Hello,
As Chair of the Rochester Section, I would like to declare May as "Membership Value" month. In doing so, I hope to show our members some of value available to them through their ACS membership, both in the areas of benefits and opportunities. I pick this time to do this because of the many opportunities available to you to participate in Section activities in May and June.

But first, let me review some of the benefits available to you as an ACS member. Did you know that the following benefits are available to you?

• Bank of AmericaMaster Card, Visa and America Express credit cards with generous Rewards Programs and no Annual Fee
• Chase Education Financial Services, including Private Loans, Consolidation Loans, rate reductions after 24 months of on-time payments of consolidated loans and an interactive marketplace which guides students and parents through process
• Dell Computers offers a wide variety of products with a standard 3 to 6% discount for ACS Members with special quarterly discount programs with up to 20% off, a dedicated website and a non-exclusive agreement
• ACS/Betchart Expedition Tours offering "off the beaten path" trips with exciting itineraries, expeditions led by knowledgeable experts and travel with ACS colleagues. Their 2007 itineraries include Alaska's Inside Passage, Galapagos, Antarctica, Peru & other exotic destinations!
• Wyndham Hotel discounts at some 6,500 properties around the world
• Avis and Hertz Car Rentals offering up to 25% off standard rates
• Allied Moving Services offering members up to 65% off moving expenses year round

This Saturday (May 5) is the deadline for signing up for the Rochester ACS Section's joint program with the Western New York Section. On Saturday, May 12, Rochester Section members will travel to the Niagara Falls Power Authority in Niagara Falls, NY for lunch, a tour of the Power Vista facility, and a special presentation. In addition to the great location, this is an excellent opportunity to network with chemists from the Buffalo area.

The cost is only $15, which includes lunch, the Power Vista tour, and bus transportation between Rochester (two pick-up locations) and Niagara Falls.

Further details and a reservation form are in the flyer below, which is also available on the Section's website. For more information, please contact Dick Cobb (585-727-4903, d.richard.cobb@kodak.com).

Rochester Section Members are invited to join with their fellow ACS Members from the Corning Section for a fun day at the Corning Museum of Glass. This 1-day event will enable members from the two sections to socialize, enjoy a couple of speakers and have a nice time visiting the Corning Museum of Glass.

The cost is $20.00 per member (1 guest limit initially also at the cost of $20.00). This includes bus transportation to Corning and back, entrance fee to the museum, technical presentations, and a Chinese buffet dinner. Lunch at the museum is *not* included.

Complete details and a reservation form are in the flyer below, which is also available on the Section's website. For more information, please contact Dick Cobb (585-727-4903, d.richard.cobb@kodak.com).

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2007 Rochester Section election. Positions that will be on this year's ballot are:

* Chair-Elect (3 year commitment - one year each as chair-elect, chair and past-chair)
* Treasurer (2 year term)
* Councilor (3 year term)
* Alternate Councilor (3 year term)
* Three positions for Member-at-Large (2 year term)

All candidates must be members of the ACS.
According to the Rochester Bylaws (Bylaw V Sec. 2.), candidates for the office of Chair-Elect should have been active within the Section in some form of elected, appointed, or volunteer role.

Please send any nominations to this year's Chair of the Nomination and Election Committee (Joan Williams, joan.williams@kodak.com) no later than September 11, 2007. It would be helpful to discuss your nomination with the potential candidate before submitting their name. Along with their name, please provide a phone number or e-mail address.

Duties associated with each of the offices up for election are described in detail (pages 5-11) in the latest Rochester Section Handbook (PDF File).

The Rochester Section's Younger Chemists Committee is planning a White Water Rafting trip to Letchworth State Park on Saturday, June 9th. No experience is required, and everyone is welcome to participate. The rapids are Class I (mild, but still exciting!). Cost is $30 per person.

Rafters will meet in the Trustee Parking Lot at the University of Rochester at 11:30 AM to carpool to the park. After the 2.5 hour scenic raft ride, participants will enjoy a delicious picnic.

Please RSVP by June 1 to Amy Ensign (aensign@mail.rochester.edu, 585-275-2980)

The Rochester Section was represented at the ACS spring national meeting in Chicago by councilors Lew Allen and Jim Reynolds. Attendance at the meeting was strong, with 14,520 registrants distributed as follows: Regular attendees 7,152; Students 5,059; Exhibitors 1,283; Pre-college teachers 119.

Lew Allen reports that his activity at the meeting focused on his assignment to the Meetings and Expositions Committee, where he works on the Regional Meetings and Technical Programming subcommittees. The Regional Meetings subcommittee accepted the final report Regional Activities Coordinating Team and appointed liaisons to each of the ten Regional Meetings. Lew was also pleased to note that Laura Kiessling, the winner of the Garvan-Olin Medal presented by the Women Chemists Committee, chose to highlight the Harrison Howe Award among her previous achievements.

Jim Reynolds is on the Local Section Activities Committee (LSAC), where he also serves on the Local Section Assistance and Development subcommittee.

LSAC debated a "white paper" circulated by the Membership Affairs Committee that proposes new bylaw language for members, student members, and society affiliates. The proposed bylaws create a new "Student Member" category (at reduced membership rates), and there was considerable discussion within LSAC about the effect of this change on local section finances, elections, and student affiliate chapters. If you have a strong opinion on any of these issues, please feel welcome to contact Jim to discuss them further (contact info below)

A summary of governance actions taken by the ACS Board and by Council is available at the link below.

This is just a brief review of the Chicago meeting. If you would like to contact Lew about any issues, he can be reached at 585-586-9983. His address is 34 Circle Wood Road, Rochester, 14625 and his e-mail address is lallen10@rochester.rr.com. Jim Reynolds can be reached at 585-722-2361 or at james.reynolds@kodak.com. His home address is 65 Dartford Rd, Rochester, 14618.

In 1987, the Rochester ACS Section's High School Chemistry Awards program was inaugurated with a single ceremony at Edison Technical High School. On that occasion, 280 high school students were honored for their outstanding achievement in chemistry.

Twenty years later, the High School Awards program has grown into the largest event sponsored by the Section. In 2007, over 1100 students from 74 high schools will be honored at three separate awards ceremonies held in May. The top 10% of students from every chemistry class will be recognized with a certificate. The top student from every course also receives an engraved marble paperweight trophy. Local students who participated in the National Chemistry Olympiad exam will also be recognized at the cermonies.

Ushers are still needed for the ceremonies. If you can spare two hours on one of the following nights, you'll be rewarded with the sight of hundreds of young people being celebrated for their academic achievement.

• Thursday, May 17, 7:30 p.m.: Canandaigua Academy - 435 East St, Canandaigua
• Tuesday, May 22, 7:30 p.m.: Franklin High School - 950 Norton St., Rochester
• Tuesday, May 29, 7:30 p.m.: LeRoy High School - 9300 South St Road, LeRoy

The next Retired Chemists Meeting will be held Tuesday, May 8 at Napa Gino's Fine Italian Restuarant (2200 Penfield Rd, Penfield). The speaker will be Scott Cicora, one of 1000 volunteers who have trained with Al Gore to deliver the message in "An Inconvenient Truth". The title of Scott's talk is "A Climate in Crisis". According to the abstract, this is a non-partisan presentation based on sound science about one of the greatest moral issues of our time - the ability of our planet to support human life for generations to come.

Social time: 11:30 a.m.
Lunch: 12:00 Noon
Cost: $12 Buffet Luncheon
RSVP to: Lew Allen (585-586-9983, lallen10@rochester.rr.com

Spouses, guests, friends, and non-ACS members are all welcome.

Deb Janes and Tim Wilson, Chemists Celebrate Earth Day (CCED) coordinators for the Rochester Section, are pleased to announce that Sydney Cannioto of the Jefferson Avenue School in Fairport, NY won 2nd place in the illustrated haiku contest for the K-2nd grade category. Sydney's teacher, Ms. Sheila Cocilova, submitted entries from her class, and each student received a certificate of appreciation and a CCED patch from the Rochester Section.

The ACS Committee on Community Activities and the Office of Community Activities sponsor the annual CCED campaign. This year's theme was "Recycling - Chemistry Can!" There were four grade categories and two prizes were awarded in each category. First place winners received a $150 gift certificate for Amazon.com, and second place winners received a $75 gift certificate.

Winning entries can be accessed from the Chemists Celebrate Earth Day website.

Congratulations, Sydney!

The next Rochester Section networking mixer will be held at MacGregor's Bar & Grill in Henrietta Tuesday, May 29 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM.

This year's ACS Golf Scramble will be held Friday, August 17 at Brockport Country Club in Brockport, NY (3739 County Line Rd). The shotgun start is at 1:00 p.m.

You do not need to be an ACS member to participate. The cost is $65 for ACS members and $70 for non-members.

This price includes

• 18 Holes of golf with cart
• Buffet Lunch (burgers, hots, ziti, macaroni salad)
• Appetizers (meatballs & veggie tray)
• Dinner - Boneless smoked ribs and chicken (all you can eat) with veggies, potatoes and salad
• 2-Hour open bar (!)