10-3-14 CLUB MEETING AT THE COMMUNITY ROOM OF PARK RIDGE ADMIN. BLDG.
 
Flag Salute:  President Bob Bustard  
                   
Invocation: Phil Wells
 
Members Present: Michelle Albergo, June Bertini, Bob Bustard, Ryan Cangialosi, Irma Chazotte, Bernie Cohen, Pat DiRosa, Steve Fox, Stuart Gold, Bob Guller, Steve Hopper, Kelley O’Donnell, Mary Ellen Offer, George Sherman, Brittany Vozza, Phil Wells.
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests Guest Speaker Sarah Melone (Marblejam Kids); Prospective Member Dan Antocol; Prospective Member Lester Kempner (Guest of Bob Guller).
 
Make Ups: (Please be sure to report your make-ups for our records and to improve our percentage of attendance!)
Earning make-ups at the 5K were Bernie Cohen and Steve Fox.
 
Birthdays and Anniversaries – Steve Hopper happily paid his way out of being sung to. Unsuspecting guest Lester Kempner, admitting to having had a birthday last week, courageously endured a less than stellar rendition of Happy Birthday. 
 
Sunshine: - Steve Hopper spoke to Nancy Kilmartin who reported that Ann is doing well but has been unable to get to meetings lately due to various appointments.
 
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who are currently contending with adversity of one type or another.
 
Happiness:
by G. Sherman
June B. was happy to have spent time with her new grandson.
 
Phil W. was happy for the success of his recent trip to Haiti. He was also happy to be anticipating the birth of his sister’s first child.
 
Ryan C. was happy for the success of the 5K.
 
Stuart G. was happy for the promise of the Rotary Leadership Institute being held on October 11 and for our two prospective members.
 
Steve F. was happy that his daughter’s college applications are in the mail.
 
Irma C. was happy for the wonderful visit she had with her daughter in California.
 
Steve H. was happy for his son’s birthday and for his family’s recent trip to Maine.
 
Dan A. was happy for the 5K, for his recent involvement with the club and for last week’s camping trip with friends from college.
 
Bob G. was happy for our 2 prospective members and for Pres. Bob’s improvised lunch today.
 
Pat D. was happy to have attended the recent Survive and Thrive Dinner.
 
Bernie C. was happy to soon be traveling the “Civil War Trail”.
 
Pres. Bob was happy for his recent trip to Alexandria, VA.
 
Announcements: 
by G. Sherman
Cindy Rose is again coordinating the sales of Savings Passes to Lord and Taylor’s shopping event which will take place Thursday, October 9 from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. at their Ridgewood store in the Fashion Center. Cost is $5 per ticket. The club keeps all proceeds from the sales of tickets plus gets a percentage of the sales of merchandise. Items may be bought as early as October 6 and picked up on 10/9. The club will earn at least $1,000 for our Charitable Foundation if we sell all 200 tickets that Cindy has available. THIS IS A HUGELY POPULAR EVENT! Sell them or gift them to family, neighbors or friends, or GIVE THEM AWAY to clients or acquaintances as promotional tools. We can't afford to pass this opportunity up. See more here:http://www.lordandtaylor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/lord-and-taylor/content-view/SSDG-Ridgewood
 
All members, but newer members in particular, are encouraged to attend the Vocational Assembly in Edison on Tuesday, October 7 and the Rotary Leadership Institute being held at our own Courtyard by Marriott on Saturday, October 11. Stuart Gold is once again in charge of running the RLI program this year. Now in its 23rd year, the Institute serves as a training ground for upcoming leaders in the 28 districts of the northeastern part of the USA and Bermuda.
 
Both the Vocational Assembly and RLI provide members with an excellent chance to explore the dynamic WORLD of Rotary, to interact with Rotarians from numerous clubs around the state and region, and to learn first-hand of the many inspiring, rewarding and meaningful activities engaged in by fellow Rotarians as they work to make the world a better place.
 
Mark Your Calendar with these UPCOMING EVENTS:
by G. Sherman
  
Mon., Oct. 6 – District Staff Meeting – Al Di La Italian Bistro, 1 Hoboken Rd., E. Rutherford – 5:30-8:00 - $30.00. You can register here:http://www.clubrunner.ca/Portal/Events/EvpEventDetails.aspx?accountid=50049&eid=440cdeb8-eab5-4427-9b70-9e6ac314575b&tid=2
 
Tues., Oct. 7 – Vocational Assembly – Pines Manor, Route 27 S. in Edison. Registration begins at 3:30, program at 4:00. $50.00. Featured speakers: PRIVP Anne Matthews (first woman to serve on the RI Foundation Board); Ken Blanchard (author of The One Minute Manager); Eric LeGrand (former Rutgers Univ. football player).More information – go to www.rotarynjva.org
 
Thur., Oct. 9 – Lord and Taylor Shop Smart Do Good Fundraising Event – The Fashion Center – Route 17 N. Ridgewood – 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
 
Thur., Oct. 9 – Club Meeting at Domani Restaurant – 387 Washington Ave., Hillsdale. Bell rings and dinner is served at 6:30. Guest speaker will be Scott Karrel, founder of the Unlock Foundation (http://www.unlockfoundation.org )
 
Sat., Oct. 11 – District 7490 Rotary Leadership Institute – The Courtyard by Marriott, 100 Chestnut Ridge Road, Montvale. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. $95.00. Clubs sending 2 people to Level One will have the cost of the second person paid by the District. Register at www.rlinea.com
 
Sat., Oct 25Halloween Against Hunger – The event will take place from 10 am to 4 pm in the Gymnasium of Bergen Community College (near Parking Lot B), 400 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ.
 
Once again, the event will be implemented by  End Hunger NE, the Northeast division of Outreach, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3). The District is asking that each Rotary Club, regardless of which county it represents, donate at least $150 and supply a minimum of three volunteers. Alternatively, you can ask members of your club or potential donors to just chip in $5 or $10 dollars. Checks should be made payable directly to Outreach, Inc. and sent to Outreach, Inc. 1574 Ocean Street, Marshfield, MA 02050, Att: Matthew Martin, but be sure to indicate Rotary District 7490 on the memo line. 
 
The District needs all of the checks and volunteers in place by no later than October 19, so PLEASE sign up quickly.  If you would like to give online instead, please go to www.EndHungerNE.org/donate and put Rotary7490 in the special instructions. The more money we raise, the more meals we can package (each $25 donation “buys” 100 meals.)
 
 Volunteers will commit to a two hour session. Each volunteer will be assigned a shift on a first-come, first assigned basis.  End Hunger NE has worked with volunteers from ages 5-96. All children under 18 (even if they are members of Scout troops, Interact Clubs or other groups) must have a signed parental permission slip, which can be found online at www.RotaryDistrict7490.org
 
Program
by G. Sherman
 
On Friday, October 3, club members welcomed to their meeting Ms. Sarah Melone, Vice-President of MarbleJam Kids of River Edge.
 
Discovering that there were few options for enrichment opportunities outside of the highly structured special-education school environment, Ms. Melone co-founded MarbleJam Kids in 2007. A 501c3 non-profit, the organization provides after-school therapeutic enrichment programs and opportunities for children through young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
 
The goal of the organization is to introduce experiences from which children may successfully form interests in activities, develop hobbies, enjoy recreation and explore creative talents while therapeutically challenging their abilities to overcome impairments.
 
Therapy sessions are headed by certified creative arts therapists and supported by paraprofessionals.
 
Programs run from September through June.  MarbleJam Kids also conducts the Joey Travolta Short Film Camp (http://varietyny.org/news/grants-spotlight-marblejam-kids ), and MarbleJamboree Day Camp, a life skills and social skills training camp.
 
MarbleJam Kids is a New Jersey DDD authorized service provider. For additional information about their programs, visit www.marblejamkids.org