Ken Writer:  Audrey Meyers                                       

Invocation: Rick Graham

Greeter/Split Club: Ted Purvis                                     

Finemaster: Gary Roberts   

Sergeant-at-Arms: Bob Dimmig 

Contact Joe Starck if you have any items for the live auction at the Christmas Party to benefit Operation Santa… Also accepting donations now! (Checks, Cash, and Credit Cards accepted)

                                  

Pat Griffin began promptly at 12:30pm filling in for President Larry while he is out of town.  Augie  lead the group in God Bless America following the pledge.  Rick Graham presented our Invocation.  Bob Dimmig announced our guests Fred Bassin and Wally Ochterski  Pat reminded us that we have forgotten to sing happy birthday since August.  So we sang happy birthday to our fellow Rotarians who celebrated in September, October, and November!  (Thanks for leading us again Augie!). 

There were many announcements today. Monday Dec. 26th at noon will be a brief board meeting at the Village Square to discuss district grants, please be on the lookout for an email from Mark.  Please reach out to Rotarians who have not been attending as we need to get attendance back up.  Pat reminded that we have a fully functional Rotary office.  If there is something you need please call 716-874-0516 or email kenmorerotary@aol.com.  This doesn’t mean “dump off your committee work”!  Georgia US Air Force sent in a donation for $193 in honor of Gordy.  Don Cloudsley is not doing very well.  Don is at Elderwood.  Shari announced that our “webmaster”, Stu,  is looking for event information to put on our website.  Please reach out to Stu so he can get our events listed online.  John Riordan reminded of our Christmas Party and stated that attendance appears to be down so please register & pay today and get so we can have a great party!  Money and reservation should be in by Monday Nov. 26th.  Joe stated we only have 3 auction items to benefit operation Santa.

Gary Roberts finemaster today.  Jim Austin announced he recently found out his district attorney friend from school financed his education in an unusual way… he was fined $3.  Tom Schwob announced his daughter Jackie was in the paper for recognition this past week, he volunteered $10 in her honor.  Paul Chisholm announced he had a great visit with his 95 years young mother and was amazed that she hopped online one day while he was at work , got a plane ticket, called a cab, and went home while he was at work… he was fined $5.  Shari gave $11 for leaving early and going on a trip to Florida and for raising $142k at her Kenmore Mercy Hospital fundraiser. Chuck went to Cancun for 2 weeks and paid $3 to the club.  Jim Logan was fined for his golf excursion at Pebble Beach and Spyglass.  Gary then gave us the option to each put up $1 or take a try at a question and if right we pay nothing, if wrong we pay $2.  Most of us learned from Pat’s misfortune to just put up the $1.  Ed Hackerl won the split club and Harold White had a shot at the Ace.

Jim Logan spoke about the Kenmore Rotary Foundation.  He said the foundation is taking applications for projects and has $11k to give after the $5k committed to Kenmore Mercy Hospital.  Jim is the President, Rick Graham is VP, Tim Glor is Treasurer, Mike Hettler is Secretary, Chuck Patterson, Tom Lippard, and Ed Markarian are on the board.  Two ways to grow our Foundation.  One is interest on investments, and second is donations.  Tom spoke around the donor recognition program for amount donated.  When money comes in Thank you letter is sent out.  Rick stated the funds through Oct. 31st were $526,646.  Now they are at $585,852.  Wally spoke about the Rotary Foundation.  He stated that 50% of funds sent in come back to the district and we can apply for grants for those funds.  Wally talked about the trustees main focus is on eradicating polio and how there are only 3 countries left with reported cases.  He is not sure what the next focus would be, but for now it’s ending polio!  Once Polio is gone, it will be gone forever!