Upcoming Luncheon Programs: For twenty years, our club and many of its members have worked closely with the students, faculty and administration at our adopted school, Roberto Clemente School #8. Following the "Return to Normandy" presentation by the National Warplane Museum next week, the club will host a series of programs on the future of city education.
� On March 11, Patti Malgieri, Chief of Staff at the Rochester City School District, will speak to us on the RCSD's plans to improve results.
� Mayor Lovely Warren has identified improving city schools as a top priority of her administration. The Mayor will address this topic as part of her remarks when she visits Rochester Rotary on March 18.
� This Fall, the PUC Achieve Charter School will open in Rochester. It will be managed by Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC), which is a non-profit charter school management organization that has successfully managed a number of charter schools in California since 1999. Two National Directors from PUC will speak to us on March 25.
� Yvonne Ragan will speak to us on April 1 concerning Buffalo Promise, a public/private partnership, which seeks to improve academic performance at three Buffalo schools, while revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood. Buffalo Promise took one of the worst performing schools in Buffalo, and transformed it into a successful charter school.
Recent Luncheon Speakers: Thank you Rochester Rotarian Norm Silverstein for speaking to us on February 11 concerning the recent affiliation between WXXI and the Little Theater. It was clear that you are creating excellent synergy between the station and the theater.
On February 18, we held our annual economic forecast program. Brian Sampson, the Executive Director of Unshackle Upstate, moderated a very candid panel discussion by Mike Durant, the State Director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Rick Herman, CEO of the Rochester Home Builders Association, and Brian McMahon, the President of the New York State Economic Development Corporation.
This past Tuesday, Patrick Sheller, Vice President and General Counsel at Eastman Kodak, delivered a presentation on the various business lines of the new Kodak, and why management believes the restructuring of Kodak through bankruptcy will be successful. When we see dynamic, interactive packaging on store shelves, we will remember that we heard about it first at Rochester Rotary.
Paul Harris Fellows: On February 18, we honored the newest Rochester Rotarians to join the ranks of Paul Harris Fellows - Jeremy Bagley, Nelson Blish, Barbara Cutrona, Deborah Hughes, Claire Naples, Sharon Stiller and Roger Wilhelm. We also recognized Beth Cross-Wilhelm, Gary Albanese, Sam Merlo, Marie Campbell, Brian McLaughlin and Paul DeCarolis, who are multiple Paul Harris Fellows. Thank you, and all Rotarians, for your support of the Rotary Foundation. Two-thirds into this Rotary year, and our club already has far exceeded its goal in fundraising for the Rotary Foundation. Please continue to support the Foundation, and Do Good In The World!
Sunshine Kids Gala: By any measure, the Gala this year was a huge success, and it continues to grow every year since Rochester Rotary partnered with the Rochester Automobile Dealers Association. We raised a lot of money for the Sunshine Campus. Attendance was up. The Mardi Gras theme was a hit, as were Prime Time Brass and comedian Rob Lederman. Congratulations to the committee: Fran Antonelli, Tim Cook, Tracey Dreisbach, Peter Landers, Kelly Mueller, Nancy O'Brien, Scott Perkins, Kathleen Pringle, Heather Rossi, Mike Sofia, Julie St. Germaine, Ashley Steeves, Lynn Sullivan and John White, and to committee chairs: Brad McAreavy, Peter Sarratori & Joe Floreano. Thank you also to Don Alhart, who emceed the event. Be sure to visit the Rochester International Auto Show at the Convention Center this weekend. According to Brad McAreavy, "It's a great time to buy!
|