[May 2020] The Rotary Club of Corning hasn’t held in-person meetings since March, having switched to weekly Zoom calls as state-wide quarantine restrictions took hold. But the pandemic crisis hasn’t dampened local Rotarians’ spirit of service. Many Rotarians have found new and creative ways to volunteer and address the critical needs of our local community.
For example, long-time Corning Rotarian Ray Defendorf delivers food to homebound clients of the Corning Area Food Pantry each week. “I wear a mask and am socially distant when I do more than drop off food at the door,” Defendorf says. “I often enjoy a brief visit with one recipient who is homebound in a wheelchair.”
Rotarian Richard Pope and his wife Jacqueline have donated food to the local food pantries, and often check in on their elderly friends, including a neighbor who is seriously ill.
Several Rotarians also deliver meals for Corning Meals on Wheels, as needs have risen sharply during the crisis. “Margo and I deliver meals to generally about 15 senior citizens on Mondays for Corning Meals on Wheels,” says John Brown.
“Still volunteering for Meals on Wheels when they need me,” adds Wendy Winnett. “I guess that covers [my service activities] as babysitting for the grandkids is my other ‘volunteer’ work!”
For Rotarian Ted Goldwyn and his teenage daughter Neila, the opportunity to spend quality time together while delivering weekly for Meals on Wheels has been priceless during the pandemic.
“It’s been so tough on kids, especially teenagers, ever since schools went to a virtual learning approach back in March,” Goldwyn says. “My daughter and I really value this time together, which has afforded us the opportunity to get out of the house while serving the needs of our community’s homebound seniors.”
Gail Hostuttler, Corning Rotarian and Executive Director of the Corning YMCA, has been primarily focused on ensuring her organization can continue to serve the community during NY ON PAUSE, including offering 10 weeks of day camp this summer. “Although the YMCA’s operations are closed, we are offering Summer Day Camp for children,” Hostuttler says. “Our program is permitted by the [New York State] Department of Health – parents drop off and pickup at the YMCA and the children are transported to Watson Homestead for the day. “We have also hosted two Blood Drives for the American Red Cross, and we will host another on August 29th.”
For Stu Sammis, current Vice President of Corning Rotary and chairman of the Community Gardens Committee, it’s been a busy spring and summer so far. Volunteers have already participated in several spring garden cleanup days, and all beds at the Kate Danforth Community Gardens in South Corning are sold out for the season. “We are building a produce stand at the Kate Danforth Community Gardens, so that members of the community gardens can donate any extra produce they may have,” Sammis says. “The produce will be free for the taking.”
Not all Rotary service consists of delivery and digging. The Club’s Literacy Committee has a long-time partnership with Corning-Painted Post’s Winfield Street and Severn Elementary Schools. When the district moved to a distance learning model in the spring, several Rotarians, including Immediate Past-President Jan Harvey, Secretary Ernie Danforth and Ted Goldwyn, recorded book-reading videos from home, which teachers then shared with the students.
“I am now starting to organize and record reading the books I would normally read in person for the new school year,” Harvey says. “Without knowing what the schools are going to do in the fall and also whether ‘outside people’ will be allowed in the schools, I figure having the readings all recorded for the teachers to use regardless is something I can do from home.”
In addition to holding weekly Zoom meetings since April, Corning Rotary has also streamed special events, including hosting a series of virtual beer tastings to benefit Corning-area brewers like Iron Flamingo Brewery and Liquid Shoes Brewing.
The Club is currently evaluating various options for returning to in-person meetings in the coming weeks and months. Regardless of what the future holds, however, Rotarians will continue to volunteer in the greater Corning-Painted Post community, in support of Rotary’s mission of Service Above Self.
