Rotarian Pat VerPlank gave us a little history of our club. The club started in 1950 as the Palmyra Rotary Club and Rotarian Gene Bassage served as Secretary. Back then if Rotarians missed 10 meetings per year and did not make them up they were let go from the club! The club became Pal-Mac in the late 1970s. Pat became the first female Rotarian in District 7120 when she joined in 1978. She also became the first female President of the club.
Pat became the District 7120 chair for the Group Study Exchange Program. This program is unfortunately no longer available due to costs related to the program. It involved non-Rotarians from all over the world coming to the US to learn about professional fields as well as learning about the realities of life here. Pat’s first program involved a group from South Africa. Participants would usually stay with 2 or 3 different families within the district. Just like the present Friendship Exchange Program, friendships for life are established.
Pat VerPlank presenting Rotary history
Pat's display on GSE teams from the past
Visiting students Faith Yackel, Mayakla JeJohn and Seraphim Wieber
Guests: Bob Daly, Chris VanKirk-Dianne’s guest, students-Nacho, Faith Yackel, Makayla
DeJohn and Seraphim Wieber
Thoughts and Prayers: Bob Sloan’s old friend on Oneida Lake-house burned down
Leslie’s mother having hip replacement surgery and Leslie asks we pray for all
the students and families who may be going through tough times
Birthdays: Michelle’s daughter turns 15, visiting student Faith’s sister turns 9
Anniversaries: Michelle’s parents 53 years
Fines and Happy bucks:
Sheryl Vega paid for being happy to be here again
Bob Sloan was reminded during his Rotary Reads session today how important a strong
male figure is in a child’s life
Eric confessed to his Buffalo Bills bet that makes him donate $100 to Camp ONSEYAWA
Dave Read was happy for Syracuse’s win over Duke and that daughter Mary was
featured on Facebook by the Rochester Teachers’ Assn. during her Chemistry class
Leslie was happy to have used her gift certificate to VIP Fitness and has enrolled in
classes there
Kim Brooks was very happy to have gotten her Christmas present of a Sleigh Bed
Announcements:
- Still time to sign up for the District Conference on May 29
- There are still copies of the Rochester Deaf Club’s map of District 7120.
- Schedule Change--This year’s Foundation Dessert and Appetizer Gala will be
- Wed Feb.27 5:30pm upstairs at Parkwood Heights. Sign-ups going around today
- The Feb. 13 meeting will be at the Legion for regular lunch
- Brian is working on getting the dictionary project scheduled
- Meals on Wheels is in need of volunteers. Karen Breen will be the scheduled speaker on
- Feb. 20 to tell us more
- The Literacy Spelling Bee is Feb. 9th We need Rotarians to compete
50-50 Won by TJ Chamberlain who donated his winnings to the visiting students
