Visit to Hope Lodge

Club members again provided and served dinner for the resident's of AstraZeneca's Hope Lodge in Cheltenham.

In order to set the seating tables and warm organize the food means arriving as early as 4:00 PM.

(l to r) Robin Sherman and Debbie Newbert

(l to r) Debbie and Art Issadore, Fred Edelman and Robin Sherman

At 6:00 PM sharp, the residents begin arriving.

Our opportunity to join the residents for dinner continues to be a incredibly rewarding experience as well as a chance to share our Club's Rotary story with them. Their stories are interesting and often heartwarming; with some spending months in residence.

For many of the residents undergoing cancer treatments in Philadlephia and their accompanying spouses, significant others or caretakers, the dinners provided by outside organizations such as our Rotary Club provide a welcome distraction from their daily treatment regimes.

Toawrd the conclusion fo the meal and while the incredible array of desserts are being enjoyed, Ed Carne

and Dick Newbert held the always popular trivia contest … where the first person (Rotarians excluded) to answer each question correctly were rewarded with a gold dollar coin.

After clearing the tables, washing the dishes and storing the unused food for the residents to access, we left feeling uplifted and looking forward to our next visit.

Club members attending tonight's visit included Alan Agree (Hope Lodge Chair), Jerry Redington, Ed Carne, Fred and Fran Edelman, Art and Debbie Issadore, Ira and Robin Sherman, Dick and Debbie Newbert and our Assistant District Governor Chris Potter.

Many thanks also to Amato's Restaurant for preparing and delivering what was described by several Hope Lodge guests as, "The best meal we've had since we've been here!"

Lauren Lareau – Candidate for State Representative

We were pleased to welcome Lauren Lareau who is the Democratic candidate for the 146th District seat in the state legislature.

Lauren introduced herself as a Pennsylvanian, "My family is from Pennsylvania: I was born in Johnstown, the grandchild of a Philadelphia police officer who raised his family in East Falls after he served in the Navy, and I've never forgotten where I came from. When it came time to raise my own family, I moved to Langhorne to make a life for myself, and my son, Lucas.

Education is my life's passion: I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education with a Master's Degree in Human Development, ahead of schedule and with honors. I am a small business owner, and have dedicated my career to helping high school students prepare for success in college and beyond. There's no greater thrill in my life than helping kids realize their potential"

She continued by sharing her reasons for running, although never having sought elected office before, "My commitment to education is one of the major reasons I'm running to be your State Representative. Public education is essential to the foundation of our society, but for too long, our local representatives have only been paying lip service to maintain it. We can't afford to put off paying for our children's education– our future is riding on it!

I'm also committed to protecting the environment, and I was appalled to learn that Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that doesn't have an extraction tax, and 90% of what gas companies extract is sold out of state. We are destroying our land for this resource, without compensation, while gas companies make a fortune. We need an extraction tax, and I will fight with my fellow Democrats to achieve this goal. We can use the proceeds to invest in renewable energy, so we can finally begin the transition to a green energy economy, with cleaner air and water for our community. 

Furthermore, as a small business owner, I know how important small businesses are to the local economy. I will work tirelessly to keep taxes low, and ensure that entrepreneurs have the necessary investment and guidance through the municipal bureaucracy to become successful businesses that hire members of our community.

My core values are determination, character, and commitment. If those sound like the things you want from your state rep then vote for me, Lauren Lareau on November 6th."

Unlike some candidates on teh national scene, she was gracious when speaking about her opponent whom she decribed as avery nice person and great fire chief. However, she felt that new blood and new ideas were needed in Harrisburg, stating, "It's been too long since Pennsylvania's 142nd House District had representation that shared our core values, and fought for the things that truly matter to us."

 

Guests from Rittenhouse Village at Floral Vale

Dale WIlson, Senior Lifestyle COuncelor, and Lisa Mayberry, Executive Director, of the RIttenhouse Village at FLoral Vale senior living facility spoke to us this morning.

They outlined Rittenhouse Village's long history of providing exceptional care to seniors within their communities for many years. Offering both a warm village atmosphere and a team of remarkable caring professionals, our sought after communities have welcomed and cared for our residents with the greatest respect and intentions.

Dale

then answered a host of questions ranging from the levels of care to estiamtes of cost for patients at RIttenhouse.

While, hopefully, none of ourmembers will ever requre a memory care facility, it was very informative.

 

The Rotary Club of Shady Brook Providing Gym Supplies to Philadelphia’s William Dick School

The Club extended its grateful thanks to Toll Gate Grammar School in Pennington, NJ

for its generous donation of floor mats, dozens of sports balls, hula hoops, floor hockey sticks and many other articles of gym-related equipment.


After Club members Alan Agree, Irv Perlstein and Dick Newbert, with the able assistance of a friend, Eric Williams, loaded the mats and other items into Alan's car

and the bed of president Jeff Revak’s truck

Jeff Revak

these athletic supplies were driven to Philadelphia where they were donated to the William Dick School

and where physical education teachers and a number of excited eighth graders were on-hand to help with the unloading. 

Alan Agree unloading his car

(l to r) Eric Williams and Jeff Revak

The Club’s ongoing support of the William Dick School, which is located in the heart of one of Philadelphia’s most economically-depressed areas, is now in its ninth year.  During that time, the Club has donated not only money but school supplies, hundreds of reams of paper, several thousand books for its library, coats and hats for both students and their parents and other items to improve the school’s educational mission and goals as well as to in a small way hopefully improve the lives of its student population.

Club members also visit the school several times during each school year to meet with some of the incredibly dedicated faculty and administration as well as having the opportunity to visit classrooms and often sit and read with the younger students.

Of all of the Club’s many service and charitable initiatives, its relationship with and support of the William Dick School is considered the most meaningful!

Principal Amy Williams, who will be speaking to the Club during its October dinner meeting, expressed her deep appreciation for today’s gym equipment donation.

(l to r) Alan Agree, Jeff Revak, Amy Williams and Eric Williams – Not shown Dick Newbert

The Club has made arrangements to accept a number of chairs and other school equipment being discarded by the Toll Gate Grammar School which it will, in turn, donate to the William Dick School.

Semi-Annual Road Clean-up

Seven members of the Club met early this morning for our semi-annual road clean-up along Yardley-Langhorne Road as it part in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Adopt-A-Highway program.

Today's collection of some 50-plus liquor and beer bottles, dozens of soda cans, hundreds of cigarette butts (most clearly emptied by inconsiderate motorists at stoplight intersections), a beat-up mailbox and full container of Dunkin' Donut donut holes were among the trash that had been carelessly discarded by motorists.

Our intrepid crew included:

(l to r)  Augie Adrid, program chair Syd Baron, club president Jeff Revak, Steve Manas, Dick Newbert, Mark Nath and Jerry Redington

Fundraising for Leukemia at the Golden Nugget Flea Market

Today, Anal Agree again set up shop at the

where he offered dozens of personal and donaged items … including some relatively rare stamps, unusual Canadian and Alaskan Highway license plates, CDs, videos, "unusual" men's ties for sale

Dick and Debbie joined Alan for part of the morning.  

As in the past ALL PROCEEDS from these flea market efforts are dedicated to

The $230.28 raised will be multipled by corporate partners who will match the Club's fundrasing.

District Governor Paul Quintavalla Joins Us

Assistant District Governor Chris Potter

gave a thumb-nail background on District 7450 Governor Paul Quintavalla's amazing life of service both as a Rotarian and in his community. 

Paul and his wife, Jeanne, ar native New Yorkers who hav elived in Broomall foe thirtyyears where thy hav eraised two sons and now are blessed with four grandchildren.  Paul has been a member of teh Broomall Rotary CLub since 2007, has served in every officer and committee role, created community service projects and continues to chair the Rotary Foundation committee.  SInce 2009,Paul has served with and raised funds for Rotoplast International and has participated in five overseas missions.

Paul began by asking a question about why Roarians so willing give generrously of their time and often resources.  Is it because they are Rotarians or are they Rotarians because Rotary provides them increased opportunites to give back to their fellow man and their communities?

The answer is, obviously, the latter … and exemplifies the commitments of our Club's members.

Paul went on to detail many of the initiatives he has made and will continue to implement during his tenure.  Among these plans are:

  • "Asking" Clubs to participate in programs rather than "telling" them what the District wants.
  • Increasing the number of Assistant District Governors so they can get closer to the clubs under their respective purviews.
  • Developing a District strategic plan … which will be reivewed by all levels within the District down to the club level for coment.
  • Reworking the District By-Laws to better reflect the realities of today's environment in which Rotary clubs exist … something our Club did two years ago.
  • Developing a District Grant Webinar … Jeff volunteered himself, Ira and DIck to help spearhead this project.
  • Requested input for the Newsletter he has created.
  • Together with Chris plans to encourage Membership campaigns and seminars.
  • Shared that within the District there are 75-100 new members while losses have been larger.
  • Better understand how to reverse the number of members who do not renew their memberships.
  • Outreaches to the AAPR, LBGTQ and minority communites.

There was a consenus that Pauls' was perhaps the most interesting and positive District Governor presentations in recent years.

 

 

Bucks County “Tour of Honor”

Today’s Guest Speakers:  Bucks County Tour of Honor (http://www.buckscountytourofhonor.org/#!/)

Board members

  • Christine Ferrara, Secretary/Treasurer
  • Michael DeBonis, Board Member
  • Gerald Fretz, Board Member

Mike DeBonis

Mike DeBonis (l) with the help of Fred Edelman

then showed an interesting, informative and moving video on a recent Bucks County Tour of Honor trip to the nation’s capital. 

Christine Ferrara and Gerald Fretz

(l to r) Club President Jeff Revak, Gerald Fretz and Christine Ferrara

discussed other aspects of the Tour of Honor and the emotional impact it has had on so many of the  1,200 verterans who have had the opportunity to participate in one of these trips.

The mission and sole purpose of Bucks County Tour of Honor is to transport United States Military Veterans from the Bucks County area to Washington DC to visit memorials, buildings and other places that promote and represent the ideals of the United States of America.

At present our major focus is WWII veterans and terminally ill veterans, who are given top priority. We are also accepting applications for Korean and Vietnam War era veterans.

The Bucks County Tour of Honor experience leaves from Parx East and includes stops at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the Changing of the Guard and Wreath Laying Ceremony, Air Force Memorial, Korean War Memorial and World War II Memorial. The trip to Washington DC is followed by a “Welcome Home” celebration, dinner and entertainment hosted by Parx Casino.

Each such Tour of Honor trip costs roughly $50,000.

To date, some 1,200 veterans have traveled to Washington DC as part of this program

The Bucks County Tour of Honor is an all-expenses paid trip for the veteran and is destined to be an experience you will forever treasure.

Christine then encouraged eligible veterans to consider applying to participate in one of the future Bucks County Tours of Honor; the next one for World War II and Korean War veterans on October 1, 2018.

A spontaneous round of applause followed.