ROTARY EAST TRIBUTE 2014-2015 GIVEN BY CORINNE VAN RENSSELAER WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2015

by President Corinne Van Rensselaer

Rotary East has such a big heart…

Where or where can I possibly start

To thank these extraordinary women and men

For giving their all again and again!  

This Rotary year, it began in the dark,

But lighting up East, it took just a spark

Of candles and friends on our opening night,

With Rotary Spirit growing ever more bright.  

Service Chair Leslie, you’ve done projects galore

Back to school, Santa’s Breakfast, Dining Out Books and more!  

In service above self, you set the bar high,

It is with members like you, That Rotary East can fly.  

Thanks to Greg, our Club Admin, we are litter-free and afloat,

And well entertained with speakers of note.  

In particular Sgt. Paul, with your films of the deep,

Then you remove all our dollars in one happiness sweep.  

Oh Treasurer Tom, we are glad you came back

Our books are transformed from red into black.

We moved out of the Bay and into the Cove

It seems wine is our savior and all we need is a stove.

I heard we’ll get help with a kitchen quite new

With Fran, Phil and Sam, we do have crew.  

Mike, you’re a star for inviting us all;

Inspiration, it seems, abounds in this Hall.

You talk about Rotary to each person you greet,

Please bring ‘em on in for our members to meet.  

Membership chair Susan, you helped us increase;

Please keep us on this roll till we are twenty apiece.

New Secretary Lynn, you have taken the lead

In learning the ropes with marvelous speed,

Of Chihuahuas, ClubRunner and Rotary.org

Your prowess on Facebook will keep us out of the morgue.  

Marty’s our man, when it comes to our young

He is touch with our students and gets the job done.

For our scholarship program, he’s on top of the game

With no co-chair Tim, who rose quickly to fame,

By sheer volume of restaurants he brought into the fold,

Which has made our Dining Out book a feast to behold.

Newbies Shari and Phil, you have jumped in the fray,

To lead us in grants that will bring a new day,

With signs of peace, and backpacks en route,

You helped out where needed and your horns we shall toot!

Rotarian Sam, you are also quite new,

But your love for our islands and people is true.

You speak out, you take action and you bring to the floor,

Issues that matter, and you brought Bruce through the door.

Fran, without doubt, you are one fancy dude,

You volunteer for it all; and lift us up from the crude,

No more paper plates! We’ve joined the upper classes,

Now let’s get with the program and drink wine out of glasses!  

So please raise them up and say one last toast,

Rotary Easters, my friends, I love you the most.

I thank you one and all with deepest delight