Reporter:  Katie Marks

 

Xavier Raick, Rotary Fellow

 

MOAKLEY HOUSE and on Zoom

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NOTE: you can watch previous meetings by going to our YouTube channel!

 

With a vibrant and fully packed house, President Angela Sullivan welcomed all, leading those assembled in the Four-way Test including her special fifth element, “Will it be fun?”  With a busy agenda ahead, she introduced our guests:

And we had one visiting Rotarian:  Lisa Carr, President Elect of the Auburn Rotary Club and friend of Kelly Buck.

 

The monthly tradition of announcing our birthdays and membership milestones was followed by a rousing version of Happy Birthday—due to the large number of voices in the resonant room of Moakley House!

 

Those celebrating birthdays in June:  Joe Cassaniti & Josephine Allen 6/1; Harlin McEwen 6/5; Paul Martin 6/12; Clarissa Manheim 6/13; Heidi Goldstein 6/15; Delmer Padgett 6/16; Gary Ferguson 6/25; Ann Coyne 6/26; Matt Hartz 6/27; Leslie Danks Burke 6/28.

 

And those marking Rotary anniversaries in June:  Jo-Ellen Hedlund 35 yrs; Kati Flynn 20 yrs; Kelly Buck 15 yrs; and Jan Bridgeford-Smith 2 yrs.

 

Heidi Goldstein, replete in a black hat with red, gold, and green stripes, was honored to introduce new member Dorothy “Dott” Donnelly as a person “full of talent and pizazz . . . who will make the room much more fun than it already is.”  Heidi presented Dott with her Rotary pin, welcoming her to the club.

 

With jubilant energy, Dott likes to say, “Get used to the face and not the hair,” as her electric purple, blue, and lavender hair reflected her excitement of becoming a member of the Ithaca Rotary Club.  Dott said she was “truly honored and grateful to be welcomed into a distinguished group dedicated to service above self.”  She thanked the Membership Committee and especially acknowledged Heidi Goldstein, Angela Sullivan, Frank Towner, Richard Kops, and Sherrie Negrea for their encouragement and guidance in becoming a member.  Her orientation into our club was marching in the Ithaca Festival Parade, which brought huge smiles the entire time, sharing that “Richard (Kops) was having so much fun because I was sure the crowd was cheering for the Rotarians.”

 

Dott shared her story of choosing Ithaca for the first time in 1984, attending Ithaca College student as a Pell Grant recipient and First Gen student.  Returning to Ithaca with her dog Bowie in 2022 after “having traveled and traversed a career and many lands for 35 years,” Dott works as a consultant, supporting leaders in career transitions and corporate reorganizations, and finds deep meaning in helping others.

 

Dott was drawn to Rotary because our mission resonated with her, reflecting her upbringing and years of volunteer service and civic engagement.  What specifically drew her to our club was the inclusive spirit that she has experienced since day one.  Hoping to contribute positive energy and perspective, Dott just joined the Membership Committee and is excited for the journey ahead.

 

President Angela reminded all of the email she sent out celebrating June 1^st as the 110^th anniversary of the Ithaca Rotary Club, which made her think about all the lives impacted within our community over the years due to the commitment of our members.  Angela is grateful for the people in leadership roles within our club, including the latest news from the chair of the Nominating Committee, Dale Flinn.

 

Dale shared the latest slate of at-large board members, who serve three years on the Board of Directors:  Aly Evans (serving her third year), Chris Roscoe (serving his second year), and newest nominee (and new member) Casey Williamson.  Voting will occur at next week’s meeting.

 

Changing into his Rotary Foundation hat, Dale reminded all that it’s not too late to donate to the Rotary Foundation; the last day of the Rotary year is June 30^th.  Just log into MyRotary and if you are able, please give with particular focus to the PolioPlus fund as it has been a challenging year for polio.  Dale reminds all that when we give, to please give from the heart, if and only if it suits you. 

 

President Angela reiterated that every dollar matters with PolioPlus because each gift is matched two to one by the Gates Foundation.

 

Youth Services chair and Vice President Paul Martin was happy to have remembered his glasses for this “great day when we have our exchange students here.”  Before turning the presentation over to the students, Paul invited Richard Kiely, who guides our club’s RYLA program (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), to introduce his guests.

 

Richard presented three new RYLA students:  Ayla Maggard, Skyla Lee-Byrnes, and Katy Holloway, all rising seniors who were recently selected to attend the RYLA retreat this July—a four day/three night event hosted by SUNY Oneonta.  At the retreat around 100 students will engage in activities and experiences, sharing ideas and perspectives with other students from the region.  Later this year, these RYLA students will return to our club to report on their experience.

 

Richard then invited RYLA alum Max Lindenberg to share his experience from last year’s retreat.  He said it was amazing, relaying that the connections he made and viewpoints he gained were invaluable.  Max “found it so interesting to see and hear others with different backgrounds that we wouldn’t normally get a chance to interact with, even though we live close by.”

 

Alder, who is leaving early for his year in France, began by sharing that “Rotary has done a lot for my family” and poignantly acknowledged his grandfather, a Rotarian, saying that he was proud to carry on the family legacy with Rotary.  Alder then shared the presentation he will be giving to his host Rotary Club in France, which included pictures of family, school, friends, and his favorite sports.  He’s looking forward to learning more French, striving to be fluent in another language, and is very excited to try new things while living abroad.  Alder’s family was one of Filip’s (RYE from Sweden) host families this year.

 

Paul Martin took a moment to recognize all the inbound and outbound RYE counselors including Sarah Segal, Dale Flinn, Sherrie Negrea, and Jean McPheeters, and thanked and acknowledged all the generous host parents and siblings who opened their doors and hearts to the wonderful experience of hosting a RYE kid.  Paul then turned the program over to our three RYE students, each of whom prepared a presentation of their time as an exchange student in Ithaca.

 

Filip from Sweden began by sharing his experience attending Ithaca High School, including classes in Forensics, Art, and Participation in Government.  He remarked on how fun it’s been to encounter yellow school busses, a sight he has seen many times in American movies, but never in Sweden.  Filip has made a lot of friends and is grateful for his experiences in the US.  He shared photos of his three host families, including three host dogs that made him feel right at home.  He has participated in the AIDS Ride for Life, the Ithaca Festival Parade, and a trip to the District Conference in Albany, not to mention a very fun axe-throwing jaunt led by Jean McPheeters.  New experiences included discovering more about the English language and American social norms, trying fried Oreos, going to both the prom and homecoming dances, traveling to DC and FL, and watching American football.  Filip has learned a lot about himself and many new things, including how to do his own laundry!  He finished by saying, “It’s been super fun—thank you for hosting me!”

 

Stanley from Taiwan began his impressive graphic presentation by sharing what his time at the Lehman Alternative Community School has been like.  Among his many classes ranging from Art to Physics and History to Physical Education, Stanley participated in volleyball, joined both the Library and Garden Committees, and created many new friends and experiences along the way.  He shared photos with his three host families, beginning with Mike Katz and Ellen Cohen-Rosenthal, who took him to Boston, the New York State Fair, and shared his birthday with his second host family (the Stuelke’s) with whom he celebrated Christmas and for whom he cooked a Taiwanese meal, and finally the very friendly Bott’s, who took him to DC, among other places.  Stanley participated in sorting at Finger Lakes ReUse, helped in building a house, and attended the Rotary Conference in Albany where he met many other exchange students.  Special moments included flying over the region with Mike Brown, skiing, skating, and making snow creatures (he shared a great sculpture of Snoopy).  Stanley also had the opportunity to travel to NYC, Boston, DC, and more while being here.  He thanked several Rotarians for their support, with a special acknowledgement of his father who supported his journey to America.

 

Isabela, who everyone calls Isa, is from Mexico and attended Lansing High School, which she said, “is perfect for an exchange year.”  While very different from her school back home, Isa loved being able to join new clubs, experience new opportunities, and play whatever sports she wanted, including basketball and soccer.  “Go Bobcats,” she effervescently shouted.  “One of the perks of being an exchange student is that everyone thinks you’re cool,” telling the club that it was very easy for her to make friends!  She shared a photo of her three host families—the Pasto’s, the Perine’s and the Wansink’s—knowing that the connections she has made her will carry her throughout her life.  Isa said she has loved coming to our meetings, finding them interesting and funny, exclaiming, “I never got bored.”  She expressed gratitude and appreciation for what Ithaca Rotary has done for her, saying she has felt cared for and supported.  Isa ended by thanking us and added, “Not a year in the life but a life in a year.”

 

Paul reminded everyone that beyond providing experiences for young people through RYE and getting to witness the discoveries of growth and maturity our RYE kids gain through an exchange year, the real reason we offer RYE programs in Rotary International is to promote peace, and this program “adds new threads to promote humanity.”  There are so many ways to get involved with RYE students, from hosting, to taking them out to dinner or up in a plane, or even a visit to your farm—creating shared memories and friendships that are easy and fun and will last a lifetime.  Thank you again to all the gracious hosts, counselors, and club members who supported our RYE students this year.  And finally, thank you to Filip, Isa, and Stanley for spending the year with us.  We look forward, from afar, to watching you grow, and you will always have a home in Ithaca!

 

Geoff Dunn delivered a couple of thoughts on summer:

 

06/10    [TUESDAY] Xavier Raick , Rotary Fellow

06/17    [TUESDAY] Paul Debbie, Director of Research, Boyce Thompson Institute

06/25    Pass the Gavel

 

Newsletter Reporter:  Katie Marks

Program Chairs:  Paul Martin/Juliet Gibbs (June)

Photographer:  Mike Brown

Greeter:  Nick Romo

Newsletter Editor:  Loralyn Light

 

Setup/Teardown:  Richard Kops

Cashier/Kettle Watcher:  Kati Flynn

Audio/Visual Setup:  Bez Thomas, Mike Brown

Recording Archive:  Paul Martin; click here

Club Service Facilitator:  June Losurdo