We had the pleasure of hearing from the engaging and well spoken Officers of the Liberty High School Interact Club at our weekly meeting.  Even in these difficult times of Covid-19, their club continues to make a positive impact and are getting projects done.  Their report included updates on the High School Comfort Closet, The Thanksgiving Food Drive Coin Drop to provide food for the needy, and an effort to provide Chromebook and Ipod Insurance for local students that can not afford to do so on their own. The group, advised by Dan Hart, exemplifies how even as teens, huge positive impact can be brought to a community through "service above self".  Thank you Liberty High School Interact Club!

Coats, Coats Everywhere and especially at The Downtown Barn in Liberty where on Saturday, October 17th, over 500 new and gently used donated coats were collected and given away free to over 150 happy community friends and neighbors.  The Coat Drive was an initiative of the District 7210 Community Service Committee of which Liberty Rotary's own Judy Siegel is the District Chairperson.  A number of the 55 clubs in the District held similar events making an impact on all of the communities in the district and showing the positive presence of rotary districtwide.  

  

Join us on Saturday, November 7^th at 6 PM for the 8th Annual Dave Thomson Spirit, Beer and Wine Tasting Virtual Fundraiser.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the concern for everyone’s safety, this year’s event will be a streamed virtual event.  
 

Liberty Rotary Club participated in this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's.  Due to Covid, there was no single collaborative walk for the county, but a number of team members gathered to walk on the Hurleyville Rail Trail on October 11th. to walk for this cause.  Our Team raised over $600 thus far to assist in providing support and care for the individuals and families struggling with Alzheimer's.

Saraid Gonzalez Saraid Gonzalez is a lifelong resident of Liberty, New York, with deep roots in the community.  She is married and has three children and a grandson.  Saraid graduated from Liberty High School in 1987.  She received an AS in Legal Secretarial Science from SCCC.  She will be completing her BS in Business Administration in the Fall of 2020 and will continue her education to receive a Masters in Public Administration from SUNY Empire State College.  Saraid has over 20 years of experience in event planning and hospitality.  She currently serves as the Program Director at Sullivan 180 where she manages special projects, programs and initiatives and assists in planning, implementing and evaluating a range of health initiatives influencing multicultural communities. Saraid is bilingual and fluent in Spanish. She was recently appointed as the County’s Census Coordinator where she coordinates the outreach and marketing campaign for the 2020 Census.  Saraid serves on numerous boards and committees which include:  SC Federation for the Homeless,  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County, SALT (Sullivan Allies Leading Together), SC Women of Color Health Coalition, to name a few.  She is a Leadership Sullivan Alumni of 2015.  Saraid’s hobbies are closet organizing and interior design.  Saraid joined the Liberty Rotary Club to render service to those in need.  Saraid said, “Rotary inspires me to contribute to good humanitarian causes.  The Liberty Rotary Club is a great platform for service and fellowship”..

 

Terrence (Mr. Terry) Grafmuller: Born and raised in Livingston Manor(2 houses up street from Gary Siegel) and had 2 brothers.  He graduated HS in 1972 and joined the Air Force in January 1973. Terry is a Vietnam Era veteran. He married in 1974, which gave him his son David in 1979. After the military, he worked at IBM in Poughkeepsie in management and Industrial Engineering positions. IBM downsized in 1993, so after a wonderful 15 year career, he moved back to Sullivan County and met "the real love of my life", and married Terry Hamilton in 1996. He started working at SullivanArc in 1996 managing the sheltered work shop.  He then received his AAS in business administration late in life from SCCC.  He and his wife quickly became involved in local charities and the arts. Terry graduated Leadership Sullivan in 2010 and has been the Board secretary ever since. Terry and I have jumped through a hole in the ice every February for the past 5 years to raise Funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s. His son and daughter-in-law are both PT’s for school systems in Dutchess and Putnam Counties and have given them two wonderful grand children. Luke is 11 and Mia is 10.  Terry’s mother. Be a. is 90 years old and still lives in the house in which he grew up in in Livingston Manor. 

 

Theresa (Mrs. Terry) Grafmuller:  I was born in Rockland County with my two brothers and two sisters. While still in elementary school we moved to Sullivan county where I attended Fallsburg School graduating in 1982. After high school and some college I took a position at SullivanArc as administrative  assistant to the clinic Director. After a few years moved to Norwich where my daughter Kristina was born in 1990. Upon moving back to Sullivan County I took a job with the Irwin Siegel Agency.  Attended Orange County Community College & received my New York State Brokers license. I have been with ISA heading on 30 years. In 1994 I met the love of my life, Terry Grafmuller, and in 1996 became Mrs Terry Grafmuller.  I was very lucky to become Mom to a son as well who has given us an amazing daughter in law, Sandi, and two beautiful grandchildren.  While working for a non-profit & writing insurance for social & human service agencies I became enlightened to the struggles they face & importance of fundraising.   Due to personal experience with dreaded Alzheimer’s disease my husband & I have been SubZero Hero’s jumping through a hole in the ice for Alzheimer’s for the past 5 years. While listening to Thunder Country & their  promotions of the many wonderful organizations in our community & my husbands involvement in Leadership Sullivan we have enjoyed becoming more involved in our community by supporting the Heart a thon, St Judes, B&G Club, FB Playhouse and in doing so getting to know Rotary & it’s involvement as well. 

 

Jamie Schmeiser: I am Jaime Schmeiser, the CEO/President of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. I’m incredibly humbled and honored to have the opportunity to advance the mission of the Chamber to assist, support, promote and advocate on behalf of Sullivan County’s business community.  I have been in this position since October 1, 2018.   I came  home to New York, a county and a community that I love after garnering 24 years of administration, leadership and rural community economic development in Wyoming.  Prior to coming home, I was the Executive Director for Mountain Spirit Habitat for Humanity, and before that the President and CEO of the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce and Powell Main Street.  I have worn many hats from CEO to Board Member in a rural chamber of commerce, economic development partnership, main street organization and non- profits concerned with affordable housing issues and poverty alleviation.  I also have played an active role in community partnership development, grant writing and volunteer management with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity, Main Street USA, Powell Economic Partnership, Rotary International, Head Start and Suicide Prevention.  These many roles allowed me to create successful programs, to assist in the development and expansion of business-client relationships, building and strengthening coalitions, and, working with community stake holders.

I am currently serving on several county committees in relation to my work at the Chamber which include Physical Accessibility Subcommittee, Complete Count 2020 Census Committee, Economic Development Committee and Sneak Peek Sullivan.  I also serve on U.S. Congressman’s Antonio Delgado’s Small Business Advocacy Committee.

I love to volunteer and serve others.  The Liberty Chapter of Rotary International was a perfect fit for me because they do just that, both in our local community and communities in Puerto Rico and Haiti. The Liberty Rotary Club makes it easy.  Each person in the club is supportive and deeply passionate about their work – “we get stuff done.”   

I have a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Wyoming, an associate’s degree from Northwest College in History and several vocational school certificates in grant writing, residential mortgage lending, banking, bookkeeping, notary public, and real estate sales. I am a recent graduate of the Hudson Valley Patterns for Progress Fellows Program and will soon be a graduate of the Leadership Sullivan Program. 

I am a single mom of four beautiful children (not all who live with me) and live in Liberty, NY.

Congratulations to Jonathan Charles Fox who became a Paul Harris Fellow on July 8th, 2020 at a special on-line ceremony in his honor.

Below is a brief bio about Jonathan.  His contribution to our region is truly admirable and he is so deserving of this honor.

 

 

 

Operation Feed Phase II is committed to providing healthy, quality meals to those in need of nutrition.  This mission is a joint effort by the Liberty NY Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Monticello NY, Fallsburg NY Lions Club and A Single Bite to provide dinners to up to 90 families with children in the Liberty, Monticello and Fallsburg areas who cannot provide for themselves.Below are a few photos of some of  today's(5/29) volunteers.

Thanks to all the generous donors that have supported this program.  To make a contribution, go to

 

On January 7 there was an earthquake, magnitude 6.4 followed by another 6.0 tremor, which impacted the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. As a result, a number of houses collapsed and buildings and other structures have been structurally compromised. Many people are afraid to sleep inside out of fear of another quake or aftershock.  After Hurricane Maria, the Liberty, NY Rotary Club developed a network of Rotarians from Puerto Rico, Massachusetts and New York to provide assistance to the Moca, Puerto Rico, area which was devastated by the hurricane, and together we are working with the leaders of Rotary Clubs in Puerto Rico’s district 7000 to respond to this latest crisis

 

We received this message from Puerto Rico’s Rotary District Governor;

 

 

 

Liberty Rotary Club held its Thanksgiving Food Drive on Saturday, 11/23, and the community was tremendously supportive.  ShopRite customers generously purchased extra items and made cash donations to help stock the local food pantry.  The results of our efforts yielded two carloads of food and nearly $350 in donated funds for future food purchases.  Thanks so much to our host ShopRite of Liberty, all the Rotarians and their loved ones that braved the chilly air to collect the food and money, and to all the community members that gave so much to assure our neighbors will have food.

Below are a few pictures from the collection.

Liberty Rotary Club hosted its annual "Spaghetti and Meatball Supper this evening.  Liberty Rotarians and Interact Club members pitched in to make this great community event a success.  We were fortunate to have the company of a number of Liberty School Organizations, including a visit from the cast of the forthcoming Liberty musical "The Little Mermaid".  Thanks to all that worked at the supper, which served over 260 guests.

Thanks to the efforts of Barbara Hackett Blakey and Sullivan 180, Liberty Rotary Club was able to host a Community Health Fair at Liberty Elementary School on October 19th.  The day featured representatives from numerous "healthy living" organizations throughout our region as well as an exercise program, live dance performance, games, healthy snacks and much more.  Thanks to all the groups that supported this event and all those that attended.  Most of all, thank you to Barbara who did a great job creating this wonderful day.