Rotarily Yours - August 25, 2025 (Aug. 25, 2025)

Becky Robbins
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Aug 25, 2025

Carol Hay and Executive Director

Community Helping Hands

Sep 01, 2025

Labor Day Observed

No Noon Meeting

Sep 08, 2025

Club Service- Birthday Table -Committee Mtgs Etc.

Sep 15, 2025

TBD

Sep 22, 2025

Fall Event TBD

Sep 29, 2025

David P Hart

Hart Hotels

Oct 06, 2025

District Governor Visit

Club Service

Oct 13, 2025

Holiday

No Noon Meeting

View entire list

Make Up Opportunities

AM CLUB — Meets at 7:30 am on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month on Zoom or in person at Northwest Arena

FALCONER — Meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 7 AM at the Falconer Fire Department Exempt Hall located at 1 Coleson Drive Falconer NY, 14733.

WESTFIELD / MAYVILLE — Currently meeting on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 5pm via ZOOM. Contact Janese Berkhouse at 716-397-8801 for Zoom details.

FREDONIA/DUNKIRK —

Meet Thursdays at 12:00 PM - Zoom Teleconference Meetings - Effective until further notice - Fredonia, NY 14063

Committee meetings or social events can also be used as make-ups.

Rotarily Yours - August 25, 2025

President Michelle Jones called the meeting to order on what turned out to be a beautiful sunny day.

President-Elect Caitlin O’Reilly, led the Star-Spangled Banner, followed by Pat Kinney’s invocation.

Caitlin next introduced Ken Brown and Misti Allen, who are prospective members. She also acknowledged and welcomed our exchange students, Heath and Jan.

In announcements, President Michelle asked people to sign up for Club Service duties.

She asked the group to add September 22 to their calendars for a social event, probably at Southern Tier Brewery.

She announced that Patty Graves of our DEI Committee could use more help with scanning historical documents about African American history in Jamestown.

An apparel order will be our next fundraising project, with Joelle Washer, who promises cups and mugs in addition to apparel for sale.

The next Rotary meeting will be September 8, with Club Service; the meeting will include new member inductions, Paul Harris Fellows, the Birthday Table and more.

Highway Clean-up was announced by Vince Horrigan for September 25, with a question as to who has the safety vests. Michelle announced that anyone who would like to attend the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation’s John Hamilton Award event, honoring Vince Horrigan, is invited to sign up on the Foundation’s website.

Matt Clark announced $29 for the 50/50. The celebrated winner was Sally Martinez!

Doug Conroe, Sargent at Arms, tapped Andrew Goodell for $1, thanks to his wife, Lisa’s new service as secretary of the Resource Center. Chris Anderson joined in with a dollar.

In Happy Bucks, we heard from Joni Blackman, Jason Sample, Matt Clark, Caitlin O’Reilly, Sue Jones and Misti Allen.

Community Helping Hands - Shawn Whitmer and Carol Hay

Becky Robbins of the Program Committee introduced both Shawn Whitmer, executive director of Helping Hands, and Carol Hay, board member of the organization.

Shawn Whitmer began at Community Helping Hands in 2009 as the Family Center Manager and later served as Operations Director. He stepped into the role of Executive Director, where he continues to serve today.

He and his wife cherish time with their two-year-old daughter, Bree, and await the arrival of a baby boy in January. He enjoys the Buffalo Bills, hunting, camping, riding ATVs, golf and spending time with family.

Carol Hay and her husband operated Gentle Earth Pottery for thirteen years. She later taught at the Sherman school district and earned a Master's and then a Certificate of Advanced Study with Administrative Certifications. She is a former principal in both the Dunkirk and Panama School Districts. Carol then became the Superintendent of the Panama, retiring in 2010.

She has been on the Board of Directors for the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and continues to serve on various CRCF committees. She served as the Interim Executive Director at Community Helping Hands and currently serves on the Board of Directors. She is on the boards of both the United Way of Chautauqua County and the Chautauqua County Historical Society. Carol is a member of the Zonta Club and works with various nonprofits in the community. She is also a group leader for Road Scholar programs at Chautauqua Institution. Carol has two grown sons and three grandchildren.

Carol first spoke about the rebirth of Community Helping Hands, with new, younger and energetic board members. The organization helps clients recommended by Salvation Army and other similar groups, providing them with household items and clothes. She noted that the staff and volunteers work hard to speak with the people they help, knowing that clients may never have been in the situation they are in, with hopes that they will be able to work themselves out of it with help from groups like Community Helping Hands.

The organization also sells other items, furniture and clothing that is donated.

Shawn stated that the Loft project will transfer responsibility for the building, which was assigned to them in 2018, from Community Helping Hands, allowing the organization to focus on its core mission. The building, spanning 196,000 square feet, presented numerous challenges.

The Loft project has an investor, and all the apartments (110 of them) will be electric. Tom Whitney of STEL will oversee the $77 Million project.

Community Helping Hands (CCH) has helped 3500 people, 1200 of them children, in the past year. The organization partners with the Resource Center, which brings their clients to learn about retail and to help the CHH organize the retail shop. Other volunteers include Social Service recipients, the Creche, Wegmans and United Way individuals. Any group that would like to do service together for a time period are welcome to contact Shawn.

Spanish-speaking volunteers would be helpful. A volunteer driver for the back-up van is needed.

In the question period, Shawn explained that the Loft apartments will include one, two or three-bedroom apartments. Children coming out of Foster Care will be able to rent apartments. The YWCA will provide space for women and children. STEL will house clients with mental or physical disabilities.

There will be a playground and lots of green space.

CCH has only a $150,000 budget. Their insurance is $80,000 a year, so they have had to let staff go to pay for that bill.

Shawn invited anyone to call him for a tour of the entire building or even just the CCH area.

President Michelle thanked both Carol and Shawn for their presentation and the meeting adjourned.