Today, we welcomed as our visiting speaker Nancy Viteritti, Executive Director of NY Cancer Foundation. Nancy, who has been working for non-profits for nearly 20 years raising money, is now enjoying a job giving out money. She loves working for New York Cancer Foundation (Advocates for Hope), a 501c3 that was founded in 2016 by Dr. Jeffrey Vacirca in order to provide financial assistance to cancer patients and their families. The goal of New York Cancer Foundation, under the auspices of NY Cancer & Blood Specialists, is to become a self-sustaining entity, while meeting the changing needs of cancer patients and helping relieve the financial stresses experienced by cancer patients undergoing treatment . When he founded this non-profit, Dr. Vacirca asked all employees of NY Cancer & Blood Specialists to donate a small portion of their paychecks in order to help their patients via this new entity. Amazingly, they complied. The NY Cancer Foundation awards $2,500 grants to patients who apply for the grants for non-medical expenses (ie., to help pay household bills). The Foundation has also formed an agreement with Uber, creating "Uber Help", whereby $500 grants can be awarded to patients to arrange for transportation to and from cancer treatments- a huge need. Nancy raises funds via all sorts of events in order for The Foundation to be able to give away grants. Virtually all expenses for running The Foundation come from the NY Cancer & Blood Specialists' medical practice. 98% of every dollar raised is utilized for patient grants. Rotarians are invited to help ensure financial security for future cancer patients by providing generous support. You are invited to visit NYCancerFoundation.org for more info, to become an Advocate for Hope, or to apply for financial assistance. The Foundation's headquarters are at 1500 Route 112, Bldg. 4, in Port Jeff Station.
Also, you are invited to attend the NY Cancer & Blood Specialists' 2019 Wellness Fair to be held on Saturday, February 23rd, from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Port Jefferson Village Center. It's Free! This event will provide Wellness Information, Health Screenings, Food Tastings, Raffles & giveaways (including free ice skating, restaurant gift cards, etc.) as well as Career Opportunity Information.
ANNOUNCEMENTS/REMINDERS: ***NEXT TUESDAY, on Feb. 9th, we will be honoring a Most Motivated Student from the Port Jefferson Middle School. ***This will also be an OPEN CUPBOARD COLLECTION DAY!!! Please remember to bring your much-needed monthly donation to the meeting. If you are unable to attend, kindly drop your goods with a club member who will be attending.***THE POT IS NOW AT $710 (with only 12 cards remaining - including 2 Jokers and the Ace of Spades!)*** ***According to our new Club Bylaws, in order to maintain your membership in the club,YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY 2 ROTARY-RELATED ACTIVITIES PER MONTH,ie., meeting attendance, on-line makeups on the RI website, donating to the Open Cupboard and /or Woodhaven Nursing Home, volunteering for a Stuff-A-Van event or at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, a Habitat build, attendance at any Committee or Board Meetings, and the like. Please notify Yvette of each make-up at your earliestconvenience via a note to hohlerlj@aol.com or the Make-Up Report Sheet, which will be passed around at each regular meeting for members to report when and how they made up previously missed meetings)***Regarding our upcoming (Feb. 9th !) Golf Outing/Fundraiser, each club member is asked to help out in some way. There's still time to VOLUNTEER to create and be part of a foursome or find 4 people who will do so. There's still time to find a sponsor or be one. There's still time to ask a business for a raffle donation or donate a raffle item yourself. There's still time to offer to "man a hole". Can you help Erica collect or prepare the gift baskets /raffle items for display? Erika requests your aid in preparing the baskets with Joan Elliott at her office (170 North Country Rd., Port Jeff- just east of Mather Hospital/ corner of Columbia St.) on Thurs., 2/7 , from 7-9 PM and/or Friday, 2/8, 3-7 PM. She will happily still welcome new basket donations- but already done baskets will make her smile the most! (Did you know that two of the raffle awards donated by Paul include a 7-9 day vacation in Antigua or Panama?!) Can you help out with registration or at the reception? Let Michael or John Perkins know a.s.a.p. A successful event depends on us all helping out. If you are able, please attend the GOLF COMMITTEE MEETING on Thursday, at 4:30 PM at Michael's office. All are invited to help put the final touches on preparations for our Saturday event.Thank you, Kathy T. for offering to put together the bags for event participants! As for EVENT DAY, Feb. 9th, the restaurants involved should be open by 9:30 AM for set up. Registration is from 11 AM- noon at Danford's. Nantuckets will serve as the Halfway House during the Golf Outing. Questions? Contact Michael or John. You are invited to save this date: Monday, June 10th, for the 21st Annual Rocky Point Golf Tournament, to be held at St. Georges Golf & Country Club in East Setauket. Registration & Lunch will take place from 11 AM to 12:45 PM, and the Shotgun Start is at 1 PM. The cost p/p is $300 before April 30th, and $325 p/p after that date. Dinner only: $75.Cocktail Hour with appetizers & hors d'oeuvres will be followed by dinner, including a carving station, and lobster/prime rib dinner. For more info, look at our Club Calendar or contact Larry Kogel (516-380-8035 or email lkogel@optonline.net). While our big Spring Clean-Up at the Camp won't take place until April 7th, Dennis is asking for volunteers to work on small projects at the camp between now and April. Contact Dennis for more info.Pat will be asking soon for help in refurbishing our Harbor Bus Stop. Jenn invites all to set aside April 11th for attendance at the PJ Station/Terryville Chamber's Trade Show to be held at The Polish Hall on Jayne Blvd. Vendor spots and tables are available. Attendance at the Trade Show is free to the public. Interested in taking a space at the show? Contact PJSDchamber.com. Dennis received from Jackie Harkins, the student from Mt. Sinai HS who received a $300 donation from us for her mental health project, a warm thank you for our help. She will be attending RYLA Leadership Camp on
4/14.
***Please check out our page on Face Book- and Like Us. ***Photos from our 2018 Winter Golf Classic are posted there as are photos of the inductions of
our newest members, presentations of honors to special club members, participants at our most recent Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck CleanUp, and other delights.
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.)***NOTE: This list will be updated as needed:
Black Beans- Bob H., Pat (& brown rice), Yvette
Baby Wipes- Jim, Tom
Canned Fruit- Dennis
Cereal- Jennifer, Paul, Amanda
Oatmeal- Lisa, Sean
Soap- Kathy, Paul
Canned Chicken- Sharon, Michael B.
Jelly- Debbie, Michael
Shampoo- Saranto, Nancy
Conditioner- Nancy
Toilet Paper- Judi
Diapers- John Perkins
Apple Juice- Bill C.
***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 Cafe Spiga 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.
...MICHAEL SCEIFORD, who added a year to his age on February 2nd; SAL FILOSA, who will celebrate his birthday on February 7th; ERIKA JURASITS, whose birthday and Valentine's Day coincide on February 14th; AMY LUND, whose birthday will be celebrated on February 23rd; BILL JAEGER, who has a birthday on February 24th; DEB ENGELHARDT, who will celebrate an anniversary on February 25th; and KEVIN MURRAY, who is celebrating 38 years, while KARL JANHSEN celebrates 18 years in Rotary this month.
