January 4, 2005
Calendar of Events
Last Week: Club Assembly
This Week: “Equestrian Riding Program for the Disabled”
Next Week: “Super conducting Magnets” Phillip Pellegrino
Coming Up:
February 1 : Club Officer and BOD Elections
February 15: Club Centennial Celebration Dinner & Program
Give suggestions for future programs to Rey Whetten or Linda LeTendre
Other Events Coming Up:
January 25: BOD & Chairs Meeting 5PM
January 25 Club Assembly
February 1: Club Officer and BOD Elections
Invocation: Garry Morrow, Dan Stec or Bob Youmans
If you have items for the Rotateller contact Dick O’Rourke at 372-8287
or robrwo@aol.com or Ed Warren at 663-7669 or ewarren@nycap.rr.co
WEBSITES:
BHBL Rotary: www.bhblrotary.org
News Briefs:
$1797 Contribution to the Needy:
Bob Youmans announced that Club members had contributed $1297 individually on top of a $500 Club gift for use by the school district nurses in assuring that community families with special needs would not be forgotten during the holiday season. Bob expressed his appreciation and pride in Rotary for this generosity.
Nomination Committee Appointed:
President Steve announced the appointment of a three-member Nominations Committee to find candidates for Club office in 2005-06. Paul Lewandowski will serve as committee chairman with Bill Sewell and Bob Youmans completing the committee roster.
Dues Are Due:
Semi-annual dues ($60) should be paid to Club Treasurer Ken Crotty prior to January 31, 2005.
Spotlight to Feature Rotary 100th Anniversary:
Reporter Stephanie Lubis is planning a February series of Spotlight articles about Rotary in recognition of its founding 100 years ago. The series will feature articles about Rotary International, Rotary in the United States, and local clubs. Members may be contacted for interviews about activities in ourclub.
CHS: A Grass Roots Service Organization
At our December 21 meeting Executive
Director Susan Akins and Clinical Director Paul Solimini described the services
provided to the local community by the Community Services Organization. Begun
in 1976 following a community conference on the need for youth services, CHS
was characterized as a ‘grass roots” organization by Ms. Akins because the
community took action to initiate needed services rather than just talking
about the need. The original focus was on counseling, with the volunteers
who comprised CHS hiring professionals to provide needed services to community
youth. Another early component was “Job Match”, a job placement program at
the high school which in recent years has expanded to include Scotia-Glenville
High and some services at our middle school. Among the current CHS programs
described by Ms. Akins were family services for children with special needs
(eg. neurological, emotional, autistic, etc.); a new Family Foundations program
that works in the home with the families of 2 to 5-year olds whose behavioral
problems get them expelled from nursery school; and the Wellness Transportation
Program that transports seniors from Ballston, Ballston Spa, and Milton to
medical appointments within a 50-mile radius.
Mr. Solimini reviewed a new CHS “Schools Out ”program in which students from
BH-BL and Scotia-Glenville with academic or social issues, and who often would otherwise go home to empty houses, are bused to Parkside YMCA for an hour of tutoring and an hour of recreation at the close of the school day. He also described a “Strengthening Families” program targeting sixth graders at the Middle School beginning January 25 for seven weeks. Mr. Solimini said parents and their children will meet separately the first hour, break for dinner together, and after dinner families will work together on the issues discussed separately. Issues for the parents could include setting limits, making house rules, and encouraging good behavior. The kids might focus on topics like appreciating their parents, following rules, and dealing with stress. The program is designed for typical families and not exclusively for problem families.
CHS remains a valuable asset nearly thirty years after its founding by community residents, including a number of Rotarians.
Rotary and UNICEF Celebrate Groundbreaking Partnership For Children:
President of Rotary International Glenn E. Estess Sr. and Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) met in November at Rotary International Headquarters, in Evanston, Illinois to continue the groundbreaking partnership of the two organizations.
Rotary and UNICEF, along with the World Health Organization and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are the spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The Initiative is the world's largest ever public health endeavor, and has slashed polio cases by more than 99 per cent since its launch in 1988. Through Rotary International, the fight against polio has been largely driven by volunteers, over 20 million of them, mostly in developing countries. Rotarians around the world have also donated over $500 million to polio eradication and advocated with governments to give more. Never before have individuals and the influence of the private sector played such a core role in a global public health effort.
"Rotary's contribution to the polio campaign over the last fifteen years sets a new global benchmark for dedication to children," said Carol Bellamy. "The success of our partnership proves that the private sector can, and should, work with public sector organizations in global projects, to mobilize resources, hold down costs and achieve the best results on the ground."
As well as mobilizing half a billion dollars, Rotary's network of volunteers have worked hand in hand with UNICEF teams in many of the world's poorest countries to guide strategy and bring the polio vaccine to the poorest children who could otherwise slip beyond help. Reaching poor and marginalized children with basic tools to help them survive and thrive is UNICEF's highest priority. According to Bellamy, the value of community-based networks like Rotary in helping UNICEF achieve this goal is "incalculable".
Rotary, UNICEF and the global polio partnership are currently taking action to combat the threat of a looming polio epidemic in Africa. They are supporting Africa's largest ever coordinated health initiative for children — 23 nations holding mass synchronized immunization campaigns with the goal of reaching over 80 million children under the age of five. The first round of campaigns were conducted from 8-12 October and the second rounds were scheduled for 18-22 November.
"With so much at stake, we cannot come this close to ending polio and not finish successfully," said Estess. "Thanks to the strength of our unique partnerships with UN agencies like UNICEF, I am confident that we can overcome these current challenges, and ultimately lead the way for other private-public collaborations to achieve major health objectives in the future.” Bellamy also congratulated Rotary International on their upcoming Centenary in 2005, saying it marked "a century of leadership for children”.