Today, Saranto Calamas was warmly welcomed back and was inducted as a returning club member.
Our guest speaker was Tricia Folliero, who updated us on the Welcome Friends Soup Kitchen and asked us to take note of the Welcome Friends banner which is currently being displayed on East Main Street. Tricia explained that the change of name (formerly known as Welcome Inn) and affiliation (was linked for over 25 years to the Interfaith Nutrition Network) was necessitated by the latter's newly established monetary requirements for member agencies. Welcome Friends is now an independent not-for-profit corporation that continues its long-standing tradition as an all-volunteer soup kitchen. All money collected via donations goes to the purchase of food. Welcome Friends provides hot, nutritious meals 5 days a week, usually serving 50-100 guests each night. Serving Greater Port Jefferson (including the Setaukets, Mt. Sinai, and beyond), Welcome Friends has become self-sustaining due to the generosity of neighbors, local food markets and farms, religious institutions, community leaders, local corporations, and the like. This program is open to all- and serves meals on Mondays at Christ Episcopal Church (Barnum Ave., Port Jeff) at 5 PM, Tuesdays at Christ Church Methodist (Old Town Rd.,P.J. Sta.) at 5 PM, Wednesdays at St. Paul Lutheran (Main St.& Bergen Pl., P.J. Sta.) at 5:15 PM, Fridays at First Presbyterian Church (Main St., P.J.) at 5 PM, and Sundays at St. Paul Lutheran at 12:15 PM. (Church-sponsored free dinners are also served on Thursdays at 6 PM at St.Gerard Majella RC Church on Terryville Rd. in P.J. Sta., and Sundays at 3 PM at St. James RC Church in Setauket.) The dinner starting times have been moved to an earlier hour than in the past so that the people being served can get together and socialize over appetizers (usually cheese & crackers, peanut butter & crackers, coffee, tea, and lemonade.) Most of the Welcome Friends clients are the "working poor", while usually around 5% are homeless or residents of Pax Christi. Tricia says that the best part of her job is being with the clients. Her position in the organization, like all others, is as a volunteer. In charge of fundraising/PR/ and marketing,Tricia is always looking for restaurants and other local entities (like Jefferson's Ferry) to cater a meal once a month. Clubs such as ours are invited to prepare a meal for Welcome Friends' clients. They shop at places like BJ's, where they can obtain food in large quantities for less money, and they bring it to one of the kitchens to prepare. Tricia invited our members to consider adopting 1 night a month- or every now and then- and prepare a meal for the soup kitchen. Since Welcome Friends is considered a new agency, it is exceedingly hard to find grants. The ingredients for a typical meal at this time are whatever is available from donor agencies. Tricia mentioned that delivery people are also needed on a volunteer basis to pick up food donations and deliver them to the kitchens used by Welcome Friends. She asked that we consider donating our time (as well as money) and that we like Welcome Friends on Face Book. Contact info: email volunteerwelcomefriends@gmail.com and www.Facebook.com/welcomefriendssoupkitchen/
ANNOUNCEMENTS/REMINDERS: There's now $854 in the pot waiting to be won- with only 5 cards left to draw from! The Ace of Spades is still among them. (A Joker also lurks in the pile, though). It could be YOU who wins the pot! ***Next Tues.,November 7th, we will we will be having a joint meeting at Cafe Spiga with the Rocky Point Rotary Club. TODAY IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY TO COMMIT AS A PARTICIPANT IN THE JAN.10th-13th SKI TRIPAT INDIAN HEAD RESORT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. YOU NEED NOT SKI TO BE A PART OF THIS ACTIVITY. FAMILY & FRIENDS ARE WELCOME. THE COSTS ARE $370 FOR A SINGLE ROOM,$220 FOR A DOUBLE, $208 FOR A TRIPLE, AND $198 FOR A QUAD. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO PORT JEFF ROTARY. CONTACT KEVIN TODAY IF YOU WISH TO TAKE PART. ThisSaturday, 11/4, is the next Stuff-A-Van Event to be held at the Mt. Sinai King Kullen, 10 AM to 1 PM. Volunteers are still welcome. Dennis has been hard at work planning for our Fall Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck Cleanup, which will take place on Sunday, 11/12 . He has already sent out the relevant information to all members and prospective helpers. Will you be among them? Kevin has tentatively planned for holding our Annual Holiday Gift Wrapping Event at the PJHS cafeteria on Tuesday, December 5th, beginning at 2:30 PM. He has a list of 100 children who will be this year's gift recipients, and will, once the above date is confirmed, be sending you your list of who you'll be buying items for. This year, we can expect to spend $40 per child. It is suggested that you start saving gift boxes now to aid in wrapping at that time. Upon completion of delivery of the gifts to The Open Cupboard, club members will proceed to a place TBA to join together in holiday festivities and fellowship. Our Executive Board has agreed that our collection of items for the residents of the Woodhaven Adult Center will take place on the 3rd Tuesday of every month. A list of desired items will be distributed shortly. Michael noted that plans for our upcoming Winter Golf Outing Fundraiser, tentatively scheduled for February 10th, are coming along. Area restaurants and other venues are being solicited to participate. There will be raffles and prizes at this event, with a reception afterwards. Additional committee volunteers are requested to join those who are already at work planning this outing in order to assure its success. Watch for Michael's email about the next committee meeting, and offer to lend a hand.
Jim has a supply of PJ Rotary golf shirts and will part with them for $10 each. Do you own one? If not, why not?
Bob is still seeking evening meeting places, 1 per month. Contact him if you can provide a meeting site.
***Please check out our page on Face Book- and Like Us.
If you missed today's meeting, kindly inform Yvette about make-ups in a timely fashion.
***The following is a list of donation "assignments" for members' once-a-month donations via the Club to the Open Cupboard: (*If you don't see your name on this list, select an item from it for your donation.)
Betts, Judi: Toilet Paper
Bossert, Ken: Shampoo/Conditioner
Brennan, Dennis: Canned Fruit
Brennan, Sharon: Spaghetti Sauce
Berner, Cynthia: Rice
Curry, Bill: Apple Juice
Dinunzio, Ed: Diapers
Engelhardt, Debbie: Juice Boxes
Gautam, Archana: Baby Wipes
Hanson, Susan: Baby Formula
Hohler, Yvette: Beans
Jaeger, Bill: Canned Vegetables
Janhsen, Karl: Milk (Dry or Boxed)
Jurasits, Erika: Cereal (Hot or Cold)
Kopcienski, Al Cereal (Hot or Cold)
Lund, Amy: Canned Chicken
Murray, Kevin: Tuna
Rhatigan, Jim: Diapers
Sabo, Pat: Beans
Sceiford, Michael: Grape Juice Boxes
Vigliante, Paul: Milk (Dry or Boxed)
***Check the list for your name and assigned item. (If you are not listed, you may donate any listed item. Corporate members are encouraged to donate individually. If you would like to be listed with a specific item, contact Debbie and specify your item of choice.)
***Bring contributions to the Heritage Diner on the 2nd Tuesday of the month or give to another Club member who will be attending.
*** If you would like to be reimbursed, bring receipt(s) to the meeting.
...ARCHANA GAUTAM, whose birthday was October 1st; NANCY UZO, who celebrated her birthday on October 3rd; SUSAN HANSON, who enjoyed her birthday on October 9th; JUDI BETTS, whose birthday was October 10th; JOHN PERKINS, who had a birthday on October 13th; JOAN ELLIOTT, whose birthday was October 21st; AL KOPCIENSKI, who celebrated his birthday on October 23rd; while on October 8th, ED DiNUNZIO observed his anniversary; and BOB DOOLEY, on October 18th, had an anniversary to celebrate.
