STORIES
Jacob Ong- President Rotary Club of Cebu, Philippines to update us on the most recent Typhoon that devastated his city
Natalie Hahn
Founder-the Malaika Foundation-Nebraska
our guest speaker at the RCNY International Breakfast
Join Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89741887279
Thank You Letter From The Rotary Club of Cebu, Philippines (received January 22, 2022)
Dear members of the Rotary Club of New York,
Typhoon Odette made landfall in the island of Cebu on the night of December 16, 2021 and the sound of the howling wind and crashing debris during the night while we huddled inside our homes will be something that we will not be able to forget easily.
Amidst all the hardship that we are going through now in buying food & water, rebuilding homes and trying to get back to work, we have still been given a reason to smile. This is because the help that we have received from all over the world has really been incredible and overwhelming.
From the bottom of our hearts, 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 for all the love and care that you have extended to the people of Cebu.
Coming from Club # 6 all the way from New York, we are speechless that you are able to reach out to us. Thank you so much! 
We will never forget your kindness and generosity.
Yours in Rotary,
Jacob Ong
President, RY2021-2022
Rotary Club of Cebu
RCNY Letter To President Jacob of Rotary Club of Cebu, Philippines: click here for video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7FrZm1_40oA&feature=youtu.be
January 21, 2022
Dear President Jacob Ong of the Rotary Club of Cebu, Philippines:
With the Rotary Club of Cebu being the 2nd oldest club in the Philippines and being the mother club in District 3860, the Rotary Club of New York has wired to your club's bank a financial donation yesterday.
The damage caused by Typhoon Rai to the central Philippines is still being covered in the New York Newspapers and TV News. Cebu was really hit very hard. We have been following your Club’s Face book pages and the photos. Your club's remarkable relief efforts to the local villages are inspiring, and you have made us here in New York very proud to be Fellow Rotarians.
Keep up the great work to your community.
Yours in Rotary
Members of the Rotary Club of New York, Club # 6
Update from Cebu January 5, 2020
It is so inspiring to hear from our fellow Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Cebu. Their club caravanned a relief mission on January 2 to villages severely damaged by Typhoon Ria. While at times is was disheartening for these dedicated volunteers to see so many homes completely washed out or blown away by the typhoon, the RC Cebu distributed 2,000 food packs and 36,000 liters of drinking water, that was donated by Virginia Foods Inc, (most likely a Rotarian Owned Company) and many other donors.
Their convoy (personally owned vehicles, most likely) of six SUVS, four commercial vans traveled and Virginai Foods Incmore than 150 miles (round trip) to deliver the desperately needed relief goods. Sections of the coastal highway were completely destroyed, requiring their convoy to detour to mountainous routes obstructed by toppled trees and low hanging electrical wires. Remarkably, the RC Cebu will undertake a third mission to this area again this weekend. They are very thankful to the many donors that make their assistance possible, and any other New York Rotarians or Friends of NY Rotary, can still send a donation to Cebu by using our Club's website's PayPal account. It is on the left side of our Home Page @ nyrotary.org. It is secure and very easy to use. The help is really needed.
Lisa Jacobs - Leadership Coach | Mindfulness Facilitator
Topic: be the CEO of your life
Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85492601987
Rotary's Ad Hoc Central Philippines Typhoon Relief Effort
Over the Christmas Holidays, our Rotary Club has been in contact with President Jacob Ong of the Rotary Club of Cebu, Philippines to Lend A Hand to Rotarians of Central Philippines. Similar to our Club, the Rotary Club of Cebu is the second oldest Rotary club in Asia and the Philippines, and is considered the “Mother Club” in District 3860 that includes most of the Visayans Islands in Central Philippines. (Rotary Club of Manila is the first). As such, their club has been assigned by District Governor Anna Bumagat to be the conduit to receive donations in kind or in cash to Cebu Island Area to provide relief from the damage caused by Typhoon Ria.
Humanitarian agencies have warned the true scale of destruction remains unknown, partly because rescue workers are unable to access some disaster-hit areas. It is estimated by UNICEF that close to one million children are lacking drinking water, sanitation, and housing due to to the Typhoon Ria, known locally as Odette, this super-storm has now claimed at least 375 lives since it ripped through the archipelago late last week.
Our Rotary Club of New York knows first-hand how quick and cost-effective "Direct Ad Hoc Club to Club Financial Donations" are. When our city was devastated by the 9/11 Terrorist Attack twenty years ago, dozens and dozens of Rotary Clubs from around the world sent our Foundation donations, both large and small. Thanks to these donations, our club was able to provide vital assistance to hundreds of 9/11 victims, especially those that fell thru the cracks of our beloved city's safety net, because of the generous Rotarians around the world.
Any fellow Rotarians that would like to make a contribution to the Rotary Club of Cebu Ad Hoc Typhoon Relief Effort please contact Andreas at executivedirector@nyrotary.org.
Editors Historical Note: Cebu is the island where Magellan first landed when Europeans first reached the Pacific Ocean and the Philippines during his famous 1523 Voyage, and humankind ascertained that the world was indeed round, not flat. Magellan was in only in Cebu for a few weeks before was killed in a skirmish that he instigated with local villagers by a poison arrow.Image below shows just some of the damage in Cebu
Santa came to visit Fraternite Notre Dame and lit up the faces of many children
Our Club received a request from Ms.Victoria Townes (Specialist, Center for Development and Civic Engagement) of the Manhattan VA Hospital at East 23rd Street. She wanted to know if we could donate "Hoodies" that would be handed out at the Patient Holiday Party on December 22. Our club raised enough funds to send one hundred Gift-Wrapped Hoddies" (pictured below) in an assortment of colors and sizes. Ms.Townes and other staff members (photo below) gave our club a very nice welcoming reception at the hospital.
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For more than twenty years, our Legendary Club provided new clothing, shaving kits, etc., and a home cooked turkey diner, with live entertainment at the former homeless Veterans Residence on East 119th street in upper Manhattan. Unfortunately, since the Covid Outbreak, this Residence can no longer accept any outside donations. Many of our fellow Rotarians had wonderful times over the years with the residence there. This year, the Vets Hospital gave our club the opportunity to show in a small way our appreciation for those that sacrificed so much to our country. Ms. Townes told our club there is a great need for many donated items, and if any others would like to make help out, please let Andreas know.
This large hospital campus has over 15 floors, 150 beds, and treats more than 300,000 out-patient Veterans a year. Since June of this year, the center is now known as the "Margaret Corbin VA Center" named after the first woman to be injured in battle during the American Revolutionary War.
Fellow New York Rotarian, Sister Marie of the Cross of the Fraternities Notre Dame has a big smile while watching the men hooking up their brand new stove. Our Legendary Rotary Club made a financial donation to their Soup Kitchen on 1st Ave and East 117th st.which allowed them to get this stove. Twenty years ago our club donated the previous stove, but the last few years it has been breaking down often, and it was difficult to get replacement parts. They now have this brand new heavy-duty Commercial Stove that will work for the next twenty years. They plan on serving hundreds of hot meals a day with this stove.!
This year, our Legendary Rotary Club is donating gifts for the 12-plus year old boys and girls. There is always a shortage for that age group. Our members were very generous as always, via our Foundation, and the kids and their mom’s will be very happy when Santa hands out the gifts on December 20 at the Fraternities Notre Dame Soup Kitchen on 1st Ave and East 117th St. The Rotary Clubs of Harlem, Metro, and Wall Street are also doing a great job in donating toys.We have found some very good sales at the Mall this weekend and On-Line. Most items we purchased at half price. If you get a chance to stop by around 2PM on the 20th you will be at the most festive place in Manhattan. The elves serve cookies, Hot Cocoa, and maybe even "Hot Horchata" a Mexican drink made from white rice and cinnamon. Try a cup, it's delicious.If there are any Members that would still like to donate additional toys please E-mail Andreas at executivedirector@nyrotary.org and pledge $30 to our New York Rotary Foundation, and our club will purchase and gift-wrap a toy for you. Pray for mild weather and no wind during Santa's visit, it is hard for the reindeer to land on the roof when it is too windy.
Established in 1909, The Rotary Club of New York provides civic-minded business and professional men and women with an enjoyable and organized way to make a contribution to New York City and to needy areas of our world. We meet nearly every week to plan community, and international service activities. By using our skills and expertise, members also enhance their professional network, career development, and cross-cultural understanding.
All Rotary Clubs are nonreligious, nongovernmental, and open to every race, culture, and creed. Our membership represents a cross section of local civic-minded business and professional leaders.
Thanks to some very good fiscal management by our club's past officers over the decades, numerous enjoyable fund raising efforts, and several very generous donors, our Foundation makes it possible for us to provide "hands-on", as well as financial support to dozens of very worthwhile New York City organizations. We also conducted dozens of international projects, including the soon to be eradication of the Polio Virus from our planet! We are also very proud of our long-term association with our heroic NYC Police Department and Firefighters, and for their service to our beloved city.
During the the 1940's, The Rotary Club of New York, as did many other Rotary clubs, played an essential role in building "the business community" support during the formative years of The United Nations, as well as in selecting New York City as the site for its Permanent Headquarters. In fact, our club's president in 1945, Luther Hodges, was invited to the "San Francisco Conference On International Organization" for Rotary's input to create the UN Charter. As such, more than seventy years later, Rotary International and its 33,000 clubs still maintains the highest consultative status as an NGO. In this capacity, Rotary International and the United Nations has built a strong and productive partnership in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, cultural exchanges, education, water/sanitation projects, and promotion of peace negotiations around the world. Our Club still holds an enjoyable and friendship-building monthly breakfast meeting with United Nation directors, administrators, and ambassadors. For decades, every year our club helps to host 1,500 Rotarians to attend Rotary Day at the United Nations. It is normally held the first week of November. (Click the Link on the lower left for more on "NY Rotary and the United Nations"). We invite like-minded individuals to look further into a Rotary Membership. While membership in Rotary is by invitation only, we can put more helping-hands to good use.
Click on "Read More" for President Gerard Year In Review Address
Deepak Gilra and Hediya Sizar: The Art of Wellness, Mindfulness and Meditation
Irena Zubcevic, Chief of Intergovernmental Policy and Review Branch at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and our member Elira Karaja, Ph.D. is and Economist, Fellow at Columbia University, and Sustainability Specialist within the United Nation System.
This is an initiative by past President, Prof. Jasmin Cowin, Chair of the 2021 NYS TESOL conference
Rotary International Service Above Self Award
(by District Governor Mary Shackleton)
I am proud to announce that Larry Cohen has been recognized by Rotary International with the Service Above Self Award, one of the highest distinctions in service for Rotarians who demonstrate their commitment to helping others by volunteering their time and talent!
This year's Nominating Committee for trustees has selected following members to serve in the upcoming Fiscal Rotary year:
Scarlett Pildes
Michael Snizek
Kerime Ataker
Larry Cohen
Can Erbilgin
Almas Jahnbaz
Dr. Marcela Bonafina
Session #1 The Impact of COVID on the Deal World AND
Session #2 The Impact of COVID on the US Immigration
Marya Ghazipura is an epidemiologist and biostatistician in New York City with nearly 10 years of experience in epidemiological consulting, evidence analytics, scientific advisory, guideline creation and evaluation, developing implementation frameworks, and working with other strategists to sustain improvements in complex health systems. Also presenting her husband: Dr. Tanzib Hossain, who is a pulmonary and critical care doctor in his NYC hospital. Clinical Instructor, Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of MedicineJoin via Zoom:
Youth Empowerment Session #6
Rethinking the Future: The Great Reset
Thomas Missong
President of the European Association of Credit Rating Agencies (EACRA)
TOPIC: "Credit Rating Agencies: stocktaking in times of crisis, Competition and international Framework“.
Please join the Rotary Club of New York and Families for Safe Streets to learn about the dangers to everyone in our city, and what we can do to prevent it and stop it.
Please join at Zoom link:
Chana Widowski will lead a panel of family members who lost someone to a traffic death in our city. Hosted by the Rotary Club of New York you will learn how this does not have to happen and how you can protect yourself and your loved ones.
Wolfram von HeynitzOur evening meeting guest on December 16 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm will be Wolfram von Heynitz, Deputy Consul General of Germany in New York He'll be speaking to us about "The Future of Transatlantic Cooperation”
Link to the Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89042659881
about Consul von Heynitz inside.
Brooklyn Borough President - Eric AdamsOur guest for the January 7th 6:30 p.m. Zoom Meeting will be Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. Brooklynites elected Eric as the first person of color to serve as their borough president; he is currently serving his second term as Brooklyn’s chief executive.
Link to the Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81565211414
Borough President Adams' Bio inside.
Oct 28 Session a SuccessOur Third Youth Empowerment meeting was another most successful virtual event, masterfully organized by our Membership Chair Bolor Erdene with lots of great insights. We also thank our presenters Jean Sini and Olivier Oullier and our talented moderators Cherrie Chung and Maria Brodskaya. There's a video available on YouTube for you to watch.
Don't miss November Session #4 - Information will follow soon.
International Breakfast - Nov 18thOur featured speaker was Consul General Francesco Genuardi, who has extensive diplomacy experience over 23 years across multiple positions within the Italian government and NATO.
Read the full report inside.
International Breakfast - October 21stOur October 21st meeting featured Consul General Adrian Kubicki of Poland who explained its status as an area of economic investment in the United States. He expressed his optimism in Poland’s future as a young democracy that is investing in innovation and technology.
Read the full report inside.
China Overtaking America’s DominanceOur October 15th Zoom meeting featured Sarwar A. Kashmeri, Int'l Relations Specialist, Author, Commentator and Fellow, Foreign Policy Association. He has sent us a letter with some additionally promised information.
letter & info plus video of meeting inside.
Tackle Today’s ProblemsOn August 26, 2020 the RCNY conducted its first virtual Youth Empowerment Session. Presenters were Dr. Nouriel Roubini, an economist, and Vivian James Rigney, a telecommunication executive and executive coach.
more info & photos inside.
CSPAN Allows Citizens To Curate How They're InformedOur Oct 8 meeting featured Joel Bacon & Jenae Green of CSPAN, who (among other things) explained that what separates CSPAN from other networks is that the network empowers citizens to view public events in their entirety.
Full Report and Link to a Meeting Video inside.
WHO African Region is Polio-FreeRotary Congratulates African Region on becoming wild polio-virus-free. Rotary and its partners the the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are proud to announce an historic public health achievement as the World Health Organization's African region is now certified wild polio-virus-free.
Press Release & more inside.
World Central Kitchen in ManhattanAnother successful Farmstands Project with World Central Kitchen took place this week on Thursday in three Manhattan locations. The project is co-sponsored by your New York Rotary Foundation and a number of members & officers enthusiastically participated.
more info & photos inside.
Collaboration with World Central KitchenThis Saturday, June 27 several Rotarians led by President Larry Cohen and including Past President and PDG David Del Monte, others from Metro Club and Brooklyn/Queens Club helped package 18,000 pounds of fresh produce and dairy products into more than 1200 boxes of food headed for local communities in need.
photos inside.
We Need to Vaccinate ChildrenWhile the world is waiting for the development of the vaccine to curtail corona-19, the United Nations’ W.H.O. and its partners released a survey this week showing that 80 million babies under a year old were at risk of missing their routine immunizations.
more info inside.
RCNY & FSCLI at ElmhurstAM New York featured RC New York and Foundation for Sustainable Community Development Initiative Inc. in a recent story about our mutual support of Elmhurst Elmhurst hospital regarded as one of the most adversely impacted in the fight against COVID-19.
story inside.
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If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Andreas Runggatscher at executivedirector@nyrotary.org |
