First , thank all of you for showing up—not just with your name badges and Rotary pins, but with your ideas, your passion, and your open minds and hearts. This weekend was a beautiful reminder of what makes Rotary so special: our shared commitment to service, to friendship, and to creating lasting change in the world.
Thank you to all of the break out speakers who shared thought starters, historical perspectives, new skills, service and member inspiration, and great stories. I’ve heard excellent feedback on so many of the courses that were offered yesterday.
Thank you to our array of speakers who showed us so many ways we can make an impact, both here in CNY and around the world. I have heard of members signing up to get involved with the causes we’ve learned about, which is exactly the kind of action we hope to spark at these events. It was also great to hear from our own club presidents about how they are growing their clubs.
Thank you to the leaders who spent time in the Rotary Village making meaningful connections and providing us all with useful tools to take back to our clubs.
Thanks to the Youth Exchange leaders who have given their conference experience to spending time with and guiding our team of 46 inbound and outbound students, making sure they had fun and connected with us while here.
Speaking of YE here, let’s hear it for our sponsors, especially all the clubs and individuals who contributed to them being able to be here, covering their room and board. (Scroll down for the full list of supporters).
So much has happened behind the scenes to make this all happen.
Dave Bogue and his team of referees serving as our sergeant at arms did all kinds of set up and logistical support each day. I think they also made the raffle last night pretty fun, raising $1,500 for The Mooncatcher Project. We appreciated all of your helpful hands to get things done!
Thank hotel staff (applause)
Our conference committee all deserve our gratitude.
Golenne for getting us all checked in.
Rocky and Whitney for their tech support.
Fred and Dana for some very entertaining emcee work.
Laverne representing the treasurer team to take care of deposits and refunds and all the money business.
Our sponsorship team that helped us raise over $20K to offset costs for everyone - Marisa, Lorenzo and Whitney. (Thank sponsors!!!)
Marisa and Whitney also put together an amazing array of talent for the cabaret. Thanks to all who shared something entertaining with us!
Deb, Mary and Cindy for supporting our speakers and to Terry for coordinating the choir.
Thanks to Evan for making sure there was a chance to move our bodies with a 3K with all the sitting we have been doing.
Heidi and Guillermo did a beautiful remembrance for us this morning and we so appreciate it.
Pam was the unofficial cochair of this conference, hooking us up with the sched app, making connections with the local visitor’s bureau, and doing A TON for the decorations and vibe of our spaces. She also led two breakout sessions and gave us an awesome way to reflect on our day that included diversity, equity and inclusion in so many ways.
Sam, my conference chair and confidant. She runs a productive meeting, takes awesome notes for everything and between the two of us we could remember most everything. We have had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs working together and I know we have so many fun collaborations in our future. Thank you for the sweet and very touching words last night. Probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said. I am lucky to get to work with you!
To my husband, my ride or die. Thank you is not enough for all you have done to support me throughout this year and by my side this weekend. You are the best teammate I could have ever hoped for in life. I love you so much I am willing to embarrass myself in the cabaret just to express it!
We came together from all corners of this new CNY region to honor Rotary traditions, sharing some old ones and trying some new. We had fun with the theme, ate good food and immersed ourselves in discussions about membership and service and giving and belonging.
Whether you connected with someone new, reignited a spark for a service project, or simply took a moment to reflect on why you joined this organization in the first place—I hope you leave here feeling renewed and ready. Ready to keep building peace, creating hope, and leading with service in our communities. That’s the magic of Rotary.
As your CNY Rotary President, I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve shared this weekend. Let’s carry this momentum forward. Let’s continue to show our communities—and the world—what it means to be a Rotarian.
Thank you for your energy, your leadership, and your heart.
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