February 22 TRI-GEAR Report
Flag Salute: President Joeen Ciannella
Invocation: Bob Balentine
Members Present: Bob Balentine, Mauro Cappitella, Irma Chazotte, Joeen Ciannella, Bernie Cohen, Pat DiRosa, Steve Fox, Stuart Gold, Ralph Padovano, Cindy Rose, George Sherman, Nancy Swales, Peter and Phil Wells, Brittany Vozzi and Ryan Cangialosi.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests: None.
Make Ups: Earning make-ups at the February 19 Board Meeting were President Joeen Ciannella, Irma Chazotte, Stuart Gold, George Sherman, and Cindy Rose.
(Please be sure to report your make-ups for our records and to improve our percentage of attendance!)
Late Fines: Peter Wells and Cindy Rose.
Pin Fines: Irma Chazotte.
Photo Fines: Steve Fox, Stuart Gold, and, in absentia, Rich Jacobs.
Birthdays and Anniversaries: None reported.
Sunshine: - Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who are currently contending with adversity of one type or another.
Happiness:
by George Sherman
Nancy Swales was happy to have played host to her entire family last week.
Irma Chazotte was happy to have been able to visit Fashion Week in NYC last week and to be launching the Lord and Taylor Savings Pass Sales.
Stuart Gold was happy to hear of another new member in the wings.
Steve Fox was happy to no longer be the “new kid on the block”.
Bob Balentine was happy to have been able to celebrate his grand-daughter’s birthday.
Phil Wells was happy for the warmer weather.
Brittany Vozza was happy that Friday had finally arrived.
Ryan Cangialosi was happy that February was nearing an end.
Ralph Padovano was just happy!
Several members were happy to have all 4 of our newest members present today.
President Joeen was happy to be celebrating Rotary International’s 108th
Announcements:
by George Sherman
At last Tuesday’s BoD meeting, Michelle Albergo announced that personal issues are forcing her to remove herself from the rotation of chairs. Bob Bustard has agreed to step in as Club President 2013-14. Completing the slate of officers will be Patrick Little – President Elect; Vlad Zherenovsky – Vice President; Philip Wells – Secretary; Pat DiRosa – Treasurer.
Irma Chazotte and Lisa Peck will again be selling sales passes to Lord and Taylor’s sale which will take place Thursday, April 4 at the Ridgewood store in the Fashion Center. The club keeps all proceeds from the sales of tickets plus gets a percentage of the sales of merchandise. Members who sell at least $50.00 worth of savings passes will be entered into a drawing for a nice gift basket from L&T. WE URGE ALL MEMBERS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING AT LEAST 5 SALES PASSES. This would allow the club to raise at least $1000.00 with a minimum of effort.
So far 11 Rotarians have responded to the e-mail invitation to the March 15 Beefsteak Dinner sent out last Monday. You will be receiving another within the next 2-3 days. Please respond. Remember that paying early will give you a $5.00 discount on each adult registration.
After reading in the Bergen Record of the plight of Paterson’s North Main Street branch of their library, Dick Beattie and George Sherman decided to participate in the “Big Book Drive” campaign being conducted by The Record and the libraries of Ridgewood and Fair Lawn on behalf of the children of Paterson. The goal of the drive is to provide as many Paterson children as possible with a book of their own to take home. Between now and March 15, Dick and George will be collecting any new or gently used children’s book you may see fit to donate and will deliver them to the Ridgewood library for distribution to Paterson’s children during the April opening of the new temporary home of the Paterson branch. To learn more of this project, visit http://www.northjersey.com/news/book_drive_north_jersey_donations_paterson.html
Scholarship applications are now being accepted for the Walter D. Head Foundation Scholarship. This scholarship provides between $2,500 and $10,000 for up to three scholarship winners, based on students’ academic average, their volunteerism and their commitment to helping others. The deadline for receipt of all applications is February 28. The scholarship is available for all graduate students or undergraduates entering their junior year of college who are majoring in journalism, working with disabled people, or working with the environment. Go to our website and click on the Walter D. Head Scholarship information in the left-hand column to download an application or contact Chair Judy Messineo at bergentravel@optonline.net.
Registration brochure for this year's District Conference in Mystic, Connecticut is now available. Download the brochure from our website or contact Judy Messineo at bergentravel@optonline.net for more information on the availability of bus transportation or on the conference itself.
Mark Your Calendar with these UPCOMING EVENTS:
by George Sherman
Fri., 3/1 – Club Meeting at The Courtyard – 12:15 – Guest Speaker: John Boswick from Friends of ITN North Jersey, an affiliate of the first and only national non-profit senior transportation network.
Fri., 3/1 - Paterson Rotary Club 100th Anniversary Dinner - Westmount Country Club, 728 Riffle Camp Rd., Woodland Park, NJ - 7:00 PM - 12:00 PM - $120.00 per person.
Mon., 3/4 – District Staff Meeting – Holiday Inn, Hasbrouck Heights – Cocktails at 5:30; Dinner at 6:00 - $25.00.
Fri., 3/8 – Club Meeting at The Courtyard – 12:15 – Guest Speaker: Karen E. Amy from the Dackks Group for Supportive Housing Development.
Fri., 3/15 - St. Paddy's Day Beefsteak - Fish/Shrimp& Chips Dinner - Westwood Elks Club, 523 Kinderkamack Rd., 7:00-11:00. Music by Moxie Light. THERE WILL BE NO THURSDAY NIGHT MEETING THIS MONTH.
Thurs., 4/4 – Lord and Taylor Sale – Fashion Center, Ridgewood
Fri., 4/19 – 2013 CLUB PICTURE
Thurs.,4/25 – President’s Ball – Season’s
Sat., 6/22 - Clearwater Sail - Alpine Boat Basin
Program:
by George Sherman
Before allowing members to indulge in the celebratory cake, President Joeen asked Brittany Vozza to come to the podium to deliver a brief bio. Among other things we learned that Brittany has lived most of her life in Tuxedo Park, NY. She has one sister who is currently teaching in Cresskill and is soon to be married. Brittany said that she loves the outdoors, is a fan of 5K runs and enjoyed her first experience zip-lining recently. Brittany graduated from Monmouth University in 2008 and is currently an Account Manager with the Vozza Agency in Park Ridge.
The main event of the afternoon featured the cutting and sharing of the delicious birthday cake that had been purchased from the Rockland Bakery in honor of Rotary International’s 108th Birthday.
On February 23, 1905, a Chicago lawyer named Paul Harris called three friends to a meeting hoping to establish a group, consisting of business leaders from different vocations, who would work to foster fellowship and goodwill within its membership and the community. Although a name was not settled upon until more members joined the organization, that event proved to be the first Rotary Club meeting.
The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 in San Francisco, California. Others followed in Oakland, CA, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. Rotary became international in 1910 when a club was formed in Winnipeg, Canada.
By 1921 the organization was represented on every continent, and the name Rotary International was adopted in1922.
Today, the club celebrated not only the birth of the world’s first service club, but also the fact that Rotary International has since grown its member base to approximately 1.2 million men and women in over 35,000 Rotary Clubs spread across 200 countries and geographic regions around the globe.
Our own Park Ridge Club, chartered in 1928, was originally made up of 25 members, prominent throughout the Pascack Valley region for their high standing and many services to the community. Currently we have 40 active members who are determined to continue that proud tradition, including our four most recent inductees Steve Fox, Brittany Vozza, Ryan Cangialosi and Philip Wells, all of whom have strong connections with area we serve.
Financial Advisor Steve Fox is Senior Vice-President with Morgan Stanley in Pearl River and is currently Co-President of the Montvale Chamber of Commerce. Brittany Vozza is the grand-daughter of a former Park Ridge Rotarian. She currently serves as an account manager at the 60 year old Vozza Insurance Agency in Park Ridge. Ryan Cangialosi is a long-time Park Ridge resident who received his Masters Degree from Pace University in 2011. He is now an associate with Lenox Consulting, a communications consulting firm in Hoboken. Philip Wells, son of Past President Peter Wells and grandson of Past RI Director and Past District Governor Ray Wells, is now working as an intern architect at the Peter Wells Architectural Firm.
Collectively, these four new members are sure to add much to the proud traditions of the Park Ridge Club and to RI in the years ahead.