Cresskill/Demarest Rotary Club

"Act with Integrity, Serve with Love, Work for Peace" was the theme of Rotary International President Herb Brown from Clearwater, Florida, USA. Governor Paul added his theme for the District as "The Rotary Spirit"

Our District got into the Rotary Spirit with a number of activities to include the New Jersey Vocational Assembly, a Rotary Foundation Ball that year, the Gift of Life Valentine's Day Celebration, the annual Walter Head Golf Outing, and the annual President's Ball.

The District Conference was held in Boston, and the International Convention was held in Calgary, Canada. Governor Paul placed special emphasis on membership development as part of the international emphasis on membership growth for the year by President Brown. Governor Paul named PDG Dave Mundy and Emil Geering as his chairmen of his special 12-member membership committee.

His key staff members were; Phil Ross, as his District Secretary, Dave Seeley as his District Treasurer, and Stu Gladstone as his Chief Rep. Again, as a request from Rotary International Governor Paul had a special Polio Plus Community Service Committee chaired by Ellen Drake. It was called "Shots for Tots"

It was a busy year for youth activities with a RYLA Conference, chaired by Gregg Liss, a Youth Exchange program, chaired by Bob O'Rouke and Cindy DePetro and an active Interact program and Conference chaired by Theresa Michaud and Karen Chamberlain.

The Rotary Foundation, chaired by PDG Bill Rupp, the Walter Head Foundation, chaired by Frank Ramsay, and the Gift of Life programs chaired by Rich Hughes all continued to be supported by the District.

A Group Study Exchange was held with a District in Egypt with Lois Horowitz serving as the team leader for the outgoing team. PDG John Hartman served as the chairman for the exchange. Before the outgoing team left for Egypt, Governor Paul and fIrst lady Maureen hosted a wonderful party at their home for the U. N. Ambassador from Egypt. Bergen County Executive, Pat Schuber, Mayor Ann Moskowitz of Tenafly, the outgoing GSE team, 60 Rotarians and other guests attended this event. The Ambassador from Egypt then hosted the GSE team and Governor Paul and Maureen at his beautiful apartment in New York City. This was an example of international goodwill at its best.

The visiting GSE team from Egypt attended the District Conference at Boston and added their observation that Egyptians by and large think of Americans as the people they see in the movies and that the team realized how important family life was in the United States, nothing like the image they received from the movies. This was another example of the benefit of Rotary exchanges in the fIeld of improving world understanding.

Two of our clubs celebrated special anniversaries this year, the 75th year for the RidgefIeld Park -Bogota Rotary Club, and the 50th year for the River Edge

Rotary Club. Another event was that this was the fIrst year when the District newsletter was mailed out to all Rotarians in the District.

The banner exchange for the year was quite an unusual event. Governor Dick Oakley succeeded Governor Paul of the same club (Cresskill-Demarest). It completed a very active and busy year.

Questions or looking for more information please contact district7490rotary@gmail.com

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