Meeting Minutes - June 8, 2016

Posted by Dave Read and Jim Bush on Jun 08, 2016

Missing in Action:

T. Breen, B. Brooks, J. Bush, TJ Chamberlain, M. Cramer, P. Dean, G. Haigh, R. Ike, D. Kirchhoff, D. LeMoyne, T. Medina, P. Park, A. Pechler, D. Pray, J. Preston, C. Santelli, J. Shaffer, D. Stachnik, C. Surline, E. VanZeilen, L. Vecchiotti, A. Wahl.

Thoughts and Prayers:
   John Diesenroth, home from the hospital
   Chris Santelli, “having good days and bad days”

Guests:
   P-M students: Sofia; Seniors Holden Knorr and Levi Thompson
   Katie Read

Birthdays and Anniversaries:
    Kim Clement's dad turned 89 this week

Fines and Happy Bucks:
-- Gene Bassage offered a stirring remembrance of all who sacrificed on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
-- Bob Sloan confessed to his own “D-Day”: anniversary of his and Dianne's first kiss!
-- Eric and Edie Chapman enjoyed a holiday visit with their son, 2^nd Lt. Kyle Chapman last week at Fort Benning, Georgia.
-- Anne Morrell and husband, David, enjoyed a two-week small boat cruise to Alaska.
-- Dianne and Bob Sloan's son, Rory, participated in a recent singing performance by the combined Pal-Mac middle and high school choirs.
-- Kim Clement presented Rotary scholarships at the Pal-Mac awards assembly this week.

Rotary announcements:
-- President Mark told members that the Club has received a $40 donation from Dr. Thomas Hall, a Brighton High School administrator and member of the Pal-Mac Lions Club.
-- A check for $70 was recently received as proceeds from donated empty printer ink cartridges, Please continue to drop off ink cartridges at Breen's for this continuing fund raising effort.
-- Two $1,000 scholarships were presented to Pal-Mac Seniors Bailey Cole and Sarah Hutton at this week's Dollars for Scholars program at the high school. Congratulations!
-- A sign-up sheet was circulated for members who would like to participate in the recently announced “When, Where, I'll Be There” program, a service program initiated by Leslie Vecchiott. If you would like to learn more, or sign on as a volunteer, please contact Leslie.
-- Dianne Sloan is urging members to sign up to work at the September 24 barn sale for the “Purple Painted Lady festival” in Palmyra. This event has now grown into the Club's second-largest fund raiser, surpassing the Fair Booth last year.

Honoray Rotarian and Past-President Vicky Daly updated Club members on an activity that is near and dear to her heart: the “Harbor Hosts” program at the Port of Palmyra Marina on the Erie Canal. Now in its fourth season, this venture has grown to include 17 local volunteers, known as “Canal Ambassadors”, as well as support by 15 local merchants, Historic Palmyra, the Book of Mormon preservation site, the Wayne County Tourism Board and the New York State Canal Corporation.

The following quotes from a column that appeared in a recent issue of The Wayne Post reflect Vicky's comments to us:

“Inspired by a similar effort in Lyons, the Palmyra program started in 2013 with volunteers greeting boaters and chatting with them. A picnic table at the marina served as an office. It was later replaced by an official Harbor Host shelter and storage area. Things worked well and the number of volunteers grew, as did the number of visitors. In 2014, Palmyra merchants became involved. The Wayne County office of Tourism provided gift bags to hold merchant promotions and materials from the New York State Canal Corporation, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and village and town of Palmyra. There also are coloring books, crayons, rubber ducks and directions to the nearest playground for younger visitors. In August 2014, the Palmyra Harbor Hosts were honored by the New York State Canal Corporation and recognized as canal ambassadors – only the third group in the state to be so honored at the time.

“Records from 2015 showed a healthy increase in boaters from all over the state and country, many of them repeat visitors. The welcome and friendliness offered by the Harbor Hosts and local merchants is in large part responsible.”

For further information, or to volunteer as a Harbor Host, call 315-597-4849. And, if you haven't visited the Port of Palmyra Marina in a while, stop by and chat with one of our own Canal Ambassadors – you might just run into someone you know.

50/50 - This week's $12 drawing was won by Eric Chapman.