February 22, 2005
Calendar of Events
Last Week: Centennial Celebration Dinner
This Week: Club Plans and Objectives for 2005
Next Week: David Wagner: “A Child Is Missing Alert”
Coming Up:
February 25: District 7190 Centennial Ball
March 8: Victor Gush & Peter Lynch: “Ballston Lake Saddle Club”
Give suggestions for future programs to Rey Whetten or Linda LeTendre
Other Events Coming Up:
March 19: Pancake Breakfast
March 22: BOD and Chairs Meeting 5PM
Invocation: Garry Morrow, Dan Stec or Bob Youmans
Minute for Rotary: Linda LeTendre
2/29 Len Porter
Anniversary Dinner An Eventful Affair: Last week’s 100th anniversary dinner was celebrated in style. The 40+ attendees experienced an outstanding meal and special dessert, the induction of a new member, a reading of a Charlton Town Board proclamation extolling Rotary’s community service, CHS’s formal receipt of a $3,000 award from the Club, a birthday surprise, and some interesting insights into Rotary’s origins and the personality of its founder. New member Fred Baily was inducted through the combined efforts of Membership Chair Ron Serapilio, President Steve Caine, and his newly appointed Mentor Garry Morrow. Fred retired as a Consulting Engineer at GE about a decade ago, was immediately rehired in the same position, and continues in the same capacity still. He is a former naval reserve officer and held the rank of Lt. Commander when he left the reserve. Fred’s community activities include service on the Board of Directors of both the Schenectady Museum and Planned Parenthood. He and his wife Sheelagh live on Jockey Street in Charlton. They have two sons, one a pilot and the other a fire fighter. President Steve read a proclamation passed at a recent Charlton Town Board meeting commending Rotary on the occasion of its 100th birthday for outstanding service locally and world wide. Among the topics mentioned in the proclamation were Rotary’s status as the world’s first and largest service organization without an affiliation with a single religion; the inspiration for community service provided by its motto, “Service Above Self”; the Polio Plus campaign that has all but eliminated polio from the world, and Rotary’s promotion of world understanding through its exchange programs for youth and professionals. After reading the proclamation, Steve described the U.S. Marine Corps tradition for celebrating its birthday. At any marine celebration around the world, the most senior and most junior marine in terms of service presents the cake, and all present sing “Happy Birthday”. Steve asked our founding member, Stan Garrison, and our newest inductee to cut our beautifully decorated cake prior to our own inimitable version of the birthday song. Linda LeTendre was responsible for procuring our cake, which turned out to be as tasty as it was attractive. Since Linda shares Rotary’s February 23rd birthday, she was presented with a surprise birthday cake of her own that was, not surprisingly, chocolate from top to bottom. Linda did not reveal her age, but it is rumored that she is nowhere near as old as Rotary. Susan Akins, Executive Director of Community Human Services, accepted a check for $3,000 from President-Elect Rey Whetten as a contribution from our club towards the purchase of a replacement van to continue CHS’s Wellness Express program. The Wellness Express transports seniors who lack transportation to medical appointments and other necessary destinations. Carvin Speaks About Rotary’s History: The finale of a special evening was an interesting portrayal of Rotary’s beginnings by former District Governor Fred Carvin. Fred is a member and past president of the Glens Fall Rotary Club, was District 7190 Governor in 2002-03, and will be the District Rotary Foundation Chair from 2005 to 2008. Paul Harris and three others held the first Rotary Club meeting on February 23, 1905, in Chicago. They called their club “Rotary” because their early meetings were “rotated” among members’ offices. Among the other names considered were the Windy City Club, the Conspirators Club, the Trade and Talk Club, and the Triple F Club (for Food, Fun, and Fellowship). Fred characterized Paul as a “heller” in his youth who never liked school and was expelled from two schools (Rutland High School, Vermont and Burlington College) before finally earning a law degree. Following law school, he spent five years traveling around. He held jobs such as actor, cowboy, and night clerk in a motel before finally beginning a law career in Chicago in 1896. Chicago was a wide open town. Let the buyers beware was the primary business ethic. Paul thought a lawyer should know the business men in his community. Fred suggested that developing a viable practice might have been another motivation for beginning a club. Paul was not the first president of the Rotary, but when he became president in 1908, he wanted a policy of ethics and service to be the new club’s emphasis. Fred said this emphasis was not popular with Paul’s membership, which had food, fellowship, and fun as the original focus of the club. But Paul Harris had a cadre of ambassadors across the country, some whom he met during his travels. A second club was soon established in San Francisco. New York City was the sixth Rotary Club; Albany was #68 in 1913 and Troy was #123 a year later. Today Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. From a 4-person club in 1905, Rotary has grown to approximately 1.2 million members in more than 30,000 Rotary clubs in 164 countries. As someone we all know says not infrequently, the BH-BL Rotary Club takes great pride in its past, has much to be proud of in the present, and looks forward to a glorious future.
WEBSITES:
BHBL Rotary: www.bhblrotary.org District 7190: www.capitalregionrotary.org
District 7190: www.capitalregionrotary.org