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 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 5 pm at the Westfield YWCA - 58 S. Portage St.
FREDONIA/DUNKIRK —
Meet Thursdays at noon at SUNY Fredonia University Village Conference Room, 2nd floor.
Committee meetings or social events can also be used as make-ups.
Rotarily Yours - October 26, 2026
President Cáitlín O’Reilly called the October 26 meeting to order and Sue Jones offered an invocation celebrating the opportunities Rotarians have to serve and asking for guidance and good health as they continue their work here and around the world.
President-elect Zach Agett welcomed Megan Eckwahl, guest of Becky Robbins, as well as guests joining the meeting through the WCA Foundation: Donna Thor, Rick Thor, Jennifer Mason, Raelynn DeAngelo, Becky Darroch, Mike Darroch, Gladys Sparling, Linda Lewis, Melissa Pollino, Tracy Gates, Tammara Hodges and Kelly Johnson. (Paul Lundin was later introduced as a guest of Ruth Lundin)
Cáitlín thanked those helping make the meeting run smoothly: Chris Anderson with technology, Rhonda Johnson as greeter, Wayne Rishell and Michael Dobbins at sign-in, and Greg Jones at closeout.
Club Announcements
October is Rotary’s Community Economic Development Month. Members were reminded of the club social on Wednesday, October 28, at 5:30 p.m. at Southern Tier Brewing Company. The November 2 meeting is Club Service, and the November 9 speaker will be Michael Edwards, director of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation.
The annual club meeting will take place on Monday, December 14, when board members will be elected for the club and the Rotary Club of Jamestown Community Service Fund. At least 40 members are needed for a quorum. John Felton announced an added reason to attend: Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union will pay one lucky attendee’s 2027 club dues. Anyone who attends both the October 28 social and the December 14 annual meeting will receive two drawing entries; attendance at the annual meeting alone earns one entry.
John also invited Rotarians to the grand opening of Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union’s new branch near Love School on November 10, with a ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m.
Ruth Lundin shared information about community mixers designed to connect people and organizations working to improve accessibility. She mentioned an upcoming November 4 gathering in Jamestown, with additional information to follow. She also invited members to take part in a discussion at the next Club Service meeting about the full lyrics of the national anthem, including a verse that refers to slavery, and how club traditions reflect Rotary values.
50/50 and Fines
Matt Clark conducted the 50/50 drawing. Fran Lapinski held the winning ticket and took home $44.
Mike Roberts handled Sergeant-at-Arms duties with a lively round of fines and Halloween-season trivia. He acknowledged Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union’s sponsorship of the Ability Awareness Awards, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation’s support of the Audubon 5K, Jamestown Harmony Express’s 40th year, and a new mural in Bemus Point. His questions tested members on Rotary’s early rotating meeting locations, Jamestown’s infamous “Scary Lucy,” the Irish tradition of carving turnips before pumpkins, and Rotary’s Illinois beginnings. Not everyone escaped without contributing!
Happy Bucks
Dewey Jones added $5 before leaving early with his wife. Happy Bucks also brought a few personal stories and some warm memories from years of Rotary fellowship.
Tim Edborg recalled a club cruise some 20 to 25 years ago and a photograph Sue Jones shared of Greg and Lianne. Tim also described an emotional visit to the Hollywood Bowl, where a nephew and his future wife were involved in sold-out performances!
Patricia Johnson voted early for the first time (remember to vote!) and also ate at the Swamp for the first time (and seemed to enjoy it)!
The weekend’s Jamestown Riverwalk Halloween Festival provided a particularly happy report: Rotary volunteers handed out an estimated 3,000 books and 3,000 bags of candy! Patricia Graves received special thanks for personally collecting more than 1,000 of the books.
Becky Robbins reported that The Jamestown BPU was also represented at the event, distributing more than 700 items. The club’s efforts brought literacy, treats and smiles to local families. She also introduced Megan Eckwahl who will be taking her place as Communications Coordinator at the BPU. Welcome Megan!
Club Historian Susan Jones NEEDS YOUR HELP!!! See below...
This photo was taken in the early 1980s when the Rotary Club participated annually in their ‘dirty hands’ project erecting the booth framework for the Jamestown General Hospital Auxiliary’s Annual Summer Fair. I’m missing a few names in the group and hoping our members can help me out?
Kristin Melville, executive director of the WCA Foundation, introduced the day’s program, held in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Foundation and The Rotary Club of Jamestown, NY partnered with support from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to make the educational presentation available to members and community guests. Kristin welcomed Nabeela K. Patail, MD, a board-certified hematologist and medical oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Chautauqua.
Dr. Patail began with an important reminder: about one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. She noted that diagnoses are increasing among women younger than 50, making awareness and timely screening especially important. The outlook is much more encouraging when cancer is found early; the five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is greater than 99%.
She encouraged women to talk with their healthcare providers about mammograms beginning around age 40, while noting that the right schedule depends on personal risk. Family history on either the mother’s or father’s side, inherited genetic changes, prior chest radiation and other factors may call for earlier or additional screening. Dr. Patail emphasized that many patients diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history at all.
Breast density was another major topic. About half of women have dense breast tissue, which can make cancers more difficult to see on a mammogram. Since September 2024, mammogram reports have been required to include breast-density information. Women with dense breasts should discuss with their providers whether additional imaging, such as ultrasound or breast MRI, is appropriate.
Dr. Patail also discussed steps people can take to reduce risk, including regular physical activity, good nutrition and limiting alcohol. She encouraged people to be aware of changes in their breasts and report concerns promptly. Although researchers are still studying the reasons for increased diagnoses among younger women, she stressed that early attention and individualized risk assessment remain valuable tools.
Advances in technology and treatment offer considerable hope. Artificial intelligence is beginning to help radiologists detect abnormalities on mammograms. Genetic testing, detailed tumor analysis and newer medications allow treatment plans to be tailored to each patient. Depending on the cancer, treatments may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone-blocking medications, targeted therapies or immunotherapy. Dr. Patail noted that doctors are also learning when some patients can safely avoid treatments they may not need.
She spoke with pride about the team at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Jamestown, describing a collaborative, woman-led group of nurses, physicians and other professionals. Local patients can receive breast imaging, additional testing, consultations and much of their treatment close to home. Specialists in larger centers may still be consulted for certain cases, but Dr. Patail emphasized the high-quality care available in the community.
Notable Questions
It was asked how researchers find a cure and whether cancers affecting different organs have enough in common to benefit from the same treatments. Dr. Patail explained that advances in genetic sequencing help identify changes within tumors and match patients to drugs that may work across several cancer types. She offered examples of genetic markers and immunotherapies now used for different cancers.
Other questions touched on male breast cancer, 3D screening, family history and the availability of local follow-up care. Dr. Patail answered questions about how treatment has changed over time and encouraged the audience to make informed decisions in partnership with their medical teams.
In appreciation of Dr. Patail’s visit, the club announced that a donation supporting Rotary’s global effort to end polio would be made in her honor. The meeting closed with Rotary’s Four-Way Test and the reminder to go forth and create lasting impact.
