«The Vista«

June 3, 2008       Vol. 37, No. 38       District 7170

Ithaca Cayuga Rotary Club

Chartered November 1, 1971     

Meets Tuesday Noon, Kendal at Ithaca

www.ithacarotary.org/cayuga    www.rotarydistrict7170.org

Editor: H. Murphy

 

OPENING: President Dennis Mogil called the group to order. Doug Armstrong led the singing of America the Beautiful followed by the pledge. Joe Quigley offered the Thought for the Day in two words for the clue to a success­ful marriage, "Yes dear.”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests: Introduced by Ed Siemon were Speaker Phil Penepent and recent speaker Bob Frank who is a potential member.

Next Week: Melissa Doak who has recently returned with the District's Group study Exchange team from South Korea will report on her experience with the team on their month long tour of various institutions in that country.

Ithaca Festival Volunteers from Ithaca-Cayuga Rotary tentatively selected Saturday, June 21 as their day to work where needed from 9 to 11 AM. A signup sheet will soon be circulated.

Ithaca Sunrise Rotary “Pass the Gavel” dinner signups were asked for in a sheet Doug circulated.

Lansing Rotaract Club formation this fall has been discussed by Dennis with the Lansing High principal Michelle Stone and the green light given to introduce the prospect to the school's students. Dennis invites interested members to join with him and AnnMarie in outlining Rotary to students this week after school about 2:15 on a day to be designated. Contact him if you can assist with this.

Golf Tournament in Trumansburg sponsored by the T'burg Rotary Club will be held July 11, Friday, at the T'burg Golf Course beginning at 8:30 AM. Ed Siemon has received an E-mail with complete information.

Exchange student Tomas Bobovsky continues his winning ways with an award at Lansing High's Award Night from the Tompkins County High School Mock Trail. Looks like he’s a budding lawyer. He is a model ambassador for Slovakia as we have all come to know this year.

Dewey Neild's 2009 scenic calendars have just been published and are as gorgeous as have been his previous ones, Chuck reports. Which reminds us to get in our payments to Ed Siemon for the 2008 issue that may still be outstanding.

Board Meeting, this Tuesday, June 10 at 11:00 a.m.

Program: Phil Penepent, son of Ithaca Sunrise Rotary's Dave Penepent, needed little introduction to our members as he began his power point presentation about his recent work trip to Pearlington, Mississippi to help with the construction of a house for a family whose residence had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Phil, who is a sophomore at St. Bonaventure College, wanted to do something other than the typical spring break frolic, so he joined the college's Bona Responds group and headed south with about 50 other students to offer their help in Pearlington.

Phil noted that the town is tiny, on the border with Louisiana with very limited facilities. The house Phil worked on was already framed in, built up on stilts over the old foundation. The exterior walls were completed so his job on the inside was putting up dry wall, using a drill, and spackling. His height of 6'3" helped him reach the ceiling.

The woman who had lost the house during Katrina was eight months pregnant at the time with a two year old. Her visit with the group during their work really gave them more of an inspiration to work harder when they became acquainted with her. All the local residents expressed a great deal of appreciation for the volunteers but were very angry with the government.

Phil gained many benefits from his trip, meeting so many new people and learning about southerners and their food which he really enjoyed. He found things very well organized at the construction site with material and tools available. An afternoon bus tour of New Orleans gave them an overview of the wrath of Katrina.

Phil will continue to work with Bona Responds in the Buffalo and his college's area utilizing his newly learned skills. He is majoring in marketing and plans to spend a semester in Italy next year as part of his educational program. Phil noted his appreciation to Ithaca Sunrise Rotary in helping with his bus fare to Pearlington. He certainly exhibited Service above Self.

Coming Events:

Monday, June 30: Passing the Gavel: Dist. Governor Dave Reynolds to D.G. Elect Lana Rouff, Vestal Hills Country Club, Webb Rd., Binghamton

Sunday, June 15: Fathers Day Breakfast, East Hill Flying Club, 7:00 a.m. – l:00 p.m., Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport, The very best breakfast, all you can eat. Adults $6.50, Children 3-10 $4.50. Special displays and events.

June 10	Dave Thurston	AnnMarie Hautaniemi	Jim Shreve
June 17	Karen Besemer	Chuck Brodhead	Jim Lorbeer
June 24	Bill McGuire	Ed Moy	Ev Morse