The Summit-New Providence Rotary Club
A bunch of really nice people
 
Welcome to the Second Century of the Rotary Club of Summit/New Providence
 
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and try to build goodwill and peace in the world.
 
Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly or biweekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all.
 
Rotary membership provides the opportunity to become connected to your community, work with others in addressing community needs, interact with other professionals in your community, assist with Rotary International's humanitarian service efforts, establish contacts with an international network of professionals, and develop leadership skills.
 
Locally, the Summit/New Providence Club has been involved with community projects dating back to the Club’s founding on October 22, 1922.  Indeed, our Club has been offering financial aid to local high school students since 1926 (see Home Page Download files below - Our Scholarships - view all recipients for 101 years) and we just handed out our most recent scholarships on June 8th of 2026, to four deserving seniors from the Summit and New Providence High Schools.  While the majority of our efforts go into education, we are also involved in other projects, both community-wide and with Rotary International in such areas as student exchange and leadership programs. Internationally, we help fund our parent organization in its thirty year, and counting, ongoing effort to eradicate polio as well as a specific project initiated by Summit Rotarians to build and equip a school in a rural and impoverished area of the Indian subcontinent.
 
About Our Club
Summit-New Providence

We meet In Person
Mondays at 12:15 PM
Christ Church, Summit, NJ
561 Springfield Avenue
Summit, New Jersey 07901
Summit, NJ 07901
United States of America
Phone:
(908) 337-9536
Email:
info@snprotary.org
The Summit/New Providence Rotary is currently meeting in person twice a month. All are welcome. Please reach out to confirm dates and location: info@snprotary.org
District Site
Bulletins
Venue Map

July 2026

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Home Page Download Files
Club News
The Rotary Foundation
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jun 22, 2026

Today’s speaker was John Wilson, past district governor and long-time Rotarian who has held multiple responsible positions within the organization. John gave us an overview of the Rotary Foundation.

The Rotary Foundation is the charitable arm of Rotary International, a global service organization with more than 1.4 million members across over 200 countries. Established in 1917, the Foundation's mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through improvements in health, education, and the alleviation of poverty.

The Foundation concentrates its work in six core areas: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies. Its most celebrated achievement is its role in the global campaign to eradicate polio — a decades-long partnership with the World Health Organization and other global health bodies that has reduced polio cases by more than 99% since 1988.

Among its key programs are Rotary Peace Fellowships, which fund graduate education for emerging peace and conflict resolution leaders, and Global Grants, which support large-scale international humanitarian and scholarship projects. Funded entirely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and supporters worldwide, the Foundation has distributed more than $4 billion to humanitarian causes since its founding.

It is consistently recognized by independent charity watchdog organizations for its financial transparency and efficiency, ensuring that the vast majority of funds raised go directly to program activities (4 Stars from Charity Navigator, their highest rank for efficiency). 

We appreciate John taking time to educate us about this integral and valuable part of Rotary.

We Induct a New President
Posted on Jun 17, 2026

On Tuesday evening the SNP Rotary held its 105th induction of a president of the Club.

Outgoing president, David Dietze, thanked all the Rotarians who helped him successfully navigate the Club's many functions over the past two years.

Incoming president, Bradley Eich, told us he would  continue to promote and work for continuing our ongoing service projects and with the help of the Club's members, try to expand our footprint in the community.

There were about twenty-five Rotarians and guests who helped celebrate both the outgoing and incoming presidents.  As always, there was good food and good fellowship, and a special thanks to Donna & Henrik Patel and Francie Cho for arranging the evening's details.

 

 

 

Scholarship Monday

Today we awarded our 101st series of scholarships to four outstanding seniors from Summit and New Providence High schools.

In addition to the recipients and their families, in attendance were Lauren Zirpoli, superintendent of New Providence schools, Brian Henry, Principal of NPHS, Scott Haugh, superintendent of Summit schools and Stacy Grimaldi, principal of SHS.  Mr. Henry and Ms. Grimaldi introduced their respective students and they each gave a very brief description of where they planned to matriculate and their areas of interest.

The recipients from NPHS are, Chase Yarnell, attending Northwestern University and Eva Krautheim, attending West Chester University.  The recipients from SHS are Emma Matamoros, attending Seton Hall and Nicola Solis-Negron, attending Washington University (st. Louis).

The Rotary is delighted and proud to support these scholars and wish them success on the next step of their journey.

Dr. Zirpoli, Nicolas, Emma, Chase, Eva, Dr. Hough & Rotary President David Dietze

 

Orating in New Jersey
Posted on May 26, 2026

Today’s speaker was Eloise Samuels, President, New Jersey Orators (NJO), Inc.

NJO was founded in 1985 by a group of concerned corporate executives and educators. It began as a grassroots effort in Somerset County to address the literacy and public speaking gaps among minority youth. Over the decades, it has expanded significantly into nine counties with fifteen chapters, mentoring thousands of students.

The organization's mission is to teach the art of public speaking, literacy, and life skills to youth from ages 7 to 18, with a particular focus on African American children and other diverse backgrounds. Through this training, they aim to build self-esteem, enhance academic performance, and prepare students for future leadership roles.

NJO fulfills its mission by hosting weekly workshops where certified volunteer coaches train students in various categories, such as public speaking and persuasive dialog. Participants regularly showcase these skills in local, regional, and statewide oratorical competitions held throughout the academic year.

The organization has received numerous civic accolades for its positive impact on youth development and education, including recognition from state legislators and community foundations. Additionally, its individual student competitors frequently earn prestigious scholarships and top honors at regional and national public speaking tournaments.

For more information visit the website: https://www.oratorsinc.org

Reconstructing Judaism
Posted by James Fleischmann on May 11, 2026

Our speaker was Rabbi Chana Leslie Glazer, Congregation Beth Hatikvah, 36 Chatham Road, Summit, NJ 07901.  Beth Hatikvah is a Reconstructionist synagogue, and the Rabbi devoted her discussion to describing exactly what is meant by ‘Reconstructing Judaism’.

Scholars believe Judaism can trace its origins as far back as four millenniums.  More recently, there are three traditional branches, Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed. Since the early part of the twentieth century, a fourth, the Reconstructionist, has evolved.

Reconstructing Judaism is a uniquely American movement founded by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan (1881–1983). It distinguishes itself by defining Judaism not primarily as a religion of divine laws, but as the "evolving religious civilization" of the Jewish people.  Kaplan's two most significant theological innovations are the rejection of God as a supernatural being and he removed all references to the Jews as a chosen people. The latter is a term that arises many times in the Hebrew Bible, but he believed it was inappropriate to our times, where no religious group should be seen as better than any other. He replaces liturgical references to being "chosen" with language about being “called to service”.

Kaplan interprets God as "the Power that makes for salvation"—the sum of all cosmic forces that allow for human self-fulfillment and moral progress.

Historically, in 1922 Rabbi Kaplan founded the Society for the Advancement of Judaism in New York City. That same year, he officiated the first American Bat Mitzvah for his daughter, Judith, a landmark moment for gender equality in Judaism.  In 1968, The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) opened in Philadelphia. This formalized Reconstructionism as a distinct branch of Judaism.  Rabbi Glazer said there are approximately one hundred synagogues affiliated with Reconstructing Judaism, primarily in the US and Canada.  The numbers are smaller in other countries and very small in Israel.  The RRC considers Judaism as a chronological evolution of the Jewish people and at the forefront of social and liturgical innovation.

A most interesting and thought-provoking presentation and we thank Rabbi Glazer for speaking to us.

For additional information: www.bethhatikvah.org and www.reconstructingjudaism.org .

Scouting America - Patriots' Path Council
Posted on Apr 27, 2026

Today we gained significant insight into the American scouting movement and its recent evolution. Most notably, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) officially rebranded as Scouting America in early 2025, marking a pivotal shift in the organization's history. Since its founding in 1910, the program has focused on outdoor proficiency, character building, and citizenship; however, it has faced immense challenges in recent years. In February 2020, the BSA filed for bankruptcy following the exposure of a decades-long pattern of sexual abuse and systematic efforts to conceal it. This era of scandal and restructuring has coincided with a sharp decline in participation; while the program boasted over five million members in the mid-1970s, that number has since dwindled to just over one million.

Currently, roughly 200 councils across the United States support these one million active scouts, bolstered by approximately 475,000 adult volunteers. Scouting America is now fully inclusive, welcoming girls and young women alongside their male counterparts; female scouts now account for roughly 17% of total membership. On an annual basis, the organization awards approximately 1.3 million merit badges, with about 30,000 scouts reaching the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. It was also clarified that the Girl Scouts of the USA remains an entirely separate, active, and independent organization.

On a local level, the Patriots’ Path Council serves more than 11,000 youth and 4,000 volunteer leaders across Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union counties. We were privileged to hear from Council President Jack Flood, District Executive Brian Day, and long-time volunteer Terry Dwyer. Their presentation highlighted that scouting remains vibrant in our immediate community: Summit hosts two Cub Scout packs with 93 members and 17 advisors, while New Providence supports 83 youth and 22 advisors. Summit has one scout troop consisting of 52 scouts and 28 dedicated volunteers and NP has two troops consisting of 40 scouts and 29 volunteers. 

We are grateful to Jack, Brian, and Terry for sharing this update on the renewal of the scouting movement and look forward to its continued progress.

                                                                                                                                                   Steve LaFerriere, Brian, Terry, Jack & David Dietze

 

The New Jersey Library Association
Posted by James Fleischmann on Apr 13, 2026
Today, our speaker was Brett Bonfield, executive director of the New Jersey Library Association.   The NJLA was established in 1890. Its primary mission is to advocate for the advancement of library services, protect intellectual freedom, and provide a collaborative network for the individuals who power New Jersey’s diverse information hubs.
 
At its core, the NJLA serves as a powerful legislative voice in Trenton. The association works to secure state funding for public and school libraries, ensuring that these institutions remain well-resourced and accessible to all residents. Beyond financial support, the NJLA is a staunch defender of the Library Bill of Rights, actively opposing censorship and advocating for the privacy and First Amendment rights of all library patrons.
 
Through its Annual Conference, the NJLA brings together hundreds of professionals to share innovative practices, discuss emerging technologies like AI and digital literacy, and address the evolving needs of their communities.
 
There are 296 library systems in NJ.  The NJLA is continuing to advocate against censorship, promote greater understanding and application of AI within the state library system, advocate for necessary capital projects, easing of limited access to eBooks which is currently impeded through restrictive policies by book publishers, and promoting training for staff in order to keep pace with changing technology and issues relevant to the general population.
Rotarians Steve LaFerriere, Mike Katz, David dietze, Brett, & Amy Behr-Shields, Director, Summit Free Public Library
A Thank You for Dictionaries
Posted by James Fleischmann
We received these notes yesterday - in the long run, this is probably one of our more impactful contributions to the community
 
Our Bucolic Neighbor - Greenwood Gardens
Posted by Joe Steiner on Mar 30, 2026
Our guest speaker at Monday’s Rotary meeting was Abby O’Neill, Executive Director of Greenwood Gardens which is located on Old Short Hills Road in Short Hills, just a short ride from Summit.   Two families are responsible for creating the gardens.   First was the JOSEPH DAY family who purchased it from a Newark brewer in 1906.  Following a devastating fire in 1911, the Day’s  built a 28 room estate which was cultivated with lush annuals and perennials, and pergolas, terraces, and garden follies constructed of rough local stone (basalt) and decorated with colorful Arts & Craft tiles.
 
The next significant owners were Peter P. Blanchard Jr. and Dr. Adelaide Childs Frick Blanchard who purchased the 28-acre country retreat 19 1949 so they could ride horses, farm, garden, and enjoy other outdoor pursuits.  The family added many new improvements and worked to insure that the property would become the Greenwood Gardens.
After Blanchard’s passing in 2000, his son began work almost immediately to stabilize the buildings and the gardens.  The Garden Conservancy was also enlisted to help preserve the site and create an organization that would provide long-term oversight, in the process, endorsing Greenwood as one of 16 exceptional gardens in the country.  Greenwood was formally incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2003, hence, our 20th anniversary milestone.
 
In 2016, the Board and staff completed a seven-year Strategic Plan that led to the redesign and renovation of the Main Axis including its two historic water features and extensive landscaping, along with a second parking lot, rain garden, and ticket kiosk.
 
The gardens are open to the public during the spring and summer and will reopen May 1, 2026 for the season that end on November 8, 
 
For the enjoyment of all visitors, and to ensure a memorable experience, advance registration is strongly recommended. 
 
Tickets are required: Members and children under 3: free; Adults (13 to 64): $15; Seniors (65+) and students with ID: $10; Children (3 to 12): $5  Visitors are urged to check out their website https://greenwoodgardens.org/  for all visitor guidelines and more information on the property’s history.  
Steve Laferriere, Stephanie Murphy, Abby, David Dietze & Susan Haig
 
 
 
BIG,BIG,BIG Awards Night for SNP Rotary
Posted by James Fleischmann on Mar 25, 2026
 
Every year, the local Boy Scout troop honors a select group of citizens from Summit who have made outstanding contributions to the community.
 
This year, the SNP Rotary cleaned up!  Of the six recipients, five were either active Rotarians, honorary or past Rotarians or married to a Rotarian.
 
The recipients were Mike Katz and Donna Patel, active members, Chuck Rush and Rick Wolffe, honorary Rotarians, and Lynne Rogerson, Summit College Club and wife of Jim Fleischmann, active Rotarian.  In addition, David Dietze, Rotary president received a special award, the Winthrop Rockefeller Award.
 
Congrats to all the winners who have and continue to make Summit a better place to live and prosper.
 
                                    Donna Patel accepting her award
 
                                  Mike Katz accepting his award
 
   Summit College Club (Lynne Rogerson, middle, married to Jim Fleischmann)
 
                                  Rick Wolffe accepting his award
 
                         Rev. Chuck Rush accepting his award
 
                          David Dietze, middle, with his award
Green Investing
Posted by James Fleischmann on Mar 16, 2026
 
Today’s speaker was Scott Ryan, founder and CEO of Investature.  Investature’s mission statement is to ‘accelerate the transition to a sustainable future through the levers of climate technology and sustainable investment solutions.’
 
Scott spent three decades in finance and recently decided to leave corporate America and offer institutions and individuals greater insight into how they can contribute to lessening their carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the environment.  He and his team use various technology/financial platforms to provide environmental funds and accompanying advise on selection for avenues to make climate-safe and/or environmentally sustainable investments.
 
His clients include pension funds, endowments as well as individuals.  Several interesting facts were related: a credible UN study showed that individuals with incomes over $75K can make a significant difference in how they allocate their investments and the more assets they have, the more impact they can have, and, the impact from bond investments swamps the impact from equity investments because it’s the bonds that fund the capital expenditures.  For bonds versus stocks, simply think funding a solar energy or wind farm versus a gas or coal fired utility generator.  For those interested in further exploration into how to invest more ecologically, visit Scott’s website: https://investature.com
 
Donna Patel (Summit Envir. Comm.), Steve LeFerriere, Scott & David Dietze
Learning About Tourette Syndeome
Posted by James Fleischmann on Mar 02, 2026
Vihan
 
Today we were introduced to a little understood malady that affects about one in fifty people, worldwide – Tourette syndrome.
 
Present, were Claudia Lijo, education outreach coordinator and Lisa Augliera, youth development coordinator from the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders, Inc., and a young man, Vihan Iyer, who suffers from Tourette.
 
Claudia gave a brief overview of Tourette Syndrome (TS) which can be defined (from their web site) as ‘an inherited, neurological disorder characterized by repeated involuntary movements and uncontrollable vocal (phonic) sounds called tics. In a few cases, such tics can include inappropriate words and phrases.’  She added some additional basic information such as it effects males about three time more often than females and the symptoms lessen over time in about one third of the cases, remain stable in about one third of the cases and worsen in about one third of the cases.  There is no cure, to date.  Associated disorders are ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and anxiety.
 
We then heard from Vihan who discussed TS from the perspective of someone dealing with the syndrome. He began showing symptoms at the age of six.  Pediatricians were unable to fully diagnose TS until he was eleven.  He described his symptoms as tics.  He noted that when he was able to articulate the cause of his sometimes-unusual behavior to his teachers and friends, they were tolerant, but less so, if explanations were not available.  He told us TS is similar to an itch – it has to be scratched to make it go away, but it can recur, often for a while.  He has learned some coping mechanisms, but there are no effective drug treatments.
 
In Q&A we learned TS is most likely genetic and can be passed from generation to generation.  There are no medical tests to identify TS.  Episodes can be triggered by stress, lack of sleep and excess excitement/anxiety.
 
The NJCTS&AS has a great website with considerable information about TS and outreach opportunities for sufferers: https://njcts.org/what-is-tourette-syndrome/ .
 
We greatly appreciate Vihan sharing his background in TS with us and Claudia & Lisa for telling us about NJCTS.
 
                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                     Mike Katz, Lisa, Vihan, David Dietze & Claudis
Our Dictionary Project
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 05, 2026
 
On Thursday, February 5th, the SNP Rotary delivered 165 specially designed English language dictionaries to the New Providence school district and 340 English and five Spanish/English dictionaries to the Summit school district.  These dictionaries will be distributed to every third-grader in each district.
 
These dictionaries are designed by a non-profit organization, the Dictionary Project, specifically for children in the age range of eight to ten years.  In addition to the normal contents of a dictionary, these editions contain a variety of extras such as the longest word, roman numerals, the names and brief histories of all the US presidents, many maps, information on the planets, weights and measures, American sign language symbols, and many more things designed to stimulate a young person’s mind.  The teachers love these dictionaries as they consider them to be one of the best learning tools available and the kids love them because they are simply lots of fun.
 
Our Constitution Project
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 05, 2026
 
On Thursday, February 5th, the SNP Rotary delivered 200 copies of the Constitution to the New Providence school district to be used by their middle school students in their civics course.  On the same day we delivered 300 copies of the Constitution to the Summit school district  to be used by their middle school students in their civics course.
 
We began this project in a response to the January 6th events at the US capitol in 2021 and after the state of New Jersey made teaching civics mandatory in all of the state's public middle schools, in June of the same year.  Let's hope today's middle schoolers absorb their civics lessons.
President Dave Visits the Antarctic and Bestows a Paul Harris Award 
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 02, 2026
In addition to our regular speaker, President David Dietze spent a few minutes telling us about his recent adventure in the Antarctic.  He traveled with a bunch of friends and returned with many pictures of the barren landscape and lots of penguins, and a few pictures of the huge amount of penguin poop that covers much of the shore.  He also told us of his plunge into the icy 28 degree waters with some of the other masochists on the trip.
 
Finally, president Dave awarded Susan Haig with a Paul Harris award - congrats Susan!!
 
 
A Most Unusual Local Farm
Posted by James Fleischmann
Our speaker was Michele Logan, owner of the Maranatha Farm, a regenerative forest farm in the Somerset Hills of New Jersey.
 
Michele was concerned about her wellbeing after an autoimmune diagnosis and discovered that "organic" labels rarely guarantee true food quality. Recognizing that we are what our food eats, she realized that human health begins with soil health.
 
In 2015, she moved to Somerset Hills to restore a 90-year-old farm. Her mission was to heal a landscape plagued by invasive species and erosion, transforming neglected land into a source of genuine nourishment and to provide food for herself, free of chemical contamination.
 
The farm has evolved into a much bigger project to provide a source of chemical free nutrition for the surrounding area. They grow and raise an increasing array of products ranging from eggs produced by chickens on a soy-free diet to, shitake mushrooms, baked goods, jams, honey and even cut flowers.  The farm is open to visitors and there is a robust website which should be consulted for the full story of this truly different local enterprise: https://www.maranatha.farm/ .
 
Another Successful Blood Drive
Posted on Jan 19, 2026

Once again, the SNP Rotary held a successful blood drive through the auspices of the Red Cross.

 As we have for many years, Rotary volunteers gathered on MLK Day at Christ Church to assist with the blood drive.  While the weather was bad and probably kept the count below what we hoped for, we still collected forty-one units and, of particular note, six units were from power donors, an unusually high number.  A Power Red donation collects two units of red blood cells in a single sitting.  Red blood cells are the most frequently transfused blood component, used for trauma victims, surgery patients, and people with chronic anemia or sickle cell disease.

A special thank you to our ten volunteers who spent their afternoon assisting: Stacy Grimaldi, Donna Patel, Laurel Patel, Steve LaFerriere, Francie Cho, Christine Hodde, Jackie Kondel, Jim Fleischmann, Melanie Cohn, and, as always, Joe Steiner.

Summit Library Rotunda Fund-Raiser
Posted on Jan 24, 2026

The Summit Free Public Library is holding a fund-raiser to revamp the rotunda by substantially rearranging the space and adding considerable new seating and study areas. 

See below for full details: 

“An Afternoon of Jazz” on February 28 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the beautiful Elks Lodge No. 1246 in Summit, NJ. This enchanting event will feature live performances by a talented local jazz musician, creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with soulful melodies and rhythm.

Attendees will enjoy delicious lite fare and drinks while mingling with fellow book and music lovers, all in support of Summit Free Public Library Foundation. Your participation will help us continue our mission. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable afternoon of music for a great cause.

If you are unable to attend, please consider making a donation or purchasing a ticket for someone who may not be able to afford the cost of a ticket.

Purchase tickets: https://www.summitlibrary.org/afternoon-of-jazz/

Here are a few pictures of the proposed new space:

 

 

Overlook Hospital - A Summit Gem
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jan 05, 2026
We were privileged to have two senior representatives from Overlook hospital address us today, Clelia Biamonti, PhD, Chief Philanthropy Officer of the Overlook Foundation and Dr. Muhammad Feteiha, Chairman of the Surgical Quality Review Committee, and Vice Chairman of the division of General Surgery.
 
Dr. Biamonti discussed the decade-long expansion and facility enhancements to the hospital, which is now finished.  There have been many additions to the hospital’s services including a major upgrade to maternity amenities, modernization of the information system, energy backup system, surgical areas, patient environment and many access improvements such as a major new parking garage for the staff.  The $97 million rehab has been extensive and more details can be found here: https://njbiz.com/overlook-medical-center-completes-97m-expansion/.  Dr. Biamonti also shared some impressive statistics about the Hospital’s standing in NJ and the country.  It is ranked #3 in NJ (behind Morristown, also an Atlantic Health hospital) out of fifty hospitals, and it is ranked in the top 1% of all hospitals in the US.
 
 
Dr. Feteiah detailed some of the many improvements made to the surgical areas including twenty operating theatres and a host of the latest surgical tools such as the Globus robot, and systems to significantly improve procedures in areas such as Parkinson’s and lung cancer.  The hospital performs approximately 18,000 surgeries per year and has 325 surgeons on staff. He also briefly discussed the increasing use of AI and the emergence of new possibilities through its use.
 
We greatly appreciated their inputs and know we are lucky to have such an excellent facility in our community.
                                                                                                                                          Dr Biamoni   
 
                                                                                                                                         Dr. Feteiah
SADLY
Posted on Dec 31, 2025
Sadly, we have been informed that on Sunday, December 28th, Paul Vickery passed away.  Paul had been a Rotarian for decades but his failing health prevented him from continuing his membership for the past three or four years.  Paul participated in many Rotary projects and was also a leading figure in the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad.  Below is a fitting tribute to Paul from one of the Summit EMS members and below that is the link to Paul's obituary.
 
Dear Summit EMS Members,
 
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Paul Vickery—one of the greatest among us—passed away last night.
 
Paul was a cornerstone of this organization for over 30 years. I first met him 47 years ago, and as I raised my own children, almost every story I told them of my time at the Squad somehow had Paul woven into it. He played many roles in those stories: the comic relief with an impeccably placed curse word; the intimidating figure with a too-large flashlight looming behind me; the getaway driver; the mentor; the salesman; the father figure; and the smooth talker.
 
In reality, Paul’s roles were even more significant. As a Life Member, he led us through nearly every possible position, serving as President, Captain, Trustee, and various Lieutenant roles. His vision for our future was perhaps most evident in his work as Co-Chair of the New Building Committee, a challenging and daunting task we tackled together, helping to secure the home we operate out of today.
Even his professional life was intertwined with our mission. Through Paul D. Vickery Ambulance Sales, he provided the Squad with multiple Braun ambulances over the years, ensuring we had the best equipment to serve our neighbors. Many of you will also remember his deep love for EMS history; he was a fixture at the Memorial Day Parade and the 4th of July field, proudly displaying his antique ambulances for the community to admire.
During the 9/11 attacks, Paul’s generosity and leadership were unparalleled. He coordinated additional fleet support and loaned a command trailer from his business to serve as a sanctuary for counselors and volunteers during our longest hours.
 
The Squad was a true family affair for Paul. He met and married his beloved wife, Dr. Donna Rothschild Vickery—also a Life Member and our former Medical Advisor—through the Squad.
 
More than anything else, Paul embodied the ethos of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” While he wore many hats, the greatest role he ever played was that of “friend.” Everyone who met Paul loved him; he was a friend to everyone, and he was one of my dearest friends. I will miss him terribly.  (by Carl Ganger)
 
Link: https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/nj/summit/paul-vickery-20817047
 
 
 
Another Great Holiday Party
Posted by James Fleischmann on Dec 23, 2025
We had another great Holiday/Xmas/Kwanza/Chanukah/New-Years party.  It was at the Elks and the Patels, again, did a fabulous job in organizing the event - Thanks Donna & Henrik.
 
There were about thirty Rotarians and guests.  As in the past there was plenty of great food and drinks (the Elks has a nice bar) and lots of good conversation, good cheer and the usual Rotarian bonhomie.  President David Dietze acted as MC with an assist from Susan Haig in a review of the year, which was a good one for the Rotary as we have lots of new members and are looking at several new service initiatives in 2026.
 
Congratulations to Donna Patel
Posted by James Fleischmann on Dec 16, 2025
Our own Donna Goggin Patel accepts Volunteer of the Year Award - congrats Donna!!
 
Summit Mayor Elizabeth Fagan MD presented the award to Donna at the December 16 Common Council meeting, thanking her for her exceptional dedication and service to our community.
 
Donna has been a dedicated city volunteer for eight years, volunteering countless hours of her time with the city's Environmental Commission to tirelessly champion environmental initiatives and projects that help to protect natural resources throughout Summit and improve residents' quality of life.
 
Since becoming chair of the Environmental Commission in 2019, Donna has been the driving force behind numerous projects including the Tiny Forest, the annual Earth Day clean-up, the Community Energy Plan, and the revision of the city's Environmental Resource Inventory, among many others. She spearheads the renewal process for the city's Sustainable Jersey certification, an enormous undertaking that requires detailed cataloguing of the city's sustainability actions and policies. Under her leadership, the city continues to achieve an impressive silver level certification that it has held since 2010.
 
 
 
                     
NPHS Jazzes Up Xmas
Posted by James Fleischmann on Dec 15, 2025
This week we were entertained by the musicians from New Providence High School presenting their annual Christmas review.
 
In attendance were Superintendent of Schools, Lauren Zirpoli and the NPHS principal, Brian Henry.  In addition we were joined by seven members of the New Providence Lions Club as well as about twenty Rotarians and guests.
 
Ben Rubens conducted the Swingin’ Strings in three ‘jazzy’ arrangements: Feliz Navidad, Charlie Brown’s Xmas, and Rock of Ages - Fantasia.
This was followed by the Jazz Choir under the direction of Scott Ziegler performing three numbers: Sugar Plum from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, We need a Little Christmas, and Skating with my Baby.
 
They wrapped with the Jazz Band, under the direction of Michael Niedziejko performing This Could be the Start of Something Big and a medley of three pieces under the banner of Chili Pepper Xmas – it was hot.
 
All three sections were fantastic, and we love the enthusiasm and obvious pleasure these young musicians get from performing together.  And, we appreciate the dedication and effort of their instructors, Messrs. Rubens, Ziegler and Niedziejko.
 
As we did at last week's SHS program - The Rotary wishes everyone a merry/happy, season whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, Donghi, or just the winter solstice, and a happy, safe and prosperous New Year.
 
                                                     Swingin' Strings
                                                      Jazz Choir
                                                        Jazz Band
Bob Davies, Tom Montrone, David Dietze, Lauren Zirploi, Pete Bolton, & Brian Henry
 
Inter-Club Luncheon Featuring SHS Chamber Orchestra & Choir
Posted by James Fleischmann on Dec 08, 2025
If it’s December, it’s holiday music time performed by the Summit high school music department and also the annual inter-club holiday luncheon sponsored by the SNP Rotary and the Summit Lions.  As it has been so often in the past, this year’s concert performed by the Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Choir was another showcase for the wonderfully talented SHS students.  The Choir is led by Mrs. Mary-Lynn Rhodes and the orchestra, by Mrs. Neveno Bojovic.  Also in attendance were Scott Hough, superintendent of schools, Stacy Grimaldi, the SHS principal and Alison Caravano, fine arts department head.  The meeting was emceed by Rotary and Lions presidents, David Dietze and Peter Twill.  Our audience was comprised of roughly forty Lions, Rotarians and their guests.
 
The orchestra performed White Christmas and the Christmas Song.  This was followed by the Choir singing A Holly Jolly Christman, S’vivon (a traditional Hebrew song) and Silver Bells.  The orchestra then played In the Bleak of Midwinter featuring four solos and Hatikvah with a violin solo.  The choir followed with Silent Night, Angel Medley and I’ll be home for Christmas with a solo by Minjoon Kong.  The performance concluded with the orchestra offering four selections from the Nutcracker suite.
 
As always, the talent abounded, reflecting the excellent music program at SHS run by its most talented staff, and the audience loved it.
 
The Rotary wishes everyone a merry/happy, season whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, Donghi, or just the winter solstice and a happy and safe and prosperous New Year.
 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
An Update on SAGE form its Exec Dir.
Posted by James Fleischmann on Nov 17, 2025
The executive director of SAGE, Galina Muller, was our speaker.  As most Summit area residents know, SAGE has been a leader in eldercare since its inception in 1954, providing a multitude of services such as Meals-on-Wheels, senior daycare, various home-care services and related social services for the elderly.
 
As an example, here are a few of the things SAGE has provided last year for all of Union county and parts of Morris, Essex and Somerset counties: homecare for about 80 clients with nearly 40,000 hours of service, meals on wheels for roughly 250 with 40,000 meals served, shopping assistance for 12 with 300 shopping trips and general social work assistance for over 1100 clients.
 
Aging at home is generally less expensive than institutional options and usually extends life expectancy.  This is one of the primary goals of SAGE, to assist the elderly to remain in their homes while providing the necessary services such as meals, companionship and widespread support.
 
SAGE is supported by state and federal programs and various grants which account for roughly two thirds of their financing with private donations covering the other third.
 
 
The SNP Rotary has participated in volunteer projects with SAGE and hopes to do so in the future and we appreciate Galina visiting and the update.
Protecting Ourselves from Modern Day Scammers
Posted by James Fleischmann on Nov 03, 2025
Our speaker was officer David Kotiga, Summit Police Department, Community Policing Unit.  His topic was financial scams primarily aimed at senior citizens.
 
Turns out scams have now become so prolific, nearly everyone is at risk, seniors perhaps more so, but scams are now occurring in every communication medium, and anyone can be victimized.  He began by noting that in 2024 US citizens suffered approximately ten billion dollars lost to scammers.  Phishing scams and related email scams are the most prevalent, but the scammers use texting as well as the telephone to trap the unwary.  The more common scam formats are phony crypto and electronic purchases, IRS over or under payments, tech support issues, romance related, and the ever-present ‘grandma’ scam – ‘grandma I’ve been arrested and I need $500 for bail’, etc., etc.
 
Officer Kotiga offered some advice as to how one can best protect him/her self: don’t answer an unrecognized caller ID; simply hang up if the call is suspicious; don’t engage – never give out any personal information, ever; be suspicious of any email asking for you to click on a link and check the sender’s email address to see if it is different from whomever the sender purports to be.  He also noted that the scams are in a constant state of evolution and with AI, getting more realistic looking and likely to become better camouflaged in the future.  When in doubt hang up and never, ever click on a link you do not have full confidence in.
 
Modern communications offer a wealth of advantages and opportunities, but sadly, they also offer criminals new opportunities to steal identities, money and property – a little paranoia can go a long way in protecting one from scammers – there are lots of them.
Mike Katz, Officer Kotiga, David Dietze & Pete Bolton
 
Democratic Candidates for Council Address Rotary
Posted by James Fleischmann on Oct 20, 2025
Today we hosted the Democratic slate of candidates for Summit City council.  They are Dan Crisafulli – At Large Candidate, Jaclyn Lasaracina – Ward 1 Candidate, and Chantal Landman – Ward 2 Candidate.
 
Each candidate presented a brief introduction of themselves and their primary reasons for running.  Dan is a nine-year resident with a background in finance, Jacklyn is a former attorney, and Chantal is a sixteen-year resident and has held senior positions at Goldman Sachs.
 
Like their Republican opponents, each candidate has a history of community service and involvement with voluntary municipal organizations and is broadly running on transparency, public safety, and fiscal responsibility.
 
 
 
Their short presentations were followed by a robust Q&A session.  The first question involved the added expense of local government in NJ due to NJ having 564 separate municipalities.  The candidates all agreed that Summit must pursue more shared services with surrounding communities and feels more can and should be done in this area.  A second question concerned controlling costs and municipal expenses.  Here again there was agreement that the City should be assessing projects on the basis of needs versus wants and believe the current administration doesn’t take this factor into enough consideration.  A specific example was given as to the purchase of bespoke playground equipment costing several hundred thousand dollars more than ‘off-the-shelf’ gear which came at the expense of reductions in the school’s budget, and this was related back to their underlying theme of needs versus wants.  There was a question regarding affordable housing and where the City stood in relation to its Mt. Laurel obligations.  Here the candidates differed materially with their opponents who believe the City is generally in compliance with its obligations while these candidates believe the City, being one of sixteen municipalities sued for non-compliance by an advocacy group, is at serious risk of having a court ordered decision imposed on Summit, as happened in Milburn, with unwanted consequences.
 
Rotary appreciates all the candidates who run for public office in Summit.  The jobs are unpaid, require considerable time and come with considerable responsibility.  We thank Dan, Jacklyn, and Chantal for spending time with us.
 
Mike Katz, Chantal, Dan, Jaclyn, David Dietze & Peter Bolton
 
 
Republican Candidates for Council Address Rotary
Posted by James Fleischmann on Oct 06, 2025
Today we hosted the three candidates from the Republican party running for Summit City Council: Delia Hamlet, Kevin Smallwood, and Tom Szeiber.  Ms. Hamlet and Mr. Smallwood are running for re-election, and Mr. Szeiber is a first-time candidate.
 
The candidates gave very brief introductions of themselves with the intent of using the remaining time for Q&A.  Tom is a six-year Summit resident and a lawyer.  Delia is ex-Army, a small business owner and has been a resident for over ten years.  Kevin is also a small business owner and a nineteen-year resident.  Each candidate has a history of community service and involvement with voluntary municipal organizations and is broadly running on transparency, public safety, and fiscal responsibility.
 
After the introductory comments we had a robust Q&A session.  A lead-off question revolved around the national Republican party and that relationship to local government.  Each candidate spoke, but the essence of the response was that there was little if any relevance to the more divisive issues at the national level vis-à-vis our local issues.  They all agreed that local issues require local responses.  Another issue involved public safety, specifically, the explosion of electric motorized bicycles/scooters being ridden at high speeds by youngsters, without licenses, on the sidewalks and streets.  There was agreement this is a real problem, and Council is attempting to deal with it, but a solution is still a way off and may require county and state assistance.  The issue of affordable housing was also raised.  Delia had the most experience with this topic and discussed the success the Mayor’s council on homelessness had by housing 24 formerly homeless residents and said we were in compliance with our Mt Laurel commitments and would continue to do everything possible to continue to provide affordable housing, but noted there were competing forces from developers who’s goals may not be in Summit’s best interests.  Other topics discussed were the City budget, additional police officers, and the tenor of the campaign, which one candidate described as getting unpleasant.
 
Rotary appreciates all the candidates who run for public office in Summit.  The jobs are unpaid, require considerable time and come with considerable responsibility.  We thank Delia, Kevin, and Tom for spending time with us.
 
At our next meeting, October 20, we will hear from the Democratic slate of candidates.
 
LtoR: Past Pres. Mike Katz, Tom, Delia, Kevin, Pres.Elect, Pete Bolton, President David Dietze
Two New Rotarians Introduce Themselves
Posted by James Fleischmann on Sep 22, 2025
 Today we had the pleasure of hearing from two of our newest Rotarians, Eugene Kim and Steve LaFerriere.
 
 Eugene’s parents immigrated to the US in the 1970s from Korea.  He grew up in Bergen county, attended U. of Michigan, and got a master’s in chemistry at Stevens with the intent of going to law school to be a patent attorney.  He finished law school and clerked for chief justice Stuart Radner.  He subsequently joined a Newark law firm but had a “one-third life crisis” and decided he really didn’t want to practice corporate law and went solo for ten years.  Eugene is a long-suffering Mets fan and looks forward to participating in Rotary service projects.  In February, he joined Malissa Spurr’s law firm here in Summit and then, the SNP Rotary.
   
 Our other newest member, Steve LaFerriere, is a certified financial planner with Merrill Lynch (Summit Office).  Steve is a devout Christian and the Rotary motto, Service Above Self, fits well with his desire to be of service to others.  He grew up in a military household and lived in many places, but the family ended up in NJ, and he ultimately graduated from Madison HS.  Steve has volunteered from an early age in various capacities, including in several foreign countries, is fluent in Spanish, and continues to volunteer in missions through his church.  He willingly agreed to chair our speakers’ program (no small task), and we look forward to his contributions to the Club.
Mike Katz, Steve, Eugene, David Dietze & Susan Haig
Board Meeting - 15 September
Posted by James Fleischmann on Sep 22, 2025
On Monday, 15 September, Rotary held its regular monthly board meeting, but this time we held it at the Broadway Diner and invited any Rotarians, especially our newest members, who wished to attend to do so.  We had fifteen in attendance including the full board: David Dietze, Joe Steiner, Jim Fleischmann, Mike Katz, Donna Patel, Evelyn Davis and new program chair, Steve LaFerriere.  Many topic were discussed including Club finances, potential change to venue, meeting schedules, and potential new service projects.  It was noted we have many new, younger members with strong ties to Summit and the surrounding communities, so our opportunities have grown substantially.  The meeting was recorded on Zoom and the audio portion was run through Zoom’s AI summarization program which can be accessed on the below link.
Joe Steiner Addresses the Summit Old Guard
Posted by James Fleischmann on Sep 02, 2025
On Tuesday, September 2nd, Joe Steiner reviewed Rotary International as well as our local Club, the SNP Rotary, for the Summit Area Old Guard.
 
The Summit Area Old Guard is a social, educational, and recreational organization that serves men of retirement age.They meet weekly and always feature an speaker and this week it was Joe.  Joe reviewed the history of Rotary, from its founding in 1905 through its many service projects in force today.  He also discussed the SNP Rotary which was founded eight years prior to the founding of the Old Guard (1922 v. 1930), and its many programs and services provided to the community over the past century.  Joe's presentation was followed by a robust Q&A session.
The Dangers of Lead in our Environment
Posted by Joe Steiner on Aug 19, 2025
 
Dr. Mitch Erickson is a retired environmental chemist spoke to Rotary on August 18 about the perils of lead exposure and its general eradication from everyday life over the past decades. Lead has been used in a variety of situations, primarily plumbing, since the time of the Roman Empire. 
 
Mitch
Read more...
A Freshman's Take on the Environment
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jul 21, 2025
Today’s speaker was Alanya Friedman, a recognized youth leader and currently a student at Virginia Tech studying environmental sciences.  Locally, she served as president of the Environmental Club at Columbia High School and led a tree distribution initiative that delivered bare-root native trees to hundreds of local homeowners.
 
Alanya told us of her American, Turkish background and some of the environmental issues she has encountered when visiting family in Turkey such as deforestation and how global warming is impacting central Asia.  She also discussed her curriculum at VT and gave us some insights into life on today’s college campuses (a distant memory for some of the older Rotarians).  Other topics discussed were different advocacy efforts to combat global warming and outreach programs such as eco-tourism and environmental summer camps.
 
There was a lively Q&A session.  Alanya is an impressive advocate for greater environmental awareness and we greatly appreciate her visiting Rotary and sharing her thoughts with us.
L/R: Jackie Kondel, Francie Cho, Alanya, Pete Bolton & Susan Haig
NJ Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz visits Rotary
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jul 07, 2025
Assemblywoman Nancy F. Muñoz (R), who represents New Jersey's 21st district in the General Assembly, was our speaker today.
 
Ms. Muñoz began by sharing her journey to elected office. Before her political career, she was a registered nurse and a mother of five. In 2009, her husband, Dr. Eric Muñoz, held the District 21 seat. After his sudden passing, Ms. Muñoz was nominated by the Republican party to fill the vacancy, a nomination she secured with overwhelming support. She has held the seat ever since, winning re-elections in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. This November, she is set to face Andrew Macurdy, who previously addressed the SNP Rotary on June 16th.
 
In the Assembly, Ms. Muñoz serves on two committees: Health and Budget, where she is the ranking minority member. She focused her discussion on three key topics:
  • NJ Transit: She highlighted the problematic practice of NJ Transit using capital budget funds to supplement its operating budget, emphasizing that this is not a sustainable solution to underfunding.
  • Ms. Muñoz addressed the direct conflict between overdevelopment in densely populated areas and the state's mandate to increase affordable housing.
  • Pedestrian Safety: She also expressed concerns about the rising issue of pedestrian safety.
 
 
While acknowledging the complexity of these issues, Ms. Muñoz provided some insights. She noted that the state is exploring a regional approach to address the affordable housing mandate (stemming from the Mount Laurel decisions). This approach aims to increase flexibility in land use, particularly in already dense areas where vertical expansion is often the only option, which can further strain public services. Regarding public safety, she specifically mentioned her concern about the rapid increase in motorized bicycles. These bikes currently don't require a license and can be ridden by individuals of any age. She stated that the state is collaborating with municipalities to develop appropriate regulations.
 
During the Q&A session, the issue of low voter turnout in local elections was raised, and several Rotarians shared personal experiences with motorized bikes, advocating for stricter regulations. One attendee inquired about the potential negative impact of recent federal legislation on New Jersey's healthcare system. Ms. Muñoz responded that it was too early to determine the full effects but noted that the state has a $6 billion surplus to manage contingencies, expressing hope that this would mitigate any adverse impacts.
 
We extend our appreciation to Assemblywoman Muñoz for visiting Rotary, providing updates on these important topics, and engaging in a thorough Q&A session.
SNP & BH Rotary Hold a Mixer
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jun 26, 2025
 
On Thursday, June 26, the SNP Rotary and the Berkeley Heights Rotary held a mixer at the Brandywine Summit.
 
The Brandywine site was selected because past-president and long-time Rotarian, Pam Steiner is a resident and this was an opportunity for many of her friends and fellow Rotarians to all visit her.
 
Brandywine generously supplied an inviting array of food and drink and the members of both Clubs had an opportunity to socialize and discuss potential shared projects as well as visit with their friend, Pam.
 
It was a wonderful event.  Everyone had a great time and both Clubs extend their thanks to Barndywine for hosting it.
Andrew Macurdy - Candidate for District 21
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jun 16, 2025
 
Today’s speaker, Andrew Macurdy, is running for a seat in the New Jersey assembly, district twenty-one, as a Democrat.
 
Andrew grew up in New Jersey and is a lawyer who has served as federal and state prosecutor in Newark and Jersey City.  He then joined the NJ Attorney General’s office where he worked on public safety programs, initiating a program to integrate mental health workers into local police forces.  Officers responding to incidents that are more likely to involve mental issues than outright criminal activity can be managed in a much more appropriate and efficient manner by the mental health worker.  This reduces the likelihood of violent encounters, keeps the induvial out of the criminal justice system and the courts and gets the individual appropriate help as opposed to exacerbating the situation.  This program called ARRIVE Together, has been implemented in Union county as well as many other municipalities in NJ.
 
The Rotarians raised several issues - Andrew believes in assessing the appropriate data when enacting legislation.  This was how he worked to establish ARRIVE Together and he plans to utilize the same approach in proposing legislation if elected.  Some of the areas he highlighted as needing attention are transportation, environmental issues, and public safety.  Regarding our high taxes, he is a proponent of shared services but admits it will be a challenging task considering how many municipalities NJ has, but a first step can be shared services which allows local control but simply doing the assigned task more economically and efficiently.
 
We appreciate Andrew sharing his thoughts with us.  At our next meeting, we will hear from his opponent, Assemblywoman, Nancy Muñoz.
 Mike Katz, Jim Fleischmann, Andrew Macurdy and President David Dietze
 
                                                                                                          
 
Another Fantastic Rotary Soiree
Posted on Jun 09, 2025
To celebrate the new fiscal year, we held a party at the Elks club.  Outgoing president, David Dietze, stepped up to do a second year.
David presented past president, Mike Katz,  with is past president's pin and thanked his board for their service to the Club.
As always with these gatherings, there was good food and drink, good conversation and good fellowship.
 
Our 100th Year of Scholarships
Posted on Jun 02, 2025
Today, the Summit/New Providence Rotary celebrated its 100th consecutive year of awarding scholarships to deserving students from our two local high schools.  In addition to the Rotarians and some family members of the students, we were honored to host Lauren Zirpoli, superintendent of NP schools, Brian Henry, principal of NPHS, Michael Criscitello, asst. principal of NPHS, Scott Hough, superintendent of Summit schools, and Stacy Grimaldi, principal of SHS.  To view all the scholarships awarded over the past 100 years, click on the "our scholarships" link contained in the location above named Home Page Download Files.
 
We are proud to celebrate these outstanding recipients:
 
From Summit HS:
 
Parker Mann.  Parker will attend UCLA
Dean Mauriello.  Dean will attend Penn State, then U of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Dean is also the recipient of the Wilbur Nelson scholarship.
Ava Wallach.  Ava will attend the University of Florida.
 
From New Providence HS:
Brian Lippman.  Brian will attend Boston College.
 
                                                         L/R:  Ava, Dean, Parker, & Brian
 
            L/R: Mike Katz (Scholarship chair), Dr. Zirpoli, Brian, Mr. Henry, Mr. Criscitello, President Dietze
 
   L/R: Stacy Grimaldi, Mike Katz, Ava, Dean, Parker, Scott hough, Lisa Allen (comm. member) and David Dietze
 
Susan Watts Receives the Paul Harris Award
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jun 02, 2025
At today's meeting, President David Dietze had the pleasure to presented Susan Watts with a Paul Harris Award.  This award, in honor of Rotary's founder, Paul Harris, is given to Rotarians in recognition for their generosity over the years to Rotary International's foundation.  Susan, a ten year Rotarian, has also been recognized many time for her many other civic and eleemosynary contributions to Summit.
 
Reviewing Rotary Year 2024-2025
Posted by James Fleischmann on May 19, 2025
 We did not have a regular speaker at this meeting.  However, President David Dietze noted that his current year would come to an end on June 30th and reviewed   the events that had transpired under his watch including thanking Susan Haig and Brad Eich for their excellent slate of speakers, Joe Steiner for his many duties as secretary, Jim Fleischmann for being treasurer and maintaining our website, and in particular, Donna Patel for expanding our membership by  four, two of whom were present, Melisa Spurr and Eugene Kim, and noting several more were likely to join soon.  David listed our dictionary project, constitution project and the upcoming presentation of our 100th annual scholarship awards on June 2nd as some of our notable accomplishments in addition to our regular enjoyable luncheons.
Office-Block Ballots Explained
Posted by James Fleischmann on May 05, 2025
Our speaker was Joanne Rajappi, county clerk, Union county, NJ.  Joanne has had a long and distinguished career in public service.  She was elected mayor of Springfield in 1977, and in 1980, became the first female chair of the Union county Board of Freeholders.  She was elected to her current position in 1995 and has been re-elected five times, thereby serving in the position for thirty years, and she will run for re- election in 2025.
 
Today’s topic was the complete redesign of the primary ballots for the Democratic party.  New Jersey had a unique ballot design where candidates endorsed by county political parties were grouped together in a single line or column.  This structure was criticized for giving a significant advantage to party-backed candidates, effectively diminishing the influence of those running independently.  Congressman Andy Kim challenged the configuration of the ballots in court and a federal judge agreed that the county line format was unconstitutional.  This led to the creation of “office-block ballots,” where candidates are grouped by the office they are seeking.   Governor Murphy signed a bill requiring block ballots into law and this June it will take effect.
 
For those interested in knowing more about Joanne’s long and prolific career in public service you can go to: https://ucnj.org/county-clerk/about-the-county-clerk/ .  To view a sample ballot for the upcoming primary on June 10th, visit: https://unioncountyvotes.com/sample-ballots-for-the-june-10-2025-primary-election/ and find your town and ward.
 
We greatly appreciate Joanne spending time with us and answering the many questions the Rotarians had on this and other related subjects.
Ann-Marie Aymer, Joanne, David Dietze & Susan Haig
The Connection
Posted by James Fleischmann on Apr 21, 2025
 Our speaker today was Chris Bonner, CEO, The Connection.

 Chris started off with a short biography of his journey to becoming the head of one of Summit’s crown jewels.  He was raised by a single mom and things were tight –    organizations like the Connection were a beneficial part of his early life.  After university he enlisted in the US Army and flew helicopters.  After his Army hitch was up, he  enlisted in the Coast Guard.  In total, he served for twenty years, primarily in search and rescue assignments.  After leaving the service he earned a master’s degree in education and began working in the field in Newark.  In 2019, he was appointed head of operation for Kent Place School and five years later, accepted the position as CEO of The Connection.

 Chris then spent the rest of his time discussing The Connection, a 102-year-old very family-oriented facility (The Connection was formerly the Summit YWCA).  The bulk of the members are young – tots to teens.  There are a multitude of activities from dance to summer camp.  On any given weekday between 2pm and 6pm, there can be as many as four hundred kids in the after-school program the Connection runs for Summit Public schools and various classes in the main building.  The Connection is a 501c3 and scholarship are available for those who need them.  There are currently forty-five kids with special needs receiving an assortment of assistance, and there are also a host of classes and activities ranging from dance to swimming for all ages.  English as a second language is also hosted at The Connection and has been for decades.  Finally, The Connection hosts Pathways, a program that provides free support, education, and wellness programs for women with cancer.  Indeed, The Connection provides education, support, and wellness to all the residents of Summit.  (By the way, Chris is the first male CEO in 102 years.)
 
The Danger of Plastics
Posted by James Fleischmann on Apr 07, 2025
Today’s speaker was Lois Kraus.  Lois is Co-chair of the Westfield Green Team and a retired science teacher and current board of NJ Science Convention, Rutgers Tree Steward, Rutgers Master Gardener and Rutgers Environmental Steward.
 
Her topic was omnipresent plastics in our society and the increasing danger they pose to the environment and our physical health.
Here are a few of the dangers:

1.    Chemical leaching and migration of bisphenol can lead to infertility, certain cancers, metabolic disorders and neurological issues.
2.    Plasticizers used to make plastics flexible (used in food packaging films, containers, and some utensils) can cause hormone imbalances, reproductive issues in men, and neurodevelopmental issues.
3.    Other Additives: Various other chemicals added for color, stability, or other properties can leach, with potentially unknown or understudied health effects.
4.    The ingestion of microplastics and nano plastics and through dermal absorption can also lead to a host of issues including these chemical depositing in the brain and other vital organs causing inflammation and system effects.
 
Single use food packaging and utensils, especially when exposed to heat, exacerbates leeching.  
 
Vulnerable populations include infants, pregnant women and people with preexisting conditions.
 
Lois offered a few suggestions:  bring your own container when buying coffee (NJ law no requires stores to use clients’ containers if requested), skip the stuff – when ordering out, request no plastic utensils (use your own), and support legislation to require manufacturers to use less plastic in packaging - roughly 40% of all packaging is unnecessary and wasteful.
 
The ever-increasing reliance on plastic packaging and utensils may pose a significant and multifaceted threat to human health. 
 
We appreciate Lois bringing this serious matter to our attention.
 
SVFAS
Posted by James Fleischmann on Mar 17, 2025
 
Our speakers today were two senior representatives of the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad: Laura Benevento, Chief of the Squad, and Leah Griffith, President of the board of trustees.

The presentation began with a brief overview of the Squad’s history.  It was started by two Summit residents, Sis Barker and Betty Bangs, in 1962.  From the outset, it was an all-volunteer operation.  Overlook hospital donated an old ambulance and the City assisted in finding space for the construction of a facility to house the equipment and volunteers.  Over the years the squad grew and added responsibilities as well as coordinated with other similar operations in nearby communities.
 
Today, the Squad has eighty adult members, thirty-one affiliate and junior members, three ambulances and one special purpose vehicle.  They are on call seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.  Each responding volunteer is trained to become an EMT.  There are no specific requirements to becoming a volunteer.  There is a program for young people to volunteer with the possibility of graduating into the full program.  In addition to the eighty adult members and thirty-one affiliate and junior members, there are one hundred and fifty-three retired members.  So, the roots of this organization run deep in Summit.

The Squad receives no funding from the City or State – it is all volunteer and operates on a budget of approximately $450,000 a year which does not include its capital expenditures – a new ambulance costs well over $400,000, fully equipped.  Revenues come from community support as well as grants from various foundations.

In 2024, the Squad responded to over two thousand calls of various intensity, including twelve CPRs.  When emergencies strike, be they fires, car accidents, at home crises and/or traumas, our Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad is there to assist in a variety of capacities.
 
We thank Laura and Leah for visiting and informing the Rotarians of the outstanding service they provide to Summit and the surrounding communities.  For a further look at the Squad, visit their website at:  https://summitems.org/
 
   Laura Benevento, Leah Griffith, David Dietze & Susan Haig
 

 
Pollinators in Peril
Posted by James Fleischmann on Mar 03, 2025
Deb Ellis, founder of the Essex County chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey and a Yale and NYU Law graduate, delivered a compelling presentation today on "Pollinators in Peril: How You Can Help With Native Plants and Other Easy Efforts." Driven by her passion for ecological restoration, as evidenced by her LinkedIn assertion that "we can each help heal Mother Earth by the simple act of planting flowers, bushes, and trees that are native to our area," Deb provided actionable insights into reversing the alarming decline of bird and insect populations. She highlighted the devastating impact of pesticides and invasive plants, offering simple solutions like avoiding insecticides, using yellow outdoor lighting, and embracing native flora. Deb emphasized the importance of native species like violets, milkweed, and golden rod in supporting pollinators, including the endangered monarch butterfly. Her message: simple changes, like reducing lawn treatments and planting native species, can make a significant difference. For a deeper dive into her impactful presentation, please see the accompanying hyperlink that will open the slide deck .
50/50 Raffle
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 13, 2025
It's that time again.  The SNP Rotary will participate in the District's 50/50 Raffle.  The Club will receive one half of the pot.  All Club proceeds will go to fund our various educational programs.  Every Rotarian is being asked to participate.
Our Dictionary Project
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 12, 2025
Today we delivered 475 English language and 10 English/Spanish dictionaries to the New Providence and Summit school districts.  Every third-grader in each district will receive a copy of one of these dictionaries which have been specifically designed to be used by children in the age range of eight to nine.  The instructors love this project as the dictionaries are now considered to be an excellent teaching tool for building vocabulary and enhancing referencing skills.
Neela's Path from pathology to Water Colors
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 10, 2025
 Neela Pushparaj has had a fascinating life.  From a small child from a small village in prewar India, Neela, one of nine children, overcame many hurdles, including financial hardship, as well as social and   cultural norms not conducive to the advancement of women.  However, she persevered, received an education as a doctor, emigrated to the United States in 1963 to further her education, met and married Gus (who had a similar amazing journey), became a highly respected pathologist and at the age of 49, embarked on an artistic avocation that eventually led her to becoming a successful water color artist represented by various New York galleries and with a global following.  Neela has several excellent websites where you can see some of her works.  In today's presentation, Neela showed us some of her water color    techniques.  She always has an idea of how a painting will appear but because she uses a method where colors merge on a damp canvas, the final product is always a bit of a surprise.
 
 Here are several links with much more detail about her life and art: https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/84727730-Neelavathy-Pushparaj-Pathologist  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlbbl2i80N4   -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Px3GKR0vpE
SNP Rotary Officer Slate for 2025/26
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 03, 2025
Today we elected our slate of officers for the fiscal year - 2026.  They include:
 
President-elect Mort OShea (stepping up for a second time as president – thank you, Mort)
Secretary, Joe Steiner
Treasurer, Jim Fleischmann
Vice President, Peter Bolton 
David Dietze will remain on the Board as Past President.
 
                Mort OShea
 
Examining the State of Local News in NJ
Posted by James Fleischmann on Feb 03, 2025
  Our speaker was Marc H. Pfeiffer.  Marc is the Senior Policy Fellow and Faculty Researcher, Bloustein Local Government, Center for Urban Policy Research.   Prior  to his retirement, Marc spent 37 years in New Jersey local government administration, having served as a municipal administrator in several municipalities, and 26 years in the Division of Local Government Services, the state’s local government oversight agency.  At DLGS he served as Deputy Director for 14 years, and periodically as Acting Director.
 
  Marc discussed the state of local news reporting in New Jersey.  He began by noting how all local news media has shrunk materially over the past twenty or so years.  Digital communications and digital on-line shopping have severely cut into the print media’s ability to survive, especially at the local level.  Print media always required advertising from local merchants to support its capital-intensive operations.  Amazon, et.al., has eaten into the model.  He went on to discuss the obvious negative implications of not having adequate local reporting, especially as it relates to government oversight – who’s keeping our elected officials honest?  He summarized the problem by quoting the masthead from the Washington Post – ‘Democracy dies in the dark.’
 
  However, he was becoming more optimistic.  He believes local news coverage is bottoming out.  The media is adapting.  Print is migrating to a digital format and the publishers are beginning to figure out how to operate within the digital world and how to develop digital advertising with local businesses.  There are different constructs – for profit and not-for-profit.  And clearly, the curation of content remains an issue.  Nevertheless, Marc believes local news is beginning to recover, albeit slowly.
 
  During Q&A there was much discussion of bias.  He noted engines like Facebook, Instagram, and similar aggregators simply sweep up whatever is in the domain.  The information is not curated.  The reader is then subject to whatever bias is contained in the content.  So, checking the source is critical to staying informed with facts versus opinion.
 
  It was an informative and enlightening presentation – much appreciated by the Rotarians.
 
After a Minor Glitch, Another Successful Blood Drive
Posted by Joe Steiner on Jan 20, 2025
 
On Monday, January 20th, the SNP Rotary held its annual blood drive. We had a goal of 45 donations.  We achieved 42, with two deferrals.
   
Our thanks to the officials at Christ Church who did their best to overcome the heat issues in the building which resulted in a delay in starting the drive for about a half hour.  Rules are that they cannot begin unless the room is over 64 degrees and it was about 56.   After having the doors closed for a while the temperature increased enough for them to proceed.  (Cold conditions and the doors being open for the equipment loading dropped the temperature).
 
A special thanks to the church music director who contacted the building chair (Lew), who did his best to help out and to Brenda and Pastor Chuck for allowing us access.
 
And, thanks also to the following members who assisted with various tasks …..  Susan Watts, Christie Hodde, Jim Fleischmann, Joe Steiner, Mike Katz and his wife Jackie Wechter, and Beth Welsh
 
Neela Donates Painting to Summit Speech School
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jan 14, 2025
SNP Rotary's resident artist, Neela Pushparaj, poses with one of her outstanding water-colors which she has given to the Summit Speech School (SSS).
 
After a decades long career as a pathologist, Dr. Pushparaj took up water-color painting at age 49, perfecting her technique, to bring to life works that range from the semi-abstract to the fully abstract. Neela's works have become very popular and her paintings hang in homes and galleries all over the world.
 
Later this week, she will travel to India to attend a reunion of her medical school class and to celebrate her birthday (her 39th) with friends and some family members - bon voyage, Neela.
 
Ray Dorso , ExDir. SSS, David Dietze, President SNP Rotary, Neela & Jim Fleischmann
SNP Rotarians Present Some Background on Themselves
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jan 13, 2025
Today we had the pleasure of having three of our newer Rotarians share a bit of their backgrounds with us.
 
First up was Bradley Eich - Brad is a financial advisor with the McKenna Group, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch.  He is a certified financial planner (CFP) with over twenty years of experience.  He has worked for JP Morgan/Chase, and Wells Fargo before joining ML in 2021.  As a wealth manager, Brad helps his clients with investment and liability management as well as retirement planning, tax minimization, and estate planning.  Brad and his wife have two school age kids and he assists their respective schools by coaching his daughter's lacrosse team and his son's wrestling and football teams.
 
Next, we heard from Francie Cho, our newest member.  Francie studied physics and astronomy at Yale and was planning to pursue an advanced degree in astrophysics, but as happens, life got in the way.  She married, had four children and along the way became an actuary (lots of math - so the early training didn't go to waste), a job she thoroughly enjoyed.  She has also been quite active in Summit's civic life and currently serves on Summit's environmental commission and is the president of the Luminary Fund which just announced that in 2024, they raised $142,000.  All of the funds, after minor expenses, will be distributed to a variety of Summit's non-profit organizations.
 
Finally, we heard from Henrik Patel.  Henrik is an attorney and Global Head of White & Case's Employment, Compensation and Benefits practice where he advises clients on executive compensation and employee benefits issues. He and his wife, Donna (another Rotarian), have two young children.  Henrik says his job is fairly strenuous and to relax he is an avid golfer.  He estimates he played about 95 rounds in 2024 - that should have reduced a lot of stress.
 
We welcome our new members and appreciate their willingness to share some of their life stories with us.
 
                     Brad
 
                   Francie
                  Henrik
NPHS and ALL That Jazz
Posted by James Fleischmann on Dec 16, 2024
  As in so many holiday seasons past, the New Providence high school’s music department shared the many musical talents of their students and teachers with the SNP Rotary.

In addition to the music department, present were newly appointed superintendent of schools, Lauren Zirpoli (the Rotary offers our congratulations to Lauren on her promotion to superintendent) and Brian Henry, principal of NPHS.  They were joined by about twenty-five Rotarians and guests.

The concert started with three seasonal numbers by the Swingin’ Strings under the direction of Ben Rubens.  This was followed by a solo song (with jazz accompaniment) by Kylie Freeman.

The Jazz choir followed with three more numbers, under the direction of Scott Ziegler.  There were several outstanding solos as well as one wonderful scat rendition.

Finally, the jazz band, under the direction of Michael Niedziejko, played two numbers and brought the house down (in a manner of speaking).

The Rotarians so appreciate the NPHS students and their terrific instructors sharing their talents with us.  We wish the students, their teachers and the administrators a healthy, safe and happy holiday and new year.
 
The Swingin' Strings
 
Ms. Freeman & accompaniment
 
The Jazz Choir
 
The Jazz Band
Inter-Club Holiday Program
Posted by James Fleischmann on Dec 09, 2024
On Monday, we hosted our annual joint Lions/Rotary Holiday Luncheon and were again privileged to be entertained by the Summit High School Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Choir.  Our emcees were Peter Twill, Lions president and David Dietze, Rotary president.

We were honored by the presence of several special guests including Summit mayor, Elizibeth Fagan, Summit schools superintendent, Scott Hough, principal Stacy Grimaldi, and city council member Claire Toth.  Additionally, approximately twenty-five Rotarians and Lions were in attendance.

The Chamber orchestra started the program with the Chanukah Festival Overture by Calvin Custer.  This was followed by the Chamber Choir singing three numbers, A Holly Jolly Christmas, Bim Bom (an Israeli folk song) and Silver Bells, featuring a solo by Ben Schachne.  The orchestra then played White Christmas followed by In the Bleak Winter by Gustav Holst with solos by Julia Mohecha, Isabella Kim, Emma Vachal and Hatikvah with a second solo by Julia Mohecha.  The choir then sang three more numbers, Silent Night, the Angel Medley and I’ll be Home for Christmas with a solo by Rose Goeta.  The orchestra finished the program by playing The Christmas Song.

As always, the talent and dedication of the students left us in awe.  None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary guidance of their instructors, Ms. Neveno Bojovic (Orchestra) and Ms. Mary-Lynne Rhodes (Choir).

The Lions and the Rotarians greatly appreciate the Choir and Orchestra sharing their wonderful musical gifts with us and we wish them – and everyone - a joyous holiday season and healthy and prosperous New Year.
 
The Chamber Choir
The Chamber Orchestra
The Summit Foundation
Posted by James Fleischmann on Nov 18, 2024
 
Today’s speaker was Dana Turk, President of the board of trustees of the Summit Foundation (TSF).

Dana gave an overview of the Foundation.  It was created in 1972 by a group of local residents and progressed slowly.  In its first decade it made grants of roughly $37,000.  However, it continued to attract donors, merged with another 501c3 in the 1980s and by 1992, has assets of about one million dollars.  Fast forward to today, and TSF has assets of twenty-one million dollars and distributed grants of more than ten million dollars over the past decade.

TSF manages donor directed endowments as well as an unrestricted pool of money.  TSF has assisted dozens of not-for-profit organizations in Summit and the surrounding areas of Union county.  Grants have been made to the Y, the Connection, Visual Art Center, the Parkline, Overlook Hospital, Hometown Heros, the Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit Speech School, Community Food Bank, Bridges, Grace, SAGE, the new fire house, and many, many more.  In addition, they give roughly a hundred and fifty thousand dollars yearly in scholarships, primarily through donor directed endowments.

The Foundation employs a bookkeeper and pays a low management fee to an outside professional fund manager and all the other work is done by the trustees, at no cost to the Foundation.  Approximately ninety cents of every dollar collected goes to their grant and scholarship recipients.

TSF is also in an excellent position to help the community in times of crisis.  During COVID, TSF was in the lead in raising funds to assist our local merchants survive the near cessation of commercial activity in the downtown area.  Many survived because of this initiative.

For those interested in learning more about TSF, here are two excellent resources, the website: www.summitforever.org/, and a recently made Hometown TV video about TSF: www.youtube.com/watch?v=R07NknV3fQ8 .
 
Jim Fleischmann, Rotarian & TSF board member, Amy DiSibio, TSF board member, Dana Turk, Rotary President, David Dietze & former TSF board member
 
SNP Rotary Holds Club Assembly
Posted by James Fleischmann on Nov 04, 2024
 
 
 
Today we held a Club Assembly for the purpose of discussing the SNP Rotary’s future.  Topics up for consideration were reversing declining membership, should we continue with ongoing service projects, potential new service projects, changes in meeting frequency & venue, how dues are assessed, and raising our profile through advertising and potentially partnering with other local service organizations.

The discussion began with some data regarding membership globally, nationally and in New Jersey.  Rotary is growing in parts of Asia such as India, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Korea, but stagnant in places like Brazil, Mexico, and Italy, and shrinking, materially, in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Japan.  Rotary has shrunk by roughly 30+% in New Jersy over the past several decades.  Twenty years ago, NJ had seven districts.  Today there are three districts, and we are expected to contract to a single statewide district in 2026.  In 2005, there were 7302 Rotarians in NJ.  Today that figure has fallen to 4460 and the demographics are not favorable.  It was noted that many other social and religious organizations are experiencing the same loss of membership – we are not alone.

The SNP Rotary has decreased from roughly fifty regular members fifteen years ago to thirty members, today, with five honorary members.  Regular weekly attendance varies from ten to fifteen.
At today’s assembly, we had eighteen in attendance and all members participated in a lively discussion.
 
We began by noting we have given out scholarships for one hundred years – something we are all proud of, but the Summit zip code shows nearly three hundred 501(c)3 organizations, and many of them distribute scholarships.  We are not unique in this endeavor.  It was suggested we may consider finding other ways to employ our limited resources.  Several members were open to this, but there was also push-back.  It was suggested we could perhaps limit scholarships to the InterAct club which could also be a boost to the significantly reduced membership of that club in the high school.  This topic will be open for discussion over the next several months, or possibly longer.
There were suggestions about advertising.  We have never advertised, but there are low-cost/no-cost avenues available to us.  We also have a very limited social media presence.  Happily, one of our members volunteered to undertake a venture into this area– a most positive development.  There was also a suggestion to see if we could get local real estate brokers to make their clients aware of our Club.

We discussed a variety of methods to assess dues, possibly eliminating the up-front annual payment for meals and moving to pay-as-you-eat; this creates other problems in scheduling but could be dealt with.  We talked about more evening meetings at venues with a cash bar – many people simply find lunch difficult – we can alternate between lunch and evenings.

We discussed partnering with other like-minded organizations such as the Junior Leage, the Chamber of Commerce or possibly other near-by Rotary Clubs – all unexplored opportunities.
There was general agreement that to increase membership we needed to revitalize our reason for being.  We have structure, organization, and members with solid ties to the community.  We all realize there are many needs in and around Summit.  We have the ability to identify them and as a 100-year-old service organization, the capacity to become a more relevant factor.  We also discussed that this is only the first step in a longer journey and if we don’t have buy-in by a majority of our members, not much will change.

This was a good start.  One must identify a problem before it can be fixed.  We’ll see what happens and have a follow up meeting to check our progress in about six months.  In the interim, we will begin to shape our second century.
Club Assembly November 4th
 
 
 
 
 
This coming Monday, the SNP Rotary will have a club assembly to discuss the direction of the Club.
 
In the US, many social organizations from long established religious congregations to numerous social organizations like the Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, etc., have been loosing membership.  Our Club is no exception.
 
We will be discussing what steps we can take to revitalize our service efforts to both benefit our community and have a reason to recruit new members.
 
Please plan to be there and contribute to the discussion.
 
 
DG Jeannie Tsukamoto Visits SNP Rotary
Posted by James Fleischmann on Oct 21, 2024
 
Today we had the pleasure of being addressed by our District Governor, Jeannie Tsukamoto.
 
Jeannie spent a good part of her time walking us through the abundance of information contained on the district 7475 web site.  There is information ranging from demographics to membership numbers, info on every club, suggestions for speakers, information regarding grant applications, Rotary finance, projects, insurance, and a host of other things, i.e., a large repository of very useful information.
 
The most pressing issue facing Rotary in the US is declining membership.  We are not alone; membership in social clubs and many other long-established institutions, including many religious organizations, have been suffering from attrition in membership for decades.  On this topic, Jeannie noted that there have been huge changes in the past twenty-five years from technology to numerous social attitudes, i.e., things have changed and Rotary has to change if we are to remain relevant.  She noted we must set priorities, adapt to be impactful and participate where needed – we are primarily a service organization.
 
Suggestions included doing a community assessment, partnering with other non-profits and other Rotary Clubs and networking.
 
Jeannies’ visit was timely as it precedes our next meeting, a club assembly, to discuss these very matters – how are we going to change to remain relevant.
 
We thank DG Tsukamoto for sharing her thoughts with us.
 
Republican Candidates for City Council Address SNP Rotary
Posted by James Fleischmann on Oct 14, 2024
        Don Nelson
 
       Mark Gunderson
 
 
Today, we had the second half of our ‘meet the candidates’ program.  Our speakers were the Republican candidates for City Council, Don Nelson, ward one, and Mark Gunderson, ward two.
 
Don led off with a brief introduction of himself – born, raised, and educated in Summit.  Don joined the fire department in 1986 and rose to deputy chief before retiring in 2022. He has been deeply involved in many of the City’s activities including coaching athletics, serving on the parking commission and for six years as the City’s coordinator of emergency management.  Don and his wife Rose raised five children in Summit.
 
Don’s agenda as a member of council is to first maintain the general character of Summit.  He favors adding, modestly, to both the police force and fire department to keep these units able to meet their increasing demands, enforcing traffic and parking ordinances, getting more assistance from the County with our unhoused population, and realistic and responsible property development.
 
Mark was raised in Bernardsville.  He and his wife, Lucy, and son John are now Summit residents with strong ties to the community.  He currently serves on the City’s Economic Development Advisory Committee, is a member of the Summit Downtowners’ Association, and has served as a volunteer head coach in the Summit Softball & Baseball League.
 
His background is in finance.  Mark began his career in investment banking and is currently co-owner of a financial firm focused on funding small and mid-sized businesses. 
Mark believes he can use his financial background to promote fiscal responsibility and assist Summit’s local businesses.  Like Don, he wants to emphasis safety and security and ensure responsible development.
 
Summit is fortunate to have four outstanding candidates running for two seats.  The Rotary greatly appreciates their willingness to serve as our representatives and to share their thoughts with us.
 
Democratic Candidates for City Council Address SNP Rotary
Posted by James Fleischmann on Oct 07, 2024
 
 
Michell
Claire
 
Today we had two speakers, the Democratic candidates running for Summit City Council, Michelle Kalmanson and Claire Toth.
Each candidate made introductory comments and then they answered questions.
 
Michelle is a six-year resident of Summit.  She and her husband have two young children in the public schools, ages 9 and 12.  She has been active in the City: President of the PTO, Washington school, past chair of the Santa Claus Shop, member of the Wilson Primary PTO and an active participant in the effort to prevent the lighting of Tatlock field because of the intrusion it would bring to the residents in the immediate area of the field.  It was the Tatlock experience that prompted her to run for council.  Michelle will attempt to bring greater transparency to issues affecting neighborhoods.  She will also strive to make fair and equitable decisions and make civility in City government a prime objective.  Michelle is the ward one candidate.
 
Claire Toth is a 28-year resident of Summit (she is also the wife of Rotary president, David Dietze).  She has recently retired from Peapack-Gladstone bank where she was head of Private Wealth Management.  Claire is a lawyer with a specialty in tax law.  In addition to her professional activities, she has been active in many of Summit’s non-profits including SAGE, Summit Downtown, Family Promise, the city zoning board, and several others.  Claire wants to bring her considerable experience in fiscal and budgetary matters as well as her non-profit understanding to bear on city government.  Among several issues she feels needs more attention are both traffic and pedestrian safety and environmental resilience, especially storm water management.  Claire is the candidate for ward two.
 
We appreciate the candidates taking the time to share their campaign thoughts with us.
 
We will hear from the Republican candidates for city council next week on the 14th of October.
Free Covid Test Kits Available Again
Posted on Oct 08, 2024
 
The Federal Government is again offering free covid test kits.  Simply go to www.covidtest.gov and fill out a very simple form.  You will be sent four kits by USPS.  These are a new test designed to be sensitive to the newer variants of the virus.
The Rose House
Posted by James Fleischmann on Sep 23, 2024
       David Dietze, Beth McKenna & Tom Mitchell
 
 
Our speaker today was Tom Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of the Rose House, a Morris Plains non-profit organization providing adults with special needs supervised housing where they can live independent lives.
 
The Rose House is celebrating twenty-five years of offering its residents the opportunities to live and work in the community while receiving the extra assistance they require to maintain their independence.  Services are offered to “no-behavioral” special needs individuals.  Facilities include individual apartments, maintained by the residents and assistance where needed such as food shopping, transportation, administrative details, etc.
 
Finances are primarily provided by Medicaid and donations.  Staff costs are the bulk of expenses and staff turnover is only 12% compared to 44%, nationally, for similar organizations.
 
We were impressed with the work being done by the Rose House and thank Tom for his illuminating presentation.  Further information can be found on their website: https://therosehouse.org .
 
Volunteers Needed for Special Project
Posted by James Fleischmann on Sep 10, 2024
 
 
 
Rotary has an opportunity to assist in a very special local project - this is a "one-off", it requires no experience, no heavy lifting and no money!
 
As explained by Donna Patel, Chair of the Summit Environmental Commission and fellow Rotarian, "the Summit Library started a Native Seed Library last year, and the Tiny Forest is one of the sources to replenish the seeds. The Native Seed Library is available to the public - people are allowed to take up to 3 seed packets (and then hopefully provide seeds back once their plants thrive). 
 
Many seeds have been collected but are still waiting to be sorted into smaller numbers of seeds and labelled for distribution. 
 
There was a couple committed to sorting and then they moved or are no longer available. This project would be ideal for Rotarians as it’s indoors and can be done together as a group at the Library or as a take-home project. 
 
You can read more about the Native Seed Library and partnership with the Tiny Forest here: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/summit/articles/summit-environmental-commission-library-partner-to-expand-native-seed-collection. "
 
If you would like to volunteer you can simply call the Library, 908-273-0350 or contact Donna directly at dgp212@gmail.com.
Also, the Library will hold a special training meeting on 15 October 2024, essentially, a "how to" session.  Times are 10AM with a possible 2PM.
 
Read more...
Summit's Hometown Heroes
Posted by James Fleischmann on Sep 09, 2024
   
Today’s speaker was Michael Arlein, Summit resident and head of Summit’s Hometown Heroes program.  The original Hometown Heroes Banner program first ran in Harrisburg, PA in 2006.  In 2017, it was    brought to Michael’s attention by a friend and City council member that New providence was participating in the program and suggested Summit should, also.  Long story short, Michael volunteered to head the program.  He joined with other interested Summit residents, veterans, and organizations such as the American Legion and the Summit Foundation to begin the process.  The City supported the project, but it had to be privately financed.  Michael and his committee then raised the $20,000 needed to seed the project and set the ground rules for participation.  There were issues ranging from the type of brackets to use for displaying large photos of the vets to who should be eligible to participate.  These were eventually worked out and the program has been successfully running, honoring Summits many veterans for the past eight years.  Currently there are about 150 banners (two photos per banner) installed on several of Summit's streets and avenues, honoring roughly three hundred veterans.  The banners are displayed during the warmer months and then stored to avoid weather damage.  There are many veterans in Rotary, and we greatly appreciate Michael’s efforts.
Millburn Students on Ecology
Posted by James Fleischmann on Aug 26, 2024
 
Our speakers today were five high school students from Millburn HS, Pingry, and the Lawrenceville school.  They are all members of Eco-Ambassadors, an organization co-founded by Dr. Radhika Iyengar, director of education at Columbia University – Earth’s Institute Center for Sustainable Development, and a group of Millburn residents.  These highly accomplished young men and women are civic leaders who attend Millburn council meetings, create videos and podcasts to raise awareness about ecology, and foster healthier communities and ecosystems.
 
Each spoke for several minutes about their science and ecology research and action as members of Millburn’s ‘Green Team’ and positioned their comments in the context of Rotary’s 4-Way test.  The speakers, in alphabetical order are: Anvi Anand, Ishaan Bharadwaj, Suvid Bordia, Ayan Dalmia, and Aaryan Jain.  They all have very impressive resumes, and we greatly appreciate their inputs to further the nation’s collective efforts to combat environmental mis-management.
Learning About the Nation's Food Banks
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jul 29, 2024
Today’s speaker was Chris Costanzo, the founder and editor of Food Bank News, an online publication dedicated to seeking and sharing knowledge of best practices about hunger relief among a national audience which she started in 2019.  The website receives 10,000 visits a month and the bi-weekly newsletter has 7,000 subscribers.  Chris spent decades as a magazine and newspaper editor, reporter and freelance writer, and more recently began volunteering at her local food pantry and hunger-relief agency.  She lives in NJ and is a Cornell graduate.
 
Chris presented a highly informative discussion about the Nation’s national food banks.  She had four main points.  First, the US government’s program to fight food insecurity is actually ten times bigger than the nation’s combined food banks which number about two hundred (the smaller food pantries number in the many thousands).  The Government’s program, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a $100B operation.  The various state food banks distribute roughly $10B of food. Second, the food doesn’t always go where it is most needed, particularly in rural areas.  This is because rural areas often don’t have the necessary infrastructure for distribution and the qualified people to operate the system.  Third, and perhaps the most amazing factor, roughly 40% of the nation’s available food supply goes to waste.  There is considerable spoilage due to a variety of issues such as transportation, perception (e.g., grocers rejecting consignments due to appearance), restaurant uneaten food, weather, simply unsold perishables, etc.  It is estimated that around 100B pounds of food is wasted each year.  The food banks are working with national and regional truckers to reduce this wastage with a goal of rescuing an additional one billion pounds of food a year – currently, about four billion pounds of rejected or past-sell-date food is delivered to national food banks.  Finally, the SNAP program and the food banks are trying to move away from simply offering calories for more nutritious foods, i.e., less sugar and salt and more vegetables and fruits.  Medicare is also part of the process of emphasizing nutrition over calories.
 
Chris has created a most valuable asset which is helping to optimize a system that clearly is sub-optimal.  Anyone can access Chris’ newsletter at: www.foodbanknews.org .  We thank Chris for her visit.
 
Enhancing Environmental Sustainability
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jul 15, 2024
Today’s speaker was Vanita Gangwal.  In addition to being a partner at KPMG, she is a trustee of the Nature Conservancy and a member of the Millburn Environmental Commission.  Vanita grew up in Jaipur, India and moved to the US at age eighteen. During High School, she was an active member and President of her School’s Rotary Interact Club. Her topic was sustainability and some thoughts about taking a reasonable approach to protecting the environment.
 
She began her presentation by noting the incredible abundance we have in the US and how this abundance can also lead to unintended degradation of the environment.  Examples cited were our ever-increasing use of disposable things like all types of plastics, from bags to cutlery to packaging.  While convenient, it is now common to find plastic in the bodies of many ocean organisms.  This concept can be expanded to many other types of what she described as “affluent waste.”  Another environmentally harmful issue denoted was the homogeneity of suburban landscaping – vast lawns with almost no native vegetation.  She cited one specific case, the near extinction of the monarch butterfly which can only lay its eggs in the common milkweed plant.  As the name implies, milkweed is a weed, spreading rapidly, and it is poisonous to humans, pets, and cattle.  Suburbanites and farmers eschew it.  Hence, the monarch is going extinct.
 
She concluded by making the case for simply increasing awareness of these issues.  We can’t, and won’t stop using plastic, but we can certainly use less of it.  We want nice looking homes, but there is an option to perhaps not have 100% of our green spaces comprised of manicured grass – some space can be reserved for natural flora.  Increasing awareness and increasing willingness to address environmental degradation is the only solution.  It will require both bottoms up (the citizenry) and top down (the political leadership) to solve these problems.  We thank Vanita for sharing her insights with us and for her efforts towards addressing our many environmental problems.
David Dietze Assumes Presidency of the SNP Rotary (for the second time)
Posted on Jun 11, 2024
Today, twenty Rotarians, their spouses and friends attended a great evening dinner at the Elks Club to witness David Dietze accept the president’s gavel from outgoing president, Mike Katz.
 
Mike thanked everyone for their assistance and noted several highlights of his year including our 98th consistent awarding of scholarships, the dictionary and constitution projects, and our recent successful pedals for progress event.
 
David said he was proud to accept the presidency, for the second time, and said he would listen closely to how the Rotarians wanted to take the Club forward.  He noted our membership is declining and we need to rejuvenate our efforts in recruitment, he mentioned the possibility of returning to weekly meetings, and said he would look for new opportunities for our participation in the community.
Mike & David
SNP Rotary Awards 99th Series of Scholarships
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jun 10, 2024
Today we awarded our 99th series of scholarships to five outstanding graduating seniors from Summit and New Providence high schools.  In attendance were the recipients and their family members as well as Scott Hough, Superintendent of Summit Schools, Stacy Grimaldi, principal of Summit HS, and Dave Miceli, superintendent of New Providence schools.
 
Rotary president, Mike Katz, noted that Dr. Miceli, an 18-year member of the SNP Rotary, would be retiring on Friday and wished him well as he transitions into his next challenge.
 
Mike Katz then proceeded with the program.  Ms. Grimaldi presented awards to the SHS recipients: Jason Cespedes who will attend Syracuse, Randy Rodriuez who will attend Stevens, Maria Gonzales who will attend Lehigh and Diane Saint-Louis who will attend the College of New Jersey – Ms. Saint-Lewis was also the recipient of the Wilber Nelson memorial scholarship.  Then, Dr. Miceli presented the final scholarship to Avery Lee.  Avery will attend the University of Tennessee.
 
As we have so many times in the past, the Rotarians were delighted to present these scholarships to a new group of aspiring, deserving and accomplished scholars.
 
David Dietze, president elect, Mike Katz, Avery, Randy, Jason, Diane, Maria
 
 
 
Pedals for Progress - A Successful First Effort
Posted by James Fleischmann on Jun 08, 2024
Today we held our first Pedals for Progress event.
 
P4P is a New Jersey based 501c3.  Their mission statement is simple: 'To empower sustainable economic development by recycling bicycles and sewing machines from the U.S. and shipping them to motivated people in the developing world'.
 
Terri Hutchinson was the point person for this project - she organized and directed the effort.  For a first attempt, we did quite well.  Terry, with the assistance of two volunteers from our InterAct club at the high school, posted fliers all over town, Terry also put ads in the local media and collected ten bikes and several sewing machines from the Summit transfer station and from friends and acquaintances.
 
On Saturday, June 8th, at the Summit YMCA headquarters parking lot, we collected another fifteen bikes and more sewing machines.
 
The bikes were partially dismantled to facilitate shipping.  Volunteers Roger Mehner, Jim Fleischmann, and Jennifer Zhou from the InterAct club, managed the dismantling of the bikes with help from the P4P president, Allen Schultz.
 
In total, we collected twenty-five bikes and ten sewing machines.
 
A special thank you to Terri for all the time-consuming and challenging work she put into this project and to Roger, Jennifer and Jim for their hard work in preparing the bikes for shipment.
 
 
David Dietze Discusses the Markets
Posted by James Fleischmann on May 13, 2024
  David Dietze discussed the state of the stock market and the economic outlook for the near to intermediate time period.  David noted that while the economy remained strong and unemployment was   near historic low levels, inflation was still a concern and the Federal Reserve was likely to keep rates high and longer than previously expected.  Essentially, David is relatively positive on the economic outlook.  While the consumer is fighting higher interest rates and higher prices in several sectors, the government has also injected considerable stimulus which has a balancing effect.  He also believes one should remain invested in the stock market and not try to market time as stock prices can react faster to changes in perception than most investors can change their allocations.  David also noted there has been an increasing concentration of value into a decreasing number of companies; roughly one third of the S&P's value is contained in less than twenty stocks, nearly all in the high tech area.  In the link below you can open and review David's excellent PowerPoint slides.  documents/en-us/8efbe607-ff27-48ad-93cc-54727c59e70a/1
 
 
M&T Banker Discusses Mortgages
Posted by JG Fleischmann on May 20, 2024
  Our speaker today was Jack Pier, senior mortgage loan officer, M&T Bank.  Jack is a seasoned banker with 33 years of experience.
 
  He began his discussion with several observations.  Housing prices are going up largely because many home owners have very low-rate mortgages written within the past ten years and are reluctant to give them up,   so housing turnover is low and this is reducing homes available for sale.  Also, inflation has caused the FED to raise short term rates and that has caused mortgage rates making home ownership less available for many, especially young families buying a first home.  This has also caused rental prices to rise.
 
 He reviewed a relatively new phenomenon, 'generational living'.  This applies more often to larger and more expensive homes. Older parents (or other relatives) want to down size and their adult children cannot afford a new home or to buy the family home.  They subdivided the home with the children assuming some or all of the expenses and all live together.  Eventually, the children will become the sole occupants.
 
Jack noted the problem is abating, somewhat.  Mortgage rates have already fallen from over 8% earlier this year to around 6.5 - 7%, but the supply remains tight.  He believes supply/demand will remain tight for a while.
 
 
 
Council President and Mayor Address Rotary
March 25, 2024
By James Fleischmann
Today we had the privilege of being addressed by the president of Summit City Council, Lisa Allen (a SNP Rotarian) and Mayor Elizabeth Fagan.

Lisa led off with a few comments about the direction the City would take over the coming several years.  The Broad Street West project has been scrapped, so a new plan will be necessary to deal with the property available on the site of the old firehouse – the new firehouse should be fully operational in June/July.  As the City moves forward, Lisa, as Council president, plans to emphasize three main issues: safety, community engagement, and transparency.  This also relates to how the city's plans for reusing this area will be conducted.

Mayor Fagan discussed several issues relating to safety.  The City is now deploying a newly acquired drone for surveillance.  It can be used by both the police and the fire department for everything from apprehending criminals to traffic control.  The police department is initiating a home security assessment, available to all residents, and the fire department is employing new software to assist in optimizing the fastest access to fires and other emergencies.

After their opening remarks, Lisa and the Mayor took questions.  One question involved Mt. Laurel decision vis-à-vis the State’s new affordable housing law mandating each municipality to present a plan for affordable housing in conjunction with the State. The new State law establishes the process for cities to comply with the NJ Supreme Court’s Mt Laurel decision’s Affordable Housing obligations for a ten-year period beginning in 2025. Summit has not yet fulfilled all of its Mt laurel agreement but will likely “reset” the clock and the goals for our affordable units in the upcoming negotiations with the State.  The closing of Maple Street for the summer months was raised – the City engineer will not permit its closing as it ultimately presents a safety hazard.  Finally, a question was raised regarding the weekly delivery of advertising fliers.  Many residents don’t want these weekly deliveries thrown onto their property.  The Mayor has had other complaints about this issue and said the City potentially could ban the deliveries, but it was noted there is an opt-out option – the contact info is printed on the plastic bag containing the materials.

We would like to thank the Mayor and Lisa for sharing their thoughts on the City and directly and fully answering all questions put to them.
 
Our Annual Blood Drive
By: James Fleischmann
On Monday, January 15th, we held our annual blood drive.  It was another success.  We collected 50 units of blood.  The Red Cross estimates this will save up to 150 lives.
Kassandra Romas Knows how to Throw a Christmas Party
Posted on Dec 18, 2023
By: James Fleischmann
On Monday, in lieu of a regular luncheon meeting, we had a fantastic holiday party at Christ Church.

As she has in the past, Kassandra Romas, with a little help from the Marco Polo restaurant, arranged this outstanding event.  We had a first-rate pianist (arranged for by President Mike Katz) who entertained through dinner and later played while Susan Haig led us in “Rotary” carols, and then Mort O’Shea crowned the festivities with one of his classically wry and witty jokes.

About thirty Rotarians, spouses and guests enjoyed great food, great conversation, and the usual Rotarian good fellowship.

Again, many thanks to Kassandra for making all the arrangements: the food and the incredible flowers and decorations.
 


We wish everyone a happy holiday season, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Bodhi Day, or the winter solstice, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
Grace Founder, Amanda Block, Discusses Organization's Mission
Posted on Jul 10, 2023
 Amanda Block is the founder of GRACE. GRACE is an acronym for giving and receiving assistance for our community’s essentials.

 From GRACE’s website: “GRACE stems from eight months of research and conversations in 2015-2016 with local leaders, agencies, and institutions.

Our first month of Family Fun Nights in August 2016 grew into the weekly GRACE distribution thanks to the Summit Interfaith Council, Christ Church, Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Central Presbyterian Church, and the City of Summit’s Department of Community Programs. Five months into GRACE’s inception, the Junior League of Summit adopted GRACE as a project which gave us the necessary governance and administrative support to stabilize and grow.

In October 2019, GRACE moved from Christ Church to the Cornog Field House, where it flourished. In July 2020, the City Council of the City of Summit unanimously voted to name GRACE a program of the City of Summit. In June 2023 GRACE moved distribution to The Summit Community Center, providing  more access to community programs and services that support our neighbors in need.”

The GRACE program grew out of research into what the basic needs are of the “working poor,” i.e., those who are employed but still have insufficient funds to meet life’s necessities. In most cases they are nutritious food and other essentials such as cleaning supplies, bathroom supplies - toilet paper, diapers, and sundries such as simple children/family entertainment – e.g., books and board games. The research goes on – e.g., it was learned that superior quality socks are as important as superior quality shoes, possibly more so – GRACE distributes superior quality socks to those who need them.

When GRACE began in 2016, they were assisting roughly one hundred families per week. During covid, the numbers swelled to over five hundred and currently the number tops four hundred and Amanda expects it to grow.

So, once a week, bags of nutrient dense food, fresh vegetables, fruit, dairy, etc., as well as necessity sundries are given to those in need.

Everything distributed is donated by either suppliers of the produce/products or purchased through donations or through contributions from other eleemosynary organizations.

Finally, in addition to the many religious institutions in Summit, GRACE is aligned with Summit’s department of Community Programs and both Union County and the State. Besides giving, GRACE is always trying to connect its users with other available resources such as medical, dental, educational, and social services.

For those interested in more information about GRACE, it is available on their web site: https://www.gracegivingreceiving.org/home .
Meet Our 101st President - Mike Katz
Posted on Jun 26, 2023
Today, thirty-five Rotarians and guests had the pleasure of watching Mike Katz accept the president's gavel from outgoing president, Eric Evers.

The festivities were held at the Elks club in Summit, where, as we usually do when the Rotarians gather, there was good food, good drink (the Elks have a bar), and lots of camaraderie.  The speeches were short - Eric reviewed his rather eventful year; returning to in-person meetings in July after sixteen months of COVID induced zoom meetings, the celebration of our 100th anniversary, successful dictionary and constitution projects and the rewarding of our annual scholarships in June.  He also graciously thanked those who assisted him in his year as president, especially Joe Steiner.  Mike followed with a short review of the club's goals and a few thoughts about some future projects and the need to reconstitute several committees. 

All participants agreed we should hold a few more of these evening events where we can schmooze and simply enjoy each other's company.- something President Mike said he would place on his priorities list.
 

Eric & Mike
Some Insights into the 250th Anniversary of New Jersey
Posted on Jun 19, 2023
Today’s speaker was Donald Peck.  Don is the CEO of The Clausen Company, a leading manufacturer of automotive refinishing products for the automotive aftermarket, as well as a historian.  He is a direct descendant of six signers of the Mayflower Compact. Active memberships include The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of New Jersey and several state and national historical organizations.  He has deep roots in New Jersey.

Don informed us that New Jersey would be celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026.  The State is gearing up for the celebration by trying to coordinate the many local historical societies and helping them publicize their specific artifacts, battlefields, buildings, etc. He also gave us a history of the eventful year, 1776, vis-à-vis New Jersey’s role in the revolution.  He noted that Thomas Paine published his political treatise, Common Sense, in January 1776, which set forth the case for separating from England.  The colonies were split regarding whether to separate or not, but Paine’s arguments tilted the opinion and several key battles were fought by Washington in that year and 1777 in New Jersey: the battle of Trenton/Princeton, the battle of Monmouth, and the battle of Short Hills (not the current location – it was actually fought in the Metuchen and Edison areas).  These were pivotal battles and set the stage for the ultimate defeat of general Cornwallis in October 1781 and our full independence from King Charles and Britain.

Don encouraged us to look for opportunities to become involved in the preparations for the 250th anniversary of New Jersy.  Most of us were unaware of the anniversary, and we appreciate Don’s enlightening presentation and insights into our state’s history. For those interested in learning more or becoming involved, we invite you to visit: https://jerseyhistory.org/ .
Scholarship Monday - 2023
Posted on Jun 12, 2023
Today we had the distinct pleasure of awarding our 98th consecutive series of scholarships to five aspiring students from the Summit and New Providence high schools.  The Rotary gave our first scholarship to a young man named Phillip Dean in 1926.  He attended Colgate college and about three decades later served as Summit’s mayor.  We hope today’s recipients have similar successful journeys as they venture out.

In addition to our scholars and their proud family members, in attendance were Dave Miceli, superintendent of schools, New Providence, and Kristy McCauley, NPHS senior advisor, and Scott Hough, superintendent of schools, Summit, Stacy Grimaldi, SHS principal and Laura Kaplan, SHS senior advisor.

Our five scholarship recipients are: 
  1. Kanya Srithong, NPHS and the recipient of the Chandler Coddington scholarship.  Kanya will attend Drexel and study fashion design.
  2. Emma Vatoci, SHS and the recipient of the Wilbur Nelson scholarship.  Emma will attend Boston College and study economics.
  3. German Augie Barrantes, SHS, Seton Hall University.  Augie will study finance/sports management.
  4. Yenni Chacon Gonzales, SHS, Drew University.  Yenni will study business.
  5. Melissa Liang, SHS, Washington University, St. Louis.  Melissa will study business.
The SNP Rotary is proud of its nearly century-long support of our scholarship program and wish our current recipients all the best as they move on to their next major step in life.
 

Mike Katz, Augie, Melissa, Scott Hough, Yenni, Dave Miceli, Kanya, Emma, Eric Evers, Kristy McCauley
SNP Rotary Celebrates 100 Years of Service Above Self
Posted on Oct 24, 2022
On Sunday, October 22, 1922, at the Canoe Brook Country Club, the newly formed Summit Rotary Club held its inaugural dinner.

This past Saturday, on the 22nd of October 2022, exactly 100 years to the day later, the Summit/New Providence Rotary Club celebrated its 100th birthday at, where else, the Canoe Brook Country Club.

About eighty celebrants, Rotarians, family and friends, commemorated Rotary’s many successes over the past century.  Among just a few accomplishments highlighted were our ninety-seven consecutive years of college and university scholarships to deserving high school seniors, our participation with Rotary International in the near eradication of Polio, our several international projects aiding the small Indian village of our friend and past president, Gus Pushparaj, our decades long Dictionary Project providing specially designed dictionaries to every third-grader in both school districts and our more recent Constitution Project providing pamphlets containing the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and learning materials to every middle-schooler in both districts, and our most recent effort, in process, to partner with the Summit Old Guard to create a career counseling program to share our substantial accumulated knowledge and experiences with the high school students as they prepare to start on their own journeys.  We are proud of our past accomplishments, but not resting on our laurels.

There were a few very short speeches briefly recapping some of our highlights by several Rotarians and a special short commentary by Amanda Kowal Kenyon, who a quarter of a century ago, benefited from a Rotary exchange program that expanded her horizons and changed her life, for the better.  There was also a short video produced by Lucas Pastor, Roz Dorlen's talented grandson, describing some of Rotary's best features - watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkr4B-JVWnY .

Our Gala committee did an outstanding job of creating a wonderful atmosphere and everyone present enjoyed excellent food and drink and even more importantly, what usually happens when Rotarians gather, bonhomie and good fellowship, as we all celebrated 100 years of Service Above Self.

An extra special thanks to our Gala committee who made this happen:
Co-Chairs - Roz Dorlen & Beth McKenna
Evelyn Davis – Immediate Past President
Eric Evers – President & our MC
David Dietze, Joe Steiner, Melanie Cohn, Mike Katz, Jay Leatherbee & Jim Fleischmann.
 

Co-Chairs Dr. Roz Dorlen & Beth McKenna Welcome Celebrants


New Providence Mayor Al Morgan Presents President Eric Evers with Proclamation of Congratulations


Summit Councilwoman Lisa Allen presents President Eric Evers with a Proclamation of Congratulations


Scholarship Chair, Mike Katz, Reviewing 97 Years of Scholarships


Jim Fleischmann Discussing Several other Community Projects


The Room


Vito & Diane Gallo, Mayor Al & Christine Morgan, Shelly & President Eric Evers

 
 
Most of The Gala Committee: Mike Katz, David Dietze, Roz Dorlen, Neela Pushparaj, Beth McKenna, Evelyn Davis, Joe Steiner & President, Eric Evers
Evelyn Davis Hands the President's Gavel to Incoming President, Chief Eric Evers
Posted on Jun 27, 2022
At today’s meeting we installed our new president for fiscal 2022/23 and our new slate of directors.  In attendance was the District Governor, Shelby Rhodes, who as one of her last official duties, oversaw the appointments.

Outgoing president Evelyn Davis handed over the gavel to incoming president, Eric Evers.  During Evelyn’s tenure we returned to in-person meetings, held another successful shredding fund raiser, initiated a new program, the Constitution Project, whereby each middle schooler in Summit and New Providence will receive their own copy of the US Constitution in conjuncture with a new statewide mandate to teach civics in all public schools, completed our annual dictionary project by handing out over 500 dictionaries to every third-grader in the Summit and NP school districts , distributed $20,000 in scholarships to six deserving high school students from SHS and NPHS, and, finalized a multiyear effort to assist the Monfort Brother’s ongoing effort to enhance education in the small village in southern India of our past president and departed friend, Gus Pushparaj.  Gus’ wife, Neela, spearheaded the effort and we were able to transfer $20,000, a substantial amount coming from the Pushparaj Foundation, to assist in the furnishing of the school’s new library.

Incoming President Eric Evers will have the honor of presiding over our centennial celebration.  The SNP Rotary began on 22 October 1922.  In addition to overseeing the completion of Summit’s New Fire station, Chief Evers will take the SNP Rotary into its next century.  He will be assisted by the incoming slate of directors which include Mike Katz, President -Elect, Beth McKenna, Vice President, Joe Steiner, Secretary and Jim Fleischmann, Treasurer and Past President, Evelyn Davis.

Finally, Evelyn presented Dr. Roz Dorlen with her past president’s pin.  Roz was president from June 2020 through June 2021.  Interestingly, she never had the opportunity to preside over an in-person meeting as all our meeting were held via Zoom due to the necessary isolation from COVID-19.  However, it was through the efforts of Joe Steiner who reconstituted our meetings through Zoom and Roz’s ability to adapt to the new format that the Club managed to remain largely intact.  So, a big thanks to both Roz and Evelyn for their leadership over the past two years and our congratulation to Eric on his appointment as the ‘centennial’ President.

Chief Eric Evers & Evelyn Davis
 
 

Dr. Roz Dorlen & Evelyn Davis


Beth McKenna, Jim Fleischmann, Joe Steiner, Mike Katz, Eric Evers, Evelyn Davis
Our 97th Consecutive Annual Scholarship Awards
Posted on Jun 06, 2022
Today, the Summit-New Providence Rotary awarded scholarships to six outstanding students from the Summit and New Providence high schools.

The SNP Rotary is currently in its centennial year (we began on 22 October 1922).  Since 1926, we have been awarding college scholarships to local area students - this is our 97th consecutive series of grants.  In addition to our scholarship program we have been involved in numerous other community based activities ranging from recognizing local residents and/or organizations for their contributions to the community to several international projects where we helped finance two educational facilities in southern India.  Currently, we supply specially designed dictionaries to all third-graders in both school districts and this year began a new project to provide all middle-schoolers with specially designed and annotated copies of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights to be used in concert with a newly mandated requirement by the state of New Jersey to teach civics to all middle school students.

Our scholarships are awarded on academic achievement, community service, extracurricular activities and financial need.

In attendance at today’s awards ceremony were David Miceli, superintendent of New Providence schools and the principal of the NPHS, Brian Henry, and Scott Hough, superintendent of Summit schools and the SHS principal, Stacy Grimaldi.  Each of the scholarship recipients were accompanied by a parent and each received a certificate of merit along with a tuition check made out to their respective college or university.  There were two special awards honoring the memory of two late Rotarians, Chandler Coddington and Wilbur Nelson.  Both men contributed significantly to their community over many decades.  Michael Katz, chair of the scholarship committee made the presentations.

The recipients, listed in alphabetical order are Amanda Brown - SHS & Boston College, Gwenevere DelJones - SHS & Rutgers University, Jessica Luo – SHS & Rutgers University, Natalie Peralta – SHS & Bowdoin College & recipient of the Wilbur Nelson award, Anthony Quesada – SHS & Drew University, and Kalina Kornacki – NPHS & Amherst College & recipient of the Chandler Coddington award.
We are proud to again be able to honor this year’s six outstanding students and wish them well as they begin their freshman year.
 

Dave Miceli, Brian Henry , Kalina , Gwen,  Amanda, Mike Katz, Jessica, Natalie, Anthony, Stacy Grimaldi, Scott Hough
 
SNP Rotarian is Big Winner in District 7475 Raffle
Posted on Jun 02, 2022
 
We are delighted to report that a SNP Rotarian was one of the big winners in the 2022 District 7475 50/50 raffle.

Susan Haig, past president, purchased a winning ticket and named CivicStory.org, the 501c3 for which see is the founder, the designated recipient.  CivicStory advances solutions-based news about sustainability, civics, and equitable, healthy communities in New Jersey.  CivicStory will receive $10,548 which will go towards supporting operations.

The SNP Rotary sold 115 tickets at $20 per ticket for a total of $2300.  We received back $9.75 per ticket for a total of $1121.25 to be used to support our scholarships and other community programs.  This year 53 Clubs participated in the District raffle and the District returned over $50,000 to the Clubs and a similar amount to the winners – and fortunately, CivicStory is among them smiley!
Another Thank You Note for Dictionaries

The Lincoln Hubbard School sent a thank-you note from the school's librarian accompanied by fifty-six handwritten notes from the third-graders.  They are available for any Rotarian to view.

 
Every Middle-Schooler in Summit & NP Will Receive a Copy of the Constitution
Posted on Mar 12, 2022
Sometimes events transpire in such a way as to almost preordain an outcome.  Such was the case with our newest undertaking for the benefit of our community.

On 31 January 2022, DG Shelby Rhodes visited the SNP Rotary.  She made a short presentation regarding the District and then held an open Q & A session.  Many things were discussed but one mention of a recent project undertaken by the Naples, FL Rotary resonated with several of us.  Naples, concerned about the growing ignorance of young Americans regarding civics, began distributing copies of the Constitution to school children in the City.  Many of us have commented on this topic and lamented that civics was no longer even being taught in NJ schools.  However, NJ lawmakers apparently were also reflecting on the same thing.  Then, in the wake of the 6 January 2021 insurrection, an obvious demonstration of Americans’ lack of civics awareness, the NJ Legislature passed S854 which makes civics instruction mandatory at the middle school level.  At our next Board meeting on 7 February 2022, it was proposed that we explore setting up  a “Constitution Project”.  There was unanimous approval.

We have partnered with the local schools for two decades to enhance elementary school students’ learning through our Dictionary Project where every third-grader in both Summit and New Providence receive a specially designed dictionary.  The teachers love the program for its instructional value and the kids simply love their dictionaries.  It was an easy jump to propose to both school superintendents a “Constitution Project” as a second effort at enhancing the curriculum, especially now that civics was mandated in the middle schools.  Both superintendents (both of whom are Rotarians) fully supported the program.
 
We immediately contacted Naples.  They had already partnered with Children’s Literary Publications to create and print a booklet which contained the Declaration of Independence, the full Constitution as well as some other teaching exercises, notable quotes and important dates and related facts.  We ordered 600 copies.  The were delivered five days later and subsequently distributed to the schools and the students.  This will now be an annual project.

Just another reason to be proud to be a Rotarian!
 
Summit Third-Graders Say Thank You for their Dictionaries
Posted on Feb 11, 2022
Here is a second reason to be proud to be a Rotarian - From the third-graders in Summit:

Please let the Rotary Club know how much the third-graders appreciate their new dictionaries.
This year I had them work in teams to locate information first in the back of the book. I call it a min-encyclopedia. They LOVED this. One question was to find the list of Big Words and figure out which movie is associated with one of the words. The answer is Mary Poppins. I bet you can guess the word. The second class they worked in groups again to learn how to use the dictionary part. It was fun to watch them say the alphabet multiple times in order to find a word. Thanks to the Rotary Club for supporting all the children in Summit Public Schools.

Evelyn Davis Accepts the Gavel as SNP Rotary's 99th Presidetn and UCC's Alexander Mirabella
Posted on Jul 26, 2021
It was a busy day at Rotary.

We started, as usual, with our song accompanied by Susan Haig on the piano (acapella isn’t our forte – always sounds better with music).  We immediately moved to our long delayed inauguration of our new president.  Outgoing president Dr. Roz Dorlen thanked the many Rotarians that assisted her in her presidential year – a year like no other.  Roz never presided over an in-person meeting and never even got to ring the bell (she did, today).  Despite all the difficulties we encountered due to COVID, Roz had a most successful year – she oversaw regular weekly Zoom meetings, held a successful fund raiser, helped maintain the Club during the pandemic (along with much assistance from Joe Steiner who organized our zoom meetings, Melanie Cohn who took over as Club secretary, Peter Bolton who did an outstanding job as program chair and the other Board members, Mike Katz, Eric Evers, Don Steele, Evelyn Davis & Jim Fleischmann who offered council when needed).
 


Past President Roz (left) welcomes Incoming President Evelyn

Roz then handed the gavel to our incoming president, Evelyn Davis who said she was ready to assume her position and was looking forward to guiding the SNP Rotary towards fulfilling our goals of community service and even expanding our undertakings.  Evelyn then presented four Paul Harris awards, three of which were delayed due to the suspension of meetings because of the pandemic: receiving awards were past president Swati Goorha, past president Don Steele, past president Melanie Cohn, and Neela Pushparaj.

Finally, Joe Steiner introduced our speaker, Union County Commissioner Alexander Mirabella.  Al is also the chairman of the commissioners and probably the longest serving commissioner in New Jersey history – in his 24th year (and six time chairman).  There are roughly a half million residents in Union County divided into 21 municipalities. So, there is a lot going on.  Al touched on a few issues he felt were of import and that we should be aware of – the county reacted swiftly to the pandemic.  Early on, COVID testing was set up at Kean University and as soon as the mRNA vaccines were available, in January, Kean was the vaccine site.  We were the first county to have over 50% vaccinated.  The county is now offering mobile vaccinations for those who are unable to travel.  The county also addressed issues of food insecurity and set up a special $16.7 million fund to assist residents with mortgage and rent payments for those effected by job losses, etc., due to the pandemic. The county maintained its AAA bond rating, and, for the second year, had no tax increases.  Closer to Summit/NP, the Morris Ave bridge to the “rails to trail” project is on tap as is an experimental effort to revitalize the Bryant Park Pond.  Al opened the floor for questions.  There were many.  One item stood out – the closing of the county jail.  Bail reform reduced the occupancy significantly and it was decided to share facilities with Essex County.  Al noted that no dangerous people were released into the community – rigid tests are applied before release.  This move saved the county over $20M a year.

As in the past, Commissioner Mirabella was most informative and generous with his time.  We appreciate his presentation and hope to see him again at a future date
Club Executives & Directors
President
Bradley Eich
President Elect
Donna Patel
Treasurer
James Fleischmann
Assistant Treasurer
Joan Cho
Secretary
Joe Steiner
Director
Henrik Patel
Immediate Past President
David Dietze
Program Chair
Steven LaFerriere