WELCOME & TRADITIONS

President Angela Sullivan called the meeting to order followed by the recitation of our Four-Way Test with Angela's signature fifth element, "Will it be fun?"  She then introduced our guests from the podium:

• Laura Vineyard, our speaker
• Filip, RYE from Sweden
• Max Lindenberg, former RYLA student and guest of Richard Kiely
• Rebecca Johnson, guest of Sherrie Negrea
• Stanley, RYE from Taiwan

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

---

---

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Aly Evans reminded us that the Mac N Cheese Bowl is May 7^th and volunteers are still needed.
• Juliet Gibbs asked us to consider helping at the Friends of the Library Book Sale; they need help May 17^th–19^th.
• Sherrie Negrea is looking for Rotarians to participate in the Ithaca Festival Parade, which is at 5 PM on May 29^th.  Dinner and drinks will follow; please sign up to attend.
• Sarah Segal extended a thank you for all the support for the RYE picnic on May 5^th; four Rotary Clubs and ten exchange students were represented.  Thank you to Jean McPheeters and Mary Berens for all of their work putting the event together.  And thanks to today’s volunteers who brought our exchange students to Rotary.
• Bob Gravani thanked everyone who came out to work at the Spring Highway Cleanup, even with it being rescheduled twice!  Others in the community were moved by our efforts and began cleaning up too!
• Heidi Goldstein reported that the 19^th annual Rotary Harvest takes place at the end of August.  Heidi is looking for a co-chair to help her with the planning!
• Nancy Potter announced that our CNY District is hosting a webinar on May 7^th on “Positive Peace in a Polarized World.”  A recording will be available if you are interested and unable to attend live.

Geoff Dunn introduced our speaker, Laura Vineyard (she/they), who comes with a strong background in community organizing, nonprofit leadership, and entrepreneurship.  She joined the CCT after five years as Executive Director of Body Positive Fitness Alliance, an education and advocacy organization striving to make the fitness industry more accessible and inclusive to all people.

CCT envisions a community where travel by shared and active transportation is healthy, safe, affordable, and convenient for all.  CCT’s mission-focused services and activities include Ithaca Carshare, Bike Walk Tompkins, and Ithaca Bikeshare, emphasizing social equity and environmental sustainability in this era of new transportation options and emerging mobility trends.  All programs are app-based.

• Angela Sullivan: making a Community Foundation donation.  Most know of her very public spill on Route 13, and Angela was grateful for so many people who stopped to help and check in; it restored her faith in humanity.
• Mike Katz: happy to complete the Five Borough Bike Ride in NYC last Sunday with his wife (40 miles)—one and done!
• Jean McPheeters: thank you for the extra support given with the picnic on May 5^th; also, the car in Varna should be named “Nirvarna.”  (Your newsletter editor agrees wholeheartedly!)
• Bob Gravani: ten Rotarians helped with the highway cleanup, and Jim Johnston agreed to be co-chair for the fall cleanup.  Bob also completed the Five Borough Bike Ride in the City.
• Dale Flinn: visited Gene Erickson at Kendall, and he’s doing well.  Dale spent 10 days on the road driving across the country and visiting planes, trains, and automobiles.  Had a special moment returning a valuable memory to a friend.
• Loralyn Light: felt good to be back in Ithaca after three months away.  She made a cake for Beverly Baker and shared it with her on her birthday.  Loralyn spoke to Siu-ling on the way to Rotary; Siu-ling’s daughter in California has cancer again after seven years, so please keep them in your thoughts.
• Heidi Goldstein: donating $5 for every pound of her newest great-granddaughter who weighed in at 5 lbs 10 oz!