Club News
West Herr, Bieler Foundation support Rotary Club of Hamburg Farm to Family Program
(By Eileen Hotho)   On hand for the gift transfer of a new Farm to Family pickup truck courtesy of West Herr Cares in partnership with the Scott Bieler Family Foundation to the Rotary Club of Hamburg Foundation were from left: Rotarian Tom Johnston, Scott Bieler, President and CEO of West Herr Automotive Group, Rotarian Eileen Hotho, Brad Hafner, Chairman of West Herr Automotive Group and Rotarians John Nowak and Earl Knauss.
 
West Herr Cares, in partnership with the Scott Bieler Family Foundation turned over the keys to a 2023 white Chevrolet Silverado pickup work truck to the Rotary Club of Hamburg Foundation Friday, July 5 at West Herr Ford, 5025 Camp Road in Hamburg. The donation was made to the Rotary Club in support of its Farm to Family vegetable distribution program which serves thousands of Western New York residents challenged by food insecurity throughout the growing season.
 
The Rotary Club of Hamburg Farm to Family Program currently distributes fresh produce to about 25 nonprofit food pantries, distribution centers and shelters from May through December, giving away 125,500 pounds of free vegetables in 2023. Bieler heard of the program and was intrigued and felt compelled to assist the Rotary Club and local farmers in bringing the fresh produce to those in need
 
“We are thrilled to support the Rotary Club of Hamburg Foundation’s vital Farm to Family Food donation program,” said Scott Bieler, president and CEO of West Herr Automotive Group. “By providing this vehicle, we hope to enhance their ability to transport and distribute fresh food to those who need it most in our local community, ensuring that no family goes hungry.” The donated vehicle, a former rental with a mileage of 9,000 was a welcome gift to the Farm to Family Program which requires a dependable vehicle six days a week to drive the produce to far flung locations.

 
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Shredding Event Held Saturday May 4th, 2024

The Rotary Club of Hamburg hosted another shredding event with Lincoln Archives from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 4 in the parking lot of Northwest Bank, 5751 South Park Avenue, Hamburg.  

The public was invited to bring personal and business documents – bills, medical files, tax documents and more – to be shredded on site (customers can stay to watch or just drop off their documents).  

The cost was $10 per standard bankers 12x17x10 box or bag, with the cost of an oversized box to be determined at the site. 

Rotary Club of Hamburg Honors President, Paul Harris Award Recipients
                        
The Rotary Club of Hamburg honored its president and three Rotarians in ceremonies in a year-end event at the Taylor Road Cabin on June 11 that typically includes the induction of a new president but did not this year. President Tim Straube was presented a Rotary Gavel plaque and diamond presidential pin in appreciation of his year of service that would normally end June 30 with the Rotary calendar, but Straube has agreed to remain as president for an additional year. Three Rotarians were honored as Paul Harris Fellows, signifying outstanding support to Rotary, a global organization founded in Chicago in 1905. The Rotary Club of Hamburg was founded in 1942 and is one of the 95 clubs within District 7090 that encompasses Western New York and Southern Ontario, Canada. Photo 1 – Rotarian Tom Johnston presents President Tim with his awards. Photo 2 – President Tim is shown with Paul Harris Award recipients from left: Liz Angelbeck, Jeff Kusche and Jim Loomis.
Farm to Family Addresses Food Insecurity
Farm to Family Addresses Food Insecurity
by Eileen A. Hotho   When most people think about retirement, they imagine a life of travel and leisure pursuits, but not Earl Knauss. At age 92, he leads the dynamic Rotary Club of Hamburg Farm to Family Program that from May to November 2023 provided 125,550 pounds of fresh vegetables (surpassing its 2022 total of 102,000 pounds) to thousands of individuals challenged by food insecurity in Western New York.
 
The operation distributes locally grown vegetables from three Eden, NY farms throughout the growing season to food pantries at non-profit organizations, churches and shelters in Hamburg, Buffalo and beyond. (See our condensed story published in the December issue of Rotary Magazine).
 
It all began with some funny-looking red peppers in 2007. Knauss was given three bushels of misshapen vegetables by a neighbor who had gotten five bushels from a farmer for free because they couldn’t sell them.  “These peppers were perfect except for their shape,” Knauss recalls with a shake of his head. “They could not be sold to the supermarkets, and I discovered that odd shaped, blemished and imperfect vegetables were dumped or destroyed.” He asked Bill Zittel of Amos Zittel & Sons Farms for permission
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Club Provides Meals at Ronald McDonald House
Club Provides Meals at Ronald McDonald House
The Rotary Club of Hamburg provided meals for families staying at the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House on Oct. 26. The club supported the endeavor by purchasing the groceries and ingredients for the meals prepared at the Ronald McDonald House at 780 West Ferry St.  
 
Rotarians Colleen Gibbons and Eileen Hotho along with Krista Van Wagner, culinary instructor at Global Concepts Charter School and her student Selena Peña prepared the meal. Van Wagner is a well-known local chef and former longtime owner of Curly’s Restaurant. The Rotarian group prepared chicken Françoise, boulangère potatoes, crisp buttery carrots and apple cake for dessert.
 
The Ronald McDonald House provides the comforts of home for the families of young patients undergoing treatment at Oishei Children's Hospital of Buffalo. The Ronald McDonald House is celebrating its 40th anniversary and is staffed with full-time and part-time employees. Volunteers provide the dinners through the Meal Makers/Comfort Club at the house.
 
 
Photos from left: Krista Van Wagner, Colleen Gibbons and Selena Peña. 
Community Helps Keep Children Warm this Winter
Community Helps Keep Children Warm this Winter
The Rotary Club of Hamburg is sponsoring its 16th Annual Warm the Children Program.  Although Western New York has enjoyed mild autumn weather, cold temperatures, snow and ice are sure to greet us in the coming weeks, especially based on last year’s historic snowstorms!
Over 480 youngsters are ready for the cold weather, some experiencing winter for the very first time.  “As temperatures dip and snow falls, families participating in this year’s Warm the Children program have winter jackets, warm hats, gloves and cuddly pajamas, courtesy of caring individuals, organizations and local foundations, which have made generous contributions to this year’s Warm the Children program,” explains Elizabeth Angelbeck, who coordinates the program for Rotary Club of Hamburg each year.
 
Over 75 community volunteer shoppers, who accompany families to Walmart, share stories of gratefulness on the part of parents, grandparents and even great grandparents, after they’ve selected new, warm clothing for their children.  Warm the Children is the grateful beneficiary of donations from Hamburg & Frontier Central Retirees Associations, Alice L. Say Foundation, Dreamcatcher Foundation, Louise K Mokadam Family Foundation, East Hill Foundation along with other community organizations and caring individuals. Warm the Children truly kicks off the season of giving.  
 
Tax deductible donations are still being accepted. Giving levels include Joyful Benefactor ($500 or higher); Caring Supporter ($200-$499); Special Friend ($100-$199). However, donations in ANY amount are greatly appreciated! Those wishing to contribute may do so by making checks payable to Warm the Children Fund, and either mailing or bringing donations to Evans Bank, 5999 S. Park Avenue, Hamburg, NY 14075. Or, contributions may be made online at www.hamburgrotaryclub.org/SitePage/warm-the-children.
 
 
 
 
 
Burgerfest 2023 - Another Huge Success!
Burgerfest 2023 - Another Huge Success!
Lisa Avery and volunteer Cindy Tobin Wagner kept watch at the entrance to the Labatt Beer Tent Saturday afternoon at BurgerFest. Print Media Publicity Chair Eileen Hotho posed with one of the Food Contest Judges she recruited, Chef Krista Van Wagner, former owner of Curly's Restaurant, graduate of the Culinary Institute, teacher and owner of Krista's Kitchen. The BurgerFest Food Contest winners were: Best Burger in the the Burg, O'Brien's West End Inn for their entry of Smokehouse Burger; Most
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Timothy Staube Inducted as President
Timothy Staube Inducted as President
The Rotary Club of Hamburg honored its new president, Tim Staube for the 2023-2024 year that begins July 1 during its annual picnic at the Taylor Road Cabin on June 20th. Presiding over the ceremonies were Outgoing President Diana Staube, longtime Rotarian Tom Johnston and Hamburg resident Scott Marcin, a member of the Amherst South Rotary Club who was just days away from assuming leadership of Rotary District 7090, a sprawling international district comprising Southern Ontario and Western New York and the Rotary Club of Hamburg among the 75 Rotary Clubs comprising the district.
Paul Harris Recognition of Club Members
The club recognized Tim Hoelscher and Lisa Avery as Paul Harris Award recipients at the club's annual officer's changeover event. This achievement is named after the founder of Rotary in Chicago in 1905 and was awarded by District 7090 Governor, Scott Marcin. 
 
 
 
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Rotary Club of Hamburg attends District 7090 Conference at NCCC
Rotary Club of Hamburg attends District 7090 Conference at NCCC

The Rotary Club of Hamburg enjoyed meeting fellow Rotarians from area clubs in Western New York and Southern Ontario at the 2023 Rotary District 7090 Conference at Niagara County Community College on April 15. The occasion marked the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that the district was able to meet in three years and passings were noted for members who are no longer with us. Attendees learned of new developments, shared knowledge and skills and enjoyed fellowship during the event. Pictured are from left: Brandi Reed, a former Hamburg Club member and current member of the Lockport Club; President Diana Straube, Lisa Avery, Wendy Hvisdak, Michele Hanley, Eileen Hotho and President-elect Tim Straube. Lisa Avery also presented information on the Paul Harris Foundation.

 

2023 Rotary Shredding Event May 6 in Hamburg
2023 Rotary Shredding Event May 6 in Hamburg  

The Rotary Club of Hamburg once again hosted a very busy shredding event with Lincoln Archives from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 6 in the parking lot of Northwest Bank, 5751 South Park Avenue, Hamburg.  

The public was invited to bring personal and business documents – bills, medical files, tax documents and more – to be shredded on site (customers could stay to watch or just drop off their documents).  

The cost was $10 per standard bankers 12x17x10 box or bag, with the cost of an oversized box to be determined at the site. This is an annual event so start collecting your documents now!  See you next spring!

 
Rotary Club of Hamburg hosts speakers from Harmonia Collaborative Care
Rotary Club of Hamburg hosts speakers from Harmonia Collaborative Care

 The Rotary Club of Hamburg hosted speakers from Harmonia Collaborative Care at their April 4 meeting at Uncle Joe’s Diner on Southwestern Boulevard in Hamburg. The non-profit provides counseling, senior care, home health care and care companion services from locations in Hamburg and Derby. Pictured from left are: Taylor Butterfield, CarePanion Manager, Rotary President Diana Straube and Jennifer Gunia, Director of Senior Services. The Rotary Club was founded in Hamburg in 1942 and is part of District 7090 covering Southern Ontario and Western New York. The motto of Rotary International is Service Above Self.  

 

Rotary Club of Hamburg’s Farms to Families Program addresses Food insecurity in WNY
Rotary Club of Hamburg’s Farms to Families Program addresses Food insecurity in WNY 

The Rotary Club of Hamburg has been addressing food insecurity in Western New York since 2018 under the direction of Rotarian Earl Knauss and in 2022, it distributed 102,000 pounds of produce to food pantries in Buffalo and Erie County, serving about 3,000 families.  

The produce distribution program has been in operation since 2007 when it was founded by Knauss with the assistance of a few volunteers who took donated food to several food pantries. Five years ago, the Rotary Club agreed to join Knauss, making the production one of its official projects and christened it Farms to Families with expenses to be borne by the Rotary Club of Hamburg. The food distribution runs from May through December delivering the vegetables that are in season or available Monday through Saturday each week.  

Spring through fall, pairs of Rotarians and volunteers travel to participating local farms and pick up fruit and vegetables, most of it with slight visual imperfections. The donations are then distributed to the dining rooms and pantries for meals and distribution to those facing economic challenges.  

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