At Your Service(formerly RadioRotary)

The New York State Broadcasters Association presented its 2013 Award of Excellence in Broadcasting in the category of Public Affairs Program/Series to RadioRotary for “Puppies behind Bars.” RadioRotary also won in this category in 2012. Carl Rotans, Senior Instructor of Puppies behind Bars, teaches inmates to train service dogs. These unique dogs greatly assist the disabled, especially veterans, i...

Rhinebeck Interact, a Rotary-sponsored high-school service organization, provides hands-on support in Nicaragua, building classrooms in that Central American nation during Rhinebeck school breaks. Two New York Rhinebeck High School students in Interact, Addie Crenshaw and Emily McGettrick, epitomize our next generation of humanitarians as they discuss how, working in the co-operation with a Nicara...

More brief updates about the work of humanitarian organizations around the world: Prevention of Child Abuse, Stop Hunger Now, Interact (Rotary supported high school service organization), Maternal Mortality, Rotary Leadership Institute, and Rotary Family Health Days.

Latest episode of RadioRotary

Andy Imperati, General Manager of the Dutchess County Fair, and Red Hook Rotary President and Fair Volunteer Niki Weaver talk about the fun events, new ones and those back-by-popular demand, at this year’s 168th Dutchess County Fair. Besides sharing fascinating statistics about various elements of the Fair, Mr. Imperati discusses volunteer positions and the details involved in organizing this huge...

Two members of the Highland Rotary Club describe the enormous success of their club’s now-famous Hudson Valley RibFest. Steve Laubach, District 7210 Secretary, and Don Verity, Station Manager for radio stations in the Hudson Valley, discuss the exhibits, cooking demonstrations by professional chefs, a sanctioned Barbecue Contest where winners advance to National Finals in Kansas City, and more–all...

In this highly informative interview, Karen Preuss, Marketing Director of Hawthorne Valley Farm in central Columbia County, NY, describes the Farm’s commitment to organic farming practices based on the Rudolf Steiner philosophy about effective agriculture to sustain the earth. Throughout the year, the Farm invites children to participate in experiential learning (i.e., milking cows) so that they l...

Fascinating set of short interviews recorded at the 2013 Rotary International Convention in Lisbon, Portugal. Humanitarians from around the world discuss topics that address global issues: medical concerns including Alzheimer’s disease, polio eradication, better vision services; literacy needs; and problems facing the environment. Especially interesting is a fabulous interview with anthropologist...

Rotary eClub 7210’s Past President Ana Johnsen and current President Richard Wilson discuss the need for eClubs, a nontraditional approach to encourage membership in service organizations such as Rotary that may be losing members due to rigid attendance requirements. Maintaining membership is vital for the survival of service organizations, but recruitment is often difficult because work and famil...

Marion Licchiello, author of Anyone Can! Live a Happier Life, describes one of the major elements needed to live a happier life: changing thoughts from the negative to the positive. Ms. Licchiello once spent nine months in bed as a result of a severe case of Lyme disease, during which time she learned that thinking positively led her to happiness. Using additional examples, including more from her...

awling Rotary President, Patty Moore, who is the Executive Director of the Pauling Resource Center, discusses the various forms of support that the Center provides for the community: transportation to medical appointments, a food pantry, an extensive medical loan supply with equipment such as hospital beds, information and referrals to other agencies that can provide what the Center cannot, as wel...

New City Rotarian and Appalachian Trail expert Larry Luxenberg has enjoyed educating people about the joys of outdoor adventure for over 30 years. Author of Walking the Appalachian Trail, called the “classic of the genre,” and featured in the May 2013 edition of The Rotarian magazine, Mr. Luxenberg has also established and is CEO of the Appalachian Trail Museum in Pennsylvania, with over 20,000 vi...

A ShelterBox Ambassador was interviewed “live” at a meeting of the Red Hook Rotary at the Bread and Bottle Restaurant in Red Hook. ShelterBox is a program that provides disaster relief in the form of a specially designed tent that can hold an entire family and also the tools, food, cookware, and water filtration needed to support that family for up to half a year. Before deploying the ShelterBoxes...

Brian Doyle, CEO for Family Services in Poughkeepsie, describes the enormous scope of his organization such as Youth Services, Comprehensive Crime Victim services (and Forensics), Domestic Violence Service, and Substance Abuse Prevention and Family Education. The Family Partnership Center, a centerpiece of Family Services, collaborates with several other organizations for a unified approach to hum...

Loads of fun at this on-site interview with two sets of high school Rotary Youth Exchange students: Inbound students from all over the world who have spent a year in the Hudson Valley and Outbound Hudson Valley students who will be leaving to spend a year abroad. The students are endearing, charming, and at times very funny. Inbound students describe the foods they enjoyed (for example—the Thailan...

Walden Rotarian Brian Maher is Chairman of Hudson Valley Honor Flight, an organization that brings World War II veterans from Montgomery, New York, to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. At Montgomery, the veterans are escorted by 100 Rolling Thunder motorcycle riders to Stewart Airport where hundreds of appreciative citizens waving American flags greet them with cheers. The Honor Flight...

David Violante, Assistant Director of Emergency Medical Services in the Arlington Fire Department and Director of Disaster Preparedness and Training for NYC Medics, describes his experiences during 20 years of training medics here and abroad. Training paramedics to care for people in emergency situations includes not only teaching them how to deal with basic emergencies such as delivering babies,...

Cindy Fung, a member of the Vassar Rotaract club and co-founders of the Vassar Haiti Project, Lila and Andrew Meade, discuss how promoting Haiti’s varied and unique art forms has improved Haitian lives (Rotaract is a college service club sponsored by Rotary). Andrew Meade, Vassar’s Director of International Services, and his wife Lila, lived in Haiti at different times when young and are familiar...

wo past Rotary 7210 District Governors, Tam Mustapha (1999-2000), IMRF President, and Knut Johnsen (2003-2004), discuss their involvement in the International Relief Medical Foundation (IMRF), founded by Dr. Hrusi Parida from Rotary District 7210’s Middletown Club. The IMRF, a nonprofit, nonpolitical organization collects surplus medical supplies and equipment for distribution to poor areas in nee...

A good example of how a Rotary club works on the local level can be found in this Club Close-up interview featuring the Red Hook Rotary Club, which emphasizes two of its many local projects. Niki Weaver, Past President, describes her Therapy Dogs project, including the training required and the dogs’ successes, especially with stroke victims. Red Hook Rotarians, including Dave Wright and Bruce Mar...

District Governor Elect Drew Kessler (North Rockland Rotary) describes his vision for Rotary District 7210 during his tenure as District Governor (July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014). His emphasis will be on integrating Rotary into 21st century life. Mr. Kessler describes what he calls the “trilogy of life”: family, work, and service. Bringing the family into service events to help the younger generatio...

Rotary 7210 District Governor Bill Bassett (Wallkill East Rotary Club) introduces one of Rotary International’s major focus initiatives: improving literacy around the world. He provides important statistics about the high rate of functional illiteracy in the U.S. and therefore the need for all forms of literacy programs such as World Book Night and tutoring services. Margie Menard, Director of Kin...

District Governor Bonnie Sirower (Rotary District 7490 in New Jersey) describes the lasting effects of Hurricane Sandy, one of the worst tropical cyclones in the history of New Jersey and New York. Many still do not have power or heat and are living in tents. Access to power, phones, roads, and other transportation was often lost. Businesses and homes have been destroyed. Ms. Sirower became the “c...

Laurie Rich, Esq., Foundation Director of Spectrum Services Foundation, discusses the autism spectrum and the schools in the Hudson Valley that provide education and special help for children on the spectrum. The autism spectrum spans disorders ranging from profoundly autistic who often cannot speak to Asperger’s Syndrome, with those in the latter category often particularly skilled in science and...

Assistant Governor Skip Rottkamp (Rotary District 7210) from Fishkill Rotary discusses project Operation Warm. Mr. Rottkamp, an educator, observed children get off school buses during winter months in T-shirts and spring jackets because they had nothing else to wear. Realizing the need, Mr. Rottkamp organized 17 clubs in Rotary District 7210 to join the nationwide program Operation Warm. Rotarians...