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 - November 4, 2024
Opening
President Marion Beckerink called this week's meeting to order, leading the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Invocation
Paulette Kline gave the invocation.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Club President-Elect Michelle Jones welcomed the following guests:
Matthew Morse and Ken Beers (guests of Eric Harvey from the Alliance Group)
Julian Dwyer
Wolly Wollenzein
Announcements
DEI Committee Meeting: President Marion reminded the DEI Committee of their upcoming meeting on November 6.
SUNY JCC GO Global International Fair: Volunteers were requested for the fair on November 20, from 12:00 to 1:30 PM.
Family Night: Emily Cama announced Family Night, set for November 20 at the Southern Chautauqua FCU Community Training Center, 110 Mall Boulevard, Lakewood, NY, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Members and guests are welcome, and online registration is required.
Rotary Grant Workshop: Joni Blackman asked for volunteers to attend the Rotary grant workshop in Canada on November 16. Rotarians Caitlin O'Reilly and David Troxell volunteered.
Paul Harris Fellow Presentation
John Bauman was awarded his second Paul Harris Fellow by Joni Blackman. This honor is given to members who make substantial contributions to the Rotary Foundation’s humanitarian and educational programs. John joined the Rotary Club in Bermuda in 2016 and gratefully accepted the award.
Birthdays
November birthdays were celebrated for Deb Kathman and Mike Roberts. Mike, who was in attendance, received a complimentary lunch from the Birthday Table.
50/50 Raffle
Tim Edborg won $54 in the 50/50 raffle, drawn by Andy Goodell.
Fines and Happy Bucks
Sergeant-at-Arms Doug Conroe collected a few fines, followed by "Happy Bucks" contributions, especially for recent football games and the concert held recently.
Sue Jones introduced Blake Tarana as the week’s guest speaker. Blake is the Multi-Franchisee and President of Tim Hortons Southern Tier, overseeing locations in Jamestown, Olean, and Hornell. He also owns GDT Repairs LLC, TAR Holdings, and BPT Holdings. In addition to his business ventures, Blake serves as a board member for the Italian-American Golf Tournament, Vice President of the Southwestern Education Foundation, and Chairman of the Tim Hortons United States Advisory Board. A graduate of Southwestern High School and St. Bonaventure University, he holds a degree in Management Science.
The club meeting provided an opportunity for members to learn more about Blake’s business journey and his work with Tim Hortons. Blake shared that he became certified as a Tim Hortons owner in 2011 and fully assumed ownership in January 2020, buying out his parents to take over five stores in Jamestown. Today, he operates 10 locations: six in Jamestown, three in Olean, and one in Hornell. The first location, which opened on April 7, 2002, at Brooklyn Square, Jamestown remains one of the top five busiest Tim Hortons in the U.S. Blake also shared some photos of their latest location in Jamestown.
Members expressed their appreciation for Blake and Tim Hortons’ community involvement and generous support for local nonprofits. Tim Hortons recently received the 2024 AFP Global Award as the Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation in Western New York.
Blake addressed questions about managing young employees, staff training, tipping policies, and some of the members’ favorite Tim Hortons items.
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