Feeding Westchester Highlights Our April Meeting Brendan McCormack, manager of corporate and community partnerships of Feeding Westchester, was our guest speaker at the Larchmont Yacht Club on April 25th. His organization distributes “quality, nutritious food to communities in need across Westchester County.” It provides “access to programs that promote the health, education and nourishment of all who need help.” |
Meg Kaufer of the STEM Alliance Visits Our Meeting in March
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We Are Rotary |
2024 Alzheimer's Association Awards For the third year in a row, our newly rebranded team, the “Rotary Clubs of Larchmont and New Rochelle,” raised the most money among all Westchester Rotary clubs for the Alzheimer's Association, Hudson Valley Chapter’s 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. In addition, our team came in third among all Company/Organization teams, raising almost $6,850. Team member Lester Nathan led the way, raising $3,000. Participants included Team Captain Marion Anderson, Marian White, Barbara Crane, Dave Biskup and Francis Okelo. |
Steve Tseckares' Visit to Our January Meeting Steve Tseckares, executive director of Backyard Sports Cares (BSC), joined us for dinner on January 3rd at Augie’s Restaurant in Larchmont. BSC’s slogan is “Changing Children’s Lives Through Sports” and its office is in White Plains. Steve explained how BSC got started and described some of the programs they’ve run. |
MADD Visits Our Club in OctoberPaige Carbone, regional executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), spoke to our club on October 24th via Zoom. She began her presentation with background information about MADD. Candace Lightner began the organization in the early 1980s with the intention of ending drunk & drugged driving as well as support for its victims. MADD’s new slogan is “Impaired driving ends here.” They also have an annual walk, Walk Like MADD, which takes place at the FDR Park up in Yorktown. . |
Larchmont Rotary Holds Annual Blum AwardRye Country Day junior Catie Colao was honored with Larchmont Rotary's annual Blum Award for leading the Saturday Reading Club at Mamaroneck's Community Resource Center. A celebratory luncheon was held at the Larchmont Yacht Club on November 8, 2024. The Blum Award recognizes local high school students for their initiative, leadership and creative pursuit to make a difference in their local community and beyond. Club President Lester Nathan gave his opening remarks and Treasurer Marion Anderson welcomed club members and special guests. Marian White, Club Rotary Foundation Chair, followed with the story behind the Blum Award and then introduced Catie Colao.  |
DG Sayed Alirahi Visits Our ClubDistrict 7230 Governor Sayed Alirahi and his wife Shazia visited our club on Friday, October 25th at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Sayed took over as the DG on July 1st of this year. He was the charter president of the Rotary Club of Westchester, which recently chartered in 2020. In that role, he directed the club's service events, trained new Rotarians and helped boost membership. He participated in the club's international service projects in the Dominican Republic and Pakistan. Prior to the Rotary Club of Westchester, he was a member of the Rotary Club of Elmsford, beginning in 2012.  |
Larchmont & New Rochelle Clubs Walk to End AlzheimersLarchmont Rotary’s team participated for the third time in the annual Alzheimer’s Association - Westchester County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 6th. The Walk’s main purpose is to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research. In support of the five different Walks to End Alzheimer's happening across the Hudson Valley, the Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge was lit up in purple on September 21st.  Dave Biskup, Barbara Crane, Marion Anderson & Lester Nathan |
The Passing of Former Club President Kurt SauerKurt Sauer, 97, passed away peacefully Thursday, September 26, 2024 at The Legacy of Lexington, Lexington SC. Born August 8, 1927, in Alsheim, Germany to Hartmann and E,lla Sauer. He was the youngest of 3 sons. Kurt was trained as an ophthalmic optician in Germany. In 1953 he immigrated to Montreal, Canada. Kurt married Mary Sauer, nee Harty in 1955, and they moved to New York in 1957. In 1967 Kurt became a naturalized US citizen after the birth of their daughter Susan. 
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Larchmont Rotary Honors Essay Contest Winners Six Hommocks Middle School students were honored by the Rotary Club of Larchmont as winners of the 2024 Essay Contest during its May 17th luncheon at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Club member Marian White has led the effort for the last 22 years, coordinating in September with the Hommocks English Department to determine a relevant topic and then selecting Rotarian essay judges to determine the winners. Each May, families, teachers, Rotarians and special guests have gathered to celebrate the most talented of the young writers. |
Larchmont Rotary Sponsors Kane Park Restoration Project On May 18th, a small group of volunteers gathered at Larchmont’s Kane Park to kick off this year’s ecological restoration. The project, with the aid of the Larchmont Rotary Club’s sponsorship, will transform one section of the park’s sod grass lawn into a thriving ecosystem containing a diversity of native plants, grasses and shrubs which will support an abundance of bird and pollinator species and store carbon from the atmosphere. The restoration has involved several dozen volunteers from the community helping to re-introduce plant species that are known to have grown in the area for millennia. |
An Introduction to New York EdgeRachael Gazdick, New York Edge’s chief executive officer, was our guest speaker for the April 5th meeting at the Larchmont Yacht Club. New York Edge is the metropolitan region’s largest provider of after-school enrichment programs. It serves more than 30,000 students in 136 schools across all five boroughs and Long Island. Over 85% of its students come from low-income households. It began over 30 years ago under the “Schools Sports & Arts Foundation” from the efforts of tennis legend Arthur Ashe.  |
Lester Nathan Joins the Bequest SocietyClub President Lester Nathan was formally recognized as a member of the Rotary Foundation’s Bequest Society at our March 1st meeting. The Foundation recognizes couples or individuals who have made commitments in their estate plans totaling $10,000 or more. Area Governor Sandy Wolstein attached a pin to Lester’s jacket and Regional Major Gifts Officer Celeste Herbert presented him with an engraved crystal. He also received a pendant and print from the Foundation.  |
An Introduction to Toastmasters
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Hugh Maynard-Reid's Motivational Presentation Our club was pleased to have District 7230 Membership Chairman Hugh Maynard-Reid as guest speaker at our January 26th luncheon meeting at the yacht club. It was a "motivational" presentation, one which was full of inspiration and high energy. Special guests included District Governor Loren Russell, Governor Nominee Garrett Capobianco and Area Governor Sandy Wolstein. |
Alzheimer's AwardsFor the third year in a row, our newly rebranded team, the “Rotary Clubs of Larchmont and New Rochelle,” raised the most money among all Westchester Rotary clubs for the Alzheimer's Association, Hudson Valley Chapter’s 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. In addition, our team came in third among all Company/Organization teams, raising almost $6,850. Team member Lester Nathan led the way, raising $3,000. Participants included Team Captain Marion Anderson, Marian White, Barbara Crane, Dave Biskup and Francis Okelo. |
Detecting & Preventing MelanomaStephen Fine, founder and president of the Melanoma Education Foundation, gave club members an informative presentation on melanoma on December 1st. He explained the differences between the three types of skin cancer, basal sell, squamous and melanoma, then went into further depth about the subcategories. He also described how to detect skin cancers, prevention and treatment. For more information about melanoma, he provided us with several links to websites and online videos.
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Raising Awareness About Underage Gambling Debby Miller, a clinical social worker from the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Counseling Center, was the guest speaker at our November 17th meeting. The Center is involved in our community and schools, providing substance abuse education, identifying and offering help to at-risk kids and running Life Skills and other groups for kids. Her first topic was Internet betting, which began two years ago in New York and has changed the gambling landscape. There now exist thousands of gambling sites. Their advertising is aimed at children and young adults. One study revealed that 39.5% of kids 12 to 17 have gambled in the past year. |
2 Guest Speakers on October 27thTwo Guest Speakers Join Us for Our October 27th Meeting Our club was delighted to have not one, but two very different speakers at our luncheon meeting at the yacht club on October 27th. It proved to be very informative. |
Our Club Walks to Help End Alzheimer's Larchmont Rotary’s team participated for the second time in the annual Alzheimer’s Association - Westchester County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 1st. The Walk’s main purpose is to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research. In support of the five different Walks to End Alzheimer's happening across the Hudson Valley, the Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge was lit up in purple on September 21st. |
Larchmont Rotary Honors Hommocks Essay Contest Winners
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Larchmont Rotary Participates in the Regional Day of Service
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Laura Eckley Pays Us a Visit Head Librarian Laura Eckley, representing the Larchmont Library, was our April 28th guest speaker at the Larchmont Yacht Club. She gave us an update on changes and programs at the library. After an introduction by Club President Lester Nathan, Laura began by describing the recent building renovations, which had to be closed for two months. One of the objectives was making the building more ecologically sound. As a result, the facility became more geared towards its on-line assets. |
January Luncheon Features Alex Vo's Trip to COP27 in Egypt
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Trophy Presented to Larchmont Rotary for Alzheimer's Fund Raising Marion Anderson & Lester Nathan holding the trophy, surrounded by other Westchester Rotarians The Westchester Walk to End Alzheimer's held its 2022 Walk Recognition Party at Manhattanville College in Purchase on Thursday, January 12th. Top fundraisers in the following categories were recognized: Top new teams, most improved teams, top individuals, top friends & family teams, top company teams, top high school teams and top Rotary club. |
Larchmont Rotary's Blum AwardsMamaroneck High School seniors Larissa Bertini, Kate Loga and Marion Karp, members of the Original Civic Research and Action [OCRA] group, were honored with the Larchmont Rotary’s annual Blum Award for their work to reduce plastic waste in Larchmont restaurants. A celebratory luncheon was held at Lenny’s Seafood & Steakhouse on November 4, 2022. The award recognizes MHS students for their initiative, leadership and creative pursuit of making a difference in their local community and beyond. Club President Lester Nathan welcomed members and guests, followed by Past-President Marion Anderson. Marian White, Club Rotary Foundation Chair, introduced the students’ faculty advisor, Dr. Joseph Liberti. He began the civic advocacy program at MHS in 2016, which students join their freshman year and then identify, structure and execute a project, over their four years. They are paired with Community Mentors and even raise funds from investors.  |
October 28th Lunch MeetingOctober Luncheon Features Attorneys from the Pace Women's Justice Center Larchmont Rotary's October 28th luncheon at Larchmont Yacht Club featured guest speakers from the Pace Women's Justice Center, Attorneys Nicole Fields and Roberta Goodman who came to discuss "Avoiding Financial Scams." Club President Lester Nathan opened the meeting and introduced the guests to the audience.  Ms Fields described the Justice Center's purpose as a non-profit free civil legal services provider for victims of domestic violence and elder abuse, which assists clients in Westchester and Putnam Counties. It has been active training partners with law enforcement, advocacy groups and various professional groups in Westchester during its 25 year history. The Center has also done training across NY State during the past 18 years. |
Our Walk to End Alzheimer'sThe Larchmont Rotary Club team participated for the first time in the annual Alzheimer’s Association - Westchester County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 2nd. The Walk’s main purpose is to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research. In support of the five different Walks to End Alzheimer's happening across the Hudson Valley, the Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge was lit up in purple on September 21st. Larchmont Club member Marion Anderson was interviewed by News12’s Lisa Larocca at Horan’s Landing in Sleepy Hollow that evening.  |
Installation of New Officers for 2022-23The Rotary Club of Larchmont has inducted its 2022-23 slate of officers. They include: President, Lester Nathan; Treasurer, Alan Sloate; Asst Treasurer, Marion Anderson; Secretary, Ruby Zayas; Membership Chair, Michael Gedigk and Foundation Chair, Marian White. President Nathan takes over from outgoing president, Marion Anderson, who held the post for the last three years.  |
Breast Cancer ChallengeThe Rotary Club of The Hudson Valley and Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center are delighted to launch this public health initiative, an outreach program for early detection of breast cancer lesions based on an innovative new device, iBreastExam. This FDA-approved new device is (a) non-invasive; (b) portable; (c) radiation-free; and (d) gives results in minutes. In 2021, the HV Rotary Club conducted nine such outreaches in densely populated neighborhoods in Westchester, New York. Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center has joined this initiative, given its pivotal significance in providing access to preventative medical care, especially in this field.  |
Larchmont Rotary Celebrates Hommocks Essay Contest Winners
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Rotary Installs New Signs Around LarchmontThe Rotary Club of Larchmont, a member of Rotary International, replaced its information signs, located near village boundaries, in early February. These signs are located on Post Road, Chatsworth Ave and Palmer Ave. Club members Lester Nathan and Michael Gedigk worked on the project, which was necessitated by a change to our website address.  |
Blum Award Luncheon Mamaroneck High School (MHS) students Sam Smoltz and Jackson Owen were honored with our club's annual Blum Award at a special luncheon held at the Larchmont Yacht Club on November 5th. For several years, Sam and Jackson have been running the Aces for Alzheimers, a local club founded by their older sisters, which raises funds for Alzheimer's disease research. They did it by holding on-line trivia contests, casino nights and other events. The total amount raised came to $50,000. |
Oct 22nd lunch meetingLarchmont Rotary Welcomes Anil Srivatsa Our club's October 22nd luncheon at the yacht club featured guest speaker Anil Srivatsa, founder of the the Gift of Life Adventure Foundation (aka GOLA). Based in Bagalore, India, the GOLA Foundation works towards increasing awareness of organ donations, domestically and worldwide. It was started in 2016 after Mr. Srivatsa donated a kidney to his brother. |
August 13th Induction meetingLarchmont Rotary Meeting Features Induction Ceremony After many months of meetings on Zoom, the club held its second luncheon meeting at the Larchmont Yacht Club on Friday, August 13, 2021. Attendees included: President Marion Anderson, President-Elect Lester Nathan, Membership Chairman Michael Gedigk, Club Foundation Chair Marian Anderson, Senada Zukic, Ernie Odierno & his wife, Camille and Elaine McCrimmon. Special guests from District 7230 were District Membership Chair Marty Schulman and Asst. Area Governor Sandy Wolstein. Keni Banda, from the Niskayuna Club, attended via Zoom. Marty Schulman gave a short speech about Rotary's current direction (diversity, equity and inclusion) and the next generation of Rotary members. He spoke of an upcoming orientation on Zoom for the early fall. He put an emphasis on finding out what our members want from Rotary. |
Keni Banda's VisitKeni Banda - Banda Bola Sports Foundation-Chituka Village Project  On October 5, 2019, the Rotary Club of Larchmont welcomed guest speaker, Keni Banda. He grew up in the farming village of Chituka in the African country of Malawi. During his teenage years, his family of seven moved to Germany, and then to Mamaroneck, NY. The Chituka Village Project focuses on education, health and welfare for the youth to grow in an environment, which among other things is conducive to creating a better understanding of personal well-being. Through Banda Bola Sports Foundation-Chituka Village Project, Coach Banda is hoping to bring “CHANGE TO THE VILLAGE ONE CHILD AT A TIME”. .
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The Million Mask Challenge Rotarian Ted Rossi, of District 7980, donated 100,000 surgical masks consisting of 50,000 children's masks and 50,000 type KN95 masks to our district for distribution in January of 2021. |
Rotary’s Response to the 1918 Flu Pandemic
This is how Rotary responded to the influenza pandemic that began in 1918 and came in three waves, lasting more than a year. The Rotary Club of Berkeley, California, USA, meets in John Hinkel Park during the 1918 flu pandemic. |
Rotary at the Start of the United Nations
During World War II, Rotary informed and educated members about the formation of the United Nations and the importance of planning for peace. Materials such as the booklet “From Here On!” and articles in The Rotarian helped members understand the UN before it was formally established and follow its work after its charter. Many countries were fighting the war when the term “United Nations” was first used officially in the 1942 “Declaration by United Nations.” The 26 nations that signed it pledged to uphold the ideals expressed by the United States and the United Kingdom the previous year of the common principles “on which they based their hopes for a better future for the world.”
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History of Women in RotaryWomen are active participants in Rotary, serving their communities in increasing numbers and serving in leadership positions in Rotary. The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary. “My fellow delegates, I would like to remind you that the world of 1989 is very different to the world of 1905. I sincerely believe that Rotary has to adapt itself to a changing world,” said Frank J. Devlyn, who would go on to become RI president in 2000-01. The vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over the Rotary world to allow the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and several close votes at previous Council meetings.
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Young Inventor Eco-Friendly Bricks Come Full Circle
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First Club in Philippines Opens Door to Rotary in Asia
The club would be the only one in the country for more than 12 years. Eventually, Manila club members organized Rotary clubs in the Philippine cities of Cebu (1932) and Iloilo (1933). Iloilo club members then started a club in Bacolod (1937), and Rotary continued to expand across the country. |
An estimated 500 million people worldwide became infected. Many cities closed theaters and cinemas, and placed restrictions on public gatherings. Rotary clubs adjusted their activities while also helping the sick.
Rotary and the United Nations have a shared history of working toward peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the world.
Every hero has an origin story. “I was 10 years old when the entire journey started,” explains Binish Desai. It began with a cartoon called Captain Planet, an animated TV series from the 1990s about an environmentalist with superpowers. Desai can still recite the show’s refrain: Captain Planet, he’s our hero / Gonna take pollution down to zero! “That tagline stuck in my mind,” he says. “I wanted to do something to help Captain Planet.”
In early 1919, Rotarian Roger Pinneo of Seattle, Washington, USA, traveled to the Philippines to try to organize a Rotary club in Manila. Leon J. Lambert, a Manila business leader helped Pinneo establish the club. Several months later, on 1 June 1919, the Rotary Club of Manila was chartered and became the first Rotary club in Asia.