Recorded live by RadioRotary at the Highland Rotary Club, Highland Rotarians Steve Laubach and Don Verity tell about the glories of eating barbecue (and listening to music) at the fourteenth annual Hudson Valley Ribfest, the biggest, best barbecue in New York State, which takes place every August at Ulster County Fairgrounds just outside New Paltz. […]

This weekend on RadioRotary: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! Tune in to the award-winning RadioRotary on Saturday, August 25th at 2:00 p.m. (on WTBQ 93.5 FM and 1110AM or  http://www.wtbq.com/ ) and Sunday, August 26th at 6:30 a.m. (on WBPM 92.9 FM or http://  www.wbpmfm.com/ ) and 9:30 a.m. (on WGHQ 920AM and 92.5FM, WBNR 1260AM […]

RadioRotary interviews three distinguished Rotarians: Donna Gunn of the Lakeway/Lake Travis (Texas) Rotary Club, Peggy Rogers of Sebastopol (California) Rotary, and Rotary 2017-18 President Ian H.S. Riseley of the Sandringham (Australia) Club as all visit the International Convention in Toronto, Ontario. Ms. Gunn is Special Projects Chair of Rotary 3D Limbs, which proved 3D printed limbs, primarily legs, for children in need. The printed limbs not only cost less than 1% of hand-made and fitted limbs. They can be adjusted to make an exact fit for no extra cost and are adjustable in length so that they grow with the child. Ms. Rogers is representing the Family Safety Rotary Action Group (RAG), dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence, which can affect men and children as well as women. RI President Riseley looks back at his tree-planting campaign and other hallmarks of his year, as well as outlining a path for the future of Rotary.

Toronto Rotary International Convention, Part 3 (Aired on August 4 and 5, 2018) RadioRotary interviews three distinguished Rotarians: Donna Gunn of the Lakeway/Lake Travis (Texas) Rotary Club, Peggy Rogers of Sebastopol (California) Rotary, and Rotary 2017-18 President Ian H.S. Riseley of the Sandringham (Australia) Club as all visit the International Convention in Toronto, Ontario. Ms. Gunn is Special Projects […]

Mid-Hudson American Cancer Society (Aired on July 28 and 29, 2018)

Kristine Revelle of the American Cancer Society in the Mid-Hudson comes to RadioRotary to discuss the many ways that the Cancer Society is fighting the hundreds of diseases that we lump together as cancer.

The Society emphasizes education about the causes of cancer, advocacy for cancer issues with local and national governments, research on the causes and cures of cancer, and services for the victims of cancer. The Mid-Hudson Region has been at the forefront of cancer=prevent studies since 1959. Ms. Revelle tells listeners ways that they can reduce their risk of developing cancer and outlines resources from the Society to help in recovery. Events, such as the annual Breast Cancer Walk and the campaign “Real Men Wear Pink” help not only to raise money for the Society but also create awareness.

Mid-Hudson American Cancer Society (Aired on July 28 and 29, 2018) Kristine Revelle of the American Cancer Society in the Mid-Hudson comes to RadioRotary to discuss the many ways that the Cancer Society is fighting the hundreds of diseases that we lump together as cancer. The Society emphasizes education about the causes of cancer, advocacy for cancer issues with […]

Mary Albrecht of the Town of Pleasant Valley visits RadioRotary to describe the annual festival known as Pleasant Valley Week end, which has moved from its previous time in September to July. The event features three separate parades through the hamlet—a motorcycle parade on Friday, the big parade and fireworks on Saturday, and a parade of automobiles on Sunday. Most of the events and activities during the event are aimed at children (although Pleasant Valley Rotary runs a beer-and-wine tent), including a Ferris wheel and other rides, contests of various kinds, and a “Little Miss Pleasant Valley” pageant for girls 5 to 7 years old. But the whole family can enjoy the bands, the country music, and the typical carnival foods, as well as the race of plastic ducks down nearby Wappingers Creek.

Here are four more stories of people putting service before self from the 2018 Toronto Rotary International Convention. Sole 4 Souls not only distributes shoes and other clothing around the world, but also creates sustainable jobs in third-world nations. World Bicycle Relief does not provide relief for bicycles, but provides bicycles for relief of travel problems in places with bad roads or none. The specially designed bicycles are strong enough for bumpy rides and easy to

repair if needed. Rise Against Hunger recognizes that there is food enough for every person on the planet, but 815 million people, many of them children, go hungry because food is unequally distributed. The volunteers at Rise Against Hunger work on assembly lines to produce nourishing food packages; often the volunteers are Rotarians. Rotary is most known, however, for its steps to end polio now, which is discussed by Al Bonney of Traverse City Rotary.

Each year RadioRotary takes its microphone to the Rotary International Convention, which in 2018 is in Toronto, Ontario. Some 24,000 Rotarians are in attendance and RadioRotary gets as many of the great stories as it can. One of the interviews in this show is with Ellen Haggerty, a Pleasant Valley Rotarian whose mission to improve hearing and make life easier for those who are hearing impaired takes her all over the world. Her organization, Rotarians for Hearing, is one of the many Rotary Action Groups, or RAGs, that deal with specific issues. One of the highlights of the RadioRotary interviews at the International Convention is the interview with the new president of Rotary International; for 2018-19, it is Barry Rassin from the Rotary Club of East Nassau in the Bahamas.

RadioRotary interviews Kimberly Kochen, Executive Director of The Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, located in Poughkeepsie, N, the nonprofit agency dedicated to the reduction of child maltreatment since 1973. Among their programs are outreach to elementary schools for educating children and to PTAs

and other groups for educating adults. Almost 17,000 children per year are

served, mostly through lessons in schools, ranging from puppet shows for younger children to more formal teaching though grade 6. Child abuse is a major problem but only about one in a thousand children will report it. Everyone who suspects child abuse should call the NYS Central Registry at 1(800) 342-3720 or in case of immediate harm, 911. Parents and others are urged to “trust your gut” if you suspect anything, and take action immediately. Abuse during childhood

often affects the person abused for his or her entire life.