PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS DINNER DANCE
2010 Celebrating Our Bronx Treasures
The President’s/Paul Harris Dinner Dance on June 29, 2010 at Maestro’s Caterers was attended by more than 140 people. The nice turn-out was due to the fact that the Bronx Club honored 3 very special people who have served the Bronx so tirelessly.
Two of those people are members of the Bronx Rotary Club and have done service in the Bronx for 50 years. They are Bea Castiglia-Catullo, the founder of R.A.I.N. Senior Services and Rev. Bill Kalaidjian, Retired NYPD chaplin and current chaplin of the Bronx V.A. Hospital.
The third honoree, Joseph Kelleher, President and CEO of Hutch Management LLC, was given a Paul Harris in recognition of his contributions to the Bronx business community.
The evening also marked the passing of the torch from President Cheryl Simmons-Oliver to Incoming President Barry Fitzgerald. As the last time as President, Cheryl welcomed everyone to the festivities and introduced Lane Wallace who was the emcee for the evening.
Dr. Arthur Wolstein led the Pledge of Allegiance and our friend from the Bronx Opera Company, Leslie Swanson sang the National Anthem. BOC President Michael Spierman accompanied her on the keyboard.
Ms. Wallace introduced the keynote speaker, Fr. Richard Gorman, a Parish Priest at the Church of Saint Barnabas in Woodlawn Heights. Fr. Gorman has had a long-standing acquaintance with both Bea Castiglia-Catullo and Rev. Bill Kalaidjian and extolled their virtues as well as the virtues of Rotary’s motto: “Service Above Self.”
Cheryl joined Fr. Gorman at the podium to present first, Bea, then Rev. Bill with their awards. Each spoke about their rewarding experiences in their chosen professions and their love for the Bronx and Rotary.
Incoming President Barry Fitzgerald and Bronx Rotary Foundation Chair Bill Gouldman were then called to the podium to present a $5,000 check dedicated to the Rotary Haitian Earthquake Relief Fund to Jim Kushner of the Inwood Rotary Club. Mr. Kushner has been instrumental in helping out in Haiti on behalf of RI. The lavish multi-course meal was served as Lane Wallace explained the significance of the Paul Harris Fellowship Award. Barry did the honors of bestowing a Paul Harris pin and certificate upon Mr. Joseph Kelleher who accepted with brief and gracious remarks.
Next, PP Nancy Wallace gave President Cheryl Simmons-Oliver her Paul Harris Fellowship Award and thanked her, on behalf of the Club, for her excellent term
of leadership during which she introduced the successful “Sunset Meetings”, each of which celebrated a different country.
PDG Gilda Chirafisi and PDG Helen Reisler joined Cheryl at the podium to introduce the long and faithful members of the Club and award each with a keepsake box with the Rotary emblem. Dr. Arthur Wolstein was singled out as the oldest member of the Club and was given a special award.
Lane Wallace introduced District Governor George Camp who presented Cheryl with a plaque and a Past President pin officially ending her year of service. He then asked Barry Fitzgerald to come forward, installed him as the President for the 2010-2011 Rotary year, and presented him with his President’s pin.
Rev. Bill Kalaidjian won the $430 50/50 raffle and donated it to the Bronx Rotary Club’s Gift of Life fund.
The evening ended with dancing and some notable rug-cutting was performed by Lane Wallace and Lt. Col. Floyd Carter who received a Paul Harris Fellow last year for his service as a Tuskegee Airman.
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