Carol Fisher-Linn
Rotary International; 1.4 million committed people in 46,000 clubs across the globe doing good things
Ellicottville’s Chapter of Rotary International has been in a rebuilding phase for over a year and a half. We now number 23 members with several new members preparing to come on board soon (this is a growth of almost 200%, per President, John Weismantel). This is one of the largest groups of members our local Rotary has had since its inception twenty-five years ago. We are on a Rotary Roll with a diverse membership of ages and occupations from young members like Rachele Dove and newcomer Christina Anderson to gray hairs like me.
We have operated in this community with a low profile for all the years the Ellicottville chapter has been organized. Although we generally don’t “toot our own horn,” (and we will continue to quietly do our community and international work without a lot of hoopla), this silver anniversary and rebirth gives us something to shout about.
We contribute to causes far beyond our borders as part of our international obligations. As a club, we generally give $1000 annually to the International Rotary Foundation which joins ranks with other world partners for better water sanitation and hygiene, supporting education, promoting environmental issues, safer, healthier motherhood and childhood, and yes, the old favorite of all Miss America contestants, world peace. Further, we separately send another $500 annually for polio eradication worldwide. With the help of Rotary International, today, polio remains prevalent only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. (We’ve done it for 35 years reducing polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979!). If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year. This is a big deal, folks.
Although we can be seen selling hot dogs at local events, parking cars, or selling tickets at the Taste of Ellicottville with our team of volunteers, our presence is very visible and impactful every June when scholarships are rewarded to several deserving ECS and BOCES students. This year, we will be awarding 4, $1000 scholarships, 2 of which are available because of the generosity of an anonymous donor. Rotary LOVES all donors, anonymous or known. Read on and you will learn how you, too, can support Ellicottville Rotary.
Ellicottville Rotary historically has been a big financial supporter of the Ellicottville library and ECS students. We have expended a huge effort, financially and with volunteer hours, to aid the Ellicottville Food Pantry and to assist the Great Valley Pantry to get up and running and provided a safe environment in collaboration with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for Halloween trick or treating for the past few years. This year, our goal is to do all we can to help the establishment and growth of the Ellicottville All-Inclusive Playground by buying specially designed swings. Our efforts will be ongoing as the project develops.
The Rotary Club of Ellicottville was recognized as one of the top three contributors for the New Car Dealers of WNY Skate Park this past summer. This past month we participated in the Earth Day Village Clean Up, and Ellicottville Rotary works closely with Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce, The America Legion, the Olean Rotary, Alzheimer’s Association and provides help for any families in need.
Internationally, our Rotary has worked with the Rotary in Warsaw, Poland and, through Aneen Barrara, with the Rotary in Nicaragua. Plans are in the works for another overseas outreach to the Central American country of Belize, through the efforts of members, Anne and Dave Rothrock.
Always working to bring exciting fun events which can serve as our major fundraisers, please mark your calendars for Saturday, September 28, when the Rotary of Ellicottville will be holding a Chili Cook-off and raffle fundraiser (in-person basket raffle and, prior to the event, an on-line auction) at upstairs Madigan’s from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Cooks have almost five months to perfect their recipes and can enter to be a contestant for $25 at evlrotaryclub@gmail.com. Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place – judging to take place live at the event.
If you wish to donate to the Rotary, you may do it by sending a check to Ellicottville Rotary Club, c/o P.O. Box 56, Ellicottville, NY 14731, or simply use the QR Code to send a donation directly to our fund through the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, perhaps as a Mother’s Day donation honoring the contribution that the women in your lives have made. Not QR Code savvy? You can pay securely with a credit card at cattfoundation.fcsuite.com/erp/donate then “Donate to a Fund,” Rotary Club of Ellicottville Fund. Interested in joining the Rotary? We meet every first and third Thursday at either St. Paul’s Lutheran Church or the Ellicottville Community Center by the Arboretum, at 6pm. Feel free to attend and see what we are all about. For more information, please contact any member, or Rotary President, John Weismantel at 716-228-7288.