President Andy Browne called the meeting to order. Karen Bauman led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, Shirley Burke performed the 4 Way Test and Pastor Heather gave the invocation. Linda Rumick was our notetaker. Andy welcomed guests Anthony Tobolski, Nico Rizzo, Josie Neill (Norm's wife) and Mark Simmons (Maureen's husband). Andy thanked Harry Maloney for setting up the room prior to the meeting. Rotarians sang "Happy Birthday" to Dawn Hunter who had celebrated her birthday on February 23rd.
Announcements
Maureen Simmons did happy dollars! There were a lot of happy Rotarians - including Maureen herself, Norm Neill, Nico Rizzo, Anthony Tobolski, Frank and Linda Rumick, Jose Martinez and Don Daigle.
JosieSpinelli reminded everyone that our FIRST GOLF OUTINGwill be at White Oaks on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Guests at the outing will include former Philadelphia Eagles' players Irving Fryar and Barrett Brooks.More information will be presented soon but make sure you mark your calendars for the golf outing (we will need volunteers and players) and invite golfers you know to save the date as well!
March 12th will be Golf day at our Rotary Luncheon to get us into the spirit!! Please bring a golfer and wear golf gear! There will be fun golf-related activities that day! Our guest speaker on March 12th will be John Ruga, Chief Executive Officer of Northeast Precast of Vineland and a principal of Trout National - The Reserve, the under-construction golf course - a collaboration with MLB All-Star and Millville native Mike Trout, with design by golf icon Tiger Woods' TGR Design. Don't miss this meeting!
Don Daigle invited us to attend an informational session at his office March 7th 5:30-8 pm to learn about managing your financial life with Schwab. Refreshments will be served. Email Don at donald.daigle@schwab.com to let him know if you will be attending.
Our Program
Our guest speaker, Rotarian Susanna Philippoussis, gave us a lively
presentation - "The Road Less Traveled - Lessons Learned". Susanna asked us if we knew how many recognized countries there are in the world, The answer? 195. And she has traveled in 37 of them, nothing that a number of them no longer exist. In addition to her family "home", Greece, Susanna has traveled to Cambodia, USSR, Ukraine, Italy, Luxembourg, Ireland, Netherlands, Japan and France plus many more countries.
She traveled to the USSR in high school as a Student Ambassador. While there she was presented with a circular loaf of bread with a salt container in the middle presented on a cloth known as a rushnik. The significance of this gift was it's meaning: Salt - for protection and wealth; Bread - for wealth and fertility and the Circle - for eternity and community, Today, impacted by its meaning, Susanna has incorporated this gift into her real estate business.
She shared many touching stories of unusual and impactful interactions she enjoyed on her travels. Her lessons learned focused on the influence of Fate and Gratitude.
The CCTEC Interact club members are conducting a Diaper Drive to benefit the Happy Cheeks Diaper Bank. Any size, any amount will be accepted. There is a specific need for size 5 and 6 diapers. The drive will run from March 1 to 14. Please bring diaper donations to any Rotary meeting (March 1-14) and Sandy Hearing will see that they delivered to the school. Let’s help the CCTEC Interact club have a successful fundraiser!
_________________________________________________
RCSJ Rotaract Club Needs Your Help with its
Cheer Box Project!
Rotaract members at the Rowan College of South Jersey campus are working on their Cheer Box Project. Students are collecting empty shoe boxes then filling each with necessary supplies needed for oncology patients. If you have empty shoe boxes to spare, please bring them to a Rotary meeting between now and mid April. Sandy Hearing will see that they are delivered to the college.
_________________________________________________
Would you like to make a lasting impact in communities around the world without leaving home?
Rotary and Rotaract members are eligible to serve in Peace Corps’ Virtual Service Pilot. Participants donate 5-15 hours per week for 3 to 6 months to support organizations abroad with their community-level projects related to education, health, agriculture, youth development, and entrepreneurship. Apply your professional skills, language skills, and interest in both global friendships and cultural exchange to build capacity and sustainability through a short-term, virtual engagement.
SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS NOW FOR THE 2023-2024 ANNUAL DISTRICT
VOCATIONAL SERVICE AWARD
Nominate a worthy Rotarian for this prestigious award.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 2, 2024
The award will be announced and presented by our District Governor at the upcoming annual District Conference on Saturday, May 4, 2024, to a Rotarian who through projects or actions in the past two Rotary years (2022-2024) has best exemplified the Rotary precepts of Vocational Service.
A worthy nominee could be someone who:
Mentors others, especially younger people or those in need
Helps train or teach skills that are useful to the individual, to the community, or to society generally.
Donates time and skills in his/her field to help serve those in need.
Designs, manages or is actively involved in service projects that further education or training or any project that in an innovative and sustainable way puts members’ vocational or professional skills to use in a way that shares and promotes them in others.
Gear up for the Madness! As the season opens up, enter today for a chance to be at the Final Four in Arizona! All donations will benefit FGCU Men’s Basketball. The winner of this sweepstakes will receive the following:
2 Tickets to the 2024 NCAA Final Four in Phoenix, AZ on April 6-8, 2024
2 Nights in a Hotel for 2 People
Round-trip Airfare to and from Phoenix for 2 People*
*The flight to Phoenix must originate within the continental US
Entry Deadline: 11:59pm 3/10/2024
Winner Selected: 10:00am 3/11/2024
Click the link below to get started! Select Rotary Club of Vineland
Please bring a golfer and wear golf gear! There will be fun golf-related activities that day! Our guest speaker on March 12th will be John Ruga, Chief Executive Officer of Northeast Precast of Vineland and a principal of Trout National - The Reserve, the under-construction golf course - a collaboration with MLB All-Star and Millville native Mike Trout, with design by golf icon Tiger Woods' TGR Design. Don't miss this meeting!
.png)
