February 1 TRI-GEAR REPORT
Flag Salute: Immediate Past President Fay Logan
Invocation: Bob Balentine
Members Present: Bob Balentine, Mauro Cappitella, Irma Chazotte, Bernie Cohen, Pat DiRosa, Steve Fox, Stuart Gold, Ann Kilmartin, Pat Little, Fay Logan, Ralph Padovano, Cindy Rose, George Sherman and Nancy Swales.
Make Ups: Stuart Gold earned a make-up by attending the District's Mid-Winter Retreat. (Please be sure to report your make-ups for our records and to improve our percentage of attendance!)
Late Fines: Pat Little, Cindy Rose and Ralph Padovano.
Photo Fines: None.
Birthdays and Anniversaries: None reported.
Sunshine: - Harriet Kallet's husband, Steve, continues on his long road to recovery. Michelle Albergo received some good news. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who are currently contending with adversity of one type or another.
Happiness:
by George Sherman
Bob Balentine was happy to have PDG Art Scialla visiting with us today and expressed great appreciation for the tremendous achievements Art had been responsible for during his term as Governor of District 7490.
Nancy Swales was happy to report that her son's treatments appear to be succeeding.
PDG Art was happy to be visiting the club today.
Ann Kilmartin was happy to be having lunch with our guests today.
Announcements:
by George Sherman
Past President Fay Logan announced that Andy Garlick, President of the Wyckoff-Midland Park Club, has been named as District Governor Nominee Designate.
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
Friday, 2/8 - Gift of Life Celebration Dinner - Venetian, 546 River Drive, Garfield - $90.00pp
Wed., 2/13 - Dinner at the '76 House, 110 Main St., Tappan, NY - 6:30
Tues., 2/19 - Board of Directors Meeting - Pascack Historical Society - 19 Ridge Ave., Park Ridge. Dinner at 6:00; Meeting at 6:30.
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.
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.
Sat., 6/22 - Clearwater Sail - Alpine Boat Basin
Program:
Club members were delighted to welcome several dignitaries from the District to Friday's meeting at The Courtyard, PDG Art Scialla, Polio Plus Chair, Dr. Jim Cole, and Charlotte Bennett Schoen, the District's Chairperson for Peace and Conflict Resolution .
Past President Fay Logan called upon Charlotte to speak about the 2013 Peace Initiative Project for the district's Interact Clubs. The project will provide all Interact Clubs with the 2012 film THE LADY. The DVD provides a moving account of Aung Sang Suu Kyi, the Nobel Prize winner from Myanmar (Burma), who has struggled for over 20 years to bring a peaceful end to the military dictatorship ruling her country. After viewing the video, students will be encouraged to organize a May 2013 peace event, featuring works of art, drama, writing, or photography which will compare Burma's emerging democracy to our own and demonstrate the courage, and bravery of Suu Kyi who accomplished so much while under house arrest in Myanmar for 15 of the last 21 years. It is hoped that this initiative will provide a meaningful way of "Using Our Liberty to Promote Burma's" as Interact celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year.
The podium was then turned over to PDG Art Scialla who joined us today to invite club members to attend the 100th birthday celebration of the Paterson Rotary Club. Since its own chartering in 1913, the Paterson Club has been responsible for chartering 18 new Rotary Clubs. Even though Park Ridge is not one of those clubs, PDG Art hoped that many of us might attend and be part of this momentous occasion. He explained why in a talk that proved to be much more meaningful than a simple invitation. For the next several minutes, Art reminisced about how big a role the Park Ridge Club had played in helping him bring so many signature programs into the District during his year as governor.
In that eventful Rotary year of 1986-7, Governor Art had laid out a menu of projects he wanted to develop and the Park Ridge Club supported every one. Under the chairmanship of our own Roger Anderson, the District's single Park Ridge H.S. Interact Club was expanded to more than a dozen other communities. Under the chairmanship of Don Terrace, Governor Art started the District's RYLA program. A most important highlight of the year was the decison by Governor Art to make our District part of the wonderful program of the "Gift of Life". During Rotary year 1985-6 the District's first Gift of Life child had been hosted by then Club President Don Terrace's family. Working closely with Bob Balentine and District chair Jeff Wells, the year saw the increased emphasis on the Youth Exchange program with eighteen outbound students and eighteen in bound students involved.
All in all, the Park Ridge Club has played an important role through the years in making the District what it is today. PDG Art, as a member of the Paterson Club and long-time friend of the Park Ridge Club, is hopeful that many of our club members will help celebrate the Paterson Club's 100th birthday between 7:00 and midnight at the Westmount County Club, 728 Rifle Camp Road, Woodland Park on Friday, March 1.