Home Page | Rotary Club of Chittenango

Welcome to our Club!

We meet In Person & Online

Thursdays at 12:00 PM

Sullivan Free Library

101 Falls Blvd
Chittenango, NY 13037
United States of America

Weekly club meetings are in-person at the Sullivan Free Library. Club members can also participate in weekly meetings virtually via the Zoom link below.

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And the Winner of the SU Basketball Raffle Is …

The winner of the Chittenango Rotary’s 2021 SU Basketball raffle is Brian Dwyer.

Brian recently attended the season opener with his daughter, Brooklyn, and was nice enough to share a photo of the event.

Many thanks to Brian and everyone who participated in this year’s raffle.

Rotary Welcomes District Governor Dana Jerrard and New Member Ken Boyce

On October 14, the Chittenango Rotary was honored to welcome our district governor, Dana Jerrard, to our weekly club meeting.

As governor of District 7150, Dana offered unique perspectives about the many service projects that have occurred across the district over the past 18 months. He shared that despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rotary clubs throughout our region have stepped up to the plate and exemplified Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta’s 2021-2022 theme, Serve to Change Lives.

Dana also had the privilege of inducting our new member, Ken Boyce, into the Chittenango Rotary. Ken and his wife, Debbie, are long-time Chittenango residents and active members of our community. Welcome aboard, Ken!

2021 Eerie Canal Run Scheduled for Oct. 30th

The Chittenango Rotary is teaming up with other local organizations to sponsor the 2021 Eerie Canal Run on October 30^th from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.

Featuring both 15 mile and 5K race options, this year’s event starts at Town of Sullivan Parks and Rec located at 707 Legion Drive in Chittenango. As in previous years, race proceeds will benefits projects and nonprofits in the local community.

For more information or to register, visit www.ErieCanalRun.com.

Chittenango Rotary Provides Shelter for Earthquake Victims in Haiti

On August 14, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the small country of Haiti, which was still struggling from a major earthquake in 2010. Over 800,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and water systems damaged, leaving a shortage of safe drinking water.

As we did in 2010, Chittenango Rotary Club stepped up by partnering with Shelterbox, a global, nonprofit, non-governmental organization that works to provide shelter in areas devastated by natural disasters or conflict.

Chittenango Rotary's board of directors agreed to match member donations. Together, we raised over $1200, enough to purchase a complete Shelterbox, which provides a family with a tent or materials to repair a home plus cooking materials and other items needed to survive.

For more information or to make a donation to Shelterbox, visit: www.shelterboxusa.org

Win Season Passes to 2021-2022 SU Men's Basketball

Chittenango Rotary is once again offering an opportunity to win two season passes to the 2021-22 SU Men's Basketball games.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased from any Rotarian. Only 500 tickets will be sold and proceeds will benefit local Chittenango Rotary projects.

The drawing will be held on Saturday, Oct 9th at 3 pm at the Chittenango Fall Festival.

2021 Changing of the Guard at Chittenango Rotary

The Chittenango Rotary Club celebrated our annual “Changing of the Guard” on July 8 at the Chittenango Landing Canal Museum. This event occurs at the end of every Rotary year (the Rotary year runs from July 1 to June 30), and marks the annual transition of club leadership.

At this year’s Changing of the Guard ceremony, outgoing president, Jim Ecklund, passed the gavel to our incoming president, Karen Fauls-Traynor. We also celebrated the club’s accomplishments over the past year and recognized club members who served on the board for the previous 12 months.

Thanks for your service, Jim — and welcome aboard, Karen!

Chittenango Rotary Awards Scholarships to Four CHHS Seniors

As part of our club’s commitment to the local community, Chittenango Rotary awarded scholarships to several CHHS graduating seniors in June. Although 2020 was a difficult year for fundraising due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual scholarship program is just one of the ways our club exemplifies Rotary’s motto of “service above self.”

Giving Back to the Chittenango Community Through the Rotary Chuckwagon

The Chittenango Rotary Club is proud to once again support “Tuesdays in the Park” as a sponsor and by hosting the Rotary Chuckwagon. You’ve probably seen the Chuckwagon at other community events. But have you ever wondered where the proceeds from the sale of food at the Chuckwagon go?

Chittenango Rotary Lends a Hand for 2021 Community Betterment Day

On Saturday, April 24th, Chittenango Rotarians joined other members of our town to participate in Community Betterment Day 2021 — an effort to clean up our local roadways and public areas.

Support Chittenango Teachers by Participating in the “Schools to Shops” Project

In a year of unprecedented challenges for both educators and local small businesses, the Chittenango Central School’s Parent Teacher Associations and the Greater Sullivan Area Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to make life a little bit better for them.

Rotarian Spotlight: Sherry Menninger

Sherry Menninger has been involved with Rotary for more than three decades. She’s played an active role in the district as well as the Chittenango Rotary. She recently shared her thoughts about Rotary and some of the highlights of her Rotary experience.

Chittenango Rotary Partners With “Bear Care” to Support Families in Our Local Community

In April 2020, Superintendent Mike Eiffe and the Chittenango Central School District started a program called “Bear Care.” With an initial $10K grant from a Character Education partner, Wisdom Thinkers and the Fetzer Foundation, this program has expanded significantly thanks to the generosity of school employees, residents, and the Rotary Club of Chittenango Foundation.

Rotarian Spotlight: Ray Mann

Ray Mann has been a Rotarian for more than 50 years. As a past president of the Chittenango Rotary, Ray has played an important part in the life of our club for many decades and he shares his thoughts about Rotary’s impact in his life and the Chittenango community.

Chittenango Rotary assists Rise Above Poverty Syracuse

In September, Chittenango

Rotary club members helped kick off the Community Campaign for Love with the donation of personal care items for teens in need. The items were donated to Rise Above Poverty Syracuse, an organization that works to alleviate homelessness and poverty in the Syracuse City School District. A year-long initiative of Interfaith Works, the Community Campaign for Love aims to build understanding, compassion and unity in our regional community.

Changing of the Guard at Chittenango Rotary

The Chittenango Rotary Club celebrated its annual "Changing of the Guard" ceremony on Thursday, June 25 at Rotary Park. An annual event that occurs at the end of the Rotary year (which runs from July 1 to June 30), the Changing of the Guard ceremony features the swearing in of the club's next president, and celebrates the accomplishment of the outgoing president and the club over the past year. At this year's ceremony, our outgoing president, Barb Devendorf, handed over the gavel to our incoming president, Jim Eklund. Congratulations, Jim and Barb!

Finding Safe Haven

For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.

After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.

India celebrates three years without polio

Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."

The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio.

Saving lives in Ghana

What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.

A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga.

Helping people with disabilities make their own music

Music has been an important part of leading an ordinary life for students at the Music School for Children With Disabilities in Honor of Paul Harris in Lublin, Poland. Founded by Rotary members, the school serves 20 students with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and visual impairments. The Rotary Club of Lublin-Centrum-Maria Curie-Sklodowska has provided funding with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants and the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society, which houses the school.

After their son Mateusz was born with underdeveloped eyes, Mariusz and Joanna Kania looked for ways to help him be active. When he showed an aptitude for music, they looked for a teacher and were thrilled to find the Paul Harris music school.