2016 Officer Installation & Awards Banquet
The Rotary Club of Tunkhannock held its 2016 Officer Installation and Awards Banquet on June 23 at the Tunkhannock Moose Lodge. District Governor Barbara and Edwin Belon were honored guests.
Two Tunkhannock Rotarians gave personal Paul Harris Recognitions: Patty Ehrenzeller made her husband Randy Ehrenzeller a Paul Harris Fellow and Tom Kukuchka recognized his daughter in law Sherri Kukuchka (absent) as a new Paul Harris Fellow.
Club Awards for the 2015-2016 Rotary Year were presented to: Pres. Ron Furman for Perfect Attendance, a Thank You Award to Terry Furman for her outstanding work on the Blessing of the Books Collections, the President’s Award to Rod Azar for his leadership of the re-establishment of the Rotary Relays, a Distinguished Service Award to Ann Way for her years of outstanding service to the Club including repeatedly burning the midnight oil handling all ticket sales for the annual Harvest & Wine Festival, and the Club Rotarian of the Year Award to Don Streby for his masterful solicitation of donors and sponsors for Club events.
Top: Ann Way receiving her Distinguished Service Award from President Ron Furman
Bottom: Don Streby with his Rotarian of the Year Award presented by President Ron.
After the Awards Ceremony, outgoing President Ron Furman reviewed the many accomplishments of the club during his year as President. One of his proudest personal accomplishments was keeping his gavel from being “stolen” by Club Rotarians during his Presidency (a favorite game of Club Rotarians). Although Ron did admit that after his installation as President at last year’s banquet, his new gavel was briefly “stolen” by Tom Kukuchka (gavel thief par excellence) but Tom had pity on him and returned it at the end of the evening. Since that event occurred in late June before Ron officially took over the Presidency on July 1, Tom’s escapade did not really count as a “steal” during his Presidency and Ron became the first President in 5 years to hang onto his gavel for his entire Presidency.
DG Barbara Belon then installed Ann Way as the 2016-2017 President of the Rotary Club of Tunkhannock. She also swore in the other officers and directors for the next Rotary year.
L to R: Front Row: President Elect Samantha Maruzzelli, Secretary Carol Ziomek, Treasurer Sandy Lane and Director Tom Kukuchka. Back Row: 2016-2017 President Ann Way, DG Barbara Belon, President Ron Furman, Vice President Don Streby and Directors Bill Milligan, George Gay and Rod Azar. (absent were Directors Karen Fuller, Norm Kelly, Mike Markovitz and Matt Pompey)
At the passing of the gavel portion of the ceremony where outgoing President Ron Furman presents a new gavel to incoming President Ann Way, the gavel box came up empty as the gavel “thief” gremlins were already at work. The gavel was located and Ann proceeded to tie it around her neck to guard it for the rest of the evening. The evening ended with the new President’s address to the club as to her “hopes” for the next Rotary year starting July 1.
Top: President Ron passed the gavel box to incoming President Ann Way but they found that the box was empty, as a gavel “thief” had struck again.
Bottom: After the gavel was recovered, incoming President Ann Way addressed the assembly.