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Wayne Rotary bee spells success for Literacy Volunteers

Victor, N.Y. —

Pictured by Bill Dean

Above, from left, are emcee Don Alhart, Joan Shaffer, Gary Reilly, Pam Dean, Literacy Volunteers Director Chris Edgar, and Sarah Fantauzzi.

With 11 years’ experience behind them and the support of corporate sponsors like Baldwin Richardson Foods, the Wayne County Rotary Spelling Bee has become something of a February institution at Eastview Mall in Victor.

The brainchild of late Newark Rotarian Bob Nary, the annual competition continues to raise funds for Literacy Volunteers of Wayne County. Through this organization, volunteer tutors provide free English and literacy education to adult learners with limited proficiency.

The spelling bee has become a fun and popular fundraiser, as three-person teams gather, and, following established rules of competition, demonstrate to growing numbers of supporters their proficiency at spelling words that become tougher with each round of play.

This year’s bee featured 20 teams who, through various sponsors, paid for the possibility of outlasting the rest of the field. A misspelled word can send you down in flames, as did the word “ossuary” for Pat’s Spellers from the Palmyra-Macedon Rotary Club. Ironically, an ossuary is a container for holding the bones of the dead. 

The job of emcee was filled by perennial favorite Don Alhart, past district governor, and pronunciation was overseen by Palmyra Mayor Vicky Daly. Current Rotary District Governor Mark Wyse cheered on all teams with equal enthusiasm, and Carole Nary kept her husband, Bob’s, indomitable spirit and vision alive with her own contagious exuberance for the cause.

Everybody involved was a winner, but trophies and bragging rights were captured by only a few. In first place for adults was the “Razorfish Reciters” from Wayne ARC followed by the “Nifty 50’s” from Ontario Walworth Rotary in second and “PAWS” of the Rochester Institute of Dog Grooming in third. Winners of the youth division were: first place — Clyde Interact Club No. 1;  second place — Clyde Interact Club No. 2; third place — Sodus Interact Club.

Baldwin Richardson Foods spokesperson Sarah Fantauzi shared in the presentation of a $4,200 check for Literacy Volunteers of Wayne County.

 

 

 Webster Rotary honors returning soldiers

After telling the Webster Rotary Club that they'd sent a total of 1,120 pounds of supplies to their adopted platoon in Afghanistan over the past year, Richard Comins gestured to the soldiers' stomachs and said that he was glad that they didn't bring all that weight back with them.

The 3-71 Cavalry of Fort Drum's 10th Mountain Division has returned home after a year in Afghanistan, and on Saturday, the Webster Rotary Club welcomed them back with a celebratory dinner at Streppa's Bistro in Webster.

The Rotary adopted eight members of the platoon in late 2008, just before they were deployed, and over the past year, the club has sent 70 care packages full of candy, cookies, DVDs, magazines and hygiene products to the soldiers.

"You get so wrapped up in your job over there that you forget that people are thinking about you," said Sgt. Joshua Renken, 23, a Springdale, Ark., native who now makes his home in Fort Drum. "Getting that care package means everything in the world."

Rotary members would pick up supplies during their shopping trips or convenience store stops, and would bring the items to their weekly meetings, where they would be gathered and packed up.

William Ruoff, president of Webster Rotary, recalled a movement to send similar packages to Iraq that he took part in when he was mayor of the village of Webster. But he said the Iraq effort was a one-time deal. Adopting a platoon was a much bigger undertaking.

"It's an enormous responsibility in terms of fidelity and determination, because it's for as long as they're over there," said Ruoff. "But Rich Comins is just a bear. He's just tenacious."

Comins, a 33-year member of the Rotary, led the adopt-a-platoon effort, which Rotary members said was so positive that they hope to do it again in the future. Soldiers from the adopted platoon said that the care packages did wonders for their spirits.

"You start to think nobody cares about you, but then you get the package," said Spc. Dennis Decker, 20, a native of Raton, N.M. "It boosts morale and makes you think that people are still thinking about you."

In turn, the soldiers sent letters back, updating the Rotary on their mission and thanking them for the steady stream of supplies.

For Spc. Karl Berlinger, the give-and-take between the platoon and the Rotary Club helped pass the time.

"We don't have everything we want over there, but when we get packages, it means a lot to us," said Berlinger, 20. "It helps the time go by faster, because you just sit there waiting on your next package, and the more packages you get, the closer you are to coming home and seeing your family."

After telling the Webster Rotary Club that they'd sent a total of 1,120 pounds of supplies to their adopted platoon in Afghanistan over the past year, Richard Comins gestured to the soldiers' stomachs and said that he was glad that they didn't bring all that weight back with them.

The Rotary adopted eight members of the platoon in late 2008, just before they were deployed, and over the past year, the club has sent 70 care packages full of candy, cookies, DVDs, magazines and hygiene products to the soldiers.

 Richard Comins of Webster Rotary and Sgt. Joshua Renken, 23.

 (SEAN DOBBIN staff photographer)

"You get so wrapped up in your job over there that you forget that people are thinking about you," said Sgt. Joshua Renken, 23, a Springdale, Ark., native who now makes his home in Fort Drum. "Getting that care package means everything in the world."

Rotary members would pick up supplies during their shopping trips or convenience store stops, and would bring the items to their weekly meetings, where they would be gathered and packed up.

William Ruoff, president of Webster Rotary, recalled a movement to send similar packages to Iraq that he took part in when he was mayor of the village of Webster. But he said the Iraq effort was a one-time deal. Adopting a platoon was a much bigger undertaking.

"It's an enormous responsibility in terms of fidelity and determination, because it's for as long as they're over there," said Ruoff. "But Rich Comins is just a bear. He's just tenacious."

Comins, a 33-year member of the Rotary, led the adopt-a-platoon effort, which Rotary members said was so positive that they hope to do it again in the future. Soldiers from the adopted platoon said that the care packages did wonders for their spirits.

"You start to think nobody cares about you, but then you get the package," said Spc. Dennis Decker, 20, a native of Raton, N.M. "It boosts morale and makes you think that people are still thinking about you."

In turn, the soldiers sent letters back, updating the Rotary on their mission and thanking them for the steady stream of supplies.

For Spc. Karl Berlinger, the give-and-take between the platoon and the Rotary Club helped pass the time.

"We don't have everything we want over there, but when we get packages, it means a lot to us," said Berlinger, 20. "It helps the time go by faster, because you just sit there waiting on your next package, and the more packages you get, the closer you are to coming home and seeing your family.                  

SDOBBIN@DemocratandChronicle.com