Stories

🌱 Growing Together: Rotary in Action for Food and the Environment

This spring, Corning Rotary members joined with neighbors, community partners, and volunteers to support two projects that reflect our club’s commitment to food security and environmental stewardship.

At the Corning Food Pantry, Rotarian Stu Sammis led the construction of a new greenhouse, now nearly complete, that will help expand access to fresh produce. Across town, a team gathered for the annual spring clean-up at the Kate Danforth Garden, refreshing this community space in preparation for a vibrant growing season.
These efforts highlight the power of Rotary collaboration — uniting hands and hearts to grow both gardens and goodwill.

Teens in Action: Service with Heart at the District Conference

During this year’s Rotary District Conference, 26 International Youth Exchange Students rolled up their sleeves at Southeast Steuben County Library and got to work on two meaningful service projects that touched lives both human and furry.

🧸 Comfort for Kids
One project focused on making soft, handmade pads for children who rely on feeding tubes. These pads protect sensitive skin and offer much-needed comfort — especially since they’re often not covered by insurance. The teens’ creations will be donated to pediatric hospital units across the region and directly to families who need them.

🐾 Toys for Shelter Pets
In a second project, the students turned their creativity to animal shelters, crafting colorful tug toys for dogs and playful bundles for cats. These toys offer stimulation and comfort while animals await adoption.

It was a beautiful display of Rotary’s values in action:   service, compassion, and international friendship that's powered by our next generation of leaders. Thank you to Rotarian Pauline Emery and the other organizers -- and the students!!

🌸 Sakura Celebration at the Rotary Cherry Blossom Trail – April 24

At noon on April 24, members of the community gathered at Denison Park to celebrate the Sakura — the blooming of cherry trees along the Rotary Cherry Blossom Trail. In full blossom, the trees offered a quiet moment of beauty and reflection, honoring a cherished tradition observed each spring in Japan.

Mayor Bill Boland warmly welcomed guests, inviting everyone to enjoy the simplicity of the occasion: a gentle walk, the scent of spring, and a celebration of renewal. The gathering was informal and open to all — a shared moment of appreciation and connection.

CORNING, NY — In celebration of Earth Day, the Corning Rotary Club joined forces with the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed (FCRW) for a morning of hands-on environmental stewardship. The cleanup, held Saturday, April 12, focused on the Chemung River between the Benjamin Patterson and Bridge Street bridges.

Despite cool temperatures in the low 40s and a light drizzle, spirits remained high. Volunteers, including Rotarians, FCRW members, and local students, worked together to remove litter from the riverbank — ultimately collecting 18 bags of trash.

Special thanks go to Caitlan McConnel of FCRW and Yumiko Akiba of Corning Rotary, who co-organized the event. And a heartfelt shout-out to the students who participated. Your energy and commitment made a real difference.

Every bag collected reflects care for our local environment and a shared hope for cleaner, healthier waterways. Corning Rotary Club's local programs have a focus that includes: empowering youth, promoting literacy, safeguarding our environment, ensuring food security, and enhancing health and safety. 🌱

More photos - here.

• Erik Lundberg, guest of Elise
• Cari Stage - our speaker from Family Service

• December Birthdays: at Deacon Ray's behest and leadership, we sang to Elise Johnson-Schmidt!
• Cindy Long's husband , Samuel, has passed. More information here
• our meetings in January will be: 1/9/25 and 1/23/25 

• Ray - was Santa for a children's gathering in Painted Post
• Jeff Ugoretz - reported that his daughter will shortly be defending her dissertation
• Wendy and Pete - had fun family time in the Turks and Caicos
• Cathy Buck - reported on her son, a lacrosse player in Norway - with the National Team
• Gail: reported on YMCA activities and upcoming additions, including hydro message and a kitchen teaching area
• Dick Puccio related football good news for him: go Michigan!
• Yumiko/ Wendy: we have TAGS from Salvation Army that need to be adopted right away
• Stu Sammis - we're ready for Sparkle, but could use a few more volunteers

• Colleen said, "Thank you Corning Rotary for your support over the years"
• New campaign around HPV; goal is to vaccinate as many girls as we can; two vaccinations; need to raise $6,000 to vaccinate 50 girls.  HPV- cervical cancer is the #1 cause of death in Nepal
• Earthquake damage: House in Nepal is safe; where our children travel is not safe; looking to rebuild homes and schools.

• Rotary Leadership Institute is being held Saturday, October 19th, at Victor High School, 953 High School, Victor NY.  Parts I, II, and III will be taught.  Cost is $70 per attendee. If your budget allows, it would be nice to subsidize the registration fee or share part of it. Stacy Ward has completed the three parts and can tell you what you will learn.  For registration information, contact the Event Chair, Norma Madayag-Reilly at madayag.reillyn@frontier.com
• Gil Sweet announced the first Corning Civic Music concert, Five for Fighting, is September 28th at CMOG.  Tickets are still available.
• Past President Stu said the base for the Greenhouse Project at Corning Community Food Pantry is completed.  Volunteers will be needed to build the planting beds for the greenhouse.  Keep your eyes peeled on ClubRunner and your email for more information to come.
• Cory Walker asked for people to help him with the Greeter and 50/50 sales.  Please contact him at cory.walker@corningfcu.org.
• Prez Ernie told about the initiative RI President Stephanie Urchick is undertaking to get clubs to install a Peace Pole as symbols of Rotary's commitment to peace and understanding.  Ernie's first thought is that the Rotary Cherry Grove in Denison Park might be the perfect spot for one.  Ernie is looking for input on this.
• World Polio Day is October 24th.  Look for an announcement about the day from Wendy Winnett in the near future.
• Please note that the October 3rd meeting will be held at Carey's on Bridge Street!     

Save Lives — Support House With Heart’s HPV Immunization Campaign 

Cervical cancer needlessly kills thousands of Nepali women each year. Please help vaccinate our girls and those in the surrounding community by donating to our campaign now. Our goal is to raise at least $6,000 by October 10th. Starting today, donations will be matched up to $3,000.

For more information and to donate, visit our  HPV Immunization Campaign matching gift page now.

 

The more donations we receive, the more lives we can save!

 

House with Heart daughter, Manu Shrestha, now a Registered Nurse in Vermont, kick-started our campaign this summer, when she returned to Nepal to give a seminar on HPV and reproductive health at our Wellness Center. More than 30 girls attended from House with Heart and the surrounding community. 

• President Ernie celebrated the September birthdays with Ray Defendorf leading the singing of Happy Birthday.
• Past Rotarian Don Creath will be posthumously awarded the First Responder of the Year Award at the memorial for First Responders in Painted Post on Wednesday, 9/11, at 11:00 AM.
• Rotary Leadership Institute is being held Saturday, October 19th, at Victor High School, 953 High School, Victor NY.  Parts I, II, and III will be taught.  Cost is $70 per attendee. If your budget allows, it would be nice to subsidize the registration fee or share part of it. Stacy Ward has completed the three parts and can tell you what you will learn.  For registration information, contact the Event Chair, Norma Madayag-Reilly at madayag.reillyn@frontier.com

Past Pres Stu Sammis filled us in on the upcoming fundraiser, Oktoberfest, to be held Saturday, October 12, in the Civic Center Ice Rink. 

At the September 19th meeting, we will review the survey results and hear your input into it.  If you cannot make the lunch meeting, we will hold an evening zoom meeting on September 23rd at 6:00 PM.

•   House with Heart is looking for a remote volunteer to serve in a special volunteer capacity.  Check with Dick Puccio for details.  rcpuccio@gmail.com 

• Camp Star Night, Monday, August 12^th
• City of Corning- comprehensive plan update; please provide your feedback here.
• Club Survey will be available on-line for the input of all members. Paper copies will be available to those not capable of completing an on-line version.  Completion date is August 15th!

We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Yates County Sheriff’s Department Marine Patrol for their essential support and to all the incredible businesses that backed Krossin’ Keuka 2024. A round of applause for Morgan Marina, Single Enterprises, Riley Earl Films, Tops, Rob Kinyoun, Grapevine Country Tours, Seneca Falls Health Center, and our fantastic DJ Nate Baker from FLX Entertainment. Your contributions helped turn this event into a phenomenal success.

The magic of Krossin’ Keuka is built on a blend of hard work, dedication, and boundless community spirit. We can’t wait to see you all next year for even more fun and fundraising on Saturday, July 26, 2025. Until then, thank you for making this year unforgettable!

• River Clean Up, Saturday, July 20th
• Camp Star Night, Monday, August 12^th
• City of Corning- comprehensive plan update; please provide your feedback here.
• Endless Mountain Music Festival starts this weekend. The CMoG concert is free and sponsored by Corning Rotary.

Rotary-led water conservation program awarded US$2 million to help farmers in India

"Partners for Water Access and Better Harvests in India” will support climate-resilient agriculture and groundwater water storage to help farmers improve harvests and yields

New Delhi, India (May 28, 2024) — With limited irrigation facilities in India, many farmers are dependent on rainfall, leaving them vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and storms affect soil fertility, crop yields and livestock production – all of which have led to reduced productivity and income for farmers.

• Wendy Winnett thanked all those who donated to the Rotary Foundation March Madness pool.
• Les Rosenbloom announced that our most recent Honorary Paul Harris Fellow, Ernie Danforth, has also earned his first sapphire, thanks to reaching the $1,000 mark in lifetime donations. According to Ernie, his recent donation to the March Madness pool put him over the top. Also, Jim Webb has earned a Paul Harris pin with a whopping five sapphires!

 

• Ray Defendorf mentioned that tickets for the International Celebration (April 13th) are now on sale both online and in person.  Sponsorships are also available. Today is the deadline for registrations. Every Rotarian received two tickets, and you must purchase, sell, donate or return them.
• Rugmani Kutty reported on what to expect at the International Celebration: entertainment! 70 people volunteering for the event! 40 people for the fashion show, and almost 30 for the other entertainment: Indian, African, Filipino, Mexican dance and music. 
• Gretta Tomb and two of her sons are going on a medical mission trip to Guatemala.  She will be the only dental provider.  Contributions to help with this mission are requested and can be made by going to www.helpsintl.org/donate. Search for the 2024 Morton Eye CDTMulrenin/#2729.  Our club has already donated $250 to the cause.

• Jan Harvey, our Treasurer (and recently honored Paul Harris Fellow), reported on how our Club's money is being used. We have given $250 to Gretta for the Guatemalan trip, sent in application for a District simplified grant for benches and lights to be installed at the community garden at the Food Pantry, and we are donating $4,000 to the Pantry of Angels in Lindley to purchase bags for a drive in food pantry. We have also donated $2,000 to the Science and Discovery Center for the purchase of STEAM bags for summer events. We are also looking to support the Baby Bank; more details to come.
• Ray Defendorf gave a Global Grant update. The Rotary Foundation liaison for Uganda is reviewing the project request. Once approved, it will be submitted to the Rotary Foundation. The project has raised a total of $27,000 so far, against a goal of $23,000. Participating local clubs include the Elmira and Elmira Sunshine Clubs.
• Damien Barrett shared that he has been working with two Eagle Scouts to support the community gardens greenhouse project. This represents great synergy between two of Damien's favorite organizations! He recognized Stu Sammis for helping to organize this project.

• Our exchange student Nino has moved into her third host family home with the Barretts.
• Stacy Ward announced an upcoming joint social get-together with the Corning Area Young Professionals (CAYP), to be held on Wednesday, April 24, 5:30 - 7:00 pm at The Office on Market Street.
• Stacy's mom (shoutout Fountains of Wayne) is turning 80 in April. Stacy is traveling to California with other family members to surprise her.

• Ray Defendorf mentioned that tickets for the International Celebration (April 13th) are now on sale both on-line and in person.  Sponsorships are also available. 
• Mayor Bill Boland: Corning's Italian sister city in San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy, is sending a contingent to visit Corning at the end of May.  A special event is planned for Centerway Square on May 23rd.  We are all invited.  Also, a fundraiser pasta dinner and concert are planned for April 16th.  Dinner is $15 and a combo package of dinner and concert is $20.  See Bill or Sue Boland for details.
• Mayor Bill also mentioned the upcoming Corning Meals on Wheels golf tournament is coming in June.
• Sue Boland announced a sister city pasta dinner fundraiser is planned for April 16th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM followed by a concert. Tickets can be purchased for dinner, for the concert and a combo ticket for both for just $20.  See Sue or Bill for details.
• Gretta Tomb and two of her sons are going on a medical mission trip to Guatemala.  She will be the only dental provider.  Contributions to help with this mission are requested and can be made by going to www.helpsintl.org/donate. Search for the 2024 Morton Eye CDTMulrenin/#2729.  Our club has already donated $250 to the cause.
• Jen Batzing crowed about the high school musical, Sound of Music, performances this weekend.  By the time you read this, they will be over and you will have missed quite a treat.  
• Damien Barrett mentioned the upcoming cuts in state funding and the impact that will have on our schools.  He urges us to look into this before the school budget vote.
• On a happier note, Damien warned us that his 16-year-old son passed his driver's license test.  He also was proud of being invited to present at an IT conference i n July.
• Gil Sweet's granddaughter is giving a presentation at a pharmacy conference.
• Mani Kutty is excited that her daughter is doing her residency at Penn State in internal medicine.  In honor of that, Mani donated $100 to the scholarship fund.  
• Lastly, President Dale Wexell happily announced that his 41-year-old is getting married -- finally!

• Les Rosenbloom informed the club that Al Lewis is out of the hospital and in fact, was here at the meeting!  
• President Dale Wexell announced that Mani Kutty will be serving as Secretary filling out the term of Jenniffer Mullen.  He also announced the club members who will be serving on this year's Nominating Committee: Past President Jeff Ugoretz will serve as chair supported by Pauline Emery and Vice-President Jennifer Batzing.
• Ray Defendorf mentioned that tickets for the International Celebration (April 13th) are now on sale both on-line and in person.  Sponsorships are also available. Mani Kutty asked for volunteers for the entertainment for the international fashion show.
• Gil Sweet asked for another volunteer to serve as meeting photographer.
• Pauline Emery said 4 more volunteer readers are needed for Ag Lit week (March 20th) to read to second graders.  Contact Pauline!
• Stacy Ward is looking for program ideas and speakers.  Please connect with Stacy with your ideas.
• Paul Tick made a donation in honor of becoming a Great-grandfather! He also gave an envelope from the Baron Steuben Coffee Club in memory of late Rotarian Jim Smith.  It contained $140 to be used for the Scholarship Fund.
• Mayor Bill Boland just returned from a visit to Corning's Italian sister city in San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy, where a renewal of the sister city agreement was signed. 
• Sue Boland announced a sister city pasta dinner fundraiser is planned for April 16th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM followed by a concert. Tickets can be purchased for dinner, for the concert and a combo ticket for both for just $20.  See Sue for details.
• President Dale then presented a District 7120 award to honor Dr. Bob Cole for becoming a Polio Plus Society member.

  And lastly, President Dale surprised this Cogs writer (Jan Harvey) with a Paul Harris Award for 

Rotary meeting January 4, 2024

• There were no guests other than our speaker: Hilda Lando
• Stu Sammis announced the Pancake supper scheduled for Feb 1 at American Legion; volunteer here.
• Andy has a sign-up sheet for tickets and sponsors on ClubRunner. The dinner starts at 4:00. There will be no regular club meeting that day.
• Food bank: Jan 15^th, Martin Luthor King Jr.  Day of Service from 10:30 - noon at the Food Bank in Elmira Heights. Andy noted that we have nearly ten people signed up already.  He is hoping for 15,
• Ray Defendorf thanked everyone for the good wishes he received while in the hospital. 
• John Brown noted that District Governor-elect Susan Chandler will be here for a few days.

• Bill Boland traveled to England for his son’s wedding. He noted that millennials know how to party.
• Jen Batzing announced a Green Out at the High School Field house on Friday for the basketball games.  
• Greta Tomb announced that her youngest son graduated from flight school.   
• Rick Davis announced that his business, Crystal Cleaners collected 242.5 pounds of food for the Food Pantry.  He thanked all who contributed.  
• Tom O’Brien announced that his grandson had recently mustered out of the marines and received a full scholarship to Notre Dame.  Congratulations.  
• Ray Defendorf remembered that he is looking for donations for the live auction as part of the International Committee event on Saturday April 13^th.

• Gil Sweet thanked an unknown sales person who expressed appreciation to service club members for the good work they do.
• Ernie Danforth offered the hospitality of the First Presbyterian Church in Corning over the Christmas holidays to persons who need a place to go.
• Stacy Ward and Stu Sammis asked service club members to volunteer their time and services to help Christmas programs in Corning including the Sparkle of Christmas. Service opportunities - see our home page listing. 

[material provided by Rotary International]

Take action, build international understanding, and make new friends around the world.

Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Find out how serious leadership can be seriously fun.

What are the benefits?

Connect with leaders in your community and around the world to:

• Take action to make a difference in your school and community
• Discover new cultures and promote international understanding
• Become a leader in your school and community
• Have fun and make new friends from around the world

What’s involved?

Interact clubs organize at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary club sponsors mentor and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills.

Celebrate the global impact of Interact by getting involved in:

• World Interact Week
• Interact Video Awards
• Rotary Youth Day at the United Nations
• Global Youth Service Day

How do I join?

Check with Corning Rotary to find out more about Interact. Read more about Interact at Rotary International.

Corning NY Rotary - Rotary International FACT SHEET 

Rotary unites people from all continents and cultures who take action to deliver real, long-term solutions to our world’s most persistent issues. In communities across the globe, our 1.4 million members come together to strengthen their connections to friends and neighbors and their commitment to improving lives. 

While our 46,000 clubs all share a commitment to community service, the experience, focus and dynamics of each club is unique. Becoming a Rotary member connects you with a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back. 

Causes: Solving real problems takes real commitment and vision. Each year, Rotary members invest hundreds of millions of dollars and countless volunteer hours in sustainable, community-based solutions to promote health, peace, and prosperity in communities across the globe. Rotary combines global reach, local resources, and highly skilled volunteers with a funding structure that distributes US$200 million annually to provide clean water and sanitation, support education, prevent and treat disease, save mothers and children, grow local economies, promote peace, and protect the environment. 

For more than 30 years, Rotary has been the driving force in the effort to end polio worldwide. Alongside our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we have achieved a 99.9 percent reduction in polio cases, with six cases of wild polio reported in 2021 compared with 350,000 a year in the late 1980s. Our members have contributed more than $2.6 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect more than 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Today, just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus, Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

History: For 118 years, Rotary members have been addressing challenges around the world. It started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago (United States) attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on Feb. 23, 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas, form meaningful, lifelong friendships, and give back to their communities. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of its members. 

For more information, visit www.rotary.org 

By Jennifer Montgomery, Rotary Peace Fellow and Co-Founder, President and CEO of Magenta Girls Initiative.

Someone wise once said that discomfort is the price of admission for a meaningful life. My experience as a Rotary Peace Fellow has taught me that stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to live your dream. When you’re gifted this opportunity to be a peace fellow, you have a responsibility to carry the work forward.

“Carrying it forward” motivated me to form Magenta Girls Initiative, an international non-governmental organization equipping Ugandan girls and young women with the support and tools needed to overcome harmful gender norms, generational poverty, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), trafficking, and trauma. For me, it’s also personal. As a survivor of sexual violence, I’m deeply committed to helping others find peace and transformation.

I formed Magenta Girls with Gorett Komurembe, a peace fellow from Uganda, and two Ugandan Rotarian women who are experts on gender and education. Gorett and I have more than 25 years combined experience creating and implementing effective interventions for vulnerable girls and women around the globe. In May, I decided to dedicate myself full time to expanding our new organization. I want to create evidence-based programs that can be implemented in other vulnerable communities in Africa.

[photo at right: Women in Uganda take part in Magenta Girls Initiative training]. 

Club Service:

• COGS: Jan Harvey

Guests:

     57 Second Grade Students and 7 Teachers from Severn Elementary School

Instead of the normal Thursday meeting this week, a special celebration was held Friday, May 19th, to celebrate the graduation of the Severn Elementary School second grade students from the three-year reading literacy program. This program began when these kids were in kindergarten and first received the " I Read, You Read" books.  This program continued through the first and the second grades.  Today's celebration served as recognition of the students' success.

The students were treated to a "fancy" served lunch of chicken fingers, French fries and cookies while the adults (both teachers and Rotarians) ate pasta primavera.

Nora Smith presented Jennifer Batzing representing the school district the Rotary Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of the cooperation of Severn teachers and principle in making this program so successful. 

Three students read thank you letters they had written to the Rotary Club.

The Camp Star Board is planning its Annual Golf Tournament. The Golf Tournament will be held at the Indian Hills Golf Course on Monday July 24, 2023. Sponsorship, donations, and golfer entry fees will be used to support 60 children for six days at camp. 

Camp Star is a summer camp for handicapped children between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age that otherwise cannot attend camp. This camp is held annually at the YMCA at Watson Woods in August and the funds from this tournament will help to allow us to offer this camp at no cost to the camper. The cost is over $500.00 per camper for an entire week of fun. 

Depending on your level of Sponsorship (see enclosed flyer for Sponsorship levels), your business may receive valuable publicity such as: 

• 1. Signage at the event 
• 2. Product booth at the event 
• 3. Recognition in printed materials 
• 4. Advertising and links on our Camp Star Website 

We also welcome donations for the raffle as well as special prizes for example longest drive, closest to pin, team prize winners and last place team, We hope that you can help us make this a great event! 

Door prizes are always welcome!  Information and Sign-up form is here.

Respectfully yours, 
Marianne Kalec 
Camp Star Golf Tournament Chairman

On Saturday, May 13th, Corning Rotary collaborated with Friends of the Chemung River Watershed for a river cleanup initiative, demonstrating the Rotary spirit of service. From 10 am to noon, a dedicated group of volunteers, including students from Interact participated in the event. Interact, a Rotary organization for youth, fosters leadership and community engagement among young individuals.

Rotarian Yumiko organized the event. She ensured the success of the river cleanup, bringing together the Corning Rotarians, Interact students, and Friends of the Chemung River Watershed. Through Yumiko's guidance, the group made a significant contribution to the preservation and well-being of the Chemung River, exemplified Rotary's commitment to empowering young minds, and making a positive impact in the community. Thank you to all the volunteers. Coming up next - Highway Cleanup!

The CCC Annual International Fashion Show, organized by the Japanese Language and Culture Club in collaboration with Corning Rotary Club and Corning Community College Student Life, was a successful event. The free show, held at Corning Community College, attracted around 100 attendees who enjoyed a lunch - with fashion, culture, and philanthropy.

Betsy Hilfiger, a prominent guest, graced the occasion along with distinguished individuals such as Dr. Alison Wolfe from Elmira College and Jyll Painter, owner of Jazz Hair Salon in Corning. The event raised $478 for the Japanese Language and Culture Club and $126 for the Soyodi Global Grant [a Rotary International Project], showcasing the community's support for these causes.

The Fashion Show featured a fusion of international styles, including traditional Japanese kimonos and other designs. The audience enjoyed the vibrant array of colors, patterns, and styles on the runway.

This successful event highlighted the community's appreciation for diversity and the power of collaboration. The organizers expressed gratitude to all attendees, sponsors, and participants for their support, ensuring a fun celebration of culture and unity. Appreciation to Yumiko Akiba, Rotarian and member of the Japanese Language and Culture Club, for organizing the event!

Corning Rotary is collecting used bicycles May 1-4 with the aim of helping refurbishing them and distributing them to people in need by assisting the Pittsford Rotary Club with their project. This initiative is a reflection of the Rotary's commitment to community service and improving the lives of people in the community.

Rotary recognizes that bicycles are not only a means of transportation but also a source of joy and independence. However, not everyone can afford to purchase a bike, and that's where this project comes in. The bikes collected by Corning Rotary and other Rotary Clubs will be refurbished by the Pittsford Rotary members and volunteers, ensuring that they are safe and in good working condition.

Once the bikes are refurbished, they will be donated to those in need. The project's focus is on helping children and adults who may not have access to bicycles, which can be an important part of their physical and mental development, and in some cases, transportation.

By collecting used bicycles, the Rotary is also promoting sustainable living and reducing waste. Instead of letting the bikes end up in landfills, the Rotary is giving them a new life and a new purpose. Additionally, the project creates opportunities for community members to get involved and contribute to a worthy cause.

If you have a used bicycle that you no longer need, consider donating it to the Corning Rotary.

 Email CorningNYRotary@gmail.com and we'll arrange the donation: May 1-4, 2023. Thank you!! 🚲

Paul Harris Fellowship Nominations - It's time to submit them

• The Paul Harris Committee is seeking nominations for the upcoming Rotary year.  We are looking for your input on Rotarians or community members to receive a PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP.  
• The committee will receive nominations until the end of May then meet in June to vote on which candidate(s) should be awarded the PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP during the next year (July 1—June 30).

Attention Corning Rotary Members and Local Businesses! We invite you to join us in making a positive impact on our community through our upcoming June Online Auction. You can donate items or funds that will be converted into auction items, and all proceeds will go towards Rotary community projects and services, including Literacy, Health & Safety, and Hunger.

The online auction will run from June 3rd to June 17th, and we need your donations by June 2nd to ensure its success. We welcome donations of all types, and local businesses are encouraged to donate their goods and services. We'll send out an update in May with the website address for the auction. Get Ready!!

We are excited to report that we have already surpassed the halfway mark towards our fundraising goal, and with your support, we can exceed it. Let's work together to make this auction a success and make a difference in our community.

Thank you for your generosity and support. Members, more details  here. Community members & Businesses - please email corningnyrotary@gmail.com and we'll help arrange the donation.

Bill Boland has three guests today:

• Welcome to Katrina Mancini, customer cares manager for Corning Natural Gas 

• Dr. Greta Cohen, friend and former member. New dental practice on 1st Street in Corning. 

• Sue Boland, former member 

• Welcome to Damian (Corning IT) and Elise Barrett (Girl Scout recruiter) from New Jersey. Both are new to our community and looking to assist in April 15th with the community service project. Interested in hosting an exchange student 23-24. 

• Improving access to safely managed water in the Navajo Nation
• Installing and expanding access to water and sanitation in Tanzania
• Distributing clay water filters to communities in Brazil
• Supplying clean water to 3,000 people in Papua New Guinea
• Installing water filtration systems for schools in Lebanon

Corning Rotary Gives Grant to Corning Fire District

We gathered at the Corning DoubleTree for our first Thursday Club meeting - with a busy agenda, under the leadership of President Stu! Zoom recording is here; Paul Harris event here; New Member here; and Program here.

But first, the Club Service providers:

• Photos: Jim Webb

• Invocation:  Jeff Ugoretz

• COGS: Jennifer Batzing

Visiting Rotarians and Guests: numerous guests for Nancy Doubt. 

• Photos: Rick Davis
• Invocation:  Wendy Winnett
• COGS: Jen Batzing

Visiting Rotarians and Guests: