Join us Tuesday, April 23rd at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center where our guest speaker will be Kathy Rideout -  Dean of the School of Nursing at The University of Rochester.

Kathy has been a practicing nurse clinician, teacher, and scholar at the University of Rochester School of Nursing for more than 25 years, and embodies the School's unification model of education, practice, and research. She is passionately committed to the successful progression of students, the continual development of clinical and research faculty, and the maintenance of strong and diverse educational programs and clinical partnerships. Additionally, she works part-time as a pediatric ostomy nurse practitioner at Golisano Children's Hospital, a role she cherishes and finds essential to her perspective as administrator and mentor.

Tuesday's meeting at the Museum and Science Center was outstanding. The Race-Are We So Different? exhibit was not only interesting, it was important and impactful as well. Attendance was excellent and the feedback I heard was overwhelmingly positive and thankful that we had put this program together. One of the facts that astounded me was that scientists tracing the genetic profiles of all humans found that there is only a 1% difference in the profiles of

all races! Startling proof that we are not so different after all. Thanks to member Jennifer Leonard, CEO of the Rochester Area Community Foundation for coordinating the museum program for us.

I know this may sound convenient of me, but I cannot help but feel validated in my quest to have each of us make a 1 degree difference in our commitment to Rotary this year. A worthy mission for all of us is to close the 1% difference in our membership profile, and make a serious commitment to increase the diversity of our club. Ellen Wagner, Mary Lewis-Consler, and Paul Burgett are meeting, planning and working hard on making diversity a priority for Rochester Rotary. We need to help them. I would like each of us to challenge ourselves with the question - "What can I do, however small it may seem, to help them in this initiative?" After that, it's simply an issue of turning our intentions into actions. Remember, a 1 degree change in our course today can mean a miles worth of difference tomorrow.  

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Last week's social event was a Wine Pairings Dinner with Dick, Ginger and Holly Howell at their home in Mendon. Of course the wines we tasted and food we devoured were wonderful. And the Howell's were gracious hosts. But the piēce de rēsistance was the fun and fellowship of 17 Rotarian singles and couples enjoying the company of each other for a relaxed and casual evening. It was a great dinner with treasured friends. I loved hearing both Dick and Ginger mention as we departed that our group "seemed to have so much fun together!" Oh yes we do! Many thanks to Lee Kirk for putting this together and for all the work he does as the creative Chair of the Fellowship Committee.

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On Saturday the 13^th several of us as club officers attended the District Assembly in Manchester, Red Jacket to be exact, presided over by District Governor Elect Ellen Hughes and supported by District Governor Gavin Hurley. These District events present the opportunity for us to meet and greet others from clubs large and small throughout our District 7120, and learn what they are doing well and what they see as challenges. All of us in the club will benefit from their learning, and their sacrifice of a Saturday by Tracey Dreisbach, Tracy Armstrong, Bob Attardo, Beth Cross-Wilhelm, Dolly Malik, Don Alhart, and Pat Stack. Truly Service Above Self.

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Talking about Service Above Self, on Tuesday the 16^th a Rochester Rotary Community Service Team helped to sort and organize medical supplies and equipment for Rochester based non-profit INTERVOL. InterVol is dedicated to serving others through the recovery and redistribution of medical supplies and equipment, and was founded by the 2012 Rotary Award recipient Dr. Ralph Pennino. The items that we helped to sort came from all area hospitals and will be sent to medical facilities in need all over the world. It's an amazing operation that one has to see to believe. Incredible! Special thanks to Jeff Leenhouts for arranging this opportunity for us to help another local non-profit and to the Service Team members who volunteered their time and effort. Three Cheers for Lila Ford, Jeff Leenhouts, Dolly Malik, Hank Ralston, Pete Sarratori, Lynn Sarratori, Pat Stack, Lynn Sullivan, Sandy White, and John Wise.

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The Rotary Award is the oldest civic Award given within the Rochester Community.  At its February Meeting the Rochester Rotary Club Board accepted the Rotary Award Committee's recommendation for the 76th Rochester Rotary Award recipient - Bob Witmer. 

This year's luncheon will be held Tuesday, May 14th at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.

Invitations have been mailed and reservations may be mailed in or made on-line with the link below:

Register Here

Rochester Rotary is heading to the ball field!  

We are taking our luncheon over to Frontier Field for lunch at The Nest and the Red Wings 11:05am ball game THURSDAY May 30th! 

THIS WILL REPLACE OUR TUESDAY LUNCHEON THAT WEEK.

Reservations will be needed for the game as we will take care of pre-pulling a group of tickets for our Rotarians.

The cost will be $21 per person and include a great lunch and your ticket to the game! 

Please RSVP to Brandi in the Rotary Office at Brandi@rochesterrotary.org  or 546-7435 X210