HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK Jeb Stuart     Dec 12	HAPPY December Anniversaries Heath Allen        54 years Connie Siegel     44 years Bob Reitzel        29 years Bill Boles           18 years Tama Carey       13 years Al Baker            11 years

PROGRAM: Dennis Joined the Rotary Club of Hanover in 1994, chaired the Vocation at Work Committee in 1995, and was Lane Chair in 1996 and 1997 before serving as Secretary 1998-2000 and President 2001-2002.  He is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.  Dennis has served District 7390 on the Membership Development and Retention Committee and as Assistant District Governor 2003-05.  He is a graduate of the Rotary Leadership Institute and has hosted a Youth Exchange Student.  He was a volunteer on the Rotary Medical Mission to Brazil in 2004, and made a follow-up visit in 2005 to review the current status of the various projects.  He visited Gulfport/Biloxi, MS in February 2007, working with other Rotarians to repair homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Dennis attended the University of Iowa and graduated from Drake University in 1966 with a BA degree in Political Science.  He received his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh in 1987.  Dennis started his business career with IBM in Des Moines, Iowa in 1967, and moved to Procter & Gamble in Chicago from 1967-73.  He then moved to Pittsburgh, PA to work with Merck’s Consumer Healthcare Division.  Merck sold the business to Beecham, which later merged with SmithKline.  In 2001, SmithKline Beecham merged with Glaxo Wellcome to form GlaxoSmithKline.  Dennis moved to Hanover in 1990 to establish the Northeast Region Distribution Center, which has grown from a 130,000 sq. ft. Distribution Center to a 435,000 sq. ft. Distribution and Display and Packaging Center, the largest in GSK’s network.  Dennis retired in April 2007 from GSK as Director of the Northeast Regional Site, after 33 years of service.

Dennis currently serves on the Hanover Hospital Development Council, the Hanover YMCA Focus on the Future Committee, and the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce Human Services Committee.  He previously has served as Executive Committee Chair for the Hanover Family Center, Senior Vice Chair for the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce, and as a member of various boards, including the Brethren Home Advancement Committee, American Cancer Society Hanover Branch, Lead Adams Hanover, and the Partnership for Economic Development of York County.

Dennis and his wife, Tricia live in Hanover and in his spare time he enjoys gardening, golf, reading, listening to music, visiting his daughters and grandsons, and playing ball with his miniature Dacshund, Blue.  He has 3 married daughters, Amy Force residing in Ann Arbor, MI with his 2 grandsons Trevor and Nolan Dennis, Sara Phelps in Salinas, CA, and Jane Pezua in Richmond, VA.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS / MEETING LOCATIONS:  

• Dec 10                   Dennis Kovacevich, District Governor
  Hilton
• Dec 17                   Harrisburg High School Choir
  Hilton
• Dec 24                   NO MEETNG
• Dec 31                   NO MEETING

For complete programming go to our website: hbgrotary.org and click on calendar.
December is Organ Donor Month

NEWS AND NOTES:  
• Condolences to the Reimer family on the passing of Eleanor Reimer (wife of Past President and Past District Governor, George Reimer).

• Get well wishes to Bob Reitzel, who recently had heart by-pass surgery.

• The Board accepted with regret the resignations of Matt Malick, Janet Kelley and Mel Wilkerson.

• POLIOPLUS  INFO:  It was reported in the Tuesday, November 27, 2007 edition of The Wall Street Journal (Page D2, Personal Journal section), that Rotary International will match (over three years) $100 million dollars of the $100 million dollars given by the Gates Foundation (Bill and Melinda Gates) for a total of $200 million dollars towards polio eradication in a few parts of the world.

• Salvation Army Bell Ringing
Tuesday, December 18      Wednesday, December 19
Sign up at the information table.

• Please send in your nominations:
           Robert D. Hanson Rotary Excellence Award by December 17
           Vice President (President 2010-11) by January 1

• DISTRICT:  The 2008 Teacher Impact Awards seek to recognize Teachers who have made a significant difference in the lives of their students.  You may nominate a teacher! Forms are on the information table or go to the district website:  www.rotary7390.org Deadline:  January 25, 2008
All nominated teachers will be invited to a special awards banquet on Monday April 14, 2008.  The five winners will receive a plaque and a $1,000 check, given to the school in the teacher’s name.

•  YOUTH EXCHANGE INFO
The Rotary Club of Harrisburg is sponsoring Ange Sauvage from Lyon , France. Ange is attending Susquehanna Township High School. The Youth Exchange Committee will be interviewing host families (they do not need to be Rotarians) in Susquehanna Township. Ange will stay with 3 host families during the school year. He will stay with each family about 3 months. Host families are to treat him as you would your own child. Ange will receive an allowance from the Club. If you are interested in hosting Ange or you know of someone else in Susquehanna Township who would want to host him, please contact Linda Freedenberg or Ron Guss ASAP. 

•  SUPPORT OUR TROOPS PROJECT
Donate $10 cash or check payable to the Harrisburg Rotary Foundation, in support of our 2007-08 goal to raise another $2,000 to assist the non-profit “Wounded Warrior Project” minister to the personal needs of our severely wounded troops who face long-term rehab in military hospitals. Your contribution is 100% tax deductible.

For meeting cancellations due to inclement weather.... Tune to ABC27-TV or check your e-mail or call the Rotary office at 234-1208.

ATTENDANCE:
LAST ROTARY MEETING: 12/3/07       60.38%
Rotarians  80   Active Specials   10   Guests   7   Visiting Rotarians  0 =  97

Minutes by Steve Baloga:
President Carrie brought the meeting to order at the Hilton as customary with singing, the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation.

Charlie McNutt introduced guests and visiting Rotarians.

Announcements and Committee Reports:
Karen Paris requested that ticket receipts for the Pancake Breakfast be turned in ASAP so the project can be closed out. Donations are, of course, still being accepted (and encouraged). Please also contact Karen if you ordered a tee shirt and did not pick it up yet.

Hal Hurwitz indicated that more volunteers are needed for the Salvation Army Bell Ringing to take place at Strawberry Square on December 18 and 19.

Bruce Grossman delivered the Rotary Minute. He informed members of his involvement in the International Federation of Rotary Scuba Divers (www. IFRSD.org). Once or twice a year the group goes diving to exotic sites. During the dive a collection is taken for worthy “local” causes. Over $12,000 has been donated over the years. Their motto is “Surface Above Self”.

Trent Gray, a student at Harrisburg SciTech High, gave a report on the activities of the Youth Community Development Team. The team has set Substance Abuse as their cause and is conducting a fund raiser selling Gertrude Hawk candy. He also thanked various Rotarians for donating gifts to the YCDT.

President Carrie appealed to everyone who has not yet done so to make their Harrisburg Rotary Foundation $100 contribution, which is due December 31, 2007.

She also announced that the decision in favor of a “light lunch” menu for meetings starting in 2008 was changed. Hot meals will continue and dues will remain at $220/quarter.

Program:
Karen Paris introduced our speakers Brad Statnick and Jason Mead, members of the Colonial Park Rotary Club, who gave a moving presentation on their involvement in the “Joining Hands” project for Hurricane Katrina relief along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. They reviewed some sobering statistics about the devastation in Mississippi and explained the on-going efforts being made by volunteers to assist area residents to re-build their communities.

The group is going back the third week in January 2008 with activities continuing into March. Volunteers are needed. It doesn’t take any special skills to help, just a caring heart.

Next week at the Hilton.

Please support our Officers and Board by serving our club and our community as we begin our new Rotary year!