety measures. When safety products are not present, HNP can provide many at no cost to the householder. These items include smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, CO monitors, child safety products, green cleaning products, and pest control solutions. Additional services include lead paint testing, radon testing, identifying asthma triggers, and more. Services are tailored to each individual need.
During COVID-19, when in-home visits have been curtailed, Pat and Diana have been doing virtual assessments online. There are no income restrictions, and they will evaluate any home anywhere in Tompkins County. Now is the time to get it done; the state funding may dry up due to lasting effects on the economy from coronavirus. For information visit the Healthy Neighborhood Program online, or call to make an appointment, 607-274-6702.
Ambassadors: None
Visiting Rotarians: None
Students: None
Workers:
• Thought for the Day, Kelly Buck
• Introductions, Rotary hosts introduced their guests
Set-Up: Katrina VanAtta
Bulletin Reporter: Kelly Buck
Photographer: Mike Brown
Bulletin Editor: Ted Schiele
Club Service Facilitators, Beverly Baker & June Losurdo
Sunshine Chair, Kellyann O’Mara
June 24, 2020
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Meeting ID: 970 5840 3180 Password: 192471
Pass The Gavel!
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