May 3, 2023
Reporter: Kelly Buck
Wednesday’s meeting:Kate Supron, Campus-Community Liaison
Cornell University Office of Community Relations
“Cornell University Local Economic Snapshot”
COLTIVARE and on Zoom
WELCOME & TRADITIONS
President Mary opened the meeting at Coltivare by leading us in the Four-Way Test.
Guests were welcomed, with many in attendance to help celebrate the 90th birthday of Past President Beverly Baker:
- Kent & Betty Goetz, both guests of Mary Kane
- Brian Wansink, guest of Paul Martin
- Mack Travis, guest of Carol Travis
- Jay True, guest of Beverly Baker
- Wendy Henderson, guest of Millie Clarke-Maynard
- LaWanda Dean, guest of Millie Clarke-Maynard
- Patricia Baxter, guest of Heidi Goldstein
- Joe Giordano, guest of Sui-ling Chaloemtiarana
- Wendy Babiak, guest of Sherrie Negrea
- Katie Marks from the Hangar Theatre, new member
- Emma and Bernardo, our exchange student
- And visiting Rotarian Matthew Bull, Binghamton Noon Club
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Mike Katz gave the Thought for the Day. In the 1980s and ‘90s, Mike’s neighbor in Cincinnati was a guy named Jerry Springer. Jerry was born in a bomb shelter in Germany in 1944 during the Blitz. He eventually immigrated to the US and served as a city council member and then mayor of Cincinnati. He also hosted a talk show that was loud and boisterous. Jerry died last week, but before he left us, he said, “I do think this show is offensive to some. That’s OK and that’s America. And that’s why God gave us the remote control.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sherri Negrea announced that our second Visitors Day will be held on May 24th. All Rotarians are urged to bring at least one if not two potential new club members to lunch that day.
Jean McPheeters is managing the Linen Closet collection this month. Her car will be parked outside Coltivare every Wednesday in May, but not until after 12 noon, so bring your donated items in and place them in the bins near the sign-in table.
Kelly Buck announced that the 10th annual Rotary Road Rally will take place on Sunday, August 6th! Mark your calendar now and spread the word. We’ll be asking for donated prize items and goody bag stuffers later this summer.
Kelly also advised that we need more notetakers to record meetings. It’s easy and simple, and you only need to do it about every 4-5 weeks. Please see Loralyn Light if you can help out (email
LL48@cornell.edu); she has a template to assist in the process!
President Mary announced that Spring Writes is coming up (May 3–14); see the flyers on your tables.
Everyone is invited to the Youth Exchange Dinner on May 11
th. We will gather at the Savage Club Hall on 1004 Auburn Rd. in North Lansing. Please bring a dish to share, and help us celebrate our 2022–23 students Emma and Bernardo before they depart. Register through the email sent out by Jean McPheeters.
Geoff Dunn read the May birthdays and anniversaries, and the group sang to the honorees. The big celebration was in honor of Beverly Baker, who was with us to recognize her 90th milestone birthday! She received a standing ovation, and we all had cake in celebration!
Bernardo, our exchange student from Brazil, gave a quick recap of his year with us using slides; he still has two months to go, but presented now. He’s enjoyed his time in Ithaca and was active on the football and tennis teams at Lansing High School.
LAST WEEK’S PRESENTATION
Sherrie Negrea introduced this week’s speaker—Ithaca Poet Laureate 2023 Janie Bibbie.
Janie read a number of her poems to us, all written during Covid. She has many volumes of poetry in print including Willow: Poems for All Seasons and Remnants: Poems for Pauses. She stated that we all need to pause right now so we can appreciate these poems. Her books are sold locally at Odyssey Bookstore, Buffalo Street Books, and at the Café in the Ithaca Airport.
Janie ended with a blessing: “Be at peace in all that you do.” President Mary reflected on some of Janie’s words and made the link between some of her thoughts and our Rotary mission.
HAPPY DOLLARS
Happy Dollars were offered in support of our Community Grants program:
- Greg Kops: for his son’s acceptance into University at Buffalo, for Beverly Baker being his neighbor, and for his father’s 79th birthday!
- Loralyn Light: just back from a 3-month RV trip south and in honor of Beverly Baker
Jean McPheeters: 4 things (could only remember 3)—May 11th is the Youth Exchange Dinner; the birds are returning to her feeder; Linen Closet is all May; hmmm, what was the 4th??? Oh yeah, her husband Daniel is having an art opening at State of the Art Gallery this weekend! All are invited!- Linda Pasto: being at the Mac ‘N Cheese event as a volunteer
- Richard Kops: his grandson is going to the University of Buffalo and his birthday
- Roger Segelken: excited about the poems we heard today, especially the things we don’t need and downsizing
- Bob Sprole: lived with Beverly Baker many, many moons ago on Geneva St.
Geoff Dunn and Dale Flinn: in honor of Beverly’s 90th birthday AND returning Rotarian friends in the room- Jessica Verfuss: her daughter’s 16th birthday on May 16th
- Heidi Goldstein: for Beverly
- Carol Travis: for Beverly and taking a train ride across Canada with her aging parents
- Brad Carruth: his granddaughter is 10 years old today
The meeting closed out with a song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” with Siu-ling Chaloemtiarana at the piano.
THANK YOU ROTARIANS
Newsletter Reporter: Kelly Buck
Photographer: Mike Brown
Greeter: Carol Travis
Newsletter Editor: Loralyn Light
Setup/Teardown: Brad Carruth, Harlin McEwen, Dave Martin
Audio/Visual Setup: Bez Thomas, Mike Brown
Recording Archive: Paul Martin; click
hereClub Service Facilitator: June Losurdo
