Hannah Kristensen, our exchange student headed to Japan, attended our meeting tonight.  She will be staying in Kanazawa and leaves here August 20th to begin her adventure abroad.  Her host families are all set up and there will be another exchange student from District 7120 going to a nearby location.  She is excited to begin her 10 month trip where she will attend school and need to learn as much Japanese as possible.  We are all looking forward to hear how her journey goes.

 

Louis DiPrima is a new father with the birth of his and Christy's daughter Angelina.  No sleep for the first few weeks but all else going well!

 

The planning committee for the Reverse Drawdown Dinner has now scheduled the new date at Ridgemont Country Club to Thurs, May 30th, which still gives us 5 weeks to sell tickets. The price remains $100 for the draw and the same $40 for an improved carved Prime Rib, Chicken French and Pasta buffet dinner with coffee and dessert in an elegant setting.

 

Rocco Leone is the new President of Camp Haccamo.   He has been visiting clubs all over the area to promote Haccamo.  There is a Spring Benefit Concert that Webster Rotary is sponsoring on May 11, 2019 at the Webster Schroeder High School.  The main focus and the principal reason for the concert is to provide support to a young Ukranian student who attends the Eastman School of Music on a scholarship.  Unfortunately the scholarship does not cover his living expenses and in order to continue his studies there, he needs some financial help.  There is also a "Raise the Glass" fundraiser for Haccamo on May 4 & 5th at RIT Conference Center.  See Rocco for more info.

 

 

Rich Stewart, President of Honor Flight Rochester was our speaker.  Mission 65 is being planned for May 4th weekend where 52 vets will be treated to a weekend in Washington DC.  So far, over 3100 veterans have gone on an Honor Flight from Rochester.  This is the local chapter's 11th season starting in 2008 which includes veterans from 9 surrounding counties.  Initially the group expected to go on 3 or 4 missions but "Angels" have continued to provide the funding to keep it going.  Each mission costs $30,000.  For the first flight, they were short $11,000 when a mysterious women in a black dress became the first "Angel" and anonymously donated all the money needed.  Most funding now comes from small donations and from an annual Golf Tourney at Lakeshore CC.  The younger generation is now helping the older generation get the welcome home many never received.  Our club is glad to be one of Honor Flight's earliest and continued supporters.

No time for contributions this week as the meeting ran late and the natives were restless...  we'll make up for it next week!