Attendees Find Bit of Rotary, Lot of Fun

Some 282 Rotarians, guests, exchange students and others participated in District 7150’s 2008 annual conference, held Sept. 12-14 at the Edgewood Resort and Conference Center in Alexandria Bay, NY.

They experienced “a little bit of Rotary and a whole lot of fun,” notes District Governor Larry Calabrese. “And that little bit of Rotary was packed with information, resources and action to take back to their home clubs and communities.”

For example, attendees:

• assembled literacy kits for new moms and their children.
• answered the challenge to adopt water projects in their clubs with the ultimate goal of supporting the drilling of wells to provide safe water for Third World families.
• accepted another challenge – from Rotary and Bill & Melinda Gates – to work with schools, companies and their communities to raise money to finally eradicate polio from the globe. DG Larry and District Polio Chair Mike Occhipinti presented a $3,000 check from Rome Savings Bank to jump-start the district’s campaign. Read more: District Polio Challenge.

The fun part included a Friday night barbecue, Saturday afternoon boat rides, touring and golf, and a Saturday evening banquet featuring a Youth Exchange parade of nations, the Brazilian Group Study Exchange Team and Brazilian district governor, and a magician that dazzled the audience.