125 Denison Parkway E
Corning, NY 14830 United States of America
Our DoubleTree meeting is currently the first and third Thursday of each month. Our meetings are hybrid: in-person and Zoom. Our Home Page has the link.
Video Recording: here Song Leader: Ernie Danforth: singing My Country Tis of Thee
Invocation: Ross Perry
COGS: Tom O’Brien
Dale Wexell, club president, opened the meeting at 11:45 am. He noted that attendance at the meeting exceeded the number of chairs available for the first time since he joined Corning Rotary.
Visitors and Guests and Announcements
Ray Defendorf introduced a new member of our community, Tom Graham.
Visiting District Governor, Julie Carney and District Assistant Governor, Bridgette Stewart, were in attendance. Julie praised the club [01:56] and its members for their work in reducing the number of polio cases in the world. She noted that there are believed to be only 11 cases left in the world – mostly in the wilds of Pakistan and other remote regions. President Dale and Visiting District Governor Julie presented a certificate of commendation to Wendy Winnett for her work in fighting polio.
Ray then announced progress on the Global Grant project. So far, 65 pledges so far; $18K has been pledged for sewing machines.
John Brown introduced John Marchese from CCC as a guest. John is involved with the Foundation at CCC that supports scholarships. Other visitors included: Dan Britton, introduced by Gil Sweet; Erik Lundberg, introduced by Elise Johnson-Schmidt, and Corey Walker, who became a member at the meeting. Les Rosenbloom introduced David Quakenbush as a guest and, later in the meeting, as a Paul Harris Fellow.
Wendy Winnett introduced new member Corey Walker to the club. Welcome, Corey!! [06:30]
Paul Harris Fellowship [08:29] Les Rosenbloom and Ted Goldwyn joined a number of guests at the meeting who came to honor David Quakenbush by awarding him a Paul Harris Fellowship. The award was unique in that he was given the award even though he is not a Rotary member. Dave has been instrumental in the programs and development of the students at the High School Learning Center as well as many organizations in our community. He also helped create the first Interact Club in our area.
Next up, new member Christopher Askew was introduced by Katrina Mancini. Welcome to the club, Chris! [23:31]
Stories
Many young adults appeared at the meeting to thank David Quakenbush for his work at the Learning Center of Corning Painted Post High School and Corning Community College. David’s accomplishments included painting local scenes on area buildings, coordination of the High School with the Community College, refurbishing the Spencer Crest Nature Center, and organizing an Interact Club. Three of the Learning Center students were selected by the Smithsonian Museum to act as advisors. Please visit this link to see more about the project David was describing to us.
Stuart Sammis reported that 15 club members participated in the City of Corning’s Sparkle Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023.
Randi Hewitt and John Sirianni gave a presentation concerning the workings of the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes Inc. They discussed how the Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations and the resources which are available for that purpose. Details can be found in the Community Foundation’s annual report for 2022-2023.
50-50 drawing
Ted Goldwyn won the $14 sure-win drawing, but not the grand prize.
Corning Rotarian Wendy Winnett introduced Cory Walker to the club as he was inducted as a new member recently.
Cory pursued his associate degree at Corning Community College before earning his bachelor's degree from SUNY Fredonia. Following his graduation, Cory joined the team at Corning Credit Union, where he has dedicated the past 13 years of his career. Throughout his time at CCU, Cory has taken on various roles, with his most recent position being a Senior Mortgage Loan Officer. When he’s not busy at work, you’ll often find Cory strolling down Market St. with his beloved dog, Lady, or embarking on a scenic hike through Spencer Crest. Additionally, Cory proudly supports the New York Giants and believes it’s essential to mention his fandom.
Another new member was inducted and introduced to the Corning club by Rotarian Katrina Mancini. Christopher Askew works in the financial field with John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. He is a member of the Corning Area Chamber of Commerce. Before moving to Corning, Chris has lived in South America and the U.K.
