September 18 Tri-Gear Report

 
Park Ridge Rotary Club September 18 Meeting at The Courtyard by Marriott
 
Flag Salute: Pres. Vlad Zherenovsky
 
Invocation: Bob Balentine
 
Members Present: R. Balentine, J. Bertini, B. Cohen, P. DiRosa, S. Fox, S. Gold, M. Gonor, P. Jacobsen, C. Rose, G. Sherman, N. Swales, Phil Wells, V. Zherenovsky.
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests: Guest Speaker PDG Raj Bhatia (No. Valley Club); AG Aleta Frezzell (District TRF Bd. Member and PP of Englewood Club)
 
Make-Ups:  Attending the Board meeting on Sept., 15 were V. Zherenovsky, P. Wells, R. Falcon, J. Bertini, P. DiRosa, S. Gold, J. Doornbosch, G. Sherman, I. Chazotte, S. Fox, W. de Bordenave, D. Beattie, L. Hanlon and R. Bustard.
 
BE CERTAIN TO ALERT SECRETARY JUNE BERTINI OF ANY MAKE-UPS IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CLUB’S ATTENDANCE RECORDS ACCURATE.
 
 
Birthdays and Anniversaries: Happy September Birthday to Pat D., Stuart G., Steve H. and Whitney deB. Happy Anniversary wishes to Steve and Ann Hopper and Pat and Joe DiRosa.
 
Sunshine: Steve Hopper is home from the hospital and recuperating; Cindy Rose will be undergoing knee surgery soon. We wish them both a speedy recovery.
 
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who are currently contending with adversity of one type or another.
 
Happiness:
by G. Sherman
The presence of PDG Raj and District TRF Bd. Member Aleta brought in lots of happy dollars.
 
Raj was happy to be back visiting with us once again.
 
Aleta was happy to be part of our meeting today.
 
Nancy S. was looking forward to seeing her great-grandsons this weekend.
 
Pat D. was eagerly anticipating her trip to Hawaii.
 
Bernie C. was happy to have been part of a high-school class get-together in upstate NY.
 
Pete J. was happy to be back at a club meeting and to have had a wonderful time on a river cruise in Holland.
 
Phil W. was happy to announce that we now have 100 people registered for Sunday’s 5K.
 
Numerous members offered happy bucks in anticipation of a successful event Sunday.
 
Announcements:
by G. Sherman
Our Third Annual 5K is scheduled for Sunday, September 20 - All materials related to the event can be downloaded from the right-hand side bar of our website, www.parkridgerotaryclub.org
Phil reminded members that we need maximum club participation Sunday for the 5K run.
 
DG Peter Wells has announced that Linda Hanlon was picked to receive the Vocational Service Award for District 7490 at the New Jersey Vocational Assembly and encouraged all to attend the event. This year’s Vocational Assembly will take place on the afternoon and evening of Tuesday, October 6th, at the Pines Manor, 2085 Route 27, Edison, New Jersey 08817. See www.RotaryNJVA.org for more details.
 
Stuart encouraged all club members to sign up for RLI training at the Marriott Courtyard on October 12.
 
Bob Bustard invited members to help with the Halloween Food Drive on October 24 at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City.
 
RI President, K.R.Ravindran is visiting our District and will be at a special celebratory dinner at Seasons in Washington Township on November 10. Information can be found on the District website.
 
All members are encouraged to attend a NJ Devil’s hockey game on December 19 when they play against the Anaheim Ducks.
 
Mark Your Calendar with These UPCOMING EVENTS:
by G. Sherman 
 
Sun., 9/20 – Third Annual Park Ridge Rotary/Halfway Hounds 5K Run/Walk. Registration begins at 9:00 at the Park Ridge Municipal Pool, 120 Colony Ave., Park Ridge. Race starts at 10:00. You can pre-register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/ParkRidge/ParkRidgeRotaryHalfwayHounds5k
 
Th., 9/24 – Happy Hour at the Cornerstone, 84 Broadway, Hillsdale. Bell rings at 6:00.
 
Fri., 10/2 – Club Meeting at The Courtyard by Marriott, 100 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Montvale. Bell rings at 12:15. Guest speaker Linda Blick, Tails of Hope Foundation.
 
Sat., 10/10 – Rotary Leadership Institute – 7:30-3:30 – The Courtyard by Marriott, 100 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Montvale. Offering Parts I, II, III and Graduate. Register at www.rlinea.org and click on “Montvale NJ” under “Upcoming Events” in the left hand side-bar. Take advantage of the 2 for 1 arrangement.  If any 2 members from the same club take any Part of the Leadership course and show proof of attendance, the District will be reimburse them for one tuition for every two attending. Those attending Part One will be reimbursed for their full cost if they register before 9/30.
 
Sat., 10/24 - Halloween Against Hunger 2015 - at St. Peter's University in Hudson County. Register and/or donate by going to our District homepage at 
http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50049
 
Sat., 11/7 - Rotary Day at the United Nations – SOLD OUT
 
Tues., 11/10 - RI President, K.R.Ravindran will visit our District on Tuesday November 10, 2015. Greet him at a "Celebration of Rotary Service" Party to be held at Season’s, Washington Township, from 6.30 to 10.30. The "Celebration of Rotary Service" will recognize District 7490 Rotarians with over 40 years of Rotary Service.
 
SAVE THE DATES – 2016 District Conference – April 28-May 1, Baltimore Inner Harbor
 
Club members were fortunate to have PDG Raj Bhatia with us on September 18 to explain the workings of The Rotary Foundation.
 
At its 1917 convention, outgoing RI President Arch C. Klumph proposed to set up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” In 1928, it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International.
 
TRF is the life-blood of Rotary International. It transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. Foundation grants empower Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact.
 
Members are urged through the EREY initiative to give something to the fund every year. Should that contribution reach $100.00 during the Rotary year, you will be considered a Sustaining Member. Once an individual has cumulatively donated $1000.00, he or she will be considered a Paul Harris Fellow.
 
Money that is given to the Annual Fund is used to support TRF’s Humanitarian, Educational and Cultural Programs. The funds are invested for a 3 year period before being released. Fifty percent of the released funds are earmarked as District Designated Funds while the other 50% is retained in the TRF World Fund. This year there is $16,000 available in DDF money for District Grants and another $40,000 available for Global Grants. 
 
Further details about The Rotary Foundation can be found here: https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/rotary-foundation
 
 
At Friday’s meeting, PDG Raj gave special emphasis to The Rotary Foundation Dinner being held at Season’s on November 10 in honor of District Rotarians with 40+ years of service. Keynote speaker that evening will be RI President Ravi Ravindran.
 
Hoping to raise funds for TRF, PDG Raj is looking to make this event a “Million Dollar Dinner” by securing pledges from Rotarians to become members of the Bequest Society of the RI Permanent Fund. If only 40 Rotarians of the 1300 in our District make the pledge to become Level 2 Bequest Society members for $25,000, we can make that mark and make a huge difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people throughout the world. Today Raj reported that 4 Rotarians have already done so.
 
In closing, Raj asked that if we have a will we consider adding a codicil to it that commits some amount to the Permanent Fund or that we ask our attorney to formulate such a provision. 
 
BE A GIFT TO THE WORLD. Your gift to The Rotary Foundation will allow for the improvement of communities world-wide by promoting peace, preventing disease, bolstering economic development, and providing clean water and sanitation