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7490 Family Summer Picnic - July 22nd

Get summer off to a great start by bringing your whole family to the Rotary District 7490 Family Picnic! Bring your kids, your grandkids, your nieces and nephews, your friends and get ready to enjoy a wonderful day in the park. Visit the zoo, ride the mini-railroad or the carousel, play family games or be part of an inter-District tug of war, enjoy entertainment.

For breakfast, we'll have donuts and muffins and coffee. From lunch on, nosh on burgers, hot dogs, watermelon and beverages. We also ask that each family bring a dish that will serve eight people, according to the following: if your last name begins with A-F, bring an appetizer; G-M, bring a main dish (like fried chicken); N-R, bring a side dish (no mayonnaise. shellfish or peanut-based dishes, please); S-Z, bring a dessert.

The adult cost is $15. Children under 10 are free. Children 10-17 are $10. We have a family rate of $40 for up to four people.

To register, click HERE or use the form HERE. You can pay at the door, but we need an accurate count. Send checks payable to Rotary District 7490 to Bonnie Sirower, 69 Godfrey Terrace, Glen Rock, NJ 0745

A Legacy of Service: IHAF Founder Pastor Andy Topp

Reverend Andrew Topp, Pastor of The First Reformed Church of Boonton, International Humanitarian

Reverend Andrew John Topp, 58 , of North Haledon, NJ, a selfless humanitarian and avid pilot, went home to the Lord doing what he loved most, flying, on Wednesday, May 2, 2018.

He received a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University in 1981 followed by a Master's in Theology from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 1983. Andrew has served as the Pastor of the First Reformed Church of Boonton since 1998, prior to that he pastored several churches in the Passaic/Bergen area. Andy served as the Chairperson of the Rotary District 7490 Gift of Life Foundation and coordinated the lifesaving heart surgeries for hundreds of children from across the world. He was the President and Founder of the International Humanitarian Aid Foundation, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to provide assistance directly to disadvantaged people across the world and threatened by natural disaster. In support of his son's activities, Andy volunteered as Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 20 from 1993-2000 in Haledon. He was a member of the Ridgewood A.M. Rotary Club since the late 1970's. His volunteer and charitable work worldwide touched lives everywhere he went.

Ridgewood PM Rotarian featured on RI Service Blog

Jerry Kallman with students in Kenya at the Kishermoruak Primary School

When Jerry was president of the Rotary Club of Ridgewood in 2008, he sought out an international service project to complement the several community service activities his club traditionally supported. During that year’s District Conference, he learned the Rotary Club of Maywood was supporting a school in the Maasai Mara Reserve of southern Kenya. He and his wife Lorraine joined the club’s annual visit to Kenya, with the intention of emulating their experiences while seeking out a school of their own to support. The initial trip has turned into so much more, including his most recent visit and Rotary moment featured on the RI Service Blog.

PDG Honey Kleinberg on Pioneering Role

Past District Governor Honey S. Kleinberg speaking at the Sept. 18 District Staff Meeting of becoming the first woman to serve as Governor of District 7490, having served in that position in 1998 - 1999.

Past District Governor Honey S. Kleinberg spoke in September of her role as the first woman to serve as Governor of District 7490.

In her remarks at the Sept. 18 District Staff Meeting, Honey, a member of the Fair Lawn Sunrise Club, told of her selection to serve as the District’s 49th Governor in 1998 – 1999, 11 years after women were first allowed to become members of Rotary International. He father, Honey said, Jack Rosen, who served as the District’s 34th Governor in 1990 – 1991, had sought to dissuade her from becoming a Rotarian.

Wayne Rotary Club Raises Funds for the Acquisition of Bulletproof Vests for Sheriff’s Office Service Dogs

Passaic County Sheriff, Richard H. Birdnik, presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Wayne Rotary President Patty Hulbert, as Past Wayne Rotary President Joe Graziano and Wayne Rotary member Barbara Schroeder look on. Schroeder is also a member of the 200 Club of Passaic County, which shared in financing the expensive custom fitting protective vest for Service Dog “Gino” (shown to the right).

Sheriff Richard H. Birdnick recently thanked the Wayne Rotary Club for having raised funds for the purchase of bulletproof vests for the Sheriff’s Departments service dogs.

Service dogs undergo extensive training to protect the public, by sniffing out explosives and narcotics, and locating escaped criminals, important evidence, weapons, and missing per sons.

Fort Lee Rotary Club Serves Meals at Bergen County Health & Human Services Center

Student from the Interact Club at Fort Lee High School who helped prepare and serve meals at the Bergen County Health & and Human Services Center. (left) Members of the Fort Lee Rotary Club and its Fort Lee High School Interact Club at the Bergen County Health & Human Services Center. (right)

Lending a helping hand to those that need a hand-up is what Rotary is all about. That includes serving a delicious meal at the Bergen County Health & Human Services Center donated by our Fort Lee Rotary Club. Joining us were our Rotary Interact student volunteers from Fort Lee High School who worked very hard and learned an important life lesson.

Gift of Life - Child of the Year

The Gift of Life would like to invite one of our children to come back to District 7490 to join us as our special guest at this year’s Celebration Dinner. The Celebration Dinner will be held Thursday evening on February 8^th at the Venetian in Garfield.

Applications must be received by October 20, 2017. The candidate will be selected by October 31, 2017.

Any club can nominate a child, now an adult, for consideration. We look forward to an opportunity to have this person share their memories of their Gift of Life experience and the subsequent path their life has taken. Please observe the following guidelines in pursuing your club’s nomination:

Hurricane Harvey Relief: A Message from DG Boyer

Many of you have been eager to help with the Hurricane Harvey Relief efforts. I, like most of you, spent hours watching the media coverage on television, social media and the press. As Rotarians, our first thought is to spring into action and bring immediate relief to those affected by the disaster. Fortunately, there are many organizations and government agencies that provide rescue and shelter services to those in need. The devastation is so great that it will take years for the area to recover.

There are two organizations that the District is supporting. Disaster Chair Carl Hassett and I are requesting that donations for Hurricane Harvey relief be made out to the Walter D. Head Foundation. This money will go to Disaster Aid USA, which is a Rotarian operated 501(c)3 organization that does immediate relief efforts and long term recovery aid. http://www.disasteraidusa.com/about-disaster-aid/

All donations can be made to:

The Walter D. Head Foundation

Please write Hurricane Harvey in the memo line.

Please send your donations to:

Attention:Carl Hassett

337 Railroad Ave. East Rutherford, NJ 07073

We are also asking you to support the Rotary Foundation Donor Advised Fund (DAF) that was set up by the Rotary Districts affected by Hurricane Harvey.

https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-districts-collect-emergency-funds-hurricane-harvey-victims

Rest assured that both of these methods will not only help get resources to the people that need it, but also get them what they need. We are not warehousing goods as we did with Hurricane Sandy. If you want to collect goods, please reach out to organizations that are filling up trucks and heading to Texas.

Please check out this article by CBS news on the downside of collecting goods for disasters.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/houston-harvey-how-to-help-donation-dollars-go-further/

If you have any questions, please contact Disaster Chair Carl Hassett at secretary7490@gmail.com

Thank you for your patience and your passion to help in the disaster relief!

Yours in Rotary Service,

Jim

Four District 7490 NJ Young Professionals
Participating in New Endeavor

Four District 7490 special Rotarians are now part of a new initiative in New Jersey – our Young Professionals Council. All of the Council's members are Rotarians ages 40 or younger who had been Rotarians in good standing for at least a year and who were recommended by our current District Governors. The group has already held two conference calls – one in April and one in July.

Rotarians Jennifer Aitken (Jersey City), Alberto Zelaya (Paterson), Wendy Paul (Jersey City) and Phil Wells (Park Ridge Rotary) joined RC Karien Ziegler (7470), ARC Bonnie Sirower (7490), Incoming RC (2017-19) Carolyn Johnson, DG Jim Boyer (7490) and RI Regional Membership Officer Diana Edwards in two thoughtful one-hour discussions.

A Legacy of Service: PRID Raymond "Ray" Richard Wells

Raymond “Ray” Wells, 89, resident of Oradell, passed away peacefully on August 27, 2017. Ray was born to Harold and Julia Wells in Kearny, New Jersey on May 28, 1928. He married his best friend and the love of his life, Betty Louise Martin on September 23, 1950. Ray and Betty were joyfully married for 66 years.

Ray is predeceased by his brother, Harold and his parents. He will be sadly missed by his wife Betty and his children, Thomas Wells (wife Carol Wells) of Bristol, Vermont, Holly Tillman (husband Tom Tillman) from Montoursville, PA, Peter Wells, (wife Linda Wells) of Park Ridge, NJ, Jeffrey Wells (wife Sherri Wells) of Norfolk, Virginia, Kerry Couldron of Englewood, NJ and Juliann Aman (husband Robert Aman) of Bettendorf, IA. Their beloved Papa will be missed by his eighteen grandchildren: Ciera, Rachel, Katie, Connie, Jonathan, Jordyn, Shasi, Jaclyn, Philip, Carlyn, Brittany, Holly, Parker, Peter, Madison, Joshua, Elizabeth and Caleb and fourteen great grandchildren.

RYLA Students Prepare 4,000 Meals and Engage in Intensive Confidence‐Building Exercises at NJCU

High school students packaging food supplies at New Jersey City University on June 28 for delivery to a food bank in Kearny.

Speaking to high school students who had just completed a four-day RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) program, District Governor Stephen V. Jarahian noted that earlier in the week - on Sunday, June 25 - he had predicted that they would find the program “awesome”. Did they find it “awesome”, he asked, to which they responded with an enthusiastic affirmation.

In closing ceremonies on June 28, Governor Steve urged his listeners to not be afraid to fail. While one should not embrace failure, he said, one should learn from his or her mistakes, thereby becoming stronger in spite of a given failure.

Wayne Rotary Celebrates Christmas in July

This is Lady Santa Clause, who looks a lot like Evelyn Agrusti, aftergiving out presents in bright yellow Wayne Rotary gift bags.

Wayne Rotary presented Christmas in July to nearly a hundred Preakness Health Care Center residents, in a late July event that featured music, dancing, and lots of presents.

Why Christmas in July? Because it is a popular summer vacation period, and residents don’t get as many visits from families or friends. Twenty Wayne Rotarians and families organized the event, collecting contributions, buying and wrap ping presents, and greeting residents.

INSTALLATION OF OUR 61st DISTRICT GOVERNOR

Join us on Thursday, June 29th for the District Banner Exchange! An evening to celebrate our outgoing District Governor Stephen V. Jarahian and the installation of our 61st District Governor James "JamBoy" Boyer. EVENT INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION HERE.

James Boyer, a resident of Old Tappan, has been a member of the Northern Valley Rotary Club since 2007. He served as club president from 2009-2011, receiving a President Citation for both terms and created the club’s first website and redesigned its banner. In 2011, Jim became an Assistant Governor and has served many clubs in the District. Jim is a graduate of the Rotary Leadership Institute and was selected as an inaugural member of the Future Leaders class at the Rotary Zone 24-32 Conference in Vancouver, Canada (2012). Jim was named Sergeant of Arms for the 2013 District 7490 Conference, served as the District’s Chief of Staff 2013-14 and District Secretary 2015-16, Jim also played an integral role in the foundation and development of the Rotary Club of Greater Westwood