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Feb 23 2021 Newsletter

Quote of the Week:

 

Updates & Announcements:

Welcome New Member - Sandra Wilson

Sandra is pictured with Scholarship Chair Marc Horowitz, Past President Charlie Spencer & Current President Josie Bogdahn.  Sandra is a West Babylon resident & Mary Kay Independent Consultant.  She is currently Chairperson of the Little Angels Annual NICU Project with the Junior League of Long Island.  To contribute to her NICU Project, see details in the flyer below.

 
 
 
 
 
Soles4Souls Shoe Drive:  President Elect Megan Noble is again heading up our annual shoe drive for Soles4Souls in collaboration with Northport Rotary Club.  Shoes can be dropped of to the lobby of the 1801 House Argyle Sq. in Babylon Village.   We have volunteers available to pick up shoes from you as well if you are not able to make the trip.  Members & Friends of Rotary can assist our efforts by sharing the flyer for the Shoe Drive on their social media pages.   Click HERE to learn more about Soles4Souls.  
 
Call for Volunteers to fill Board of Directors positions:   Club Service is one of the 5 Avenues of Service and is a great way to strengthen comradery and get to know your fellow Rotarians.  We will be in need of a Secretary.  For more information,  reply to this email or visit My Rotary.
 
 
Community Collaboration:  This week, Rotarian Kristen Morse, was invited to speak at the Babylon Village Chamber of Commerce to share how local businesses can help support the Rotary's mission.  Kristen focused on our Food Distribution program and upcoming Shoe Drive.  Jim Killen, President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, is interested in working together with Rotary since both groups have successful Food Distribution Programs.  The Chamber was very impressed with all of the good work our club performs and we received several new member inquiries. 
 
 
 
Last Week's Program:
 
Last week Babylon Village Mayor, Mary Adams, visited our club to provide an update on village activities and projects.  Babylon's first woman mayor has only held the position for the last 4 months,  since the sudden death of Mayor Ralph Scordino.  She said that her years working beside him has instilled her with great knowledge of the village and credits their close working relationship for the reason why she has been able to seamlessly transition into the position.  Here are a few of the major talking points from her visit;
 
 - The Babylon Bike Gang -   Youths are still causing havoc on their bicycles throughout the village, riding their bikes dangerously in traffic & even surrounding vehicles and causing property damage.  Village Code enforcement is working closely with Suffolk County PD to address the issue.   Since the village has passed legislation to charge a fines & storage fees for confiscated bicycles,  under Mary's administration, she had added a community service component in efforts to somewhat rehabilitate the offending youths.  Mayor Mary reports many of the children completing the community service are remorseful and some of which have been such great workers that they have been offered employment by the village.   The bicycle gangs are a problem all over Long Island, especially since many children are not in school due to COVID, BUT Mary is confident in the village's ability to work in collaboration with SCPD to make sure Village residents & business owners can feel safe.  If you encounter a group of children riding bicycles that are engaging in dangerous behavior, please call CODE ENFORCEMENT 631-894-2949.
 
 - New Improved Argyle Falls are scheduled to open APRIL 2021!!  The Falls will include special dedications to both Mayor Ralph Scordino & Rotarian Theresa Santmann.  While the falls have been improved aesthetically, there have also been extensive structural improvements to better protect the shoreline while still providing passage for migrating fish.  We may soon enjoy a LIVE FISH CAM!  
 
 - The Village Pool will be opening!!! Molto Vino will be back hosting the concession stand & the Village is preparing to use the space for several fun outdoor events this summer like a movie night.  Mayor Mary invited the Rotary club to take advantage of the beautiful landscape for a fundraising or social event.  Does anyone have any ideas or like to head up this committee?
 
 - Summer Recreation Programs are also gearing up for another exciting season.  The Village has been hard at work not only organizing the activities for kids but also the concerts at the gazebo as well as a repeat of last year's Covid friendly Pickle Ball Tournament.  
 
 - The Village Highway Dept. took advantage of the decrease in traffic during the Covid Lock-down last year to repave streets and public parking.  
 
 - To compensate for the lost revenue from the Train Station (again... DUE TO COVID, more people are working from home), the Village is formulating a plan for a Car Show at the train station to help recoup some of that lost revenue.  
 
 
UPCOMING GUEST SPEAKERS -  
 
We have an exciting slate of guest speakers over the next few weeks & YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS IT!  There are many ways to catch up with Rotary even if we haven't seen you in a while.  If you need tech help, please respond to this newsletter and help is on the way!
 
TOMORROW, February 24th -  Kelly Peckholdt, President of the Babylon Village Chamber of Commerce & Owner of Positions Dance Studio will be visiting to provide updates from the Chamber of Commerce.  The Chamber has been hard at work to create COVID friendly events to help support local businesses and Kelly is excited to share more with our club.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
March 3rd -  7255 District Governor Jacquelyn Yonick will be joining us to answer questions from our members relating to the ongoing audit of 7255 District Finances & the recent Trustee Notification letter that the district received from Rotary International CEO John P. Hewko.  If you have not yet reviewed the letter from John P. Hewko, please reference President Josie Bogdhan's February 3rd Email to all members.  If you need another copy please reply to this email.   
 
 
March 17th -  Northport Rotarian Andrew Giffin will be telling us more about Soles4Souls, the group we are collecting the shoes for. 
 
March 24th -  Lori-Ann Novello from Town Of Babylon Cares to share more about the new town project aimed at improving our town's health & wellness.
 
 
Call for Updates! -  If you Zoom isn't your thing,  we get it... but we miss you!  Until things return to normal, we wanted to drop a note at the end of the newsletter to let you know that your friends at Rotary miss you and are wondering how you are.   If you would like to share an update, a joke, a quote, or a picture with the group,  simply reply to this email... we would love to hear from you!! 
 
 
Next Meeting is Weds Feb 24th, 2021 via Zoom. 
 
Join Zoom Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 934 7472 9503
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+19294362866,,93474729503# US (New York)
 
Meeting ID: 934 7472 9503
 
 
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Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
Babylon Rotary Club
P.O. Box 672
Babylon, NY 11702
 
www.babylonrotary.org