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 - March 24, 2025
Opening
The meeting was called to order by President Marion Beckerink, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Caitlin O’Reilly led the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Invocation
Caitlin also gave the invocation in recognition of National Women’s History Month, whose theme is "Moving Forward Together." She read quotes from notable women.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
There were no visiting Rotarians or guests this week. However, President-Elect Michelle Jones took the opportunity to share her experience at a training program for President-Elects. She received the Rotary flag for next year with the theme "Unite For Good." Michelle also mentioned a community donation of $50 and encouraged members to contribute towards it, which will be presented at the district conference.
Michelle Jones, as president-elect of the Rotary Club of Jamestown, emphasized her commitment to engaging with all members to understand their reasons for joining Rotary, their expectations, and how the club can better serve them. She aims to encourage participation through direct conversations and ensure that everyone has a role in shaping the club’s future. She expressed her appreciation for the support and shared her enthusiasm for the opportunity to lead, looking forward to collaborating with members to achieve their goals.
Announcements
President Marion thanked Wayne Rishell and Ken Omeruo for being the Greeter and Rotarily Yours editor, respectively.
Brandon Odell, GM of DoubleTree, provided an update about Kayla, the event manager who has been helping with the club's lunches. Kayla, at 29 weeks pregnant, was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and is currently hospitalized. A GoFundMe page has been set up, and donations are also being collected at the hotel.
Regarding lunch at DoubleTree, President Marion shared that Brandon and his team addressed issues raised about the previous meal. The executive chef, Esteban, personally prepared today's meal, and members are encouraged to email their meal preferences to President Marion for future planning.
Jason Sample announced the inaugural JoinCHQ event on March 29 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. The event will showcase civic and community groups in Chautauqua County, including a free screening of the documentary Join or Die and a meet-and-greet forum. The event is jointly hosted by Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Live CHQ and ChooseCHQ.
As discussed by the Board, Ruth Lundin introduced a prepayment option for lunch meetings in April, May, and June. Members who prepay for 10 meals will only pay for 9, receiving a discount. For credit card payments, this will save $30 and eliminate weekly transaction fees. This will only apply for the months mentioned.
Ruth also announced the board’s approval of Zach Agett as the Vice President for the 2025-2026 Rotary year.
President Marion invited members to join the Governance Committee and the Ad-Hoc Committee, which will plan a Welcome Weekend for visiting district club members. Interested members can email her for more information.
50/50 Raffle
Lisa Goddell coordinated the 50/50 raffle, with Kristin Melville winning $39.
Fines and Happy Bucks
Doug Conroe coordinated the fines and Happy Bucks. Members including Joni Blackman, Mike Roberts, Vince Horrigan, Jason Sample, Jennifer Lundmark, Michelle Jones, Max Eimiller, and Marion Beckerink contributed Happy Bucks.
Induction of Corporate Memberships
The club welcomed new corporate members from two local organizations:
DoubleTree by Hilton:
Brandon Odell, General Manager
Matthew Clark, Director of Sales
Sponsored by: John Felton
Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant (JEP):
Shawn Hriko, JEP Manager
Jennifer Lundmark, JEP Community Relations Coordinator
Sponsored by: Vince Horrigan
These representatives were inducted as corporate members, strengthening the club’s connection with the local business community.
Jackie Greene is a dedicated and experienced outreach professional with a strong history of community engagement in the Southern Tier of Western New York. With a career spanning impactful roles at organizations such as Connect Life and Mercy Flight of Western NY, she has developed a deep passion for connecting individuals with life-changing resources and opportunities. In her current role as a Community Outreach Liaison with the Good skills Career Builder Program, Jackie works to foster relationships, build partnerships, and promote career development opportunities to individuals and organizations. She thrives on personal, one-on-one interactions, recognizing the power of meaningful connections in driving positive change. For Jackie, the true reward of her work lies in knowing that her efforts help improve lives—whether by guiding individuals toward new career paths, supporting community initiatives, or strengthening workforce development in the region.
Jackie Greene, Community Outreach Liaison with Goodskills Career Builder Program, shared details about the program, which offers a 4-week intensive training designed to help individuals prepare for full-time jobs in manufacturing. The program is free for participants from Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara counties. It provides technical skills and credentials, helping people transition from unemployment or underemployment to higher-paying careers.
The program also offers hands-on experience with partnering companies and connections to hiring employers in Jamestown and WNY. Notable training partners include JCC, Rand, Arro Manufacturing, and Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, while hiring partners include Weber Knapp, Cummins, Blackstone, New Flyer, and TitanX.
Participants also set long-term career and financial goals with the support of career coaches, and they receive paid hands-on work experience. Graduates can attend hiring events or explore advanced training placement opportunities.
Rhonda Johnson shared that Weber Knapp currently employs two program graduates, demonstrating the program's success.
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