Rotary Club of Vernon, NJ

September 13, 2011

2011-09-13T14:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been awhile. We've brought a new team in for the Rotary Year, led by Susan George. We're also adding Stephen McGee back to the masthead as Secretary for this year and David Gornstein as Treasurer.

The last month has been a bit hectic, between Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Vernon Township has had more than its share of water, that's for sure!

Let us also not forget the 9/11 memorial services of last weekend, both nationally and in Sussex County. A sad time for this country and important to remember as it gives us all a perspective for the trials and tribulations of our own lives.

For those of you that are into social media, Vernon Police has a Facebook page. If you "Like" it, then you'll get important updates on road closings and openings. It has been invaluable these past few days with all the flooding, road collapses, etc. Particularly useful if you have a smartphone with Facebook access.

March 22, 2011

2011-03-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung...then bounced back into Winter. Eventually, we'll actually have warm weather, but Old Man Winter is hanging on.

In two weeks, we will have the Group Study Exchange here from Brazil. GSE groups are always fun to host as they afford us all an opportunity to learn about other countries and cultures. In the past, we've had groups from New Zealand, India, Switzerland, and Brazil and it was always entertaining.

For the group coming in, we'll have a day of mine exploration as well as visiting local resorts to educate them about the history of the area and about what drives much of the local economy. If you're interested in joining them for the day, please see Reg Phillips.

March 8, 2011

2011-03-10T06:07:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Suzanne Swank joined us along with the Sussex County United Way Scholar Athletes from Vernon and Newton. We had a good turnout as this is always an interesting evening to hear from the young people in the community.

Shown here is Kellianne Baumann and her parents. Kellianne is a senior at Vernon High School and is captain of both the varsity soccer and varsity basketball teams. She also has an outstanding grade point average. Please click here http://sussexunitedway.org/2011_Scholar_Athlete_Nominees.php for more information about all the scholar athlete nominees.

Shown in this photo is Brian Lawrey and his family. Brian is a senior at Newton High School and academically is #1 in his class. Brian also runs cross country and swims. Outside of school, Brian is active in his church and in the community. See the United Way website (above) for more information.

January 11, 2011

2011-01-13T14:05:00.001-08:00

Due to the impending snowstorm, we did not have a meeting tonight. It was a difficult call, as the snow did not actually start until around 8 pm, but when it did, it came down steadily so that by morning, we had a good 8-9 inches.

Better safe than sorry is a good motto to live by. We'll see everyone next week, on the 18th! In the meantime, send your ideas for programs or speakers to mcguire_bob@hotmail.com.

January 4, 2011

2011-01-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We hope everyone welcomed in the new year safely and had a good holiday spent with family and loved ones. Please check the calendar of events on the panel to the right - we have an exciting schedule for the remaining months of the current Rotary Year with more to be added.

We are moving our Annual Golf Outing to The Farmstead Country Club in Lafayette this year. This is a very nice golf course and should make for a nice change of venue. Check out their website at http://farmsteadgolf.com/.

December 7, 2010

2010-12-09T06:04:00.000-08:00

We had our annual Family Christmas Party at Heaven Hill Farm tonight. It was a very enjoyable time and Martin and his crew did a wonderful job with the food. Of particular note was the apple crisp. Nice job!

This annual get-together offers a chance for us to get together with spouses and family members and enjoy some good old holiday fellowship. The Club thanks Martin for his hospitality and generosity in supporting this annual event for us.

November 9, 2010

2010-11-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had two guests with us for our meeting. The first was Michael Roux and his father, Roger. Our second guest was Gerry Giaimis, Vernon Township Manager.

Michael, who graduated from High Point University this spring, participated in the Journey of Hope, a cross-country bicycle trip that raises awareness and money for people with disabilities. Our Club contributed to the effort in support of Michael. See this link for more information and pictures of the effort: http://www.pushamerica.org/events/joh/.

Gerry Giaimis is the latest township manager that we've had in Vernon. (I think 3rd or 4th this year...) Though we haven't had all of them present to us, his comments were frank and to-the-point. While some of the initiatives that the township are considering are not greeted with unanimous fanfare, it is clear that the township is facing some real challenges. However, Gerry stated that he has seen townships with worse problems.

While it is not clear exactly how long he will be manager, given the change in township government that was passed in the recent election, he is certainly ready for the task ahead. We thank Gerry for his time in joining us and hope that he will return for periodic updates.

October 12, 2010

2010-10-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight Zachary Decker and his family joined us for dinner. This was to honor those who had helped with the fundraiser that was held on September 11 to raise money for him. Zachary is a 4-year-old boy from Hamburg who is suffering from ALL, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

The following is an excerpt from a thank you letter that was sent to The Advertiser shortly after the fundraiser, "Thank you to Tree City Mini Golf for hosting our day as well as Teresa Vihiti and the Vernon Rotary for their sponsorship of the tricky tray. Without your help and support along the way, this day would not have been achievable. We would also like to acknowledge Mayor Sally Rinker and the Vernon Township Council for their encouragement and support.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Kristin Oyen, Nicole Saliba and Alicia Speid"

Cash 4 Gold Fundraiser!!!

2010-10-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Vernon Rotary Club is sponsoring a Gold for Cash Fundraiser.

Gold price hits $1,300 record high! September 24, 2010, the price of gold rises above $1,300 an ounce for the first time. Convert your gold (silver, platinum, and precious gem stones) to cash – Old chains, missing earrings, broken pieces, etc, etc.

Place: McAfee Firehouse at the Intersection of Rt. 94 & 517
Dates: Wednesday, October 6th - 6 to 9 PM
Saturday, October 9th - 11 AM to 3 PM

Please help us in supporting our local activities, including:

• Scholarships (the Vernon Rotary has presented more than $100,000 in grants and scholarships to our students);
• Dictionary Project (the club has presented every third grader in the Vernon schools with their own dictionary for the past 6 years)
• Charitable donations (various church and food pantries);
• Community services and projects
• Etc.

September 21, 2010

2010-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

This evening we welcomed a number of individuals from Vernon who provided invaluable assistance with last Fall's fundraiser for one of our members, Jim Dizenzo. Jim had been diagnosed with a terrible lung condition that necessitated his receiving a double lung transplant. While insurance, thankfully, covered much of the expense, as with anything like this, because of the time required for recuperation, there are many personal expenses not covered by medical insurance. The fundraiser provided much needed financial assistance for Jim and his family so he could come back strong as ever.

Pam Reed volunteered her time out of friendship with Jim and his family. Bill Maggeri, a colleague from BNI, offered his services as DJ for the fundraiser. Patty Guinta of Brookside Florist, offered her services. Jeannie Buffalino, with the PAL, also helped with the hosting of the event. And, lastly, Craig English and Mark Megan of Mac & Lindy's Liquors, helped with the beverages.

We were grateful to be able to present awards to almost all the contributors in person this evening.

September 14, 2010

2010-09-24T03:49:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Fundraiser for Zachary Decker, the 4-year old from Hamburg who is suffering with leukemia. The fundraiser was held at Tree City Mini Golf at Mountain Creek. The Club helped by sponsoring the Tricky Tray. All in all, the day raised over $4000 for Zachary to help defray the costs of his ongoing chemotherapy.

Below are some additional photos from the event. Thanks to Theresa for representing the Club and to Martin for his donation of Tricky Tray items. Also in attendance was Sally, in her role as mayor. All in all, a good day for Vernon and the Club.

August 31, 2010

2010-09-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

This evening we were joined by Sarah Balzano who is a Nurse Liaison for The Homestead, a rehabilitation and long term care facility in Sussex County. First of all, we were surprised to hear about The Homestead, most of us having no idea that Sussex County had such a facility. The Homestead is located at 129 Morris Turnpike, in Newton. It can also be found on the web at www.sussex.ny.us/homestead.

The Homestead offers a full range of services that include Audiology, Optometry/Opthalmology, Podiatry and variety of others. The Homestead also has The Balance Center which provides vestibular rehabilitation. The Balance Center provides diagnostic and rehabilitation services to identify and treat balance disorders in people from all walks of life. The Balance Center can be reached at 973-948-4093.

August 10, 2010

2010-08-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sue Cacciola joined us for a program on Legal Nurse Consulting which basically is an expert witness who helps lawyers and plaintiffs as well as defendants with cases of negligence and malpractice. It was an interesting discussion on a variety of topics in the healthcare field.

Next week, we were to have a program by Sarah Balzano from the Sussex County Homestead, but this is being postponed two weeks due to a personal issue that came up with Sarah.

August 3, 2010

2010-08-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight's meeting was a regular working session, discussing items of business for the Club. A key issue for us this year will be fundraising and there was much discussion about that. The annual spring golf outing is our major fundraiser and concern was expressed that we might dilute the effectiveness of that effort. At the same time, as with many charitable and service organizations, we are constantly looking for ways to increase our funds to be able to serve the community.

Next week we have a program featuring Sue Cacciola, Certified Nurse Consultant.

July 27, 2010

2010-08-01T02:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight's Gold 4 Cash presentation was very interesting. Thanks again to Cathy, Tony, and Tom for sharing this with all of us!

FYI -This fundraiser idea will be on next weeks agenda for further discussion among several other important topics and business we need to take care of.

Speaking of the agenda, I would like to encourage everyone to add your input to the agenda by sending Robert or myself any information or topic of interest that you feel would be important to discuss as a club. I would however, like to try and keep our meetings to no longer than 30-45 mins. (tops,depending on how many agenda items) so starting no later than 7:15pm would help to facilitate this time frame.

Next weeks agenda may likely be a little lengthy since we have had a few events and a few lovely guests/speakers in these past few weeks.

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week, and look forward to hearing from you on any agenda topic you would like added to discuss.

July 20, 2010

2010-07-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

We were joined tonight by Maurie Mader, District Governor of our Rotary District 7470. Maurie was entertaining and informative and gave us the "big picture" view of Rotary from the District to the world. We learned about the continuing focus on Polio Plus, Rotary's effort to eradicate polio from the world. Rotary International is encouraging all clubs to contribute $$$ to this effort and the Sussex County Rotary clubs are going to their best in a 50/50 fundraiser in October.

Pictured here are Teresa and Maurie during their banner exchange.

Joining Maurie was Laura Smith, our Assistant Governor from the Branchville, NJ Rotary club. Laura provided some good feedback and is an invaluable resource, close by, that can help with District issues.

Also this evening, we welcomed a new member, Jean Murphy, to membership in Rotary. Jean is sponsored by Sally Rinker, who is also a relatively new member. Congratulations both to Jean and Sally!

July 13, 2010

2010-07-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the official induction of Teresa and the new slate of officers for the 2010-2011 Rotary year. In addition to members, members' spouses and significant others were in attendance at The George Inn to officially kick-off the year.

Eddie recognized David Gornstein and Susan George for their efforts as chairpersons of the committee that spearheaded the Beefsteak fundraiser for Jim Dizenzo last fall. Congratulations David & Susan!

Here are some more pictures of the evening:

July 6, 2010

2010-07-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is keeping cool in these dog days of summer and staying well hydrated
too.

Just wanted to remind everyone that a final head count is needed by 7/9/10 for the "Pass the Gavel" Dinner...so far we have 15 people confirmed and 2 tentatives. I would appreciate it if everyone can respond one way or the other so I can give John at the George a definite number of people attending next Tuesday.

We also need someone to come forward and fill the Secretary's position before next Tuesday's dinner. Sue has graciously agreed to fill in until someone else steps forward. Robert McGuire has been approached and said he will think about it and let me know. (It would be awesome if you would accept.)

Thank You again, Robert, for the great job you did updating the Blog! If anyone else has an interest in the Secretary's position please let me know as soon as possible.

It was also very nice to see Kevin at last nights meeting and hope he will be attending again on a regular basis. For the rest of you who were unable to attend...You were missed!

We also discussed the possibility of starting the annual baseball outing at Skylands
again and would love some input on that.

Finally as another reminder...Membership Dues & Paul Harris Fellows (for those who
contribute) are due.

July 1, 2010

2010-07-04T05:15:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is having a good summer. Let's welcome Teresa to the helm of the Club. Note that we are looking for someone to take over the Secretary position for the year.

The annual passing of the gavel will be on Tuesday, July 13th at The George Inn. Spouses are welcome. Let us know by July 6 so a count can be given to the The George Inn.

Maurie Mader, our new District Governor, will be joining us on July 20. Check the Calendar of Events to the right.

In October, the six Rotary clubs in Sussex County will be having the Six Club Dinner at The Farmstead Golf & Country Club at 6 pm. We will be offering the invocation.

February 22, 2010

2010-02-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of setting up a Facebook group for the Vernon Rotary Club. If you are not already a member of Facebook, go to www.facebook.com and sign up. It's free and it's a great way to connect with family, friends, and long-lost colleagues.

February 16, 2010

2010-02-17T05:55:00.000-08:00

This evening we had a program with Suzanne Swank and two of Sussex County United Way's Scholar Athletes. From Vernon, we had Louis Stengel and his parents and from Sussex Tech, we had Katie Roth. Both are outstanding students whose goals include studying engineering in college.

Katie is studying Engineering Technology at Tech and has been involved in a variety of activities including the human powered submarine at the International Submarine Races held biennially (every two years) at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Bethesda, MD. Here is a link to their site for more information: http://www.isrsubrace.org/index.cfm.

Here is a picture of the Sussex Tech entry in the January 2007 races. In case it was not mentioned, Katie is 1st in her graduating class.

Louis is 7th in the 2010 Vernon High School graduating class. He is a track athlete as well as plays basketball and baseball. He is also involved in marching band and plays in a summer pit orchestra with the Highland Stage. He is also a Vice President of the National Honor Society. After graduation, he plans on studying mechanical engineering.

February 2, 2010

2010-02-02T15:03:00.000-08:00

The Vernon Rotary Club sponsored a raffle to raise funds for a local girl who is battling leukemia. Tonight we held the drawing at our regular meeting. The raffle, run by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Kinnelon, raised over $20,000 to help Micayla Wynn and her parents with un-covered expenses related to her treatment. It was a tremendous effort and Micayla's father, Pete, was very appreciative of the help that the club provided.

Chili anyone? Saturday was the 7th annual Sussex County United Way Chili Open and, boy, was it chilly! With the temperature hovering around 10 degrees, a sellout crowd of golfers assembled at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on a bleak, overcast day to, of all things, play a round of golf and to eat chili. The new Conservatory at the Fairgrounds is beautiful and was nice and warm during the cold day.

All five Sussex County Rotary Clubs were in attendance, helping with everything from course layout to providing food and refreshments to providing games for golfers to play while waiting for awards, etc. The Vernon Rotary Club, represented by Rotarians Teresa Vihti, David Gornstein, Martin Theobald, and Robert McGuire had set up three tables of Texas Hold'Em. Students Sarah McGuire, Jonathan Vihti, and Travis Vihti helped out as well. And the master dealer was Teresa's husband, Vinny. Thank you, Vinny, for a fine job!

Thank you to all who helped out and we look forward to next year!

January 19, 2009

2010-01-20T03:47:00.000-08:00

We were joined last week by Samuel Borlum of Extreme Energy Solutions who spoke about fuel efficiency. His company has been performing R&D in the area of fuel efficiency for some time. In their experience, it is about changing mindsets about fuel and engines. Their focus is on transportation and companies with fleets of vehicles. It is not necessary to increase fuel mileage 50%; a mere 10% improvement in fuel mileage can bring dramatic improvements to a company's bottom line.

Last week, there was a fire at the condos at Great Gorge (the Spa) in Vernon. Five families lost their homes. The fire destroyed an entire building that was comprised of eight units. Today, the Club voted to make a donation to the families as well as to Haitian earthquake relief.

December 2, 2009

2009-12-03T17:49:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And, of course, the annual Gift of Life Super Bowl Raffle. $10 gets you a chance at an all expense paid trip to Miami Florida for two to see the Super Bowl at the end of January. They are going fast, so contact any Rotary member for a ticket.

Next week, we'll have our annual Family Christmas Party at Heaven Hill Farm, courtesy of Martin Theobald. Thank you, Martin! We all look forward to the evening, especially with a visit from Santa!

Steve McGee announced that the Hidden Valley Ski Patrol Annual Beefsteak is this coming Saturday night at Hidden Valley. Advance tickets are $25 each, more at the door. Also, Steve broke the news that his son had achieved the highest rank in Scouting, that of Eagle Scout. Congratulations!

May 5, 2009

2009-05-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

We were joined today by the Group Study Exchange (GSE) team from Switzerland. The team consisted of five members and their Rotarian leader, Rolf Neumann. The team members include Katja Ruttimann, a communications specialist in the tourism industry, Andrea Schulte, a social worker, Carlo Mathys, a business architect working for a telecom company, Marco Juri, an intern, and Pascal Ruedin, a timber engineer.

The group was treated to a tour of the Sterling Hill Mine and Museum. Reg Phillips, David Gornstein, and Susan George accompanied them and had a terrific afternoon. At the meeting, the group gave us a program on Switzerland. They introduced themselves and talked about the politics, economics, and the history of Switzerland. One item that was interesting is that though Switzerland has no ocean access, its balance of trade is positive, illustrating the Swiss skill at working with different countries in Europe.

Seen in the photo are, from left to right, Reg Phillips, Pascal, Marco, Rolf, David Gornstein, Katja, Andrea, and Susan George.

For those that have never visited the Sterling Hill Mine, here is a link to their website. It is definitely worth a visit and since it is literally around the corner, there is no reason not to go. http://sterlinghillminingmuseum.org/index.php

April 28, 2009

2009-05-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

One of our members, Jim DiZenzo, is suffering from a condition called Non-specific Interstitial Pneumonitis (NSIP). This causes an inflammation that leads to scarring of the lungs in the area between the air sacs and the blood vessels. This, in turn, leads to reduced lung function. The causes of this condition are difficult to determine, but can be related to toxic fume exposure, lung infection, or connective tissue disease such as arthritis.

The bottom line for Jim is that he needs a double lung transplant. Jim is on the active list for a transplant and could be called any time. In preparation for that, the Club is organizing a community blood drive on May 24, 2009 at St. Francis de Sales Church in Vernon, NJ from 8:30 am until 2:00 pm. Everyone should donate who is at least 17 years old and in generally good health.

April 21, 2009

2009-04-21T15:01:00.000-07:00

Last week we had a joint meeting with the Vernon Chamber of Commerce to provide input to the Township's Sign Committee on possible changes to the Township's sign ordinance. Most business owners agreed that the current sign ordinance is difficult to adhere to and, in fact, employees of the town barely understand it.

Many proposed changes were recommended. There seemed to be some concurrence about a need for consistency of color and look and feel, but there was an overwhelming desire to simplify it. There also needed to be some greater allowances for banners, particularly as they relate to seasonal or special promotional types of offers that businesses might be considering.

There did seem to be agreement that backlit signs were not a good idea and should continue to be prohibited. But what started to come out of the meeting was the issue of "grandfathered" business signs. There are several businesses that do have backlit signs or signs that do not adhere to even the current ordinance, yet they are "grandfathered." So the question becomes - if we get a new ordinance, does it have the desired effect of upgrading the overall look and feel of the community or does it only apply to businesses that haven't opened yet or to businesses that want to change their signs.

April 14, 2009

2009-04-14T05:09:00.000-07:00

This "blogger" is doing a lousy job of keeping this thing up-to-date. Ah, the travails of the self-employed business owner and their community service responsibilities!

Actually, today we have an interesting program scheduled with a joint meeting the Chamber of Commerce and members of Vernon Township to discuss the various sign ordinances and how to improve them to benefit businesses in town. The sign ordinances have been very confusing in the past, such that it has taken a fair amount of time to even figure out if a proposed sign is allowed.

The "Coming Events" column to the right has been updated. We have some interesting programs coming up, so be sure not to miss any of them.

February 1, 2009

2009-01-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

Winter is in full swing here in Northwest New Jersey, but nevertheless, we have started off the year with a diverse program schedule and service activities for the Club.

Last weekend was the Sussex County United Way's 6th annual Chili Open. One of their major fundraisers for the year, this year they actually had snow for the golf "course" and a full contingent of golfers was on-hand for the game. Inside a warm greenhouse at the Sussex County Fairgrounds were refreshments, games, and, of course, chili! The Club, along with the other four Rotary clubs in Sussex county, were there to support the effort. Our niche is the gaming area. Thanks to Janet O'Neil, we had an assortment of games to keep the golfers entertained while they ate and awaited the drawing of the door prizes and raffles.

Saturday night was the annual President's and Foundation Ball at the Parsippany Hilton. We were all present to lend a hand (and horn) to David and Sharon and their presentation to the rest of the District. What was particularly noteworthy was the recognition paid to the many Paul Harris Fellows that the Club has.

This year's Group Study Exchange is with Switzerland. It should be interesting for those that get to travel there and also for those that get to come here. Entertaining the GSE team is always a treat for both those of us that get to accompany them and for the team themselves.

November 30, 2008

2008-11-30T07:52:00.000-08:00

With the decline in the economy, times are tough for many people. To help address this, in a small way, the Club recently donated over $3000 to the local food bank and has made monies available to those local residents who are having difficulty with winter heating costs.

On November 19, the Club received recognition from Domestic Abuse Services, Inc. (DASI) for our contribution of time, talent, and resources in furnishing and decorating one of the rooms at the recently opened transitional housing facility. This facility provides transitional housing for families of abused spouses who are getting a fresh start. The Club would, in turn, like to specially recognize and thank Chipper McLellan of Intrawest for their generous contribution of furniture to this endeavor.

Over the past several weeks, we have had several interesting speakers. The list includes Mariah Levy, Tricia Smith, Larry Adams, and Ed Dellert. Tricia's program was about her organization, "K.E.E.P." and discussed the afterschool program that they run for Sussex County residents. Of particular note was the fact that the program is run at Rolling Hills School in Vernon and at their location in Sparta. Ed Dellert talked about a program that his Swim Center LLC has run for Pass It Along whereby they teach inner city youth how to swim. This allows them to more fully participate in Pass It Along outings where swimming is involved.

August 19, 2008

2008-08-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

This evening we were joined by Melinda Carlton, the Vernon Township Manager who provided an overview/update of various town projects and issues. It has been a few years since we've had our township manager here and though Melinda has only been on the job eight months, she seems to have a solid understanding of many of the issues facing the administration and the township at large.

The conversation was wide-ranging and while several members expressed some frustration with the way things have been done in the past, the mood was polite and constructive. Given the knowledge that members have of the town's history, Melinda received some important insights which will help her as she continues to work on various issues.

Coming out of the meeting, one cannot help but realize that there is much more work to be done. It is important that as local business leaders that we have the opportunity to work with the Town and it seems that Melinda would welcome the input and the assistance.

August 1, 2008

2008-08-05T03:01:00.000-07:00

We had an enjoyable meeting with the new District Governor, Janice Teetsell on July 22> She and her assistant along with Melanie Matthies, our Assistant Governor, joined us for a brief Board of Director's Meeting just prior to the regular meeting. During the meeting, we voted Janet O'Neill into the Club as a member.

The consensus was that Janice is a good DG as she has the right mix of Rotary tradition and pragmatism for understanding that clubs need to be able to run themselves the best way they know how.

July 2, 2008

2008-07-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to David and the new team - Eddie Rolando, Jr., President-Elect, Trish Hruby, Vice-President, Teresa Vihti, Secretary, Kurt Lozaw, Sergeant-at-Arms, and, of course, Van Tamagnini, Treasurer.

With the commencement of the new Rotary year, watch as 2008-09 RI President Dong Kurn Lee announces the 2008-09 RI theme at the Rotary International Assembly.

June 29, 2008

2008-06-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

The Vernon Rotary Club recently awarded four Vernon Township High School graudates with $1000 awards.

Stephen Marosetz was awarded the first Amos Phillips Memorial Award of $1000. This award is based on a graduate's involvement in community service and their intent to focus on either or both business and education. Sarah Hobaugh, Kimberly Konopka, and Tasha Miley were each $1000 recipients of the John Leeds Award, named for the founder of the Vernon Township Ambulance Squad.

Shown here with Robert McGuire, president of the Club, are the recipients and their parents. Stephen could not be with us for the picture, but we look forward to having him join us in the near future.

The Vernon Rotary Club has given away more than $100,000 in scholarship awards to graduating students in the 30 years since the John Leeds Award was established.

Bulletin - May 31, 2008

2008-06-02T03:01:00.000-07:00

This past Monday was Memorial Day. The Vernon Rotary Club was invited by the local VFW chapter to march in the annual parade in town. It was a lot of fun and it was an honor to be a part of this annual remembrance.

The picture at left shows members Eddie Rolando and Teresa Vihti prior to the parade. We marched from the Dairy Queen on Route 94 up to the center of town, past the Municipal Building, down to Memorial Park at "the Flats."

After the parade, there was a memorial service that reminded us all of the true meaning of Memorial Day and the sacrifices made by members of our armed forces in the service of the United States around the world.

In related news, Tuesday's meeting was well-attended with three guests and a guest speaker, Randy Egan, that spoke to us about the Vernon Little League. They have some big plans for the fields. They have already renovated one field, with new sod, fencing, etc. They are working on getting a new scoreboard installed, as well. Businesses in town, most notably R.S. Phillips Steel, have been generous in their support of the Little League in this venture.

For more information and game schedules, check out the following website: http://www.eteamz.com/vernonlittleleague/

Bulletin - May 6, 2008

2008-05-12T03:10:00.000-07:00

It was a cold, blustery day when the intrepid group braved the course and prepared to face the ultimate... OK, it wasn't that dramatic, but it was a day that would only have warmed the crazy Scottish inventors of the game of golf. The first annual Amos Phillips Memorial Golf Outing was by most accounts a success. We had 70 some-odd golfers braving the links on Wild Turkey at Crystal Springs with some coming from as far away as Connecticut. We were able to raise over $10,000 for the Club's charity account for next year, so David has plenty to work with going into his term.

In other news, the Club voted Kurt Lozaw in as a new member. Kurt is a Vice President at the new Highlands State Bank in Vernon. We look forward to having Kurt with us and sharing his fellowship as part of the Club.

The Vernon Rotary Club will be taking part in this year's Memorial Day Parade which takes place at 10am on May 26, 2008. We will be marching in the annual VFW parade which starts at the Dairy Queen on Rt. 94 and ends at "The Flats". Let's all hope and pray for nice weather or at least no rain.

Bulletin - April 22, 2008

2008-04-23T03:50:00.001-07:00

Last week we were joined by the GSE Team from District 3170 from southwest India. The team was led by Dr. Sujata M. Jali and consisted of Dr. Shailaja Patil, Pushpanjali Solanki, Koustubh Gosavi, and Rajami Kami.

The team was met by Club Rotarians at the Sterling Hill Mine where we enjoyed a tour of the museum and mine. This is very interesting, not only for visitors from outside the US, but also for anyone who lives in the area as mining was the basis for the early settlement of this region of New Jersey.

After a brief respite at a local watering hole, we took the team to Mountain Creek where they got to see snow, some for the first time. We were joined at the meeting by PDG Bob Sherman and enjoyed a program that featured a presentation by the team of who they are and what life is like in India.

Shown below is the GSE Team and our President exchanging banners. All in all, it was an enjoyable day learning about another country's people and culture.

Bulletin - April 10, 2008

2008-04-10T09:43:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, we were joined by Wendie Blanchard and Cassie Pfister who gave us a program on Arthur & Friends, a program that provides training-for-employment opportunities to disabled and disadvantaged residents in Sussex County in the green-collared industry. Friends participate in a four tier training program that will teach them how to plant, care for; harvest and sell hydroponically grown produce. They will gain the necessary skills needed for employment in the agriculture, management, or sales industries. After completion of the program, Friends will work with staff to find unsubsidized and meaningful employment.

In addition, one of our members, Joe DeLuca who is a colonel in the air national guard, recently did a tour operating out of Crete and had the opportunity to do a makeup there. Here is a little writeup on that meeting:

ROTARY MEMBERS MEET IN CHANIA, CRETE Two visiting Rotarians from the United States visited with the Chania Rotary Chapter President on 27 March 2008 at the Royal Sun Hotel on the Island of Crete. Shown from left to right are Rotarians Col Robert Athan from Chapter 14, Lincoln Nebraska, Mr. Stavros Gkizas, President of the Rotary Chapter in Chania, Crete, and Col Joe Deluca from the Rotary Chapter in Vernon, NJ. The Rotarians had a great time discussing current issues of the International Rotary and compared activities of each of their clubs. Col Athan is the Vice Wing Commander for the Nebraska Air National Guard and Col Deluca is the Chief Flight Surgeon for the 105th Medical Group, Stewart NY. Both Col Athan and Col Deluca were in Crete supporting military airlift and aerial refueling activities in the Mediterranean. Mr. Gkizas is a prominent lawyer on the Crete Island and is very active in Hellenic civic law. This was a great opportunity to develop acquaintances, which help to serve and advance international understanding, goodwill, and peace.

Bulletin - March 26, 2008

2008-03-26T04:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we were joined by two of this year's United Way Scholar Athletes. Ted Moran (Vernon High School) was joined by Megan Murnee (Lenape Valley H.S.). Suzanne Rosen gave a short program, describing the various programs that the United Way sponsors for schools in Sussex County. One of many is a program on youth violence, specifically bullying.

Petite Comes, our Rotary Youth Exchange Student, joined us last week to promote Walkfest 2008, a fundraiser that she and the other youth exchange students are participating in on April 13th.

We're in the final stretch for the Golf Outing - sell Tee signs!

Bulletin - February 19, 2008

2008-02-25T02:45:00.000-08:00

Winter is definitely here. Our meeting last week was cancelled due to snow and treacherous road conditions. The next day, we had a bad ice storm which closed schools and made driving even worse. Power was knocked out to much of the town, though it was restored pretty much throughout the area by the next day.

In Club news, Steve McGee was happy to report that Vinny Zinno was certified to be a Sr. Trainer Evaluator in the North American Ski Patrol. This is a pretty important honor for him as it puts him in the "best of the best" class of ski patrollers in the country. (NOTE: AARP discounts apply for the first 3 rescues...)

The golf brochures are in so everyone can start selling T signs for the upcoming golf outing in May.

Bulletin - February 9, 2008

2008-02-10T08:14:00.000-08:00

We've had a busy week. On Tuesday, Michelle Ruggiero joined us from the NJ Department of Fish & Wildlife for a program about black bear safety. Pretty much everyone in the club has had some kind of bear contact, so this audience was well acquainted with black bears. Michelle did a good job of providing some biological information, such as the fact that black bears are not true hibernators and it is possible to encounter a bear even in the dead of winter. It was also interesting to know that in the early 1970's there were less than 100 bears in New Jersey and today there are over 1,600.

We also touched on the use of a hunt as a mechanism to control the bear population. The Department of Fish & Wildlife is not the agency responsible for setting policy; that is done in Trenton. They do recognize that hunting is a mechanism for controlling population, but the politicians have opposed it for now.

On Saturday, Teresa, David, Petite, and Robert put the finishing touches on our sponsored apartment in the DASI transitional housing building. Kudos to Teresa for her work in coordinating this project. The apartment looks great - some would say that it's the best looking one in the building. According to DASI, there will be a ribbon-cutting in the spring, though probably not at the building itself, for privacy reasons.

Bulletin - January 27, 2008

2008-01-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Teresa Vihti, Lisa Dalessio, and David Gornstein for a great turnout for the Chili Open at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. It was a capacity outing for the United Way of Sussex County in this 5th annual fundraising event. The Vernon Club, along with help from young people Sean, Andrew, Delana, Jonathan, and Travis, sponsored a couple of tables of Texas Hold'Em to entertain the golfers "post-round" after a scrumptuous lunch of chili and other favorites from local restaurants.

This effort provided a tangible example to the community of what Rotary is all about. The Newton, Branchville, Hampton, and Wallkill Valley clubs were also present, supporting this very important fundraising effort by the United Way.

Thank you, also, to Kevin Colman for his "behind the scenes" work getting the decorations together and ensuring that the committee was totally prepared to execute the day.

Bulletin - January 15, 2008

2008-01-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

Mary Emilius from the Sussex County Economic Development Partnership joined us this evening for an informative program about what her organization does and how it does it. A particular focus for the SCEDP is to promote the creation of jobs within Sussex County. To do that, they seek to help companies relocate to the county by identifying properties available for lease, rent, or purchase as well as to assist organizations with developing new areas. In addition, the SCEDP offers assistance to small companies with locating sources of capital and assistance in setting up their businesses.

At the end of the evening, we were reminded of many of the issues facing business in Sussex County, but Mary's optimism was inspiring. We appreciate her visiting with us and look to have her back in the future.

Other upcoming programs include a program on Bear education as well as the Scholar Athlete program.

Bulletin - January 8, 2008

2008-01-11T03:03:00.001-08:00

This coming Saturday is the annual President's / Foundation Ball for District 7470 at Mayfair Farms in West Orange. The Club will be amply represented by a dozen or so members and their spouses/significant others. These events are usually quite a good time.

Next week, Mary Emilius will be joining us from the Sussex County Economic Development Partnership to talk about efforts to promote business within Sussex County. It should be an interesting program - everyone should plan on attending.

Other programs for the future include a visit by the Executive Director of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce as well as a black bear education program by the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Rumours and Rumours II Hair Salons in Vernon and Franklin are having a Cut-A-Thon on January 27 to raise money to help Andrew Sorce, the Vernon boy who has Cerebral Palsy for a lift for their home. As you know, one of our members has been working with Andrew's parents to scope out the costs for this lift. All members and their families are encouraged to get a haircut on the 27th.

Bulletin - January 1, 2008

2008-01-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

The end of the year is a busy time for everyone, but the Vernon Rotary Club found time to gather at Heaven Hill Farm for a family Christmas Party on December 11. Thanks to our host, Martin Theobald, everyone had a wonderful time with delicious food and drink. Santa Claus even joined the fun, visiting with the children and handing out gifts.

Our exchange student, Petite Comes, even got a chance to sit with Santa.

At our last meeting of the year on December 18, the new officer slate for next year was formally voted in. Our officers for next year are: David Gornstein - President, Eddie Rolando, Jr. - President-Elect, Trish Hruby - Vice President, Teresa Vihti - Secretary, Lisa Dalessio - Sergeant-At-Arms. A big thank-you and good-luck to all our members who will be serving the club next year.

Take note of the news feed from Rotary International that has been added to this blog. This news feed is continually updated from RI with news from around the Rotary world.

Bulletin - November 20, 2007

2007-11-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Hopefully it was an enjoyable time and we did not eat too much.

It's been awhile since the blog has been updated, so here are a few things. DG George Mitola joined us on October 30 for an interesting evening. His wife, Shirley, was with him. He gave us an overview of RI President Wilf Wilkerson's goals for 2007-2008 and then talked about the issues facing the District. One of the biggest is membership, but this turns out to be a key issue for many service organizations these days.

DASI (Domestic Abuse Services Inc.) is in the process of opening their transitional housing. The Club has sponsored one of the rooms and we had the pick up on November 17. Shortly there will be the finishing touches with the official dedication in the Spring. Thanks to Teresa Vihti for her efforts on this project. Also, thanks to Chipper McLellan for Mountain Creek's generous furniture and accessory donations to this project.

The Club was approached by a family in Vernon whose son has cerebral palsy about helping them with a lift in their home to enable their son to go from the entrance floor of their home to the living floor. As their son has gotten older, they are finding it increasingly difficult to carry him up the short flight of stairs. Vinny Zinno has generously donated his time to help scope the project and also to help recommend a lift that would suit their needs. Next step is to figure out how to help them with the money required.

On that note, congratulations to Vinny on receiving his Paul Harris Fellowship.

Lisa Dalessio announced the annual toy drive that Weichert Realtors conducts every year. New, unopened toys can be dropped off at either the Vernon or Hamburg Weichert offices. On December 6, there will be pictures with Santa at the Hamburg office.

The Golf Committee informed us that the 1st Annual Amos Phillips Scholarship Golf Outing will be held on May 2, 2008 at Wild Turkey in Crystal Springs. Start planning those foursomes and Tee signs!

Bulletin - October 16, 2007

2007-10-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed an interesting presentation by Ed Henry, Manager of the Wallkill Wildlife Refuge. We had participated in their recent Refuge Day by directing traffic in the parking area. Ed's presentation covered what the Refuge is and what its purpose is. It was informative to hear about the differences between a Refuge and a Preserve, the most significant being that hunting and fishing are permitted in a Refuge - with the proper permits, of course.

Last week, we handed out the dictionaries at Rolling Hills and Cedar Mountain Schools. This is always a fun event as the kids really look forward to it. Pictured below are our intrepid Rotarians and the kids from Vernon schools.

Thanks to Lisa Dalessio, Teresa Vihti, and Vinny Zinno for their assistance in the distribution of the dictionaries. Thanks also to David Gornstein for chairing the Dictionary Project, for several years now. Thanks, David.

In other news, we have rescheduled the visit by District Governor George Mitola to our club for October 30.

Bulletin - October 5, 2007

2007-10-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

On September 25, we had an interesting meeting with Reenee Casapulla, who is the Recycling & Marketing Coordinator for the Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority. Who would think that talking about recyclying could be so interesting, but she some interesting statistics and, more than that, she talked about the underlying issues facing Sussex County in its quest to increase the percentage of waste that is recycled. She also some interesting and informative tidbits for those that are regular users of the facility down in Lafayette.

Thanks to Vinny Zinno and Karl Meyer for helping to set this evening up.

Coming on Sunday is the Refuge Day at the Wallkill Wildlife Refuge. Thanks, in advance, to all our volunteers.

Thank you goes to Eddie Rolando for coordinating the duffle bags for the United Way. Kevin Colman also pitched in to help get the bags down to Newton to the United Way.

Bulletin - September 14, 2007

2007-09-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Our Paul Harris Night was a success. We honored current Paul Harris Fellows as well as our newest Paul Harris Fellows who were presented with their certificates, lapel pins, and awards. In addition, we had the distinct pleasure of being joined by two of Vernon Rotary's Charter Members, who, on behalf of all the charter members, accepted the Charter Member Plaque which commemorates the founding of the Vernon Rotary Club in December of 1968.

Shown in the picture to the left is our Rotary Youth Exchange Student, Petite Comes, who performed a traditional Thai dance to kick things off for the evening.

Charter members Dan Borstad (D.M. Borstad Co.) and Dick Bilney (McAfee Ski Shop) joined President Robert McGuire in unveiling the Charter Member Plaque. The plaque will be displayed in the front foyer of The George Inn for all to see. Dan shared with us some amusing anecdotes about the early days of the Club and remarked that he remembers Vernon when there were "more cows than people."

Our prestigious group of Paul Harris Fellows includes current members Hans Gross, Ed Rolando, Jack Smith, Van Tamagnini, Steve McGee, and Reggie Phillips...

...and new members Kevin Colman, David Gornstein, and Vinny Zinno.

Thanks to a successful event go to: Teresa Vihti for arranging the logistics and menu, David Gornstein for compiling the Paul Harris information and preparing the recognition certificates for our current PHF, and Steve McGee for reaching out to those charter members in the community to invite them to the evening.

Bulletin - August 14, 2007

2007-08-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

In preparation for our Club's 40th anniversary next year, we are preparing a plaque to recognize the original charter members of the club. The plaque will be presented to the Club at the upcoming Paul Harris Night in September.

In July, we recognized this year's John Leeds Award winners and their parents. Pictured below are Maryjean Bissell, Danielle Hering, and Lucas Sparta with their parents and our own President, Robert McGuire.

Bulletin - August 7, 2007

2007-08-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Ah, summer is a beautiful time. Sunny days, hot & humid nights. A wonderful time to come out once a week for a Rotary meeting. Remember, when you travel on vacation, it's a great time to make up a meeting at a local Rotary club in the town or locale where you are visiting. If you are really going a long ways away, be sure to take a Rotary banner from our club to give to the club where you are visiting.

Tonight we welcomed Charles back from his travels abroad. Specifically, he has been working with an international firm on setting up a ski resort in Kazahkstan. For those that are interested, here is the link to some pictures of the town and resort where the project is located: http://www.almadf.kz/english/medeu.html. Charles promised a more in-depth presentation in a few weeks.

We have a number of potential speaker programs that we are looking to schedule for the next few weeks and months. If anyone has an idea for a program - and there can be many - just drop an e-mail to mcguire@warwick.net.

This blog will become an excellent way to promote our Club. You might consider putting the link to this blog as part of your e-mail "signature" to reach out to friends and business contacts who might be interested in learning more about Rotary.

Bulletin - July 31, 2007

2007-08-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

Last week, the Club voted to make a donation to Erin Calahin, a 9 year-old girl in Vernon Township who is battling leukemia. Her family has started a blog of their own on a site called Caring Bridge - link provided here - http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/viewHome.do. This is terrific way to see how she is doing and, it should be added, she is doing well so far. Let's keep Erin in our thoughts and prayers.

In other news, DASI (Domestic Abuse Services, Inc.) has let us know that transitional housing building will be open towards the end of August. The Club is sponsoring Apartment #3. This is an important facility for DASI as it will allow them to provide safe, clean, secure housing for mothers and children seeking shelter from abusive situations at home. Several Club members have offered to donate furniture and appliances to help furnish this apartment; those members will be contacted towards the end of the month to coordinate the pickup of their items. Thanks to Theresa Vihti for heading this effort up with regard to our contribution to this program.

A reminder here - District Governor George Mitola will be visiting with us on September 18.

Bulletin - July 24, 2007

2007-07-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

David Gorenstein was appointed President-Elect for the 2007-2008 year, filling an important vacancy in the Club leadership. David, who is a Past-President of the Club, has also been serving as chair of the Administration Committee. Thanks to David for agreeing to serve the Club again in this capacity.

The Club will prepare a plaque to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Club's charter in Vernon. Featured on the plaque will be the names of the original charter members. We will be inviting the surviving charter members to the Paul Harris night meeting in September.

A reminder that the Vernon Rotary baseball night is on Thursday, August 23rd. We will be taking down names of those attending so that we can order the tickets ahead of time.

July 17, 2007 - Upcoming Events

2007-07-24T14:10:00.001-07:00

The Vernon Rotary is planning several exciting events in the coming weeks. Members are asked to note the following in their calendars as more information will be forthcoming.

Vernon Rotary Baseball Night - August 23rd at Skylands Stadium in Augusta, NJ. Picnic at 5:30; game at 6:45 pm.

Paul Harris Night - We will be recognizing current and past Paul Harris Fellows in the Vernon Rotary Club. Looking to hold this at The George Inn on September 14th which is a Friday night. Please check back for updates on this time and place.

Bulletin - July 10, 2007

2007-07-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

The Vernon Rotary Club recognized three students from Vernon High School for their contributions to Community Service with our annual John Leeds Awards. Each student received an award of $1,000 for their contributions to society. The students recognized are Mary Jean Bissell, Danielle Herring, and Lucas Sparta. They and their parents attended the meeting Tuesday night.

As a background, John Leeds was the founder of the Vernon Ambulance Squad. Though not a Rotarian, John was dedicated to the type of community service that is exemplified by most Rotarians.

Bulletin - July 3, 2007

2007-07-10T04:51:00.000-07:00

This entry launches the Vernon Rotary Club's new web log ("blog"). Hopefully, this will be a more efficient means to keep everyone up-to-date on the goings on in the Club. This site has a lot of information about the Vernon Club as well as links to Rotary District 7470 and to Rotary International.

The launch of our blog brings with it the news of the passing of Amos Phillips, a charter member of the Vernon Rotary Club. Amos has been an active member of the Club literally since its founding. In addition to his incredible stories, he always had an ear for any member. He was always genuinely interested in your own story and he had a particular fondness for the entrepreneur.

In honor of Amos' memory, the Vernon Rotary Club voted to rename our annual golf outing the Amos Phillips Memorial Golf Outing. In addition, a scholarship in Amos' name will be created using some of the proceeds from the golf outing. For more information about the outing, you may contact the Club.

Coming events in the next couple of months include the annual baseball night at Sussex Skylands stadium and Paul Harris night where we honor our annual Paul Harris Fellowship recipients.