Welcome to another issue of our biweekly bulletin! Find out who our upcoming speakers are, what we covered during the last weekly meeting, and our up coming events and fundraisers!
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Invocation: President Bonnie Miele - Flag Salute Veteran, PDG Joe Dino-(Song - God Bless lead by PDG Art Scialla)
Bonnie also gave a history of Veterans Day and the origin of this national holiday
Membership is down club and district wide and President Bonnie is calling for new members.
Joe Sterba on nominations for new Directors and Officers. Directors terms are 3 year terms starting on July 1st of the Rotary Year. Our current slate can be found on the website.
Board of Director
Dan Sterba nominates Joe Sterba
John Susani nominates Karen Fischer
Al Scala nominates T'yshon Wells
There are two automatic spots that are filled , President and Past President. The following spots were nominated :
President Elect
Joe Dino nominates Alberto Zelaya seconded by Art Scialla
Vice President
John Susani nominates Roberta Farber
Joe Dino nominates Vince Iannacone
Secretary
Dan Sterba nominates Erika Baldino
Treasurer
Roberta Farber nominates Dan Sterba
Our next Rotary lunch meeting will be Nov 30th. Jonathan Holloway- Rutgers University President will be speaking. Please be there at 12:15. $25 a person unless you've paid your dues, Then you get the first ten free.
TODAY'S SPEAKER
This Meeting's Speaker: Cy Tony Vancheri - Veterans Affairs
Tony's biography was given by Vince Iannacone. Tony arrived from Belgium and attended School 5 and JFK High School. He is a Veteran of the US Army as a medic and served in Vietnam in 1968. Mr. Vancheri and friends started the Vietnam Vets of America Paterson Chapter #33. There is a park in Paterson next to the fire station named after Mr. Vancheri. The access road was renamed in his honor as well. He works tirelessly to make sure that government money (almost $600,000 in federal grants) in invested back into Paterson Parks.
Tony says he started in 1970 when he came home and was treated like garbage at the VA in West Orange. In became clear to him that the vets that came back from war were not be treated fairly. Combat veterans earned the right to be treated well on American Soil. Two years later, 38 vets went to the VA for help and 37 tested positive for Agent Orange. In Vietnam there were over 4 million vets that served. Over the last two and half weeks, he visited one high school and two middle schools and spoke to over 2500 students. On Saturday he honored 19 volunteers that helped the Paterson Veteran Council. They have worked hard to raise money for the park. He advises that Totowa people have helped a lot of the veteran effort in Paterson.
The Youngest Marine to die in Vietnam is 15-year-old. There were 5 16 years old and 36 17-year-olds to pass in Vietnam. The average age of a Vietnam veteran is 19 years old. 8 women nurses were killed. 33 men from Paterson were killed.
Tony was instrumental in gathering monuments around the county and bringing them together in Paterson at the Hill of Heroes. It is called Veterans Memorial Park at Hayden Heights at the Hill of Heroes.
Tony brought a pamphlet on medical benefits that answers some of the complicated benefit questions a veteran may have about VA benefits in the State. He says it is a great feeling to get involved and help others. He is very happy to be here and give his presentation in front of old friends.
There is a Vietnam Wall that is being put up by the Police Academy between March 29th or Memorial Day. Paterson will be the third city to have a permanent wall to honor Vietnam veterans.
Cy asked about PTSD in Veterans and why it is so high. Tony says this is a real issue and that you never know when PTSD is going to hit. Tony has a support group that he goes and sees every week. The VA in East Orange as a monthly clinic.
President Bonnie Miele with Veteran and speaker Tony Van Cheri and our two Rotary Veterans in attendance, PDG Joe Dino and PDG John Susani. Thank you for your service!
Thanksgiving Food Drive - 2023
We are asking all members to consider donating food for the Veterans, so they can enjoy Thanksgiving. We need rice, gravy, instant mashed potatoes, stuffing mix, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, Mac and cheese, etc. or anything you can contribute. There are 20 families at Paterson Park Apartments. Catholic Charities will provide the turkeys.
Please bring you contributions to John Susani’s office 209 Union Avenue Paterson.
Food due by November 18.
Monday November 20th at 1230 is the day to meet at John's office to deliver food. Volunteers needed. Please click the registration list so we know who will donate and assist with delivery.
Christmas 2023 - John DeCando (Paterson Animal Control) is looking for donations of Dog & Cat treats for Christmas.
The Great Falls Pantry - requesting donations of Non-Perishable foods.
With almost 27,000 military veterans living in Paterson alone, many of them living under tight financial constraints, this pantry was just what they needed.
Located at 160 Ward Street in Paterson, NJ, the pantry will be open the 3rd Saturday of every month from 9-11 am. Veterans will need to bring proof of service and a tax return in order to shop. Currently, the pantry holds a variety of dry goods and the organizers plan to hold fundraisers in the future to continue to keep the pantry stocked for our vets!
Veteran Michael Blackwell - works with NJ State Police - he is in his graduate program at NYU. He has a prosposal that he wants to give to the swtate police to help the troubled youth in Paterson. In conjuction with PAL and Big Brother's and Sisters, School Board and PTA.
TJ Kitenger
Jayme Dykes
Axel from the Mayor's office
Speaker/Visitor:
Tony and Anne Marie Van Cheri
Total people in attendance - 15 people and 6 guests
The Paterson Rotary Foundation
Make a difference with the Paterson Rotary Foundation, Inc
The Rotary is the world's first service club. The Paterson Rotary is Paterson's oldest service organization and we are the 70th club to be chartered worldwide. We are an organization of business and professional leaders. We provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and build goodwill and peace in the world. We are a recognized as a tax-exempt non-profit organization the EIN# is 22-3551397.
We are thinking for all of our members, family and friends who are suffering an illness or other adversities especially Tony Pecci (now back home and receiving physical therapy) and Gloria Counsellor. We are reminded to think about our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.
ROTARIAN CODE OF CONDUCT
As a Rotarian, I will:
1. Act with integrity and high ethical standards in my personal and professional life
2. Deal fairly with others and treat them and their occupations with respect
3. Use my professional skills through Rotary to: mentor young people, help those with special needs, and improve people’s quality of life in my community and in the world
4. Avoid behaviour that reflects adversely on Rotary or other Rotarians.
5. Help maintain a harassment-free environment in Rotary meetings, events, and activities, report any suspected harassment, and help ensure non-retaliation to those individuals that report harassment
(Updated from Rotary International January 2019 Mtg., Bd. Dec. 119).
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