LAST WEEK’S MEETING – Susan Jaye-Kaplan  At the Seventh Annual Basketball Hall of Fame, remarkable individuals within our community were highlighted…truly living out the motto of Rotary International “Service Above Self.” Susan Jaye-Kaplan was one of the two honorees. Service Above Self…which all Rotarian’s live by. On Friday, April 7, Sue received a 500 grant from our club and gave us an update on what Link to Libraries is doing presently and their plans for the future. The HOF also gave Susan $500. Susan Jaye-Kaplan is the Founder of Pioneer Valley Women’s Running Club (2000), Founder of Go FIT, Inc., and co-founder of Link to Libraries, Inc., (May 2008) an organization whose mission is to collect and distribute books to public elementary schools and non-profit organizations in western MA and CT.  Ms. Jaye-Kaplan is also the Co-Founder of Women’s Leadership Network as well as an advisory board member and fundraiser for Square One, Springfield, MA. She has received one of the nation’s Daily Point of Light Awards, the President’s Citation Award at Western New England College, Elms College Step Forward/Step Ahead Woman of Vision Award, Reminder Publications Hometown Hero Award, The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women Unsung Heroines Award 2007, New England Patriot’s International Charitable Foundation Community MVP Award 2008 and 2010 (and the only person to receive this award two times), Girl Scouts of Pioneer Valley Women of Distinction Award 2004, and was chosen one of Business West Magazine’s Difference Makers 2009. Kaplan was also the 2009 winner of the prestigious Pynchon Award for Community Service. Springfield Rotary exceeds 16-17 Foundation Goal by $1,000!!! Thank you for all the contributions to The Rotary Foundation thus far. We have put our $6,000 goal in rear view mirror and have surpassed $7,000 in overall contributions! Of the $7,000, just under $1,500 to PolioPlus and just over $5,600 to the Foundation! We have contributions of 41 members so far. Please consider a gift if you have not given to bring us to 100% Club Participation. We will continue to receive donations right up to our Paul Harris Dinner on May 11th, 2017. Another $2,000 to the Foundation We are happy to report another check for over $2,000 from our Club was sent off to The Rotary Foundation. Thank you to our recent contributors who made this possible. Your participation in the Foundation Giving ties our Club into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Just think with polio on the verge of eradication, we can begin to accelerate efforts to provide clean water to all our global siblings and sock it to illiteracy with Rotary’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Jack and Dee Report Back From RLI on March 25th, 2017 Jack and Dee attended RLI in RI on March 25th in Cranston, RI. They both completed part 2 of 3. They brought back a few great ideas to help Club engage and retain a new member. The ideas have put in the hands of the Membership Committee and keep an eye out for an update from Pam on implementing them soon. Keep an eye out for a Red Badge Program for new members. Another take away was on service. As a service Club, we need to be out in our community. Naturally, we all have limited time and resources so how do we do this with the greatest impact? The Rotarian leading our seminar had a two-part suggestion. First, our Club has figure out what skills we have amongst our members that we can draw for to have project making a positive impact. Second, we need to identify a need in our community in line with the skills of our members. This process will allow use effectively say no to request not in our area of focus and equally as important to organizations seeking our help will be able be to identify if they match will be beneficial to all. I have shared this with Lamont so there will be more to follow in the upcoming Rotary 17-18 year. BEER & WINE TASTING TO BENEFIT COMBODIAN FOUNDATION 5th Annual Beer & Wine Tasting to Benefit the Cambodian Medical Clinic Foundation Friday, April 28th, 2018 5-8pm Springfield Country Club 1375 Elm St, W. Springfield $35 minimum donation per person Beer, Wine, Hot hors d’oeuvres, desserts plus amazing raffles and games! ROWLAND’S ROTARY MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHT RI President-elect Ian H.S. Riseley is from Australia. In what city is his home Rotary Club? Perth, Melborne, or Sandringham? Answer: Sandringham. |
