Rotary emblem POUGHKEEPSIE-ARLINGTON ROTARY Make Dreams Real - Logo
of
Poughkeepsie, New York

 

District Interact Advisor's - March 1, 2005
"2 Cents-Worthy Corner":
 
LITERACY CONNECTIONS SPELLING BEE AT MARIST COLLEGE
 
The Arlington and Poughkeepsie Rotary Clubs each are sponsoring a Spelling Bee
Team this year.  Arlington will sponosor a team of Interactors from
 BOCES New Visions Law Chapter of INTERACT.  The Poughkeepsie Rotary Club, in
true Rotary spirit, is sponsoring a team of ROTARACTORS from Ridley Lowell Business Institute,
a club started just one year ago in Poughkeepsie by the Arlington Rotary.  Both teams will compete
for a Literacy fundraising event at Marist College.  This event is county wide, and hosts many club
sponsors, and many Interact students in a fun-filled challenging day.  The entrance fee is well over
$200, which both Arlington and Poughkeepsie gave their sponsorships generously. 
 
VASSAR COLLEGE INTERN WORKS WITH ARLINGTON ROTARY FOR INTERACT & ROTARACT INITIATIVES
 
In her Sophomore year at Vassar College, where she is studying Political Science, Mimi Nikolova, comes
to our lucky student club members from Bulgaria.  She has been assigned by PDG Betsy Kopstein to work
with District Interact Advisor and Chairman, both from the Arlington Rotary Club.  Mimi was Vice President
of her Bulgarian Interact Club, and her major community service project was working with Village Officials
and local contractors to pave a handicap-accessible and protected sidewalk through the unpaved main street
of her village.  This involved working with blueprints, architect and road designers, and Euro-City Council members
who have very stringent regulations dealing with altering any public area.  Mimi will be a guest speaker at an
upcoming Arlington Rotary meeting at Christo's, and is scheduled for an interview by the Poughkeepsie Journal
for her work with assisting language professors at Vassar College, Amnesty International efforts, and especially
her work in furthering INTERACT and ROTARACT throughout Dutchess County.  Welcome aboard Mimi!
 
ROTARACT, Ridley Lowell Chapter, (Arlington Rotary Sponsor) is planning two major projects in the coming months.
An "Environmental Symposium" to reduce the "blighted earth" along city streets, parks, and playgrounds in order
to foster community awareness about the choice they have in making their children a "greener" inner-city.  Vassar
College Radio Host, Chri Ruhe, has offered ROTARACTORS the opportunity to promote their symposium on his
weekly FM Radio Show, "Planet Blue" broadcasting every Monday on 91.3 FM Vassar College Radio Station WVKR.
The 2nd project is already underway.  UNICEF'S "School in a Box" project will be the focus for ROTARACT members
so that for each $275 they raise, 80 Children in some school-less area, will be able to learn basic skills utilizing the
books, calculators, rulers, notepads, blackboard, ALL IN THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR NATIVE TONGUE!.  To make
the fund-raiser fun, and "inter-active", the BOCES Interact Club at the Alternative High School will be making little
red school houses from styrofoam to be distributed as collection boxes throughout businesses in the Poughkeepsie
area.  All proceeds will go for a "School in a Box", and UNICEF will deliver and name ROTARACT as the benefactor.
A win-win-win-win  for ROTARY, for ROTARACT, for INTERACT, and especially, for some precious young people somewhere
in this needy world of ours.  To quote a famous songwriter, "we are the world, we are the children!"
 
INTERACT AT KID'S EXPO:  Mid Hudson Civic Center, April 9-11
 
Once again, the BOCES INTERACT Club in Dutchess County will be setting up a booth at the Kid's Expo.  Not only
do they volunteer to man the ROTARY table and hand out tree seeds to help foster "sowing the seeds of love",
but they are planning an INTERACT UNDER THE SEA booth where little shorties (kids) can fish for fish, and win a
prize.  The art teachers and art students at BOCES Alternative High School will be making the display, the fish,
and the face painting kits. 
 
911 CELL PHONE DRIVE:  Dutchess County District Attorney and Sheriff's Program
 
The BOCES NEW VISIONS LAW CHAPTER OF INTERACT, has been collecting used cell phones to give to the Sheriff's
Domestic Violence Prevention Program that programs phones to only make outgoing 911 calls at moments of apparent
violence towards children and/or spouses.  Bunnee Webb has been invited to speak to the law students in their class
regarding the Rotary project and mission to reduce domestic violence through education, awareness, cell phones, and
counseling.  The BOCES INTERACT CLUB in the past has collected household items, including toys, pots, pans,
clothing, and donated them to the GRACE SMITH HOUSE in Poughkeepsie, a haven for broken families due to domestic
violence.  In addition to PDG Bunnee's guest appearance, the DG Elect, Doris Obremski has accepted an invitation to
visit the Ridley Lowell ROTARACT Club to share both her, and the Rotaract club's mission and hopes for future events.
 
NEW INTERACT CHAIR FOR DISTRICT 7210Ed Lynch, Arlington Rotary, has accepted the role of District Chair for Interact
and Rotaract.  Ed has been a key member of the planning committee to establish ROTARACT in Dutchess County, and will
now share his computer saavy with all clubs who have, or would like to have, either an INTERACT or ROTARACT club in
their area.  WELCOME AND THANK YOU Ed! :-) (Ed was nominated and pleasantly persuaded to accept this responsibility
by Doris Obremski, incoming DG)
 
That's it for the Arlington Rotary Youth and Rotaract News.......Roger R., District Interact Advisor:  krisko@HVC.RR.COM