Join us Tuesday, January 21st at the Rochester Riverside Convention where our guest will be Dr. Susan Hildenbrand,   Assistant Professor in the Department of Undergraduate Inclusive Education at St. John Fisher College.  Dr. Hildenbrand will be discussing the real effects of poverty on a child's school performance and how the community can support students living in poverty.

Dr. Hildenbrand completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from the University of Michigan, a Master of Education in Reading and Learning Disabilities from DePaul University, and a doctorate from the University of Rochester in Teaching and Curriculum. For the past six years, Dr. Hildenbrand has been teaching courses on the special education process, inclusive practices, positive classroom management and family/school partnerships. 

The keynote speaker this week was Dr. Mark Noble, Director of the University of Rochester Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute.  Dr. Noble has been a pioneer in his field for three decades.  It was fascinating to learn that such important research, discoveries and advancements in the treatment of catastrophic illnesses and diseases are being conducted here in Rochester.  Dr. Noble's presentation was easy to comprehend, and our members were held in rapt attention.  I am not aware of any other organization that exposes its members to such knowledge and awareness as Rochester Rotary.

Congratulations to Fran Ostrom who recently started a new role at DKCB Wealth Care Advisors, LLC, an affiliate of Davie Kaplan, CPA, P.C.  As Director of Wealth Care, Fran works directly with the firm's partners, and drives all marketing, sales, financial planning and administrative functions necessary to build and enhance the wealth management practice serving Davie Kaplan's client base.  Thank you to Fran for the generous contribution he made to the Rotary Foundation.  Congratulations also to new member Andrew Powers, who is the Director of Annual Giving at the YMCA of Greater Rochester.  Andrew and his wife started the new year with the birth of a son on January 1, just missing out on a deduction on their 2013 taxes.  Thank you, Andrew, for your donation to the Rotary Foundation.

A B2B After Hours event was held at Geva Theatre on Wednesday.  Rochester Rotarian Tom Parrish, the Executive Director of Geva Theatre Center, led us on a back stage tour, which was particularly interesting, because the cast and production crew were in the midst of preparing for that evening's performance, which started immediately after our event.  Thank you to Tom and Geva for hosting the event.  The food was delicious.  We had a great turnout for fellowship and networking among Rochester Rotarians.  The next B2B After Hours event will take place at Eastman Business Park.  Details to follow shortly.

  Sunday, January 26, 2014

1:00 to 3:00 pm

Kings Bend Park (Located in Pittsford on Jefferson Road Between Clover Road and Main Street)

Come join as a SPECTATOR the cost is $15 per person (includes tastings and beverages), RSVP to Brandi Koch at the Rotary Office at 546-7435 x210 or brandi@rochesterrotary.org.

The Sunshine Campus Promotions Committee is looking for volunteers to help sell raffle tickets at the Golf Show.  The show is scheduled to be February 7th-9th at the Dome Arena in Henrietta. Proceeds from the tickets sales will benefit the Sunshine Campus.

Did you know that our Rotary Club is located in the poorest city in New York State?  Did you also know that Rochester is the 5th poorest city in the entire United States?  Is it any wonder, then, that the graduation rate in the Rochester City School District for all students who start 9th grade is about 45 %, and lower still for male students! Yes, less than half of all students who start the 9th grade graduate from high school, while in Brighton, Penfield, Webster, Fairport, and Pittsford, 80 - 90 % of all students go to college!

If that concerns you, you can help.  Give an hour or two each week tutoring a School 8 student in reading or mathematics.  We have established a number of opportunities for helping children learn.  First is the traditional tutoring that can occur during the school
day.  We will put you in contact with a teacher who has a student in need of some help. You come to  School 8 for an hour any time
that is mutually convenient with your schedule and the teacher's schedule, Mon - Fri between 8:30 and 2:30 and help a student learn.  If your schedule is not uniform and you cannot always make a certain period of time,  an alternative tutoring program may be better. The teachers themselves have an after school tutoring program on Tues. and Thurs. afternoons from 2:30 -4:30.  You are welcome to come for an hour to that program and be assigned a student that you can work with one on one. No specific commitment is needed - just show up.  A third alternative is the YMCA which runs a School 8 after school program Mon - Fri from 2:30 -5:30. Come and join that program and tutor a student or two.  Additionally, if you wish, you can start a chess club for example, or any other group activity that you are skilled in and feel the students might enjoy.  That can also be part of the Y program.  
 

Your help is needed - and greatly appreciated by the students and the faculty at School 8.  For more information, please contact Dick Bayer (586-9228  or  richardbayer01@aol.com)  or Linda O'Neil (loneil@pyramidbrokerage.com)

You will make a difference!

Click on the link below for sponsorship information:

2014 Sunshine Kids Gala

The Rotary Foundation Committee and Rochester Rotary Paul Harris Fellow members are issuing a challenge to those club members who are not presently Paul Harris Fellows.

For each $100 donated to The Rotary Foundation the Rochester Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow members will match the donation with 100 recognition points.

This means that someone without any donations to the Rotary Foundation at this point could become a Paul Harris Fellow by donating $500.  The donation would be matched, subject to availability, with 500 recognition points, bringing the combined total to 1,000 points from donations and transferred points needed for the Paul Harris Fellow Recognition.

Like all challenges, the time period for donations to be matched ends in just four weeks on February 4th.

Donations must be sent through Hank Ralston of the Rotary Foundation Committee or if made on a direct basis, proof sent to Hank Ralston so he can set up the matching points.

If you have any questions regarding this, please see Hank Ralston, Beth Cross-Wilhelm or Mark Zawacki.

We hope all members who are not already Paul Harris Fellows take advantage of this opportunity to become one and show your support for all the work that The Rotary Foundation does around the world, including here in the US.  Remember that after three years, 50% of your donation comes back to our District and supports local grants as well.

   

January 2- Andre Godfrey January 2- Deborah Hughes January 3- Fabricio Morales January 6- Paul DeCarolis January 7- Jennifer Johnson January 9- Bud Rusitzky January 10- Jeff Leenhouts January 11- Fran Ostrom January 12- Chris Gamble January 16- Woody Deutsch January 19- Joe Naples January 18- Karla Damico Wilsey

January 19- Mark Kluge January 21- Nancy O'Brien January 22- Bob Stookey January 23- Warren Bastian January 24- Gregory Miller January 24- Ray Ottman January 24- Tim Bauman January 25- Mary Worboys Turner January 26- Doug Phillips January 26- John Velekkakan January 30- Kevin Woods

Birthday gift contributions made will benefit the students at our adopted school, School #8, Roberto Clemente School #8 scholarship students and community service projects with in our community. You may mail your gift to the Rotary Office or bring it with you to a Tuesday meeting.

Please contact the Rotary Office if your birthday is not listed so that we may update your information.

   2013 RPO Sponsors