Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club

SEPTEMBER 2015: NOTE THAT WITH THE INCREASED USE OF THE ROTARY WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE, THE ROTARYITE IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING MAINTIAINED. The past Rotaryites, nevertheless, are a good source of information about what the club has done over the years. Click Here for the website where you can also find the button for the Facebook page.

THE ROTARYITE

Issued by the Rotary Club

of Morrisville, PA

Club No. 3435 Chartered Jan. 30 1928

Meets Thursdays, 6:15 P.M.

Michael's Restaurant

Unless announced otherwise

Vol. 71 No. 3

website: www.myrotarypa.org

facebook www.facebook.com/myrotary

June 30, 2014

Editor's Comments

Things really heated up in the spring! (OK, forgive me. It was a very cold winter!) President Juan Proano attended the District Conference and brought back a glowing report about the recognition that the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club received for its support of The Rotary Foundation and the Global Grant that was obtained for the Lima, Peru, Water Filter Project. Tom Miller deserves credit for his dedication to The Rotary Foundation and keeping the Foundation “message” before the club. Juan deserves full credit for his persistence and perseverance in obtaining the Global Grant in the face of numerous challenges posed by the new RI grant process.

Jo Anne Pepitone was inducted as a new Rotarian and she and husband Bill are doing a great job in keeping the website and Facebook pages up-to-date. And “The Rev” Howard Claycombe stated his intention to rejoin the club. Yeah Rev!

The club’s commitment to literacy was demonstrated with the 3^rd grader dictionary project that Barry Vannauker led and the 2^nd grade library books project that Barbara Nuzzolo chaired. The club also recognized the community service of Morrisville High School graduating senior Matthew Matthias with a certificate and a check to him in the amount of $200.00.

As part of the club's Community Service commitment, the Rotary Canal Tenders group, which Hal Long has organized, did its spring cleanup of the Delaware Canal Towpath between Lower Makefield and Morrisville. And the canal towpath sign project for Yardley and Morrisville that is being coordinated by Hal is in the sign production phase. Hal and Joe Urbano managed to get the commemorative bricks in place at the Rotary Recognition Garden in Morrisville’s Williamson Park in preparation for a re-dedication event later in the year. Initial steps were taken in planning for the Grandview Community Vegetable and Beautification Garden project that Melanie Douty-Snipes has initiated. Community support of the Yardley Canal Festival was shown with the famous Rotary Hot Dog Stand, with special thanks to Ted and Ev Fletcher for all of their work in getting everything ready and transporting the equipment and supplies to and from the festival.

And of course Ted and Dave Sample deserve special credit for getting the hugely successful first annual Road Rally up and running. And then there was the Morrisville Carnival without which the finances of the club would have been approaching “dire”! Again a huge thanks to Ted and Dave for all of their behind-the-scenes work.

All during the year there have been outstanding dinner speakers and programs at the weekly meetings, thanks to the persistence of Andy Thompson and the help of Linda Yonkin. The dinner meetings continued to be enriched by the always insightful and heartfelt opening prayers by Big E Jennett and by Pastor Catherine Bowers when Big E isn’t available, the Rotary Moment by Pete Wisnosky, the History Moment by Andy and the Lite Moment by Ted. And special thanks goes to Sam Snipes for the insights and historical references he always brings to the meetings. Thanks to Claude Magnani for his leadership as Sergeant at Arms. And without the full support of each and every Rotarian for the many projects, activities and behind the scenes planning and administration, including that of Secretary Dave and Treasurer Joe, the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club would not be the force in the community and the vehicle for Service Above Self that it is. All of the Rotarians in the club deserve a hearty Thank You for each ones help and support.

Finally, the very successful year of Juan’s presidency and the anticipation of new President Tom Mack’s coming Rotary year was celebrated at the Passing of the Gavel evening.

Hal

See Web Site Calendar for Upcoming Events

Chaplain's Corner - Big E

Worry shatters the peace of life. Faith puts things back together.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

The Events

Following are articles about the guest speakers and the projects along with several photographs not previously published. Enjoy reading about those meetings and events you may have missed and reminiscing about those you didn’t.

April 2, 2014

Dictionaries Distribution Grandview Elementary, Morrisville Schools

by Bill Pepitone, posted on Facebook

This morning, members of the Morrisville Yardley Rotary Club visited Morrisville's third graders and presented each of them with their very own dictionary, personalized by members of the Rotary Club. In the era of Google and search engines, it was refreshing to see the children's eyes light up as they combed through the pages searching for their favorite words. Enjoy kids!

Rotarians Juan and Hal Rotarians Barry and Claude

Rotarian Melanie

April 10, 2014

The History of Waste Treatment

Eric Brosius, Geologist with the Bucks County Department of Health, gave a very informative history of waste treatment, privies, bath rooms and plumbing starting with the Babylonians as far back a 3000 B.C. The wealthy often had servants pour scented water over them for bathing. Disposal of waste in towns and cities through the centuries consisted primarily of open waterways and irrigation ditches that let rainwater and streams flush out the contents. Finally, in the 1600’s in England, people discovered micro-organisms in water and began to understand the connection between disease and sanitation. Developments of the indoor toilet led to the manufacture by Thomas Crapper of a toilet with a raised tank. Because the tank had the name of the manufacturer on it, American “Yanks” came home and talked about “the Crapper”, hence introducing the name into the American lexicon. Technology today provides many successful alternative waste treatment strategies and systems, from small private systems to extensive regional systems. Club President Juan Proano (left) presented a Robert Morris commemorative plate to Eric in appreciation of his talk to the club.

April 12, 2014

Rotary Canal Tenders and Friends Clean Up Towpath

On a beautiful Saturday morning members of the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club and friends of Rotary and of the Delaware Canal picked up trash and cleared limbs blocking the towpath as they walked along and got to know each other. The Rotary Canal Tenders have responsibility for the towpath from Black Rock Road in Lower Makefield to the Palmer Avenue Bridge in Morrisville. Rotarians Hal Long, Juan Proano and Tom Miller were joined by Rick and Donna Dulay, Jeff Willard-Mack, Jennie Oestreich, Collin Stuart and Jeff Swab with his children and their friends.

April 19, 2014

Bucks river towns hold 'Amazing Race' style road rally

By MICHAEL MACAGNONE STAFF WRITER Bucks County Courier Times - front page

Fifteen teams of drivers and passengers tested their knowledge of Bucks County history, and ability to navigate its byways and back roads for the county’s own version of the “Amazing Race” on Saturday afternoon.

After less than two hours, Fred Kerner and Catherine Hall finished all eight of the clues to locations in four historic river towns: New Hope, Yardley, Bristol and Morrisville. The Landmark Towns of Bucks County organization and Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club put together the rally, its first, as a spring fundraiser.

The route took drivers to the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope and Bristol Riverside Theater. Kerner, who grew up in Morrisville, said he enjoyed the drive along River Road, which allowed access to the four towns.

“It was neat to parallel the canal the whole way up,” he said. “We went up and down River Road and that’s always gorgeous.”

Tom McDonald, his wife and a pair of their neighbors from Buckingham came in second place. He said that, while it took them a while to decipher some of their eight clues, they thought the drive was worth it.

“It was neat, they took us to some places in congested areas like New Hope and others in more open areas like the Van Zant covered bridge on these meandering country roads,” he said. “It was beautiful, it was a wonderful time of the year to have it.”

The clues came in the form of poetic couplets that gave clues to each location.

For instance, “Shining footlights once more bringing actors to the river’s shore,” directed drivers to the playhouse in New Hope.

Because the contestants were judged by a combination of time and mileage, some spent 10 minutes or more sitting in the parking lot of the Morrisville Presbyterian Church deciphering them.

“That’s one of the keys to this thing, because if you solve them in the right order then you can do this much more efficiently,” said Ted Fletcher, one of the organizers with the Rotary Club.

He said they were glad for the turnout. The cars that placed first and second received cash prizes.

“The energy has been great,” he said. “We’re happy that it’s Easter weekend and it hasn’t deterred people from turning out for it.”

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The team: (left to right) Pete Wisnosky,Ev Fletcher, Ted Fletcher, Barbara Swanda (Landmark Towns Main Street Coordinator), Dave Sample, Layla Pepitone, Claude Magnani, Jo Anne Pepitone, Bill Pepitone, Big E Jennett, and Tom Miller. Not shown: The rest of the intrepid site checkers Joe Urbano, Andy Thompson, Barry Vannauker and President Juan Proano.

The Winners Second Place Best Car

(Fred Kerner and Catherine Hall) (Tom McDonald and his wife not shown)

The Publicity: On websites, Facebook and email blasts (with special thanks to Kim Kane of the Family YMCA) and local newspapers. Barbara Swanda of Landmark Towns was the main force behind the publicity.

“Rev your engines, open the convertible and take a drive through the Landmark Towns of Bucks County on Saturday, April 19th from 1-4 pm. River Towns Road Rally participants will decipher a set of eight clues to secret destinations in the four towns of Morrisville, Yardley, New Hope and Bristol, drive to the locales for confirmation and conclude at historic Summerseat in Morrisville for a wine and cheese reception. Cash prizes will be awarded. Registration is limited to 30 vehicles, so sign up now! Fees are $45 per vehicle, $60 after April 11th. We will meet at the Morrisville Presbyterian Church parking lot, 771 N. Pennsylvania Avenue.”

4/24/14

Vegetable Gardening

The speaker of the evening was Rotarian Barry Vannauker (right). President Juan Proano and he are holding a seed catalog, the place to start in growing fine vegetables. Barry divulged some of his secrets to growing bushels of tomatoes and other vegetables in a modest plot in his back yard. First, he said, you must have a plan. You need to decide what you want to grow and how much room it will take. You need to have the right kind of soil or a plan to build it up. You need a site that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day. Then you need to decide on what seeds and plants are needed to get things started and where to get them. Also you need to decide what fertilizers and pest control.

Marigolds will deter rabbits and add color. As a reference to size, Barry said his 35 by 85 feet garden will yield 385 quart jars of canned vegetables. He has built up the soil over the years with great amounts of leaves from his and his neighbors’ trees plus he has added sand. He adds lime to keep the ph in balance. As to tomatoes: space plants 3 ½ to 4 feet apart, use Big Daddy’s plants, stake with 8 feet tall poles. Should get about 1 ½ bushels per tomato plant. For great green beans, try Burpee Bush Green Beans (seed). Space eight to twelve inches apart, with eighteen inch wide rows. Should get about three dozen beans per plant. Other vegetables he likes include radishes, beets, onions and peppers. Why do all of this? Barry said because the vegetables taste good and there is much satisfaction in growing your own.

May 1, 2014

Jo Anne Pepitone Induction and Classification Speech

Jo Anne Pepitone was inducted into the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Cub and gave her “Classification Speech”. She is shown in the photo with her husband Bill and their two young daughters, Talia and Layla, and with Club President Juan Proano who conducted the ceremony. Also shown is Melanie Douty-Snipes, her Rotary mentor. Jo Anne’s Rotary vocational classification is Law Enforcement Officer and she is a member of the Lower Merion police force. She described the circuitous path that led her to becoming a police officer. She grew in Stanton Island, New York, and in high school became very involved in working with people with mental issues who had been confined in the notorious Willowbrush State hospital and had been moved to various community homes. That led to a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology and plans for a PhD at the College of Stanton Island. But the doctoral program there was cancelled due to low enrollment and she found herself moving into forensic psychology. She took a course on the psychological effects on police officers and that led to an interest in becoming a police officer herself. (It also led to meeting her future husband, Bill.)

What drew her to that vocation was the opportunity to help people. A large percentage of people that the police encounter have mental issues. Unfortunately a lot of police officers lack the training and motivation to help rather than to just arrest or carry out routine duties. She gave an example of the difference. Death notification is often a police duty that can be just a knock on the door and a statement about what had happened. She often gets the assignment because of her interest in helping and her training. In one particular case she had to contact an elderly man living alone with a variety of serious health issues, including deafness and the need for a walker to move around. His second wife had died and he said he had no children. He had no caretaker assistance so Jo Anne worked with him to get meals brought to him, get medical and nursing assistance and generally get him into a more healthy situation. He began to trust her and finally revealed that he had four children by his first wife. He second wife had made him promise to drop all contact with his family which he had honored for thirty years. Jo Anne decided to find and make contact with them and as a result the family reunited and he was taken in by one of his sons. When he died a few years later she was notified that he had selected a necklace from his second wife’s jewelry that he wanted her to have and so stated in his will. She was wearing the necklace when giving her talk.

Jo Anne and Juan Juan, Jo Anne, Talia, Layla, Bill, Melanie

Jo Anne Jo Ane and Bill

Talia and Layla

Jo Anne and Linda Yonkin

May 2-4, 2014

Club Support of The Rotary Foundation Recognized at the District Conference

President Juan Proano and his wife Rotarian Luisa represented the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club at the Rotary 7430 District Conference in May at Bushkill Falls where the club was cited for its exemplary support of The Rotary Foundation. Background: “The Foundation is one of the largest and most prestigious international fellowship programs in the world. It is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world. The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary ‘to do good in the world’." (1) Since the first donation of $26.50 in 1917, the Foundation has received contributions totaling more than US$1 billion. (2)

At the conference it was reported that the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club currently has two Major Donors, one at Level I, representing over $10,000 in contributions over time, and one at Level II, representing over $20,000. The Level II Rotarian also is in the Bequest Society for having made the Foundation a beneficiary of his estate. (The club currently has 22 donors to the Foundation, 18 of which are Paul Harris Fellows including some who are Multiple Paul Harris Fellows. Each Paul Harris Fellow represents a contribution of $1000 to the Foundation.) Three members of the club were recognized as members of the Paul Harris Society for having committed to a obtaining a Paul Harris Fellow annually when financially possible.

Recognition at the conference was given to the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club itself for having achieved the Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) goal in the Rotary year of 2012-2013 of $100 average per capita plus 100% of the members giving something to the Foundation. The club was number 6 out of the 20 clubs who were at the $100 per capita level of giving with a per capita of $182. (There are 43 clubs in the district.) (Note that In June the club was the District leader in per capita giving for the Rotary Year of 2013-2014 at $233.36.)

(1) Quoted from Wikapedia website 6/6/2014. (2) from The Rotary Foundation website 2/6/2014.

May 6, 2014

Grandview Second Grade Gets Library Books from Rotary

The Grandview Second Grade classes in Morrisville were presented a variety of resource books for their library collections by the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club. The students, teachers and Principal Linda Polumbo welcomed the Rotarians who made the presentations and read selections from the books to each class.

Rotarians Melanie Douty-Snipes, Juan Proano (Club President), Barbara Nuzzolo (Project Chair) and Hal Long

Melanie and her class Juan and his class

Barbara and her class Hal and his class

May 8, 2014

Red Cross Disaster Services Update

Dinner Speaker was Kevin D. Bone who is with the Red Cross SEPA Chapter, He serves in the position of disaster relief program manager for Bucks and Montgomery Counties. He talked about the Red Cross disaster services and the services the Red Cross offers to the Armed Forces.

May 13, 2014

Rotary Book Donations to Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School

The Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club, as part of Rotary’s commitment to Youth and Education, donated a number of books to the library at Pennsbury’s Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School. The particular books are targeted to second graders and Rotarian Barbara Nuzzalo, chair of the library books project, Andy Thompson and Hal Long presented the books to the second grade classes. They were welcomed by the Principal Ms. Elizabeth Aldridge, Librarian Mrs. Rosemarie Shire and the teachers of the second grade classes. Photos were posted on the school’s web site http://www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us/pennsbury/Roosevelt/

Principal Aldridge, Hal, Juan and Barbara and the 2^nd graders

Barbara’s group

Andy’s group

Hal’s group

May 15, 2014

A View of the Veterans Affairs Medical Services From the Inside

The dinner speaker was Janis Davidson, PhD, and a registered nurse practitioner, serving since 2001 in the primary care section at the Department of Veterans Affairs at Fort Dix, New Jersey. She is shown with Club Vice President Tom Mack who presented her with a Robert Morris commemorative plate in appreciation of her talk to the club. The quality of her expertise is evidenced by the fact that she has been largely responsible for the good care given to two of the club’s Rotarians, Peter Wisnosky and Andy Thompson. She said that “9/11 changed everything” for the VA because until the Iraq and Afghanistan wars it had not had to deal with combat casualties. She touted the medical record keeping system of the VA as the finest in the world and wondered aloud why it isn’t being used as a model for the public health care system. As to care for the veterans she said that the VA does everything in its power to keep them in their own homes. It is cheaper than nursing homes and the quality of life is generally better. The VA, for example, will pay for necessary renovations to install ramps, chair glides for stairs and upgrades or additions of bathrooms and will pay for vans with wheelchair lifts. It will also pay for in-home nursing care, including care needed when family caregivers need to take a break from the daily routines. As to mental health issues she said that good care is available but the veterans have to be ready to accept help and many times they are not. The oldest vet is 97 and the only problem is with glaucoma. The youngest was a 24 year old, self-employed carpenter who didn’t let go of the rope when water skiing and severely injured his biceps. He was treated at the University of Pennsylvania is now back at work.

May 18, 2014

Morrisville Carnival a Great Success!

The Morrisville Carnival ran from May 13-16, 2014, and the weather was particularly cooperative on Friday, May 16, to make it one of the best days ever for the carnival in Morrisville’s Williamson Park. Overall the club netted over $4500 to apply to its youth leadership and education efforts, which include dictionaries for 3^rd graders, library books for 2^nd graders and recognition awards for community service by selected high schoolers, plus support of other community projects and The Rotary Foundation and Rotaplast.

The carnival has been made possible over the past several years through the cooperation of the family owned and operated Bartlebaugh Amusements, the Morrisville Borough and the families and youth from the area who come to take part in the excitement of the carnival rides, the games and the food in a safe and secure environment. Rotarians Ted Fletcher and Dave Sample have been key to organizing the carnivals, with support from other Rotarians in selling tickets and the help of Rotarian Michele Fina and Kim Kane of the Family YMCA in sending email blasts to promote the carnival and in coordinating pre-carnival arm band sales.

Big E in the ticket booth Pete in the ticket booth

Evening excitement!

May 22, 2014

New Morrisville Chief of Police Talks to Rotary

The dinner speaker was the new Morrisville Police Chief, George McClay, shown with Club Vice President, Tom Mack who presented him with a Robert Morris commemorative plate in appreciation of his talk to the club. Chief McClay talked about the positive changes in the Morrisville Police Department that are improving its effectiveness on the street and its public image. He grew up in Philadelphia, earned Bachelor and Master Degrees from West Chester College and taught school for a few years. He joined the Philadelphia police force in 1986 and achieved the rank of Lieutenant before coming to Morrisville in January. Morrisville had been without a Police Chief for a considerable period of time and there was a need for 24 hour supervision of operations and a reorganization of departmental procedures. He set up a recent “Shooters Training Course”, with the participation of the Lower Makefield police and the assistance a SWAT team from Philadelphia, that taught teamwork in problem solving and operations for simulated school shootings and threats. He has tackled the so-called “drug problem” through increased surveillance, including plain clothes officers, and a lock-up policy for the kids through cooperation with the local Justice, Michael Burns. Part of the improvement was replacing a typical 3 month waiting process for drug testing results, during which those charged could raise bail and get back on the street, with a simple test his officers can perform that is sufficient for probable cause needed by the District Attorney to proceed with prosecution. He noted that the greatest drug problem in Morrisville is with drug users who obtain illegal drugs in Trenton and then come to Morrisville to use and not the dealing attributed to gangs. The “gang problem” in Morrisville of a few years ago has gone away with many gang members now in jail. The gangs in Trenton he characterized as local and loosely organized rather than the more violent and better organized gangs of the past. On June 19 officers from the entire county of Bucks will come to Morrisville for police training, a first in itself for a county-wide training program. As part of improving the image of the Morrisville police force he is requiring that officers testifying in court be either in full uniform or in a suit and tie. As to procurement of uniforms he changed the source and the method of payment so that it is easier and cheaper for the officers to get new uniforms and greatly reduced the amount of paperwork involved. He has established close working relationships with the surrounding police departments and with the local media. And he expressed appreciation for Rotarian Bill Pepitone’s fund raising effort to provide new bullet proof vests for the department.

May 28, 2014

Commemorative Bricks for the Rotary Recognition Garden in Morrisville’s Williamson Park

In 2010 the initial phase of the Rotary Recognition Garden in Morrisville’s Williamson Park was completed. The garden is around the flagpole next to the Rotary Pavilion. The purpose of the garden is to bring attention to the contributions of the Rotary Club and past community leaders who were Rotarians. Personalized bricks were sold to fund the project and those bricks were installed May 28, 2014, completing the garden installation. A rededication ceremony is planned for later in the summer.

The brick installation crew included Rotarians Joe Urbano, Hal Long, Sam Snipes and his wife Marion, and Brian Long and his dog Gumdrop.

May 29, 2014

“The Rev” and His Prison Ministry

Rev. Howard Claycombe (the “Rev”) spoke to the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club about his prison ministry at the Jones Farm off of I95 near Trenton, New Jersey. Jones Farm, he explained, is a minimum security facility for non-hardened male criminals convicted of non-violent crimes such as DUI, child support matters, drug dealing and money laundering. It can house 284 men. There is a library and there are basketball and volleyball teams. Spiritual services are offered throughout the week. There are no bars and the grounds, he said, look like a country club. But make no mistake, he noted, it is a prison. There is a headcount five or six times a day and if anyone is not accounted for, there is an immediate lockdown. He cited one case of a prisoner walking away and after recapture was sentenced to five years in a high security facility with no parole – bad decision. It is a working farm, both vegetable and dairy, which supplies other prisons. Everyone has a job and has opportunity to earn education credits. The farm has an accredited horticulture program and participates every year in the Philadelphia Flower Show. Howard said his rapport with the inmates is very good and it is a bittersweet time when they leave. He tells them he is available 24/7 after they leave and some take him up on the offer. Howard was given a Robert Morris commemorative plate by President Juan Proano in thanks for his talk to the club.

June 10, 2014

Community Service Award

Matthew Matthias, a graduating senior of Morrisville High School, was presented a Rotary Community Service award certificate and a check in the amount of $200. In addition to his excellent academic work and musical accomplishment as a trombone player, Matt became a voluntary firefighter as soon as he was eligible at the age of 16 and would like to serve in the military in the hazardous material area. The presentation was made by Rotarian Linda Yonkin, a teacher at Morrisville, at the Morrisville High School Awards Night.

June 18, 2014

Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club Thanks the Newtown Rotary Club

Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary members President Juan Proano, President-Elect Tom Mack and Hal Long visited the Newtown Rotary to thank the club for its contribution of $3000 for the Lima, Peru, Water Filter Project. The Newtown club was one of the five clubs in the district that made up the funds needed to qualify for a recent Rotary Foundation Global Grant. The $39,000 grant is providing water filters that provide safe water for drinking and cooking for some 6,000 people Lima. Combined with two previous Water Filter Projects, the total now being served is estimated to be over 10,000.

President Juan (right) presented a Rotary Wheel insignia to the Newtown President, Jake Doneker. This was to fulfill a promise Juan had made when he was first asking for Newtown’s support. At that time he said he would get them an insignia to replace the one that was missing from their meeting bell if they would contribute to the project. He noted that the Morrisville–Yardley Area Club was the sponsor of the Newtown Club when it was chartered many years ago and perhaps their bell was from that era.

June 19, 2014

Peru Water Filter Project Update

President Juan Proano updated the club on the Peru Water Filter Project. A Global Grant from The Rotary Foundation in the amount of $39,450 was received by the Lima Sunrise Rotary Club on March 4, 2014. Currently 202 water filters have been distributed out of this grant, and a third distribution was scheduled for July 12, 2014. Juan noted that approximately 6,000 persons will benefit from this project by having clean water for cooking and drinking for the next three years, the expected life of the filters. Combined with two previous Water Filter projects, approximately 10,000 people are being served at this time. Government effort to provide safe sources of water for the shantytowns is progressing, albeit very slowly, so continued effort is called for.

Juan explained that the Global Grant was made possible through a cooperative effort, led by the of Morrisville-Yardley Area club with support from the Ambler, Newtown, Bethlehem - Morning Star, and Doylestown Rotary Clubs, the Lima Sunrise Rotary Club and both District 7430 and the District in Lima, Peru. The five local clubs contributed $18,500 which was matched by The Rotary Foundation and the remaining $2,450 came from the Lima Sunrise Rotary Club and the Rotary Districts.

June 21, 2014

Rotary Sells Hot Dogs at the Yardley Canal Festival

The famous Rotary Hot Dog Stand did a sell-out business Saturday, May 21, 2014, at the Yardley Canal Festival. The Rotarians of the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club sold hot dogs and sodas and provided information about what Rotary does to support the community, literacy, health and peace. The club appreciated the invitation to be a part of the festivities that came from Susan Taylor, Executive Director of the Friends of the Delaware Canal.

June 26, 2014

Passing the Gavel - The Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club

Members and friends of the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club gathered at Michael’s Restaurant to thank outgoing President Juan Proano for his leadership the past Rotary year and to welcome Tom Mack as the incoming President for 2014-15. Michael’s served an excellent meal to a full house and all enjoyed the fellowship of the evening.

Outgoing President Juan Proano thanked everyone for the quality and large amount of work that was done the past year on the goals and the club projects. He thanked the many people who worked behind the scenes and those who assumed various roles throughout the year to assure the smooth and successful functioning of the club and interesting and lively weekly meetings. He noted that two new members were added and more than $5000 was contributed to The Rotary Foundation through three Paul Harris Fellows and over $2000 through the Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) program. In addition, $2000 was contributed to PolioPlus and $1500 to Rotaplast. The club received a Public Relations Communications Award from the District and a Rotary Club Central Award from Rotary International. In addition, the District noted that the club currently has the largest per capita contribution to The Rotary Foundation.

Of special note was The Rotary Foundation Global Grant of $39,450 for the Peru Water Filter Project which was obtained with support of the Ambler, Newtown, Bethlehem - Morning Star and Doylestown Rotary Clubs, the Morning Star Club in Lima, Peru, and both Rotary Districts here and in Peru. Combined with two previous water filter projects, approximately 10,000 people in the shantytowns around Lima are being served at this time. Government effort to provide safe sources of water for the shantytowns is progressing, albeit very slowly, so continued effort is called for.

Juan cited the several ongoing community service projects and new initiatives, including the “Vegetable and Beautification Garden” at the Grand View Elementary School, in Morrisville and The Delaware Canal Tow Path Sign Project, for Yardley and Morrisville. Other new community projects included the very successful Road Rally in cooperation with Landmark Towns of Bucks County, the Rotary Canal Tenders cleanup team and the Hot Dog Stand at the recent Yardley Canal Festival. Regarding Rotary’s commitment to youth and education, gifts of library books for 2^nd graders were made to the Morrisville and to one of the Pennsbury elementary schools and dictionaries were presented to the 3^rd graders in Morrisville. Juan also noted the ongoing volunteer support of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. And key to being able to complete the year on a financially sound basis was the very successful Morrisville Carnival which resulted in a net profit for the club of over $5,500.

Juan closed his remarks with a quote from Sakuji Tanaka, Past President of the Rotary International, “When we put service above self, we’re making a choice. We’re choosing to put other people’s needs ahead of our own desires. We are saying: your problems are my problems and I care enough to help you.”

Incoming President Tom Mack thanked Juan for all he did for the club and for Rotary the past Rotary Year and, on behalf of the club, presented him with recognition wall plaque. Tom went on to recognize the new officers and board members of the club and to outline his goals for the coming year. Membership is a top priority in order to insure the continued viability of the club in the Morrisville-Yardley Area. He pointed to the Road Rally as a new project this past year that has great promise both as a fundraiser and as a way of promoting the club and Rotary.

The Rotarians and their families and guests in rapt attention!