July 20, 2012 Briar Crier

BRIARCRIER

July 20, Friday Noon, The Briar's Rest.,  N. State Road, Briarcliff Manor NY Rotary Club

TODAY IN HISTORY

1917: the draft lottery in World War 1 went into operation.

MEETING LEADER: President Kris Chittur

PLEDGE: Sy Yuter        PATRIOTIC SONG:   Sy Yuter       PRAYER: Dr. Bob Amsterdam

HAPPY THOUGHTS: Ken Reng said switching to Chappaqua Rotary since son in head of high school Rotaract. Dr. Bob Maher will soon be a grandfather.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Ken Reng awarded honor of Paul Harris Fellow. Granted by our speaker, Helen Reisler. Our club is losing several members so we should all try to bring in new members.

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT: Helen Reisler, past District Governor, on Rotary Rewards

SUMMARY OF TALK

Helen Reisler was the first woman to become a member of the Rotary Club of New York. She was assigned to the environmental committee. Fairly soon she experienced immense satisfaction, joy and new friends as a Rotarian. Paul Harris said that Rotary allows every one to do extraordinary things.  She was appointed, and still is, the International Rotary designate to the United Nations.

Helen Reisler is often described as “a woman of firsts.” She was the first woman member of  The Rotary Club of New York in 1988, the first woman president of her club in 92 years, and the first president to face the challenge of an unprecedented terror attack on her own city in 2001. She raised 1.4 million to aid the needy, while guiding her club members  in “hands on” disaster relief efforts. She has traveled, by request, to numerous Rotary districts to speak about this experience, is highlighted in a book, “Heroes of “9/11,” and has been honored with a painting of her image on “The 100 Years of Rotary” wall in Hartsdale, New York.

As District Governor during 2005-2006, being true to her mantra of “Blow Your Own Horn,” Helen encouraged and taught clubs how to publicize their community projects, which resulted in an unprecedented amount of newspaper coverage. She delights in publicizing interesting Rotarians and has had them on several television shows including “The Today Show, “A Good Cause,” and “The Lisa Show.” She is a consultant to “Radio Rotary,” has contributed to, and been interviewed by The Rotarian Magazine and was RI President Lacys media liaison in New York.

Helen has been appointed by five successive RI presidents, to represent Rotary International at the United Nations. She has coordinated the Youth program, including Interacters and Rotaracters, on “Rotary/UN Day,” for the last four years, where she doubled the audience, and one year introduced “hip-hop” and “rock music” to the program.

She serves as a trustee of both the New York Rotary Foundation, her District 7230 Foundation and is Chair of her club’s Past Presidents’ Council. She is a nine time Paul Harris Fellow and Vice President of Membership of the Rotary Global History Fellowship.

Helen has produced seven videos to publicize her club and district, all of which have played on cable TV. She initiated the Gift of Life program in the New York Rotary Club and secured a $75,000 grant. Her “Gift of Life One Child’s Story” was chosen for prime time TV.

During the “Haiti Disaster,” Helen coordinated volunteers, reported daily “from the field” to the External Relations Department of Rotary International, and attracted newspaper coverage. She interviewed on radio where she requested supplies, recruited volunteers, and publicized Rotary.

Helen‘s background includes education, media, and the advertising/publishing business, where she held numerous positions and “broke the glass ceiling” She was a Vice President of the International Sales & Marketing Executives and a founder of the “Sales Hall of Fame” She is highlighted in multiple Marquis “Who’s Who” books, and has received numerous awards. She is presently a consultant in Public Relations & Publicity, specializing in speechwriting, image psychology, and event planning.

She has three children, and six grandchildren Her husband, Mel, an attorney, and Paul Harris fellow, passed away after the year of her presidency in 2002.

Friday meeting at The Briar's: India's Political System by Kris Chittur

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter

July 13, 2012 Briar Crier

BRIARCRIER

Friday, July 13, 2012, 12:15 at The Briar's Restaurant, Briarcliff Manor NY Rotary Club

TODAY IN HISTORY

1951 – The novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger was published.

MEETING LEADER  – President Kris Chittur

PLEDGE -  Sy Yuter  PATRIOTIC SONG – Sy Yuter  INVOCATION –  Dean Dykeman

HAPPY THOUGHTS – Sy, We have a resident owl.  Dean is happy his daughter is close and it is Friday.

GUESTS – Christina, niece of Etrusca; Visiting Rotarian Tom Laurenson; and Rick Danzker visiting  from the Atria Assisted Living facility in Briarcliff.

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Friday July 13 is Family Fun Night in Briarcliff with the Rec Dept

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT – Justin Quaranta – Reducing Substance Abuse.  He is a Rotarian from Ronkonkoma, NY

Summary of Talk

It is the mission of the Simple Hope Foundation to seek out and support effective means of combating substance abuse, driving related injury and death.  They seek to help with new and innovative means of counteracting alcohol and drug addictions.  People who are drunk should be demonized.  The social stigma is the biggest motivator.  A beer is the same as a martini.  Be social but watch your habits to stay alive.  Designated drivers who drink only soda is one of the best solutions. This foundation speaks to many Rotary Clubs as well as schools and tries to get their message out about safe driving.

This Friday – Rewards as a Rotarian – Helen Reisler, Past District Governor

HELEN REISLER

RI Alt Representative to the United Nations

PDG 7230 2005-2006

“9/11” PP Rotary Club New York 2001-2002

Helen Reisler is often described as “a woman of firsts.” She was the first woman member of  The Rotary Club of New York in 1988, the first woman president of her club in 92 years, and the first president to face the challenge of an unprecedented terror attack on her own city in 2001. She raised 1.4 million to aid the needy, while guiding her club members  in “hands on” disaster relief efforts. She has traveled, by request, to numerous Rotary districts to speak about this experience, is highlighted in a book, “Heroes of “9/11,” and has been honored with a painting of her image on “The 100 Years of Rotary” wall in Hartsdale, New York.

As District Governor during 2005-2006, being true to her mantra of “Blow Your Own Horn,” Helen encouraged and taught clubs how to publicize their community projects, which resulted in an unprecedented amount of newspaper coverage. She delights in publicizing interesting Rotarians and has had them on several television shows including “The Today Show, “A Good Cause,” and “The Lisa Show.” She is a consultant to “Radio Rotary,” has contributed to, and been interviewed by The Rotarian Magazine and was RI President Lacys media liaison in New York.

Helen has been appointed by five successive RI presidents, to represent Rotary International at the United Nations. She has coordinated the Youth program, including Interacters and Rotaracters, on “Rotary/UN Day,” for the last four years, where she doubled the audience, and one year introduced “hip-hop” and “rock music” to the program.

She serves as a trustee of both the New York Rotary Foundation, her District 7230 Foundation and is Chair of her club’s Past Presidents’ Council. She is a nine time Paul Harris Fellow and Vice President of Membership of the Rotary Global History Fellowship.

Helen has produced seven videos to publicize her club and district, all of which have played on cable TV. She initiated the Gift of Life program in the New York Rotary Club and secured a $75,000 grant. Her “Gift of Life One Child’s Story” was chosen for prime time TV.

During the “Haiti Disaster,” Helen coordinated volunteers, reported daily “from the field” to the External Relations Department of Rotary International, and attracted newspaper coverage. She interviewed on radio where she requested supplies, recruited volunteers, and publicized Rotary.

Helen‘s background includes education, media, and the advertising/publishing business, where she held numerous positions and “broke the glass ceiling” She was a Vice President of the International Sales & Marketing Executives and a founder of the “Sales Hall of Fame” She is highlighted in multiple Marquis “Who’s Who” books, and has received numerous awards. She is presently a consultant in Public Relations & Publicity, specializing in speechwriting, image psychology, and event planning.

She has three children, and six grandchildren Her husband, Mel, an attorney, and Paul Harris fellow, passed away after the year of her presidency in 2002.

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter

July 6, 2012 Briar Crier

BRIARCRIER

July 6, 2012, 12:15 at Briar's Restaurant, Briarcliff Manor NY Rotary Club

TODAY IN HISTORY

1942 – Anne Frank, her family and close friends entered a “secret annex” in Amsterdam.  They hid from Nazi occupiers for two years, then were betrayed and arrested.

MEETING LEADER – President Kris Chittur

PLEDGE -  Sy   PATRIOTIC SONG – Sy   INVOCATION –  Dean

HAPPY THOUGHTS – Elinor, thanks Dean for being a great president; Paul, for his kids; Ken, to be alive; Anne, just happy; Kris, to be president

ROTARY MINUTE  – Anne- best friend present in Scotland

GUESTS – Christina, niece of  Etrusca

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Friday July 13 is Family Fun Night in Briarcliff with the Rec Dept

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT – Vivian Hardison – membership development

Summary of Talk

Today’s speaker was dynamic.  She urged each of us to recruit one new member and to energize ourselves.  Her mission is to glue our members together.  She suggested to “ask yourself” what you can do for your club.  What ideas can we each propose?  Can we develop and pursue new goals? Chemistry is important for our members to work together.  Let’s try. 

This Friday -- Reducing Substance Abuse -- Justin Quaranta

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter

June 29, 2012 Briar Crier

BRIARCRIER

June 29, 2012, 12:15 at Briar's Restaurant, Briarcliff Manor NY Rotary Club

TODAY IN HISTORY

1956: Actress Marilyn Monroe married playwright Arthur Miller in a civil ceremony in White Plains, NY.  The marriage lasted 4 ½ years.  

Meeting Leader – President Dean Dykeman

PLEDGE -  Sy Yuter  PATRIOTIC SONG – Sy Yuter  INVOCATION –  Dean Dykeman

HAPPY THOUGHTS: Zen – best fishing ever, second grandson, Henry Solomon; Eric for his family fishing vacation in Virginia; Bob A – enjoys being here.

ROTARY MINUTE:  President-elect Kris Chittur – this year's international motto will be “Peace through Service”.

GUESTS – Eric Bradford of Briarcliff Manor and son of speakers

ANNOUNCEMENTS – None

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT – Mr. and Mrs. Balasubramaniam – Helping the Disabled

Summary of Talk

Our speakers, relatives of President-elect Kris Chittur, spoke to us about helping the disabled and have a well developed plan in India called G O D S, which means Groups of  Disabled Services.  In 1995 an India disabilities act was passed after learning a lot from the United States plan.  Mina, wife of the speaker, described their plan.  Autism in children is one problem they deal with.  Personal contact is essential to treatment.  As good as India is in rehabilitation, Pakistan is better.

This Friday's Talk: Vivian Hardison – Membership Development

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter