Newsletter September 6th, 2011
SEPTEMBER 2011 NEWSLETTER
As summer winds down we hope everyone did well surviving Hurricane Irene and perhaps having one last visit to the beach to catch some sun. Last month the club took on some new initiatives by reaching out to help returning veterans and in also having our first Floral Park-Bellerose Rotary Business Card Exchange.
Aug 9 Lou Falco, District 7250 Veteran Projects Chair reported on the District's Veteran initiatives. Lou's speech was awesome. The highlight was his reciting his poem about the veteran which touched many a heart. Marylou Giammona, free lance writer from the Dispatch, attended and wrote an excellent “page one” article which captured the spirit of the meeting. PDG Robbie Donno and Rotary Club of Franklin Square Elmont President, Mike Iglio also attended. Tom Kennedy lead us in the pledge and Rich Mooney said grace while Charlie Calma, Paul Pelligrini, Dorothy Pelligrini & Liz Burgess kept it lively. Our guests included Elsie Kennedy and Pattie Kennedy, who had suggested Joe Reale, Adjunct of the Nassau County American Legion to come. He did and brought his wife Tony Reale who represented the American Legion Auxiliary. Tom Reilly, Grandfather of Jessica Dammers, our FPMHS senior award winner also came having interest in the event being a Coast Guard veteran. Marine, Jim Quinn and his wife Maureen Quinn also came and have interest in helping us present a meeting on the veterans at the North Shore Towers, Floral Park, NY where they reside. Joe Reekie from town came, and promised to be a speaker in the future. He is HAM Radio enthusiast. Jim Groom, Greg Kramer, and Brian Smolarz were stellar performing their official Rotary duties. Also attending was New Hyde Park construction entrepreneur Richard Foster and his assistant Jessica Gaudiello. We had a lot of good fellowship and some seeds sown for future good works.
Aug 23 We had a good crowd of 25 at our first Business Card Exchange complete with free Fiore's appetizers! Charlie Calma & Paul Peligrini once again receive kudos for always being on time. Also mixing with the guests were Bill Harris, Tom Kennedy, Greg Kramer, and Bryan Smolarz. Vivian Hardison, Dist. Rotary Chairperson had a field day handing out Rotary fliers to the business guests who's names are too numerous to mention. More seeds sown. Ten of us stayed for a relaxing dinner.
Coming Up:
Sept 13 District Governor, Gabor Karsai, Official Club Visit. *Please bring your significant other.
Sept 27 Queens County Farm Museum
Oct 11 Jacki Yonic will tell the story of RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Academy). Please encourage school officials, teachers, youth group leaders, parents, & students (particularly sophomores) to come.
Oct 25 Bellerose resident & Surrogate Judge Edward W. McCarty will speak about our jury system
In closing, I want to say a special thank you to my wife Liz. Her meeting attendance, support, and encouragement have been super making my job a lot easier. She is so much like her Dad, Jim Reid, quietly working behind the scenes making good things happen.