Tupper Lake Rotary Club

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ March 3, 2010

Tupper Lake Rotary
                     March 3, 2010
                         at the Pine Grove
                              www.rotaryallstars.com

Opening: Song Master Greg Gachowski led the club in song today. Rick Wilburn gave the blessing.

Announcements: President Eric Sears announced that a request for training tuition of approximately $150. for a TLHS student to attend a seminar has been received. Eric suggested that the request be considered at the next Board meeting. Eric also announced that he has taken down last year's Rotary allstar game information from the web site to prepare it for this year's information.
Nick Cervelin announced that a Youth Exchange Program presentation was recntly done at the High School. Nick asked members to inquire and then inform him of any prospective high school students who may be good candidates to spend a year abroad.   This would be for a 2011 departure to a foreign country to spend a year of studies.
   Dave Reed announced that he will be heading up the Washington Ave Timan Aid Station again this year. Dave thanked Sandi Strader for running the station last year. Dave will be looking for individuals to spend a couple of hours this summer at the station on the day of the run.
Today' Program:   Marty Mozdzier's guest from the Dept. of Labor was unable to appear at our meeting today so Marti spoke about the program which deals with large employer closures like the Jarden plant closure in Tupper lake last year.
Marty also spoke about how the Adirondack Park Agency Visitor centers benefit tourism. There is concern that the Agency will
close them this year as part of the state's austerity/ cost cutting program as it is in the Agency's decision making authority to decide where its cuts will be.
    There is also concern about the nomination of boat builder Peter Hornbeck as the next APA board member. While he supports the use of the waterways for his premier very light kayaks and asserts that he is an Adirondack businessman, he has publicly announced that he does not support any development such as the ACR project and appears not support other uses of or other access methods or uses of the Adirondacks.
    A "steering committee" has been set up by Andy Flynn , Adirondack author, to try to save the Visitor Information Centers. For more info please contact the Tuppaer Lake Chamber. Thaer will be an Open House at the Chamber on March 12 to feature Microsoft 7.

Other news- Rick Wilburn is back from the Vancouver, B.C. Olympics and will tell us all about it soon !

Members present today:  15 of 21
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Bengt Ohman

                        Coming Programs

March 17-Sandi Strader -Speaker on T.L Real Property Assessment Revaluation
March 24-Steve Wilson
March 31- Dave Reed or Eric Sears-Roof Top Hiway or Civil War re-enactor
April 7-Nick Cervelin
April 14-Karen Pioli
April 21-Bengt Ohman
April 28- Eric Sears
May 5- Dick Meisburger

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ February 24, 2010

Tupper Lake Rotary
                     February 24, 2010
                         at the Pine Grove
                              www.rotaryallstars.com

Opening: Song Master Greg Gachowski led the club in song today. Rick Wilburn gave the blessing.


Today' Program:  Today's program was discussion about the Allstar Football "Programs" which will be sold at the Allstar Game in July. The "Programs" feature the   advertising that is sold by the membership to various businesses and they also include the player information.

Club President Eric Sears began by explaining that he will have the Sunmount Printing Department print the programs again this year. There was discussion about the programs and especially the printed ads and the photos in the ads being "too dark" and the player jersey numbers and names not being available in last years "Programs." Eric said that he planned to be physically present at this year's printing
to assure that the "Programs" will not be "too dark "

The membership discussed apparent difficulties that have occured with knowing what the player jersey numbers were going to be at the time of the printing of the "Programs" This information was not available in last years program and some members of the public complained.

It was proposed that if the jersey numbers can not be known prior to the printing of the "Programs" that we can "stuff" them with a sheet of paper with the player name and number information after they are printed and before the game.

It was, however, also discussed by the club president, that the programs could be published a few days before the game and that therefore advertising could be accepted up to the last minute if necessary. Nevertheless we will be giving advertisers a date certain well in advance of our final possible printing date.

Beng Ohman is looking for an up to date listing of last year's game related activities to determine where we can get advertising dollars. Bengt would like to have more information from the coaches and booster clubs. We also need help from other Rotary Clubs to sell ads and we want to get other service clubs involved and split ad money with them on the ads that they get. Bengt needs three other people to help him with this.

Mark Moeller and others suggested that we also try to print and sell tickets early and before the game to maximumize income from ticket sales as some folks that purchase tickets may eventually not get to the game.   We hope that some ticket sales could be done through the booster club and discussion about an incentive for the booster clubs occured.

Bengt Ohman will be distributing a listing of advertisers for each club member to contact.
Members present today:  10 of 21
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: No Happy Dollars Today
                        Coming Programs

Next week-March 3-Sandi Strader
March Regular Program-to be announced-no evening assembly
March 17-Marti Mozdzier
March 24-Steve Wilson
March 31- no assignment
April 7-Nick Cervelin
April 14-Karen Pioli
April 21-Bengt Ohman
April 28- Eric Sears
May 5- Dick Meisburger

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ February 17, 2010

Tupper Lake Rotary
                     February 17, 2010
                         at the Pine Grove
                              www.rotaryallstars.com

Opening: Song Master Greg Gachowski led the club in song today. Rick Wilburn gave the blessing.

Announcements: Club President Sears said that the club had received a thank you card from the family of Win Benoit. including Kitty, Tom, Kim, Joe and Marie. They expressed how much Win had enjoyed being a Rotarian and his participation in Tupper Lake Rotary. Rick Wilburn mentioned to the club that he had invited Win's oldest son, who comes to Tupper Lake occassionally, to
come to any of our meetings.
Marti Mozdzier announced that the Annual T.L. Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner is Saturday, February 20 and that tickets are available at the Chamber Office for $35. each.
Bengt Ohman said that, if there is time  next week, he would like to discuss advertising for the AllStar Program. Although Doug Wright is scheduled to provide the program for February 24, Eric said that he would arrange for Doug to provide the program on another date so that we could devote the program on the 24th to Bengt's discussion of the AllStar Game Program Ads.

Today' Program:  Pam Martin filled in for the scheduled speaker who was TLHS teacher Cathy Eldridge. Cathy was unavailable today due to a family illness. Pam explained that Cathy is mentoring a "Green Team" within the High School. The "Green Team is a group of students who are working on issues of climate change.
They have been working with the Wild Center and have obtained materials from authors and reserchers to promote and discover environmentally friendly ideas that can be used to created a cleaner world. The group was developed out of the climate change seminars that occured last year at the Museum.
    Pam explained that her presentation is a "teaser" for the future program later this year to be presented to us by Cathy and another teacher and five of the students.

Members present today:  13 of 21
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Mark Moeller
Anniversary: Brad Parker and Eileen Stott, February 14

                        Coming Programs

Next week-February 24-Bengt Ohman-AllStar Advertising
March 3-Sandi Strader
March 10-6:00 pm Assembly-speaker to be announced
March 17-Marti Mozdzier
March 24-Steve Wilson
March 31- no assignment
April 7-Nick Cervelin
April 14-Karen Pioli
April 21-Bengt Ohman
April 28- Eric Sears
May 5- Dick Meisburger

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ February 10, 2010

Tupper Lake Rotary
                    February 10, 2010
                         at the Pine Grove
                             www.rotaryallstars.com

Opening: Song Master Greg Gachowski led the club in song today. Rick Wilburn gave the blessing.

Announcements: Club President Eric sears announced that a thank you note had been received from ARISE and that the club web site has been updated.
Sandy Strader announced that in coordination with Town Assessor, Paul O'Leary, plans are being made to have a representative of the contractor doing the real property evaluations speak at our March 17 meeting. Sandy suggested that we invite the general public to attend.
   District Governor Nominee Mr. Bill Gray will be the District Governor in 2011. Mr. Gray was introduced and spoke briefly to the club.  He has been to 57 clubs in the District. He discussed the "power of invitation" and the "possibility of yes" in getting individuals involved in Rotary activities.
Mr. Gray said that the upcoming Rotary International Convention in Montreal is a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world and to make life long friendships. Information is available through www.rotary.org

Paul Roalsvig annonced that the All Star Press release has gone out. The press release and related stories have already benn published in some local papers !

Today' Program: Betsy Lowe was introduced by Paul Roalsvig. Betsy, who was last a guest speaker a couple of years ago, is the individual behind the creation of the "Wild Center" Museum and is currently the Director of the NYS Dept. of Conservation District 5.
Betsy explained that so far the Museum has seen over 100,000 visitors. Betsy is on multiple boards including the Museum's , AP and ORDA and was on the Quadracentenila board for the Lake Champlain 400 year discovery anniversary.
Ms. Lowe discussed declining staff numbers in her department and some of the issues facing her department today. These included the affect of highway road salt, power lines needed to support wind turbine developments, and invasive species concerns. Betsy said that our area is a good place to conduct climate change studies.
Ms. Lowe explained that her department is involved with everything from the rebuilding of the Crown Point Lake Chaplain Bridge to the construction of the Malta computer
chip plant.

Guests Today:  Rene-Paul Forier , Rotary Assistant District Governorl and Bill Gray, District Governorl Nominee

Allstar news: Linda Provo announced that 11 of the   17
scholls contacted ( including 7 west and 4 east ) have returned packets that include a total of 81 seniors so far.

Members present today:  12 of 21 members
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Dave Reed

Reminder: Annual Dues are $150.00 payable in July. However they may be paid in two installments of $75.00. If you are or would like to pay dues semi-annually you can pay half now, in January! See Club Treasurer Sandy Strader at the next meeting. She is always willing to take your money which is what keeps our club able to serve the community!

                        Coming Programs

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ February 3, 2010

                      Tupper Lake Rotary
                   February 3, 2010
                         at the Pine Grove
                          www.rotaryallstars.com

Opening: Song Master Greg Gachowski led the club in song today while Rick Wilburn gave the blessing.

Announcements:  Club President Eric Sears announced that the club received " thank yous" from Family Champions for our $500. donation and from K-Ellen Cleary of the Imbassi Orphanage and from our sponsored student Ingabaire Claudia for our club's educational tuition support. The Orphanage is in Ruwanda . It was support by our club abnd other Rotary clubs. As the orphans are now growing up, last year we decided to support one of them for their education.
Today' Program:  Gail Auclair spoke today about her attendance, on behalf of the club, to the local club Presidents meeting held last week in Ausable Forks.
Rerpresentatives of the three tri-lakes clubs and the Ausable Club attended this meeting with Assistant District Director
Rene-Paul Forier. gail explained that Rene-Paul would like all four local clubs to meet once each year. To encourage such an event for this year, Rene-Paul has proposed to give $400 to the club with the best percentage of attendance at a get together event to be held this spring.

There will be other awards as well.The key is to have the best attendance possible. He and others are looking for a venue in the area that will accomodate about 100 people.
The Ausable Club will be holding a Foundation walk on May 2.
No Guests Today:

Allstar news: Linda Provo announced that player packets have been received back from 9 of the 17 scholls including recent responses from Plattsburgh, Massena and St. Lawrence Central High Schools.

Family Champions: Karen Pioli would like everyone to know that Family Champions is now open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 1 pm and is open on Saturday 1 to 3pm. Further information is available by calling 359-9110

Members present today:  12 of 25
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Dave Reed

Reminder: Annual Dues are $150.00 payable in July. However they may be paid in two installments of $75.00. If you are or would like to pay dues semi-annually you can pay half now, in January! See Club Treasurer Sandy Strader at the next meeting. She is always willing to take your money which is what keeps our club able to serve the community!

                        Coming Programs

Next week-February 10-Paul Roalsvig
February 17-Pam Martin
February 24-Doug White
March 3-Sandy Strader
March 10 - Evening Assembly
March 17- Marti Modzier
March 24- Steve Wilson
Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ January 27, 2010

Tupper Lake Rotary
                   January 27, 2010
                       at the Pine Grove
                          www.rotaryallstars.com

Opening: Song Master Greg Gachowski led the club in song today. Rick Wilburn gave the blessing.

Announcements: Club President Sears announced the passing of Winn Benoit. Winn was a Rotarian for many years. In many ways, Win gave great service to the Club and to our community. We will all miss Winn greatly and we mourn for his wife, Catherine, and his family.
The Club will meet at the Fortune ,Stuart, Keogh Funeral Home at about 5:45 to 6 pm this Friday, January 29 to participate in the funeral Service for Winn. Dave Reed will email the membership with any updates or time changes for this gathering.

Today' Program:  Club Member Nick Cervelin discussed the Poilo prevention program. Nick has traveled to Ghana, India Tanzinia and Nigeria to help fight Poio and Malaria. Nick explained that Polio still exists in Nigeria and India. It has been isolated to one state in each of these countries. The major worldwide Polio eradication initiative which has also been a major intrnational Rotary program began in the 1985 to 1988 period and was supposed to eliminate Polio worldwide within 20 years. Polio is a virus which takes residence in fecal mater
in polluted drinking water and can therefore be transmitted through lack of sanitation systems and poor personal sanitation habits. It can be prevented by a vacine which costs only pennies per dose and is admistered orally. With poor sanitation and without the vacine a child can become crippled for life, can be required to live inside an iron lung or can die.
Nick showed the film "The Final Inch." The film portrayed the challenges of getting to the young children and dealing with the political and religius objections that some parnets may have to the vacine which will save the lives of their children.
Polio eradication was further described in the film as the largest non military human effort in history. It has involved over 20 million individuals volunteering to reach the world's children. Polio can creap back into a society from only a handful of children who do not receive the vacine. Therefore it is paramount to reach and vacinate all children.

Guests Today:  Today we were visited by Jim Tinney from Welsley Island who was a guest of Sandy Strader. Accompanying Dave Reed today were Jay (also known as Dan ) and Jennifer King of the Hammersong Ornamental Iron metlas fabricating, welding and blacksmithing business in the Junction ( at the old Wheel Inn and in the rear of Larkin's Gulf )

Allstar news: Linda Provo announced that player packets are being sent out to 21 interested players from Franklin Academy
(Malone)

Family Champions: Karen Pioli would like everyone to know that Family Champions is now open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 1 pm and is open on Saturday 1 to 3pm. Further information is available by calling 359-9110

Members present today:  13 of 25
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Linda Provo

Reminder: Annual Dues are $150.00 payable in July. However they may be paid in two installments of $75.00. If you are or would like to pay dues semi-annually you can pay half now, in January! See Club Treasurer Sandy Strader at the next meeting. She is always willing to take your money which is what keeps our club able to serve the community!

                        Coming Programs

February 3-Gail Auclair
February 10-Paul Roalsvig

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ January 20, 2010

   Tupper Lake Rotary
                   January 20, 2010
                        at the Pine Grove
                  www.rotaryallstars.com

Opening: Greg Gachowski led our singing and Rick Wilburn asked for our blessing today.

Announcements: Club President Eric Sears announced that the club received a thank you from the Family Champions for filing cabinets and chairs made available by TL Rotary. The Family Champions Center at the former "rebel's Video" store is now open and in use 6 days every week.
Linda Provo announced that a sheet with advertising info for advertisers in the Allstar Program has been prepared. This info sheet answer all potential questions that potential advertisers may have. It tells advertisers what they are buying, what the prices are and what they need to do to provide ad copy.  Questions?-need copies?
Contact Linda or Mark Moeller.

Dave Reed announced that the speaker next week will be Jason Clark from Massena who will spaek about and explain the proposed "Roof Top Highway" Dave also suggests that we all telephone any members that we haven't seen lately and invite them to come to the next meeting.

Today' Speaker:  Tom Helms, Helms Aero Service, Long Lake, NY

Mr Helms, who spoke to the club one year ago returned to speak again about the past year's efforts to work to keep float plane access to Low's Lake. Low's Lake is a man made water body about 15 miles southwest of the south end of Tupper Lake. Over the years most of the Adirondack's remote lakes have been closed by DEC and APA Regulations to float plane operations. Low's Lake is one of the last remaining (of any size lakes) still open. However regulators and environmental organizations have been working to make sure that this lake is closed as well.
Over the past year APA proposed to continue to allow float planes at Low's, with lots of restrictions which would make useage unsafe and impractical and would have still caused a large business loss to the two remaining commercial float plane operators.
The DEC Commissioner said that if the operators can not agree to the proposed changes, then the lake should just be closed.

Since then the float plane operators have been working with representatives of DEC and APA to find a substitute lake that they might be able to operate from. Although there are hundreds of remote lakes in the Adirondacks, many are owned by private persons or corporations( and closed to public use) while others are owned by government entities that will not allow public use (ie-Catlin Lake owned by SUNY) and the remainder are in state forest lands that have more recently been delared as "wilderness" and therefore not open to any motorizes access. Mr. Helms explained that the APA said that there were 11,000 bodies of water but he explained that only 3000 were suitable for float planes. Mr. Helms organized the entire list of these water bodies and eliminated the ones that were closed by government regulators, and not suitable for float plane use and came up with less than a handful of small remote lakes still available for float plane use.

This is why keeping Low's lake open to float planes is so important. It represents 40 percent plus of the float plane business.

Guest Today: Patrick Donnelly from Tupper Lake.
Members Present Today: 14
Todays 50/50 winner : Patrick Donnelly

                        Coming Programs

January 27-Dave Reed
February 3-Gail Auclair
February 10-Paul Roalsvig

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ January 13, 2010

                     Tupper Lake Rotary
                   January 13, 2010
                       at the Pine Grove
                  www.rotaryallstars.com

Announcements: Club President Sears announced that Win Benoit is at the hospital.  A get well and wishes card was circulated to the members for signing to send to Win.

An inquiry was received from the NYS Tea Party regarding an offer to speak about government debt, taxes, jobs, and other subjects. Discussion followed. It was decided to not entertain
their offer to speak.
President Sears announced that Linda Provo has returned to membership in the club. Great news-! Glad to have back, Linda !

Today' Speaker: Rick Donah spoke to the club today about his involvement with ARISE. Rick and his family are from Tupper Lake. Rick's grandfather was a Rotarian and Rick's parents ran the J.C. Penny store here in Tupper Lake.

Rick was in the Seattle area for 13 years and then worked in LK Placid for the USA Luge Team and then was employed in the Albany, NY area. More recently Rick was the "Locations Manager " for the feature movie titled "Recreator" which was filmed in Tupper Lake and will be coming out this spring.
Recently Rick has been helping his girl friend ,Michelle Blair, at P-2's Bar and has been the volunteer coordinator for the Big Tupper operations. Rick explained that there are three paid managers at the ski slope and that everyone else working there is a volunteer.Using his business experience, Rick divided the ski slope operation into four departments. They are: Lift Operations, "Snow" School, Guest Services and Ski Patrol. There is a corp group of 25 people in each department.There are over 220 volunteers now.
Work on the slope started last July with the thought of running the t-bar. It was soon learned however that the best piece of lift equipmet was chair 2. It was the most modern and was in the best and most reliable condition. It was determined that repair and operation of the t-bar was more costly.
Mr. Donah explained that most modern ski slopes and golf courses are accompanied by housing and the residences (both rental and private homes ) of individual interested in the sport(s). He explained that economic support of on site residents is why the ACR project ultimately is important to both the ski slope and the golf course.
The ski slope's biggest expenses are for insurance. Currently 200 tickets are sold each day. The web site www.skibigtupper.org is busier than the one at Whiteface. The other local ski facilities have been very supportive.
The ski slpoe continues to welcome new volunteers.
Rick will be opening an internet payroll and employee management business in the former J.C. Penny Store across from Stewart's. Rick is a Rotarian and was a member in the Albany area. We look forward to Rick's joining Tupper Lake Rotary.
RAFFLE Today: Dave Reed raffled the holiday basket that he donated to the club last week. Sandy Strader "won" the raffle.
The $26.00 raffle earnings were donated to ARISE. Thank you Dave and Sandy!

Today's program: Members present today:  11 of 25
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Nick Cervelin who donated his winnings to ARISE. Thank you Nick !

Reminder: Annual Dues are $150.00 payable in July. However they may be paid in two installments of $75.00. If you are or would like to pay dues semi-annually you can pay half now, in January! See Club Treasurer Sandy Strader at the next meeting. She is always willing to take your money which is what keeps our club able to serve the community!

                        Coming Programs

January 20-Brad Parker
January 27-Dave Reed
February 3-Gail Auclair
February 10-Paul Roalsvig

Reminder to think about:Our District AG Rene-Paul Forier announced in November, at our club, that he will be meeting with the four area Clubs this month about a "celebration of spring project common project" requiring our all out participation !

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ January 6, 2010
Tupper Lake Rotary
                   January 6, 2010
                       at the Pine Grove
                  www.rotaryallstars.com

Announcements: Thank you received from T.L Junior Honor Society for our club's participation in the toy drive. Club President Sears announced that Wynn Benoit is still rcovering.  We wish Wynn and his family the very best.Dave Reed donated a "holiday basket " to the club for a raffle.

Today's program: The Rotary All Star Game

Mike Hunsinger opened discussion of this now annual T.L. Rotary event, held in July at the LP Quinn School, by discussing its history. Mike explained that the idea for the games was brought to the club by former TL Rotary member Jim Carr who had experienced the Rotary football held in San Jose, California.
The games were a great fundraiser
for Rotary and a great event for the players and their families.

Jim Carr along with former members Jim Merkle, Dick Cotrupe, Mary Sparks, and Ricky Dattola and member Steve Wilson (and with help from other members) had been primarily  responsible for the allstar game project and event.
With most of those members gone, last year most all of the duties of the event fell to Ricky. Mike explained that if we are to continue this great event, it needs to be done by a club effort.
Mike said that if we chose to do the event this year we would need to reconstitute the committees for this year's game.
In discussion that followed in today's meeting there was agreement that the game was a good fundraiser for the club and that both the community and the players and families really benefited from the annual event. Mike and other members present today said that the allstar game is a "great pre-college" and once in a lifetime experience for many of the players.
Mike explained that we already have commitments from the coaches who will coach the two teams. There are two aspects to putting on the event for this summer-they are the Game itself and the fundraising. The preparations have to begin now.

                    Responsibilities

    Game                           Fundraising

Head Coaches                 Program Ads
AllStar nominations        Program Player data
(packets to and returned   publish,print and
from players)                   sell programs
Order Uniforms
Gather player data
hold "chalk talk"events
(get player photos)
practices
pre and post game parties

Mike explained that many of the forms and documents needed for the players to fill out (the packets above) and to send to coaches for player nominations and other purposes are assembled from previous years. We need,however, to collect every document, proceedure, press release , ad., etc. that we do or create this year, so that it may be placed on a disc or other electronic data base in a generally familiar format so that it may be collected and placed with all the other documents for use in future allstar game preparations.

Discussion followed that we (as individual Rotarians)need to go to other communities Rotary meetings to solicit the help of their Rotary clubs as we have in the past to ask them to gather advertising for a split of the proceeds.
Further discussion about the responsibilities
and timeline for activities followed. There will be future discussion. Members present volunteered for specific responsibilities as follows.
2010 Allstar Game Sub Committees Structure:
Game Co-chairs - Mike Hunsinger & Mark Moeller
Assistant for Coaches and Officials - Dennis Klossner & Pam Martin
Assistant for Players - Rick Wilburn & Sandie Strader
Registration- Steve Wilson
Game Secretary - Linda Provo
Public Relations - Paul Roalsvig
Game Treasurer - Sandie Strader
Advertising Co-Chairs - Bengt Ohman & Nick Cervelin with Dave Reed
Advertising Sellers: Everyone !
Game program Editor and Assistants-Eric Sears with Linda Provo and Brad Parker

Special thanks to everyone and to Linda.
If you were not at the meeting please feel free to join a particular sub committee ! Everyone is needed and appreciated !

Members present today:  13 of 24
Guest: Linda Provo
Birthday's /Anniversaries: Bengt Ohman and Mike Hunsinger -January 5, Anniversary-Mark and Sue Moeller-January 2
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Gail
Auclair
Reminder: Annual Dues are $150.00 payable in July. However they may be paid in two installments of $75.00. If you are or would like to pay dues semi-annually you can pay half now, in January! See Club Treasurer Sandy Strader at the next meeting. She is always willing to take your money which is what keeps our club able to serve the community!

                        Coming Programs

January 13-Mark Moeller
January 20-Brad Parker
January 27-Dave Reed
February 3-Gail Auclair
February 10-Paul Roalsvig

Reminder to think about:Our District AG Rene-Paul Forier announced in November, at our club, that he will be meeting with the four area Clubs this month about a "celebration of spring project common project" requiring our all out participation !

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

TUPPER ROTARY CLUB MEETING/ December 2, 2009

                     Tupper Lake Rotary
                 December 2, 2009
                       at the Pine Grove
                  www.rotaryallstars.com

Announcements: The Assembly/Christmas Party will be on Wednesday, December 16 with cocktails beginning at 6pm followed by dinner at 7pm. at the Pine Grove Restaurant.  Club President Eric Sears announced that photos taken by the Assistant District Governor are now posted on our club's Web site.
Eric announced that he has checked up on both Winn Benoit and Kurt Heindrick. Things have been difficult recently for Winn while Kurt is doing well.
Discussion- We did not do the in school reading this year for the kids at L.P. Quinn. Can we do this soon, as we did in the past? Nick Cervelin will check into this.

Today's program: Club member and local Family Champions founder Karen Pioli spoke to the club today. Karen chronicled the history of Family Champions from its beginning in 2005 to today.
The organization began with the need to create a "resource book" that would explain all the various
programs and opportunities available to families needing services and assistance. Karen found that there was not a single place where all of them were referenced.During 2005 Karen also started doing help groups in her home and put on meetings about autism, a ladies conference, and linked with "Families Together " for mental health issues. In 2006 Karen started gathering clothing for needy folks and in 2007 found that her house and garage were not large enough as she also started to collect furniture. Karen to Rotary to seek a storage facility. A board of Directors for "Family Champions" was also established.
In 2008 Family Champions worked with the Salvation Army on behalf of 60 familys to provide presents for kids to have and to give and clothes for all for Christmas. Family Champions also received their first contract with Franklin county to provide services and received IRS 501 c (3) non profit designation. In 2008 the OWD cafeteria space was made available for storage and sorting.

This year Family Champions moved to the old Mandy Maroun store location on the west end of main street in the Junction and then just recently moved to 46 Pine street under a 5 year lease at the old "Rebels Video" store location. This location will allow for training conferences and meals for the conferences. This year FC has been used as a location where those doing "community service" work may go as required for public assistance programs. In addition, this year, Family Champions will also be working with the T.L. Independent Living Center and the social service agencies of both Franklin and St Lawrence Counties. Family Champions plans to have a web site soon.

Members present today:  13

Guest: Bill Cooper

Birthday's /Anniversaries: Winn Benoit-December 3-last week 45th wedding anniversary for the Ohman's !
Today's 50/50-Happy Dollars Winner: Dick Meisburger and Steve Wilson

                        Coming Programs

Note: Please check the calendar at the website to see when you are scheduled to provide the weekly program.

Next Meeting -December 9: Please bring a toy or toys!!- The Junior Honor Society will be represented and speaking to us will be collecting Christmas toys.

December 16:Assembly/Christmas Party at the Pine Grove-Program-Cocktails at 6pm Dinner at 7pm- Prime Rib-$20.00, Shrimp Scampi- $18.00 and Chicken-$16.00. If you have not signed up already please contact Dick Meisburger as soon as possible!

January 6: Mike Hunsinger is coordinating the Allstar Game this year. At the meeting on Wednesday, January 6 Mike plans to discuss
the plans and needs for this years prepartions for the Game.