June 22, 2012 Briar Crier

BRIARCRIER

June 22, 2012 Friday noon, Briar’s Restaurant. Briarcliff Manor Rotary Club

TODAY IN HISTORY

1611 – English Explorer, Henry Hudson, his son and others were set adrift in present day Hudson Bay, Canada by mutineers.  Their fate remains unknown.

MEETING LEADER – President Dean Dykeman

PLEDGE – Sy Yuter            PATRIOTIC SONG – Sy Yuter            Prayer – Bishop John

HAPPY THOUGHTS AND BUCKS– Ken Shimazu – took scuba diving lesson; Mark Seiden – on time for meeting; Bob A for sun rise solar system; Rachel for her 50^th birthday trip with twin sister; Sy - the difference between 49 and 50 is only one second.

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Please sign up for two or more committees for next year.  Hang up Rotary Flag on Friday at the Briar’s.

GUESTS – Tom Laurenson – visiting Rotarian

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT – Andrew Speiser – Haiti Project

SUMMARY OF TALK

DOXA is a Christian organization that glorifies God and is building a school building in San Ped, Haiti.  The remote village of San Ped has been deforested to make charcoal for cooking and coconuts to eat.  Andrew Speiser is a volunteer who is helping to build a school where there are currently no roads and houses that barely protect people from the elements, with no water except from springs under ground.  They have to walk a long way to get this water.  People carry water cans on their heads for miles.  Many people have low morals in this rural area, he is told.  The water is used for drinking, bathing and cooking.  They speak Creole, French and a little English. A usual question is “What can you do for me” instead of “What can I do for myself."  Andrew discussed the differences in the US where we are expected to work and not look for handouts from others.  The school building was put on hold for a time due to the heavy rainy season but is expected to be finished by the end of the year, and DOXA has had some help from local people from San Ped.

This Friday: Helping the Disabled -- Mr. and Mrs. Balusubramanian

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter

Rotary cooks up for the Braricliff School End of the Year Party

Two presidents giving away cotton candies

Another former president Houseman Mark and Emergency Rachel with popcorn

June 15, 2012 Installation of new officers

In coming New President 2012-13   Krish Chittur

Installation fixture Paul Rosen with his jokes!

Presenting himself 31 years of perfect attendance

More perfect attendance

Briarcliff Rotary Club Man of the Year Award Presented to Eric Lebenson presented by Dean

                
New "Past President"  Dean Dykeman  (Well Done.....!!!!!)

                               

June 15, 2012 Briar Crier

BRIARCRIER

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

TODAY IN HISTORY

1954 – The words “Under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Meeting Leader – President Dean Dykeman

PLEDGE -  Sy Yuter  PATRIOTIC SONG – Sy Yuter  INVOCATION –  Bishop John

HAPPY THOUGHTS – Ken Reng’s son, Steven, for his activity in the Horace Greeley HS Rotaract club.  Mark Seiden, on time for a change.  Dean, on only two more weeks as President.  Elinor, for wearing a silk scarf given to her at the Alexandria, Egypt Rotary Club.  Linda in memory of her friends. 

Rotary Minute – Rachel spoke about Rotary International Scholarships in light of our recent Rotary Scholarships for two Briarcliff High School Students which were presented by Eric Lebenson.

GUESTS – Mindy Lanoff, Steven Reng

ANNOUNCEMENTS –none

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT – Dean Dykeman and Kris Chittur – Rotary Board Installation

Dean opened with this year in review asking what each one did.  He named Eric Lebenson as Rotarian of the Year.  Two outstanding seniors were awarded Rotary scholarships for their community service -- Brikell, $2000, Johnson, $500.  Paul presented perfect attendance pins to Sy for 23 years, Elinor for four years and himself for 31 years.  Kris, our incoming president, outlined plans for next year.  Paul amused us with jokes and funny stories.  We enjoyed a special installation lunch.

 Friday: Haiti Project – Andrew Speiser

Bio

Andrew Speiser works professionally as an Environmental Scientist for a private consulting engineering firm that provides civil engineering, traffic engineering, land surveying, architectural design, landscape architecture, drafting, and environmental evaluation services to Federal, State, County and local municipal clients.  On a volunteer basis, he is associated with DOXA Foundation International and their efforts in helping to progress a school construction and water well installation project in a rural village in Haiti.  The presentation to follow will highlight portions of his recent trip to Haiti for the inception of the construction project.

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter

 

June 8, 2012 Briar Crier

                                                         BRIARCRIER 

June 8, 2012, 12:15 at The Briar's Restaurant, Briarcliff Manor NY Rotary Club 

TODAY IN HISTORY

632 A.D. The prophet Mohammed dies in Medina, now Saudi Arabia.

Meeting Leader – President Dean Dykeman

PLEDGE  -  Sy        PATRIOTIC SONG –  Sy       INVOCATION –  Zen

HAPPY THOUGHTS: Dean, he was not born when Zen got married, Zen could be his father!; Rod, heard from a long lost old friend; Elinor, had email from Marie Fuesy, Sarasota, Fla, a former club Rotarian, about common source of clothes.

GUESTS – None

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Our club gave two scholarships to deserving high school seniors, $2000 and $500. This Friday is the club installation luncheon, beginning at 11:45.

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT – Dr. Seth Lesser, Esq. on threats to civil justice

Summary of Talk

If someone does anything wrong, moral judgment compels payment for it. So what is civil justice? It is obtaining justice through civil not criminal measures in the courts. Law matters. We know "No Taxation Without Representation." Everyone has right to be treated fairly Three facts follow.

Diminution of court funding. Court rooms are falling apart from diminished court funding.

Legal aid is suffering. Services for the poor are diminishing. The middle class is lawyer poorer than in the past.

Forced arbitration. From act in 1922. Class actions are excluded so no help from volunteering lawyers.

This Friday – Board installation luncheon, come at 11:45

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter

June 1, 2012 Briar Crier

BRIARCRIER

June 1, 2012, 12:15 at The Briar's Restaurant, Briarcliff Manor NY Rotary Club

TODAY IN HISTORY

1952 – Queen Elizabeth II started her reign and is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, 60 years as Queen of England.

Meeting Leader – President Dean Dykeman

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

HAPPY THOUGHTS –Ahlburgs, happy to be back; Anne – grandson graduated from Denison; Linda – lasted 18 holes at a recent golf outing; Dean - happy it is Friday and he is working outside; Estrusca - for her godchildren, Mauritz and Leo.

GUESTS – Kaj Ahlburg, wife Laura, sons Mauritz and Leo, Estrusca’s sister Gemma

ANNOUNCEMENTS –Memorial Day run raised over 20,000 for the Library. Tokyo 2013 – Ken Shimazu to represent vocational and cultural issues for our Rotary District. 

SPEAKER AND SUBJECT – Kaj Ahlburg – Islamic Terrorism

Summary of Talk

It was a frightening, yet informative, about Islamic terrorists who believe that dying for their cause is their way to enter heaven.  Muslims in this country are Muslims first and Americans second. They recruit people in prison to convert to Islam.  The Koran dictates their behavior.  The Muslim Brotherhood is a leader.  Bin Laden was the leader until his recent death.  Leaders in Palestine, Egypt, Afghanistan and elsewhere are dictating this possible horror.  The terrorists are persistent with long memories.  Their targets are economic, not military, such as restaurants, bridges and railroads.  Even the Mosque in lower Manhattan is run by Islamic terrorists.  Israel must become Muslim as it was once.  In 40 or 50 years Europe will have Muslim majorities in England, Holland, Belgium and many states in the United States.  In the United States there are about 1 million Muslims.  The United States and Israel are the main targets.  Al Qaeda is thought to be targeting New York again soon.

This Friday – Seth Lesser, Esq. – Threats to Civil Justice

Elinor Yuter, Reporter

Rachel Leihbacher, Expediter