|
|
Meets Noon Mondays at the Hilton |
|
September 14, 2009 Speaker: Gregory Fajt, Chairman of PA Gaming Control Board and Licensing Analyst Greeter: Michael Hanes |
|
|
PROGRAM: Prior to his position with the Board, Mr. Fajt served as Chief of Staff to Governor Rendell, the top advisor to the Governor and manager of the day-to-day activities of the executive branch of state government, including 18 cabinet agencies and the Governor’s Office. Fajt joined Governor Rendell's senior staff in February 2007 as senior advisor, and prior to that served as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue from March 2003 through February 2007. Fajt also served on several boards and commissions, including Chair of the Pennsylvania Business Tax Reform Commission, the Taskforce for Working Families and the Economic Development Cabinet. Fajt served as State Representative for the 42nd District in Allegheny County from 1991 to 1996. During his tenure in the Pennsylvania Legislature, he focused on tax policy and economic development issues and served on the Finance, Judiciary, Professional Licensure and Tourism Committees. Before he joined the Rendell Administration, Fajt was a partner with Leech Tishman Fuscaldo and Lampl, LLC of Pittsburgh concentrating primarily in the areas of estate planning, and administration and corporate law. Fajt was also legal counsel for tax, corporate, and ERISA for Joy Technologies Inc., a Pittsburgh-based Fortune 500 company. Fajt earned his law degree from Duquesne University in 1984, where the major emphasis of his studies was taxation. He graduated cum laude from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1977. Fajt is a licensed attorney within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Fajt has a long history as a volunteer for many community and charitable organizations. He was named Big Brother of the Year for Allegheny County in 2002. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh Blind Association, Beginning with Books and St. Anne Home. |
Corporate Member
Birthdays: UPCOMING PROGRAMS / MEETING LOCATIONS:
For complete programming go to our website: hbgrotary.org and click on calendar. |
|
NEWS AND NOTES: Thanks to the generosity of Al and Joan Baker, you will be treated to wonderful food and drink, have great time and you will receive attendance credit. Please RSVP to Linda: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with how many will be attending. October 24th is the Annual Apple Harvest Pancake Breakfast. • KIPONA WATER PROJECT A SUCCESS: We sold 399 bottles of water and had $19 in donations. Special thanks to Jack Huskin who chaired this project and the Rotarians who worked the event and those who purchased cases of water. • Please send or give Linda your $10 cash or check for the 2009-10 Support the Troops effort and $6 for water project. Checks can be made payable to HRF. • HRF 100% participation goal – All Rotarians have received their $100 invoice for the Harrisburg Rotary Foundation. We have already received 49% of our membership’s contributions. DISTRICT NEWS:
Plans have been completed for District 7390 to send a bus to the RI/UN Day on November 7, 2009. Please announce to your membership at this week’s meeting and each week until October 15th, the final day for registration, or until you receive a message that the bus is full. Members who wish to travel on their own may also register. Exchange students and accompanied high school students are also invited. This unique opportunity will offer both a visit to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and participation in panel discussions featuring leaders and officials from the United Nations, UN affiliated Non Governmental Organizations (NGO's) and Rotary International. Lunch is included in the registration fee and will be served in the main United Nations Cafeteria overlooking the East River. Lunch will include a sandwich, beverage and dessert. Please complete your registration as soon as possible! Seating for UN Day is limited. Spouses and friends are also invited. Please High School Students only. An Executive Charter Bus will leave Queensgate Shopping Center, in York at 2:45 a.m. and Boscov’s at the Colonial Park Mark in Harrisburg at 3:30 a.m. The UN day will conclude at 4:30 p.m. There will be a fast-food breakfast stop in the morning and dinner stop on the way home, returning to the same sites between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
|
International News
|
|
ATTENDANCE:
|
|
|
MINUTES BY: Carrie W. Thomas Greeter Steve Feinour introduced the many visiting Rotarians and guests, and rattled off two-weeks-worth of birthdays, since there’s no meeting for Labor Day next Monday. Charlie McNutt gave a rousing description of our Club’s water project, explaining that we will join the Keystone Club and St. Stephen’s Cathedral parishioners to sell bottled water on Labor Day weekend in front of the Cathedral, with the proceeds going to the water project in Honduras sponsored by the Carlisle Club. Charlie went on to ask Rotarians to each donate $6 for the purchase of a case of 24 bottles of water, and to sign up for a two-hour shift on Kipona weekend. This small effort on our part will go a long way in providing clean water for 1500 needy people in Honduras. Jack Huskin is chairing the water sale for our Club. Jim Brock then presented an enlightening Mini-Classification Talk, informing the Club about his company Dering Consulting Group and their mission to provide strategy, long-range planning, and development services to companies of all sizes. Steve Feinour returned to the microphone to handle “Good News Reporting,” generating a plethora of interesting remarks from members. Linda Freedenberg announced that her husband had been honored recently by being named as one of America’s “Best Lawyers” for 2010! Another grandchild is expected as well! Jim Rowland has been named a “West Virginia Legend,” recognizing not only his college football career, but also his distinguished law career. Dave Bedard stated that our exchange student Lukas is now Susquehanna Township High School’s #2 ranking golf-team member. Perhaps the most unusual piece of news came from Peggy Grove, whose sister narrowly escaped a fire which destroyed her apartment, and which had been caused by a smoking neighbor on oxygen, who was SAVED from the fire by Peggy’s brave sister! Andy Rebuck said that he, Peter Henninger, and Mitch Tillett had “brought hnour to the Club” through their golfing expertise in the District Tournament, but unfortunately did NOT win... Al Baker’s upcoming Happy Hour was plugged for September 10, with a donation of $20 as entry fee to Harrisburg Rotary Foundation. Andy Rebuck then announced the Community Service Award as the day’s program, saying what a difficult task it is to select the Rotarian for the coveted award. Many Rotarians display strong and sincere commitment to “service above self,” but this year’s awardee is noneother than Tom Johnston, Jr. Tom graciously accepted the honor, saying what a wonderful thing it is to be given an award for simply doing what Rotarians do, “serve.” He expounded by telling the Club where his drive to serve had originated, namely through his childhood and family, his many years in Boy Scouts, and his high-school membership in The Wheel Club, a Rotary-sponsored service group, as well as his faith. Tom went on to applaud Rotary and the structure for service it provides, both locally and throughout the world. Tom, being involved in numerous service organizations besides Rotary, introduced the guests he had brought to today’s event. His wife Anna, to whom he’s been married almost 50 years, was lauded for her own dedication to service and education projects, wherever they’ve lived during their marriage. His daughter Sarah was introduced as a recent Peace Corps volunteer in Africa. The Director of Christian Churches United Jacqueline Rucker was acclaimed for the many ministries her organization provides the unfortunate and homeless of our region. The Lend a Hand organization provides disaster-recovery assistance nationwide since 1990, taking busloads of area volunteers to whatever state in the country is in need. This group has provided millions of dollars worth of assistance to victims of floods and hurricanes, and are self-less in their service. Bill Bauer and Mark Englund-Krieger were honored as representing this worthy organization. Kely Wiant-Thralls, Associate Pastor of Market Square Presbyterian Church was acknowledged for organizing downtown churches to provide shelter for the homeless on cold winter nights, and the director of the PA Council of Churches was noted for the part played in founding WITF public television, providing chaplains to parks, prisons, state hospitals and truckstops, as well as to migrant farm workers. Susan and Wayne Mountz were also noted for their numerous service efforts in the area. Tom closed his inspirational commentary with quotes from those eminent exemplars of service-above-self - Albert Einstein and Albert Schweitzer, emphasizing the value of a life lived for others. Tom stressed that “happiness is finding our lives are worthwhile.” Andy Rebuck formally presented Tom with the Community Service Award plaque, and Tom received a standing ovation from the Club. Jack Huskin announced that there are still slots to fill for the bottled water sale for Labor Day weekend. President Carolyn reminded members that the Interclub Thanksgiving committee would meet after today’s meeting, as would the Pancake Breakfast, International, and Centennial Committees. The meeting closed at 1:15 PM with President Carolyn’s reminder that there would not be a meeting next week, due to Labor Day.
|
|
OFFICERS: |
DIRECTORS: |
|
|
Carolyn Dumaresq |
President |
Caryn J. Carr |
Newsletter History
- Rotary Roundup for February 6, 2012
- Rotary Roundup for January 30, 2012
- Rotary Roundup for January 23, 2012
- Rotary Roundup for January 9, 2012
- Rotary Roundup for December 12, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for December 5, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for November 14, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for November 7, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for October 31, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for October 24, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for October 3, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for September 19, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for September 12, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for August 29, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for August 22, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for August 15, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for August 1, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for July 25, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for July 18th, 2011
- Rotary Roundup for June 27th, 2011
Calendar of Events
- Board Meeting
February 13 (10:30 am)
(Committee Meetings) - NO MEETING
February 20 (12:00 - noon)
(Weekly Meetings) - New Member Orientation
February 27 (11:00 am)
(Committee Meetings) - Board Meeting
March 05 (10:30 am)
(Committee Meetings) - Donald Gilliland, enterprise reporter Harrisburg Patriot-News
March 12 (12:00 - noon)
(Weekly Meetings)Don Gilliland will speak on "Ethics in news reporting."