ROTASHIP NEWS

SEPTEMBER 13th, 2005

ROTASHIP DID A FUND RAISER AT THE U. S. OPEN TENNIS Championships at Forest Hills , NY to raise funds for shipping relief supplies to help Rotary Clubs located in the areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina on September 3, 2005. ROTASHIP has been activated to help with the movement of relief supplies being gathered through out District 7250.

* * * * FINAL REPORT * * * *

    The US OPEN TENNIS Championships, proclaimed as the one of the best run and most profitable sporting events in the world, made history this year by setting attendance records, attracting millions of fans via its website and television . . . and by inviting ROTARY INTERNATIONAL to spread its humanitarian spirit.

    With the support of Queensborough President Helen Marshall, and Queens Park Assistant Commissioner Estelle Cooper, in cooperation with the USTA's Tandy O'Donoghue, the Rotary Clubs of Dist. 7250– comprised of Queens, Brooklyn, and Nassau– were recently invited to lead a fund raising drive at the "Open" to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

    Sanctioned by District Governor Ella Abney and Foundation Chair Eileen Gentilcore, co-chaired by Jamie Ortiz of Bethpage Rotary, and Dennis Klainberg of JFK Int'l Airport Rotary, it brought together dozens of Rotarians from the Brooklyn, Bethpage, Farmingdale, JFK, South East Queens, Southwest Queens, Lake Success, Locust Valley, Flushing, and Great Neck clubs.

    A large Rotary booth with banners, brochures, and volunteers was established at the entrance gate of Flushing Meadow, where approximately 10,000 fans were greeted just a few hours prior to the Women's Singles Championship. The District 7250 also met fellow Rotarians from Australia, Europe, and elsewhere in the U.S., as well as provided information about Rotary International to non-Rotarian, garnering an impressive $2,500 in just less than four hours of solicitation. Our booth and printing were the gifts of JAIME GRAPHICS in Bethpage, NY, with banners donated by Past District Governor Larry Jorgensen, and special donation boxes created by JFK Rotarian Merlyn Taylor.

    All proceeds are directed to the Rotary District 7250 Foundation Fund and will be used to defray the costs of shipping (already heavily discounted via the district's Rotaship program) and to purchase whatever relief goods are requested by our Rotarians in Texas and Louisiana who are directly catering to the refugees and the homeless.

    A fulltrailer load of medical and relief goods– originating from the Brooklyn Rotary Club and the office of State Senator Marty Golden– was dispatched– just one week after the Hurricane hit!– to Rotarians working with the Salvation Army and state officials in Dallas. A second trailer load– under the auspices of Past District Governors Ed Minicozzi and Kathy Gibson, of the Locust Valley Club, in partnership with the Bayville Fire Department and Bayville High School Football team– was loaded and shipped four days later with clothing and much needed school supplies for shipment to and distribution by the Baker Rotary Club just outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

    Through the Rotaship project, all shipments are handled “Rotarian to Rotarian,” ensuring that everydonation goes toward people in need, and all shipments are handled free of charge or at cost by BERKLAY CARGO SERVICES WORLDWIDE of Valley Stream, NY and JFK International Airport, and its agencies worldwide.

    In support of our commitment to long term assistance, JFK Rotarian Gary Levien and ARROW MOVING and STORAGE is providing Long Island drop off and storage services while the NY/NJ Port Authority– supervised by Aviation Director Bill DeCota, JFK Airport General Manager Al Graser, and JFK Airport Deputy General Manager Jerry Spampanato– has provided JFK Rotarian Rudy Auslander and the JFK Airport Rotary Club a large warehouse facility for receiving and shipping purposes.

    Special thanks must also be extended to Queensborough Director of Economic Development , Seth Bornstein, and the USTA's Tandy O'Donoghue for giving us the opportunity to CELEBRATE ROTARY!

Yours in Rotary,

Dennis Klainberg