Pledge and Invocation:
President Mike Markovitz brought the meeting to order at 12:15 PM at Purkey’s Pink Apple with Samantha Maruzzelli leading the Pledge of Allegiance and Dave Wilson giving the Invocation.
Guests:
Katie Rincavage – guest speaker
John – exchange student
Club News:
The upcoming Board of Directors Meeting for January 15th will be held at Purkey’s Pink Apple – Back Room from 7:30-8:30 instead of the Towne and Country Grille (Closed for at least 2 months due to their moving).
Induction of New Members
Dory Browning – (Sponsored by Ruth Gorski) was inducted by Ron Furman
L to R: Ruth Gorski, Dory Browning and Membership Chair Ron Furman
Committee Reports
Fellowship Committee – Pres. Mike for Ann Way / Tom Kukuchka
Our Annual Holiday / Wine Festival Party (Rotary / Kiwanis / and Wine Fest Team) is scheduled for Saturday, January 12, 2019. Cost is $30 per person. A sign-up sheet is going around, please sign up. It will be held at the Shadowbrook Resort from 5:30 - 9:00pm. We will have some social time followed by a buffet dinner. If the weather cooperates, we will have some entertainment following our meal by Jim Welch and fellow musicians. Please RSVP to Ann Way before 4 PM on January 3, 2019.
Buffett Menu
Cheese & Crackers/Veggie Platter w/Ranch
Fresh Tossed Salad/Rolls & Butter
Roasted Chicken
Oven Roasted Beef
Bourbon Salmon
Ziti with Marinara Sauce
Mashed Potatoes/Sautéed Green Beans
Holiday Dessert Display
Rotary Foundation – Al Noble/Samantha Maruzzelli
Sam can help with Foundation donations; Just let her know.
Membership Committee – Ron Furman
They will follow up with the people who came to the Fall mixer.
District News: Pres. Mike Markovitz
PETS Training Mar 21-23.
Exchange Student Report: Anne Sehne
Anne reported that the new outbound exchange student assignments have been made and the students will find out where they are going on Jan 5. Anne will attend the Essex Conference the following weekend.
John has boys basketball discount cards available for purchase, lots of good discounts in the area. He had a good Xmas. His host family likes to joke and they exchanged joke gifts, like non-healthy food and napkins. He wished everyone a happy New Year.
Secretary’s Report – Carol Ziomek
No newsletter this week since Carol has been sick with severe bronchitis and sinusitis.
Treasurer’s Report -
Elaine Walker is on vacation, but Mary Tempest filled in for her.
Our next Meeting will be Thursday, Jan 3. Our guests will be Rachel Kiwak, Mary Roselle and Harley Bobby from the Wyo Cty Active Adult Center.
Prior to adjournment, Samantha Maruzzelli led the recitation of the 4-Way Test by the attendees.
President Mike Markovitz adjourned the meeting at 1:30 PM.
Guest Speaker: Katie Rincavage
Trip to Ghana to Learn about Health Care and Other Needs
Katie is studying to be a Physician’s Assistant (PA) at Bay Path University in Massachusetts. She will be graduating in May 2019. She is very interested in travel and helping at the international level.
Katie was a girl scout, on the student council and was involved with other community service organizations in college.
She presented at a Rotary Club in West Chester PA when she was in college, so she is somewhat familiar with Rotary.
In 2018, she went on a trip to Ghana with some public health students from MA. They stayed in the city of Wa in northern Ghana. Our Rotary Club gave her $200 for her trip.
They took a 6 hr van trip from the airport to Wa, where some people still live in hand made huts and farming is one of the chief occupations. They met with the chiefs of the villages and government officials to get permission to work in their villages.
Ghana’s health system is established and well organized, but just hard to reach everyone in the rural areas. There is only one hospital in the city of Wa with rooms with cots and old beds. They use local anesthesia for many of the surgeries.
Katie Rincavage
