The Ken March 7, 2016
We started the meeting in usual fashion. We said the Pledge and Chuck led us in singing God Bless America. Ed M. gave our invocation. When Ed heard our speaker was Joe Eminger he wanted to share a special prayer from Gordie Elwell. Joe was a Willow Grove Tiger Hall of Famer. If you didn’t know or if you are new to Rotary, Gordy Elwell, a past president of Kenmore Rotary was an inspirational man. The kind you might be lucky to meet one or 2 of in your life. Gordy was a baseball freak. He coached the Willow Grove Tigers. Gordy wrote a beautiful prayer that outlined life as a metaphor to baseball. He was right on. Well done Ed.
Visitors today were Joe Eminger, our speaker and Joe Popiolkowski. Just before announcements, Joe Starck interrupted the group by saying he thinks he saw Larry Ward outside. It must have been a senior moment. Announcements were: Ed M was having a wine tasting Party meeting at 5:15 Monday here at Jovi’s. Scott Mason was having a Shred-It after this meeting. Tim Glor gave his final pitch for Love Fest that is Friday. I announced the Gift Gathering Party will be at my house Saturday 4/23 at 6:00 for dinner and whatever else makes your partying that much more effective. Please RSVP on line or call me at 861-4473
Ed M. was Fine master today. Confessions were heard from Paul for springing the song on Chuck today at the last minute. And Paul confessed our speaker came to the front door and was locked out. Jim Pritchard s’ daughter gave her first performance in Annie Junior. Not to be out daughtered, Mike Austin’s’ daughter was a pole in Cinderella. Jim Pritchard paid a fine for Rene, being named board member of the year for the Riviera Theater. Mike Ford was proud of several events his group at Elderwood had for the awareness of Alzheimer’s. Mike was doing so many things I was not able to write them all down. Larry Coon showed up. I guess he was wandering around the parking lot. Joe inquired if he saw Larry Ward out there. And finally, Paul blew in new member Brian Ahern for cooking a 4 pound loaf of an esoteric bread. Brian lurks in the back and pipes in once in a while. I have a feeling he is going to be a neat guy to meet with all his fringe hobbies.
Dick Hanaburgh had our guest draw the tickets. Donna F won the split club and Barb H missed the Ace of spades.
At this time Paul introduced our speaker, Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Eminger. Joe started out by reminding us the Ken-Ton Chamber of Commerce will have a fund raiser 3/18 at Classics where he will give the State of the Town address. Joe thanked us in Rotary for all we do for the community. The Town is building a new web site that will have links to all the service organizations. Joe has been on the job for 8-9 weeks. Previously he was deputy to the Supervisor and before that he was a member of the Town Council. In a nut shell we are a healthy Town but have several challenges. Especially with what to do with the Huntley Plant. First the Town is waiting / fighting on the true assessment of the 400,000 sq. Ft. facility on 100 acres of prime waterfront property. NRG owns the property and is alleging the plant is worthless. The Town thinks it to be worth $500M. NRG refused its value to be $300M. Joe would love to keep the building, resurrect it to a multi-use facility. He just does not want it to sit for 40 years like Bethlehem Steel did.
Joe is real excited about the NW corner of the Town. Tetzo’s building is complete. They were able to salvage them from moving out of the area with Tax incentives. Joe wants to make River Road to look like a “River Road”. He wants to clean up the Brown Fields. Luckily, Dunlap has been purchased by a foreign entity that wants to be integral to the esthetics of the community. If you missed the meeting, too bad. Because Joe deliver a wonderful program and you missed out. In conclusion, Joe chose our foundation to donate our gift to him for speaking.
Meeting adjourned.
