March 22, 2023
Reporter: Gail Lyman
Wednesday’s meeting:“Business of the Club”
COLTIVARE and on Zoom
WELCOME & TRADITIONS
NOTE: you can watch previous meetings by going to our YouTube
channel!
President Mary opened the meeting expressing gratitude for our return to Coltivare as our regular meeting place. She thanked Todd Nau and his son for moving our set-up supplies and equipment from St. Catherine’s to Coltivare. She reinforced that this move “has been a lift for our club.”
We recited the Four-Way Test that guides us in our personal and business relationships.
Our guests included:
- Dorothy Donnelly, Ithaca Voice, guest of Mary Kane
- Patricia Baxter, guest of Heidi Goldstein
- And visiting Rotarian Evan Kurtz, Dryden Rotary and Past District Governor
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
In honor of Women’s History Month, Millie Clarke-Maynard honored the legacy of Dorothy Cotton who was on the forefront of voter registration, social justice, and civil rights activism. Giving her Thought for the Day, Millie read excerpts from a poem called “Rest of the Day,” written by Dorothy as a high school student growing up in Goldsboro, NC:
“I went into the silence to note what I could hear
There were voices loud and clear yet not one was near
Perhaps not voices but SPIRIT . . . There to cheer me . . . To cheer me on
I calmed myself with open mind and heart
I felt a surge of strength . . . Voices come that made things clear
I have plotted a journey for you. Do not hold back . . . Go! Onward and up
I will light your path . . . The blocks in the road . . . Will make you bold . . . Will open your heart
Your desire to heal will make you strong . . . Will clear your mind
In the silence you will be infused with a SPIRIT”
Millie’s favorite line, “Do not hold back . . . GO! Onward and up,” offers her continued inspiration.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- The 10th annual Mac ‘n Cheese Bowl is on May 3rd from 4:30 to 7 PM at the Ithaca Farmers Market; proceeds benefit Foodnet/Meals on Wheels. Sign up at this link if you wish to volunteer. For more information contact Lisa Krueger-Gavin at lkruegergavin@foodnet.org
- The virtual Global Grants Seminar is Saturday, April 1st. Register here.
- Registration is now open for the Spring Highway Cleanup for the Ithaca Rotary and Sunrise Rotary on April 22, 2023. Celebrate Earth Day with us! Meeting in the parking lot of Top’s Friendly Market at 8:45 AM and we’ll conclude at 11:00 AM. Wear sturdy shoes and bring gloves and water. Hard hats, colorful vests, and bags will be provided. Register here. Bring friends and family, too!
- Heidi Goldstein asked club members, “Do you want to be a Mentor?” Heidi proposes a new program that will be sympathetic to new members by “showing them the ropes,” staying in touch, helping them feel included and welcomed, and answering questions about what our club does and how we do it. If you interested, contact Heidi at hjorganics@aol.com.
- Jack Roscoe advised that a FLEFF (Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival) documentary film, “Move When the Spirit Says Move: The Legacy of Dorothy Foreman Cotton,” is being shown at Cinemapolis.
- In celebration of our meeting date falling on United Nation’s World Water Day, President Mary acknowledged the Rotary International volunteer work of Nancy Potter and George Gull in the Costa Rican water project (George’s photo album of the project was passed around at the meeting).
- Angela Sullivan, Executive Director of Alcohol & Drug Council and our Vice President, gave a tour of The Council’s newly renovated Open Access 40-bed medically-supervised withdrawal and stabilization facility immediately following the meeting.
NEW MEMBER MOMENT
Dale Flinn introduced new member Sarah Segal. Sponsored by Linda Pasto, Sarah learned about us by attending our Zoom meetings during the pandemic.
Sarah moved to Lansing in 2006 when she and her husband bought The Plantsmen Nursery. She describes herself as an administrator (working behind the scenes in the home office for The Plantsmen), a parent of three children, and a community volunteer. She joined Rotary because she was “inspired by our long-term members and a desire to help more in her community.”
FOUNDATION MOMENT
Dale Flinn recognized Eric Harrington as a Paul Harris Fellow +5. Dale grew up with Eric, sharing their mutual activities of caring for horses and participating in horse shows.
Eric’s first donation to the Rotary Foundation was made to honor his father’s legacy because he knew that the donation would “make a significant impact toward health initiatives around the world.” He continues to feel strongly about the worldly impact of the foundation and how little of each donation goes towards administrative expenses.
LAST WEEK’S PRESENTATION
George Ferrari introduced Jeff Furman, the founder of Rejoice the Vote! Jeff has maintained a long-term affiliation with Ben & Jerry’s philanthropy by serving on its corporate board for almost 40 years, providing in-house legal counsel, and fostering many of the company’s social initiatives. His current roles are Ben & Jerry’s Board of Director Emeritus and President of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation.
Rejoice the Vote! is based on the premise that America cannot have a fully democratic process if voting is not equally accessible to all of its citizens. Starting as an initiative through the Tompkins County Board of Elections, Rejoice the Vote! seeks to increase civic engagement and participation by young people in Tompkins County. It uses a three-pronged approach to voting: honor the past, celebrate the present, and challenge the future. It strives to change the culture of voting from a chore to a joyful celebration.
Through a gallery of colorful posters, many featuring student artwork, Rejoice the Vote! honors the voting vanguards that worked at great personal peril to obtain and maintain the right to vote and have their votes counted.
To celebrate the present, Rejoice the Vote! is working on the Votingest County Challenge that Jeff describes as a “joyous competition celebrating counties with the highest percentage of eligible voter participation.” The prize is a trophy honoring those who have fought for voting rights, in particular Dr. Martin Luther King, Rep. John R. Lewis, and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. One poster has the powerful words of Rep. John R. Lewis: “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.”
For challenging the future, Rejoice the Vote! works from the standpoint of early education and participation in the schools through its “By a Show of Hands Student Voting Project,” where kids are registered to be student voters, create ballot initiatives, campaign, vote, and review the process in a fun, engaging year-long program.
Jeff concluded with his personal statement on voting:
“Voting is one way we can participate in a civic society and one part of democracy. Democracy is also one way we can be truly human and responsible to each other. It is in that sense Rejoice the Vote! is celebratory and dedicated to understanding our past while working for a more just, kind, and inclusive society.”
President Mary and many other Rotarians thanked Jeff for all that he has done for the Ithaca community.
HAPPY DOLLARS
Happy Dollars were offered in support of our Community Grants program:
- Mary Kane: $20 for Jeff Furman’s philanthropic work in our Ithaca community
- Dale Flinn: $100 for Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey in the NCAA tournament; the championship win of our Rotary ice hockey team in the Ithaca Adult Hockey Association, and Saturday in Syracuse for the Empire Multi-District PETS (President Elect Training Seminar)
- Evan Kurtz: $2, asking for volunteers for Tompkins-Cortland Habitat for Humanity’s home build in Danby (final sanding and priming of drywall)
- Jack Roscoe: $20 for Habitat for Humanity, Dorothy Cotton for being an honorary member of our Rotary Club, and The Savage Club of Ithaca’s next concert on April 1st
- Paul Martin: $5 for his daughter’s picture with Rotary International President Jennifer Jones
- Mary Berens: $2, welcoming spring and all of its flowers
- Warren Allmon: $16 in celebration of his daughter’s 16th birthday
- George Gull: $5, in about a month the Costa Rican village (where he and Nancy had been working) will have potable water
- Diane Cohen: in gratitude to Jeff Furman’s counsel on the purchase of the Ithaca ReUse Center on Elmira Rd.
THANK YOU ROTARIANS
Newsletter Reporter: Gail Lyman
Greeter: Eric Harrington
Newsletter Editor: Loralyn Light
Setup/Teardown: Harlin McEwen (Supervisor), Dave Martin, Greg Kops, Sarah Segal
Audio/Visual Setup: Bez Thomas
Recording Archive: Paul Martin; click
hereClub Service Facilitator: June Losurdo
