The Ken – February 6, 2023
Fine Master: Holly Nowak
Attendance/Split Club: Dick Hanaburgh
Ken Writer – Linda Sroka
Invocation – Sue Jandzinski (for Chuck Patterson)
Brandon Blatz called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m. and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Sue Jandzinski led the invocation.
Our guests were Richard Kulakowski and our presenter, Fr. Ron Gaesser, who does mission work in the Dominican Republic.
Announcements: We are set for Wednesday’s Winter Social at Howling Rooster. We expect an attendance of 25. Lisa Bishop, District Governor, and Scott Marcin, District Governor Elect, will also be in attendance.
More information to come, however, mark your calendar for the Paint Recycling Program to be held Saturday, March 25th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tonawanda Intermodal Hub Public Facility.
Interested in attending a Bandits game on Saturday, April 15th? Let Brandon know by March 1st as tickets are selling fast.
Reminder that Earth Day clean-up is Saturday, April 22nd. Help is needed for about one hour.
Confessions: Cam and his wife were out and about all weekend. Great fun – even called off work.
Pat had a wonderful vacation visiting Sequoia National Park and Death Valley with last stop in Las Vegas.
Larry celebrated his birthday over the weekend and had a fun time.
Split Club: And the winner is Brandon Blatz, $12. Dick picked the 4 of Clubs in drawing for the Ace of Spades.
Karen Kulakowski introduced her dear friend, Fr. Ron Gaesser who serves in the Dominican Republic. Fr. Gaesser has worked with the poor and needy there for 20 years and holds dual citizenship with the US and the DR. Fr. Gaesser informed us that he is currently working on four (4) projects, each of dire importance to the citizens and illegals. #1, Education: there are two (2) schools within his scope. One is Monte Plata and is focused on children who are autistic, brain damaged or have downs syndrome. Given this school is in rented space, only 70 children can be cared for at this time. The other school is located in the town of Don Juan, DR. There 400 children receive an education. #2, there currently is no church as it burned. #3, assisting Haitian illegals. #4, building latrines. There are many areas with absolutely no such facilities.
Fr. Gaesser’s main focus is on latrines. Since 2007, they have built over 2,300 latrines with labor provided by the families. They build about 20 per month, and the cost is $250 per latrine. Each latrine is built so that it can easily be moved and laid on its side during hurricanes so as not to be damaged. The second issue is the lack of good, clean drinking water.
His foundation, El Portal de Belen, is located in Ithaca, NY.