Rotary Bulletin for Monday, July 12, 2010


I

n his first official act of the Rotary Year 2010-2011, the meeting was brought to order by President Harold Graves. The members sang the Star Spangled Banner and gave the Pledge of Allegiance. The invocation was provided by Helen Kessler.

Visitors & Guests: Bernie Bregman (from Eastwood), Mark Matt (from Fayetteville), Jamie Archer, and Peter Wiles, Jr.

Program:

Jamie Archer gave a brief description of the J-D lacrosse program, of which he is the Head Coach. J-D was again State Lacrosse Champions this year. Jamie was very proud of his players and attributed their success in large measure to the level of involvement of former players who are now parents of children in the program. The lacrosse program runs from kindergarten through 12th grade!

Peter Wiles, Jr. provided a history of the Mid-Lakes Navigation company, which is run by his family. The business, in fact, began as a golf course, Tecumseh Country Club in Dewitt, then moved to Skaneateles and opened the Mid-Lakes Country Club in Borodino. In the 60’s, the company took over the Stinson boat line which delivered the US Mail by boat to residents on Skaneateles Lake. As the company grew, services expanded to include tours of Skaneateles Lake and the New York Canal System. Few people realize that via our canal systems (Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca and Champlain), you can get to anywhere in the world by boat from here in Syracuse. Mid-lakes has produced a short documentary on the NY canal system and its benefits, and has constructed a number of canal boats for hire that can be used for trips on the canals.

While the canals are no longer used for commercial purposes, they do not receive the recognition they deserve for their role in irrigation, hydroelectric production, and as a back up for commercial entry in America’s midland should the St. Lawrence Seaway become unusable.

Happy Dollars were given by George Cunningham, Kim Jeffrey, Tom Hornstein, Anne Mondlick and Jim Healy.

50:50 was won by Jerry Brezner.

Announcements: Dewitt Rotary will offer its own Flu Shot Clinic, tentatively set for October 25th, 2010. Members, for a small fee, will be able to receive the current flu and pneumonia vaccines. Inoculations will be provided by the Visiting Nurses Association.

There is a Board Meeting tonight at the Nottingham at 5:30 pm. Visitors are encouraged to attend. The draft of the budget for the current fiscal year will be presented.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael F Miller