Liberty Rotary Seeks to Clean Up Our CommunityThe Liberty Rotary Club was delighted to join the Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce Community Clean-Up Day on April 20th. We dedicated our efforts to tidying up various areas within the Village of Liberty, significantly reducing litter along the roadsides. A heartfelt thank you to all who volunteered their time to support environmental efforts and enhance the village's aesthetics.  |
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Night at SUNY Sullivan Dazzles The Liberty Rotary Club decided to switch gears for an evening and indulge in the culinary delights prepared by The Catskill Hospitality Institute at SUNY Sullivan. Led by Master Chef Fay, the talented students showcased their skills with exquisite appetizers, a sumptuous main course, and an array of desserts that were both delectable and visually stunning. Also, part of our evening was our guest speaker Courtney Mish, the Development Manager for the ALS Therapy Development Institute. Courtney spoke of the impact ALS has on so many and the current lack of significant treatments or a cure. She further explained how her organization has a team of dedicated scientists working day and night to beat this dreaded neurological disease. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to The Catskill Hospitality Institute at SUNY Sullivan and to Courtney for making our evening with the Liberty Rotary Club so unforgettable and meaningful. The cuisine surpassed our expectations, and the students showcased remarkable talent and professionalism. Courtney's dedication to battling ALS was truly inspiring. Additionally, our members thoroughly enjoyed the chance to bond over a fantastic meal and each other's company. |
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Raffle For Parkinson's The Michael J. Fox Foundation is proud to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in Central Park on April 27, 2024. Every year, thousands gather in New York City’s Central Park for an event that is more than just a walk. 100% of the funds raised go directly to Parkinson’s research and public policy priorities. Last year, this community raised over $975,000 for Parkinson’s research and policy with an additional $1 million dollar-for-dollar match from Connie and Steve Ballmer. All of this culminated in the largest amount ever fundraised at the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in a single year: nearly $2 million! The Liberty Rotary is excited to announce that we will be participating in the Parkinson’s Unity Walk. Not only will members participate in the Unity Walk in Central Park, but members will also participate virtually by walking on the Hurleyville Rail Trail on April 27th at 10:30am. Let’s unite and raise awareness in supporting Parkinson’s disease research. You can support this cause by participating in a $10 Raffle. The contents of the basket are valued at $275. Please contact a Liberty Rotarian or Venmo @Alyssa-Thalmann. |
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Please Support the Parkinson's Unity Walk |
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Liberty Rotary Receives Community Service AwardLiberty Rotary Club is honored and delighted to be chosen for the Jeff Bank Community Service Award of $1,000 as a result of our fundraising efforts for this year's W.S.U.L. Heart-A-Thon. Thank you to Jeff Bank for their commitment to our community and to everyone that made this year's Heart-A-Thon a great success!  |
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Please Support St. Jude Children's Hospital |
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Liberty Rotary Club Participates in 2024 Parkinson's Unity WalkLiberty Rotary Club will participate in the 2024 Parkinson's Unity Walk. Please consider joining us or making a donation to help further research and find a cure for this condition.To join the team or make a donation use this link:  |
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Rotary Brings the Fun and Games to support the Backpack ProgramCongratulations to all those at Liberty Central Schools that created and hosted the "All Things Liberty Winter Festival". Hundreds of community members came out to participate in games, karaoke, craft activities and other interesting pursuits. Additionally, there were vendors of food and unique items for sale. Liberty Rotary Club brought along some games to add to the fun, at which people young and old could show their skills at traditional carnival games like ring toss, football throwing, bean bag hurling, and the ever popular toilet tissue toss. Liberty Rotary Club was proud to be there and support this wonderful event. Thanks to all our volunteers and our awesome community kids, who were well behaved, polite and a very fun group with whom to spend the day.  |
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Team Strike Out Alz Takes the Plunge AgainNo matter how strong your commitment to a cause, one might question if you were willing to throw yourself into frigid waters to support it. However, Team "Strike Out Alz" is so committed to eradicating Alzheimer's and assuring assistance to those afflicted with this dreaded disease, that they jumped into wintry waters not once, but two times to raise funds. The end product of their fundraising efforts produced the incredible sum of over $16,000 to help in this quest to Strike Out Alzheimer's. Thank you to everyone that was crazy enough to make these jumps and to all that made contributions. Liberty Rotary Club members that were on the team included Terry Grafmuller, Beth Bernitt, Hope Blecher, Jonathan Gavin(Representing Meg Gavin), Theresa Grafmuller, Jaime Schmeiser, Alyssa Thalmann and Jessica Thalmann Osterhout. Non-Rotarian members of the team included: Susan Bunce, Lance Castillo, Marcia Fink, Carmin Ribaudo, Erika Ribaudo, and Robert Schwartz.  |
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Thank you! The 46th annual W.S.U.L. Heart-A-Thon was once again an incredible success, which over the years has raised over three million dollars. The community gave extremely generously to support a healthier Sullivan County. The majority of our members participated in raising funds for this event. Fundraising efforts included assisting in distribution and collection of heart cards throughout the area, selling hearts at Resorts World Catskills, participation in the "From the Heart" performance, purchasing meals on Hearty Meal Thursday, seeking direct contributions, and so much more. Members of our club that served on the Heart-A-Thon Committee include Gary Siegel, Judy Siegel, Joanna Gass, Paul Ciliberto and our almost member, Monticello Rotarian Les Kristt. Thank you to everyone that made this event so successful and for your tireless efforts! Organizations associated with this event include: Garnet Health Catskills, Sullivan 180, A Single Bite, STEAMFund.org and Bold Gold Media. All of these groups are committed to bringing heart health to our region.  |
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St. Paw-trick's Day a Howling Good TimeLiberty Rotarians are pawssionate about animals. On March 10th, Liberty Rotary Club hosted a St. Pawtrick's Day pawty to benefit Catskill Animal Rescue. The event was very well attended and raised the impressive sum of over $4,400, which is no small amount of kibble. Imagine the pawsibilities of all the good that can be done with that much money assisting our four legged friends. Thank you so much to all those that worked to make this event a success, including our generous sponsors, Bridge and Tunnel Brewery, all those that assisted from Liberty Rotary Club, and our guests. Also thanks to all our canine friends that came out to make the event really special. Right meow we're all feeling great about such a pawsitive experience! Check out the pictures from this pawsome event:   |
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Performances "From the Heart" The February 5th "From The Heart" performance was a great success, with featured artist and fellow Rotarian Joanna Gass, along with Monticello Rotarian Chris Spinner, both backed by the Search & Rescue Orchestra. Comics Jesse Gambino and Keith Prince entertained the crowd and the food provided by Foster Supply Hospitality was outstanding. The event raised an outstanding $2,180 for the Heart-a-Thon! Thank you to all the volunteers, the performers who donated their time, and all those that came out to support this event.  |
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Heart-A-Thon |
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Grant Allows Liberty Rotary to Brighten the Lives of SeniorsLiberty Rotary purchased the 3rd and final gift for Sullivan County Office of the Aging Meals on Wheels Seniors who are home bound. The gift they received for this round was LED flashlights, with an inspiring poem. We are hopeful that this simple gift will assure many seniors that they are in our thoughts at this busy time of year. Seniors are often forgotten and many have few visitors. In 2023 we were able to reach out to 167 seniors in Sullivan County and brighten their lives by delivering 3 gifts throughout the year. Our club was very fortunate to receive a $4000 grant from the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan to fund this project. We thank the foundation and all those that worked to make this project possible for our seniors.  |
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Serving a Warm Meal on a Chilly DayLiberty Rotary Club has been serving meals at the Interfaith Food Pantry for many years. Through this effort, we provide a quality meal, in a warm and inviting atmosphere, to those that would like to attend. Our club does four to five dinners per year. Other organizations in the area fill in the rest of the calendar. The dinner on December 20th was very well attended and the chicken parmigiana, baked ziti, salad, dessert and gift/snack bags all seemed appreciated. The event seemed to be brimming with holiday cheer. Thanks to all that assisted in the preparation and serving of this important community service.  |
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Coin Drop Leads to Positive ChangeOn December 16th, Liberty Rotary Club held one of its triannual Dollar and Coin Drops in Liberty, NY. The weather was outstanding and the mood merry as a large number of our club members came out to extend our buckets to the community in the hopes that they would offer their dollars and coins. As usual, our neighbors gave strong support of the work we do. The event raised about $1,300 to assist us in our mission of doing good and making positive change in the world. Thanks to everyone that came out and dropped money in our containers and to all that assisted in the collection.  |
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Subzero Heroes Takes the PlungeA number of Liberty Rotarians took the plunge to raise funds to fight Alzheimer's on January 20th. Frigid temperatures did not stop this dedicated (and a bit looney) group from jumping into White Lake on a day that never made it out of the mid teens in temperature. Team Strike Out Alz donned their bowling pin and bowling ball outfits to make a splash in bringing attention to the painful impact that Alzheimer's makes on so many. Through their efforts, thousands of dollars has been raised to Strike Out Alzheimer's. Thank you to these amazing and chilly individuals for this exceptional fundraiser.  |
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Welcome to Bethany Foxworth and Jodie JacksonLiberty Rotary Club is delighted to welcome our two newest members, Bethany Foxworth and Jodie Jackson, who were inducted on Wednesday, 12/6/23. Barbi Neumann Marty presided over their induction. Judy Siegel was the sponsor of these two exceptional additions to the group. Shown in the first photo, from left to right, are Barbi, Bethany, Judy and Jodie. We all look forward to working with Bethany and Jodie to make our world better!    |
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Barbi Neumann-Marty Receives SYDA Award
Liberty Rotary Club could not be prouder of our member, Barbi Neumann-Marty, who this week received the SYDA Foundation Community Service Award 2023. Barbi is a long term member of our club and involved in a great many committees and initiatives. She has also served as a member of the club board for many years. She has dedicated her life to giving all she can to improve the circumstances of others. Barbi is a great person and a great Rotarian. She is the senior unit director of the Town of Wallkill Boys and Girls Club, which serves North Orange and Sullivan counties. She is also a community-based provider for the Children’s Home and a member of the board of CARE. Barbi was honored at a ceremony held at the Sullivan County Government Center on November 15. She gave a heartwarming speech about family, community and the power of putting "service above self". Barbi Neumann-Marty is exceptionally worthy of this recognition. Her dedication to the community and her endless contribution of time to help so many is incredible. Congratulations to Barbi for this honor, of which you are so deserving. Shown below are the Rotarians there were able to be present for Barbi's Award Ceremony.
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Register for the Rotary Holiday Party |
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Please Give Blood |
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Thank you to the Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting SponsorsWe can't thank our sponsors enough for their incredible generosity in supporting the Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting. Your assistance will allow us to offer a great many scholarships and for "A Single Bite" to serve meals to a tremendous number of community members.    |
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Liberty Rotary Club Provides Winter WarmthThis year's Liberty Rotary Club Coat Drive and Distribution was even more successful than one could have imagined. A large crowd arrived early at our October 28th distribution event, which featured about 500 coats to choose from and hundreds of children's outfits. Liberty Rotarians assisted the patrons and helped them find the sizes and styles that suited them best. Coats moved out rapidly and virtually everyone that attended was able to get outerwear to assure their families would be able to keep warm this winter. By the end of the event only 5 coats remained. Most of the children's outfits had been claimed as well. Thank you so very much to all those that donated and collected coats to make this event possible. Additional thanks to all the Rotarians that donated, collected, organized, set-up and assisted customers at this exceptionally important and rewarding event. Thanks to your exceptional efforts, a tremendous number of our community members are going to be kept warm this winter.  |
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Serve the Community and Say CheeseOn Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 the Liberty Rotary Club hosted a Community Dinner at the Interfaith Food Pantry. Attendance was good and our club had numerous members there to prepare the food and serve it to those that needed a good hot meal. Our club has been participating in this important community service for many, many years and will host three more dinners this year. (Other local organizations take turns creating these weekly dinners.) Shown below are two of our members serving up the very cheesy meal of beef or vegetarian enchiladas. Note the great care and teamwork these committed professionals put into plating the entree, as presentation is so very important for delivering tasty food. The meal also featured a green salad, rice with beans and chocolate cake. Thanks to The Interfaith Food Pantry for keeping this important service going. Additional thanks to everyone that showed up to prepare and serve our neighbors.  |
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Dave Thomson Spirit Beer and Wine TastingThe Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting on Friday, November 3rd was an awesome event. The Arnold House proved to be an ideal location for the event, facilitating great efficiency and comfort to allow for our guests to eat, drink and be merry. Thank you to the committee that put the event together, all those that obtained sponsors and guests, everyone that made donations, those that cooked, our servers, and everyone that worked to make this evening a great win for our scholarship fund and “A Single Bite”. Additional thanks to all the purveyors of food and drink that offered a wide array of tastings to suit anyone’s palate. Extreme thanks to Foster Supply Company for donating their location, staff and hospitality to make this event possible.    |
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Local Teens and Their Mentors ImpressLiberty Rotary Club had a number of guest speakers at our meeting on 9/27/23. Our first speakers were members of the local scout troop for girls. Sophia Ferguson and Elaina-Louise Ramirez told us of the hard work they have put in to learn skills and earn merit badges. They also spoke of how much they enjoyed the experience of being a scout. Elaina recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout! Her Eagle Scout Project made improvements to building access at Hanofee Park in Liberty. These improvements make facilities accessible to everyone, including those who may be physically challenged. Our second set of speakers included Sullivan County’s Poet Laureate - Dr. Sharon Kennedy-Nolle and her Ambassador – Mykenzi. Dr. Kennedy-Nolle spoke of how she shares her passion for poetry with our youth and the myriad of benefits people receive from the experience. Her desire to share this art form and encourage young people to find their voice through poetry is impressive. Mykenzi shared a poem that she wrote, which was quite powerful and delivered with great conviction. Our final speaker was Theresa Sareo. Theresa is a singer-songwriter who has overcome much trauma in her life. She was visiting our area to present a program called Alive Again. Through the program, she offers students the opportunity to express their own ideas regarding compassion, empathy, kindness, respect and their aspirations in life in reference to disabilities and acceptance. Programs were to be held at Liberty Schools and RJK Middle School in Monticello. All of our guests delivered powerful messages about the amazing things our youth can accomplish. Their desire to help teens discover their untapped potential was truly inspiring. We thank them for the work that they do and for sharing their stories with our club.  |
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Walk to End Alzheimer's |
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54th Annual Spaghetti Supper |
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Warming Hudson Valley |
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Liberty Rotary Club HonoredLiberty Rotary Club is honored to be recognized as a Friend of the Town of Wallkill Boys and Girls Club. We greatly value the friendship we share with The Boys and Girls Club because they offer safe spaces for the children in our community to learn essential life lessons, and to become more successful students, better citizens, healthier human beings and finer stewards of our planet. Furthermore, they assure these young people have a network of caring adults to help them get through the difficult and complex challenges of growing up in a world that is filled with tremendous obstacles. As Rotarians, we try to live our professional and personal lives in accordance with the Four-Way Test. The first question is “Is It the Truth”. The Boys and Girls Club promotes honesty and integrity. Second, “Is It Fair to All Concerned”. Your organization promotes fair play and equality, inside the club and the wider community. Third, “Will it Build Good Will and Better Friendships”. The Boys and Girls Club is all about relationships to make the passage from childhood to adulthood a more positive and enjoyable experience. And fourth, “Will it Be Beneficial to All Concerned”. The Boys and Girls Club is dedicated to providing equity, inclusion and supports to everyone associated with their organization and others in need. For all these reasons, and more, we are proud to be partners with and good friends of The Town of Wallkill Boys and Girls Club. It is our goal to maintain this relationship well into the future.  |
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Dance to Benefit Special OlympicsThe September 8th Dance to Benefit The Special Olympics was one awesome party! Sponsored by the Liberty Rotary Club, guests from New Hope Community and The Arc Greater Hudson Valley joined many members of our club and community people to dance the night away and enjoy each other's company. Justice Mazzotti of Prestige productions volunteered his time and played a great mix of music to keep the crowd dancing and singing along. Thank you to everyone that planned and worked at the event. Special thanks to all our neighbors that joined the party to make it such a memorable evening!  |
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Another Successful Dollar/Coin DropOur community has once again shown its support of the good work Liberty Rotary Club does. At our coin drop held on 9/2/23 passers-by dropped over $1,100 into our buckets to allow us to continue helping our community. Thank you to all the generous donors and to the Rotarians that came out on this beautiful Labor Day weekend Saturday to do your part.   |
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D.G. Peter Sullivan Visits Liberty Rotary ClubLiberty Rotary Club was honored to have District 7210 Governor Peter Sullivan be our guest speaker at our 8/23/23 meeting. He commended our club for setting and reaching multiple goals in the quest to do good for others. He also encouraged our club to embrace this year's initiative to raise awareness of mental health needs, to eliminate the stigma associated with needing assistance with emotional health, and to work to improve access to mental health services. We are always delighted to have Peter visit our club and appreciate his incredible dedication to assisting Rotary clubs throughout the district "Create Hope in the World".  |
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Liberty Hosts Region 5 MeetingLiberty Rotary Club was delighted to host the August 16th Region 5 Meeting and Barbecue. It was great to meet with our neighboring clubs and find out all the great work being done throughout our Region to perform "service above self". We also had a great presentation by Gregg Korner about Rotary's efforts locally and across the country to combat Alzheimer's Disease and our role in the forthcoming Walk Against Alzheimer's. Thanks to all that attended, those that ran the meeting, and all those that prepared and served our meal.    |
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Team Liberty Takes on the MonsterA number of Liberty Rotarians participated in this year's Monticello Rotary Monster Walk and Run. Our club was a $500 sponsor of the event and also raised about $600 in additional funds to support our veterans. We thank Monticello Rotary Club for hosting a great event that does so much good for the people in our community. Thanks to all the Liberty Rotary Club members that came out to be part of the fun on a beautiful day.  |
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Give Blood! Give Life! |
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Liberty Rotary Celebrates with Scholarship RecipientsThis year's Liberty Rotary Club scholarship recipients joined our club on 7/5 for a celebration of their accomplishments. These impressive 2023 Liberty High School graduates have big plans and exciting goals, and we are delighted to be able to assist them in achieving these aspirations. During the meeting, students were presented with their checks and given the opportunity to share a bit about themselves and their course of study, including the colleges they will attend. The Scholarship Committee did an outstanding job identifying Liberty High's best and brightest and we thank them for their time and efforts. Below are a number of pictures of our recipients that attended the event as well as some photos of members and guests that were in attendance of this ceremony.   |
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2023 Liberty Rotary Club ScholarshipsLiberty Rotary Club was proud to present scholarships to a number of students who graduated this year from Liberty High School and Sullivan County BOCES. These impressive young people show tremendous promise and their futures look very bright! We wish them the very best in their forthcoming endeavors. Thank you to the Liberty Rotary Scholarship Committee for the time they spent reading applications, evaluating the merits of all the students that applied and choosing the finest candidates to receive these awards. We were also fortunate to send two impressive students, who finished their sophomore year, to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, which is a leadership development program. This multi-day experience helps students develop the confidence and interactive skills to become our future leaders. Thanks to the RYLA Committee for selecting our best and brightest to attend. Below, please find a listing of each scholarship recipient and the generous donors that helped make these scholarships possible.  |
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Liberty Rotary Loves a Parade!Liberty Rotarians were proud to represent our club at this year's Liberty July 4th Parade. The weather stayed good just long enough to march in honor of our great country. Thanks to those that organized the event for including us in this Independence Day celebration! Additional appreciation to those that represented our club in the march and all those community members that came out to see the parade and support the Liberty merchants.  |
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Coins and Dollars Add UpOn Saturday, July 1 our club held a dollar and coin drive to support many causes and initiatives. In true Sullivan County style, passers-by gave generously by clearing out the change in their console or offering dollars from their wallets. The event raised $1,300 for charity. Thank you to all that worked at that event and to the many people that helped fill our buckets.  |
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Congratulations Gary Siegel, Jack Strassman and The Membership CommitteeThis year’s Rotary District 7210 End of the Year Celebration was an exciting evening for Liberty Rotary Club. Gary Siegel was inducted into the Rotary District 7210 Hall of Fame. Those who know Gary are aware that his commitment to all things Rotary is exceptional, and that he has dedicated countless hours to improving the lives of our neighbors near and far. We are so very proud to have Gary as a member of our club and for all the amazing work that he does. His entry into the Hall of Fame is extremely well deserved. We offer him our sincere appreciation and congratulations! Additionally, Jack Strassman was sworn in for another year as the District 7210 – Region 5 Assistant District Governor. Jack also exemplifies an incredible commitment to our club and “service above self”. His tireless efforts make a huge difference in the ability of the clubs of Region 5 to accomplish their lofty goals. Our club also received a “Grow Rotary” certificate. Our Membership Committee, chaired by Judy Siegel, has been dedicated to assuring they bring in the finest people to make Liberty Rotary Club an exceptional group of individuals that can make big things happen. Thank you to the committee and all those members that have joined our ranks to do good in the world.    |
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60s Night Celebrates Longevity, Leadership and New MembersOn June 28th, the Liberty Rotary Club held its Member Longevity Celebration and induction of the incoming executive board for the 2023-24 Rotary year. The evening, with a 1960's theme, featured many important moments. Highlights are listed below: 1. Dedication of the newly renovated kitchen in the Charlie Topper Rotary Pavilion at Hanofee Park. Supporters of this renovation were our club, Resorts World Catskills, The Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Department and Dave Thomson. We thank all those that contributed to this great project. Dave Thomson, a former long term member of Liberty Rotary Club left some funds to our club after his passing. Dave was a huge supporter of making improvements to our local parks and a connoisseur of good food. It seemed appropriate that some of his generous donation be used to improve the park kitchen and that he be noted on the commemorative plaque.  2. In what we believe will be an annual tradition, members were recognized for their years of service to Rotary. Members with five or more years of service were given pins to recognize their milestone years of longevity in increments of 5. Each rotary pin had a special commemorative tag to recognize the long term contributions of the recipients. Below are some pictures of some of the members receiving their pins.  3. As each Rotary year begins, another is ending. The past year has been served by a great board under the direction of President Terry Grafmuller. Terry did an exceptional job of running meetings, coordinating events and keeping all things running well. We thank him for his leadership and commitment to our causes. We further thank all those that served on the board to provide judicious decisions to keep our club growing and vibrant.  4. The Liberty Rotary Year 2023-2024 will be a bit different, because it will be the first time our group will have co-presidents. Last night Co-Presidents Bill Silver and Gary Silverman were inducted to the role. They look forward to continuing the incredible momentum that our club has been building for many years. Shown below are Gary, Bill and District Governor Peter Sullivan.  5. Also inducted was an outstanding board of directors. Shown below are: Director Jack Strassman, Secretary Tony Sinacore, Immediate Past President Mr. Terry Grafmuller, Director Meg Gavin, Vice-President Gary Siegel, Treasurer Matt Sush, and Sergeant at Arms Barbi Neumann Marty. Additional executives include Alyssa Thalmann and Jessica Thalmann-Osterhout who were not available for this event. Incoming District 7210 Governor Peter Sullivan presided over the induction ceremony. We thank all board members for donating their time and efforts to making the forthcoming year productive, fun, and full of opportunities to provide "Service Above Self".  6. Beyond all the other exciting moments, we were delighted to welcome two new members to our club last night, Hope Blecher-Croney and Beth Bernitt. Shown are Hope with her mentor Matt Sush (left) and Beth with her Mentor Barbara Blakey. We were fortunate to have incoming District 7210 Governor Peter Sullivan(right) perform the induction ceremony. We are all looking forward to Hope and Beth joining us in doing good in this world.  Thanks to all that contributed to making this evening a success. As we begin the 2023-24 Rotary year, the future looks very bright. |
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LIBERTY ROTARY REFLECTS ON MEMORABLE 70TH YEAR For 70 years, the members of the Liberty Rotary Club have been dedicated to doing their parts to make the community a better place. Our 2022-23 campaign was a memorable one under the leadership of President Terry Grafmuller, Presidents-Elect Dr. William Silver and Gary Silverman, Vice President Gary Siegel, Treasurer Matthew Sush, Secretary Dan Parkhurst, Sergeant-at-Arms Barbi Neumann-Marty and Directors Dan Berkowicz, Fay Cerullo, Charlie Mangini and Joseph Abraham. The board authorized over $70,000 in donations to local causes this year, and the state of membership is strong, especially with the new additions of Susan Haas-Zelinski, Michelle Quick, Alyssa and Jessica Thalmann, Merri White, Hope Blecher Croney and Beth Bernitt. Here’s a summary of some of the club’s larger efforts! (Note: They could not be done without the support of our partners and the community-at-large) Traditions continue Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Fundraiser: Named after late Liberty Rotarian and educator Dave Thomson, this event allows attendees to try locally-produced spirits, beer and wine and raises money for our club’s scholarship fund and efforts to support the fight against food insecurity. This year, we raised approximately $10,000 to fund scholarships for 15 students and $7,000 to benefit local non-profit, A Single Bite. Hummingbird Awards/Paul Harris Fellows honored: Our club once again honored several Rotarians and community members doing their part to make their home and the greater world a better place, at a luncheon in April. Funds raised benefit our club’s Haiti Clean Water Project. This year, approximately $5,200 was raised to help with our efforts in Haiti Disaster Preparedness and Relief: Through this Committee, our Club responds to disasters and assists in preparing communities for the next disaster. This past year, we donated money to assist those affected by the conflict in Ukraine, and we distributed solar lights (which can charge mobile devices), water filtration systems, and non-perishable food items in Puerto Rico, less than one week before Hurricane Fiona hit. We are also working on a Rotary Club Preparedness Plan for the Rotary Clubs in District 7000 (which encompasses all of Puerto Rico), so that they can work together to prepare their communities for the next hurricane or earthquake. Feeding the community: Once a month, our club purchases food and prepares/serves dinners at the Interfaith Food Pantry, providing a good meal to those in the community who need it. We also hold several coin drops, with proceeds benefiting several different local pantries. Furthermore, our club often assists A Single Bite on Thursdays, with members delivering meals the non-profit has prepared to local families in the Liberty area. Coat Drive: In conjunction with Rotary District 7210’s Warming the Hudson Valley initiative that takes place each fall, our club held its annual coat drive in September. We once again setup in front of the Liberty Senior Center and gave away hundreds of coats, gloves and clothes to local families and residents that needed them. Combating Alzheimer’s: Several members have participated in events put on by the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter. In September, a group of Liberty Rotarians traveled to Montgomery for the Orange/Sullivan Walk to End Alzheimer’s. In January, the Subzero Heroes’ team Strike Out Alz, which featured seven Liberty Rotarians, held the first ever Freeze for a Cure event on White Lake, as a warmup … figuratively speaking … to the Chapter’s larger event in Berean Lake in February. When all was said and done, Team Strike Out Alz raised $14,000 the most of any team in the Hudson Valley. Supporting Bold Gold Media NY fundraisers: Each year the generosity of our community is on display during two major fundraisers led by Bold Gold Media Group – the WSUL 98.3 Heart-A-Thon and Thunder 102 Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon. Several members of our club take great pride in distributing hearts and boot cards across the county, as well as supporting events that generate proceeds for it. This year the Radiothon and Heart-A-Thon raised $123,783 and $103,198 respectively. Hanofee Park upgrades: One of our long-term initiatives has been the improvement of the Liberty Rotary Club Charlie Topper Pavilion at Hanofee Park. This year, our Parks Committee, in collaboration with the Town of Liberty Parks and Rec department, got new LED lighting installed at the pavilion, repaired the perimeter of its asphalt pad and poles adding support to the roof, as well as repaired the pavilion sign. The kitchen was also renovated and now boasts a new and higher concrete floor to prevent rain incursions, has new counters for added flexibility and cleanliness, two new stoves and a water heater. New initiatives Special Olympics Dance: Last July, our club held its first annual Dance Benefitting the Special Olympics. It raised $1,400, but more importantly it was an inclusive event with members of our club and the community, as well as those New Hope Community and Arc of the Greater Hudson Valley support, dancing the night away together. Engaging Seniors: Our club’s Jannetta MacArthur has spearheaded a partnership with the Sullivan County Office for the Aging on the Community Friends Engaging Seniors project, which is funded by a Rotary District 7210 grant. Gifts for over 150 members of our elderly population in an effort to let them know that someone is thinking about them. Many seniors deal with a great sense of isolation, so this granted program is devising ways to reach out to the group as a whole to assure no one feels forgotten. CARE-oke: Last fall, our club held its first CARE-oke for Catskill Animal Rescue event. It was a fun afternoon filled with some classic tunes and truly unforgettable performances, which most importantly, raised $1,200 that will benefit several of our furry friends at the Ferndale-based rescue. Clothing Shed: Our club recently partnered with St. Pauly Textile Inc. to sponsor a used clothing shed, currently located by Panda Parlor on State Route 52 in Liberty. St. Pauly Textile Inc. will use the items for charitable purposes, and through the partnership, our club will receive a monthly host fee that will support our various community projects. If you wish to donate clothing items, please make sure they are bagged and tied. There is a QR code near the drop chute with tax deduction information! Want to learn more? Anyone is welcome to attend a Liberty Rotary meeting. We meet on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at Yiasou Greek Restaurant from September-June and at Hanofee Park in July and August. You can also check back here at our website, https://libertynyrotary.org/ and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, to learn more
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Community Friends to Engage Seniors Sends Comfort and CheerThe Community Friends Engaging Seniors project prepared gifts for over 150 members of our elderly population in an effort to let them know that someone is thinking about them. Many seniors deal with a great sense of isolation, so this granted program is devising ways to reach out to the group as a whole to assure no one feels forgotten. Corn bags were chosen as a gift for recipients because they seemed fitting for seniors who have arthritis and/or other pain. They can be heated in the microwave or placed in the freezer to be used as a warm or cool pack. These corn bags were hand made and the material was chosen to be fitting for men and women. They distributed 55 made for male seniors, and 102 made for female seniors. These were handmade in Tennessee. They were packaged individually in gift bags with instructions on use, as well as a letter and poem, which was included in the gift bags. These gifts were delivered to the Sullivan County Office For the Aging Nutrition site. The Office For the Aging delivered each gift bag to every senior who participates in the Meals on Wheels program. Special thanks to Liberty Rotarian and Program Chair - Jannetta MacArthur who coordinated purchase of the items and coordinated getting them to The Office for the Aging. Additional thanks to Hope Silverman for assisting in packaging and The Office for the Aging for connecting the group to our local seniors and delivery.  |
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Liberty Rotarians attend VOAD ConferenceThree members of our club’s Disaster Relief Committee - Gary Siegel, Gary Silver and Irving Kaplan - attended the VOAD Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They made some very good connections with people from PR VOAD & FEMA and are going to be the connectors between Rotary District 7000 and those organizations.   |
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Memorial Day Parade and CeremonyLiberty Rotary Club honored those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country on Memorial Day by participating in the commemorative events on Monday, May 29th. We were proud to participate in this year's parade and ceremony that pays tribute to our fallen soldiers.    |
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Rotary Clubs of Sullivan County Join Together for The Wellness ExperienceMonticello, Liberty, and Livingston Manor Rotary Clubs joined forces to create and host the first ever Wellness Experience. The day featured a blood drive, a wide array of wellness agencies from our region and numerous activities to promote healthy living in Sullivan County. Special thanks to all the Wellness Agencies who collaborated with us to make this event a success. Further appreciation to Assemblymember Aileen Gunther, Dr. Bill Silver, and Meliss Stickle Director of Community Services for participating with Lori Orestaon-James in the Opening (well recieved) Panel Discussion on the Stigma and State of Mental Health and Wellness. Lianna Maniace, Pedro Tween, Marty Colavito, and Tom Bosket hosted fabulous workshop sessions that were well received by those that attended. New York Blood Center collected 28 viable pints of greatly needed blood. Thank you to all that pitched in to make this day possible, including the Wellness Experience Planning Committee. Further thanks to Resorts World Casino for their hospitality and promotion of the event.  |
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Country Cares for St. Jude KidsLiberty Rotary Club was proud to assist Thunder 102 and Bold Gold Media at the 12th Annual Thunder 102 Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon! The event raised $123,783 to help give children's cancer the boot. Thanks to Thunder 102 for giving our club the opportunity to be part of such an important cause.  |
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Hummingbird Award and Paul Harris Fellow LuncheonLIBERTY –– The Liberty Rotary Club (LRC) recently held their eighth annual Hummingbird Award and Paul Harris Fellow Luncheon in the Liberty High School Cafeteria. LRC honored Barbi Neumann-Marty, Joanne Gerow, Sharon Toney-Finch of the YIT Foundation, Denise Lombardi, Dr. Ron Israelski, Doug Smith and the Sullivan Public Library Alliance (SUPLA) as the newest “hummingbirds,” while Greg Goldstein, Lori Orestano-James and Theresa Grafmuller were honored as Paul Harris Fellows. Also, longtime educator and Liberty Rotarian Jack Strassman was recognized as the first recipient of the “Golden Hummingbird Award.” LRC’s Hummingbird Award recognizes those doing their part to make their community a better place, while the Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals as outstanding Rotarians and/or community leaders who have demonstrated the Four Way Test and performed “service above self.” All funds raised at the luncheon will benefit the Liberty Rotary Club’s Haiti Clean Water Project, which was established to provide necessary supplies and support to the over 1,000 Haitian families that have received water filtration systems as a result of a global grant from the Rotary Foundation. These systems are providing healthy, clean, potable water to thousands of men, women and children in Cap Haitien.    |
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Every Brilliant ThingOur club was happy to team up with Monticello NY Kiwanis Club and Town of Wallkill Boys & Girls Club in helping organize Lori Schneider of NAMI Sullivan County, NY’s performance of “Every Brilliant Thing” at SUNY Sullivan this evening. Lori’s powerful performance packs an important message and we applaud her for spreading the word about mental illness and available resources! The benefit of the proceeds from this event go to NAMI to support destigmatizing mental health issues and giving help to those in need.    |
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Team Strike Out Alz Raises Major Funds to combat Alzheimer'sSeveral members of the Liberty Rotary Club were part of Team "Strike Out Alz", which earned 1st place for the most funds raised. A total of $14,109 was collected by the team. This amount was the most money of any team heading into the frigid waters for the Subzero Heroes jump at Berean Lake. A special thank you to everyone who supported the team and the team members that took the plunge for this worthy cause. Team members included Liberty Rotarians Mr. Terry Grafmuller(Captain), Mrs. Terry Grafmuller, Joseph Abraham, Jaime Schmeiser, Alyssa Thalmann and Jessica Thalmann Osterhout. Team participants not part of Liberty Rotary Club include: Adam Ackerly, Hope Blecher, Susan Bunce, Lance Castillo, Lisa Eckley, Marcia Fink, Jonathan Gavin, F. Susan Koenig, Sheila Lashinsky, Dianna McDonald and Robert Schwartz. Their collective efforts made for an outstanding event to support the work of The Alzheimer's Association. Congratulations on your outstanding fundraising and bravery.  |
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Community Bleeds for Heart HealthThe blood drive that was paired with this year's WSUL Heart-A-Thon yielded over fifty pints of blood for the New York Blood Center. Thanks so much to everyone that gave from the heart, by way of their veins, to assure this vital fluid is available to those in need. Monticello, Liberty and Livingston Manor Rotary Clubs spread the word to assure that there was a great supply of donors. The yield of the event exceeded our expectations. Our next blood drive will be on May 20th, which has been designated the "Rotary Day of Service". We will inform the public as soon as registration is open for that event.  |
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Promoting Scholarship OpportunitiesOn February 10th, a few of our members discussed our club’s scholarships and the application process with LHS seniors. It’s always great talking to the next generation of leaders, and providing these scholarships each year is one of the most rewarding things we do!  |
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Community Friends Engaging Seniors |
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45th Annual WSUL Heart-A-ThonThe 45th Annual 98.3 WSUL Heart-A-Thon is coming soon!The beat goes on in the Prevention, Education, and Treatment of Heart Disease in Sullivan County. With the help of hundreds of organizations, businesses and individuals throughout the Sullivan Catskills the 98.3 WSUL Heart-A-Thon has raised over $3 million toward the treatment of heart disease locally. The 98.3 WSUL Heart-A-Thon will celebrate its 45th year on Friday, February 17, 2023, from 6A-6P at Resorts World Catskills Epicenter and broadcast live on 98.3 WSUL. They will be expanding the beneficiaries to focus on Prevention, Education, and Treatment of Heart Disease in Sullivan County. This year proceeds will benefit a Treadmill for the Cardiac Rehab and some portable Cardiac Monitors, both for the Garnet Medical Center Catskills Campus; The Warrior Teens Program and an Outdoor Fitness Pad in Monticello with Sullivan 180, A Single Bite’s Real Food School Education Program, and Building Sullivan’s Healthcare Workforce Scholarships with SUNY Sullivan. 100% of the funds raised stay right here in the Sullivan Catskills. Here’s how you can help:  ________________________________ Make an appointment to give blood. Blood donations are needed now more than ever. The Rotary Clubs of Monticello, Liberty, and Livingston Manor will be holding a Blood Drive in conjunction with NYBC (New York Blood Center) as part of the 45th Annual WSUL Heart-a-thon on Friday, February 17, 2023 from Noon until 6pm at the Epicenter at Resorts World in Monticello who has graciously sponsored this event. You can register to donate at this link: ________________________________ Purchase dinner. A great meal at a great price for a great cause!  Find it in your heart (pun intended) to make a donation or pledge to this year’s 45th Annual 98.3 WSUL Heart-A-Thon CLICK HERE to donate |
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A Review of the Year in PicturesSo much of what Liberty Rotary Club does, is not easily shown in photos. The group has made a plethora of donations to worthy causes, and members volunteer all over our county and world to improve the lives of others. Fortunately, there is photographic evidence of a number of this year's initiatives and events. The link below is a slideshow of pictures of many of our members doing good in the world and sharing the camaraderie that makes our club so vibrant. These photos were collected throughout the 2022 calendar year from January through December and presented in no particular order. (A Rotary year begins in July)
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Liberty Rotary Club's Annual Winter Raffle If purchasing via VENMO, please place "Raffle Ticket" and the Rotarian Name in the Note section.
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Dollars and Coins Add Up to a Charitable DayThanks to the incredible generosity of our community members, our latest Dollar and Coin Drop yielded over $1,000. The funds gathered will support many Liberty Rotary Club Programs and contributions including assisting those in need of healthy meals. Thank you to all our members that braved the chilly temperature to make this event a success. Our deepest appreciation to all that stopped to help those in need by dropping their coins and cash into our buckets.  |
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70 Years of Making The World A Better PlaceAt this season of giving, please consider including us in your charitable donations, so we can continue to support local, regional, national and international programs making the world a better place.  |
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Thank you to the Dave Thomson SBWT SponsorsThank you to the generous sponsors of this year's Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting!    |
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70 Years Old and Going StrongLiberty Rotary Club turned 70 years old on October 13, 2022. Below please find a photo of our original charter from 1952. One can only imagine the long list of good deeds and people served by the club in its 70 years of putting "service above self". The club continues to be vibrant and make a positive difference in the lives of our members, our community, our nation and the world.  |
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Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine TastingThis year's Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting was a tremendous success. Our generous sponsors, donors and attendees helped our organization to raise over $19,000 to assist "A Single Bite" and the Liberty Rotary Club Scholarship Fund. Our musical guests William's Honor were superb, delivering a mix of pop, rock and country music that had the crowd singing along and dancing. The selection of wines, spirits, ciders and potent potables was exceptional, offering a selection that appeals to almost any palate. The atmosphere was jubilant as our many attendees enjoyed a tremendous variety of foods from Piccolo Paese's Chef Baco as well as an abundance of tasty dishes created by members and their families. Thank you to all our sponsors, guests, attendees and everyone that helped to make this outstanding evening have so much positive impact.       |
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53rd Annual Spaghetti DinnerLiberty Rotary Club was delighted to host our 53rd Annual Spaghetti Dinner at the Liberty High School Cafeteria on October 25th. The sold our event served up some great food and gave us the opportunity to gather with many friends. The event yielded a profit of over $1,000, which will be used to support the Liberty High School Interact as well as Liberty Rotary Club and the many causes to which we contribute.       |
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LRC Seeking Donations for Puerto RicoCLICK HERE TO DONATE Through the Liberty NY Rotary Club Foundation Fund at CFOS, donations are being securely collected and distributed directly to assist the people of Puerto Rico during this frightening time. Please consider donating to our fellow citizens, brothers and sisters – no donation is too large or too small. DONATE VIA VENMO – search @libertynyrotary and type “Disaster Relief” in the “What’s It For” section. To donate by check or money order make payable to: Send checks to:
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Wallkill East Rotary Seeks to Bring Aid to Haiti Bill Dauster – President of The Garnet Health Foundation represented Wallkill East Rotary Club at our September 7th meeting, where he spoke about their club’s Second Rotary Global Grant effort. Their mission is to “address the critical community health needs of Haiti and produce sustainable, measurable outcomes”. This project is a collaboration between ORSI (Orthopedic Relief Services International founded by Dr. Ron Israelski) based in Goshen, Wallkill East Rotary Club, The Rotary Club of Port au Prince and Rotary International. Through their joint efforts, the groups will strive to use a novel approach with the acronym I.C.E. (Infrastructure, Clinical, Education). The infrastructure provisions will include much needed medical supplies, which are in great demand in Haiti. The clinical portion will provide telemedicine technology with NYU School of Medicine. Lastly, the education segment consists of textbooks, year-round lectures from skilled orthopedists and computer software with orthopedic training and literature. This three pronged approach can do much good in Haiti, which has been plagued by government corruption, inner city violence and many gang controlled areas that interfere with access to modern health care. This project is one of many sponsored by Rotary Clubs to bring improvements and relief to Haiti, which is the most economically depressed area in the Western Hemisphere. It should be noted that Liberty Rotary Club has been administering a Clean Water Program in Haiti for many years to provide potable water to those that would otherwise be exposed to pollution and pathogens in their drinking water. Through our club's program, 1,000 families have access to filtered water to better assure good health. If you would like more information about Wallkill East's grant or would like to make a donation to support this project, contact Bill Bassett at 845-800-3532. If you would like more information about the Liberty Rotary Club - Clean Water Program or would like to make a donation, please contact Gary Siegel at 845-798-2188
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Ceremony to Recognize Park Project ContributionsAt our club's August 31st meeting, a dedication was held to commemorate the two-plus year renovation and improvements project recently completed at the Liberty NY Rotary Club Charlie Topper Pavilion at Hanofee Park. Our role as a club was to provide the funds and other supports needed to have a successful project. That could not have been done without the generosity of funds from the Dave Thomson Trust and Resorts World Catskills casino, as well as the cooperation and assistance given by the Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Department. We are so grateful for their assistance, as well as the hard work of our Parks Committee in this process. At last week’s meeting, Parks Committee Chair Dr. William Silver unveiled the wording of a plaque that will one day soon sit in the pavilion. He was joined by Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Working Supervisor Kevin Delaney and Resorts World Catskills Manager of Government Affairs & Public Relations Angela Rein.  |
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Liberty Rotary Hosts Region 5 Meeting and BarbecueLiberty Rotary Club was delighted to host the Region 5 Meeting and Barbecue on August 17th at Hanofee Park. It was wonderful to have all our guests join us at our summer meeting spot for camaraderie and fellowship. Our District Governor - Larry Palant was there to catch us up on so much of what is going on with District 7210 and Rotary's initiatives. A.D.G. Jack Strassman and Liberty Club President Terry Grafmuller did a great job of running the meeting, which included reports from all the clubs attending from Region 5. Thanks to everyone that pitched in to make it a great summer night in the Catskills.   |
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Liberty Rotary Club Walks Against Alheimer'sSeveral members of the Liberty Rotary Club traveled to Montgomery on October 22nd for the Sullivan/Orange Walk to End Alzheimer’s. It was a wonderful event for a great cause! The Liberty club raised over $1,000 to benefit The Alzheimer's Association and was honored to be part of a crowd of over 500 people that took a stand against this horrific disease. The flowers of different colors represent the different ways in which individuals are affected by Alzheimer's devastating impact. After the walk, the flowers are all arranged in a garden of hope, which represents the aspiration that a prevention or cure will soon be found. Special thanks to all those who donated to the cause, the walkers and everyone that made this event so meaningful.  Team Liberty Rotary Many Rotary Clubs from around the region participated in the event. |
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Care-oke FundraiserLiberty Rotary Club held its first Karaoke event on September 18th at the Kartrite Resort in Monticello, NY to benefit Catskill Animal Rescue. The crowd was in great spirits and experienced a wide range of vocal talents. Thanks to our wonderful guests, our many prize donors, The Kartrite Resort and all the volunteers who collectively made the event tremendous fun. On top of the good time had by our attendees, over $1,200 was raised to support Catskill Animal Rescue. In case you missed it, click on this link to hear those that gave their strongest performance for the good of the animals of Sullivan County.  |
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Liberty Rotary Takes Steps to Assist VeteransMonticello Rotary Club and Resorts World Catskills always does an outstanding job of organizing and hosting the Monster Classic Run and Walk, and this year's event was no exception. Liberty Rotary Club was pleased and proud to be a $500 sponsor of the event. Additionally, through the efforts of our club, $1,125 was raised to support our veterans. Thank you so very much to all the Liberty Rotarians and friends of Liberty Rotary Club that donated so generously to help those that have served our nation. Numerous Liberty Rotarians showed up to enjoy the event, with members of our team being participants in either the 5k walk, 5k run or 10k run. It was a warm day for such an event, but spirits were high and it was great to be part of Monticello's exceptional exercise opportunity that does so much good.  Some members of Team Liberty Rotary present at the 44th Annual Monster Classic |
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Coin Drop to Benefit Local Food PantryOn July 23rd, the Liberty Rotary Club took to the road to encourage passers-by to contribute to our Dollar and Coin Drop. A portion of the proceeds from this event will support a local food pantry to benefit those experiencing food insecurity. Thank you to all the volunteers that endured blistering hot temperatures to make this event happen. We express our sincerest gratitude to all the motorists who gave so generously to support this event, which raised over $1,000 in just 4 hours.   |
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Dance to Benefit The Special OlympicsThe July 29th Dance to benefit The Special Olympics was an incredibly fun event! Sponsored by the Liberty Rotary Club, our neighbors and members gathered to dance the evening away and enjoy a bit to eat. Some of our awesome neighbors included people from New Hope Community and The Arc Greater Hudson Valley. Justice Mazzotti of Prestige productions brought the party to life with an incredible mix of classic dance tunes that had the whole crowd grooving. The party attendees enjoyed burgers and dogs served with Popcorners and beverages donated by PepsiCo. Thank you to all the sponsors of this event, the dance committee, and everyone that worked so hard to bring this event to fruition. As a result of their collective efforts, over $1,500 was raised to benefit The Special Olympics. Click on the link below to watch a video slideshow of the crew and guests making the evening a success. |
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Liberty Rotary Club Inducts New OfficersAssistant District Governor Jack Strassman officiated the induction of our 2022-23 officers at our July 6 meeting. Terry Grafmuller is the new club President of Liberty Rotary Club. Joseph Abraham has taken the role of President Elect. Matthew Sush will continue as Treasurer, Gary Siegel is the new Vice President, Barbi Neumann Marty will continue as Sergeant at Arms and Daniel Parkhurst is our new Secretary, who will work virtually from Tennessee. Additional board directors include Dan Berkowicz, Fay Cerullo, Charlie Mangini and Dr. William Silver. Congratulations and thank you to all! We are optimistic that this group of volunteers will move our club forward and allow us to continue in our quest to make the world a better place. Sincere appreciation to all the members of the 2021 - 2022 board, who gave their time and energy to create a productive and meaningful year.   |
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Liberty Rotary Marches in July 4th ParadeLiberty Rotarians were proud to represent our club at this year's Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce July 4th Parade. It was beautiful day for a parade and a great opportunity to celebrate the good in our country. Thanks to the chamber for including us! Additional appreciation to those that represented our club in the march and all those community members that made it a great event.   |
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Just For the Health of ItSummer in the Catskills gives much opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise. It also affords one the chance to make a difference. Liberty Rotarians have been out there supporting local charities by participating in some great walks and runs including the Turtle Trot, DYC River Run and the Monticello Rotary Monster Classic. Just for the health of it, consider the many races offered in our area that raise funds for important causes.  Barbara and Peter Blakey at the DYC River RunTeam Liberty Rotary participated in the Monster Classic. In addition to having many members participate, Liberty Rotary Club was a $500 sponsor of the event, and thanks to our generous members and supporters, raised an additional $1,125 to support our veterans.  Some members of Team Liberty Rotary including Matt Sush, Hope Silverman, Gary Silverman, Judy Siegel, Irving Kaplan, Gary Siegel, Joseph Abraham and Jaime Schmeiser.There is another walk/run being planned for September 24 in the Town of Lumberland to benefit those struggling in Ukraine and those that are now refugees in nearby countries. More information to follow. Additionally, there is an event being planned to benefit the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance being planned for the fall. |
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Liberty Rotary Club Distributes Many ScholarshipsCongratulations to the recipients of this year's Liberty Rotary Club Scholarships. Our sincerest thanks to the businesses, organizations and individuals who made donations to our scholarship fund. Special appreciation to the Liberty Rotary Club Scholarship Committee who took the time to solicit applications, host interviews and select the most worthy for the following awards:  Melana Quick-Lepke $2000 LRC Community Service Award Sponsored by BLS Law, Rhulen/Loughlin Family, & Foster Supply Hospitality Dylan Parks $1500 LRC Community Service Awward Sponsored by Woodbourne, Lawn & Garden, Kaplan Custom Cabinets & New Hope Community Quintin Bradley Herzog $1000 LRC Community Service Award Sponsored by Colonial Ramsay Funeral Home Katrina Marie Blais $500 LRC Richard H. Fosler Achievement Award Sponsored by Senator Mike Martucci Chase Declan Racette $500 LRC Community Service Award IMO Theresa Panny Sponsored by The Misner Agency Abigail Kelly $500 LRC Community Service Award IMO Carmela Starpoli Sponsored by Leadership Sullivan Dianna May Marty $500 LRC Community Service Award Sponsored by The Diane Foster Family Ethan Werlau $500 LRC Community Service Award Sponsored by Rolling V Bus Corp Alyssa Kavleski $500 LRC Community Service Award Sponsored by Pepsi Co/Frito Lay Northeast Dianna May Marty $500 LRC Honorarium Awarded to a Child of a Rotarian Sponsored by STEAM (Siegel Trust Enriching Arts & Music) Fund Melana Quick-Lepke $250 Honorarium for LHS Interact President Sponsored by the Jack Strassman Family ($150 goes to the student and $100 to the charity of the student's choice) Julia Gorr $100 Liberty Rotary Club Award Michael Pelton $100 Liberty Rotary Club Award Digsania De La Cruz Coronado $100 Liberty Rotary Club Award Jahshime Diaz $250 – BOCES Award Tyler Lemondola $250 - BOCES Award Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Attendees Jumana Abu Al Ghanam Erin Skinner Paola Ponce-Agredabo Yuridia Cristino Lopez |
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Liberty Rotary Starts Buddy SystemIn an effort to foster camaraderie amongst our club membership and assure that everyone feels included, The Liberty Rotary Club Membership Committee has created the “buddy system”. Its elegance lies in its simplicity, which pairs every person in our club with another member that they might not normally interact with socially. Buddies are encouraged to check in with each other, and if they so desire, spend a bit of time getting to know each other on a more personal level. It is hoped that the new “buddy system” will help promote the third ethical guidepost of The Rotary Four Way Test, which is “Will It Build Good Will and Better Friendships”. It is through this four-part credo that Rotarians assure that all we do promotes our motto of “Service Above Self”.  |
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Comedy Night Raises Some Bucks and Yucks!Our club is so grateful for the support of the Forestburgh Playhouse who hosted a successful Comedy Night on Saturday, 5/21 featuring the comedy of Rich Kiamco . Thanks to the generosity of the Playhouse and event attendees, $700 was raised to support our club's youth programs! The Forestburgh Playhouse's spring series has already benefited several local organizations doing amazing work. Franklin Trapp and staff are first class, and the Forestburgh Playhouse is such a gem in our community. For more information on upcoming fundraising events and Playhouse shows go to FBPlayhouse.org.  |
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Concert for Peace and Healing Thank you to Cris Spinner for performing her "Concert for Peace and Healing". The music was beautifully performed and the audience found it very moving. The event was well attended and the day yielded over $3,000 in funds to provide humanitarian aid to those impacted by the war. All proceeds benefitted those affected by the crisis in Ukraine, via the Liberty NY Rotary Club's Disaster Preparedness and Relief Fund at the The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan. Our fundraising efforts continue, as those impacted are dealing with oppressive hardships and medical issues. Please consider supporting the Liberty Rotary Club Disaster Relief Fund to help us "Stand With Ukraine". CLICK HERE to donate  |
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7th Annual Recognition Brunch The Liberty NY Rotary Club held their seventh annual Hummingbird Award and Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Lunch last Sunday at the Arc Greater Hudson Valley Multi-Purpose Room in Monticello. All proceeds benefit the club's Haiti Clean Water Program. The Hummingbird Award originated from a story club members heard on a trip to Haiti, and is given to individuals and organizations who are doing their part and the best they can to make their communities a better place. This year's Hummingbird Award recipients were Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills, Bill Bassett, Julian Dawson, Jannetta MacArthur, Marty Colavito, Gerald Skoda and Dan Hart. The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. Rotary established the recognition in 1957 to encourage and show appreciation for substantial contributions to what was then the Foundation's only program, Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. Paul Harris Fellows recognized at Sunday's event were Joseph Abraham, Joanna Gass, Macklin Eugene, Danny Thalmann, Irving Kaplan, Les Kristt, Dan Parkhurst, Judy Siegel, Gary Silverman, Anthony Sinacore, Jack Strassman and Gary Siegel. The non-profit, A Single Bite, provided the food for the event. "We are grateful for the Arc of the Greater Hudson Valley for allowing us to use their wonderful space for our event," said Liberty Rotarian and Hummingbird Committee Chair Joseph Abraham. "We're also thankful for A Single Bite for catering a delicious meal. Our committee would also like to recognize the generosity of attendees and event sponsors for helping us raise crucial funds to help our friends in Haiti." Over $3,500 was raised to support the Liberty NY Rotary Club's efforts in Haiti. Liberty Rotarians Gary Silver and Gary Siegel co-chair the Haiti Clean Water Program Committee. "We are so grateful for the support that we have received at our Hummingbird & Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Lunches benefiting the Haiti Clean Water Program Sustainability Fund over the years and this year is no exception. All funds raised at the event will help to sustain our program beyond the term of the global grant so that the 1,000 families that have participated in the program in Cap Haitien will continue to benefit from having clean potable water well into the future, allowing them to lead healthier and more productive lives,” said Siegel. |
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Liberty Rotary Seeking Donations To Support Ukraine
The Liberty Rotary Club has heard the cries of the Ukrainian people and are responding. We have already authorized donations to the Rotary Foundation, Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine, UNICEF, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, LIberty Central School Class of 2026 Ukraine Relief Supply Fund and Ukraine Volunteering and Defense Center - Aid Convoy for Ukraine. This is a crisis of epic proportions that many of us have not seen in our lifetimes. At this time, more than 3 million Ukrainians have fled their country. We are asking you to join us in helping our brothers and sisters in Ukraine by donating to our Disaster Relief Fund. |
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Rotary Takes on Food InsecurityIt has always been a priority of our club, and Rotary District 7210, to which we are a part of, to fight food insecurity in our communities. Some of our club’s efforts, currently and/or in the past, include: • Working with and supporting local partners that are feeding our neighbors. This has been achieved through over $2,000 in monetary donations, as well as volunteer efforts. An example of the latter is that our club recently agreed to take on a food delivery route for “A Single Bite” on Thursdays. • Speaking of ‘A Single Bite,’ the non-profit partnered with us on this past November’s Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting Fundraiser, which in addition to benefiting our scholarship fund, raised substantial funds for them as well. • Through Operation Feed 2.0, our club helped feed healthy meals to over 125 food insecure families in five communities during the pandemic. This effort has been sustained by ‘A Single Bite.’ • We’ve also hosted community dinners (the most recent of which took place last week on 2/16), and held coin drops and food drives benefitting local food pantries.     |
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Promoting Good Health and Making a Difference in FebruaryThe month of February of 2022 has featured some impressive speakers. Each of them is doing their part to improve lives and promote well being. Click the "Read More" button below to find out about our four outstanding presenters. |
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Watch "From the Heart 2" |
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WSUL HEART-A-THON a Success! |
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Rest In Peace Theresa PannyOur dear friend and fellow Rotarian, Theresa Panny, passed away unexpectedly on December 29, 2021. She joined the Liberty Rotary Club in February, 2016. Since her induction, Theresa has held the office of Sergeant of Arms and was currently a Director of the board. In the 5 years of Theresa's membership, she was co-chair of the RYLA committee and a member of the Global Grant, Scholarship, Spaghetti Dinner, Spirit, Beer, and Wine, Food Drives, Polio, Youth Exchange, and Open World Committees. She also participated in Heartathon and St. Jude's fundraisers. Theresa often staffed registration tables selling admission, raffle, and 50/50 tickets. Professionally, Theresa was a Special Education teacher at Sullivan County BOCES and President of the Sullivan County BOCES Teacher's Association. Theresa's energy, humor, and passion for helping will be greatly missed. Her passing has left a void in our Liberty Rotary family.
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New Hope Community Makes Donation to Liberty RotaryJudy Siegel represented Liberty Rotary Club in accepting a $1,500.00 donation from New Hope Community. The money is to be used for local programs and needs. New Hope appreciates how much Liberty Rotary Club gives back to the community and determined we should be one of the groups they wished to support. In a Facebook post from the organization, they stated "One of our pillars at #NewHopeCommunity is to be deeply involved in our community. We make it our mission year round to have a presence and support our neighbors." From our club's perspective, this has certainly been the case. We thank New Hope Community for their generosity and the incredible contribution they make to our region and those they serve.  |
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Liberty Rotary donates to A Single BiteLiberty Rotary donates to A Single Bite LIBERTY – The Liberty NY Rotary Club (LRC) recently made a $7,050 donation to A Single Bite, from funds raised during their Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting fundraiser. The event, held last month at Piccolo Paese, benefitted the non-profit, as well as the LRC’s scholarship fund, which last year alone, distributed over $6,000 to students continuing their academic careers at the collegiate level. “Rotary can only accomplish its goals by establishing strong relationships with community partners,” said LRC President Gary Silverman. “There are few groups doing more in our area to assist those dealing with food insecurity than A Single Bite. The combination of Liberty Rotary Club members working with representatives from A Single Bite made for a great team. We are delighted the event turned out to be so successful. The efforts and contributions of so many, enabled us to fortify the Liberty Rotary Club Scholarship fund to promote education in our local schools. Additionally, we raised a substantial amount of money for A Single Bite, which continues to bring essential food to our neighbors.” |
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LNYRC Disaster Preparedness & Relief FundReal time disaster response... When the help is most needed!  We have responded to a number of disasters in the past (Hurricane Harvey, Florence & Maria in Texas, North Carolina & Puerto Rico, respectively flash flooding in Tennessee, earthquakes in Haiti & Puerto Rico and more recently the hurricanes in Belize). We continue to monitor any new disasters that strike domestically and internationally such as the tornadoes in the midwest. |
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Liberty Rotary completes mission to Belize
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Liberty Rotary Raises Pints for the Holiday SeasonThe Liberty Rotary Club held its annual blood drive on Saturday, December 11th. Numerous Rotary Club members and people from the community came to give a gift that really matters this holiday season. Thank you to all that donated. Blood supplies are very low, so if you were unable to make it to our blood drive and are able to do so, please plan to donate blood soon.      |
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Coin Drop Leads to Positive Change for Those in NeedThe Liberty Rotary Club held a dollar and coin drop to benefit St. Peter's Food Pantry in Liberty on November 20th. Thanks to the incredible generosity of a multitude of vehicles that passed our volunteers, we were able to collect over $1,250.00 to help feed those in need. Special thanks to all the volunteers that came out to collect funds on that chilly morning and to those that gave so many dollars and coins.  |
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Help Us Help Others On Giving Tuesday |
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Congratulations S.C. Chamber Pride Award Winners!Some Liberty Rotary Club members were at the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce Pride Awards the evening of November 11th. We congratulate all of the award recipients, and are especially proud of two who are Liberty Rotarians, Matt Sush - "Young Emerging Leader Award" and Marie Smith - "Distinguished Service Award".  |
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Ninth Annual Dave Thomson FundraiserThe Ninth Annual Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting to benefit scholarships and "A Single Bite" was a great time for great causes. The evening's atmosphere was joyous and the company superb. The food and drink was of the finest quality. Even more important, was that this event raised much needed funds to provide educational opportunities for students and provide meals for the food insecure. Thank you so very much to all the sponsors that supported this event. Special thanks to Foster Supply Hospitality for letting us use their beautiful venue, Piccolo Paese, and providing staffing and food for the event. Additional special thanks to Claudia Hoyser and her band, who shared their incredible talents to help us reach our goals. If you would like to view some photos of the event, please do so at https://youtu.be/XjfnA-M0byE To view the stream of the event, use the following link: https://www.twitch.tv/LibertyNYRotary    |
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Turning Trash to TreasureBarbi Neumann-Marty and Joe Abraham stopped by Liberty High School to hang out with fellow Liberty Rotarian and LHS Business Teacher Dan Hart and the Interact Club. Together, they sorted through donated plastic that will soon be turned into park benches. We're very proud of the Liberty Interact Club. From this project to the Comfort Closet they established last year, these young folks are truly people of action!  |
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Liberty Rotarian Irving Kaplan Honored for ServiceCongratulations to Liberty Rotarian Irving Kaplan and Bart Rasnick who were recognized for their 50 years of service with the Fallsburg Fire Department on Sunday night. Fallsburg FD is celebrating their 100th anniversary. We're proud of Irving for his dedication to the fire service and his commitment to keeping his community safe. Irving truly lives our motto of "Service Above Self"! Thank you Irving!  |
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Liberty Rotary Club Raises Funds to Fight Alzheimer'sLiberty Rotary Club raised nearly $2,500 in support of this year's Walk Against Alzheimer's. The bulk of our contributions were raised at a coin drop dedicated to this worthy cause. Although only a small number of members attended the walk, a great many Liberty Rotarians assisted in the raising of funds. The hope is that one day Alzheimer's will be no longer be so impactful on the lives of our population. Of the top ten fundraisers for the Orange and Sullivan annual walk, three of the groups were Rotary Clubs, which included Liberty, Walkill East(Top Fundraiser) and Monticello Rotary.     |
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Liberty Rotary Provides Warmth to ManyOn Saturday, October 9, our club gave away approximately 525 coats (in adult and kid sizes) and winter accessories to local families in need. The majority of the coats, which were distributed at the Liberty Senior Center, were donated by the community, with each Jeff Bank location, Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills, Achieve Rehab and Nursing Facility, St. Peter’s Church in Liberty, and the Liberty Interact Club (at Liberty HS) serving as drop locations. Our club also used some of its own funds to clean coats, as well as purchase additional coats where there was a need (i.e. children’s sizes). Leftover coats were donated to the Liberty United Methodist Church, which will be holding their own drive in the near future. Thanks to everyone who donated coats and winter accessories, our drop-off location partners, and the Town of Liberty Parks and Rec department for allowing us to use the space. You helped to make this year’s coat drive a smashing success!  |
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Liberty Rotary Receives Walter A. Rhulen AwardThe Liberty Rotary Club was honored to be the recipient of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development - Walter A. Rhulen Award. We had the pleasure of attending their annual meeting and dinner where the award was presented to us by Sims Foster. We are exceptionally appreciative for this grand recognition of the work we do. We'd also like to congratulate Delaware Engineering DPC's John Brust, who was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Thank you to everyone who made this monumental recognition possible.  |
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Event To Benefit Scholarships & A Single Bite |
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Keep Someone Warm This Winter |
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Please Support Haiti Relief Efforts At 8:30am (GMT-4) on August 14th, a strong, shallow earthquake rocked southwestern Haiti. The 7.2 magnitude quake, which was 10km deep, toppled buildings and homes and damaged infrastructure and roads, cutting off access to some roads in the southwest such as National Road 7 (RN#7) connecting Les Cayes and Jeremie, and forcing many to flee their homes in fear that they may collapse. There have been many casualties and deaths reported in the areas in the southwest parts of Haiti. The Liberty Rotary Club Disaster Relief Committee has been in contact with many of our friends in Haiti who are providing intel and information about the immediate needs. District 7020 Past District Governor Robert Leger and member of the Rotary Club des Cayes will be helping us coordinate our relief efforts. Gustav Clivens who lives in Ile A Vache, an island 9 miles south  of Les Cayes that our mission teams have visited is currently in Les Cayes and providing intel and information for us to assess. In addition we have contacted Gift of Water as well as our friends in the Rotary Club des Cap Haitien to assist us in our relief efforts. On behalf of our fellow Rotarians and friends in Haiti, our Liberty NY Rotary Club Disaster Relief Committee is asking everyone to consider making a donation to support our relief efforts there. Our goal is to raise at least $10,000. Receiving the donations quickly will provide help to our friends in Haiti in real time. All proceeds raised will go to the Liberty NY Rotary Club Disaster Relief Fund and will be used to provide relief as determined by our assessments of the situation on the ground in Haiti. CLICK HERE to donate online with credit/debit card DONATE ON VENMO – search @libertynyrotary and type “Disaster Relief” in the “What’s It For” section. To donate by check or money order make payable to: CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund Send checks to: CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund Please write “Disaster Relief” in the memo 30 Scotts Corners Drive, Suite 203 Montgomery, NY 12549 Please contact Gary Siegel if you have questions or need more information. Gary Siegel - Immediate Past President (LibertyNYRotaryClub@gmail.com) "Service Above Self" 845 798-2188 (m) 845 295-9500 (w) 845 292-2552 (h)
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Coin and Dollar Drive A Big Win for The Walk to End Alzheimer'sThanks to the efforts of many Rotarians and the generosity of those passing by, the "Coin and Dollar Drive" held on August 14th yielded one thousand six hundred and ninety dollars and 21 cents($1690.21). This event was dedicated to supporting Team Liberty Rotary in their efforts to fundraise for The Walk to End Alzheimer's. Thank you to all who gave their time to make this fundraising effort so successful. Special thanks to all the motorists who donated their coins and dollars to aid the fight against Alzheimer's.  |
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Dave Thomson Spirit Beer and Wine Tasting Coming Soon |
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Bagel Festival Helps Liberty Rotary Raise Awareness and Some Dough
Liberty Rotary Club was pleased to be present at the Monticello Bagel Festival and RadioBold Music Festival on 8/8/21. While there, we had the opportunity to inform attendees about the important work we do and sell tickets to our raffle, which supports future projects and causes. Great job by the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and Bold Gold Media Group. We had a great time taking part in the day's festivities and interacting with members of our community.    |
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Be In It To Win It!Liberty Rotary Club is holding its annual cash prize raffle. However, you can't win that $500 first prize, $250 second prize or your choice of a magnificent hand painted hummingbird window third price if you don't purchase a ticket. Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10. Contact any Liberty Rotarian or catch us when members will be selling tickets outside the Liberty Diner or Liberty Trading Post to make your donation to support Liberty Rotary Club's great work and get your chance to win.  Act soon, because the drawing will be held on September 22nd, 2021!
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Team Liberty Takes on the MonsterLiberty Rotary Club participated in the Monticello Rotary / Resorts World Catskills 5K and 10K Monster Run and Walk on August 1st. The Liberty Club was proud to be a $500 sponsor of the event. Additionally, through the collective efforts of members and friends of our club, $935.00 was raised to support the Sullivan County Veteran's Coalition. Thank you to our host, Monticello Rotary Club, and to all those that contributed to our fundraising efforts. Shown below are some Liberty Rotary members that were able to be there on race day.  |
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Liberty Rotary Has Visitors from BelizeOn Wednesday, July 14th, the Liberty NY Rotary Club hosted Katherine Meighan, Zulema Medina and Carla Musa from Belize. All of these three amazing women provided those in attendance with an introduction and the club was briefed on the progress of our disaster relief efforts in Belize. It was pointed out that after both Hurricane Eta and Iota struck Belize that the Belize Disaster Relief Team googled "disaster relief" and one of the first organizations that appeared in the search was Operation Endeavor where a number of our Rotarians including Charles Lee Miller, Shannon Barry, Gary Silver, Susan Kraycer and Gary Siegel are all on the Operation Endeavor Board of Directors. It was only natural that the Liberty Rotary Club would get involved. Katherine Meighan, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Belize, has been instrumental in helping to coordinate the disaster relief efforts in Belize and in her brief report she thanked our club along with all the other clubs, organizations and individuals who donated toward the program. A number of survival kits and much needed supplies such as dry bags, flashlights, etc have been provided to families affected by the hurricane. Katherine stated that they are very interested in Disaster Preparedness Training and being proactive so that they are more prepared for the next disaster. Aquaboxes have been received and are safely stored so that they can be distributed as needed if and when the next disaster strikes. In addition over 100 pairs of shoes, donated by local not for profit Sole Purpose, have been distributed to families affected by the storms. The Liberty Rotary Club in partnership with Operation Endeavor are hoping to schedule future missions to Belize to help with preparedness and to continue to strengthen our relationship with our friends in Belize. |
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Live (Hybrid) Meeting Held at Hanofee ParkOur club held its first hybrid meeting on July 7th at Hanofee Park. It was the first meeting with an in-person component that we’ve held since the start of the pandemic! Thanks to the collaborative efforts of many, we shared some food and laughs as well as getting to hear from this year's RYLA participants.  |
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Just Do It for a Good Cause!Liberty Rotary Club will be participating in 3 upcoming events in support of very worthy causes. Please plan to join Team Liberty or make a contribution to benefit the organizations we are assisting.
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Welcome to our Two Newest MembersAt our June 23 meeting, Liberty Rotary Club was please to induct two new members to our club. Special thanks to Jack Strassman and Judy Siegel for performing the induction ceremony and leading our Membership Committee. Welcome Nicoletta LaMarca Sacco(Sponsored by Joseph Abraham) and Steve Fetner(Sponsored by Judy Siegel).  |
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Congratulations to this Year's Scholarship Winners |
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Hummingbirds Walk for Clean Water |
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Congratulations to our newest Paul Harris Fellows |
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Hummingbird Walk Entry Form Link: https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/SJrI1HtQUK5aBZGl7NU5
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Liberty Comfort Closet Open to AssistThe Liberty High School Interact Club’s Comfort Closet, which will provide new personal hygiene items free of cost to district students who need it, will soon open its doors. Items available include shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, socks, mouthwash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, deodorant, hair gel, bar soap, feminine pads, hairbrushes, hair ties, lotion, tampons, body wash, face wash, Q-Tips, face masks, combs, flushable wipes, sanitizer, small-XXXL underwear, laundromat vouchers, laundry soap and dryer sheets. Student in need of supplies will be able to fill out a request form. Comfort Closet items were purchased from monies the club collected through donations, grants and fundraisers. Club members, with the help of Liberty High School Business Teacher and Interact Club Advisor Dan Hart, has fully stocked the Comfort Closet, but could use help replenishing it. Donations of the aforementioned items would be greatly appreciated. While managing the closet, the Liberty HS Interact Club is also embarking on another project. They are collecting recyclable plastic which they will send to the TREX, a company that creates eco-friendly outdoor products made from recycled plastic products. TREX will then turn that plastic into a bench which will be placed on school grounds. So if you have recyclable plastic available contact the club. For more information on the club’s Comfort Closet and recycling project, contact Dan Hart at dhart@libertyk12.org.  |
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Register for Hummingbirds Walk For Clean Water CLICK HERE for Entry Form The Liberty Rotary Club is proud to present the “Hummingbirds Walk For Clean Water”. This event will raise funds for the Haiti Clean Water Program Sustainability Fund which will allow us to continue to provide water filtration systems and supplies that provide clean, potable water to 1,000 families in Haiti that would otherwise do without. |
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Rotary District 7210 Million Mask Challenge Round 2As part of the second round of the Rotary District 7210 Million Mask Challenge, our club, along with the Livingston Manor Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Monticello, NY distributed over 3,100 masks to Sullivan County BOCES and local school districts.     |
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Geneva May - Working to Provide Maternal and Child HealthGeneva May, a Community Health Worker Supervisor with the Maternal Infant Services Network was a guest speaker at our 4/14/21 meeting. She explained the function and importance of the Maternal Infant Community Health Collaborative(MICHC) which is a federally funded grant that funds health workers that helps women overcome negative health outcomes and disparities through collaborative care referrals in partnership with other area agencies. The work of this organization is especially important because the following statistics were found for 2019-2020. -About 24% of client births were low birth weight -About 47% of client births were labeled pre-term -Increased needs for immigration services -Strong need for access to food, goods and transportation -Anticipation of a high demand for housing in the near future. Should you or someone you know be in need of maternal infant services, you can reach Ms. May at gmay@misn-ny.org or call 845-637-4424 We thank Ms. May for the important work she and her organization is doing to assure that mothers and babies have access to care and services in our county.  |
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Dine on 4/25 to Support Liberty Rotary Club |
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Liberty Rotary Presents Paul Harris RecognitionsLiberty Rotary Club was proud to present two awards at its 4/7/21 meeting. A Paul Harris Fellow Plus 1 was presented to club member Anthony Sinacore. Anthony has been a vital member of our club and our community and we are delighted that he has supported the Rotary Foundation and so many of Rotary's projects. He is truly a man who serves his club and its goals. Congratulations Tony! A Paul Harris Fellow was presented to local business owner Steven Gottlieb. Steve has been a tremendous asset to our community and a strong supporter of Liberty Rotary Club initiatives. His donation of time, sponsorship and allowing us to hold events in front of his Liberty Trading Post has been invaluable. Thank you Steve for your incredible assistance.   Anthony Sinacore-Paul Harris Plus 1 Steven Gottlieb-Paul Harris Fellow   Susan and Steven Anthony Sinacore President Siegel presents pin Gottlieb
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And the Winner Is........ Everyone!Liberty Rotary Club was very pleased to receive a $1,000 prize from Jeff Bank as a result of our efforts at this year's Garnet Health WSUL Heart-A-Thon. For each $500 our club raised, we earned a chance at winning this prize. Thanks to the impressive fundraising efforts of so many and the generosity of our members and community, we had many chances. LRC helped to raise $16,193 in pledges and $8,497 in hearts for a total of $24,790. If you add the $4,585 from the Monticello & LM Rotary Clubs, the Grand Total raised with the help of the local rotary clubs in 2021 was $29,375. This year’s Heart-A-Thon raised just over $95,000. Our club has been a proud of supporter of the Heart-A-Thon for many years, and we thank Bold Gold Media and the Heart-A-Thon Committee for their dedication to the event, which raises thousands of dollars annually for Garnet Health Medical Center- Catskills.  |
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Speakers from Around the Globe for World Water DayAt the March 17th Liberty Rotary Club meeting, we were fortunate to have a number of guest speakers linked to the international projects to which our organization has given assistance. Our first speaker was Katherine Meighan from the Rotary Club of Belize who spoke about the work in her area after the devastating impact of Hurricanes Eta and Iota and the incredible good the contributions raised by Liberty Rotary Club was doing in the region. Ms. Meighan told about the widespread impact the hurricanes had on Honduras, Guatamala and Belize. She stated that without the support of the Liberty Rotary Club, her club would not have been able to accomplish all it had. These accomplishments included determining what immediate relief was needed and the creation of 120 survival kits to aid those in desperate need of essential supplies.(The following photos are from Ms. Meighan's Presentation)  As the local residents struggled with water that had not yet receded, they distributed clothing to those that had lost their worldly belongings. They also distributed 144 AquaBoxes to assure that families would have safe and clean drinking water. The value of these boxes was approximately $9,000.     They also were able to obtain shoes from an organization know as "Sole Purpose". The synergy of all the organizations that helped with Belize's recovery brought great relief to an area that was so extensively altered by the natural disasters. Ms. Meighan said the the assistance from Liberty Rotary Club and its connections for aid brought great surprise and elation! To donate to the Belize Disaster Relief Campaign go to: https://cfosny.org/our-funds/project-funds/liberty-new-york-rotary-club-foundation-fund/  Our next speakers were Roz Adamson from AquaBox and a member of the Rotary Club of Twickenham and Roger Cassidy a member of the Rotary Club of Haselmere . Roz explained how the AquaBox systems work and the great impact they were having around the world. Each filter box can be distributed to a community or family and will last indefinitely. Some of the units have now been in use for 6-7 years and still provide clean, potable water. They identified that the only part of the system that sometimes fails are some O-rings, so extras are now included to assure their units keep serving those in need. As long as the systems are back-flushed daily, their simple design keeps performing. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, flooding, drought, typhoons or hurricanes happen all too often. They can occur in any location in the world, causing widespread disruption, loss of life, food and water shortages. Similarly, man-made conflicts result not only in severe damage to infrastructure but also in large numbers of people being displaced from their homes with very limited access to shelter and essential living items. Aquabox responds by sending its AquaFilters and humanitarian aid, working closely with selected aid agencies and distribution partners who ensure that the aid reaches those most in need. (Photos from Roz Abramson's Presentation)
To donate to Aquabox go to https://www.aquabox.org/donate-online.html We thank our guest speakers so very much for sharing the amazing work they are doing to aid those struggling with incredibly difficult situations. Liberty Rotary Club is proud to do its part to support these efforts.
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Operation Feed 3.0 Provides Meals for ManyOperation Feed 3.0 has now raised over $6,750, which has facilitated serving the heath workers and volunteers at 35 Covid-19 Vaccine Clinics nearly 700 meals. We thank everyone working to assure our county can provide this essential health service to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. We additionally thank all our generous donors and Liberty Rotarian Bill Silver, who coordinated this effort. If you would like to donate to this community effort please Click Here.  |
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Michael Herriman Provides Update on Haiti Water Program We were delighted to have Michael Herriman update our club on the status of The Haiti Water Program, that is providing devices to create clean, potable water for thousands of Haitians. Herriman reports that the project, which distributed 1,000 water filtration systems to families in Cap Hatien, Haiti is going well and that there is a consistent supply of filter parts and purification tablets. They look forward to a training session for the technicians that work with the filter system recipients and assure they are being used properly and consistently. Herriman believes that these training sessions keep the technicians motivated, focused and well educated, so that the program is sustained. Mr. Herriman stated that it's "all good news" and that Liberty Rotary Club's efforts in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere are doing a great deal of good.
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Aquaboxes to Help Families in BelizeA full pallet of 144 Aquabox's Filter Family Units are being shipped to the Rotary Club of Belize for their Disaster Relief Team to distribute to families in the neighboring villages that have been affected by Hurricanes Eta & Iota to provide them with clean potable water. The three ladies in the photo are part of the Aquabox volunteer Workforce in the UK where the shipment is allocated on a groupage service sailing from London Gateway UK to Belize. The filtration systems are being funded by the donations made to the Liberty NY Rotary Club's Belize Disaster Relief Campaign. It's only fitting that March is Water and Sanitation Month as declared by Rotary international. The shipment is due to arrive in Belize on or about March 9. Stay tuned for more updates. To donate to the Belize Disaster Relief Campaign go to: https://libertynyrotary.org/Stories/liberty-rotary-seeking-help-for-hurricane-eta-iota-victims?fbclid=IwAR139sVGWHFn0djAoUAhOcO1oRqC3Dhlw8SjApJfbDHPJNMSM1nPMW9i038  |
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Coin and Dollar Drive Benefits "A Single Bite"  Numerous Liberty Rotarians spent part of their day on February, 27th collecting donations for "A Single Bite". Thanks to the tremendous generosity of our community, we were able to collect nearly $1,000 in just 5 hours. This will equate to providing a substantial number of meals to those dealing with food insecurity at this difficult time. Thank you to all our donors and volunteers.
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"From The Heart" Show LinkIf you missed the show: "FROM THE HEART" CLICK HERE for the to watch. Start at 47:10 to skip the lead-ins. featuring Joanna Gass and Friends!- CLICK HERE to Donate!  Thank you Joanna and guests for sharing your amazing talents and supporting this worthy cause!
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Thanks to Piccolo PaeseWe wish to thank Piccolo Paese for their incredible generosity and support of "From the Heart" virtual dinner theater and The WSUL Heart-A-Thon, both of which benefit cardiac care at Garnet Sullivan County. For those who missed out on the delectable offerings, it was your loss, as the food was superb . Foster Supply Hospitality is donating every dollar they raised from their "Hearty Meal" promotions to the Heart-A-Thon. They truly exemplify "Service Above Self"! |
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Heart-A-Thon a Huge Success!Liberty Rotary Club has always been a strong supporter of the WSUL Heart-a-thon to benefit the Garnet Health Sullivan County Cardiac Wing. Thanks to a multifaceted fundraising effort, the Rotary Clubs of Sullivan County played a big role in helping this year's event raise $93,446. Thanks to all the organizations and businesses in our wonderful community that showed that "The Beat Goes On" when it comes to assuring quality cardiac care in our region. Our energetic and creative club member Joanna Gass came up with a great way to raise funds for this worthy cause and let our members have a little fun. Check out the Liberty Rotary Club Virtual "Parade of Hearts".  CLICK ON THE ROTARY HEART TO MAKE A DONATION  |
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Liberty Interact - Comfort Closet T-Shirt Fundraiser To Order A Shirt Click On The T-Shirt Image Above
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Melinda Wegener Does Her Part to Fight the PandemicThe guest speaker at our January 20, 2021 meeting was Melinda Wegener, who has been working with her husband Gary to combat the Covid-19 pandemic by sewing masks. Their efforts have been targeted towards serving the underserved areas of our country, particularly the homeless, migrant workers and Native Americans. Through their joint efforts, they have produced over 8,000 masks since they began. That amounts to about 700 yards of fabric and miles of thread. In an effort to keep costs down and keep up their production rates, they located wholesale distributors and raised money through fundraising. Additional funds have been raised with the assistance of Morgan Outdoors, which is selling some of the masks to support the initiative. This past summer they joined forces with a group called Auntie Sewing Squad which provides them with the connections to reach those that need the masks and assists in shipping costs. (Auntiesewingsquad.com) Liberty Rotary Club thanks Melinda for her inspiring presentation and their Herculean efforts to reduce the spread of this pandemic. As Melinda stated, “Their health is our health. We’re never going to get through this pandemic if we don’t take care of everyone”.   |
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Operation Feed 3.0 Kicks Off OPERATION FEED 3.0 is an initiative of the Liberty NY Rotary Club, to provide meals to Garnet Health Regional Hospital – Catskills (GHMC-Catskills) and Sullivan County Public Health Staffs working extra shifts to staff Covid-19 immunization clinics, and renew our support for our local restaurants in this endlessly difficult time for them. Donations are needed to Fund Opeartion Feed 3.0. Because our volunteers donate all of their time and efforts, one hundred percent of all contributions support the purchase of meals for the essential workers at the Covid-19 Vaccination Clinics. |
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Robert M. Dufour, Ed.D. - Sullivan County B.O.C.E.S. District Superintendent Gives UpdateDr. Robert Dufour - Supt. of Sullivan County B.O.C.E.S gave our club an update on a number issues associated with Sullivan County schools. Dufour noted that many schools in the area have deemed it necessary to close one or more buildings, for varying lengths of time, due to staff members or students testing positive for Covid-19. He explained that teachers are presenting "creative and engaging lessons" via remote teaching tools or through a hybrid of in-person and virtual instruction. Despite every school's best effort to keep moving our students forward, there is concern that these methods may not be working well enough, and that pupils may be falling behind. Dufour also discussed the effort to provide Covid-19 vaccinations to the educational staff of our county. Although local supply of the vaccine is currently unavailable, much effort has been put forth to collect data to evaluate how many doses will be needed, and how to schedule the more than 2,400 education workers that are eligible to receive those shots. This should allow for greater efficiency when further vaccine supplies arrive. Approximately 25% of those that qualify have currently not shown interest in getting the vaccine, and there are efforts being made to determine why that number is so high and also to educate those qualified to receive the injections. On the B.O.C.E.S campus, educational and vocational programs are progressing, but with less hands-on and laboratory time than prior to the pandemic. Much time has been invested to provide focus, not just on student academics, but also to social-emotional wellness. Dr. Dufour thanked the Liberty Rotary Club for all that we do to assist the youth and families of our county. As he stated: "Somewhere out there, is a child smiling because of something Liberty Rotary Club did." We thank Dr. Dufour for his time and valuable insight, as well as all he does for the children of our county.  |
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Million Mask Challenge TourLiberty NY Rotary Club President Gary Siegel traveled to Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls for the Million Mask Challenge Tour Pickup. A total of 175,000 masks were delivered for the clubs in Rotary District 7210, 12,000 of which will be distributed in Sullivan County by the Liberty, Livingston Manor and Monticello clubs. They also picked up 1,500 youth masks plus 420 KN95’s. Rotary Club of Monticello, NY’s Jacob Lerner, one of coordinators of the project for the district, was also present to assist and pick up masks. Siegel delivered Livingston Manor's portion of the masks to President Diane Babich. Masks will be distributed to a number of Sullivan County businesses and organizations designated by the Rotary Club of Monticello NY and Liberty NY Rotary Club. This includes not-for-profit organizations who are providing meals to food insecure families, small businesses, fire, EMS and police departments, schools, youth programs, and more.    |
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Senator Jen Metzger Presents LRC With 2020 NYS Senate Empire Award
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Liberty Rotary Club 2020 Year In Review2020 - Making Lemonade Out Of Lemons! The Liberty NY Rotary Club raised over $118,000 for important local, regional and international causes most of which was done during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Thanks to all who have supported these initiatives Here's to a happy, healthy and productive 2021.
CLICK HERE to download the 2020 Year In Review and Toasts to 2021! |
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Peace, Love, Lights and Assistance for the Federation Liberty NY Rotary Club members participated in the Sullivan 180 "Walkthrough Wednesday 500 Challenge" at Bethel Woods’ "Peace, Love & Lights" benefiting the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless. The challenge was, if 500 walkers participated in the mile long walk through the impressive lighting displays, then a donation of $500 would be given to the Federation. The 500th walker participated just before we arrived, meaning that the goal had been attained. At a previous board meeting, Liberty Rotary Club had set aside matching funds of an additional $500 for when Sullivan 180 reached its goal. When we arrived, we were greeted by Sullivan 180 representatives including Amanda Galigher Langseder, Linday Wheat and others. It was a calm and warm evening(by late December standards) to stroll through the impressive display of lights and get in some extra steps toward good health. During these unique times, it was wonderful to experience the glow of the season with fellow Rotarians while the well dispersed crowd of multiple generations enjoyed the spirit of the holidays. Click the "Read More" button to see photos taken by Gary Siegel of some of the unique presentations in light. However, to really appreciate the experience, it should be seen up close and in full motion.
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You've Got To Be In It To Win It
Tickets are on sale from any Liberty Rotary Club Member or reserve your ticket by emailing libertynyrotaryclub@gmail.com with the number of tickets you would like. Donation of $50/ticket can be paid through VENMO. Search @libertynyrotary & write “Winter Raffle” in "what's it for" box Liberty NY Rotary Club Winter Raffle Please include return address. |
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Holidays Stuffed With Joy! Brand new stuffed animals everywhere... especially for families in Liberty, NY.Thank you Michael Luongo - Liberty High School Class of 1994 - for your generous donation of 100’s of stuffed animals from Athletes Unite Us. Liberty NY Rotary Club member and Program Director, you are a great connector. Rotarian, LHS Business Teacher and Interact Advisor, Dan Hart, it was fun spending the day picking up and delivering the stuffed animals. These goodies will put smiles on many faces when distributed for the holidays at the LHS Comfort Closet, The B&G Club Giving Tree distribution, Garnet Health and other community organizations.  |
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Food Drive Yields Tremendous Amount of Food and Funds  The spirit of giving was strong at the December 19th Liberty Rotary Club Food Drive that benefited the Liberty Interfaith Food Pantry. Through the combined efforts of numerous Rotarians and an exceptional number of generous community members, the food drive yielded so much food that 4 vehicles were used to transport it to the food pantry. Even more impressive, was the fact that patrons of the Liberty Market and Liberty Trading Post, as well as some early donors, dropped over $1,400 in cash and coin into our collection buckets. To that total, Steve Gottlieb and The Liberty Trading Post contributed $300 to the cause. That led to a total of $1,767 collected from this one-day event! Additionally, the Liberty Rotary Club issued a check for $500 to support The Interfaith Food Pantry, bringing the total contribution to $2,267 to allow the pantry to sustain our neighbors that struggle with food insecurity at these difficult times. All that food and money will do a lot of good. Special thanks to Randy Resnick and Liberty Market for gathering food leading up to this event and allowing us to collect groceries and money at their store. Additional special thanks to Steve Gottlieb and The Liberty Trading Post for their contribution and allowing us to collect in front of their store. Also, thank you to those that worked in rather chilly conditions throughout the day to make this event happen. A day which started with a temperature of 4 degrees and never rose above freezing did not stop the following from doing good for our community: Dan Berkowicz, Paul Ciliberto, Pat Fetner, Steve Fetner, Mr. Terry Grafmuller, Mrs. Terry Grafmuller, Irving Kaplan, Sue Kraycer, Jannetta MacArthur, Barbi Neumann Marty, Laura Sandoval, Jaime Schmeiser, Gary Siegel, Bill Silver, Gary Silverman and Tony Sinacore. This event once again proves how generous our community can be and the incredible concern we show to those that live in our area.     |
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Jaime Schmeiser Featured as Professional Woman in BusinessLiberty Rotary Club’s own Jaime Schmeiser was one of the women selected to be featured in this year’s Sullivan County Democrat publication “Honoring Professional Women and Women in Business” for her work as President of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce. As Jaime states in the Democrat’s article, she is “humbled and honored to have the opportunity to advance the mission of the Chamber and assist, support, promote and advocate on behalf of Sullivan County’s business community.” She further explains “I love making a difference in my community and working for a Chamber of Commerce gives me the ability to assist so many different organizations and businesses.” In addition to her duties as President of the Sullivan County Chamber, Jaime works extensively to support and promote the efforts of the Liberty Rotary Club. Her dedication to our club’s mission and its efforts locally and globally has been exceptional. Jaime has proven to be a great Rotarian. Beyond her work directly connected to Rotary, Jaime has played an active role in Habitat for Humanity, Main Street USA, Economic Partnership, Head Start and Suicide Prevention. She has also served on county committees for Workforce Development, Physical Accessibility, the census and Sneak Peek Sullivan. We are pleased and proud to call Jaime a member of our club and appreciative of all the good work she does through the chamber and our Rotary club.  |
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Liberty Rotary Seeking Help For Hurricane Eta & Iota Victims HURRICANE RELIEF IN CENTRAL AMERICACLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW! CLICK HERE for Belize Basics and FAQ's CLICK HERE for Central America Region Disaster Relief Video There is an immediate need for supplies to get to families affected by Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. Representatives from the Liberty NY Rotary Club, Operation Endeavor, the Belize Sunrise Rotary Club and The Belize Rotary Club met on zoom recently as a result of being contacted by the Executive Director of the Belize Emergency Response Team requesting disaster relief assistance. We have been able to identify needs as described by those with boots  on the ground in Belize. Those needs include DONATIONS to purchase food, hygiene and domestic supplies for hurricane-stricken families as wells as to provide disaster preparedness and basic first aid training necessary to educate stakeholders and build resilience for future disasters.CLICK HERE for Video showing Belize Rotarians delivering food and supply packages to families affected by floods caused by Hurricane Eta and Iota in Central Belize. |
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A Peaceful Thanksgiving To All! |
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Liberty High School Interact Reports at 11/18 MeetingWe had the pleasure of hearing from the engaging and well spoken Officers of the Liberty High School Interact Club at our weekly meeting. Even in these difficult times of Covid-19, their club continues to make a positive impact and are getting projects done. Their report included updates on the High School Comfort Closet, The Thanksgiving Food Drive Coin Drop to provide food for the needy, and an effort to provide Chromebook and Ipod Insurance for local students that can not afford to do so on their own. The group, advised by Dan Hart, exemplifies how even as teens, huge positive impact can be brought to a community through "service above self". Thank you Liberty High School Interact Club!  |
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Operation Feed Receives Chamber Pride Award On November 12, 2020, Operation Feed was presented the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce's 2020 Distinguished Service Pride Award. Operation Feed was an initiative that was unprecedented with a number of civic organizations, restaurants, healthcare providers, restaurants, not for profits, elected officials and community residents all partnering to work toward the common goal of supporting those effected by the Covid 19- pandemic. |
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Gary Silver Receives 35th SYDA Foundation Community Service Award Since 1986 the SYDA Foundation has sponsored this annual award to recognize and honor local citizens for outstanding community service. The selection committee, comprised of past award recipients and local civic leaders, chose Silver to receive this year’s award in recognition of his many years of service to the community of Sullivan County. Gary's’s primary service focus is leading projects to support the basic requirements of those in need, including addressing food insecurity; participating on humanitarian missions to provide clean-water filtration systems; and supporting organizations that coordinate and deliver emergency local and global disaster relief. |
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CLICK HERE for the Spirit, Beer and Wine Event Tasting Guide |
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Thank You to All Our Blood Donors!
Thank You to All Our Blood Donors! Liberty Rotary Club, with support from the Monticello & Livingston Manor Rotary Clubs, held a successful blood drive on December 12, 2020. The drive yielded the following results: Whole Blood: 29 donations Double Red: 12 donations from 6 donors Total Collections: 41 donations Every donation has the potential to help up to 3 patients, therefore our drive has the potential to save up to 123 local area patients! Our most sincere thanks goes out to the Liberty Elks Lodge #1545 for providing their facility for this important life-saving event. We truly could not have held this event without you. Also, great thanks to the professionals at The New York Blood Center for creating such a smoothly executed event, and for treating our donors with such professionalism and kindness. Extraordinary thanks to all the donors that gave of themselves(literally) to help restock New York's exceptionally low blood supply. |
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Click Here for the Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting Program |
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Thanks To All Our Sponsors |
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How to Access the 8th Annual Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine TastingThe 8th Annual Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting Thank you to all our sponsors, performers and helpers that helped to make this event possible. If you missed the original stream, you can still watch it at Click on this picture to access the video. You will need to start at about 45 minutes to bypass the lead ins.  |
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Winter Coat Drive A Huge Success Coats, Coats Everywhere and especially at The Downtown Barn in Liberty where on Saturday, October 17th, over 500 new and gently used donated coats were collected and given away free to over 150 happy community friends and neighbors. The Coat Drive was an initiative of the District 7210 Community Service Committee of which Liberty Rotary's own Judy Siegel is the District Chairperson. A number of the 55 clubs in the District held similar events making an impact on all of the communities in the district and showing the positive presence of rotary districtwide. |
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8th Annual Dave Thomson Spirits, Beer and Wine Tasting |
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Walk to End Alzheimer'sLiberty Rotary Club participated in this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's. Due to Covid, there was no single collaborative walk for the county, but a number of team members gathered to walk on the Hurleyville Rail Trail on October 11th. to walk for this cause. Our Team raised over $600 thus far to assist in providing support and care for the individuals and families struggling with Alzheimer's.  |
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8th Annual Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer & Wine Tasting Virtual FundraiserSaturday, November 7, 2020
Join us on Saturday, November 7th at 6 PM for the 8th Annual Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting Virtual Fundraiser. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the concern for everyone’s safety, this year’s event will be a streamed virtual event.
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Welcome New Member Paul Ciliberto The Liberty Rotary Club welcomes our newest member, Paul Ciliberto as we inducted him at our meeting on 9/23. District Governor Tony Marmo was our guest speaker and did the honor of inducting Paul as well as delivering an inspirational talk about "Growing Rotary" as part of his official visit to the club. Paul is a Senior Advisor at Bold Gold Media Group, hosting the Ciliberto & Friends morning show. |
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Liberty Rotary Coat Drive |
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Liberty Rotary Club Finds Out About "Fearless!"The guest sp  eaker at our September 16th meeting was Kellyann Kostyal-Lerner, who is the Executive Director of Hudson Valley “Fearless!”(Formerly SafeHomes). Their organization is dedicated to assisting the survivors and victims of domestic abuse and partner violence. They also are combating teen dating violence and human trafficking in our area. |
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Kiwanis of Woodridge Enters
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Dawn Ryder Offers a Literacy Volunteers UpdateDawn Ryder-President of the Board of Directors of Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County shared an update of how Covid-19 has impacted their program and the efforts they are making to assure their mission continues through these challenging times. When the pandemic began, all classes went virtual and the book store had to be closed. Only recently has in person education resumed. In spite of all the challenges, 4 of their students recently became United States citizens and 2 have completed their high school education and received diplomas. The bookstore reopened in June, and although sales are bit slower than usual, it continues to serve our community. Due to a substantial loss of funding from the state and county, the organization is facing a potential fifty thousand dollar shortfall this year. As such, we encourage everyone to take advantage of their bookstore, so that Literacy Volunteers can earn much needed funds. Liberty Rotary Club made a $500 donation to Literacy Volunteers. We encourage everyone to like their page on Facebook and to please shop at the bookstore in Monticello. https://www.literacysullivan.org/
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Three Paul Harris Fellows Advance to Next LevelLiberty Rotary Club was proud to recognize three advanced "Paul Harris Fellows" at our meeting on September 2nd, 2020. Past District Governor Cindie Kish attended the virtual ceremony and spoke about the Rotary Foundation and Paul Harris Fellow recognition. Those who were advanced to the next level of Paul Harris Fellow were Dr. William Silver(Paul Harris Fellow +1), Gary Silver(Paul Harris Fellow +1) and Susan Kraycer(Paul Harris Fellow +3). We are so pleased and fortunate to have these three outstanding members as part of our club, and so greatly appreciate their tireless and continued efforts to make our world a better place. Thank you for continuing to place "Service Above Self"!  (Click the "Read More" button to find out about our newly advanced "Paul Harris Fellows" and their accomplishments.) |
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Liberty Rotary Club Presents Scholarship to Outstanding Graduates |
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Kellee Thelman Speaks about the Orange/Sullivan Walk to End Alzheimer'sOn October 18, 2020 our community will make efforts to raise funds to fight against a crippling and prevalent disease through the annual "Walk to End Alzheimer's". Kellee Thelman attended last night's 8/12 meeting to offer the Liberty Rotary Club insight into the extensive impact Alzheimer's has on our elderly population and to encourage us to start a team to participate in the Sullivan County Alzheimer's Walk. The Sullivan 180 committee seemed to think that this event was a natural fit for our group, which would combine a healthy and engaging activity with our efforts to assist those in need. The Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley Chapter serves seven counties in New York, including Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. They have four offices in Poughkeepsie, Purchase, New City and Middletown. Their organization provides information and support for self care, those afflicted with the disease and the caregivers of the many area seniors struggling with Alzheimers. We thank Kellee for her time and bringing our attention to this terrible affliction. Liberty Rotary Club will be assembling a team and raising funds to help the fight against Alzheimers. If you would like to be part of the team or make a contribution, please contact members Barbara Blakey, Saraid Gonzalez or Gary Silverman. Click the "Read More" button for United States statistics about Alzheimers |
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Liberty Rotary Club Presents Three Paul Harris FellowsLiberty Rotary Club was proud to recognize three new "Paul Harris Fellows" at our meeting on August 5th, 2020. District Governor Tony Marmo attended the virtual ceremony and spoke about the Rotary Foundation and Paul Harris Fellow recognition. The three new "Fellows" are Barbara Carr, Charlie Mangini and Anthony Sinacore. We wish sincere congratulations to these worthy recipients, and thank them for their contributions to Rotary and their community.  (Click the "Read More" button to find out about our newest "Paul Harris Fellows" and their accomplishments.) |
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Operation Feed Fresh ProduceJerry and Rosemary from Skoda Farms have joined forces with Operation Feed Phase 2 with the initiative of providing bushels of fresh locally grown vegetables to introduce and educate families about the health and nutrition benefits of eating locally grown produce. The Skoda’s have a desire to provide their healthy veggies to the children in their community, especially the ones that need it the most. Many of the families who will benefit from the harvest at Skoda Farms typically pass the produce section of the supermarket, as fresh produce costs more than those in cans.
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Meet Our Newest MembersSaraid Gonzalez Saraid Gonzalez is a lifelong resident of Liberty, New York, with deep roots in the community. She is married and has three children and a grandson. Saraid graduated from Liberty High School in 1987. She received an AS in Legal Secretarial Science from SCCC. She will be completing her BS in Business Administration in the Fall of 2020 and will continue her education to receive a Masters in Public Administration from SUNY Empire State College. Saraid has over 20 years of experience in event planning and hospitality. She currently serves as the Program Director at Sullivan 180 where she manages special projects, programs and initiatives and assists in planning, implementing and evaluating a range of health initiatives influencing multicultural communities. Saraid is bilingual and fluent in Spanish. She was recently appointed as the County’s Census Coordinator where she coordinates the outreach and marketing campaign for the 2020 Census. Saraid serves on numerous boards and committees which include: SC Federation for the Homeless, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County, SALT (Sullivan Allies Leading Together), SC Women of Color Health Coalition, to name a few. She is a Leadership Sullivan Alumni of 2015. Saraid’s hobbies are closet organizing and interior design. Saraid joined the Liberty Rotary Club to render service to those in need. Saraid said, “Rotary inspires me to contribute to good humanitarian causes. The Liberty Rotary Club is a great platform for service and fellowship”.. Terrence (Mr. Terry) Grafmuller: Born and raised in Livingston Manor(2 houses up street from Gary Siegel) and had 2 brothers. He graduated HS in 1972 and joined the Air Force in January 1973. Terry is a Vietnam Era veteran. He married in 1974, which gave him his son David in 1979. After the military, he worked at IBM in Poughkeepsie in management and Industrial Engineering positions. IBM downsized in 1993, so after a wonderful 15 year career, he moved back to Sullivan County and met "the real love of my life", and married Terry Hamilton in 1996. He started working at SullivanArc in 1996 managing the sheltered work shop. He then received his AAS in business administration late in life from SCCC. He and his wife quickly became involved in local charities and the arts. Terry graduated Leadership Sullivan in 2010 and has been the Board secretary ever since. Terry and I have jumped through a hole in the ice every February for the past 5 years to raise Funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s. His son and daughter-in-law are both PT’s for school systems in Dutchess and Putnam Counties and have given them two wonderful grand children. Luke is 11 and Mia is 10. Terry’s mother. Be a. is 90 years old and still lives in the house in which he grew up in in Livingston Manor. Theresa (Mrs. Terry) Grafmuller: I was born in Rockland County with my two brothers and two sisters. While still in elementary school we moved to Sullivan county where I attended Fallsburg School graduating in 1982. After high school and some college I took a position at SullivanArc as administrative assistant to the clinic Director. After a few years moved to Norwich where my daughter Kristina was born in 1990. Upon moving back to Sullivan County I took a job with the Irwin Siegel Agency. Attended Orange County Community College & received my New York State Brokers license. I have been with ISA heading on 30 years. In 1994 I met the love of my life, Terry Grafmuller, and in 1996 became Mrs Terry Grafmuller. I was very lucky to become Mom to a son as well who has given us an amazing daughter in law, Sandi, and two beautiful grandchildren. While working for a non-profit & writing insurance for social & human service agencies I became enlightened to the struggles they face & importance of fundraising. Due to personal experience with dreaded Alzheimer’s disease my husband & I have been SubZero Hero’s jumping through a hole in the ice for Alzheimer’s for the past 5 years. While listening to Thunder Country & their promotions of the many wonderful organizations in our community & my husbands involvement in Leadership Sullivan we have enjoyed becoming more involved in our community by supporting the Heart a thon, St Judes, B&G Club, FB Playhouse and in doing so getting to know Rotary & it’s involvement as well. Our daughter Kristina is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz with a teaching degree and has also obtained her MBA in Business & Accounting. She currently works at Schmidt’s Wholesale and is a member of this years Leadership Sullivan class. Jamie Schmeiser: I am Jaime Schmeiser, the CEO/President of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. I’m incredibly humbled and honored to have the opportunity to advance the mission of the Chamber to assist, support, promote and advocate on behalf of Sullivan County’s business community. I have been in this position since October 1, 2018. I came home to New York, a county and a community that I love after garnering 24 years of administration, leadership and rural community economic development in Wyoming. Prior to coming home, I was the Executive Director for Mountain Spirit Habitat for Humanity, and before that the President and CEO of the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce and Powell Main Street. I have worn many hats from CEO to Board Member in a rural chamber of commerce, economic development partnership, main street organization and non- profits concerned with affordable housing issues and poverty alleviation. I also have played an active role in community partnership development, grant writing and volunteer management with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity, Main Street USA, Powell Economic Partnership, Rotary International, Head Start and Suicide Prevention. These many roles allowed me to create successful programs, to assist in the development and expansion of business-client relationships, building and strengthening coalitions, and, working with community stake holders. I am currently serving on several county committees in relation to my work at the Chamber which include Physical Accessibility Subcommittee, Complete Count 2020 Census Committee, Economic Development Committee and Sneak Peek Sullivan. I also serve on U.S. Congressman’s Antonio Delgado’s Small Business Advocacy Committee. I love to volunteer and serve others. The Liberty Chapter of Rotary International was a perfect fit for me because they do just that, both in our local community and communities in Puerto Rico and Haiti. The Liberty Rotary Club makes it easy. Each person in the club is supportive and deeply passionate about their work – “we get stuff done.” I have a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Wyoming, an associate’s degree from Northwest College in History and several vocational school certificates in grant writing, residential mortgage lending, banking, bookkeeping, notary public, and real estate sales. I am a recent graduate of the Hudson Valley Patterns for Progress Fellows Program and will soon be a graduate of the Leadership Sullivan Program. I am a single mom of four beautiful children (not all who live with me) and live in Liberty, NY.
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Liberty Rotary Club Raffle WinnersTHEY WERE IN IT TO WIN IT!!!!! Annual Liberty Rotary Club Summer Raffle Winners 1ST PRIZE - Doug Seibert - $500.00 2ND PRIZE - Jean Olesen - $250.00 3RD PRIZE - Jen Shampine -$100.00 Thanks to all who participated as all proceeds will benefit Liberty Rotary Club's local, regional and international programs. We are "People of Action"! |
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Please Support Operation Feed |
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Please Support Operation Feed |
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Good Causes Lead to Good HealthHealth and Wellness of our members and community is very important. Here are some excellent opportunities for our membership and friends to participate in. All three events are important causes that have depended upon these annual races to provide essential funds. Contact Barbara Blakey, Gary Lee or Saraid Gonzalez for information about the Liberty Rotary Club 180 Team and events. Sullivan 180's Coach to 5K, August 30-September 5, 2020 - Sullivan 180's Coach to 5K is a virtual training program open to all Sullivan County residents. Sullivan 180's Coach to 5K program provides all participants with their very own coach and an 8-week 5K training plan for both runners and walkers. All are welcome to participate, whether you are a beginner, veteran runner or a family that would like to walk their first 5K together - this event is for you. This is a great time to get Sullivan County moving again! After the training period ends, you will have a full week (August 30 through September 5) to complete your 5K and share your achievements on social media. One hundred percent of the funds raised, both registration fees and additional donations, will go to *Sullivan Allies Leading Together (SALT) to feed Sullivan County families in need. Every $6 raised funds the purchase of a meal for a Sullivan County resident in need, so please consider making an additional donation, if you can. It is recommended that you register for the free race and then join Team “Liberty Rotary Club”. After doing so, choose the “Donate Now” button and make whatever donation you choose to Team “Liberty Rotary Club” You can donate it in the name of a specific team member or to the team in general to help support SALT. If you would like this virtual event to become more of a real-time event, we suggest doing your 5k on the O & W Rail Trail starting in Hurleyville, heading toward Liberty for 1.55 miles and then return to the parking lot. It is a flat and beautiful walk with few people. Make sure you have your mask with you for safety when encountering other people enjoying the trail. CLICK HERE for more information and to register. Allyson Whitney Virtual 5K 2020 Saturday, August 8 – August 29, 2020 - This RUN/Walk for LOVE 5k is for all affected by cancer. Let your love shine for yourself or a loved one! The Allyson Whitney Foundation primarily provides young adult cancer patients with ‘Life Interrupted Grants™' to ease their financial burden. they can concentrate their energy on healing. CLICK HERE for more information and to register. There are many fitness trackers out there. Two phone apps that you might want to try to track your distance and progress are "Runkeeper" and "Mapmyrun" |
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Jonathan Charles Fox Becomes a Paul Harris FellowCongratulations to Jonathan Charles Fox who became a Paul Harris Fellow on July 8th, 2020 at a special on-line ceremony in his honor. Below is a brief bio about Jonathan. His contribution to our region is truly admirable and he is so deserving of this honor. Jonathan Charles Fox lives in Sullivan County, where he spends his time snapping photographs and writing about the world of Arts & Leisure for the award-winning River Reporter newspaper. His weekly column- “In My Humble Opinion” is a favorite for readers online and in print and his followers also tune in weekly to hear about his adventures with his trusty companion, Dharma the Wonder Dog, on Thunder 102 radio. For many years, Jonathan worked as a professional actor on stage and screen and his storied career eventually led him to the Catskills, which he now calls home. Fox’s work has appeared in Green Door Magazine, Our Country Home, The Jewish Journal, Music Row Magazine, The Milford Journal and Upper Delaware Magazine, to name just a few. When he is not writing about and photographing stars like Tony Bennett, James Taylor, Brad Paisley or Lady Gaga, Jonathan can be seen following his bliss and taking photographs of the flora and fauna that make up the beautiful landscapes of the Upper Delaware River region. Jonathan has a strong commitment to his community and Sullivan County and is always willing to assure that local events get the recognition they deserve. He gives of his time and talent to bring focus to all that is great about our area. Jonathan exemplifies the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self".  |
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Operation Feed Phase II OPERATION FEED PHASE 2 is a partnership of the Liberty NY Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Monticello NY, Town of Fallsburg Lions Club, Tri-Valley Lions Club, Livingston Manor Rotary Club, Boys and Girls Club of Sullivan County, Liberty, Monticello, Fallsburg, Livingston Manor & Tri-Valley School Districts, The Community Foundation of Orange & Sullivan and non-profit A Single Bite. A Single Bite and Foster Supply Hospitality are supporting hungry families in every school district in Sullivan County, New York. A Single Bite collaborates with school administrators, community leaders, and dedicated volunteers to reach deep into Sullivan County to help those experiencing severe hardship. Healthy, prepared meals are delivered to every school district to low-income families, those adversely affected by the pandemic and still more who do not have the means to reliably access healthy food. Twice a week with Operation Feed Phase 2 volunteers are delivering food to 660 people including more than 390 children who are experiencing food insecurity or at serious risk for real hunger. Qualified personnel from each school district and staff from the Boys and Girls Club identify families in need of assistance. At a cost of $5 per meal, we are committed to continuing to feed our neighbors at least through the summer of 2020. Since mid-May, Operation Feed has distributed over 9000 meals to 127 families. “Existing poverty and hunger has only been intensified by this unprecedented Covid-19 Pandemic and we are proud to participate with so many great local organizations to help provide the families in need with nutritious meals twice a week,” says Phase 2 coordinator Gary Silver. “A Single Bite produces the healthy meals and our organizations and volunteers distribute them.” More donations are needed to continue this effort. Because Foster Supply Hospitality contributes all associated labor and overhead costs, and Operation Feed volunteers donate all of their time and efforts, one hundred percent of all contributions support the purchase of food and packaging for family meals. To donate by credit or debit card, Click on the DONATE NOW button above. To donate by check or money order make payable to: CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund Send checks to: CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund Please write “OPERATION FEED” in the memo 30 Scotts Corners Drive, Suite 203 Montgomery, NY 12549 For more information contact: Gary Silver – Operation Feed - Coordinator Email: gsilver@blslaw.net The Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund is dedicated to providing assistance to those areas effected by catastrophic natural disasters. Often times partnering with other civil service organizations, the members of this Rotary Club put service above self and lend a helping hand to those in need.     |
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Liberty Rotary Club 2019-20 a Review in Pictures |
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Operation Feed Phase IIOperation Feed Phase II is committed to providing healthy, quality meals to those in need of nutrition. This mission is a joint effort by the Liberty NY Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Monticello NY, Fallsburg NY Lions Club and A Single Bite to provide dinners to up to 90 families with children in the Liberty, Monticello and Fallsburg areas who cannot provide for themselves.Below are a few photos of some of today's(5/29) volunteers. Thanks to all the generous donors that have supported this program. To make a contribution, go to      |
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Please Support Operation Feed Phase II OPERATION FEED PHASE II is a joint effort by the Liberty NY Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Monticello NY, Fallsburg NY Lions Club and A Single Bite to provide dinners to up to 90 families with children in the Liberty, Monticello and Fallsburg areas who cannot provide for themselves. Many of these families were already food insecure, and the COVID 19 pandemic and its devastating effect on society and our economy have magnified these problems. The first delivery of food is scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2020 and, thereafter, we intend to deliver meals 2-3 times per week. Each delivery will provide enough food for 2 days, with the Friday delivery providing enough food to last a family for the weekend. Phase I of Operation Feed provided meals to hundreds of healthcare and other essential workers at various institutions and businesses throughout Sullivan County, to say “thank you” for their heroic service to all of us. And while doing this, we purchased meals from 28 local restaurants, thereby supporting our local economy. It was enormously successful because of the incredible generosity and support from the public. Phase II of Operation Feed – feeding families in need in conjunction with A Single Bite (which purchases its food in Sullivan County) – is the next logical step. We ask for your support in feeding our friends and neighbors who cannot feed themselves. To donate by credit or debit card, Click on the Operation Feed graphic below. To donate by check or money order make payable to: CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund Send checks to: CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund Please write “OPERATION FEED” in the memo 30 Scotts Corners Drive, Suite 203 Montgomery, NY 12549 For more information contact: The Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund is dedicated to providing assistance to those areas affected by catastrophic natural disasters. Often times partnering with other civil service organizations, the members of this Rotary Club put service above self and lend a helping hand to those in need. If you would like to make a donation to help support this effort, please do so at the link below:  |
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Creating a Healthier Sullivan CountyAmanda Langseder, Director of Community Health, Greater Hudson Valley Health System came to speak to us of the many challenges that Sullivan County is facing in elevating its health statistics. She explained a number of the metrics that currently cause our area to be the second most unhealthy in the state. She then offered great hope by informing the club of all the initiatives being taken to improve our standing, and make our neighbors more fit. We thank Amanda for her interesting and eye opening presentation.  |
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You've Got To Be In It To Win It!Annual Liberty Rotary Club Winter Raffle 1ST PRIZE - $1000.00 DONATION $50.00/TICKET DRAWING WILL BE ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2020 PROCEEDS BENEFIT: Tickets are on sale from any Liberty Rotary Club Member or and then send your donation of $50/ticket to: Liberty Rotary Club When donation is received a raffle ticket stub will be sent back to you so please include your return address. PLEASE SHARE! |
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Puerto Rico Disaster ReliefOn January 7 there was an earthquake, magnitude 6.4 followed by another 6.0 tremor, which impacted the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. As a result, a number of houses collapsed and buildings and other structures have been structurally compromised. Many people are afraid to sleep inside out of fear of another quake or aftershock. After Hurricane Maria, the Liberty, NY Rotary Club developed a network of Rotarians from Puerto Rico, Massachusetts and New York to provide assistance to the Moca, Puerto Rico, area which was devastated by the hurricane, and together we are working with the leaders of Rotary Clubs in Puerto Rico’s district 7000 to respond to this latest crisis We received this message from Puerto Rico’s Rotary District Governor; “…a number of houses collapsed, buildings and other structures have been structurally compromised, etc. The extent of the damage is to be determined. Some people have died, mostly from heart attacks. As residents of the affected area we can attest to the deep sense of fear and desperation when experiencing such catastrophic events. Sleeping at night is a challenge. Affected people in towns near to the earthquake’s epicenters.... (click to READ MORE) |
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Santa Paws is Coming to TownLiberty Rotary Club was pleased to welcome Shea-Leigh and her family to speak about their "Santa Paws" program that is seeking assistance for local animal shelters, including C.A.R.E. Shea-Leigh is only 9 years old, but spoke eloquently about her dream to let all animals live happy lives. They will collect blankets, pillows, towels, pet shampoo, flea and tick spray, pet food, pet toys, pet treats, litter boxes, litter or puppy pads until the 20th at numerous drop off points. The drop off points include Roscoe and Liberty Diner, Ponchos, Steak Out, Dutch's, Liberty Dunkin Donuts, BOCES, Liberty Elementary School and Peck's in Livingston Manor. It is a beautiful thing to see a person as young as Shea-Leigh doing work for her community. She is an impressive young lady.  |
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Food Drive Supports Local Food PantryLiberty Rotary Club held its Thanksgiving Food Drive on Saturday, 11/23, and the community was tremendously supportive. ShopRite customers generously purchased extra items and made cash donations to help stock the local food pantry. The results of our efforts yielded two carloads of food and nearly $350 in donated funds for future food purchases. Thanks so much to our host ShopRite of Liberty, all the Rotarians and their loved ones that braved the chilly air to collect the food and money, and to all the community members that gave so much to assure our neighbors will have food. Below are a few pictures from the collection.    |
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Open World Delegation from BelarusLiberty Rotary Club was fortunate to host an Open World delegation from Belarus. The Belarusians stayed with Rotary club members and experienced many of the wonderful things our area offers. Their stay lasted from November 1st through the 9th. Shown below is a photo of the delegates with Congressman Antonio Delgado. Below that, an assortment of photos from various destinations.   |
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W.G.S.D. - We Get Spaghetti DoneLiberty Rotary Club hosted its annual "Spaghetti and Meatball Supper this evening. Liberty Rotarians and Interact Club members pitched in to make this great community event a success. We were fortunate to have the company of a number of Liberty School Organizations, including a visit from the cast of the forthcoming Liberty musical "The Little Mermaid". Thanks to all that worked at the supper, which served over 260 guests.               |
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Yoga at RotaryThis week's meeting(10/23)featured a guest that was a bit different than our usual informational presenters. Liberty Rotary was treated to a "chair yoga" class. Yoga master Justine Sutherland created a serene environment in which we got to stretch and exercise. Her instruction was a great opportunity for the mind, spirit and body. Thanks so much to Justine for taking the time to work with our club and expose everyone to this exceptional form of exercise.     |
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Community Health FairThanks to the efforts of Barbara Hackett Blakey and Sullivan 180, Liberty Rotary Club was able to host a Community Health Fair at Liberty Elementary School on October 19th. The day featured representatives from numerous "healthy living" organizations throughout our region as well as an exercise program, live dance performance, games, healthy snacks and much more. Thanks to all the groups that supported this event and all those that attended. Most of all, thank you to Barbara who did a great job creating this wonderful day.         |
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Community Health Fair .png) |
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District 7210 Wellness DayNumerous Rotarians visited our local food bank and thrift store to distribute information about our new public bus routes and "Access to Care". Under the leadership of Barbara Blakey, we distributed bus schedules in English and Spanish so that those without transportation would have better access to assistance programs, shopping and government offices. "Access to Care" provides a pathway for those in crisis, so that they can get the assistance needed.    |
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Thanks to our Sponsors.jpg) .jpg) |
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Liberty Hosts Region 5 Meeting 2019Liberty Rotary Club was pleased to host this year's Region 5 Summer Meeting / Barbecue. It is always wonderful to get together with other clubs to find out all the great things local Rotarians are doing. Thanks to all who came to share in fellowship at the Rotary Pavilion at our beautiful lake setting.         |
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7th Annual Spirit Beer and Wine Tasting You can register or donate at the link below: |
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Andrew Oni Explains the Importance of the Mental Health First Aid ProgramAndrew Oni is a community health specialist, focusing on mental health, and is implementing a program called Mental Health First Aid. He works with Amanda Langseder, Director of Community Health at Catskill Regional Health Center. Andrew explained the importance of removing the stigma often associated with mental health issues and speaking openly about the importance of good mental health and hygiene. Through the Mental Health First Aid program, those that serve our community will be able to identify the signs of those in need of mental health assistance and help them get the services needed. As he pointed out, when we suffer a physical ailment, we seek medical attention immediately. The same should be true for mental health ailments. We thank Andrew for his informative and thought provoking words. It is a great thing that Catskill Regional Medical Center is providing support for the Mental Health First Aid program.  |
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Debra McGuiness of New Hope CommunityDebra McGuiness is the new CEO of New Hope. For over forty years, New Hope Community has been enhancing the lives of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Through teaching, coaching, encouragement and role modeling, New Hope Community advocates for people to integrate and participate in the wider community. Debra updated us on all the great things New Hope Community is doing for its clients and the county. New Hope employs over 650 county residents and has numerous programs that impact our area. Debra focused on the fact that community involvement has improved greatly over the years and is going well, but further believes that those with disabilities can become even more integrated into our local culture. We thank Debra for her interesting and inspiring words!
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4th of July ParadeLiberty Rotary Club was proud to once again march in Liberty's Independence Day Parade.    |
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Welcome President Bill Silver. Thank you President Jack StrassmanLiberty Rotary Club wishes the best for both incoming President Dr. William Silver and outgoing President Jack Strassman. We wish Bill a very successful year. He has shown great skills in management, uniting our club and getting the job done. We are confident he will put these skills to work to make it a great Rotary year. Jack Strassman provided great leadership the past year and has led our club to many great accomplishments. We thank him for his tremendous contribution of leadership, organization and encouragement.   |
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2019-20 OfficersOur newest group of Rotary officers for the 2019-2020 Rotary year. Our club has chosen excellent leaders!  |
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Another Successful Mission to Moca, Puerto RicoLiberty Rotary Club members were part of the latest mission to Moca, Puerto Rico to deliver bed sets, stoves, refrigerators, and dressers to families still struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.     |
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Don't Miss a Chance to Win This Hummingbird WindowDon't miss your chance to own this beautiful painted window inspired by the "Hummingbird Story" that has been associated with Liberty Rotary's work in Haiti. This artwork was created by Erin Lipsky, and is truly exceptional. See any Liberty Rotarian to purchase tickets for $5 each or 3 for $10.  |
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Arbor Day PresentationLiberty Rotary Club sponsored an Arbor Day Celebration at Liberty Central Schools on 4/26/19. 5th Graders and ESL students of Liberty Central School District attended an assembly and all attendees received saplings that they could take home and plant.       |
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2019 Hummingbird Award and Paul Harris BrunchThank you to all that attended this year's Liberty Rotary Club Hummingbird Award and Paul Harris Recognition Brunch. Congratulations to all those that were honored at this event. Special thanks to all that made donations to support the Haiti Water Program. It is through your generosity that Liberty Rotary Club can sustain its program in Cap Haitian to provide clean water to 1,000 families. Below are some photos from the event.  .png) |
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Cat Wilson from Catskills Food Hub.jpg) Cat Wilson was our guest speaker on Wednesday, 3/20. She told us about the Catskills Food Hub, located here in Liberty, New York. The food hub is an aggregation and distribution center for local and regional products including fresh produce, packaged meat and dairy products, and shelf-stable pantry items. The Food Hub is a non-profit with a mission of education and working with local farmers and producers to acquire the knowledge and safety standards necessary to expand their retail and wholesale markets, thus growing the agriculture economy in the region. Working with community partners, they are committed to improving the viability of local agriculture, access to fresh food, and the health outcomes for Sullivan county and the region. Their project partners include Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County, the County of Sullivan Industrial Development Agency, Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation, Sullivan Renaissance, producers, and small business owners.
They look for demand within a 50 mile radius. Essentially they connect growers with local businesses that have a need for fresh farm goods. It is a win-win situation for both the seller and the grower. The grower may have a small amount of product to sell, but through the aggregated system, they gain access to viable markets. Delivery of these products is done through their standard route, and those outside of that route can pick up. Farmers get educated about washing, packing, shipping and pricing their goods so that they are more likely to be successful. The restaurants and businesses gain access to quality local products at reasonable prices.
We thank Cat for joining us at Liberty Rotary and explaining this important organization that is helping the local farmer and local food purveyors connect to find greater success. |
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Become A Sponsor - Recognition Brunch Keepsake Journal & Placemat AdsPlace an ad in our Keepsake Journal and on our Placemats at each setting. Advertise your business and support a great cause! All proceeds benefit our Haiti Clean Water Program Sustainability Fund. CLICK HERE for Sponsor Form.  |
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4th Annual Recognition Brunch |
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Goodbye Dave Thomson If the measure of a man’s greatness is the legacy that he leaves behind, then there are few greater than David F. Thomson. Dave’s dedication to improving the lives of others was truly inspirational. He was a man of kindness, a man of strong moral fiber, and a man who gave of himself for the betterment of all those around him. As a Rotarian, Dave was the guy you went to when a job needed to be done. He participated in a plethora of service events throughout the year. While doing so, he was always there to offer his wisdom, his never-ending enthusiasm and his endless kindness. Some of the Rotary projects for which Dave was an integral part were polio eradication efforts, The Community Dinners at the Interfaith Food Pantry, food collections for the needy, The Heart-A-Thon, the annual spaghetti dinner, raffle sales to support Rotary projects, scholarship recipient selections, coin drops and pretty much every other initiative Liberty Rotary Club undertook. It will be very difficult to find people to do all the work that Dave did for our club and community. Dave was the kind of friend that every friend would want to have. He exuded warmth and compassion and often had meaningful words of wisdom to make difficult and complicated tasks much easier to tackle. For a big guy, he expressed a gentle, teddy bear like gentleness and kindness. His great sense of humor merged with his strong sense of purpose made him the guy you wanted at your meeting, your event or your party. He had a great and boisterous laugh that filled the room with joy. He was a lover of fine food and drink, great books and a patron of the arts. Dave was a master at the art of conversation and it was always a pleasure to speak with him about the news of the day, his most recent great read or his inside information about the latest happenings around town. It is hard to imagine our club or a world without Dave Thomson. He was a good friend and loved by so many. Although we feel tremendous sorrow at this time of his passing, we can also focus on the joy we obtained from having him in our lives. If there was ever a man who exemplified “service above self”, it was David F. Thomson. Our lives and our club will never be the same without him. |
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March is Literacy MonthDid you know that 1 in 7 US adults cannot read?!?!
32 million US adults lack basic prose literacy skills – that means they can’t read a newspaper or instructions on a pill bottle!
Please help the INTERACT CLUB of Liberty High School bring awareness to literacy in the US and encourage our youth to READ, READ, READ by bringing in new or gently used books during the month of March!
There will be drop off boxes in the office of each school building!
We will be donating the books to the Literacy Volunteers in Monticello AND to their new building in Bethel (they are seeking specifically children’s books!).
Thanks for all your support! |
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Welcome Jorge Delgado and Sean ZigmundWe are thrilled to welcome our two newest Liberty Rotarians: Jorge Delgado (sponsored by Gary Siegel and Theresa Panny) and Sean Zigmund (sponsored by Jack Strassman) We look forward to working with you to make the world a better place!  |
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Liberty Rotary Helps Heart-A-Thon
The 41st Annual 98.3 WSUL Heartathon took place on Friday, February 22nd and once again our club was a powerful force in helping to raise funds for the annual event. Over $120,000 was raised by the event.
In addition our winter raffle drawing took place at the event with SC Democrat Publisher and CEO Fred Stabbert (ticket #34) taking the $1000 first prize, LM Rotarian Diane Babich (ticket #84) won the second prize of $250 and Daniel Belgard (ticket #83 purchased by his Mom and Liberty Rotarian Donna Belgard) won the $100 third prize. This was a true club effort as 18 members sold tickets and all 100 tickets were sold out 2 1/2 weeks before yesterday's drawing. The raffle cleared a profit of $3650 which the board of directors has designated the proceeds to go to the WSUL Heartathon, Boys and Girls Club, Literacy Volunteers and the 2019 Arbor Day Programs.
Our club has a number of "hummingbirds" that do their part when it comes to both the Heartathon and the Annual Winter Raffle. Our heartfelt thanks (pun intended) goes to Dave Thomson who has been an active member of the Heartathon Committee for many and years and was responsible for scheduling local organizations and VIPs to man the phones and appear on the air during designated times at the event. Thanks to Fay Cerullo who was a "main artery" to "The Heart Man" Al Frangipane as she organized the distribution of hearts by 11 of our club members to 36 local businesses bringing in $4726 for the event. Thanks to Sue Kraycer, Barbi Neumann Marty, Theresa Panny, Judy Siegel, Bill Silver, Gary Silver, Gary Silverman, Anna Milucky (Jeff Bank), Jack Strassman, Dave Thomson and yours truly (CD) for taking the time and effort.
We had a great turnout of members who came to the event during the Rotary "Power Hour" joined by our brothers and sisters of the Monticello Rotary Club. Participants included President Jack Strassman, Immediate Past President Judy Siegel, Past President Gary Silver, Barbi Neumann Marty, Charlie Mangini, Anna Milucky (Jeff Bank), Jonathan Schiller, Lori Orestano James, Les Kristt and Orshii Boldis. In addition there were a number of our members who not only gathered pledges but also reached deep into their pockets to make donations to Heartathon.
There is only one way to express how much the Liberty NY Rotary Club accomplishes locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. That would be
WGSD!!!!
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Robert Dufour - BOCES SuperintendentOn February 13th, Robert Dufour - Sullivan County BOCES Superintendent gave an update about the myriad of programs and services offered. Sullivan County BOCES serves 8 component districts and adjusts its programs to meet the constantly changing needs of those school systems. They provide specialized education services for students with disabilities, particularly because individual districts may not be able to offer such services on their own campuses. They also offer career and technical education, which may include: auto shop, auto body, animal science, broadcasting/music production, construction, innovative design, culinary arts, early childhood education, health occupations and many more. Some of their newer endeavors involve partnerships with Catskill Regional Medical Center and Sullivan County Community College. Additionally, they offer high school equivalency programs and ESL education. Beyond programming, BOCES also acts a central business office for most of the county's school districts in the capacity of accounts payable, accounts receivable, paying services, payroll and more. They also provide professional development for the teaching and administrative staff of our county schools. It was impressive to hear of the wide range of programs and assistance that Sullivan County BOCES provides to our area and our local schools. We thank Mr. Dufour for providing us with a lively and informative synopsis of all the good S.C. BOCES is doing in our region. Robert Dufour, BOCES District Superintendent
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Boys and Girls Club Announces New Fundraising Format
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Welcome Jonathan SchillerLiberty Rotary Club is pleased to welcome our newest Rotarian, Jonathan Schiller! Jonathan was inducted by Gary Silver and officially pinned by his sponsor, Judy Siegel. We look forward to working on many projects with Jonathan and we are confidant that he will be a tremendous asset to our club's efforts to improve the world.  |
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Jessica Toscano from Sullivan 180 Speaks to Liberty Rotary ClubWe were pleased to have Jessica Toscano of Sullivan 180 speak to our club on Wednesday, December 5th. Ms. Toscano was promoting an initiative known as Sullivan Club 180. This is a countywide campaign to support groups, clubs, and organizations in an effort to improve their health through activities that promote healthier living. As a club that operates in a county that is ranked 61 of 62 in New York for health outcomes, this resonated substantially with the group. Below, a picture of Jessica Toscano with club member Pat Abbott. Below that, the Sullivan 180 Vision.  For the past several years, Sullivan County has been ranked 61 out of 62 counties in the state of New York by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings. While the County has scored poorly on these indicators in the past, Sullivan County residents are eager to start turning this ranking around. SULLIVAN 180 is a vehicle to foster and support community efforts to improve the health of all residents. Our goal is to turn this ranking around by 180 degrees. With the understanding that this is a long term effort, SULLIVAN 180 is committed to change by degrees, the kind of slow, steady and enduring transformation that is thoughtfully conceived and implemented. There is a clear need to offer our residents opportunities for improving their health and prosperity. This encompasses not only physical but also mental, spiritual and environmental wellness. A sense of purpose; connection to family and community; access to fresh food; and an active lifestyle are all essential for a thriving Sullivan County. SULLIVAN 180 works in all these areas offering an inclusive approach that unites the entire community— businesses, organizations and individuals in healthcare, education, agriculture, government, the arts and faith-based institutions. Together, with our community partners, we address immediate health concerns and promote innovative ways for all of our residents to live a healthier lifestyle. |
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We Get Spaghetti DoneThanks to all that assisted in making this year's Spaghetti Supper a great community event. We served about 225 meals and once again proved that Liberty Rotary Club has fun while doing good. W.G.S.D.  |
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Hurricane Relief Update 10/7/18
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Thanks to our Guest Speaker Sue DiamondSue Diamond talked about "How to leverage charitable giving" which focused on how to build capacity for engaged philanthropy through understanding the different vehicles that work for charitable giving – so that we can achieve our philanthropic ambitions for ourselves, our families and our communities.  |
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Thank You to Our SponsorsThis year's Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting at the Downtown Barn was a great success. Much money was raised to help give scholarships to Sullivan County Students. Thank you to our wonderful sponsors who generously donated funds to help further the education of all our scholarship recipients.  |
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Liberty Rotary Kicksoff Florence Hurricane Relief Supply Collection Drive
Hurricane Florence has devastated the Middle Atlantic States and many victims have been left homeless and suffered catastrophic losses as a result of the storm. As the rain moves out, flood waters crest and begin to recede, the Liberty NY Rotary Club is teaming up with the Brevard, NC Rotary Club, Operation Endeavor, and Wings of Michael to organize a hurricane relief drive that is based on the model that was utilized for Hurricane Harvey which targeted the Friendswood, Texas area. We are in touch with contacts in North and South Carolina working on identifying the community(ies) that we would like to target to provide relief for the hurricane victims.  |
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James Goldfarb Speaks about The Sullivan County Federation for the HomelessJames Goldfarb spoke to our group as a representative of The Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless on August 29th. Sullivan County has the fourth highest child poverty rate in New York State, with the most recent census reporting 27.9% of children under the age of 18 in Sullivan County live in poverty. In spite of some improvements, our unemployment rate continues to be rather high for our region. Many young children and their families spend their days worrying where they will get their next meal. The Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless addresses this concern. They operate the only soup kitchen in Sullivan County, providing breakfast and lunch five days a week to local residents. The number of people who need their help is substantial. They serve tens of thousands of meals through their soup kitchen’s breakfast and lunch program. They also operate a food pantry twice a month, where individuals receive canned food, cereal, juice, pasta and other staples. We are thankful to James and all those working at the Federation for helping those in our community ,who otherwise would be left hungry.  |
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Joseph Abraham and Matt ShortallOn August 22nd, Liberty Rotary Club was delighted to host Joseph Abraham and Matt Shortall from the Sullivan County Democrat. As the world's media has changed, it was great to hear of the Democrat's commitment to our community. These two well spoken gentleman gave great insight to the mission of the Democrat and also offered insightful views of the media's place in our society today.  |
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Liberty Rotary Club 6th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser |
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Liberty Rotary Hosts Region 5 BarbecueRegion 5 Barbecue hosted by Liberty Rotary Club Liberty Rotary Club was pleased to host the Rotary Region 5 meeting! Congratulations to all our clubs for doing so much good in our communities and around the world. Thank you to our keynote speaker Charles Lee Miller and Operation Endeavor for making lives better here in the US and abroad. .jpg) Charles Lee Miller of Operation Endeavor.jpg) Our beautiful setting at Hanofee Park in Liberty.     |
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District Governor Giangrasso Visits Liberty RotaryDistrict 7210 Governor Christine Giangrasso came to speak at our weekly meeting on July 18th. Christine made it clear to all our members that the District is there to support all of the initiatives we have for doing good in our community and the world. Her mantra for the year is "We can do it", which is based upon the well known image of "Rosie the Riveter" that was established in the 1940s to promote the concept that with enough effort, particularly from women, anything can be accomplished. It was great meeting with Christine, who has much enthusiasm and a straight talk approach, that is both motivating and inspiring. There is no doubt, that this year, our leadership will be there so that we can get stuff done. W.G.S.D.   |
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Liberty Rotary Installs 2018-19 OfficersCongratulations and thank you to Jack Strassman, who was installed as Liberty Rotary Club's 2018-19 President. We have no doubt that Jack will do a great job of leading our club in many successful projects. Also installed for this Rotary year were William Silver - President Elect, Fay Cerullo - Secretary, Gary Siegel - Treasurer, Dan Berkowicz - Sergeant-at-Arms along with three additional board members: Gary Silver, Gary Silveman and David F. Thomson. We want to offer our great appreciation for all the hard work Judy Siegel put in to being President for the 2017-18 Rotary Year. Her tireless efforts, strong vision and outstanding leadership helped our club do so much good in the past year. Shown below, newly installed President Jack Strassman
Shown below, Assistant District Governor Susan Kraycer with Immediate Past President Judy Siegel
Shown below Fay Cerullo, Susan Kraycer, Jack Strassman, Judy Siegel, Gary Siegel and Dr. William Silver
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Liberty Rotary Marches in 2018 July 4th ParadeLiberty Rotary Club was honored to be included as a sponsor of this year's Liberty-July 4th Parade. It was great to see the streets of Liberty filled with so many visitors and community members. What a wonderful way to celebrate our country's independence!      |
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Jayme Kaplan-Krutz from Allies in Development is providing aid for the deaf in EthiopiaJayme Kaplan-Krutz from Allies in Development is providing aid for the deaf in Ethiopia Ms. Kaplan-Krutz is originally from our area and is a speech pathologist who has dedicated her life to the hearing impaired and deaf. She is fluent in American Sign Language and when she traveled to Ethiopia, she fell in love with the kids, the teachers and the people. She is associated with Visions Global Empowerment which is an organization that is quite small, but they have numerous partners including Nazareth College and SUNY New Paltz that are working to provide assistance to a number of underserved countries. As their website states: Visions is committed to helping fill the gaps in education, promote community development, and develop a more robust civil society in Sri Lanka, India, Ethiopia, and Nicaragua. When the program began, there were virtually no programs for deaf students in Ethiopia, except for a broken down old building with only about 4 students that came to classes. They set a goal of getting the children out of that old classroom and into a better learning environment to provide a quality education for the students and bring them communication skills. Focus was placed on getting the kids to school and giving them language access. They now have two classrooms with some computers, sign language courses and interpreters. They offer scholarships for deaf young adults to help them get training for employment. They have daily instruction of sign language in 3 different schools and interpreters at one school. They also have one of the first preschool programs in the country. All of this is greatly enriching the lives of the children they teach and for whom they provide hearing devices. The deaf in Ethiopia are stigmatized there due to their disability, particularly because they were not taught to communicate with others. Fortunately, Visions Global Empowerment, with the assistance of Ms. Kaplan-Krutz, is making a real difference in these children's lives and giving them the opportunity to access language to learn and be understood, which they so desperately need. Thank you to Jayme for sharing with us the amazing work you are doing! To donate to this outstanding program, go to : https://www.visionsglobalempowerment.org/donate/ Shown below: Jayme Kaplan-Krutz .png) |
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Polio Plus - Polio Eradication DinnerLiberty Rotary, Livingston Manor Rotary and Monticello Rotary Clubs joined forces to raise funds to further efforts to eradicate polio from our planet. Through the massive efforts of Rotary International, a disease that once impacted children all over the world, is nearly a thing of the past. Thanks to the organizing committee for putting together a wonderful night with fellowship, great food and food for thought. Also, thank you to our main speaker John G. Kramb, a polio survivor, who has dedicated his life to vaccinating the children of India. Shown below are photos from the event:   .png) |
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Liberty Rotary Club Marches in Memorial Day ParadeLiberty Rotary Club marched in this year's Liberty Memorial Day Parade. We honor and thank those that made the ultimate sacrifice, so that others may have freedom here in America. To all the veterans and their families, we thank you!   |
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Polio Eradication Dinner |
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Rotary Supports Arbor DayThe Liberty Rotary Club celebrated Arbor Day 2018 twice this year, first on Friday April 27, by giving away more than 200 seedlings to every 5th grade, ESL, ABLE and self-contained special education student in the Liberty Central School District Middle School. In addition to the seedling, each student also received an Arbor Day pencil, sticker, flower pot and pamphlet with directions on how to plant their tree. An Arbor Day poster was also given to each classroom. Special thanks to Jeff Hall, whose ESL students packaged the seedlings for their fellow students.
On Monday, May 14, the Liberty Parks and Recreation department planted a Linden tree donated by the club near the playscape and Pavilion. Liberty Rotary plans on donating a new tree each year over the next several years, providing shade and making the park more attractive. Special thanks to Parks and Rec staff for their work, and Rotary Club members Barbara and Peter Blakey, Dave Thomson and Bill Silver who assisted in the planting.
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Liberty Rotary Club Presents Paul Harris Fellows and Hummingbird Award WinnersCongratulations to this year's Paul Harris Fellows: Etta Barbanti, Dr. William Silver and Lori Rae Silvers+2 Additional congratulations to our newest Hummingbird Award Winners: Orshii L. Boldiis, Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Inc., Amanda Langseder, Sal Scancarello and Gary Silverman Thank you to all that attended the Recognition Brunch to support the Haiti Water Program and everyone that worked to make this event possible!  |
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Liberty Rotary Receives "People of Action" Award.jpg) |
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Liberty Rotarians Offer Assistance to STEPSchools To End Poverty(STEP) based at Spring Valley Rotary Club sent another group to Vietnam to provide for children with disabilities and children with no way to get to school. Shown below is the group that went on this mission, which included providing wheelchairs to children that may never have seen the world sitting upright, and bicycles to girls who will then be able to get an education and avoid getting trapped in the sex trade. This mission included Liberty Rotarians Peter and Barbara Blakey as well as Gary and Diane Silver. We are so proud of their commitment to this project.   |
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RISE Walk A Mile In Her Shoes Event on April 26thThis week we were lucky to have Debbie O’Mally, LMHC as our guest speaker. She is the Manager at R.I.S.E The RISE Program – Rape, Intervention, Services & Education of Sullivan County advocates for anyone who is or has been a victim of sexual abuse. Founded in 1987, RISE provides an array of services to victims of sexual abuse and offers prevention education. The program advocates for sexual abuse victims. Staff members will accompany the victim to the hospital, police or district attorney after an incident and will provide assistance. RISE also offers confidential individual, family or couples counseling as well as support groups, prevention education and professional training sessions. The program maintains a 24-hour crisis hotline number, 845-791-9595. They are serving many women, but also far more children and men than in the past. Because there is much shame associated with sexual abuse and rape, it can be difficult for people to come forward. Fortunately, that stigma is softening and people are getting better at asking for help. This year there will be a Red Sand Project. This will be used to fill in the cracks in front of the government center to symbolically represent the desire to not have people slip through the cracks. The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event will be held on April 26th from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Sullivan County Government Center.  |
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Hummingbird Window Raffle To Benefit Haiti Water ProgramDon't miss your chance to win this beautifully painted, stained glass style, window created by the incredibly talented Erin Lipsky. (This photo does not do justice to how impressive it looks with light shining through it.) Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10. All proceeds support the Liberty Rotary Club Haiti Water Program. Contact a Liberty Rotarian to get your chance to be in it to win it! Drawing to be held June 13th, 2018.  |
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Team "Into the Woods" Does Great!Congratulations to all the members of Team "Into the Woods" who did a wonderful job raising funds for the Boys and Girls Club of Sullivan County. Thank you to all who participated in this outstanding event to benefit the children of our county!   |
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Liberty Rotary Club Helps WSUL Heart-A-Thon Win BigThis year's Annual W.S.U.L. was a huge success and raised over $63,000 dollars. Liberty Rotary Club gathered a substantial amount of that fundraising, by bringing in over $10,500 in donations. All monies raised support cardiac care at Catskill Regional Medical Center. Thanks to all who contributed!  |
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Puerto Rico Mission 2For the second time in less than a month, Liberty Rotarians brought their grit, determination, supplies and vaccinations to Puerto Rico to assist those devastated by Hurricane Maria. In the background, is a home that the team is helping to rebuild.  |
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Puerto Rico Needs Your HelpOur fellow Americans in Puerto Rico are still recovering from Hurricane Maria. Watch the video below to find out about the mission and how you can help. Shown below, the Puerto Rico Mission Team from early February. While there, they helped clean and repair buildings, provided residents with essential household items and appliances, gave vaccinations, provided toys for children who lost everything and spread good will to all they encountered.  |
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Liberty Rotary Club Joins Other Organizations to help in Moca , Puerto RicoWatch videos from Moca at this link: Images from Moca, Puerto Rico    Influenza, Tetanus and diphtheria vaccines for 500 victims of Hurricane Maria. |
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Liberty NY Rotary Club & Local Non-Profits Team Up for Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief
A partnership hurricane relief mission team consisting of members of the Liberty, NY Rotary Club, Operation Endeavor, Wings of Michael and Rotary District 7910 will travel this February 2 through 5 to Moca for a hurricane-relief mission. The drive targets Moca, a municipality in the northwest corner of the island that was one of the hardest-hit areas of the nearly-Category 5 hurricane. |
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Winter RaffleYOU’VE GOT TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT!!!!! Annual Liberty Rotary Club Winter Raffle 1ST PRIZE - $1000.00 DONATION $50.00/TICKET ONLY 100 TICKETS ARE BEING SOLD! DRAWING WILL BE ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD PROCEEDS BENEFIT: Tickets are on sale from any Liberty Rotary Club Member or and then send your donation of $50/ticket to: Liberty Rotary Club When donation is received a raffle ticket stub will be sent back to you so please include your return address. PLEASE SHARE! |
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Liberty, NY Rotarians Seek Your Donations For
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Liberty Rotary Club Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Campaign Kicks Off
The Liberty, NY Rotary Club with the support of Rotary Districts 7210 (NY Catskills/Hudson Valley), 7910 (Central Massachusetts) and 7000 (Puerto Rico) in partnership with Operation Endeavor and Wings of Michael is conducting a hurricane relief drive to raise funds that will provide support for the victims of Hurricane Irma. The drive will kickoff on Tuesday, December 12th, targeting Moca, Puerto Rico, a municipality on the northwest corner of the island, one of the hardest hit areas of the storm. The four areas of support for which monetary donations are being accepted: Food and Clean Water Supplies, Emergency Shelter and Construction Supplies, Flu and Tetanus Vaccinations and the Moca Rotary Club Toy Drive. A team from the Liberty NY Rotary Club (LNYRC and District 7910), Operation Endeavor (OE) and Wings of Michael will be traveling to Moca, Puerto Rico for a Hurricane Relief Mission in early January. The team will be participating in relief effort activities coordinated by our contacts from the Moca Rotary Club (MRC), the Mayor of Moca, and Nuestra Senora de la Monserrate Catholic Parish (NSDLM). Activities will include aiding in food and clean water distribution, emergency shelter construction, flu and tetanus vaccination clinic and toy distribution to children who sustained total losses during the hurricane. 100% of all funds raised for these hurricane relief efforts will be donated to the MRC to purchase and distribute supplies to those families in need. MRC officials will be supplying the LNYRC with monthly reports of how the funds have been spent including receipts and photos. All funds will be supporting the hurricane relief victims and their families in Moca, Puerto Rico. How to donate: Make checks payable to: CFOS Liberty, New York, Rotary Club Foundation Fund 30 Scotts Corners Drive, Suite 203 Montgomery, NY 12549 Online: Go to: and Click on the DONATE NOW button to make payments with a credit card via Paypal. ONLY MONETARY DONATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED due to the logistical difficulties of transporting supplies from the Continental United States to Puerto Rico. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by the Federal Tax Laws. All supplies and toys will be purchased in-country by the Moca Rotary Club to help stimulate the economy of Puerto Rico which has been devastated as a result of the hurricane. Please consider making this one of your end of the year donations so that we can provide much needed relief to those hurricane victims in need in Moca. For more information contact: Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan Email: admin@cfoc-ny.org Phone: 845 769-9393 Fax: 845 769-9391 Website: cfosny.org
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Another Successful Food DriveThe November 18th Food Drive to benefit the Interfaith Food Pantry was a great success. Thanks to all that assisted at the event, to ShopRite Stores for letting us gather food and funds there and especially to Dave Thomson who organized and administered the event as well as taking all the groceries to the pantry. Below are Dave's words: "Great job….. the All Faiths Food Pantry is overwhelmed with a great amount of donations. Folks in our area are quite generous with donating to us. While it is tough to quantify, both the Pantry and I think we topped what was donated last year. Plus, I gave to the Food Pantry $390 in ShopRite gift cards so they can buy whatever they might need in the future. A rough estimate is that what was donated today will carry them through February at least. Not too shabby.
I just knew we did well when I had to load bags of donations into my car through the windows and we had over an hour to go."
W.G.S.D.
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Gary Silver wins Tansukh Darawala Humanitarian AwardCongratulations Gary Silver for having received Tansukh Darawala Humanitarian Award from our Rotary district for your work on the Haiti water program.     |
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50th Annual Spaghetti SupperOn October 25th, 2017 the Liberty Rotary Club hosted its 50th annual Spaghetti and Meatball Supper at Liberty High School. Over 200 people enjoyed the cuisine and most stayed to enjoy some community fellowship. Thanks to the Liberty High School Interact Club, the Liberty High School kitchen staff, the Sullivan County Boys and Girls Club and everyone who helped make this event a success. W.G.S.D. .jpg) |
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Latest Mission to HaitiClub members following up on our Haiti Clean Water Program as part of the OPERATION ENDEAVOR mission. Final distribution of 1000 water filtration systems to 1000 families in Cap Haitien. Operation Endeavor sponsored health assessments of families. The team visited families who received systems. This is a continuation of a 4 1/2 year program to bring clean water to improve health in Haiti. To donate go to https://www.youcaring.com/operation-endeavor-629254
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Hurricane Relief Supply Collection Drive Through the collaborative efforts of multiple organizations and local businesses, the Hurricane Relief Supply Collection Drive gathered two large truckloads of essential supplies for the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Thanks to everyone who donated, collected, spread the word, and assisted in making this monumental accomplishment occur.
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORSThanks to the generosity of the sponsors and attendees at this year's Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting, Liberty Rotary Club can offer scholarships to deserving students.  .jpg) |
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2017 Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting Fundraiser.jpg) |
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Special Hurricane Relief Supply Collection DriveUPDATED 9/8/17 Note change in listed items: NO CLOTHING PLEASE. All relief centers have reported that they are overwhelmed with clothing donations. See added collection sites  CLICK HERE for Hurricane Relief Supply Drive
CLICK HERE to donate to Hurricane Relief Supply Drive
CLICK HERE for Operation Endeavor Website
Collection timeline is between now and 9/19. Please drop off all collected supplies to the Central Collection site at SUNY Sullivan by 9/19. Trucks donated by Phil Vallone and Rolling V Bus Corp will be loaded on 9/19 and 9/20 and all donated supplies are scheduled to arrive in Friendswood, Texas on 9/23. Thank you for your support! |
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Operation Endeavor Assisting In TexasArticle from The Middletown Record and written by reporter Amanda Spadaro LIBERTY — Local groups will be heading to Texas on Friday to assist the regions affected by Hurricane Harvey, according to a press release from the Liberty Rotary Club and Monticello-based nonprofit Operation Endeavor. The groups are working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to plan a response for areas that aren’t receiving as much assistance as the urban areas. Aid efforts are also being coordinated through Rotary Clubs in the Houston area, the release said. The five-member team includes Stuart Hirsch, director of operations for St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Services in Connecticut. The other members on the team are Naval Corpsman Lawrence Smira and paramedical and rescue professional Charles Atwell, Charles Lee Miller and Thomas Andryshak. Hirsch, a Liberty Rotarian, is also the president of Operation Endeavor. Gary Silver, Susan Kraycer and Gary Siegel are other Liberty Rotarians on Operation Endeavor’s board of directors. Previously, the group won a Rotary International Global Grant for $105,000 to provide 1,000 water filtration systems in Northern Haiti, according to the release. But the group also responds domestically. “We have to be ready to respond to disasters in our own country,” Hirsch said. “While we seek to improve survivability and support rescue development globally, we must always be faithful to the emergent needs of our own people here in the United States.” Hirsch, a professional pilot, previously led airborne relief missions to National Guard centers after Hurricane Sandy and directed an air response to Hurricane Matthew victims in Haiti in 2016. The Liberty Rotary Club has contacted thousands of Rotarians in the New York region to donate to the effort. Operation Endeavor is a nonprofit that provides rescue, emergency medicine and trauma training and supports disaster preparedness in developing regions of the world. To donate to Operation Endeavor’s rescue and relief efforts in Texas, visit youcaring.com/OperationEndeavorHelpsTexasRescue. Use link below to view story by Spectrum News |
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Liberty Hosts Region 5 Meeting / BarbecueLiberty Rotary Club was very pleased to host this summer's Region 5 Rotary Barbecue. Thanks to all the guests that joined us for some food, drink and fellowship. It is always great to hear all the wonderful things happening throughout our region and to visit with our friends from our neighboring clubs.                    |
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Team Liberty Rotary Participates in Monster Walk / Run Congratulations to Monticello Rotary Club for sponsoring another great Monster 5K and 10K Walk and Run. Team Liberty Rotary Club(shown below) was delighted to participate in the event and assist in raising funds for the Sullivan County Veterans Coalition. The team gathered nearly $800 in pledges for the cause and enjoyed their time on the race course! Great weather, a great event, all for a great cause!  |
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Amanda Langseder is Committed To Improving Sullivan County HealthOn August 2nd, Amanda Langseder of Catskill Regional Medical Center came to speak to Liberty Rotary Club about the dismal health situation in Sullivan County and the impressive efforts being made to improve the situation. Sullivan County and Liberty schools are faced with issues like high obesity rates, poor dental care and high rates of morbidity due to cancer. However, Amanda is working with multiple groups throughout our county(Catholic Charities, Sullivan County Legislature, Chamber of Commerce, PRASAD, CRMC...) to bring better health to our region. Through a multifaceted approach, their aim is to provide wellness education and opportunity to the members of our community. We thank Amanda and all those involved for their passion and efforts to make Sullivan County a healthier place to live. Below, Amanda is shown with a bottle from a popular sports drink and a bag showing the amount of sugar consumed from each bottle. A strong visual to encourage consumers to "drink water".  |
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Liberty Rotary Club Welcomes Three New MembersLiberty Rotary Club is thrilled to welcome Lori Rae Silvers, Verna Spina and Dana Parkhurst as new members of our club. Each of them brings unique talents and tremendous energy that will help our organization to do even more good in our community and world. Shown below: Gary Siegel, Lori Rae Silvers, Verna Spina, Dana Parkhurst and Nick Constantino  |
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Liberty Rotary Scholarship RecipientsLiberty Rotary Club is proud to have presented numerous scholarships to this year's Liberty High School graduates Shown Below: Some of this year's Liberty Rotary Club scholarship recipients and their family members. (And a couple of photo bombers)  |
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Check Presented to Liberty High Interact For GrantLiberty Rotary Club is very proud of its High School Interact group for earning a District 7210 Grant that enabled them to host a volleyball tournament and the 5K Race for Others. Thanks to the Interact groups efforts, they have raised funds that will be donated to the "Liberty Rotary Haiti Water Program" and to Spring Valley Rotary's "Schools To End Poverty". Shown below: Interact Advisor Penny Medina and Haiti Water Program Coordinators Gary Siegel and Gary Silver  |
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2017 Board InductedCongratulations to the newest officers and board members of Liberty Rotary Club. Thanks to Nick Constantino for performing the induction ceremony. Under the guidance of our newest group of leaders, including incoming president Judy Siegel, we are sure to accomplish great things!   |
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Polio Plus Eradication Dinner This year's Polio Plus Eradication Dinner was a great success. Much money was raised to help eradicate polio from the Earth. Thanks so much to the organizing committee, those who spoke at the event and all those who made contributions.  |
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Liberty Rotary Club Honors New Hummingbirds and Recognizes Paul Harris FellowsOn April 23, 2017 Liberty Rotary Club held its 2nd Annual Hummingbird Award and Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Brunch at the New Hope Community in Loch Sheldrake. At the brunch we recognized Peter Blakey, Fay Cerullo, Gary Siegel (Paul Harris Fellow Plus 1), and our current club president Gary Silver as our newest Paul Harris Fellows. This recognition acknowledges individuals as outstanding Rotarians who have demonstrated the Four Way Test and performed Service Above Self. We also presented this year’s Hummingbird Awards to community member Al “Funzi” Frangipane, Livingston Manor Rotarian Dr. Don Simkin, Liberty Rotarian and past president (4 times) Jack Strassman and The Liberty Interfaith Food Pantry (Henrietta Lynch). Liberty Rotary Club was thrilled to recognize these exceptional community members for their contributions to Rotary and so many other important causes. Additionally, funds were raised to help sustain the Liberty Rotary Club Water Program. Thank you to all that attended and donated so generously. Congratulations to those recognized and those receiving awards. .png) |
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Downtown Barn Offers Live Music in LibertyLooking for some top quality live music right here in Sullivan County? Max Siegel suggests "The Downtown Barn" as your place for great music for a great price. Max shared with us the exciting line-up of acts for this season, as well as information on how individuals and organizations can help support their efforts. Plan an evening at the Downtown barn. Bring your own beverage. You can bring your own food or order from a number of fine local eateries, to have your meal delivered right to your table. Watch the show from the main floor, relax in the balcony or sit outside and watch it on the monitor. We thank Max for sharing this great entertainment opportunity with us. You can buy tickets on-line or call 866-3012. All the information you need can be found at Downtownbarn.com. .jpg) |
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Max Siegel Tells of Downtown Barn's Great Musical OfferingsLooking for some top quality live music right here in Sullivan County? Max Siegel suggests "The Downtown Barn" as your place for great music for a great price. Max shared with us the exciting line-up of acts for this season, as well as information on how individuals and organizations can help support their efforts. Plan an evening at the Downtown barn. Bring your own beverage. You can bring your own food or order from a number of fine local eateries, to have your meal delivered right to your table. Watch the show from the main floor, relax in the balcony or sit outside and watch it on the monitor. We thank Max for sharing this great entertainment opportunity with us. You can buy tickets on-line or call 866-3012. All the information you need can be found at Downtownbarn.com. |
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Ghostbusters/Rotary of Monticello and Liberty Raise Funds for the Boys and Girls ClubMonticello Rotary Club and Liberty Rotary Club joined forces to become Team Ghostbusters to help raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Orange and Sullivan County. The night was a smashing success, with our two clubs raising about $14,500 to help the Boys and Girls Club reach the amazing sum of $60,000. The Boys and Girls Club is an essential program in our community and we are proud to have assisted in helping them do the incredible work they do for our children. Thank you to all those that helped prepare the evening, guided the team, made contributions and sat at our designated tables. So, if you need some help, "Who you gonna call?". Ghostbusters / Rotary!  |
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YEG Gives Us an UpdateThe Youth Economic Group from Rural Migrant Ministry members Tatiana and Somaya spoke to our group about their important work. They were accompanied by their leader Dawn and visiting volunteer/worker Nina. The program has been around for 7 years. Monticello, Fallsburg and Liberty schools all participate, and now there is a student from Livingston Manor. Initially, they looked for local needs and the way they could be most successful. The opportunity they decided to pursue is producing silk screened products. Their business is called Bags for Justice. They purchase U.S. made products (bags and T-Shirts) and create designs that have to do with social injustices. They take those issues and create something positive from them. Their web site is bagsforjustice.com. They also do custom orders for local organizations …. Each product carries one tag that explains YEG and what they do, and a second tag explains the purpose of the product and the message it is trying to convey. Their products sell for about $20 each. Items are available at their place of business and on their website. Nina is here visiting from Germany to work and volunteer with YEG. She will be here until September. Those from YEG say they are very fortunate to have Nina work with them. YEG is a great opportunity for these amazing young Sullivan County students. We thank these impressive ladies for sharing their enthusiasm and outstanding accomplishments with us.  |
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Rotarians Assist in Annual Hospital Fundraiser.jpg) Thanks to all who donated and to those who worked to make this year's WSUL / WVOS Heart-A-Thon to benefit cardiac care at Catskill Regional Medical Center a great success.
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Update from Sullivan County D.A. Jim FarrellThe Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office is a full service law firm run by District Attorney Jim Farrell, with 7 assistant district attorneys serving under him. Jim was good enough to drop by to give us some information about what has been happening in his office. D.A. Farrell was happy to report that burglary is down dramatically in Sullivan County. In 2012 there were over 600 burglaries. The current count is now just over 300 per year. Jim spoke favorably of the pPecious Gems and Metals Law, which requires someone who attempts to pawn or sell a piece of jewelry to have it photographed and data based by the establishment buying it. The seller must also show ID. That system has helped solve a lot of crimes. It has not only improved law enforcement’s ability to solve crimes, it has allowed for the return of valuable items to their rightful owners.. The Family Violence Response Team consists of a Social worker that partners with police to investigate child abuse, both physical and sexual. The child only needs to tell the story a single time. A doctor is also part of the team. This helps build stronger cases that can hold those that do harm to our youth accountable. Jim tells us that heroin is a major issue here in Sullivan County as it is in virtually all counties now. In 2010 New York’s Special Prosecutor wanted to speak to Jim directly, because of the extremely high rate of prescription opiates in our county (Highest per capita in the state). These potent opiates are masking symptoms rather than taking care of the health issue. We were told of the three pronged approach to dealing with the deadly issue of prescription and illegal opiates. Three Pronged Approach: Enforcement - Wire taps… Recently seized 4,000 packets of heroin in Sullivan County. The largest bust ever made in county. Education – Rural prescription task force. Trying to educate people of all ages. Teaching about the perils and pitfalls. Rehabilitation – Through their drug court. There has been a decrease in heroin / opiate deaths, perhaps due to the impact of Narcan. Narcan is not a fix to addiction. After receiving Narcan, there is no mandate for treatment, so those that have been saved, may overdose at a future time. Heroin addiction I a curable disease, so there is hope that those that are addicted will be cured. Jim has been doing this job for 7 years. He tells us he does not find joy in getting convictions, as families are destroyed and lives are shattered. Rather, he would be happier if would be criminals could find a different path. Thank you to Jim for taking the time to update us on the state of our county and for the good work you do to make Sullivan County safer and healthier.
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Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop Asks for InputThe grand and historic Rivoli Theater is large and expensive to maintain. They have a small mortgage, a large roof with many leaks, and a high heating bill. Heather Strauss and Kim Schneeberger of the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop came to our February 1st meeting looking for ideas about how they can better fundraise to meet the great cost of maintaining their building. This is the first year they are in the red and they are looking for input and assistance to make ends meet. The club members, who have a long history of raising funds for worthy causes offered the following suggestions: · Look for grants to support the arts. · Get the word out to get people to come see live theater. · Consider a sponsor a seat fundraiser, much as The Forestburgh Playhouse had done. · Consider selling pavers or plaques on the wall. · Contact the local school clubs and tell them that you need help. · Consider accepting non-performing members at an annual fee. · Consider inviting local politicians and dignitaries and then ask them for assistance through grants and other funding sources. The group has the following upcoming events: January – Valentines show with a Post Modern Jukebox style show. 10 performers. Hurleyville. June – 39 Steps July – Noises Off (Comedy) August – Sweeney Todd September – How I Met Your Mummy October – Haunted Theater If you would like to make a donation, please contact the group or check out their GoFundMe page. Thanks to Heather and Kim for letting us know of your needs. The club will be making a donation to support the group in their efforts to bring great entertainment and live theater to our area.
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Welcome Dan BerkowiczLiberty Rotary Club is pleased and honored to announce the induction of its newest member Dan Berkowitz. Dan is the former and founding Executive Director of New Hope Community in Loch Sheldrake. He is also a stellar member of our community and committed to doing good. We have no doubt that Dan will be a huge asset to our club and a great Rotarian.  Liberty Rotary President Gary Silver, Past District Governor Nick Constantino and Liberty Rotary Club Member Dan Berkowicz |
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S.A.L.T.Martin Colavito of S.A.L.T. from Catholic Charities spoke at the January 4th meeting. Each week S.A.L.T. gets at least 7 calls, which reach all the members of their steering committee. Marty points out that 7 calls doesn’t necessarily sound like that much, but given the needs of those who seek help, it is a substantial number. S.A.L.T. is dedicated to preventing crisis rather than reacting to it. Their mission is to “create a diverse partnership of agencies and community resources committed to improving the quality of life for the residents of Sullivan County. Through information sharing and increased prevention efforts, they seek to improve access to services that empower members of the community to make lasting and positive change.” They work together and get to know the residents of Sullivan County and recognize their needs, so they can be connected to services. They attempt to be visible and easily accessible in our community at events and on the street. S.A.L.T. can help with finding jobs, health care, education, child care, addiction, mental health, legal services, housing, immigration, Veteran’s services or any other need that may present itself. They are comprised of an extensive list of agencies to connect people to the services they need. They take care of the immediate needs of those that come to them. They also guarantee that all that come to them will leave with hope. Marty admits that they may not have the answer immediately, but they will find the answers needed to assist those seeking help. Ultimately, they are hopeful that someday, local organizations will put them out of business at a time when everyone’s needs are met by existing services. SALT is a boots on the ground group which knows that they can affect change. In order to be a member of SALT you must attend one meeting every four months at the government center. They attempt to make sure all voices are so they can be represented and heard. |
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Jay Quaintance, President of SUNY SullivanLiberty Rotary Club was very pleased to have Jay Quaintance, President of SUNY Sullivan as our guest speaker.
Jay discussed how Sullivan County Community College is an anchor in the community and strives to be part of the positive changes that we hope to see come to our area. He stated that one of his primary goals was that students should use SUNY Sullivan as an avenue to pursuing a 4 year degree.
He has also made efforts to open communication between the local high schools and the college so that they can work together more closely to help increase student achievement and career readiness.
Additionally, Jay hopes to be a conduit to Montreign Resort and Casino and assist in filling gaps in the work force when the casino opens.
Jay also spoke about a potential affiliation between the SUNY Sullivan nursing program and the new nursing program at Laferriere University in Cap Haitien, Haiti (where the Haiti Clean Water Project is being conducted). LaFerriere University was founded by local members of the Cap Haitien community, including two members of the Cap Haitien Rotary Club, with the goal of providing an opportunity for local residents to learn skills which will allow them to improve themselves and help their community. Jay was excited about the prospect of SUNY Sullivan students being able to travel to Cap Haitien and students from Cap Haitien coming to SUNY Sullivan.
We are very appreciative that Mr. Quaintance was able to join us for a meeting and let us know about all the good happening at our college. We look forward to seeing him again soon.
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Gary Siegel and Gary Silver bring back Haitian MasterpiecesWhile doing work in Haiti, Gary and Gary were given two beautiful sequined blankets as a token of appreciation for their work. Each represented the "hummingbird story" in which the bird is "doing all he can".
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Haiti Project Covered By Middletown RecordCheck out the great article about the Haiti Mission from the Middletown Record.
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Gary Silver and Gary Siegel Doing More Good in HaitiThe two Garys (Silver and Siegel) of Liberty Rotary are once again in Haiti to bring health care and clean water to their people. As the Liberty Rotary Club Clean Water Project transitions from lofty goal to reality, it is great to see them doing so much to improve the lives of those so very needy. Below is a recent message sent by Gary Siegel to all of us:
A message from Gary Siegel from Haiti: Just wanted to check in and let you know that everything is going well in Haiti. We had great meeting with Cap Hatian Rotarians in the north. Making great strides to bring the Club’s Clean Water Project to fruition. The water committee is formed and they are motivated and eager to hire the technicians and select the families within the timeline we set forth for them. We are very optimistic that we will be able to roll out the water filtration systems in February and bring an entourage of Rotarians to Cap Hatien during Presidents' weekend. We have transitioned to the south where we are coordinating basic first aid and EMS training as well as medical clinics on the island of Il la Vache. We at Liberty Rotary are so very proud of all Gary Silver and Gary Siegel for putting "service above self" and making the lives of those in Haiti so much better.
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District Governor Louis Turpin Visits with Liberty Rotary ClubWe were honored to have District 7210 Governor Louis Turpin join us for a meeting on Wednesday, November 2nd. Before our regular meeting, Governor Turpin met with the board to go over our goals and offer his assistance with projects and efforts. Then, he spoke with the entire group and informed all about the district goals and his vision for the Rotary year. It was an honor having Louis speak to us and share his Rotary enthusiasm, quick wit and genuinely warm personality.
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Liberty Rotarian Barbi Neumann Marty Wins Prestigious AwardLiberty Rotary Club could not be prouder of member Barbi Neumann Marty, who was awarded the Distinguished Community Service Award by the Professional Women of Sullivan County. Barbi was recognized at a celebratory dinner on October 30th where her many accomplishments and exceptional character were spoken of in front of a substantial crowd. We can think of no more worthy recipient of this honor. Congratulations to Barbi and her family.
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49th Annual Spaghetti and Meatball Supper a SuccessThis year's 49th Annual Spaghetti and Meatball Supper was an Italian delight thanks to the efforts of Liberty Rotarians, Liberty High Interact Members and the fine kitchen staff of Liberty High School. Thank you to all those that assisted in preparation for the event and to all those that attended.
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Liberty Rotary Learns About Hospice of Orange and Sullivan CountyLiberty Rotary Club was fortunate to hear about the selfless and essential services available for those with terminal diagnoses. Hospice provides assistance to patients and their families when dealing with the many medical and life choice issues that need to be considered at very difficult times and provides emotional support. Anthony Kane and Sue Goodreds shared information about Hospice's program and explained all the good they are doing in our community. They also encouraged people to participate in their upcoming Walk/Run in Forestburgh on August 20th, which will raise funds for Hospice.
We thank them for speaking to our group and for the compassionate work that Hospice provides.
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This Year's Liberty Rotary Scholarship Recipients |
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Liberty High Interact Car WashThe INTERACT Club of LHS will be holding a CARWASH
on
Sunday, July 10th from 11-3pm at the Liberty Trading Post!
Please come out to support the club and students!
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Rotary Day Coin DropThank you to all the community members that helped support the Liberty Rotary Club coin drop on June 11th. Our placement in front of ShopRite in Liberty gave us the opportunity to raise funds to support many local charities and programs.
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BethelWoods Representatives Speak at Liberty Rotary ClubWe were delighted to have BethelWoods Representatives Meghan Smith and Aaron Fumarola speak at Liberty Rotary Club on June 22nd. They shared with us all the wonderful programs that BethelWoods Center for the Arts provides to our community, and also explained the many ways we can help BethelWoods accomplish its lofty goals. Thank you to both of them for speaking at our meeting and for helping make BethelWoods a jewel of our community.
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Nothing Fishy About ShelterboxThis year at the annual Trout Parade, Livingston Manor and Liberty joined together to present the Shelterbox Program to our community. It was a great opportunity to explain to people how the program works and promote many of the good deeds that Rotarians perform.
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Adelante Summer Program for Rising Sophomores and JuniorsUndocumented students often do not have access to adequate knowledge about academic opportunities in higher education. Colleges throughout the country are equally not equipped to reach the undocumented student population. Adelante is a program attempting to assist these youths in overcoming the barriers these students face. Carlos Juarez and Tatiana Quintanilla gave a wonderful talk about what it is like to be undocumented and how difficult it may be for very worthy students to gain admission to college and acquire financial assistance. They are promoting the Adelante program which will provide a summer week long workshop for students to visit institutes of higher learning and obtain the skills they need to get into college and fund their experience.
Our two guest speakers are amazing young people who are clearly going great places. They are the epitome of what we want from America's youth. We thank them for opening our eyes to the issues they and their peers face. Liberty Rotary is donating $250 to Adelante to assist in its mission.
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Lamothe Lormier Speaks at Numerous Places on Behalf of the Haiti Clean Water ProjectThere are few speakers more captivating than Lamothe Lormier from Gift of Water. He recently joined our club for a special meeting at Soy to tell us about his work with Gift of Water and how Liberty Rotary Club will change the lives of 1,000 families (about 7,000 Haitians). On his whirlwind tour of our area, one of his stops was at RJK Middle School, where he was interviewed by a number of students. This interview was broadcast to the entire student body.
Click on the link below to view this interview.
 Lamothe Paul Lormier was born in 1961 in Liancourt, a tiny village in Haiti. After graduating High School in 1984 he enrolled in the State University of Haiti to study social service and psychology. Lamothe has served as the Director for a nationwide literacy program, has taught math in a public school and French in a college, and became an Assistant Professor in Methodology at the State University of Haiti in 1993. He is a co-founder of Fonkoze, which is now Haiti’s largest microfinance institution with more than 60,000 borrowers.
Lamothe became the Country Liaison for Gift of Water, Inc. (a not-for-profit organization in Carmel, Indiana) in 2002, in which position he travelled around Haiti distributing the water filtration systems that it manufactured, training families in hygiene and sanitation, and continually meeting with the families to test the water produced and the systems themselves, and to provide the families with all of the supplies they required in order to have clean, potable water. In 2015 Lamothe joined the Board of Directors of Gift of Water.
Lamothe will graduate law school in 2017 and will pursue his dream of being an environmental lawyer who can help the Haitian people. He is fluent in Creole, French, Spanish and English and is a Consultant for various environmental and other organizations in Haiti and in the United States, including Sakala, Partners in Progress, Hearts out to Haiti, and Parish Twinning Program of the Americas. He is also the President of The Global Family, Inc. which seeks to establish an eye clinic in the Haitian countryside. |
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Liberty Rotarian Barbi Neumann Marty chosen for Distinguished Community Service AwardDebbie Morelli Speer, Vice President of The Professional Women of Sullivan County was accompanied by member Karen Pantel to tell us a bit about their organization and make a very special presentation. The mission of the Professional Women of Sullivan County is to help build women, personally, professionally and politically. This organization has been in existence since the 1970s and their biggest claim to fame has been to provide scholarships to young women continuing their education. These scholarships often target mature women who are re-entering the academic world. This year, they will grant 10 - $500 scholarships.
We were privileged to have Debbie and Karen announce the winner of this year's Distinguished Community Service Award , who is Liberty Rotary's own Barbi Neumann Marty. Ms. Morelli credits Barbi with meeting the following criteria.
Those of us that are fortunate to know Barbi Neumann Marty can confirm that she exemplifies each of the above items and is extremely worthy of this honor. Barbi is a hard working woman who serves her community through her profession and her Rotary club. She is selfless in her commitment to our youth and those in need. We at Liberty Rotary Club think the Professional Women of Sullivan County have made an outstanding choice for this prestigious award and we were honored to have it announced at one of our meetings.
Congratulations to Barbi and her family. We are so very proud of you!
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Marj Linko of Liberty Library Shares Library Expansion Plans Liberty Rotary Club was delighted to have Marj Linko as a guest speaker on April 20th. At that meeting, she explained the plans are being made for the upgrading and expansion of our local library.
The current library is 50 years old with access restrictions for those with disabilities. It also lacks appropriate bathroom facilities and needs masonry and electrical upgrades.
The expansion and improvement plan will allow for bathroom facilities that meet ADA handicap-accessibility standards and also provide space for community programs. Additinoally, it will provide adequate space for books and other media.
The project is still in its early stages, which is currently awaiting permission of the BOE to approve use of the land. As the project moves forward, the costs to the taxpayer will be calculated, but at this time, Marj tells us that the increase will be quite modest.
We thank Ms. Linko for her presentation, so we can all better understand the need for improvements to our library and the proposed project. We also thank her and the rest of the library staff for providing great service to our community and our children.
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New Rotarian Recieves Paul Harris HonorIt is unusual for a new Rotarian to be honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. However, Dola Deloff is not your typical new Rotarian. Dola entered a contest explaining why she joined Rotary and her explanation made her a winner. Dola is one of a number of new Liberty Rotary Club members that are doing their part to make our community and our club stronger. We think the judges made an excellent choice in honoring Dola. Pictured below is District Governor Nick Constantino presenting Dola with her pin.
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SCCC Serves Up Fine Cuisine with Masterful PresentationLiberty Rotary Club moved its regular meeting on the 13th to enjoy something a bit more elegant on April 14th. Sullivan County Community College's Culinary Arts students served up a superb meal with great style and elegance. The food was outstanding, the presentation impressive and the service was far beyond a typical dining experience. We thank the students and their instructors for giving us a night to remember. Additional thanks to Karin Hilgersom, SCCC President and Liberty Rotarian, for making the arrangements for such a wonderful meal.
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Sue Kraycer Receives District 7210 - Women in Rotary "Triple Crown Award"Susan Kraycer is the epitome of everything a club would like to have in a Rotarian. She is an extremely active member, who brings creative energy to our organization, as well as incredible kindness and concern. We are so very proud to have Susan Kraycer as a of a member of the Liberty Rotary Club. It is a fitting honor that she win the Triple Crown Award for Women in Rotary, which she has earned for her contributions at the club, district and international level.
Congratulation to Sue and all the other nominees and winners recognized at the District 7210 Women In Rotary Celebration!  |
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Little Girl Makes Huge DifferenceLiberty Rotary was visited by a very impressive young lady, who at age 11 had done more good in the world than many do in a lifetime. Her work to raise funds for M.S., is truly remarkable.
Breanna's father was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in January of 2005. She grew up knowing how to identify and help her father when he was in or about the have an M.S. attack. Breanna’s father tells us that she is a helpful, kind child by nature and always participated in events towards finding a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. Breanna discovered that returning bottles for refunds was a great way to help raise money towards finding a cure for M.S.
Breanna began Breanna's Cans for the Cure three years ago when she was in third grade. The first year Breanna raised $42.00 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Breanna raised $305.00 her second year and this year Breanna has raised $2,000.00 as of now.
Breanna's contributions from this year will be donated on Friday, April 22nd at the Annual Kickoff party at the Rockland House in Roscoe, NY at 5:00pm.
There are three locations in which cans can be dropped off for Breanna's Cans for the Cure. The first location is Cans for Dollars at 9 Ontario Street in Liberty, across from Agway. The second location is 287 DeBruce Road, Livingston Manor, and the third location is 148 Rockland Road in Roscoe, which is directly across the street from Roscoe Beer Company. All three locations have a Breanna's Cans for the Cure sign displayed. People can also contact Stephen, Breanna's father, at 845-802-6151 for cans to be picked up.
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Literacy Volunteers Visits Liberty Rotary ClubWe were fortunate to host guest speakers Angela Dutcher and Marc Mendelsohn of the Literacy Volunteers program in Sullivan County. This program is essential to our community, because the rate of illiteracy is significant in our region. With casinos coming, Ms. Dutcher believes that the need to prepare a workforce that is well educated is greater than ever. Fortunately, Literacy Volunteers has a team of about 60 tutors working in their program to help assist those looking to improve their skills.
Part of the organization is the The Read It Again and Past Perfect bookstores they manage. They are a great resource for the community and a source of revenue for the program. They accept virtually all donated books, except for newer encyclopedias and your donations may be tax deductible. If you are looking for some good reads, you may want to stop by to browse and purchase some books.
The Literacy Volunteers would like to encourage everyone to promote their program. If anyone knows of someone that needs reading training or needs to prepare for a GED, please refer them. Thanks to assistance from the Attain Lab at BOCES on St. John St., which helps to prepare students for the math portion of the GED testing, the program has become even stronger. The wait list for students needing services is about 10-15 people long, but there is a training session coming with a number of tutors soon to be available.
Volunteers are needed for tutoring and at the bookstore. For more information, call the Literacy Volunteers at 794-0017.
Liberty Rotary Club is proud to offer assistance to this worthy and wonderful organization and we are pleased to donate $500 to their efforts.
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Team Oz Creates Tornado of Fun at Boys and Girls Club DinnerTeam Wizard of Oz did not disappoint at this year's Boys and Girls Club Dinner. The event featured its wild and zany antics along with some high pressure fundraising. Liberty Rotary Club was proud to share the theatrics with The Forestburgh Playhouse, WSUL and WVOS, China City and The Sullivan County Visitors Association. Great job to all those Rotarians that cast aside their serious side to raise money for this immensely important program. Thanks to all the team members!
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Liberty School Resource Officer Devin Brust Updates Liberty Rotary on His Role Officer Devin Brust has held the job of School Resource Officer for the past two years and is now working with his third DARE class. They discuss consequences, responsibility, alcohol and tobacco. He found the exclusion of opiates from the program a bit out of touch, as it is so prevalent in our area. So, he has added information and discussion about this important topic to his program.
The ground rules of class discussion asks students to speak openly, but no specific names are to be mentioned. He tries to stress the term addiction and help students understand the consequences of their actions and the dangers of substance use and abuse. Additionally, Devin encourages students to report any concerns they may have about the people in their lives, so that they can get any assistance those near to them may need.
The difference that have evolved in the program since its start is that discussions are more meaningful and relevant to the students. They focus upon real world problems and the consequences of the decisions that students and adults make. There is much attention paid to the impact of social media and how students can use it responsibly. Additionally, discussion about how driving at excessive speed is extremely dangerous.
Devin has a presence in all three schools in Liberty and stops in at St. Peter’s School. He also assists with arrivals and dismissals. Overall, he is an ever available resource for our children to speak to about the issues they face in their lives. As our positive role model and police liaison to our schools, we are fortunate to have Officer Brust influencing and guiding our children.
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District Gov. Inducts Two New Rotarians into Liberty ClubTheresa Panny and Dola Deloff were inducted into Liberty Rotary Club on February 15th. District Governor Nick Constantino made the trek up to Liberty to officiate the induction ceremony. We are delighted to have Theresa and Dola bring their ideas and enthusiasm to our club. We look forward to their input and their friendship. Special thanks to the sponsor of both of these new recruits, Fay Cerullo!  Shown are Dola Deloff and Theresa Panny Fay Cerullo, Dola Deloff, Theresa Panny and D.G. Nick Constantino |
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Speakers from American Red CrossAndrew Sindell, Debora Bausenwein and Lori Galen from the American Red Cross came to inform us of the many programs they offer in our county. Many have come to know the Red Cross as the main collector of much needed blood donations. However, the Red Cross also provides disaster relief for families in our county, which includes helping with emergency housing and food. Additional programs include assuring that all homes have proper smoke detection and training for CPR.... Thanks so much for their engaging talk and all the useful information they provided. Numerous volunteer opportunities exist with the Red Cross. For more information contact Andrew Sindell - Manager, Volunteer Resources & Youth Services - Andrew.Sindell@redcross.org
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Heart-A-Thon 2016If ever you wonder how closely Rotarians are connected to our community, you just need to see how many of them are present at important events. At February 13th's Heart-A-Thon, to benefit the Catskill Regional Medical Center's Cardiopulmonary Departments, there were many representatives from the Liberty, Monticello and Livingston Manor Rotary Clubs. This year's event raised an amazing $88,000.
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Libertry Interact Makes Liberty Rotary Very Proud!!Liberty Central Schools Interact Club collected $400 for this year's WSUL / WVOS Heart-A-Thon. Their donation included a cash donation from their club as well as the funds raised through heart sales by The National Jr. Honor Society and other Liberty School Clubs. We are very proud of Liberty Interact and their commitment to our community! Shown is Liberty Interact Advisor presenting the check to one of the organizers and hosts of the event, Liberty Rotarian - Gary Siegel.
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Lee Siegel Honored At WSUL/WVOS Heart-A-ThonAn hour of this year's Heart-A-Thon was dedicated to the memory of long term Rotarian - Lee Siegel. The total funds raised in his name are not yet available, but it is a substantial number. Thank you to all who helped support our hospital's Cardiopulmonary Departments and honored Lee through your contributions.
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Liberty Rotary Club Inducts Two New MembersWe are proud and pleased to welcome two new members, Archangel Airborne and Andrea Silverman to The Liberty Rotary Club.
Archangel Airborne utilizes aviation, land and sea resources to effectively insert specialty teams, advisors, critically necessary supplies and equipment into areas of great need to at-risk populations through strategic and tactical closed-loop methodology. They have been the main link and facilitator to our "Hydrate Haiti" clean water project. Shown below are Stuart Hirsch - Chief Mission Officer in Command and Daniel Desmond-Cultural Linguistics Specialist. Andrea Silverman is an attorney specializing in bankruptcy, foreclosure and loan modifications. She has a rich history of visitation to the Catskills and moved to our area in May of 2015. Special thanks to the sponsor of these to valuable new members, Gary Silver and extra special thanks to Immediate Past District Governor Penny Byron, who came such a long way to make our induction ceremony special      |
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Liberty Rotary Club Invests with Orange Sullivan FoundationLiberty Rotary Club is optimistic about investing our Scholarship Funds with The Orange and Sullivan Foundation. We are hoping that this investment will yield greater opportunities for our youth.
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Catherine Freda and Nancy McGraw Speak about Project LazarusLiberty Rotary Club was fortunate to get an education about some of the programs Sullivan County Public Health Services is working on through our guest speakers Catherine Freda and Nancy McGraw on 12/15/15. The organization's objective is to prevent illness and disease, and to protect and promote public health within the framework of New York State Public Health law.
A large portion of the program informed the group of the great concern with the spread of heroin and other opiate use in our area. Ms. Freda and McGraw explained Project Lazarus, which is a community coalition to prevent overdose. Along with this project is an effort to train primary responders how to administer Narcan, a lifesaving antidote, which can reverse the fatal effects of an Opioid overdose, which includes certain pain medications and heroin.
We thank our guests for this informative and very serious discussion and for their efforts in keeping our community safe.
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Gary Siegel Shares SYDA Foundation Prize with Liberty Rotary ClubLiberty Rotary Club was so very proud of Gary Siegel for receiving the SYDA Foundation Community Service Award. With the honor, he was given $5,000 to distribute to the charities of his choice. Mere words can not express how appreciative we at Liberty Rotary Club are that Gary decided to give part of his prize to our club. Gary donated $1,000 to the Liberty Rotary Club to support our regular programs. He also donated $1,000 to the Liberty Rotary Club Haiti Clean Water Project, which is a partnership with Archangel Airborne to provide water filtration systems to families in Haiti that have no source of potable water. Thank you Gary your generous contribution and allowing us to do good in our community and around the world.
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Holiday Fun 2015Liberty Rotary Club had the sincere pleasure of spending some time celebrating the holiday season with their fellow Rotarians. The picture below shows a number of participants at the Holiday Party/Gift Exchange with Livingston Manor Rotary Club and the Community Holiday Party at The Sullivan. Both events were a great opportunity to join in fellowship and seasonal fun.
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Liberty Rotary Club and Liberty Boys and Girls Club Have Banner Year for Food CollectionAccording to Dave Thomson's estimate "this year's food drive collected twice as much food as we have on any other collection we have done". He estimates "We had 12-14 full shopping carts of food collected", and also collected $256 in cash which were given to the Interfaith Food Pantry as ShopRite gift cards.
Dave tells us that he was putting bags of food into his closed doors through half opened windows, including the front passenger seat. Thanks to Chris Ahlberg who helped move the rest of the food.
The Boys and Girls Club staff and students really helped make a huge difference. Overall, a great day's work to benefit such an important cause. Thank you to all who volunteered and extra special thanks to Dave for organizing the event and supervising throughout the day.
I wish we had better photos. Never take pictures with the sun behind your subject!
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Gary Siegel Wins SYDA Foundation Community Service AwardThose of us in Liberty Rotary Club have known for quite some time about the enormous contributions Gary Siegel makes to our community and our world. It is only fitting that he be awarded the prestigious S.Y.D.A. Foundation Community Service Award for 2015. We are so very proud to say that such a great man is part of our Club. Congratulations to Gary for this outstanding recognition, of which he is so very worthy. Below are some photos of the ceremony and the bio of some of Gary's contributions, prepared by the S.Y.D.A. Foundation.
 As a music educator for over 30 years in the Liberty Central School District, Gary mentored thousands of young people. He taught students musical skills, helped to build their self-esteem and instilled discipline, all qualities that help ensure their success as adults. During his tenure, Gary served as chair of Sullivan County Music Educators Association and New York State School Music Association Music Festivals. He organized more than a dozen Area, State and County festivals, engaging thousands of young people from the greater Hudson Valley. Mr. Siegel has also been an outstanding leader in his community, with decades of service as an organizer and fundraiser for a wide variety of projects. Gary was a founding member of Liberty ALIVE, a precursor to Sullivan Renaissance, a beautification and community development program. Currently, he is Co-chair of the WSUL/WVOS radio Heart-a-thon, which has raised thousands of dollars annually to benefit Catskill Regional Medical Center. For the last five years, Siegel has served on a committee to organize a series of fundraising events sponsored by Thunder 102 radio to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He can often be seen at Bethel Woods selling fundraising cards, bowling in a bowl-a-thon, or swinging a club at the annual golf outing–all fundraising events that he helped organize and for which he built sponsorship and support. As Co-chair of the Liberty Rotary Club Haiti Clean Water Project, Siegel raised funds for and participated in two of Archangel Airborne’s missions to Haiti to deliver water filtration systems to Haitian families. He is planning a third trip to Haiti in November 2015. After retiring as a teacher in 2013, he started a tour company, CD Trips LLC, which organizes bus tours from Sullivan County and donates a portion of its proceeds to many of the charities that he supports. In 2014, CD Trips donated over $23,000 to local charitable organizations. In 2013, Siegel created the Barry Foster Memorial Fund, which provides financial support for children to experience team sports and participate in field trips to visit special places such as Radio City Music Hall where they might not otherwise be able to go. He has been married to his wife Judy for 30 years and is the father of two adult children, Georgia and Max. |
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Another Successful Spaghetti DinnerThe Liberty Rotary Club had a very successful Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner during which nearly 200 meals were served. Rotarians and Liberty Interact students did a wonderful job organizing the event and serving our guests. Special thanks to those that organized the event, worked at the event and prepared the food.      |
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Thanks to Our Community MembersThe Liberty Rotary Club Coin Drop held on October 11th was a great success because of the generosity of our community and the hard work of our members. Thanks to all who contributed and those who assisted at the collection.
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Spirits Beer and Wine TastingGreat fun for a great cause was the order of the day on September 26th, when Liberty Rotary Club hosted its 3rd Annual Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting at the Catskill Distilling Company in Bethel. All profits raised from our generous sponsors and ticket buyers will be added to our scholarship fund.
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Please Help Liberty Rotary Club Hydrate Haiti
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Lois Barth Delivers an Inspirational End to this Year's Summer BarbecuesLiberty Rotary held its final barbecue of the year at Hanofee Park on the 26th of August. Our special guest was Lois Barth, who spoke about how to show your sparkle, which was both entertaining and inspiring. Thank you to Lois for giving your time to share your thoughts with our group. Also, thanks to everyone who helped make these barbecues happen throughout the summer. Meetings return to Yiasou for the next 3 seasons. Below are some photos to help us remember this beautiful summer.
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Upcoming EventsAugust 19-21 – Hudson Valley Ribfest – Ulster County Fairgrounds
Sept. 9- Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting and the Roscoe Beer Company - 6:30-9:30 - $45 pp
Sept. 10 - Family Fun Day / End of Summer Festival - Roscoe Beer Company - 12:00-5:00 - $10pp
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Dr. Gerard Galarneau Speaks about Improvements at C.R.M.C.We were delighted to hear from Dr. Gerard Galarneau about all the very positive changes that have occurred at Catskill Regional Medical Center. Over the past number of years, tremendous improvements in the physical structure of the hospital and the staff have fostered a true renaissance for this once maligned institution. Those seeking treatment at C.R.M.C. can now expect and receive quality care from an invested staff. Improvements will continue and Dr. Galarneau tells us that the future of C.R.M.C. is quite bright!
In addition to the many improvements at our hospital, there are plans to try and create an urgent care facility with 24 hour pharmacy to be located near the forthcoming Adelaar Resort.
Thank you to Gerry and all the people at C.R.M.C. that are assuring Sullivan County is getting the medical services it needs.
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Region 5 Barbecue at Hanofee ParkThanks to all who joined us in Liberty for the Region 5 Barbecue. Special thanks to our interact and scholarship recipients as well as numerous members who worked so hard to make the event a success.
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Pawling Interact works to "Hydrate Haiti"!In support of the Haitian Water Project, the Interact Club of Pawling organized a Hydrate for Haiti Day at the Town of Pawling Summer Camp. Kids played in water themed games such as water polo and a water balloon toss. They also brought in a water slide and a dunk tank for the kids to use. Everyone was given watermelon and a refillable water bottle labeled Hydrate for Haiti. Along with this themed day, the campers have been bringing in quarters for a state quarter drive in order to raise money for your cause. For each state quarter that gets brought in, a pin is placed on a giant map on the state to which that quarter belonged. Great job Pawling Interact! You can be proud of all you are doing.
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Liberty Rotary Joins in Independence Day SpiritWe love a parade! We love it even more when Liberty Rotary Club gets to show its patriotism and community spirit by marching in our village's July 4th Parade.(Held on the 5th due to inclement weather on the 4th.)
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Liberty Rotary Club is proud to call Daniel Parkhurst One of Us!Liberty Rotarian and immediate past president of our club Daniel Parkhurst truly exemplifies "service above self". Dan just returned from being part of the search team looking for the two escaped murderers in upstate New York. Dan has served his country, his community, his family and fortunately for us serves as a fellow Rotarian. Thank you Dan!
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Liberty Rotary Club Presents Numerous ScholarshipsLiberty Rotary Club is proud to once again present a number of scholarships to some very impressive recipients. We wish the best to all those graduates as they move on to the next phase of their lives at college. It is hoped that they will continue to live a life that places "service above self". Gary Siegel was good enough to present the awards to the recipients listed below:
Kasey Barber - $500 Liberty Rotary Club M & M Automotive Group Community Service Award Nesiah Holland - $500 Liberty Rotary Club Granite Associates Community Service Award Mary Deis - $500 Liberty Rotary Club Agway Home and Garden Community Service Award Mary Deis - $1000 Fosler Memorial Scholarship Shivani Patel - $1000 Fosler Memorial Scholarship Nesiah Holland - $500 Fosler Memorial Scholarship Elizabeth Grese - $1000 Fosler Memorial Scholarship Kimberly Zuniga - $750 Fosler Memorial Scholarship .JPG) |
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Thank you and Congratulations to our Liberty Interact OfficersGary Siegel presented the four officers of the Liberty Interact Club with certificates and pins in appreciation for their outstanding contributions to their club, the community and the world. Special thanks to Ms. Penny Medina, who is the advisor to the club and the catalyst to its ever increasing service.
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Liberty Rotary Sponsors Car and Shirts in Soap Box DerbyLiberty Rotary Club once again entered it's car into the Liberty Soap Box Derby. Alyssa Kavleski drove the car for the second year in a row. Our club was also a sponsor of the t-shirts and we were pleased that our club name was placed at the top back of each shirt.
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Recent GivingHere are some recent donations and activities of Liberty Rotary Club to assist our community:
Donation to Interfaith Food Pantry
Donation to Liberty Middle School to support awards to outstanding 8th graders
Donation to Liberty Middle School to help fund student class trip to Medieval Times.
Donation to Liberty High School to provide the Liberty Rotary Club Perseverance Award for Athletes
Membership to WASRAG to join others worldwide in providing clean water
Donation to the Barry Foster Memorial Old Timer's Day to help give students from Liberty, Fallsburg, and Livingston Manor Schools an opportunity to attend and participate in sporting events.
Sending 3 Liberty Children to RYLA a leadership training program at Mount Saint Mary College
Donation to the Relay for Life
Donation to Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County
Polio Plus Dinner raised funds to assist in the eradication of this horrible disease.(It's almost gone!)
Sponsorship of Soap Box Derby T-Shirts
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Polio Plus Dinner 2015A wonderful night for a wonderful cause! Three local Rotary groups, Monticello, Liberty and Livingston Manor raised funds to eradicate a disease that at one time terrified parents across the globe. Thanks to events like this one and the generosity of Rotarians all over the world, along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, parents may never have to fear Polio again. Top left: M.C. Dave Thomson, top right: 20 years and beyond Liberty Rotary members Gary Siegel, Russ Bogie and Pat Abbott receive certificates for their long term service above self, bottom left: Liberty Rotary President Dan Parkhurst and bottom right: Susan Kraycer, who has dedicated countless hours to help combat Polio and assure Rotarians in our area are part of that fight.
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District 7210 Assembly - May 2015If there is any doubt about all the good that can be done through Rotary and the incredible people that make that good happen, they were extinguished by the positivity and sharing of great work done by fellow Rotarians at the District Conference. The day featured some basic procedural issues, assistance in navigating Rotary resources, inspirational speakers, amazing programs being done by a plethora of clubs and a camaraderie that was contagious. Special thanks to all who put together this wonderful event. In addition to a long list of speakers that day, our own Judy Siegel spoke about public relations and Gary Siegel and Gary Silver told the crowd about their Haiti Water Project. Additionally, Sue Kraycer and Judy Siegel promoted the Purple Pinkie for Polio promotion.
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Liberty High School Interact Collect Over 1,000 BooksLiberty High School's Interact Club did a magnificent job of collecting books to support the Literacy Volunteers' bookstore. Through an impressive collaborative effort at the schools, they collected over 1,000 books. Should all those books sell, the book store may realize thousands of dollars of needed income. Great Job Liberty Interact!
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Literacy Volunteers Comes to RotaryIt is always wonderful when Connie Keller comes to Liberty Rotary Club to discuss all the great work that Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County is doing. As always, Connie brought along a student of the program that is the epitome of why the work of their organization is so essential. This year's special guest was a gentleman named Jairo from Columbia. When he arrived in America, he spoke no English, but went to schools to learn to speak the language. Although he could read and write English fairly well when he arrived in Sullivan County, he told us his pronunciation of the language was still a major impediment. Thanks to his work with Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County, he now speaks English very well and is doing well in his profession of veterinary care. Jairo tells us that his success was due to the time, patience and encouragement of Literacy Volunteers. He continues to learn and is very appreciative of the help he received from this wonderful organization. It is always our pleasure to have Connie and a guest visit. As always, Liberty Rotary Club offered some financial assistance to support all the fine work Literacy Volunteers performs.
Pictured below is Jairo, who thanks to Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County, is now working as a Veterinarian.
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Barbara Blakey Discusses Her Trip with S.T.E.P. to VietnamI'm a Rotarian. Sounds like a ridiculous statement for someone who has been a member of the Liberty Rotary club for a dozen years. Joining the journey for Schools to End Poverty in Vietnam proved to be a truly rewarding , gratifying and humbling experience. I was fortunate to be on this journey with individuals who respond to the needs of the human condition with kindness and generosity. What follows is an example of some of the humanitarian and Rotarian experiences of the last month.
In Laos,we traveled to a fairly remote village. The children were finishing morning lessons when we arrived. Classrooms were clean with minimal supplies for the children, teachers were focused on providing good instruction while caring for social and physical needs of their students. It was evident that in the afternoons and all day during the summer, these classrooms become sweltering. Our business partners, who are now honorary Rotarians, worked with STEP and the school teachers to devise a plan that will reduce the heat by creating an insulation for the tin roof. (the fans they have currently serve to blow hot air around)
We took children aged 1-13 to the zoo in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon Zoo). It was the first time being here. We heard from an individual who lived in an orphanage herself as a child. The highlight she had in her childhood was the time a group took her to the zoo. We created good will and better friendships wherever we went. Whether doing specific works as this or randomly handing out beanie babies to children in parks or in markets.
STEP in action responding immediate needs or planning for sustained support of the education of students or the care of children in orphanages was evident throughout the month. Upon a visit to the Te-Phan Loving family, where 60 children reside, one of our members donated to the medical fund in honor of his wife. Another saw the deplorable condition of the refrigerator/freezer, that on the spot the STEP board members crated the plan to fix the situation. Yesterday we saw the new fridge and freezer installed.
I am proud to be a Rotarian.
  Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Barbara and Peter Blakey, they were able to help S.T.E.P. provide bicycles for children to get to school, wheelchairs for those who have never been able to sit vertically and rice for those who were hungry. Clearly, they were also able to bring joy to many children throughout their journey.
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Liberty Rotary Club gets an inside look at Thunder CountryPaul Ciliberto, Michello Semirano and Mike Sakell visited with our group on 3/11/15. They stressed that radio is about "renting ears" and that while doing so, they feel they want to build strong relationships with the community. Paul told us that the community comes first, which includes our business community, the general listenership and those in need.
Their good work has not gone unnoticed, and you will see Thunder 102 participating at many of the great fundraisers and community action projects throughout the county. One of their own projects is Thunderbash, a large music festival featuring well know country acts like Sommerville, David Adam Byrnes, Iron Cowboy and Eric Pasley. This event will benefit the local food pantries and it is requested that those that attend bring a nonperishable food item to donate. The other big project they sponsor is a St. Jude's fundraiser. They stressed that although St. Jude's is far away, the research and healing done there has impacted countless people through the treatments and medications developed at their facility.
It is an honor to share a community and so many worthy projects with Thunder 102. Their commitment to the the people in their listening area make them a model of how partnerships between business and their neihgbors can be beneficial to all parties involved.
Don't forget to listen for the weekly Rotary update on Thunder 102 at about 5:20 every Wednesday evening.
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Team Shrek Gathers the GreenLiberty Rotary Club joined forces with a number of other community organizations to help raise money for the Sullivan County Boys and Girls Club. Team Shrek made a substantial contribution to the evening, which garnered over $58,000. Congratulation to all who helped make the night a success, and thank you to all the generous donors!
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Liberty Rotarians Bring Joy to Children of HaitiThanks to the donations of Liberty Rotary Club and a number of individual contributions, our club has assisted in making spirits bright for the children of Haiti this holiday season!
It is good to know that our good will is being felt both near and far.
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Barbara and Peter Blakey Raise Funds for S.T.E.P. (Barbara and Peter Blakey )Barbara and Peter Blakey are happy to report that they have surpassed their goal and raised over $3,000 for STEP(Schools to End Poverty) and will be able to make a donation of more than 10 wheelchairs in Vietnam, bicycles and a generous donation of rice to an orphanage in great need. There are already 7 children scheduled to receive the wheelchairs, many of whom have spent the bulk of their lives lying down and never seen the world from an upright position. Barbara and Peter look forward to their journey to Vietnam, where they will see first hand the incredible good their fundraising efforts will do. We wish them great success on this outstanding humanitarian effort and are very proud to call them Liberty Rotarians.
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Liberty Rotary Does Its Part for This Year's Heart-A-Thon      |
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Michelle Klugman, Vice President and Director of Marketing for the Sullivan County Partnership Gives Insight to Her Organization Michele Klugman, The Vice President and Director of Marketing for the Sullivan County Partnership spoke with our group on 2/4/15. She tells us that it is an exciting time in the County with an improving economy and the expectation of our long awaited casino.
The Partnership's goal is to bring business to the county and to help sustain and support existing businesses. They assist with business plans, feasibility, navigating the planning board as well as offering a revolving loan fund. They also do a lot of wonderful events geared towards helping business start, grow, understand laws and work together.
The current membership is nearly 300 and they just celebrated 20 years of serving the businesses of Sullivan County. Michelle encourages all businesses to take advantage of all her organization has to offer.
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Gary Silver and Gary Siegel Share Their Experiences from HaitiOur own Gary Siegel and Gary Silver presented to our club and shared their experiences during their humanitarian mission to Haiti. Gary and Gary represented the Liberty Rotary Club on a mission executed by Archangel Airborne.
The pictures shown during their presentation left no doubt that Haiti is extremely poor and has been burdened with hurricanes, earthquakes and a history of leaders that have kept the beautiful island from finding even minor prosperity. Literacy rates are very low there and sanitation is horrendous. Streets are used as open sewers and garbage dumps.
While in Haiti, Gary and Gary delivered two bucket water filtration systems to local families. The top bucket is for chemical filtration and the lower one has a carbon filtration system for removal of particulates and chemical impurities. As a result, clean, potable water can be created in about an hour. Their mission worked in conjunction with Gift of Water, which has already distributed about 45,000 water filtration systems to the region.
Liberty Rotary Club will be pursuing a global grant to further the effort to bring clean water to Haiti. It is hoped that by working with the fine people at Archangel Airborne, that our small club in New York can bring clean water and better health to an island with incredible need.
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Barbara Blank and Thea Present Guiding Eyes for the BlindBarbara Blank and her co-presenter of the four legged kind, Thea, shared with us the very important work being done by Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Barbara is a trainer for the program and teaches puppies, for their first 18 months, basic commands such as sit, down, up, over, heel..... She tells us the biggest part of the job is making the dog comfortable in social situations, including traffic and crowds. The job entails fostering a brood or stud, walking the animal, keeping it in good shape and raising it until it is ready for more advanced training.
A chapter of Guiding Eyes for the Blind has started here in Sullivan County and prospective puppy raisers receive their dogs after three training classes. Each dog will inevitably be provided to a person who is visually impaired at no charge. By the end of the training, the dogs are deemed to be worth about $50,000 each.
The organization is completely funded by donations and is a 501C3. If you would like to make a donation, you can send a check to Guiding Eyes and to assure that the money stays locally, put a note the states "For the Sullivan County Puppy Raising Region". Checks can be given to Barbara.
We thank Barbara so much for sharing her good work and bringing her extremely happy and well behaved companion with her!
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Please support Liberty Rotary's efforts to assist the Boys and Girls Club |
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District Governor comes to Liberty Rotary Club
District Governor Tansukh Dorawala joined Liberty Rotary Club for a meeting on January 11th. While visiting, he spoke of his life, his mission, and his appreciation for the work that Rotary does for communities and throughout the world. Tansukh summarized our work by stating, “We are passionate, caring and we have no personal agenda in terms of family, religion and personal beliefs. We leave those things aside and work together.” This statement seemed so very fitting as the Liberty Rotary Club is composed of people of various ages, religions, careers, and socioeconomic status, all joining together to serve our community and our fellow man. D.G. Dorawala spoke of the similarities between his life and RI’s President. They started their lives just a small distance apart in India. Both had successful careers as chemical engineers and both went on to serve in a significant capacity in Rotary. “Life is made of choices, and the choices the President and I made brought us together in the same year.” our goveronor said. January is Rotary awareness month. You can read about all the things our organization does, but after visiting 61 clubs in the district “What makes Rotary great is Rotarians.” D.G Dorawala said “As Rotarians we have the choice to help somebody, and most often we make that choice.” During Tansukh’s speech, he praised our local club’s president Dave Thomson as well as the work of Nick Constantino and all the club members. He went on to point out that we are an organization of 1.2 million members and with Interact Clubs and other affiliates we have the power of as many as 2 million people. What is even more impressive is that unlike so many other organizations that come with biases and agendas, our single commitment to people of every kind has made Rotary and Rotarians welcome everywhere. Liberty was the last of District Governor Dorawala’s series of visits to the many clubs that he oversees. We can confidently say that we enjoyed his wit, warmth and commitment and hope that he found the experience equally rewarding. As D.G. Dorawala said, “If we’re not having fun, most likely , it won’t happen.” We are fortunate that our group is known for the fun we have and that is one reason why we make things happen. |
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Gladys Walker Speaks About C.A.C.H.E.
Liberty Rotary Club had the honor of hosting Ms. Gladys Walker of our local CACHE Organization.(Community Action Commission to Help The Economy) CACHE was created in 1967 and incorporated just 3 years after Lyndon Johnson declared the war on poverty. Their mission is “to empower people to help themselves and help them identify resources in the community”. As Ms.
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Liberty Rotary Club Hosts District MeetingWe had a great night August 24 when the Rotary district meeting was held in
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Liberty Rotary Supports SEE Project
Having the vision to see the value of providing cultural excursions to youngsters in the
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David and Nan Greenwood Present on Rotary Youth Exchange
David and Nan Greenwood gave a wonderful presentation to the Liberty Rotary Club about The Rotary Youth Exchange. |
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Rose Sale for Scholarships |
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LCS Athletic Dirctor Jason Semo Honored
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Rotary InternationalService Above Self |
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Liberty Rotary Assists Local Food PantryThe Liberty Interfaith Food Pantry was the recent recipient of an $1800 donation from the Liberty Rotary Club. The club conducted a raffle which raised the funds to benefit the local pantry. |
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Liberty Rotary Club Enjoys Two Holiday CelebrationsThis year Liberty Rotary Club enjoyed two holiday season parties. The first was at Yiasou, with the fine company of Livingston Manor Rotary. Snowy weather kept attendance a bit light, but a good time was had by all that attended. The second party was at The Sullivan in Rock Hill which featured good food and great company.
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Welcome to Liberty Rotary ClubLiberty Rotary Club is thrilled to welcome two new members. Dr. Shirley Sinacore has been inducted to our club. Shirley is an Instructional Assistant and Adjunct Professor at SUNY Sullivan. John Story is soon to be inducted. John is the owner of Story's Neversink Plant Company. We are delighted to have these two outstanding members of our community be part of our club, and look forward to working together to make our area and the world a better place.
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Liberty Rotary Fundraisers Help Local and International CharitiesLiberty Rotary Club was able to spread some good spirits in the final quarter of our year by donating to a number of worthwhile causes. Below are some of them: |
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Day 3 Haiti
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Day 3 HaitiProductive day at St Joseph's Parish and school out in the Haitian wilderness. A very beautiful place if you can see through all the poverty and devastation. Mission tea. Saw over 150 Haitians in the medical clinic. Tomorrow we travel back to Cap Hatien to do educational instruction and distribution of water filtration systems. Having lunch with Rotarians from Cap hatien Rotary club after distribution. Amazing experience with an amazing group of people.
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Haiti Trip Photos
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First Report from Haiti MissionHere is an update from Stu in Port au Prince, to which Amit has slightly amended(note that AA1 and AA2 are the aircraft being used): |
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Gary and Gary Heading to Haiti
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Liberty Rotary Once Again Serves the NeedyLiberty Rotary Club once again provided food for the needy, as well as preparing and plating each meal. Special thanks to Pat Abbott who assures this event always go well.
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Food Collection at ShopRiteLiberty Rotary was out on 11-8-14 collecting food for the Interfaith Food Pantry. Special thanks to ShopRite for allowing us to engage their shoppers and request they donate a can or box or more to help the Pantry serve those in need.
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Locals bring relief to Haiti
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Liberty Rotary joins with Archangel Airborne to Help Those in Haiti
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Liberty Rotary hosts 47th Annual Spaghetti DinnerLiberty Rotarians served up some Italian fare for the 47th year in a row, to a substantial crowd at Liberty High School. Thanks to all who sold tickets, served and cleaned up!
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2nd Annual Spirits, Beer and Wine Tasting a True SuccessThis year's Spirits, Beer and Wine Tasting at the Catskill Distillery was a success in every way. The weather was stellar, the attendees were wonderful company, the potables were delicious and the money raised was substantial. Final numbers are not yet available, but it appears the event raised over $6,000 for scholarships. Thanks so much to Gary Siegel, Gary Silver, Jack Strassman and all who pitched in to make our second year of this event memorable and worthwhile. Additional thanks to all the sponsors, food suppliers and ticket purchasers. Many more photos can be seen on our Facebook page Liberty NY Rotary.
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Daniel Parkhurst Honored at Citifield for Service to our Country
Liberty Rotary Club could not be prouder of their President - Daniel R. Parkhurst, who was honored as Veteran of the Day at the August 16th NY Mets Game. Dan is a role model to all of us, with an outstanding commitment to his family, his community, his country and the world. He is a man of integrity, compassion and honor. Thanks to Judy and Gary Siegel who arranged a bus trip for the day, so many of Dan’s fellow Rotarians, friends and family were there to stand and applaud his monumental contribution to our country. Who is CUCM (SCW) Daniel R. Parkhurst Daniel Parkhurst enlisted in the Navy in October 1980 and after a short time in the delayed entry program, he attended Recruit Training at Great Lakes, Waukegan, IL. After Daniel graduated Boot Camp he was sent to the Naval Construction Training Center in Port Hueneme, CA where he attended Builder “A” School. In July 1980, Daniel was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One Thirty Three located in Gulfport, MS. Daniel was immediately sent to Naval Air Station Agana, Guam where his Battalion was deployed. Daniel went on to do three additional oversea deployments with NMCB 133 to Naval Air Station Rota, Spain; Naval Air Station, Bermuda; and Marine Corps Cold Weather Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan. In 1985 Daniel was transferred to the Navy Absentee Collection Unit at Naval Training Center San Diego, CA where he apprehended Navy and other service deserters. Daniel left Active Military service in 1988 and moved back to New York. In 1991, he decided to join the Navy Reserve Program and was assigned to Reserve Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 13 and remained with this Battalion until it was decommissioned in 1995. Daniel was reassigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One Thirty Three Augment Unit where he was sent into a combat zone for the first time in Bosnia, Herzegovina. In 1998, NMCB 133 Augment Unit was decommissioned and Daniel was again reassigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit Two Zero Two located in Groton, CT. In 2001 Daniel was promoted to Chief Petty Officer. In 2004, CBMU 202 was moved from Groton, CT to Camp Lejeune, NC and Daniel was again transferred to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Twenty Seven located in Brunswick, ME. In February 2005, Daniel was temporarily assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Five in Port Hueneme, CA for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Daniel spent the next 9 months in training and in Camp Moreel, Kuwait in support of troops deploying to Iraq. Daniel rejoined NMCB 27 upon his return and was promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer. Daniel was called upon again in 2008 to deploy to Iraq as the Operations Chief for NMCB 27 where he spent 10 months training and supporting the Battalions mission in Iraq. Upon his return, Daniel was promoted again to Master Chief Petty Officer and was assigned as Senior Enlisted Leader for NMCB 27, Region Northeast responsible for detachments in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts where he remained until his retirement in November 2011. Bio submitted by Gary Siegel
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Rotary Barbecue with visit from DG Penny Byron as well as M & M Scholarship Representative Lou FormatoThe weather has been very cooperative this summer for barbecues. This group photo includes our District Governor - Penny Byron(right). Also pictured is Lou Formato - Representing M & M Auto Group, who presented a check to scholarship recipient Migali Ramirez. Migali will be attending SUNY Oneonta to study political science.
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New Liberty Rotary Club President Installed
Dan Parkhurst was installed as this year's Liberty Rotary Club President by Nick Constantino. This is Dan's second term as our president and we are extremely grateful for his dedication and the leadership he displays in our club. As one president is installed, another must step down. Judy Siegel has served the last year as Liberty Rotary Club President. She has given countless hours to assure that the club continues to make a difference in our community and in the world. We thank Judy for her incredible efforts and guiding our club through another successful year. Both Dan and Judy exemplify all that a Rotarian should be. They are kind, honest, caring, and hard working individuals who place high value on making this world a better place and affirming the worth of all individuals. They are role models for the rest of the membership and help bring out the best in all of us. Thank you both for all you do! |
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Liberty Rotary Awards Scholarships
It was our sincere pleasure to host Melissa Symanski and Vanessa Olivo at a Rotary meeting. Melissa Earned the Liberty Rotary Club & Richard H. Fosler Memorial Scholarship and will be studying communications. Vanessa won the Liberty Rotary Club Community Service Award sponsored by Granite Associates and a Liberty Rotary Club & Richard H. Fosler Memorial Scholarship. She will be studying actuarial science. An additional Liberty Rotary Club Community Service Award sponsored by M and M Auto Group was awarded to Magali Ramirez, who was not available to attend this meeting. We wish these young ladies the best of luck as they pursue their academic, career, and life goals. Thank you to Granite Associates and M & M Auto Group for their generous contributions to make the Community Service Awards possible.
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Liberty Rotary Tunes in to Jonah Triebwasser of Radio Rotary
Joseph Triebwasser, one of the voices of Radio Rotary, came and spoke to us about this program on June 25th. Radio Rotary is made possible through Rotary District 7210. Its weekly goal is to share the service and humanitarian efforts of Rotarians and others who share ways to improve the quality of life of others. In 30 minute interviews, Joseph and his partner Sarah O’Connell speak with people that are working on issues important to Rotary. These may include poverty, literacy, hunger, disease, and environmental issues. The shows are engaging, entertaining, and often inspiring. To tune in to Radio Rotary go to www.radiorotary.org. |
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Schools to End Poverty Elicit Awe and Appreciation
Vietnam Veterans Edward Frank and Howard Goldin are doing amazing work through a program called S.T.E.P. (Schools to End Poverty). S.T.E.P. goes into back country where educational opportunity is limited and poverty severely diminishes children's potential and changes these youngster's lives. The work they perform is incredible and includes building schools, supplying water purification systems, buying wheelchairs, providing medical supplies and hygiene products, offering food, installing research/lab equipment, and initiating programs to help students stay in school(often to keep students from entering the sex trade). Their mission statement sums their project up best: Schools To End Poverty, sponsored by the Spring Valley Rotary Club, recognizes children as our most precious resource and the planet's future leaders. Our primary mission is to provide children of the world with an opportunity to obtain an education. To achieve this goal, we will assist in building schools, help provide basic school supplies and classroom aids, insure a safe and clean school environment and provide clean drinking water for students while at school. We shall offer grants and scholarships to orphans, street kids and the less fortunate, thus enabling each child to become and productive member of society. We are an all-volunteer organization where 100% of all donations are given directly to fund our humanitarian projects. We can't thank Howard and Edward enough for sharing their story with us and the incredible work they do. Their commitment to the betterment of the world's children is truly astounding. If you would like to make a donation to S.T.E.P., visit their website at http://schoolstoendpoverty.org/home
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A Look at YEG - Youth Economic Group
Youth Economic Group (YEG) Buisiness Coordinator Jessie Houff and members Thalia Lucas and Elizabeth Grese joined us at the June 11th meeting to tell us about this marvelous program. YEG is a youth empowerment program that helps students gain business skills such as public speaking, time management, writing business plans… They run their own business and they manufacture cloth bags. The bags promote social issues such as “Justice for Farmworkers” and “Anti Fracking”. They also produce products for those less political. The group recruits their business members from 10th and 11th grade from local high schools. 100% of the students that have participated in the program have graduated and gone on to college. In just 4 years they have accomplished a great deal. Their current mission it to spread the word to other youth and explain what the organization does. In addition to running the business and learning practical skills, they take a lot of trips. They will soon be visiting Eco Exchange which is a large silk screening company. Moving to the summer season, which is a busy season, they work on new products and members get paid for the work they do. They will be working out of a new location in a house in Liberty, which is a move up from a their prior location in a church basement. YEGFest will be held in July, where people from the county come in and learn about YEG goals and activities. It will be at Lazy Pond Bed and Breakfast. They hope it will be informative and good for business. There will be activities for children, food, and fun for all who attend. It will be held on July 20th from 3-5. The YEG program is funded by grants and sponsorship. YEGFest is intended to try and get more sponsorship and partners. We were impressed with this presentation and wish all the YEG members the best in their business pursuits. |
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Prevention First NY
Lynn Baron and Luisa Parker of Prevention First NY came and spoke with us about their efforts to curb the consumption of alcohol by minors in Sullivan County. This group works with all 8 school districts in the county to collect data and formalize environmental strategies to prevent teenage drinking. Their goal is to promote a public health model in the community. Their data indicates that in 2011 the alcohol rate amongst minors was 33%. Drinking rates go up incrementally from grades 10th – 12th. The data further indicates that students do not use fake IDs or get alcohol at bars and restaurants, but they are drinking in homes. 24% indicated that the drinking occurs at parties. They approached the problem through the Social Host Ordinance. This states that a person 18 or over that hosts a party which allows alcohol will be held responsible. There have been only two arrests under this law since 2012. Since this past December there have been 4 billboards created, and other promotional items created, to promote the idea that those over 18 years of age can be held liable if a minor drinks at their home and is harmed or causes harm. Underage drinking costs billions and accounts for more youth deaths than any other drug. It impacts brain development and causes considerable damage including memory loss. The organization is currently pushing to get their message promoted through Time Warner Cable. They also had their first sticker shock campaign at the Monticello Beer Store and will be doing the same in Liberty soon. Sticker shock is a program in which a group of youths go into a beer store and cover the cases of beer with stickers reminding buyers of the liability associated with the serving of beer to minors. The second part of this effort is to work with the police to patrol and locate parties with underage drinking and disperse them. The program is offering some extra financial assistance to have extra officers. If you are a parent or guardian hosting a party you can:
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Alyssa Kavleski Represents Liberty Rotary Club at Soap Box DerbyAlyssa Kavleski was chosen as the driver for the Liberty Rotary Club car at this year's Soap Box Derby. The event was very well attended and hosted a number of racers, many that traveled a long way to compete in Liberty. It was a bit warm for the working staff, but the racers and crowd seemed to enjoy the day immensely.
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Archangel Airborne visits with a Great History LessonLiberty Rotary Club was once again pleased to have Arcahangel Airborne visit with us and tells us about the fantastic work that they are doing in Haiti. This organization continues to bring medical supplies and provide clinics and education to the natives of Haiti. To help us understand how Haiti is in the economic situation irt is in and how the area got to its current status, Dan Desmond was good enough to give us a history lesson on Haiti. Dan was an outstanding speaker and his depth of knowledge was very impressive.
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Eli Rabadi seeks funds for Relay for Life
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Bill Cutler Teaches Liberty Rotary a Heap of Good Information
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Liberty Rotary Receives First Annual Torchbearer for Liberty Award
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Video from the CDC all about Rotary's Help with Polio EradicationClick the link below for the video from the CDC all about Rotary's help with Polio eradication. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGkdm-M1-Yk&feature=youtu..be |
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Liberty Rotary Bowls for a Cause
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Liberty Rotary Club Serves Meal at Interfaith Pantry Community Dinner
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Carol Vandenberg Updates Rotary about the 2014 Soap Box Derby
Carol has informed us that there have been numerous improvements made to the event to make it run even smoother. There will be 4 trailers pulled by gators working to return cars to the top of the hill more quickly. Last year's numbering system will be used again to make it easier to get cars in the correct racing positions faster. And most important, the road has been paved and covers for the manhole covers will be used to assure a fast and safe ride for our competitors. Liberty Rotary will be entering its car in this year's competition. The board will be discussing sponsorship options so that Liberty Rotary Club can help make this event occur. For those that work the day of the event, rest up as there is generally much to be done. 2014 PRACTICE: Every Wed. 4/16-5/21 except 4/30(picture night) RACE DAY 5/25, 8am start, North Main St. Liberty, NY Impound 5/24, 4 Divisions S, SS, M, SK
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Welcome New Member Amy BeckleyLiberty Rotary Club is pleased to announce the induction of our newest member Amy Beckley. We look forward to working with Amy to make Liberty a better place!
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Liberty Rotary Club Makes Substantial Contribution to Heart-A-Thon Congratulations Liberty Rotary and great job Roberta Lockwood as co-chair of the event and Dave Thomson as the coordinator of the phones. We should all be very proud of the significant contribution we made. This year we raised $4,648.69 in hearts and contributions and were responsible for Shoprite’s donation of $2,600. That is a grand total of $7,248.69. The total raised at the Heart-a-thon was over $57,000 which means that once again, we were responsible for 13%! Thanks to everyone for collecting pledges, buying hearts locally and for the contributions you made. Thank you Gary Lee Silverman, Barbi Neumann Marty, Pat Abbott, Amy Beckley, Peter Ehrenberg, Dave Thomson, Barbara Blakey, Herb Clark, and Karin Hilgersom for your help during the event. Special thanks to Gary Siegel who delivered hearts to 30 locations between Liberty and Roscoe and then went back out to retrieve the money from each of those locations. And, thanks Gary for your work in getting the contribution from Shoprite. Everyone’s help made a difference. 
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Welcome New Liberty Rotary Club Member Bill Silver
Welcome to our newest member, Dr. William Silver. Bill has been the Superintendent of the Liberty Central School District since last spring. He and his wife reside in Liberty and are fast becoming active members of the community. Welcome Bill. We are glad to have you!!! |
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Connie Keller and Literacy Volunteers still doing Great Work
Connie tells us that there are two important fundraising events coming up soon. One is a Dessert Extravaganza at Friends on Feb 16th from 1-3. ($15 per person or $30 per couple.) The second is an event featuring Donna Singer and the Doug Richards Trio on Fri., Feb 21st at 6:30. ($20 per person at Nadia’s Hungarian Buffet.) This year, Connie brought with her a student named Marta and her daughter Diana. Marta has been a student at Literacy Volunteers. Marta is from Poland and came here at 10 years old and enrolled in public school. Unfortunately, she did not finish high school because she needed to go to work. In order to support her daughter, she realized she needed to get a GED. When Marta called Literacy Volunteers for help, the organization changed the course of her life. Her Literacy Volunteer teacher, Marianne helped her with reading and writing. Marta questioned her ability to finish, but Marianne encouraged her to see her studies through. The people at Literacy Volunteers motivated Marta to finish her coursework and take the G.E.D. Test. Marta told us “ People who didn’t even know me made me believe in myself”. Volunteers took her to take the G.E.D. test which Marta passed and she got her degree. She now has aspirations of attending college and getting her law degree. In addition to teaching basic studies, Literacy Volunteers teaches computer classes, one to one, at their centers. They also offer classes in financial literacy to teach skills needed to pay bills, do banking, and manage money. It costs about $600 a year to support a student in their studies. Their book store in Monticello, fundraisers and donations are their main supports. Students can get their education/tutoring in Liberty at the Library and at the CACHE office. |
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Supervisor Charlie Barbuti Optimistic about Casinos The applicant must show evidence of community support. That is where Rotary can be proactive in bringing a casino to Liberty. Our support of the concept and assistance in showing that support could be very valuable. For further information and to offer input, Foxwoods Casino will have a local representative in Liberty soon. |
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Liberty Rotary Welcomes New Member Diana Weiner
Liberty Rotary Club is pleased to announce the induction of its newest member Diana Weiner Diana K. Weiner is the Horticulture Coordinator for Sullivan Renaissance, a beautification and community development program principally funded by the Gerry Foundation. The program provides communities in Sullivan County, NY with seed money for beautification projects. She currently judges for America in Bloom, a national and international beautification program. We look forward to Diana's involvement in all our programs and hope that her enthusiasm and expertise helps Liberty Rotary do even more for our community. |
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Larry Palant of Shelterbox U.S.A. PresentsLarry Palant of Shelter Box USA came and spoke at our November 20th meeting. Larry's presentations are always quite moving, but the relevance seems even greater due to the devastating typhoon that recently occurred in the Phillippines. For those unfamiliar with the program, Shelterbox delivers temporary housing to families around the world that have been affected by some form of disaster. In the last 13 years, Shelterbox has assisted in 200 disasters in 90 countries. After Larry spoke, the board voted to work with the other clubs in our region to support at least 2 shelter boxes. Each green box costs $1,000 and is tailored to a disaster, but typically contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit and a children’s activity pack. You can track a box that you donate so that you can see where it lands and you can rest assured that the money you donated is going to be put to good use-it will never rot on some airplane tarmac waiting to be delivered. To learn more or donate individually, go to http://www.shelterboxusa.org/
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Dara Smith - Food Service Director at Sullivan County BOCESOn November 13th, Dara Smith, the Food Service Director at Sullivan County B.O.C.E.S. gave us an update on the important work she is doing. Dara is supervising the creation of meals for the students of many of our county's youth. With a budget of just $1.50 per meal and strict new healthy foods requirements in schools, Dara's job can be quite challenging. Fortunately through hard work and creativity she assists in providing for th63% of students in Liberty that qualify for free and reduced lunches. Thanks to Dara and all the people with whom she interacts, students are provided tasty meals that have no saturated fats and contain mostly whole grains. |
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Food Collection at ShopRite Thank you to fellow Liberty Rotarian Dave Thomson for organizing a food collection held at ShopRite on November 2nd. As always, the community was very generous, and by the end of this event, a carload of groceries had been collected. All food was given to the Interfaith Food Pantry. Much appreciation to all who gave their time to make this event a success, with special thanks to Dave!
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Sue Kraycer Guest Speaker at October 6th Meeting
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 No matter what cause Liberty Rotary Club is pursuing, Susan Kraycer can always be counted on to help. Her dedication to the club, the community and those in need is truly inspiring. As Susan approaches partial retirement from her accounting firm, we are hopeful that her schedule will allow her to remain an active member of our club.
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Liberty Interact and Rotary Club Join Forces for Spaghetti Supper
This year's Spaghetti Supper was a success. Thanks to all who sold tickets, arranged the event, set up, served, cleaned up and did everything else to make this evening both fun and profitable. Special thanks to the Liberty High School Interact Club that worked very hard that evening to take care of all the community members that attended the event.
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Education Rocks at Liberty Elementary SchoolOn October 9th, we had the great pleasure of meeting the new Liberty Elementary School Principal, Scott Brown and the the new Elementary School Assistant Principal, Dan Brown. Both are looking forward to a productive and pleasant year. Their energy and enthusiasm along with their obvious commitment to children were truly inspiring. After they both spoke with us, no one could argue that education rocks!
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District Governor Kessler and Assistant District Governor Lauren Rowley VisitDistrict Governor Drew Kessler and Assistant District Governor Lauren Rowley visited Liberty Rotary Club on October 16th. They are promoting this year's international theme "Engage Rotary, Change Lives". Drew has determined that Rotary clubs have been very good at attracting members, but many do not stay as lifetime members. He points out that busy lifetyles, work demands and family demands may prevent people from making the long term commitment to Rotary. As a result, he is working to create Rotary events that promote inclusion of family members. Drew is promoting this year's District Conference to be "the coolest District Converence ever", which will feature "a Rotarian program, a partners program for spouses and Camp Rotary". It was wonderful to have Drew and Lauren join us for a meal and an update of Rotary initiatives.
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Devin Brust is New D.A.R.E. Officer at Liberty Central SchoolsWe were very pleased to welcome guest speaker Devin Brust at our September 25th meeting. Devin is a former graduate of Monticello Central Schools and is a police officer in Liberty as well as the School Resource Officer. His recent transition to Liberty Central Schools as the full time D.A.R.E. officer has been good for him and the district. His duties include making contact with the entire student body as well as teaching the D.A.R.E. curriculum to the 5th grade. D.A.R.E. focuses on choices, consequences and making responsible decisions. Officer Brust told us he feels it is a far more useful program than it used to be as the focus shifted from just drug use prevention to a much wider scope of issues. The program seeks to empower students to make wise decisions. Devin is in school every day the students are, and visits all 3 of Liberty's buildings.
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Liberty Rotary Club Proud to Induct Jeff Bank and Dr. Karin HilgersomLiberty Rotary Club is proud and happy to officially welcome to our club Jeff Bank of Liberty and Dr. Karin Hilgersom, President of Sullivan County Community College. They were inducted on October 2nd. We look forward to working with both of them on our future projects and sharing our club's high spirited fellowship with them. |
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Liberty Rotary Hosts Spirit and Beer TastingCongratulations to the Fund Raising committee for running a FABULOUS event! The Gary’s and Jack spearheaded this fundraiser which raised over $6,000 and it was soooo much fun! This was a great team effort-so many of our members sold tickets, brought friends, found sponsors and attended…..it was what we do best; have fun and raise money to give away. Perfect! Thanks to the 3 Top Shelf Sponsors, 12 Premium Sponsors, 16 Stout sponsors and the 18 Pilsner sponsors in addition to the 66 that attended. And, thank you to the Liberty Community for supporting our kids.
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Raffle Winners Chosen - Proceeds Benefit Rotary Projects The selection of the winners of this summer's raffle was done at the August 14th Regional Dinner. The winners were: Bill Imholz who won an IPad, Lynn Dowe who won an IPad Mini and Terry DePaolo who won the Kindle Fire. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all who supported this fundraiser.
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Welcome Daniel Ratner and Jesse FriedlanderWe are very pleased to welcome Dan Ratner and Jesse Friedlander as the newest members of Liberty Rotary Club. Dan is a partner in a local construction company as well as the Mayor of the Village of Liberty. Jesse is owner of a number of garage door companies. We are pleased and excited for the contributions that each of these fine gentlemen will make to our club and the community.
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RYLA Students Speak to Liberty Rotary About Their ExperienceOur RYLA recipient students came to speak at our July 17th meeting. They reported that one of the key goals of the conference was to make everyone feel like they could be themselves in a judgement free zone. Many reported that this feeling of total acceptance built confidence and comfort so that they were able to interact with others and speak to larger groups. From this, many reported that they would be able to be better leaders because they can converse with strangers and establish relationships that will help build teamwork. All reported that they made many new friends and gained higher self-confidence. One conferee stated “It brings you out of you shell and allows you to make acquaintances more easily”. Another student said that she learned that she did not always have to conform to what others want you to be. They felt a big family was created very quickly. The games were a big hit with those we sent and revealed to the attendees a lot about who they were as individuals. They claim to have learned that they are all more leaders than they realized. They feel that they have a duty to promote the RYLA experience and let fellow students know that it is not a “nerd camp”. A number of those that spoke confirmed that they would be willing to step up and assist in making Liberty Interact a more successful program in our high school.
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CD Trips LLC Donates $250 to Liberty Rotary Scholarship Fund CD Trips LLC arranges bus trips for organizations. What makes the business unique, is that a portion of the profits from each trip is donated to an organization or charity. A recent Yankee baseball trip was dedicated to raising funds for Liberty Rotary Club's Scholarship fund. Above, CD Trips owner Gary Siegel presents a check for $250 to Liberty Rotary President Judy Siegel to benefit the scholarship fund.
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Assisting a Friend In NeedLiberty Rotary Club is not just committed to its fellow man, but to its four legged friends as well. At this year's first barbecue a woman reported that a turtle was in distress. Dan Parkhurst and Jack Strassman investigated the situation and then located park staffers to assist. A number of Rotarians guided the workers in getting the turtle closer to shore so that it could be freed from the fishing line and associated muck that was keeping the turtle from being able to move. The two boys at the park did a masterful job of getting the turtle to shore so that the line could be cut.
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Liberty Rotary Installs New Officers
Photo 1: Dan Parkhurst and Judy Siegel Photo 2: Gary Silverman, Judy Siegel, Gary Silver, Dan Parkhurst, Susan Kraycer, Gary Siegel, Dave Thomson and Jack Strassman |
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Liberty Rotary Sponsors "The Avengers"Liberty Rotary has sponsored "The Avengers" on August 30th. All movies are at dusk.(About 8:00) For a complete listing of the movies this summer click the more button here. |
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Liberty Rotary Sponsors Car in Soap Box DerbyLiberty Rotary Club was once again pleased to be a sponsor of a car at the 2nd Annual Liberty Soap Box Derby. The day went well and Rotary members assisted at the event.
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Upcoming EventsJuly 31st - Meeting at the Liberty High School Media Center to explore our Clubrunner WebSite and Facebook page. August 14th - Regional Meeting sponsored by Liberty Rotary Club along with the drawing of our IPAD Raffle. August 30th - 5th Friday at Mr. G’s (5-6:30) just a friendly gathering of Rotary friends. August 30th - Avengers Movie(sponsored by Liberty Rotary) at LaPolt Park in Liberty September 28th Spirit and Beer Tasting October 14th - Visit from the District Governor November 3rd - Regional Food Drive |
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Liberty Rotary Provides 7 Scholarships and 1 Community Service AwardLiberty Rotary Club is pleased to assist 8 college bound Liberty students with scholarships. The following each received $500: Anastasia Fitzpatrick, Jorge Grey, Stephanie Heisler, Troy Jonathan Johnstone, Joshua Lieberman, Brenna O'Malley and Brittany Williams. We wish them all the best of luck in their academic pursuits. The first Liberty Rotary Community Service award was given to Alex Bossert. Alex recently completed his Eagle Scout Project which provided "Go Bags" to classroom teachers to make them better prepared for emergency situations. Alex was also a volunteer along the coast to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy. We applaud Alex's dedication to his fellow man! |
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Gary Siegel Retires
Liberty Rotarian Gary Siegel is retiring from Director of Music and Music Teaching at Liberty Central Schools. Enormous thanks to Gary for his 29 years of wisdom and dedication. You have touched countless lives of Liberty students and their families.
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Peace, Love and Rotary
The Liberty Rotary Club was pleased to be chosen to organize the opening night's festivities for this year's District Conference at Honor's Haven in Ellenville. The crowd seemed to embrace the 60's theme and many were unrecognizable in their groovy threads. It appeared a good time was had by all that attended. Special thanks to all the Liberty members that helped make this event possible.
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Pop-Warner Football - Cheerleading in Need of Funds
Scott Whitehead, Lynn Whitehead and Lewis Borko spoke at the April 17th meeting about the Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading organization. The league has been around for a bout 10 years and although originally a Fallburgh initiative, it now serves children throughout the county. This is the only nationally recognized program of its kind in the county and their main playing fields are at Morningside Park. The program has relied on donations, sponsors, and grants... up until now, but is now struggling financially and has debt that needs to be paid. In spite of this difficult financial time, the organization refuses to turn students away. The program is expensive to maintain due to insurance fees, association costs, travel costs, uniforms and the mandated reconditioning of helmets and shoulder pads to meet safety regulations. Liberty Rotary Club made a preliminary donation of $100 and the board will discuss further action. If you would like to contribute, please contact Lewis Borko at 845-866-0764. |
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Liberty Rotary's Last Community Dinner of this Season Serves Big Crowd
Thanks to Pat Abbott and a number of other Rotarians, Liberty Rotary Club was once again able to serve a superb dinner to those in need at the Interfaith Food Pantry. This particular dinner served a large number of Liberty residents, who otherwise, might not have had a decent meal. Our Rotary Club can be proud to be part of our long term association with this community service. |
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Sarah Dittmar Tells Liberty Rotary About the Important Work of R.I.S.E.
Rise wants the people who leave their office to feel as good and strong as possible. Ms. Dittmar tells us that clients are treated as survivors, not victims, and assists them to develop the skills and supports to normalize their lives. Last year RISE assisted 567 people in need, of which many were under the age of 18. Ms. Dittmar was promoting RISE's most important fundraising event of the year, "Walk a Mile In Her Shoes". Liberty Rotary Club was proud to make a donation to RISE and assist them in the very important work they do. If you or anyone you know needs the assistance of RISE, please call 791-9595. |
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Liberty Rotary Club Donates to Literacy Volunteers
It was our pleasure to have Connie Keller from Sullivan County Literacy Volunteers visit at our last meeting and tell us all the good things that are happening at her organization. Tutoring is currently occurring in Monticello, Fallsburg, Liberty, and Jeffersonville. Additionally, newer programs including Story Time for Children, Financial Literacy, and Health Literacy have been added to assist our community. This year Connie brought with her Jadwiga, a student who emigrated from Poland and benefitted greatly from Literacy Volunteers tutoring. Jadwiga works at The Center for Discovery as an overnight supervisor. She could not speak any English initially and is now at High School Level. Jadwiga has been with the program for just a couple of years and has made enormous strides. She finds Literacy tutoring very effective because it is one on one and students progress at their own pace. From this program, she is more confident in her work place because of the improvements in her language skills. Liberty Rotary Club was pleased to make a $500 donation to Sullivan County Literacy Volunteers. The work they do is truly remarkable and makes a vital contribution to the lives of those who participate in their programs. Liberty Rotary encourages everyone to check out the Read-it-Again non-profit used-book store located in Monticello, NY. All proceeds go to benefit the Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County and its mission to bring books and literacy to county residents who are unable to read. |
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College Courses offer High School Students Opportunity and Savings
Iman Elgingehi spoke with the Liberty Rotary Group about Sullivan County Community College's "College in the High School" program. Through this program, students are now able to graduate with up to 30 college credits at a discount rate. This opportunity gives students a sense of the rigor that comes with college level courses and reduces the financial burdens associated with higher learning. Elgingehi tells us students are able to take a variety of courses at about $50 per credit. Liberty Rotarian Jack Strassman spoke enthusiastically about the program and the incredible benefits it offers our students. Elginhehi also spoke of some of the new programs that were being introduced at SCCC. One that is particularly well received is a program in Respiratory Care, which is the only of its kind in the region. Sullivan College is hoping to build a niche in the medical field that will make it truly unique. The Sullivan County Community College Foundation provides scholarships to high school students graduating with a GPA of 90% or higher. Mr. Strassman estimates that about 20 students would be eligible to attend Sullivan (if they choose to do so) through a Foundation Scholarship. |
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Welcome Liberty Schools Superintendent Bill Silver
Bill Silver may be new to Liberty, but his 39 years in education should be a valuable asset as he takes the helm as Superintendent of Liberty Central School District. Although Mr. Silver grew up in New York City, he had never visited the Catskills before. Supt. Silver told us that this year's budget process is almost complete and that due to a number of teachers taking a retirement incentive, the tax levy increase will be about 2% this year. Some of his goals include increasing the district's graduation rate, elevating student engagement in classrooms, building greater technology into instruction and proceeding with Phase II of the district's renovation plan. |
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Samuel Brown speaks about Project Amigo
Samuel Brown who is an E-Club Rotarian in SW Arizona enlightened us about the great work that Project Amigo is doing in Colima, Mexico. The project supports education in this agricultural area where there is little regulation for school attendance. Various priced scholarships provide opportunities for students to attend filed trips, sponsor students through jr. and sr. high school as well as provide opportunities for some to attend college. Funding provides not just tuition, but also hot meals and uniforms. The group also provides wonderful opportunities for Rotarians to participate in Work Weeks and Language Immersion courses. |
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Rotary Short Notes
ROTARY SHORT NOTES
April 17, 2014
Below you will find the Rotary Short Notes; A summary of Rotary Events past and present so that you can stay in the loop. Please check liberynyrotary.org for more information and a photo journal of what we do.
*************************THERE WILL BE NO MEETING APRIL 30*******************************
LITTER PLUCK (Sunday, April 27)
The Sullivan County Litter Pluck has been scheduled for the last week in April. We will be meeting at the Liberty Jeff Bank Parking lot at 10:00 AM on Sunday, April 27 to take on the task!! Many of us have ordered our Yellow Rotary T-Shirts for the event so that we will be easily recognizable – and safer- along the road. If you would like a t-shirt please contact Dave Thomson (dthomson@warwick.net) to order. They are $10 each, yellow and they say Liberty Rotary on the back. So far…Juliette, Matt, Gary Silver, Gary Siegel, Jack Strassman, Barbara Blakey and Judy Siegel are planning to be there. All are welcome and encouraged to join us!
REGION 5 DINNER/ TURKISH JUDGES (Tuesday, April 29)
CONGRATULATIONS LIBERTY ROTARY!! (Thursday, May 1)
The Liberty Community Development Corp (CDC) “unanimously and enthusiastically” has selected the Liberty Rotary club to be the first recipient of the ‘Torchbearer for Liberty Award’. They stated that “there is no better organization in Liberty to begin and set the gold standard for what they expect to become a long list of annual award recipients”. The award will be presented at an awards celebration dinner on Thursday, May 1 at Cracolici’s on the Green at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $50 and can be reserved by calling the CDC at 845-292-8202 or going to their website info@liberty-cdc.org . Members, friends and family members are welcome to attend. We will NOT be having our regular meeting that week.
*If you would like to attend but find that the cost is prohibitive, please do not hesitate to email me at jsiegel523@gmail.com
NEVERSINK MUSEUM (Wednesday, May 28)
The Livingston Manor Rotary Club has invited us to join them for a tour of the Time & The Valleys Museum located on Main Street in Grahamsville. The tour will include the current exhibit ‘Tunnels, Toil & Trouble –NYC’s quest for water and the Roundout-Neversink story’ and other interesting exhibits that delve into NYC’s water in the early part of the last century and how lands were taken and about the people that built the tunnels and reservoirs. Several Rotarians were instrumental in volunteering time to build the new museum-an entire wing of the new Daniel Pierce Library in Grahmsville. The cost for dinner and the tour is $12 and reservations can be made by emailing me at jsiegel523@gmail.com
TOUCH-A-TRUCK (Saturday May 17)
The second annual CDC Touch a Truck fundraiser will be held on the 17th of May. Our Liberty Rotary Club is a sponsor and is planning to have a table set up If anyone would like to volunteer help provide information about Rotary at the table, please contact Gary Siegel at cdtripsllc@gmail.com
GREAT JOB
Liberty Rotary had 12 bowlers on 3 lanes to help support the Bethel Lyons raise money for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital and other Lyons Projects. Once again—we made a difference! Everyone had fun-Mike Williams learned that Bowling is a contact sport- and our contribution to the event was 10% of the money raised. Thanks to Rotarians Matt Sush, Amy Hinkley, Jack Strassman , Mike Williams, Gary Siegel and Malek Rabadi, for continuing to make us proud to be Rotarians.
RYLA (June 28-July 3)
The applications are in, the interviews are done and the students have been selected. Thanks to the committee; Gary Lee, Gary Silver, Malek Rabadi and Barbara Blakey for your work. The students attending RYLA this year are: Gillian Williams, Danielle Rabadi, Margaret Deis, Patrick Murphy and Ashley Holloway. We look forward to hearing from them after their experience.
DISTRICT CONFERENCE (June 27-29)
The Rotary District Conference is being held in Lake George this year-a family oriented conference. It’s a great way to meet, network and bond with other Rotarians from district 7210 . You can view more information from the following link
http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/7210//HTML/208830//Rotary-2014DistrictConferenceRegistrationForm-1.pdf
LIBERTY ROTARY RADIO
We’ve been doing a great job on Thunder 102 talking about our Rotary club. Tune in Wednesday’s from 5:25 – 5:30. We are booked up through April-we need volunteers starting May 7th. Please drop Gary Siegel a note (cdtripsllc@gmail.com) if you would like to take a few minutes to speak
PRE DINNER SOCIAL
Our meetings start at 6:30 but Yiasou has offered us the ‘ante room’ to use between 5:30 and 6:30 for a pre-meeting social hour. It’s a chance to sit around a talk to those that generally sit at the “other” table. A number of us have been enjoying this opportunity--stop by and have a soda, wine or beer and enjoy the fellowship. *Catskills Foxwoods Casino has requested support from organizations in Liberty as community support is critical to their application. They are having a grand opening for their Liberty office on Wednesday. April 23 at 6PM at the former Verizon store near shoprite. Anyone that is interested in showing that support can stop by their new shop before the meeting.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
So far, Sue Kraycer, Dan Parkhurst and Russ Bogie, Jesse Friendlander, Karin Hilgersom and Peter Ehrenbreg have provided us with some interesting stories about their histories and how they came to be Rotarians. Dave Thomson is next May 7th. We have taken summaries of the presentations and placed it in a member book so that we have a record of who are members are. Who is next?
GUESTS
Please feel free to bring a friend or family member to a meeting any time you want. We always enjoy new faces and like the opportunity to introduce what we do others in the community
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Welcome New Members We would like to extend a very warm welcome to our two newest members, Roberta Byron Lockwood and Herb Clark. Roberta and Herb are former Rotarians and we are delighted that you will be working with Liberty Rotary to continue your good work!
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Liberty Rotary Makes Significant Contribution to Heart-A-Thon This year Liberty Rotary Club did an outstanding job raising funds for the annual WSUL and WVOS Heart-A-Thon to benefit Catskill Regional Medical Center. Thank you to all who solicited pledges and gave to this worthy cause. Our net contribution has not yet been tabulated, but it was a substantial sum!
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Raffle is Once Again a Success
This year's Liberty Rotary Jumbo Raffle was a sell-out success. Special thanks to Gary Siegel and Jack Strassman who organized the event and sold with great gusto. This year's winners were Tony D. and Doug S. of Livingston Manor's Club(1st place $1,000), Hazel Yaun(2nd place $250) and members of the Man Cave Brewing Group(3rd Place $50). Profits from the raffle will go to an assortment of charities including the 2013 Heart-A-Thon, The Interfaith Food Pantry, The Fund for Sandy Hook, and other Liberty Rotary Projects. |
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Visit From Future Business Leaders of America Impresses Rotarians Victoria Tingley and Brooke Gillete from Tri Valley Business Leaders of America visited our meeting on 1/30/13 to tell us about their program. The group's main focus is to foster patriotism, self-confidence, and assist in the transition from school to the work force.
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Judge Brian Rourke speaks to Liberty Rotary Club The Honorable Brian Rourke speaks to Liberty Rotary about his experiences over his 12-13 years of service to the Town of Liberty Court. Judge Rourke tells us there were over 8,600 charges that came through the Liberty Town Court in 2012, which kept him and his staff of 5 clerks very busy.
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Mike Martin speaks about DOVE (Domestic Violence Ends) Mike Martin speaks to Liberty Rotary Club about DOVE, an organization dedicated to aiding the victims of domestic violence.
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Liberty Little League Accepts Check for $655
Liberty Rotary Club President Daniel Parkhurst presents a check for $655 to Lou Siegel to benefit the Liberty Little League. |
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Rotary Funds New Pavillion at Hanofee Park
 Liberty Rotary Club was pleased to fund the extension of the Rotary Pavillion at Hanoffee Park. The students and faculty of Sullivan County BOCES did an outstanding job on the construction of this wonderful project. Groups will now be able to barbecue rain or shine!
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Visit From District Governor Bill Basset and ADG Karen Fitzpatrick 
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Welcome Rachel Parkhurst
Liberty Rotary Club is proud to welcome Rachel Parkhurst as our newest member. As you may note from the unique appearance of our president, Rachel's induction was held on Halloween. |
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Liberty Rotary Raffle A Success
This year's Liberty Rotary Club Summer/Fall Raffle raised nearly $2000 for the Liberty Boys and Gilrs Club, Liberty AYSO, and other Rotary Projects. Special thanks to Gary Siegel and Jack Strassman for all the hard work they put into creating and organizing the fundraiser. Additional thanks to the incredible collaborative effort of all the members that sold tickets privately and at our local businesses. We are most appreciative of The Liberty Trading Post, Liberty ShopRite and The Liberty Diner for allowing us to sell tickets outside their establishments.
Congratulations to the winners: Kim Hill James who won an IPAD, Mr. Walgren who won a Kindle Fire, and Lee Siegel who took home the IPOD. Overall, a great team effort! |
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Alexander Bossert Seeks to Assist Local Schools Alexander Bossert attended our September 12th meeting to tell us about his Eagle Project for Boy Scouts. Alex is a senior at Liberty High School and an honor student. In order to achieve Eagle Scout, he must do a project that benefits the community, the school, or some organization. Alex’s project will be to provide schools with 200 emergency “grab and go bags”. These bags would be an invaluable resource for the teachers and substitutes if some emergency should occur. Should a situation arise in which students needed to be kept a long period of time or evacuated to another area, teachers would grab the bag, which would contain rosters and teacher info., flashlights, water, reading material to entertain the kids(crayons, books) blankets, whistle, tissues, rubber gloves, a first aid kit and more. |
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Liberty Rotary Club is a Proud Sponsor of a Little League Team
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Archangel Airborne Making A Difference in Haiti
However, there is some good news, thanks to the efforts of Archangel Airborne, which delivers critical medical supplies and equipment to areas of great need. They are bringing resources, knowledge and compassion to this struggling region. Archangel was founded by Sullivan County native Stuart Hirsch in 2010 and the work he and his team have done since then is truly remarkable. Stuart(President and Chief Executive Officer) and Mike Lovelace(Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer) attended our June 27th meeting and captivated us with their description of the amazing work they have been doing.
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Liberty Rotary sponsors car in First Annual Sullivan Soap Box Derby
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Lise Kennedy and Pat Bennett from Healthy Families of Sullivan County Tell Us About their Important WorkSometimes the darkest tragedies can bring about something good. Such is the case with the Healthy Families Program of Sullivan County, which was brought to our county in response to the Christopher Gardner abuse and murder The program is designed to teach quality parenting techniques and monitor those families most in need through the time their child begins school. “The idea, is that people abuse and neglect their children due to stress from their childhood, poverty under-education, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence..,” says Lise Kennedy the program’s coordinator. |
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Jack Strassman Receives District 7210 Vocational Service Leadership Award
We are very proud to congratulate Jack Strassman for having received the District 7210 Vocational Service Leadership Award recognizing him for having made a significant impact in advancing vocational service. President Dave and Gary Siegel had a lot of fun keeping the award a secret from Jack and surprising him at the regional meeting in Middletown. ADG Karen Fitzpatrick was “blown away” by Jack's accomplishments and the application that the club submitted and will be nominating Jack for the district award at the district conference in June.
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Roses Sold to Support Scholarships
ROSE SALES
Great job Rotarians!! The roses were delivered on the 5th of April by our trusted rose delivery boys Jack S, Gary Siegel, Mike Abbott and girl Barbi Neuman Marti and they handed out 340 dozen multi colored roses to lucky men women and children through the area. As usual, this year's roses were beautiful. Proceeds will go back into the community through scholarships and youth related donations. Thanks Pat Abbott for all your hard work on this year after year.
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Henrietta Phelps Comes to Liberty Rotary Club to Accept $1250 Check for Food Pantry
Henrietta Phelps from the Interfaith Council Food Pantry came to our meeting on 4-4-12 to tell us about the very important services that she and her staff provide to those in need. Located at the Lutheran Church in Liberty, the food pantry is open 3 Fridays a month. Churches are the guiding force of the organization, but donations from multiple sources provide the funding and food they need to sustain. Henrietta tells us “the people are good here in Liberty and the donations keep coming and a lot of people get fed.” On an average month almost 300 people are given bags of food. “Newer people are coming and times are tough. Men are out of jobs and although some may feel embarrassment, they are encouraged to come for food.” |
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Malek Rabadi Joins Liberty Rotary
 Welcome Malek Rabadi. Malek was officially installed at the April 4th meeting with his beautiful and supportive family at his side. We have been lucky to have Malek work as an ‘unofficial’ member for weeks and we are all looking forward to enjoying the benefits of his warmth, his energy and his passion for many years to come.
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Connie Keller and Larry McCall visit from Literacy Volunteers Seventeen years ago, when Connie Keller started working with Literacy Volunteers, she thought they could eliminate the illiteracy problem in Sullivan County. Since then, the reading problem has worsened, and the organization is working harder to serve a greater number of pupils with less money.
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Starting a New Business? Sam Kendall Can Help!
Mr. Kendall is a Certified Business Advisor with his main office in Kingston, although his territory of concern is the Catskill Watershed Region. He is charged with promoting responsible economic development in our area. |
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13% of Heart-A-Thon Money Raised by Liberty Rotary Club
Thanks to the impressive efforts of the Liberty Rotary Club, $8,435 was collected for the 34th annual CRMC Heart-A-Thon. Gary Siegel and Jack Strassman were the driving force of this fundraising campaign, bringing in $2114 from the sale of hearts at local establishments and organizing this year's raffle. Many other members worked the phones and pounded the pavement in the quest to support this worthy event.
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Liberty Rotary Sponsors Liberty Little League Team and Equipment
One of the leaders of the Liberty Little League, Lou Siegel, came to a Liberty Rotary Club meeting to explain the wonderful things that the league does for our youth and community. The program serves hundreds of children in the district from T-ball to the majors and as the safety requirements for the equipment get stronger, the costs to run the program keep rising and money is really tight. In unanimous votes by the board, Liberty Rotary has donated funds to sponsor a team and help the league purchase equipment.
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Liberty Supervisor Charlie Barbuti Speaks at Liberty Rotary VISIT FROM OUR
SUPERVISOROn Wednesday, January 25, newly elected Liberty Town Supervisor joined us for our weekly meeting. Charlie was enthusiastic about his new role and spoke of how he is inspired by the spirit of the residents of Liberty. In particular he is encouraged by the young adults that have chosen to make their homes in Liberty because they like its spirit. He plans to listen to and learn from his constituents and work to help make the changes he is asked to make. While there are changes that will take a long time and changes that can only be made on the State level, there are some things we can do locally to help our community right away. First, we can shop locally. Charlie mentioned The Trading Post, Agway, the Tractor Supply and a host of other stores that we should try before we leave town to shop. Shopping locally will increase our tax revenue and help every one of us. Secondly, residents should continue to volunteer in our community to help make it better. Charlie sees the economy improving and is looking forward to his term serving the residents of Liberty. |
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Jeremy Gorelick Uses His Expertise to Assist African NationJeremy Gorelick, recent chapter and board member, has been hired for a medium-term assignment by the City of
Below are some pictures from Jeremy's African Safari
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Bethel Woods COO Darlene Fedun Speaks at Liberty Rotary Club On July 27th, Liberty Rotary Club was fortunate to have Chief Operating Officer at Bethel Woods, Darlene Fedun as our guest speaker. Ms. Fedun, who has been a 
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Important Information No Meeting This Thanksgiving Week Saturday 11/24/2012 and on Saturday 12/1/2012 - Food Collection at the Liberty ShopRite. Rotarians, please come assist in collection. Supporters, please consider donating food for those in need. Combined dinner with the Livingston Manor and Monticello Rotary Clubs a Lanza's on December 5, 2012 Community Dinner at the Interfaith Food Pantry - December 5th
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Security and Integrity of Your Data
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Data on the server is protected by TCP/IP filtering, firewall and anti-virus software that protect against any unauthorized intrusion. Backups of data are made daily and stored off-site. |
On September 18th, Hurricane Fiona devastated the island of Puerto Rico with high winds and torrential rains of 20-30 inches resulting in power outages, severe flooding, mud slides, and roads being washed out. Our network of Rotary leaders in Puerto Rico and humanitarians are assessing the situation regarding the storm and we will be actively working on a response. 
A team of Rotarians recently completed a mission to Belize as part of the ongoing Liberty NY Rotary Club (LNYRC) Disaster Preparedness and Relief efforts. According to Liberty Rotarian and head of Mission Control Operations, Charles Lee Miller, the goal of the 5-day mission was “to deepen our operational knowledge and partnerships in the Belize River Valley in order to inform and advance ongoing efforts to improve survivability and quality of life in the face of future disaster.”
The Liberty NY Rotary Club was honored to be presented with the New York State Senate 2020 Empire State Award for outstanding community service by Senator Jen Metzger. The award was presented to the club in recognition of outstanding contributions and dedication to the growth, prosperity and betterment of our community. Senator Metzger pointed out the outstanding word that the club has done in the community including the contributions to the 98.3 WSUL Heartathon, support of the local Boys and Girls Club, and initiating and coordinating Operation Feed supporting our essential workers, local restaurants and food insecure families. The award was accepted by Past President Bill Silver and President CD with support from fellow rotarians Joanna Gass, Sue Kraycer, Barbi Neumann Marty and Fay Cerullo. 
Mission accomplished! Two 26' box trucks filled with supplies collected in Sullivan and Orange County were delivered to Clinton, Ivanhoe, and Wallace, North Carolina. Those participating on the Mission Team included Charles "Chuck" Atwell (OE CEO) Shannon Barry (OE Secretary), Gary Silver (OE VP Legal & Government Affairs and Past President of Liberty Rotary Club), and VP of Public 
Information, and Gary Siegel (OE VP of Public Information and Treasurer of Liberty Rotary Club) with Charles Lee Miller (OE COO and Liberty Rotary Club Member), Stuart Hirsch (OE Founder and current board member) and Al Shamah (OE VP of Tactical Paramedicine and Law Enforcement) at Mission Control. The drivers of the supply trucks were donated by Rolling V Bus Corp (Billy McArthur, George Lewis, Tom Danies) and arrived at the hurricane relief staging site/distribution center in Clinton, North Carolina on Friday morning (10/5) where they were greeted by the mission team along with volunteers from the Clinton, Sampson Clinton, and Wallace Rotary Clubs and the United Way of Sampson County. 
"Much appreciation and gratitude for Liberty NY Rotary club. Your enthusiasm and passion for helping others is contagious," says District 7730 Governor April Clark, "One of the best parts (of Rotary) is getting to know the people and now we have friends in Liberty New York. Because y’all are fun we had fun!" 
DG April, along with Nancy Carr, Region 7 ADG and Executive Director of the United Way of Sampson County, were the mission team's Carolina contacts with 'boots on the ground' and were instrumental in arranging the distribution of the supplies collected in Sullivan and Orange Counties. 
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Breanna and her father Steve
Liberty Rotary Roses Raise Scholarship Funds
LCS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR HONORED BY 
Luisa Parker and Lynn Baron of Prevention Frist NY
Dan Desmond(The only person I know that speaks Haitian Creole)
One of our fellow Rotarians, Malek Rabadi, brought his son Eli to speak with us about the Relay for Life. Eli Rabadi explained that cancer is a disease that impacts everyone's life, directly or indirectly. Eli and some of his classmates are participating in the Relay for Life to help raise funds for research. Many Rotarians were pleased to help Eli with his quest. It is wonderful to see a young man(an 8th grader at Liberty Middle School) committing his time and energy to helping others. Thank you Eli!
Bill Cutler, Sullivan County's recycling and solid waste management guru spoke to the club about the great value of composting. With 30% of most household trash being organic, it is logical to start a compost pile rather than sending those recylcable nutrients to the landfill. Bill recommends a ratio of about 3 parts brown(paper, coffee filters, dry grass, shredded paper) to 1 part green(food, grass clippings...) to get the best result. Compost piles should be mixed regularly and water should be added to keep it moist. He tells us that recycling is being utilized by most homes now, but composting is the next major step in helping our community reduce its waste. It's always great having Bill as our guest, who is very enthusiastic about his topic and an oustanding speaker.
We are honored to be the first recipient of this award from the Community Development Corporation. Thanks to all who joined the Liberty Rotary Club for the presenation of this award and outstanding fellowship.
Liberty Rotary had 12 bowlers on 3 lanes to help support the Bethel Lyons raise money for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital and other Lyons Projects. Once again—we made a difference! Everyone had fun-Mike Williams learned that Bowling is a contact sport- and our contribution to the event was 10% of the money raised. Thanks to Rotarians Matt Sush, Amy Hinkley, Jack Strassman , Mike Williams, Gary Siegel and Malek Rabadi, for continuing to make us proud to be Rotarians.
Liberty Rotary Club has completed this year’s round of preparing and serving community dinners for the needy at the Lutheran Church. Our ham dinners with sweet potatoes, green beans and dessert have become our signature meal at the food pantry. It is a very good feeling to bring food to those in our community that may not be able to acquire nutritious meals on their own. Special thanks to Pat Abbott, who coordinates the scheduling and food for this important community service. 
Carol Vandenberg dropped by for our March 19th meeting to update us on the amazing growth the Liberty Soap Box Derby has enjoyed. This year's derby promises to be the biggest one so far boasting 69 cars in 4 classifications (stock, superstock, masters and superkids). One winner from each classification will have the honor of heading out to Akron to compete against winners from all over the world.
Bill Silver and Jack Strassman
Connie Keller dropped by for her annual visit from Literacy Volunteers. As always, Connie was enthusiastic about the important work that her organization does, and extremely proud of the students it benefits.
Charlie Barbuti spoke to Liberty Rotary Club in January and told us that we are in a good
position to get a casino in the Town of Liberty. The hotel and golf
course of Grossingers are owned by Capelli and Associates. The rest of
the adjoining property is owned by Muss Development, who has merged with
Foxwoods to try to develop the Liberty/Grossinger site. Should we get a casino, estimates are the
revenue to the local municipality could be 13 million dollars. Charlie tells us that one casino will likely
land in Sullivan County and there is a chance for a second. Locations will be determined by the best applications and may be decided by the
end of this year. 
Dan serving up some fine cuisine.
Ticket takers Sue and Rachel
Interact members sell 50-50 tickets
Judy Siegel has been inducted as the new President of Liberty Rotary Club. Judy seems to be armed with great enthusiasm and a number of new initiatives. Special thanks to our last two Presidents, Dave Thomson and Daniel Parkhurst. Below are photos of the installation of the President and the new officers.
Liberty Rotary President Daniel Parkhurst speaks on behalf of Gary Siegel.
(President Dan Parkhurst and Lynn Whitehead)
Sarah Dittmar of R.I.S.E. (Rape Intervention Services and Education) spoke at the April 10th meeting. The RISE program provides a 24 hour, 7 days a week crisis helpline to assist victims and survivors of rape. Additionally, her staff provides individual counseling, support groups(including a teen survivor group), advocacy services during examination, investigations, court appearances, interviews ..., and assistance with finding housing, WIC, and Early intervention. 
Just 600 miles from the United States is the Island of Haiti. The population that lives there has the sad distinction of being the poorest country in the western hemisphere. So, it is no great surprise that the medical system is undersupplied and understaffed, and in some of the more remote sections of this island, healthcare is almost primitive.
Liberty was bustling with activity this Memorial Day Weekend as it hosted its first ever All American Soap Box Derby. 33 cars competed in the race down North Main Street, all vying for a chance to compete in the championships at the historic Akron Hill in Ohio. The races have two divisions for both boys and girls consisting of Stock(ages 7-13) and Super Stock (ages 10-17). One car from each division will go to Ohio.
Sam Kendall from the Small Business Authority(SBA) gave a informative and extremely interesting talk about his work with assisting businesses. 
