First Woman to Preside over RI (Aired on November 22, 2020)

RadioRotary is especially delighted to be able to interview Jennifer Jones, who for the Rotary Year 2022-23 will be president of Rotary International (RI), the first woman in the 115-year history of Rotary to achieve that high office. Until a little more than 30 years ago, there were no women officially in Rotary—a club in California that accepted women in 1977 was dropped from RI for this violation of rules. But ten years later the US Supreme Court ruled that Rotary could not reject members on the basis of gender, and US clubs began to admit women. The Canadian courts also recognized that Rotary clubs should be gender neutral and, in 1989, RI agreed, allowing clubs around the world to admit women members. President-nominee Jones, from the Windsor-Roseland Rotary Club (which spans Canada and the US), joined Rotary in 1997 and has been active at club and district levels ever since, becoming a director and a vice-president of RI. In her RadioRotary interview she tells her story and discusses how the Rotary Polio-Plus experience has provided thousands of workers who have been dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. She reveals that RI has officially added protection of the environment to the six areas of focus and speaks of her interest in making the young-persons Rotary, Rotaract, a gateway to the full Rotary experience.

Learn more:
President-Nominee Jennifer E. Jones: https://www.rotary.org/en/jennifer-e-jones-makes-history-becomes-first-woman-named-rotary-president-nominee
Rotary International: https://www.rotary.org/en
History of Women in Rotary: https://www.rotary.org/en/history-women-rotary
Windsor-Roseland Rotary Club: https://www.roselandrotary.com/

Did you like this? Share it:
November 27, 2020 · Posted in Environment, Health, PolioPlus, Rotary International, Women  

Housing for the Homeless and More (Aired on November 15, 2020)

RadioRotary interviews Christa Hines, Executive Director of Hudson River Housing, a vital service primarily in Dutchess County (but also with some facilities in Orange and Columbia counties). Hudson River Housing helps solve the housing problems of the Mid-Hudson with temporary, transitional, or permanent housing. As many as 100 individuals who are homeless can be served at the pods housing (formerly used by the Dutchess jail), while Hudson River Housing has a separate facility.

Learn more:
Hudson River Housing: https://hudsonriverhousing.org/
Mental Health Association of Dutchess County: https://mhadutchess.org/
Hope on a Mission:https://www.hopeonamission.org/
Homeless Situation, Dutchess County: https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2020/01/23/dutchess-county-homeless-population-growing-amid-variety-factors/4482162002/

Did you like this? Share it:
November 20, 2020 · Posted in Dutchess County, Humanitarian Service  

Dutchess Annual Winter Coat Drive (Aired on November 8, 2020)

Ever since 1993, Dutchess Outreach has provided free coats and other warm clothing at the start of winter for those in need in Dutchess County. Starting at the beginning of October and continuing into November, coats are donated at sites all over the country—all Guardian Self Storage, Red Cap Cleaners, and Rhinebeck Bank locations. Recently the coat drive has been augmented with help from Rotary clubs. Pleasant Valley Rotary has sponsored part of the coat drive for several years and for the past two years the Millbrook Rotary Club has joined the efforts. The Rotary portion of the coat drive has included a day of distribution in Pleasant Valley Town Hall, but when that became unavailable because of Covid-19, the Pleasant Valley Free Library provided a new location.  In addition to winter coats and jackets, the Rotary clubs also collect scarves, gloves, and hats. With distribution at several sites around the country—even in the days of the coronavirus restrictions—as many as 6,000 items are provided free to those who will benefit from the help.

Learn more:
Dutchess Outreach: http://dutchessoutreach.org/
Pleasant Valley Rotary: https://www.rotarydistrict7210.org/clubInfo/pleasant-valley
Millbrook Rotary: https://millbrookrotary.org/
Pleasant Valley Free Library: https://pleasantvalleylibrary.org/

Did you like this? Share it:
November 20, 2020 · Posted in Dutchess County, Events, Humanitarian Service  

The Green Chimneys School, Farm, Forest (Aired on November 1, 2020)

Founded in 1947 by Brewster Rotarian and 7210 Past District Governor (1962-63) Dr, Samuel “Rollo” Ross,  Green Chimneys is recognized as a worldwide leader in animal-assisted therapy and educational activities for children with special needs. Radio Rotary learned all about this very unusual facility for children on the autistic spectrum when the current when Dr. Edward Placke visited the program by Zoom. A staff of 500 helps the children, ages 6 through 20, but much of the healing and learning (outside of regular schoolwork) is through spending time with the many animals of the farm—22 horses, alpacas and llamas, all sort of raptors, a flock of geese, and more. Even students who do not speak to other children or their parents, sometimes learn to speak to the animals. The goal at Green Chimneys is to aid children for two or three years and then return an improved child to his regular home and school. Listen to the program to learn about the two large campuses in Brewster and Kent, NY, and about the special events that help keep the program going.

Learn more:
Green Chimneys School: https://www.greenchimneys.org/
Dr. Samuel “Rollo” Ross: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50077/sitepage/in-memoriam/dr-samuel-rollo-ross-jr
The Autistic Spectrum: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
Animal Therapy for Autism: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6510492/

Did you like this? Share it:
November 10, 2020 · Posted in Animals, Children, Education, Events