“Good Evening, Everyone. It’s nice to be on a Zoom Meeting on such a bitterly cold day!” exclaimed President Matt, as he welcomed us to the first Evening Meeting of February. Indeed, with those nippy temperatures that we’ve had over the weekend, it was comforting to greet one another from the comfort of our cozy homes!
When Old Glory came into view, we joined Pres. Matt in reciting The Pledge. Alex gave The Blessing, and in thanking The Lord, she asked Him to help us respond to others with generosity and hope. We welcomed guests, Anne Heiligman, Sharon, and Sue Dominick, who hopes to join Rotary soon! Anne was the presenter of today’s program. Along with these fine ladies, there were 26 members in attendance, as well as some members, such as Jodi, who tuned in via Facebook Live. We mustn’t forget Micah’s little boy and Rose’s kitty either!! (I think the French’s pups were available too!)
Matt had some updates for us. Dues for the second half of the Rotary Year are due. Please keep our Susan in your thoughts, as she recently lost her beloved pup, Maxie. We’re so sorry, Susan. Those of us who’ve lost a pet can surely understand how you must be feeling. Tom, the new Awards Committee Chairperson, gave a brief report on the Committee’s progress. The group, which consists of Tom, Matt, Skip, Karen, and Jack met on 2/1, and talked about the By-Laws. Awards action items were established, for example, the Bill Vierhile Award and the Robust Rotarian Award. Their next meeting will be on 3/1. Micah noted that the Trout Derby will continue to update on Facebook, such as noting businesses who are sponsoring the event. (Micah’s Little One chimed in too!) Many thanks to Sherry and Micah for handling this annual event!
PE Karen introduced this evening’s speaker, Anne Heiligman, who talked to us about the Jack Foundation. This program, which partners with groups such as Kiwanis, was begun in 2016. There is probably no heartbreak greater (for parents) than losing a child. This is where the story of Anne, and her husband A.J., began when they lost their 3-year-old son, Jack, in a tragic accident. Though so devastated by this loss, they knew they needed to move forward Anne told us. They were surrounded and embraced by the community, and they wanted to give back to the community by doing something special to keep Jack’s memory alive.
They decided to build playgrounds which would reflect two of Jack’s loves, the color blue and dinosaurs. “We just dove in, and turned a situation into a positive,” noted Anne, as she added that $400,000 was raised in two years through various fund-raising activities. Examples of how they gained momentum were by setting up blood drives, collecting canned goods, creating “blessing bags” for the homeless, and making fleece blankets for the children at Golisano Children’s Hospital. Anne reported that people just continued to donate toward this cause.
The first playground, which is 8000 square feet, is located in Penfield, and it has a dinosaur theme, of course. The second playground in Webster is 10,000 square feet, and it has similar features to the one in Penfield. The playground also has educational aspects, such as a Sign Language Area, and a Little Library! Anne’s husband, A.J. works in the construction field, and has had a fundamental role in the building of the playgrounds. Anne reported that they’re getting response and help from the kids, and this is helping them to be caring and giving also. Anne talked about “Kindness Cards” which is another way to support the Jack Foundation. (Anne will connect with Karen to get these cards.) Pres. Matt said that this was a powerful story, and an incredible legacy, and we would all agree! Our heartfelt thanks to Anne (and A.J.) for sharing their story of immense courage with us. As Steve R. said, “You are an inspiration!”
The next part of this evening’s meeting was devoted to the discussion of (possible) program ideas for the next few months. Many excellent suggestions were given, and here is a listing of some of those possibilities: The Violet Barn, The Schumacher Farm, Cyber Security, The BVT, Happy Tails, RMSC, Earth Day, Autism, Environment, Alternative Ways To Become An Engineer, Sweet Grass Meats, Hollerhorn Distilling, Maple Sugaring, Becoming An Entrepreneur, and Teaching Children During Challenging Times. We are very appreciative of Karen, and we commend her for arranging all the wonderful programs we have had so far this year!
A plethora of Happy Bills came forth this evening, since so many of us were touched by Anne’s poignant story. Here are some more great reasons for “The Bills” that came in: A.J. was Tom’s builder for his geo-thermal system. John F. saw Coop, Kit, John M. and Jan, and Frank and Kathleen at Quinlan’s recently. Steve liked being with the “Crew” at John’s and Sherry’s. He added that he remembered seeing a bench in The Adirondacks labeled “The Jack Foundation,” Skip and Tom liked being with The Crew also!
Carrie had a great Rotary Moment to share with us! She happened to be visiting in a sixth- grade classroom recently, while the kids were having a Language Arts Lesson. When a Spelling question arose from one of the students, another student advised, “Take out your thesaurus!” Carrie, along with Skip and Judy, delivered dictionaries and thesauruses to the 3rd and 6th graders respectively, earlier this year. She is glad those books are getting some good use!
Don’t forget, the Valentines For Vets are due on Wednesday! The Ninth Annual Vintage, Vines, and Valentines Celebration is this coming Saturday, 2/13! Our next meeting will be 2/15 at noon. Have a great week, everyone! See you soon!
P.S. Here is the address for The Jack Foundation.
The Jack Foundation
Post Office Box 187
Albion, New York 14411
