Temporary ( hopefully ) halt of upload

This blog was started by BM fellow Rotarian Frances Chu in 2009 and for the following 10 years this served a bulletin board for the club members and visitors to find out what was and what will be going on in our club.              However due to the circumstance beyond my control I am announcing temporary halt of upload.         The information on the mast head is still valid, those who are interested in learning more about BM Rotary Club meeting is encouraged to get in touch with the Briar for the latest information.                                                 K.S.

Installation this week

I hope your week is going great!

We had an exciting joint meeting last Friday with Ossining and Elmsford Rotary clubs. Our guest speaker, Amir Asadi, lit up the room with an uplifting and meaningful presentation, called Rotary Means Connections, and a journey in pictures. As always, Amir is very animated, delivering fresh insights in a very inspiring way.

This Friday is our Installation Meeting, where we welcome Rachel as our new President for the next year. I look forward and I’m excited to work with this wonderful woman, who lives and breathes the true spirit of Rotary. We will also honor Anne Cargill with a well-deserved Paul Harris award. She is bringing six of her family and friends to join with her in this momentous occasion. We also plan on recognizing and honoring another person in our club, hopefully a surprise for this longtime member.

Lunch will be enhanced with appetizers. Red and white wine, soda, tea and coffee and a nice dessert will be also be served. Mixed drinks and beer will be cash bar only. Rotarians’ lunch is FREE and any guest (spouse, child, friend) will cost $50 (cash or checks made out to Briarcliff Rotary).

I truly look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Mark J.
“For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning."

― T.S. Eliot

This Friday June 14, 2019

Hi Everyone,

I hope your week is going well.

Last Friday, Jim Lloyd gave an excellent talk and slide show about his re-enactment of Cal Rodgers’ flight across the United States in 1911. Jim built his own plane to resemble the lightweight Wright brothers EX aircraft. It took Jim two months to complete the flight, which took place in 1986. There was a lot of national TV coverage all along his trip.  A fascinating story!

This Friday is our joint meeting with the Elmsford and Ossining clubs. We need a good turnout from all of you, so we can give our guests a warm welcome. Our guest speaker will be the very exciting and entertaining Amir Asadi. He will surprise us with the topic of his talk tomorrow, but I assure you, we will not be disappointed! He is by far one of the most positive guys I know, and is also a fellow Rotarian from the Bronx Rotary.

On Friday, June 21^st we will have our annual installation meeting, at the Briars, with an upgraded lunch, appetizers, complete with wine and cold soft drinks. This will be a special time where we install Rachel as our new President for the next year. We will also honor two of our members with special awards for their years of good service. We do expect several guests to come and support our recipients and to welcome our incoming President. Please mark your calendars, and feel free to bring a guest. The cost for guests is $50 each.

Look forward seeing you tomorrow!

Mark J.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” 
― John Holmes

This Friday June 7, 2019

Hi Everyone,

Wow can you believe it…June is already here! Time to get ready for some vacation time!

Last week Marc Ferris was our guest speaker. I was away so I cannot share about his presentation. If you were not able to be present, you could ask Rachel or other members who were there, to learn about his talk.

This Friday we have a really interesting speaker, Jim Lloyd. Jim is a professor at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Albany. Prior to being a professor he was a Reliability Scientist for the Semiconductor industry for over 40 years. But that is not what he will be sharing with us. Here is what he will presenting:

In 1986, I re-enacted the first flight across the United States in an ultralight made to look like the original Wright EX that performed the feat 75 years earlier in 1911.  The flight took two months to complete.  I had many of the same problems Cal Rodgers, the original pilot did in 1911 and a few of my own.  Like 2.5 engine failures.  Sound bite was “I met a lot of bad weather and good people all across the country”.  I will be presenting a slide show and a lecture about the flight.

I meet Jim a few years ago and I promise you will be inspired by this very interesting man! Please come and help Jim feel welcomed. I am hoping he will be inspired enough to become our club member.

Mark J
“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” 
― Rumi

This Friday May 31, 2019

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

I hope each of you had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. As you know, we did not have regular meeting, but for those who came for lunch at the Briars I hope you enjoyed your time together.

This Friday our guest speaker is Marc Ferris. From reading the bio he sent, I am quite sure this presentation will be quite entertaining. Instead of trying to explain about Marc and what he has planned to share with us, I have copied and pasted this below:

This presentation, Star-Spangled Mystery, is wowing people with fascinating facts, riveting storytelling and virtuosic music performance.

There are several tie-ins to holidays and other important observances, including: Star-Spangled Banner Day I (Sept. 14); Columbus Day; Baseball Playoffs (October); Football Season; Veterans Day (Nov. 11); November-December Holidays; Martin Luther King Day/Black History Month; Presidents' Day; Star-Spangled Banner Day II (March 3); St. Patrick's Day; Easter/Passover; Memorial Day; Flag Day (June 14); July 4; Baseball Season.

Link to book: https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/title/star-spangled-banner

Below is a general description of the program. 

Written in 1814, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is the most controversial song in United States history and it continues to inflame passions to this day. In this presentation, author Marc Ferris relates the fascinating hidden history about our national anthem, punctuated by live musical renditions of the song’s original version along with other tunes considered for anthem status in this broad sweep of American music and political history. 

Marc Ferris, author of the acclaimed book Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America’s National Anthem, has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, CBS This Morning and many other major media outlets.
I’m hoping for a full house this Friday in support of Marc’s entertainment. Also this is a great chance to bring a friend. Rachel, our president elect, will be running the meeting. I am enjoying my time in beautiful Washington State. Just spent 4 days in the Cascade Mountains, surrounded by very tall pine trees and beautiful mountains and lakes. It is breath taking here. See you on June 7^th.

Mark J.
“After you are gone, people may forget most of what you have said and done. But they will remember that you loved them.” 
― Steve Goodier

This Friday May 17, 2019

Hi Everyone,

Something bright and illuminating is outside today, I think it’s called the sun….hmm! I think we all could get used to this!

Last Friday was our annual Mother’s Day event! It was as usual, a wonderful time together with 50 senior moms/ladies from our community. Mike Risko’s Band provided us all with great music, setting a joyous mood, which lead to endless conversations. The food and wine was delicious and thanks to Rachel we had a great tasting cake to enjoy. Also each mom/lady received a nice planted flower to take home.

This week our guest speaker is Dr. Ed Placke from Green Chimneys. Below is a short bio:

Green Chimneys Children’s Services, Inc. – Executive Director- Dr. Placke

Responsible for the leadership and management of the Agency that includes two schools, residential program, community services, horse barn, working barn, organic gardens, model forest, summer camps and outdoor education programs.  Over 500 staff are employed and over 1,500 children along with their families are served annually.  The Agency has the largest and most comprehensive nature-based programs in the State and beyond.

Please come, support and enjoy this special presentation.

Mark J.
“If people did not love one another, I really don't see what use there would be in having any spring.” 
― Victor Hugo

This Friday May 3rd. 2019

This past Friday our guest speaker became seriously ill and could not share at our meeting. We did have time for more personal discussion, which is always good for growing closer as a club.

This Friday our own Jeff Cadge will be our speaker, sharing about video production on the Web and about his experience in the business. I have watched a few of his productions and they are excellent. Jeff is very humble about his accomplishments, but after visiting his office, I could see that he has won numerous awards, which include several Telly Awards, that honor excellence in video and television. It’s a great time to bring a friend for lunch tomorrow.

I also just received an exciting email from Vakondja Katuuo, from Peoples Bank, saying that she wants to become our Rotary member, and will come join us tomorrow. Please let’s all show up to give her a warm welcome. I believe this is one of Scotts contacts.

Hope to see you there!

Mark J.

This Friday April 26, 2019

Hi Everyone,

Depending on your faith tradition, I hope you enjoyed the holidays. It’s a beautiful time of the year to enjoy both Easter, last Sunday and Passover that began last Friday at sundown and officially ends this Saturday at sunset.

“The Great American Jukebox” is the theme of this Fridays guest speakers, Ed Liss and Andrew Stein. Both are Rotarians from different clubs. They will include some exciting videos for us to watch, during their presentation.

Here are their bios:BIO: ED Liss

Ed Liss has been a music historian and a jukebox collector/restorer for 43 years. A New York City native, Ed was drawn to all types of music as a child and in his adult years he was able to associate with famous professional musicians who played with Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul McCartney, The New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Harry Connick, Jr., Nelson Riddle, and a host of others. He has restored 19 vintage jukeboxes dating from 1936 to 1979. Each machine plays the precise music of its era and is 100% authentic. Ed is a retired IT CEO who spent 46 years developing on-line systems using proprietary Artificial Intelligence software used by Fortune 100 companies. Ed has 2 MBA's from Baruch College. Ed is from the Sommers Rotary.

  

BIO: Andrew Stein

Andrew Stein has over 30 years of video production experience. He was a member of the New York Yankees scoreboard crew for 5 years, working side by side with Eddie Layton and Bob Shepard. Andrew was a cameraman and editor for CNN & NBC. 

Andrew's production company created many productions for local businesses such as GE, Con Edison, Texaco, The Jefferson Valley Mall and White Plains Galleria. Andrew is devoted to helping non profits and has created approximately 40 excellent informative videos for Rotary international, with Helen Reisler. As a member of the Peekskill Rotary Club, Andrew has worked to help promote local projects by creating video news releases and public service announcements. 

Being a musician, and an creative artistic filmmaker, the Great American Jukebox project has been a wonderful opportunity to bring smiles to the elderly, when a smile is hard to come by.    

This will be an different but exciting presentation, so please consider bring a guest with you.

Mark J. 
“Rule with the heart of a servant. Serve with the heart of a king.” 
― Bill Johnson

This Friday April 12,2019

Dear Fellow Rotarian Family,

I hope this week is bringing new and bright experiences to your life!

Last Friday our guest speaker was MaryAnn Ciambriello, the owner and operator of two Homecare Agencies, “Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care and Help at Home”. She shared with us some tips on how to aid and care for someone with dementia. She also explained the role of the care giver and how to work with the elderly. MaryAnn, a fellow Rotarian, has offered herself as a resource, someone to call to get help and information if needed. She is quite passionate about her work!

This Friday our speaker is Christian Philemon, the ED of the Youth Shelter of Westchester. For over 40 years, the Youth Shelter Program of Westchester, Inc., has been providing a home-like alternative to jail for young men awaiting disposition of various criminal charges. Over the years, the YSPW has helped hundreds of young men to address their educational and emotional needs and has helped to guide them on the difficult road to a better life.

Hope to see a full house this Friday. Remember next Friday, April 19^th, due to the holidays, we will not have a meeting or a lunch. Please enjoy your time with family and friends!

Mark J.
“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” 
― Maya Angelou

This Friday

   

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次の言語で無効にする: 英語

Hi Everyone,

I hope your week is going well!

Last Friday, Rachel shared a bit of her experience from PETS (President Elect Training Seminar).  Sounds like there were some great and inspiring talks given as well as a push to expand membership in Rotary. I hope we can all support Rachel and each other in the pursuit of this goal for our own club.

Tomorrows speaker is MaryAnn Ciambriello. MaryAnn is the owner and operator of two Homecare Agencies, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care and Help at Home. MaryAnn is a compassionate RN with over 30 years’ experience in the health care industry. She is known for her passion and commitment to providing 5-Star Quality Home Care.

Here is what she said she will sharing with us:

Dementia tips for caregivers

-Cost of Homecare vs Assisted Living vs Nursing Home

-Role of the care manager in working with the elderly 

-Choosing the right elder care attorney

-Assisted Living Placement Services... when You want to place your loved one in an Assisted living facility. The do’s and Don’t’s.

Hope to see everyone there tomorrow. Guests are always welcomed. 

Mark J.

Did I offer peace today? did I bring a smile to someone’s face? did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come. 

- Henri Nouwen

This Friday Mar. 29, 2019

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

Today is a great day….Opening Day for the New York Yankees!! Yes Spring has now "truly arrived", right at the moment of the first pitch. There is hope in our world after all. J

Last Friday was great! We had two local women, Padma and Jenny, sharing about their grassroots efforts to get everyone in Briarcliff Manor to no longer use plastic bags for grocery’s' but to carry reusable bags when shopping. The name of their grassroots organization is called “Briarcliff Sustainability Committee.” They are encouraging residents to sign a petition that will hopefully help change the ordinance, requiring all shops to not use plastic bags. They were very well spoken and very convincing. Those of us there were given reusable clothe bags.

Tomorrow, are wonderful President Elect, Rachel, will be are main speaker, sharing about her recent experience at PETS.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone there tomorrow!

Mark J.

“My motto was always to keep swinging.
Whether I was in a slump
or feeling badly or having trouble off the field,
the only thing to do was keep swinging.”-Hank Aaron 

This Friday March 22, 2019

Hope your week is going well and your celebrating Springs arrival!

Last week we recognized and gave away grant checks to a few organizations that our board voted on to support. We were able to hear a few words from each recipient representing their organization.

This Friday our guest speaker will be Padma Sridhar, from the Briarcliff Substantiality Committee. Here is a brief introduction to her group: “The Briarcliff Sustainability Committee is a grassroots organization that was started by a group of residents who feel passionately that there is an urgent need for river towns like Briarcliff to focus on environmental and sustainability issues in order to protect our gorgeous parks, hiking and biking trails, and of course, the river. Our first project takes on the challenge caused by single-use plastic bags, less than 1% of which get recycled. We believe that the best way to address this problem is with a Reusable Bag Initiative, which has been shown to work in a large number of towns, cities and countries around the world. Reusable Bag Initiatives have also been implemented in a number of our neighboring towns and counties, and have been shown to effectively reduce the use of single-use plastic bags.”
Hope to see everyone tomorrow!

Mark J.
“We need the tonic of wildness...At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.” 
― Henry David Thoreau

 

Hello from Korea

Hi Everyone,

A big hello from Korea which is known as “The Land of The Morning Calm”. I look forward when I return, to share about my experience at The Global Peace Convention and OneKorea Campaign, it’s been quite exciting so far.

I hope a few of you were able to get together over lunch last Friday at the Briars! For those who went away, I hope your vacation was joyful and relaxing.

This Friday will be our monthly general meeting with Rachel leading the meeting. If you have something that you would like to bring up at the meeting, please if possible, let Rachel know ahead of time.

Mark J

“I am for true world peace and building a beautiful global garden for our children.” 
― Suzy Kassem

This Friday

Last week our speaker was Steve Bender, who works at the Westchester  County District Attorney's Office in the role of a prosecutor and presently is the head of the Appeals and Special Litigation Division. He shared some interesting history and information on the world of District Attorneys’ offices and the important role they play in our communities.

A reminder that this Friday there will be no official meeting at the Briars. You are welcome to come for lunch in the front room of the restaurant. Bobby reminded us last Friday that our budget allows for a total of $15 per person for lunch, which includes tips and tax.

I will be away at a Global Peace Convention/Conference in Seoul Korea until March 3^rd. Rachel will run the show in my absence with her great leadership skills and heart.

Please keep Anne Cargill in your thoughts and prayers as she bravely goes through her Chemo and Radiation treatments. We love and miss you Anne.

Mark J.
“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” 
― John Lennon

This Friday Feb. 15, 2019

We had another lively and meaningful meeting last Friday! Our guest speakers Juliana and Fiona, both directors of development, shared about ANDRUS, its history and as well as it many important services to help young folks with special situations and needs. I was moved to tears coming to understand how challenging life can be for some and how lucky we are to have some level of normalcy in our lives.

Tomorrow Feb. 15^th our guest speaker, thanks to Richard, is Steve Bender, and here is what he plans to talk about:  “I plan to talk about what the Westchester  County District Attorney's Office does, the role of a prosecutor and the challenges they face, and my present role.  I have been a prosecutor at the office for over 30 years, having acted in many different positions; presently I am head of the Appeals and Special Litigation Division.”
The weather looks great tomorrow and a good time to get out of the office or home for a good meeting together. I hope all of you can come.

Mark J
“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” 
― Maya Angelou

This Friday Feb 8, 2019

Hi Everyone,

The good news….Spring is only 41 days from now and we did get to enjoy a bit of what is to come, this past week!

Last Friday was a general meeting, just for our club members. As always, there was some good conversation amongst us all. We also welcomed Jeff Cadge, who is the newest member to join our club. Already Jeff has shared some good ideas on how to promote Rotary and has volunteered to use his expertise to help accomplish that. Welcome Jeff!

This week our guest speakers are Juliana Fondacaro and Fiona Wilkes, both from ANDRUS which is a school similar to St. Christopher’s but for younger children with special needs and challanges. Below I have included Bios for both speakers.
Fiona Wilkes, Director of Development

·         Has spent the last 4 years of her career in the nonprofit sector. Formerly worked at Cardinal McCloskey 

·         Passionate about helping those who cannot advocate for themselves and are faced with difficulties beyond their control

·         Lives in Greenwich 

·         MBA from Washington State University

Juliana Fondacaro, Assistant Director of Development

·         Previously worked at St. Christopher’s and joined ANDRUS in September

·         Believes that not only youth, but their families too deserve the chance to live their best lives and is passionate about the work that ANDRUS does to support this.

·         Lives in Dobbs Ferry

·         On personal time, she is a Leadership Westchester Ambassador and supports youth hockey in Rockland and Westchester

Looking forward to seeing all of you tomorrow!

Mark J.

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? There are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.”
- Henri Nouwen

This Friday Feb. 1, 2019

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

I hope you are staying warm in this frigid weather! I find it stimulating, but grateful we have warm homes and cars to keep us above it all.

Last week Bill Fishman, a long time Rotarian from the White Plains Rotary Club and also the head of Rotary Means Business, came as our guest speaker. His talk was excellent and reminded us that Rotary is a great place to network with other professionals in your club and beyond. He holds monthly meeting at his law office in White Plains, that is directly focused on business networking. You can also bring a friend to any of these meetings, which could be a way to bring others into Rotary.

Tomorrow we will hold our monthly general meeting. I would like to open this meeting up to discuss what you like about Rotary and our club, as well as suggestions for improvements. There is always room for making things better, but to do so, we need everyone’s authentic and constructive voice to be heard.

Hope to see you all tomorrow. It will be cold outside, but it’s just a few steps from you home to your car and your car to inside the Briars and I promise, your hearts will be warmed and you belly’s full and satisfied!

Mark J.“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” 
― Brene Brown

This Friday Jan25, 2019

Here’s hoping your week is going well. It’s rather hard to know what to wear these days, long underwear or shorts!!

Last week was unique and exciting. We had three wonderful young High School ladies who came sharing about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, sharing about their competitive efforts to raise at least $20,000 for research and to hopefully become Students of The Year of this this organization, through their efforts. Their ability to speak and share publicly was amazing, they did a great job. Two of the girls parents came to support their daughters and were quite moved by our Rotary Club. Jeff Cadge, the father of one of the girls, came up to me after the meeting asking if he could join our club. He called me today saying his check is ready and application is filled out and is hoping to be excepted into our club. I will bring it up at tomorrow’s meeting and we will check to see if anyone has any objections for Jeff to join us. If all are in agreement, Jeff will join us at our Feb. 1^st meeting.

This Friday we are still working on finding a guest speaker. The person who planned to speak had something come up last moment so we had to change our plan. If I hear more soon, I will let you know. If you know of someone, or if you want to share about something yourself, let me know.

Hope to see all of you tomorrow.

Mark J.

Here is beautiful poem, by Mary Oliver who just passed away a few days ago. She was an American Poet who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 as well as the National Book Award.
Wild Geese
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

This Friday

Hi Everyone,

This past Friday, Sean Pica, the head of Hudson Link, an education program in NY prisons, gave a deeply moving presentation. Sean spent 16 years in New York prisons for a serious mistake he made as a teenager. Once in prison, he learned that many inmates did not know how to read or write and was asked to read books and read and write letters for many. To make a long story short, Sean was able to eventually get a college degree and once released earned a master’s degree. Sean has made it his mission to make sure that others would get the same opportunity as he had and, through private funding for this program, many hundreds have been able to get degrees themselves. From those who have earned a degree and left the prison system only 1% have returned compared to a 67% return rate that did not earn a degree. What a remarkable man Sean is!

This Friday we have three young ladies coming to share about the 2019 Student of the Year campaign for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the great work they do to find a cure for blood cancers.
I have included the full bio of each, so you understand how special our young speakers are:

Shannon Hoffman is a junior at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle. Shannon has been at Ursuline for six years now and is involved in many activities. She has been on the Ursuline Track and Field team for six seasons and competes in the long and triple jump events. She is also part of the Peer Ministry program at Ursuline where she helps underclassmen grow spiritually. Shannon was a part of the National Junior Honor Society and was recently inducted into the National Honor Society. Shannon is very passionate about fundraising as it’s a big part of her life. Her father does fundraising for a living and it has always interested and inspired her. She hopes to raise a lot of money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society especially because she was so touched by the honored hero’s story about his fight against Leukemia.

Kristen Cadge is also a junior at the Ursuline School. Kristen went to Saint Augustine School in Ossining from Kindergarten to 8th grade and is now also part of the National Honor Society and Peer Ministry at Ursuline. Kristen is part of many clubs, and one of her favorites is Warm Hands Warm Hearts where students cook meals for the Soup Kitchen. Kristen also helps out at Midnight Run where she prepares sandwiches that are brought into the city for the homeless. Along with clubs at school, Kristen has been volunteering at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville over the past two summers each week, and has been part of the Girl Scouts since Kindergarten. Kristen is very excited to be a part of this amazing cause to raise money for LLS, and is very determined to not only raise money, but to support the fight against cancer.

Like Kristen, Tori has also attended St. Augustine’s from kindergarten to eighth grade. Tori is now a junior at the Ursuline school in New Rochelle. At Ursuline, Tori has discovered her passion for medicine and for a future as a possible physician. To pursue this dream of hers, she has volunteered at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, stayed on the UCLA campus for a Future Doctors of American event, and started Ursuline’s very first medical club. When Tori heard about the fundraising competition for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society not only was she interested in the medical aspect of raising money for cancer research, but also the fact that this competition supports such an amazing cause that is so dear to so many people that she loves.

I hope to see each of you there and, as always, please bring a new guest!

Mark J.