June 6 TRI-GEAR REPORT
Flag Salute: President Joeen Ciannella
Invocation: Peter Wells
Members Present: Bob Balentine, Dick Beattie, Bob Bustard, Ryan Cangiolosi, Irma Chazotte, Joeen Ciannella, Bernie Cohen, Pat DiRosa, Ray Falcon, Stuart Gold, Steve Hopper, Pete Jacobsen, Cindy Rose, George Sherman, Peter Wells, Phil Wells
Visiting Rotarians and Guests: Pat Beattie, Rosemary and Colleen Bustard and their guests Morgen Harvey and Linda Menze, Carol Cohen, Joe DiRosa, Joan Jacobsen, Pam Sherman, Linda Wells, Cheryl and Bob Thorwarth, their sons Robert and Steven along with Cheryl’s mother, Jeanette, Paramus Sunset Rotarians President Tom Shea and Steve Wolferman with his wife Jackie (guests of Bernie Cohen) and Guest Speaker Dr. Michael Nevins.
Birthdays and Anniversaries: Bernie Cohen’s birthday and Ray Falcon’s anniversary last week.Sunshine: President Joeen reported that Bill Hanlon is recovering from surgery.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who are currently contending with adversity of one type or another.
Happiness:
by George Sherman
Cindy Rose was happy to have attended a wonderful District Conference and to remember the Allied invasion of Normandy, France 69 years ago on D-Day 6/6/44.
Cheryl Thorwarth was happy to be here with her family and for the award the club was bestowing on her son Robert.
Joe DiRosa was happy to be here with Pat tonight.
Ray Falcon was happy to report that his daughter had recently become engaged.
Stuart Gold was happy for the club’s success in raising over $500.00 at last week’s Montvale Day.
Pete Jacobsen was happy to have won 4 tickets to an upcoming Yankee game.
Bernie Cohen was happy to have two friends from the Paramus/Ridgewood Sunset Rotary Club as guests tonight along with his wife, Carol.
President Tom Shea of the Sunset Club was happy to have the chance to promote their club’s car show at Bergen Community College this weekend.
Bob Balentine was happy to be headed up to Massachusetts next week.
Irma Chazotte was happy to be home from a nice trip to Philadelphia.
Dick Beattie was happy to be here with his wife Pat and to be awarding the Dr. Stewart Alexander Memorial Scholarship to Robert Thorwarth.
Cheryl Thorwarth’s mother, Jeanette, was happy to be here to see her grandson receive the scholarship.
Bob Bustard was happy to be here with his family tonight.
Pat DiRosa was happy to have husband Joe here tonight.
President Joeen was happy that Peter Wells had been honored at the District Conference as this year’s recipient of the Arthur Feniman Award for the work he had done as the District’s Disaster Relief Coordinator during Superstorm Sandy.
Mark Your Calendar with these UPCOMING EVENTS:
by George Sherman
Mon., 6/10 – Final District Staff Meeting of Rotary Year 2012-13 – Holiday Inn, 283 Route 17 South – Hasbrouck Heights.
Tues., 6/11– Board of Directors Meeting – Pascack Historical Society, 19 Ridge Ave., Park Ridge – Dinner @6:00; Meeting @ 6:30.
Fri., 6/14 – CASH RAFFLE DRAWING – The Courtyard by Marriott – 12:15
Tues., 6/18 – Governor's Installation and Banner Exchange – Macaluso’s - 161 Rea Ave., Hawthorne - 6:00 - $95.00
Th., 6/27 – Installation of Bob Bustard as Club President for 2013-14. Details to follow.
Program:
by George Sherman
President Joeen called upon Bernie Cohen to introduce tonight’s program. In his introduction, Bernie recalled the circumstances surrounding the creation of the Stewart Alexander Scholarship over 20 years ago. Dr. Alexander was a talented, courageous and brilliant physician who had been a long time member of the Park Ridge Club. During his years at the old Pascack Valley Hospital, he and our guest speaker Dr. Nevins, had begun a 6 week medical internship program which was designed to provide college students with an inside look at the workings of a medical facility and the life of a doctor, before they applied to medical school.
Tonight, the club was pleased to present the Dr. Stewart Alexander Memorial Scholarship Award to Montvale resident and Pascack Hills High School graduate, Robert Thorwarth, M.D.
Before presenting the scholarship, Bernie first shared a letter from Linda Hanlon who wrote movingly about the role Dr. Alexander had played in her professional as well as her Rotary life. For those who may not know, Linda was the first female member in the Park Ridge Rotary Club, having been sponsored by her friend and mentor, Dr. Alexander.
Bernie then explained that he and fellow Rotarian Don Ruschman were determined in 1992 to establish a scholarship in memory of Dr. Alexander who had died the year before. Reviewing the lifetime achievements of this outstanding gentleman, Bernie described Dr. Alexander's exploits during World War Two at Bari, Italy for which he was ultimately awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. His top-secret wartime research and reporting eventually led to groundbreaking work in the field of chemo-therapy.
Next to speak was Dr. Michael Nevins, retired Medical Director of Long Term Care at Bergen Regional Medical Center, who talked about the origin of Pascack Valley Hospital's medical internship program in which Dr. Thorwarth participated. Through the program, potential doctors were afforded the opportunity to shadow staff physicians and complete a mini-curriculum. Of those who went through the program, 90 % eventually became doctors.
Dr. Thorwarth was then called to the podium to receive his well deserved award. A long time resident of Montvale, Robert graduated from Pascack Hills High School. While there, he began what became a 7 year relationship with the Tri-Boro Ambulance Corps as an EMT. After receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia, Robert went on to a highly successful four years at Georgetown University Medical School graduating cum laude and being elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society. Having now completed his internship in internal medicine at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C. , Robert is about to begin his Residency in Anesthesiology and Critical Care at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. We wish him the best of luck in the years ahead, confident of his success, and hopeful that he will maintain his connections with the Park Ridge Rotary Club.