A few shots of the new Giants Stadium under construction.

A tour would make a great "fellowship" event.

Down on the field

A view through the "vomitorium". You didn't think I go all day without using a $10 architectural term, did you?

New / Old Stadii

New Stadium on Left, Old on Right. Duh!

I asked if they had any plans to move Jimmy to the new End Zone when they demo the old Stadium. I got a few chuckles from that one.

New Giants Stadium - Upper Deck

From the Upper Deck

Giants Stadium

A Shot of New Giants Stadium using my Phone

A New Rotary Year Begins!

Best wishes to Rotary International President Dong-Kum, District Governor Joe and President Vince, as they lead us into our new Rotary year with the theme, Make Dreams Real.

Installation Night

The gavel will be passed from President Joe to President-Elect Vince on Thursday, June 19 with a Wine & Cheese Party at the Spencer Bank Building, 213 South Ave., at 6:45 p.m.

A donation of $20.00 per person is requested, payable to the "Cranford Rotary Charitable Fund." $10 of your donation will go to the Rotary Foundation. Children are free.

Please make arrangements in your schedule to attend. RSVP to Vince by June 14 at 908.653.1720 or vspada@spencersavings.com.

Pedals for Progress - Story in Today's Star-Ledger!

Pedal Mettle
Charity drive gives

Friday, May 09, 2008

BY MARIAM JUKAKU
Star-Ledger Staff

Old bicycles are finding their way out of Cranford garages and basements and into the hands of children and adults who need to get to work or school in El Salvador.

The Cranford Rotary Club sponsored a used-bike drive for the High Bridge-based Pedals for Progress organization, collecting 78 bikes Sunday. The organization ships the bikes, which must be in reasonably good condition, to partner countries all over the world, including El Salvador.

Cranford resident and Rotary Club member John Malar said he donated his son's old 10-speed bicycle.

"I like the fact that they don't end up in landfills and it stimulates the (developing countries') economies," Malar said. "It's sort of a win-win."

Local nonprofit agencies in the developing countries repair and sell the bicycles cheaply to people who use them to get to work, to children trying to get to school and to workers who need to transport goods.

The profits from the bike sales are used by the partner agency to build a self-sustaining bike store.

Malar said the club has been collecting bikes for Pedals for Progress for years, usually getting around 100 donated bikes.

Each bike has to be broken down for shipping. The pedals are removed, the handlebars turned
sideways and the seat pushed all the way down. They are made as flat as possible to fit into shipping containers. A Pedals for Progress truck picks them up.

Beverly Merchant, office manager for Pedals for Progress, said it costs about $35 to ship each bike. The organization asks those donat ing bikes to make a donation of at least $10 to help pay shipping costs. She said with the rising cost of fuel, the cost to ship a bike has increased greatly in the last few months.

"Things are always tight, but if (the shipping cost) goes up much more, it's going to hurt us a lot," Merchant said. But she said even with the downturn in the economy people have been donating generously, often giving much more than the minimum $10.

"People realize things are bad for us, but worse for poor people overseas," she said.

The organization makes 500-bike shipments at one time. Merchant said this is their busiest time of year because people are in the middle of spring cleaning.

The group has already collected about 2,500 bicycles this year. She said they sometimes get bikes worth thousands of dollars. Those are also donated to developing countries.

Malar said one of the bikes they got in the Cranford collection was from Poland. Another lady rode her bike to the collection point in the parking lot of the Orange Avenue pool, dropped it off and walked home.

"Some are brand new, some are ancient -- it runs the whole gamut," Malar said.

People looking to donate old bikes can look for local collection times and places on the Pedals for Progress website at p4p.org. Bikes frames shouldn't be rusted, but flat tires are OK. Groups looking to run their own collection can e-mail Merchant at bev@p4p.org.

Mariam Jukaku may be reached at mjukaku@starledger.com or (908) 302-1500.
© 2008 The Star Ledger
© 2008 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.

District Conference 2008

Past-President/President-Elect Vince has returned from a cool and damp but fellowship-filled District Conference.

He has shared with us pictures from the event, which can be seen on the home page of the website. (You can watch a slideshow from the site, or you can click on the show for larger pictures.)

Thanks, Vince, for representing Cranford Rotary in Mystic Seaport!

Meeting at Roselle-Roselle Park this Thursday

Don't forget, we will be meeting at the Roselle-Roselle Park Rotary Club this Thursday. The meeting begins at 7:30 a.m. (earlier than our usual 7:45, so please plan accordingly).

Here is a map to their meeting location, the Anthony Amalfe Community Center, 1268 Shaffer Ave., Roselle.



View Larger Map

Happy Anniversary, Cranford Rotary!

Today is the 85th Anniversary of the Cranford Rotary.

So what was happening on February 23, 1923?

Warren G. Harding was the U.S. President.

The #1 song according to Billboard Magazine was "Three O'Clock in the Morning" by Paul Whiteman

An item costing $100 in 1923 would cost $1,227 today. Put another way, our Rotary dues today would cost about $14.25 back then.

The Mayor of Cranford was John Roach.

The first President of the Cranford Rotary was Rev. Kenneth D. Martin

Rotary International was celebrating its 18th Anniversary.

The Rotary Club of Roselle-Roselle Park was also chartered on the same day, as were several other clubs - presumably acknowledging the anniversary of RI.

And...was it merely a coincidence that the first mass inoculation of the Salk polio vaccine occurred on Feb 23? (Pittsburgh, 1954)

Enjoy the day!

2008-2009 Officers Announced

The Nominations Committee has announced the board members for the 2008-09 Rotary year. The following officers and directors will be sworn in at the June installation ceremony, with their term commencing on July 1:

President - Vince Spada
President-Elect - Rich Brightman
Treasurer - Gene Matics
Secretary - Lou Brigando

Directors:
Joe Carney
Walter Felegi
Barbara Ginsberg
Nick Giuditta
Steve Lieberman
John Malar
David Weeks

In other club news, please note these upcoming events...

March 29 - PETS 1 at Raritan Valley College
April 3 - Inter-Club Meeting with Roselle-Roselle Park (tent.)
April 9-11 - Academic Bowl
May 2-4 - District Conference, Mystic Seaport, CT
May 4 - Pedals for Progress
May 21 - District Assembly, Pines Manor, Edison

This Week in Rotary

Reminder - District Governor Julie Ann Juliano will be speaking to our club this Thursday. Let's have a great turnout!

Rotary International has launched a new website. Same address - www.rotary.org. Take a look!









And finally, a reminder that Taste of the Towns is almost here. Have you sold your tickets? Have you recruited your favorite restaurant to participate? November 5, at the Gran Centurions in Clark. See Vince for more tickets or more information.

Catching Up!

Yikes! It's been a while since the blog has been updated. Sorry 'bout that!

First order of business...a couple of important dates to note.

On October 18, District Governor Julie Ann Juliano will be visiting our club. Let's have a great turnout!

The Vocational Assembly will be held on October 8 in Atlantic City.

And on November 5, Taste of the Towns!
Place: The Gran Centurions, 440 Madison Ave., Clark.
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $25.00 in advance, $30.00 at the door.

Here is a video from last year's event. See what fun?? We need everyone's help to secure food vendors and sell tickets. Do Your Part!!

(Please note - this is a QuickTime video. If you do not see the video in the box, click here to view it.)




Last but not least, it's been so long since we've updated this blog that our Golf Tournament has come and gone in that time.

Mother Nature was much more cooperative on August 13, providing us with a beautiful day to hit the ball - and hit it again, and again, and again. Thanks everyone, for your help and support.

Click here for some pictures from the Golf Tournament.

Welcome, Visitor

At this morning's meeting we welcomed a visitor from the Rotary Club of Houma, LA - Bubba Watkins. Bubba told us some stories of the Katrina cleanup, and how the local Rotary Clubs and District 6200 have been working to help.

Don't forget to turn in a make-up card to Secretary Lou if you attend a meeting elsewhere. It helps our attendance ranking in the District!

Our R.I. President for 2007-08

Wilfrid J. Wilkinson
Trenton, Ontario, Canada
President, Rotary International, 2007-08

Chair, 2005 Chicago Convention Committee
Trustee, The Rotary Foundation, 1997-01 and 2002-04
Vice President, Rotary International, 1993-94
Director, Rotary International, 1992-94
District Governor, 1971-72

Wilfrid J. Wilkinson, a retired chartered accountant, was a founding partner of Wilkinson & Company, a public accounting firm. He is a past president of the Public Accountants Council for the Province of Ontario and a past treasurer of both the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Quebec and the Royal Canadian Military Institute and was elected a fellow of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Since retiring, Wilkinson has served as the part-time executive director of the Quinte Ballet School of Canada. He is also a member of the board of directors of Morris Industries Ltd., a company that manufactures advanced air seedings and tillage systems. He has also been chairman of the Trenton Memorial Hospital fundraising committee, a founding chairman of the Belleville Cheshire Home for Physically Handicapped Adults, chairman of the Board for Loyalist College, and president of the district council of the Boy Scouts of Canada.

A Rotarian since 1962, Wilkinson is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Trenton, Ontario. He has served Rotary International as vice president, director, Rotary Foundation trustee, and district governor. He has also been an International Assembly discussion leader and member and chair of several committees, including the 2005 Chicago Convention Committee.

As a member of the International PolioPlus Committee, Wilkinson has been dedicated to the global effort to eradicate polio. He participated in National Immunization Days in Kenya, Tanzania, and India, and also administered polio drops to children of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. He has served as a Health, Hunger and Humanity Grants program volunteer to India. In addition, Wilkinson has had Rotary assignments in South Africa, Namibia, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and many regions throughout the United States and Canada.

Wilkinson has been recognized for his humanitarian service by the Knights of Columbus, the province of Ontario, and the Canadian government. In 2001, he was honored by Pope John Paul II with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal. He is also the recipient of numerous Rotary honors, including RI’s Service Above Self Award and the Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Award, and International Service Award for a Polio-Free World.

Wilkinson has been married to Joan since 1953, and they have four sons and eight grandchildren.

GOLF TOURNAMENT CANCELLED - RESCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 13

Due to the weather, today's Golf Tournament has been cancelled and rescheduled for Monday, August 13. Please contact Bruce Bergen (908) 276-8855 (email: bhb@ksbblaw.com) or Bob Loder (908) 451-2988 (email: bloder@yahoo.com) if you have any questions.

Golf Tournament is Still ON...

...but check back here often for updates.

And just WHO was in charge of the weather this year???

Kathy Willis Receives Paul Harris Award

Kathy Willis is this year's recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow award, presented by the Rotary Club to an individual who embodies Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self". Kathy is the Executive Director of Cranford Family Care, and has been a member of the Cranford Rotary Club since 2001.

Kathy is shown here receiving the award from President Joe at last week's meeting.

Congratulations, Kathy!

Happy New ROTARY Year!

July 1 marks the beginning of a new Rotary year!

Best wishes for a successful year to 2007-2008 RI President Wilfred J. Wilkinson, District 7510 Governor Julie Ann Juliano and our President Joe Carney.

And note our President's Theme for the coming year - "Rotary Shares".

Joe Carney Installed As 2007-08 President

Joe Carney was installed as the Cranford Rotary Club's President for 2007-2008 at the Garlic Rose Bistro on June 28.

Pictured from left to right are outgoing President Vince, Assistant District Governor Beverly Howard from the Plainfield/North Plainfield Rotary Club, and incoming President Joe.

More pictures from the dinner can be found here.

Rotary Is International

A reminder of the international aspect of Rotary.

Flanking President Vince at a recent meeting are two fellow Rotarians joining us for a make-up. Pictured on the left is Gordon R. Harris from Lloyd Minster, Alberta, Canada, and on the right, Christian Malmquist from Croissy-sur-Seine, France.

If you are traveling this summer, don't hesitate to drop in at a local Rotary Club meeting. Not only will you get to experience another club's fellowship, but maybe you'll learn about a new service project or fundraiser that can be brought back to Cranford. Plus, it's a great way to learn about local restaurants and other sights that you might not get from a guidebook!

Celebrating Education

The Rotary Club recognized its 2007 scholarship winners and Teacher-of-the-Year recipient at last week's meeting.

The Vincent Sarnowski Teacher-of-the-Year award was presented to Kathleen M. White, a physical education teacher at Cranford HS. Kathleen was recognized for her long history of service both in and out of the schools.

Shown here from left to right: Rotary Club President Vincent Spada, scholarship recipients Amanda Jenkins, Sarah Bender, Marie-Nicole Carbonell, Rebecca Dooley, Elizabeth Johnstone, Teacher of the Year Kathleen White, Club President-Elect Joe Carney and Cranford Superintendent of Schools and Rotarian Lawrence Feinsod.

District Conference Wrap-Up

Last month, we shipped President Vince off to Baltimore with his family to attend our District Conference. Vince has provided us with a collection of photos from the weekend, which you can view by clicking here.

District 7510's website also has their own recap page of the weekend, with more photos and a rundown of the business issues and awards that were presented at the Conference. District Governor Michael Hart's address is also included.

We hope you will take a few minutes and look and see what has been going on with other clubs in our District. Perhaps you might get an idea for a project that our club could undertake, as you read what others have done from our Central NJ district. The District's Conference Recap can be found by clicking here.

Golf Tournament Beneficiary Announced

The Cranford Fund for Educational Excellence (CFEE) has been named the primary beneficiary of this year's Golf Tournament.

The Cranford Fund for Educational Excellence is a non-profit community-based philanthropic foundation which raises funds to be awarded as grants for projects proposed by the school community. They seek to encourage innovative academic programs and add to the vitality of the Cranford Public Schools. Grants are typically in the areas of literature, social studies, history, writing, reading, world language and math and they are made possible through the generous contributions by the Cranford community.

Proceeds from the tournament will also benefit the Cranford Rotary Scholarships, which are distributed through the Cranford Rotary Charitable Fund. The Rotary Club gives approximately $15,000 in scholarships each year to Cranford seniors.

The golf tournament will be held on Monday, July 23, at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield. For more information contact Bruce Bergen, 908.276.8855.

Meeting Reminders

Just a reminder that the Inter-City meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 4, has been postponed. Therefore, we will meet at our normal time this Thursday morning.

We can also report that our bowling team remains in first place after Monday night's contest, with congrats to Bud Taylor who rolled a 213 game and Dave Del Vecchio who added his own 187 game. Nice work!

Humanity in Motion

Rotary International’s global public image campaign, Humanity in Motion, shares Rotary’s ideals and increases awareness of its humanitarian programs. In particular, Humanity in Motion spotlights Rotary’s crucial role in the global drive to eradicate polio and its educational programs that help to build world understanding and peace.

Rotary is Humanity in Motion.

Click here to see Rotary International's videos.

Tomorrow's Meeting Cancelled!!

Tomorrow's meeting (February 15) is cancelled due to the inclement weather.

See you next week!

Golf Tournament Kicks Off

Rotary Club President Vince Spada (l.) accepts a check from Gene Matics, Branch Manager of Sovereign Bank, representing the bank's contribution as Tournament Sponsor for the 17th Annual Golf Tournament.

The golf tournament will be held Monday, July 23, at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield. For more information contact Bruce Bergen, 908.276.8855.

What is Rotary?

The new year begins for Rotary with a month-long effort to raise awareness of our efforts throughout the world. Here is a brief description of who we are, and what we do.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds.

The main objective of Rotary is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.

Although Rotary clubs develop autonomous service programs, all Rotarians worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication of polio. In the 1980s, Rotarians raised US$240 million to immunize the children of the world; by 2005, Rotary's centenary year and the target date for the certification of a polio-free world, the PolioPlus program will have contributed US$500 million to this cause. In addition, Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist at national immunization days in polio-endemic countries around the world.

The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a not-for-profit corporation that promotes world understanding through international humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and others who share its vision of a better world. Since 1947, the Foundation has awarded more than US$1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts.

- Courtesy, www.Rotary.org

Sovereign Bank is Primary Golf Tournament Sponsor

The Cranford Rotary Club is pleased to announce that Sovereign Bank will be the Primary Tournament Sponsor of this year's Annual Golf Tournament.

Now in its 17th year, this event is the major fundraiser for the Cranford Rotary Charitable Fund. The profits enable the club to provide over $12,000 in scholarships annually to Cranford seniors, and also provide support to local organizations.

This year's tournament is presently scheduled to be held on Monday, July 23, at the Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, NJ. Check back here for updates, or contact Bruce Bergen for more information.

Four New Members Inducted

The Rotary Club of Cranford recently inducted four new members.

Rotary Club President Vincent Spada (center) is flanked from left to right by: Nick Giuditta, Rick Leibowitz, Al Fischer and Rich Brightman.

The Cranford Rotary Club will celebrate its 84th Anniversary next month. As part of the worldwide network of over 1.2 million Rotarians, the club's members strive to uphold the Rotary motto, "Service Above Self."

Local residents or businesspersons interested in learning more about the Rotary Club can email President Vince here.

Cranford Rotary is ONLINE!

Happy New Year!

And with the New Year comes a New Weblog!

The Rotary Club of Cranford is proud to introduce its new web presence with this blog. We hope you will visit here often and keep abreast of our activities in and around Cranford.

You can find us here at www.cranfordrotary.org.

Hope to see you soon!