Rotary Club of Port Jefferson (Nov 11, 2020)

News of the Meeting of November 10th

Posted by Yvette Hohler on Nov 10, 2020

Rob hosted today's meeting, which was a hybrid: 6 of our members attended in person at noon at Cafe Spiga, while 4 attended via Zoom. Unfortunately, our Most Motivated Student of the Month from Comsewogue was unable to join us.

Mike Sceiford updated us on what we will try to do with our annual Winter Golf Classic in this time of Covid.

Based on member responses to the survey about this event, most club members indicated that they are not comfortable with holding the outing in January. Therefore, we will try to move it to early March or April, where we could be outdoors much of the time, perhaps using a tent for registration and an opportunity for participants to view/bid on auction items (assuming we have an auction), skipping a reception, having the golf holes outdoors, etc. Questions that need to be resolved if we delay this activity 'til spring include whether Danford's will have room for us and whether/which village restaurants will be able/want to participate.

Mike reminded us that charitable gifts to our club foundation are always welcome. We are a 501c3. This would be a good time to use qualified charitable distributions and donate money to our Port Jefferson Rotary Foundation, enabling an end of year tax deduction. Check with Mike or Saranto for more info.

Rob reminded us that our Donations Committee has funds budgeted for donations to organizations in need. A Tax Exempt Status Form will be needed when applying for a donation.

Mike would like to know what volunteer work you're doing these days.

If anyone has speakers to donate to be used with the laptop used during Zoom meetings, contact Mike or Rob.

Rob announced that we will continue to meet for the meantime via hybrid gatherings, with some members in person and others making use of Zoom.

NOTES & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

NEXT WEEK, 11/17, the club will meet inside Cafe Spiga and also via Zoom from wherever you are comfortable.

Did you know that our club members have donated over $10,300 ( money, gift cards, etc.) to The Open Cupboard since March? Please do keep up your much needed and appreciated donations.

Yvette shared the results of Hope Children's Fund's 16th Annual Kenya/USA Bi-Continental 5K Run/Walk held virtually and in person between mid-October and November 1st. Larry Hohler and a small group of local folks of all ages used the Port Jeff-Setauket Greenway on Saturday, Oct. 24th, starting at 10:00 AM near PJ Station Greenway entrance. Port Jefferson's Ed Hyshiver won the Gold Medal with a time of 33:40, while Jacquie Coven of Long Beach also won a gold medal with a time of 43:57. PJ Middle School Interact Club member Ryan Filippi and his mother, (Interact's sponsor) Deirdre Filippi, volunteered to oversee the Turn Around Point and hand out water. Meanwhile, in Meru, Kenya, 7 time zones away, on 10/25, around 200 people turned out, mostly to walk the 5K route. Around two dozen runners competed on the unpaved roads near the Children's Home, with the fastest boy winning the gold at around 15 minutes, and the fastest girl at around 19 minutes. (Remember, these are young Kenyans!) For the 1st time, the Kenyans held a pre-run fundraiser and earned around $650, but after expenses (tent and chair rentals, beverages, light food, flowers, medals, etc.), the profit was half that amount. In the U.S., around $9,000 in pledges/donations has been collected thus far. Donations are still welcome at www.hopechildrensfund.org or % HCF, P.O. Box 387, Setauket, NY 11733. All proceeds go to the support/care of the 96 young residents of the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children's Home in Meru.

The following is a share from a Rocky Point Rotarian: For November only, when you join Rotary Direct with a $10 per month donation (34 cents per day) the District will give you 100 points towards a Paul Harris Award. Once you enroll, you will be entered into a raffle to win 1,000 points for a Paul Harris recognition. There will be only one winner. Join now: https://www.rotary.org/en/donate. Why join Rotary Direct at $10 a month? You will be supporting The Rotary Foundation. One half of the monies donated comes back to the District. You can thus impact lives in our communities and around the world. The possibilities of 34 cents a day: can feed a homeless veteran; can send a child with special needs to summer camp; can supplement healthcare for seniors; can help provide lifesaving heart surgery to children in the developing world; and can provide literacy for children in our communities. If you enroll in Rotary Direct at $85 a month, you will be rewarded with membership in the Paul Harris Society. Questions about Rotary Direct? Contact Sonia J.T. Saleh, District 7255 DG in 2022-23 at sjtsaleh@gmail.com.

FYI: Since our club is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, we can go to that office for free masks and thermometers.

***If you have ideas or items to be discussed at our next meeting, let Rob know. And if you'd like to join one of the club's special committees, let him know this, as well. The more, the merrier!***

*** Watch for Rob's invitation to our next meeting and plan to join us!***

MEANWHILE, STAY SAFE AND WELL!