The Ken – Monday April 29
th, 2015-04-23
This week the table was manned by Michaelle Bernut and Jim Austin and Chuck Patterson was the KEN Writer. The meeting opened at 12:37 pm with a gong by President Paul Chisholm who was the master of Ceremonies. We were led in singing by Barb Henry in “My Country Tis of Thee” with Jim Pritchard giving us our weekly prayer. Michealle introduced our visitors – Dick Henaburger from the Boy Scouts, Fred Batson and Mike Ryder from Buffalo Rotary and Ken Weinstein from Amherst.
Next was announcements: Gift giving party at Markarians - This Saturday April 25th from 3pm to 6 pm. Wine Tasting at Banchetti’s May 13th from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, Officer swearing in and BBQ at Patterson’s June 14th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and last is the July 4th party (actually being held on July 2nd) at Elmlawn from 6:00 pm to ???. We also had two non-Kenmore Rotary announcements – May 30th from noon to 4 pm Vetsherd is having a Kite flying to raise funds for homeless VETS. Go to www.kitesforvets.com , and Amherst Rotary club is having its Sproktoberfest on Friday May 8
th from 6 to 9 pm at the Park Country Club. $40 presale, $45 at door.
Sheri then held the Armenian Raffle and was collecting monies during the meeting. There was a drawing and the TV being raffled was won by Joe Arcara’s ticket #39. Pat Griffin announced that he was looking into a Bison Game for the club, and Ed Markarian announced that the Kenmore Rotary Charities was looking for applications for projects to support. Tim Glor thanked the club for a donation to the “Love Fest for Cancer” – the group raised $20,000.
Next was the split club, Stewart Hudson won $16.00 and Rick Graham drew the 10 of Spades. Jim Austin was our fine master and he quizzed us on the wisdom of Yogi Bera and Casey Stengel . He first fined Tim Glor for two weeks in Florida, Joe Arcara for also going on vacation and Jeff Markarian for Selling rugs to the new Bills Coach Rex (he likes broad loom).
Paul Chisholm then introduced our speaker Stanton Hudson (exec. Director) of the Theodore Roosevelt Site at the Wilcox Mansion. It is Western NY’s only National Park Service Site, It was threatened with demolition in the 1960’s and is dedicated to preserving Roosevelt’s legacy and his concerns with racism, poverty, environment, immigration, big business and labor, world affairs and social justice. He touched on a program they are offering with the Boy Scouts for Community Citizenship Merit Badge – We can not turn out decent citizens unless we encourage them to be good Stewards of theirs and the surrounding communities. He talked about them trying to restore the gardens of the original house. The theme that they are following is Roosevelt’s and was – This country will not be a great place for us unless it is a good place for everyone.
