• Paul Harris Fellows Recognition
  Janet Steiner presented a PHF pin to Rotarian Jagat Sharma. He reached this goal by contributing the entire hallmark amount with a single gift presented at a previous Rotary Club meeting. Thank you, Jagat, for your important contribution and devotion to the efforts of Rotary in good will, peace, and understanding!
  
  Learn more about the Rotary Foundation.

• Visiting Rotarians
  Tim George (Hillcrest)
  Steve Royce (Ithaca Sunrise)
  Kevin Gross (Cortland, NY)

• Bettsie Park thanked her great staff at 15 Steps for successfully managing her store while she was away.

• Joan Portzline announced that we have offered grants in the past to donate health equipment to children in Turkey, and they are now reciprocating with a grant to the US. For more information, please contact Joan.

• Simonetta Antenucci was happy that her son was in the newspaper twice last week, once for being Athlete of the Week!

• David Cook wanted everyone to know that he would gladly volunteer today if we needed help getting rid of the evidence from our program!

• Ralph Jones was happy that the Ithachords had a successful Valentine's Day full of serenades.

• Barlow Ware reminded us that in 1912, when Cayuga Lake was frozen over Floyd Newman, a senior at Cornell, skated the entire length of the lake.

"I love a good martini
One or two at most
After three I'm under the table
After four I'm under the host."

Doc Pike gave a stirring, er "shaking" demonstration of how to make a great martini. The original martini has been lost in history, and today's drinks are rarely the traditional mixture of two parts gin and one part vermouth. Can you stomach that very dry martini? A martini is nothing but… very cold pure booze. If it's not cold enough, which better be 20 degrees, then it's not good enough.

Jack Burns and Ralph Jones hoping to sample a perfect martini.

Doc has his preferences for which brand of liquor should be used for martinis, and which variations are "better" than others. Of course, many of these variations on martinis that include a flavoring of some kind really turns your drink into a standard cocktail, and not a true martini. However, the overall advice is for you to always drink what your palate personally prefers.

Doc prepared two martinis, one decorated with the traditional olive and the other with a lemon twist. Several Rotarians at the meeting noted that Pres. Jean was particularly transfixed while they were being poured.

About the speaker: This native of Watkins Glen started bartending over ten years ago at the Fontainebleu, then graduated to Pierce's 1894 Restaurant in Elmira, NY, where he served as head bartender and manager. He has worked at the Seasons Restaurant in the Watkins Glen Hotel, and ran the Martini bar above the Odyssey. He is now happily ensconced at Simeon's, where he is cranking out great drinks, with a great line of gab.

What many of his patrons don't know about Doc is that he's been a professional photographer for thirty years, photographing motor racing (primarily at the International Speedway in Daytona), nature, portraits, and the occasional wedding. But, Doc doesn't photograph too many weddings, as he has a low boredom threshold.

He is currently reconstructing his family's Watkins Glen house, and collecting books on the history of drinks.