Something to ‘Quack’ about 
 
The Phoenicia Rotary Club recently held their 33rd annual Crazy Quacker Duck Race. The event was sold out, which meant 1,000 rubber ducks floated down Stoney Clove Creek, competing to win one of the five prizes offered.
 
The fundraiser is not only the club’s largest source of funding each year, but also a beloved tradition enjoyed by locals, as well as tourists visiting the area. 
 
Phoenicia Rotarians put in many hours of work to create a successful race day. With the monies raised from the race, they are able to fund the following:
 
• Two scholarships for high school seniors in the Onteora School District.
• Road cleanup along a stretch of Route 214.
• Gazebo beautification (An area along the Stoney Clove creek that is open for public use in the spring, summer and fall).
• Donations to the Phoenicia Food Pantry.
• Food for their annual Thanksgiving dinner.
• Donations to areas in crisis due to natural disasters. They also made recent donations to help Ukrainian refugees.  
 
So as you can see, when it comes to the mantra of “service above self,” Phoenicia Rotarians know how to release the Quackin!
 
To learn more about the Phoenicia Rotary Club, visit https://www.facebook.com/Phoenicia-Rotary-1020159401398285/.
 
 
Upcoming club events
Rotary District 7210 Region 1 Family Social Event - August 17
 
 
Paw Jam - September 18
Wallkill East Rotary Club
 
 
 
Doo-Wop Rock & Roll Oldies Show - October 8
Lake Mahopac Rotary Club
 
 
 
 
Monticello Monster Classic benefits veterans, local charities
 
The 44th Annual Monticello Rotary Monster Classic, held on August 7 at Resorts World Catskills, raised over $21,000. The overwhelming majority of the funds raised, around $15,000, will be donated to the Sullivan County Veterans Coalition, while around $6,500 will support various other local Rotary charities. 
 
“Too many of our veterans need assistance with heating, food, transportation for medical services, rent and mortgage assistance, just to name a few,” said Monticello Rotary President Brad Rutledge before the start of the race. “They have given to us all through their service to our country. Monticello Rotary is glad to sponsor this race to raise awareness and funds to give back to those who served and are currently serving.”
 
Monster Classic hosts, Resorts World Catskills, were responsible for approximately $10,000 of the $21,000 raised.
 
While the Monster Classic has drawn runners and walkers from across the Hudson Valley for over four decades, this year the festivities were kicked off with a benefit concert at Resorts World’s Alder Hotel the night before the race, featuring rising country music stars Pearl Clarkin and Rafe Wester.
 
“The entire weekend went relatively smoothly and our members were fabulous,” said Les Kristt, who co-chairs the Classic with fellow Monticello Rotarian Orshii Boldis.  “Resorts World Catskills truly lived up to their partnership with the Monster Classic. They helped us in any fashion they could to make the weekend  a success financially and fun for everybody involved.”
 
 
Three Region 1 clubs help bring IV warmers to Greene County

Every Rotarian can make a difference, but when we work together, the possibilities are endless. For example, three clubs in Region 1 (Cairo, Greenville and Coxsackie-Athens) partnered with Greene County Paramedics to bring “cutting-edge medical technology” to every area of Greene County.

Cairo, Greenville and Coxsackie-Athens’ Rotary clubs raised nearly $10,000 to purchase five IV warmers, and Greene County Paramedics added an additional $8,000 or so. Cairo Club President Beau Loendorf stated, “Originally our goal was just to raise enough money to purchase one. We knew that even one could save lots of lives. After lots of fundraisers and a multi-club support initiative, we were able to raise enough money to get all five squad cars one."

Thanks to the work of these clubs and partners, Greene County is the first in seven counties in the region to own IV warmers, which is the newest technology used to treat patients being transported by paramedics to a hospital.

According to an article featuring the collective effort in the UpStater, Chief of Operations for Greene County Paramedics, Steve Near, explained that, “When patients are given IV (intravenous) fluids, the liquid is significantly cooler than body temperature, so warming it up would be beneficial.”

Near told the UpStater that the IV warmers will be valuable when responding to, “skiing accidents, hypothermia and major traumas, especially in colder weather,” while adding that they can be beneficial for just about any situation.

The idea for this effort was introduced by Cairo Rotary Club, who raised $4,000. They also reached out to neighboring Rotary Clubs, with Greenville raising $3,000 and Coxsackie-Athens jumping on board, raising $2,500. 

Kudos to our friends in Cairo, Greenville and Coxsackie-Athens. To read more about the effort, visit https://theupstater.com/greene-first-in-region-with-cutting-edge-technology.

Pictured above from left with the IV warmers are Greenville Rotary Club Past President Cecile Plattner, Cairo Rotary Club President Beau Loendorf and Coxsackie-Athens Rotary Club President Sam Pigeon.

DG Larry's August Message
August is Rotary Membership Month. We made it through the first month of the Rotary year, July successfully. For the first time in over ten years, we started the year with a net increase in members, 67 compared to the beginning of the prior year (July 2021). This is largely attributed to the great work of Membership Chair PDG Tony Marmo and our Membership committee along with each individual clubs’ hard work. As clubs became more comfortable meeting in-person, members helped recruit new members. This year, already, we have increased membership by 13 new members. That’s a great start. Traditionally, at the end of each Rotary year, clubs would drop members from the rolls as a result of member’s non-payment of dues among other reasons. This usually results in a negative annual growth. Our district was one of only three districts in our Zone of 22 districts to have a positive membership growth for 2021-2022. Great work! Also, at the end of last Rotary year, thanks to the Walden club and the Rhinebeck club, we have added two new satellite clubs in Ellenville and Rhinebeck evenings.

For August, let us all think about how our own clubs can maintain members and grow Rotary. First, look around the room at your next meeting. Is your club a reflection of your local community? Are you diverse and inclusive? Are your members a representation of the businesses, professions, and community organizations within your club’s geographic area? If you regularly support a local non-profit or community group, does that organization have a member in your club? Is your meeting location accessible to differently abled individuals? Are there steps that may prohibit an individual with a walker or wheelchair from accessing the meeting room and making it equitable to all?

By now, new club presidents are probably comfortable with running their meetings and establishing a rhythm that works for them. I encourage each club president and membership chair to look at Rotary’s “ Membership Assessment Tools” available on MyRotary.org.
 
There are helpful assessment tools included for:
• Representing Your Community’s Professions: A Classification Assessment
• Diversifying Your Club: A Member Diversity Assessment
• Finding New Club Members: A Prospective Member Exercise
• Improving Your Member Retention: Retention Assessment and Analysis
• Enhancing the Club Experience: Member Satisfaction Survey
• Understanding Why Members Leave: Exit Survey
It is suggested that in addition to an “exit survey”; conduct an “entrance survey” with your new members. Ask them what they are expecting from Rotary. Whether it be volunteering for service activities; or social activities; or just that wonderful feeling of knowing that we are doing great things in the world and locally. Show them you care about them as a member of your club. Remember RI President Jennifer Jones’ concept of “comfort and care” for each of our members.
 
You should have heard about the recent case of polio in Rockland County. The county of Rockland, along with several health centers have been conducting vaccination clinics within the county. We have been in touch with the Rockland Health Commissioner and are awaiting a meeting to ascertain how Rotary and the District can help.
 
Lastly, please sign in to ClubRunner and update your personal information, most importantly your correct birthdate and a correct email address. Quite a few current members’ emails get bounced back because some business email servers do not recognize the mailings through Clubrunner.
 
Let’s have a great last month of summer and get ready for our “helping the Hudson Valley keep warm” coat drive in October/November.
Thanks, DG Larry Palant
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