meeting of 1/7/2016

THE SPOKE

ROTARY’S MOST WIDELY READ NEWSLETTER

This Edition For January 7, 2016

Present: Robyn, Bill, Rich, Marlene, Ray, Kathy, Ross, Brian, Dolly, Donna, Bob, John, Herb

Visiting Rotarians: Spencer Shull, Susan Shull

Guests: Karen Collins, Norie Willink, Mary Gauch, Lyn Goldstein, Terri Schuler, Tom Smock, Pat Font

Flag: Bob                    Prayer: Ross

AHA! White Elephant Nite at Lilian’s Bistro in Penfield (and what a night it turned out to be!)

The inimitable Ms. Whittaker, in her usual effervescent, Pollyanna exuberant show stopping, high stepping, “Hello Dolly” sing song welcome to those fortunate enough to witness such hilarity, did, in one fell swoop, welcome the fealty, the enraptured, the encompassed, not only with her gyrations but with words of warmth, affection and remembrance.  Is that a way to start off a meeting, who could ask for anything more?  Even Gerry Barrett# would have been proud.  So, we do not sing like we did in days of yore, but now we know we are family, courtesy of our El Presidente.

Source: File:We Are Family - Sister Sledge.jpg - https://en.wikipedia.org""We Are Family" is a song by Sister Sledge, composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. Rodgers and Edwards offered the song to Atlantic Records; although the record label initially declined, the track was released as a single from the album of the same name and quickly began to gain club and radio play.

#Gerald Barrett, longtime Webster lawyer, Webster Village Attorney, and prime mover in shaping future Webster by bringing Xerox here; charter member Webster Rotary, noted for booming singing voice.

"We Are Family" eventually went Gold, becoming the number one R&B and number two pop song on the US charts in 1979. Along with the tracks, "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "Lost in Music", "We Are Family" reached number one on the disco charts. It was also the theme song for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, made popular by the Pointer Sisters, and was featured in both the 1996 film The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, and the 1997 film The Full Monty."

El Presidente Robynasquez, after calling on Senor Goldstein for the Pledge of Allegiance and Senor Willink for the prayer, then asked Senor Comins to introduce new guests, namely Tom Smock and Pat Font, and then, to make sure all introductions were in order, El Presidente circled the room identifying all persons therein by name and what their connection is to Webster Rotary (or, Rotary in general).

Tom Smock is retired, lives in North Ponds Apartments, is looking for service to the community, and his daughter is business owner of Stokes Acupuncture at 103 North Avenue in the Village.  Pat Font is also retired, she is a former school teacher from Churchville-Chili School District.

Pres. Robyn (short for you know what) announced a Murder Mystery (I think I heard the word (Séance) used in this announcement, to be presented sometime in October (if what I am reporting is true, we will have lots of time to iron out the details.)

Check your meeting schedule; there will be a surprise on the 1/28^th meeting.  This week (1/14) we shall be meeting at Schroeder High School, in the library, at 6:30 pm, speaker will be Carmen Gumina.

Meals For Other Nations (originated by Jack Best): Robyn will send info to our members, so far we have four volunteers for the program; Kathy, Rich, Spencer, and Susan.

CHARITIES DINNER: MAY 20^TH, MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Report On Christmas Party: Report made by Kathy Doerner.  A job well done, a well deserved round of applause.

Report on Adopt A Platoon: Report made by Rich Comins, 24 boxes sent, troops may be in Iraq.  At this point I am going to ask Rich to send out some information he gave us at the meeting about sneakers, shoes and a website known as SHARK TANK.  The Shelter Box program is now including a new lamp with the tent and other items, will give light at night.  Robyn proposed stationing a Shelter Box during this year’s Wine Walk; it could be placed next to the Harmony House, people could donate as they walk by.

WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT EXTRAVAGANZA!  Oh yes, it was a dilly, read on and find out why!

Lyn takes Bob’s Hoodie

50/50 (weekly) Rich Comins; Rich picked the 3 of Diamonds; just like the Powerball the pot grows.

Pop Corn 50/50 - #122, Mary Marasco, 149, Donna Hepburn, 138 Joan Fyfe, 82 Jen Wurzbacher, 94 Karen Saylor, 95, Ange Campisi

$HAPPY: Brian, happy to be back with Rotary after extended absence, son Andrew received clean bill of health; Ross, $5 because he and Norie have finally closed on their new house; Dolly, $2 for Henry finally being able to get up and walk; Bob, glad Santa Claus is done; Lyn, glad Henry is walking; Herb, for a great Christmas Party and that Henry is on the mend; Kathy, $5 for the opening of a new Cancer Treatment Center in Batavia, story of a boy with cancer who wanted to soak in a hot tub, people on Lake Road volunteered their hot tub, the boy’s wish was fulfilled as he spent some time there and then, very sadly, the next day, he died; Rich, for his daughter giving birth to first grandchild, 7 lbs., 14 oz.; Tom, $6 for six week post op knee surgery; Marlene, went to Myrtle Beach, S.C., had ear pierced, ear became infected, she is better now; Ray, happy the F.B.I. thwarted a terror plot in Rochester; Robyn, great press in Webster Herald and Dennis’s article in newspaper about our retiring Santa Claus, Ron LaForce.

As I sit in my office, high atop the Hawley Building in downtown Village of Webster, in the still of the night, I gaze out of my curved window glass at the area to our North, aglow in the radiant illumination cast by the blue light affixed on the roof; it shimmers out over the hoarfrost covering the vast housing tracts which wind their way to the lake and then the water expands the irradiation to further expel it to farther points such as Cape Vincent, Oswego, Brockville Ontario, Kingston Ontario and Cobourg, Ontario; there our neighbors to the North, already covered in a blanket of white are skating on the frozen ice of their myriad ponds and streams and the ever increasing thickness of the ice of the great lake which separates us and there, also, is other activity as Rotarians all along the shore of our life giving Lake Ontario ready their projects for the coming year and they wave as we wave to them, Happy New Year, Peace we pray, God Bless Us All.  Bill Ruoff