March 19, 2007

Reporting the Meeting of March 12, 2007

• Stan and Shirley Garrison were welcomed back by Acting President Ron Serapilio, were referenced in another of George Bailey’s exceptional invocations, and later shared a common birthday cake celebrating both Stan’s birth date (March, 1918) and the club’s first meeting (March 1951). Fred Baily read from a feature story in today’s Saratogian extolling Stan’s community service, including a recent $10,000 gift to 4H. Bob Youmans choice for the evening song was I Did It My Way in Stan’s honor.

• Ron thanked co-chairs Sandy Kominoski and Mark Gasparovic for their fine work in making the Pancake Breakfast a success. He expressed appreciation to Mike Welshhans and the Mix Masters for their entertaining musical contribution to this and other Rotary events. He thanked all members and spouses who worked at the Breakfast, citing for special commendation the “Sausage King” Bob Rasmussen and Paul Lewandowski’s dishwashing proficiency, which wife Lila has urged Ron to try to replicate.

• Ron also announced that the Interact Club that our Rotary Club sponsors is holding a fund raising $.50 to $50 auction in the high school cafeteria from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 24. Interact hopes to raise money for cancer research and the community beautification project. Faculty Sponsor Cheryl Bach asks that anyone interested in donating an item (new, antique, collectable, gift certificate, etc.) contact her at the high school (399-9141 or cbach@bhbl.org.

• Clarence Linder reported that the 4H Training Center is sponsoring a Corporate Challenge 15 Kilometer Walkathon fund raiser on April 28. Clarence will have more information in the near future.

• Ken Crotty spoke about the club’s goal of contributing $4,600 to The Rotary Foundation in the 2006-07 fiscal year. To date club members have contributed $1,300 to the Foundation. Ken called our attention to the back page of the Rotateller, which is devoted to The Rotary Foundation “Every Rotarian Every Year” campaign and provides the how and why to attain the club goal.

Eileen Nash, a Developmental Associate at the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, NY, described how she and other volunteers help kids with chronic and/or life-threatening illnesses to experience Adirondack outdoor life while being assured quality care in a fully staffed and equipped medical facility.

Double H Ranch is a year round facility with the goal of spreading the mission of health and happiness to children and families dealing with crisis. Eileen characterized Double H as not a sad place, but one where kids enjoy themselves. She said it is inspiring to work there and added that It is successful because the 18-19 year old counselors have an abundance of energy and love to which the children respond.

Each year about 1000 children between 6-16 attend a 7-day camp session, without their parents, on a 120 acre site to experience the outdoors and be involved in activities like fishing and boating, swimming, and horseback riding in the summer and skiing and snowboarding in winter. The Ranch also offers family based-support weekends in the spring and fall for families facing critical illnesses and the loss of loved ones. All programs are completely free of charge.

Eileen told the story of how the Ranch was founded after Charles Wood, owner of “The Great Escape”, explained his vision of an Adirondacks camp for ill children to Paul Newman and asked Mr. Newman for $I million to help in developing and organizing the facility. Mr. Newman agreed to provide the million, and the Ranch is referred to as “A Hole in the Wall Camp”, but contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations now fund the cost of operating the Ranch. Volunteers who donate their time and expertise also make possible this morale-building experience for seriously ill children and their parents.

Reported by Dick O’Rourke