On September 30 the Highland Rotary Club held a formal rededication ceremony of their Centennial Garden that honors Rotary’s 100 years of service from 1905 to 2005. The club relocated the garden closer to the Commercial Ave extension off the rail trail and added new benches that were named in honor of a number of past Rotarians and community members.

Rotary was founded by Paul Harris and three business acquaintances in Chicago in 1905 and has grown worldwide to 35,000 member clubs with 1.2 million Rotarians. The founding quartet initially named their club ‘Rotary’ because they would move their weekly meetings to each other’s offices until the membership grew to a point where a permanent location was needed. In 1922 the name was officially changed to Rotary International with the mission of “service above self.”

Highland Rotary Club President Don Verity welcomed everyone, starting with the Pledge of Allegiance and ending with Rotary’s four-way test: “Is it the Truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build good will and better friendships and will it be beneficial to all concerned.”

Verity introduced Rail trail founder and past Rotary Club President, Ray Costantino, who offered a brief history, “on how we got here.” Costantino said in 2002 his wife Claire began sketching ideas on what the Club could create to mark Rotary’s Centennial but had no money for the garden project. Claire got an engineering firm to donate their time and brought it to the Highland Club to see if they could do this garden in honor of the upcoming 100th anniversary of Rotary.

Initial funding for the garden of $2,500 came from the widow and friends of Susan Dort Rozman 1955-2004. A memorial rock with a plaque in her name, along with one bench and flowers, constituted the first garden.

Costantino said the new garden is “perfect” and provides a fitting setting for rest and contemplation, “of our friends and Rotarians who came before us.”
Verity noted that two benches were moved to the new garden that were previously dedicated to the memory of Joseph and Nicole Cerniglia who passed away in 2000 and 2004 respectively.

Verity said several additional benches were dedicated to past Rotarians, “who were instrumental in establishing the Highland Rotary Club and as important resources in our town: Robert and Janice Hansut and Joe Pampinella.

District Governor for Rotary, Tony Marmo, said, “This is a very special club that does special things in the community and has done so since 1984.
Marmo recalled that it was the late Bob Hansut who tapped him on the shoulder and told him that he would make a good Rotarian.

“Bob was an amazing man, Marine Corps for several years, was in the Korean conflict, worked for Central Hudson for 37 years and served on the Kingston Hospital, school and town boards. He had a servant’s heart and that’s what we ask all Rotarians to be; think about service to others, think about service above self. Bob and Janice Hansut exemplified and lived that; true Rotarians through and through.”

Rotarian Denise Gorski dedicated a bench to the late Joseph Pampinella.
“Joe was Mr. Rotarian and Mr. community service. He could raise more money for the Club than many of us combined and he had the ability to get just about anybody to contribute to a cause whether it be monetarily or in some kind of service,” she said. “He was kind, he was sensitive, he was a giving person and was loved by many.”

Gorski worked tirelessly with Joe on many projects.

“I just couldn’t say no to Joe and not only did he get me involved in Rotary but in many other community events as well,” she said. “Joe was devoted to everything he set out to do and he was a pleasure to work with. When Joe chaired an event you knew there would be great things accomplished.”

Rotary honored the late Glen Haab, husband of Debra Haab, a former Rotarian and Highland School Superintendent, by dedicating a tree in the garden in his memory.

Rotarian Christine Giangrasso first met Glenn Haab on a fishing trip in 1974 off Montauk Point, Long Island. She said her father called Glenn, “a master at everything he does.” She added that he was a great man, a family man and he was very dedicated to our club, so when Deb joined, Glenn was right there, partner in crime with everything they did. Thank you Deb for sharing him with us.”

Verity thanked Mike Garonne for his landscaping work on the garden and Rotarians Sal Sorbello, Rich Rosa and Zach Cunningham for the plantings. The benches were built by the Bruderhoff community, overseen by Rob and Sandra Durgan.

“They have a lot of love in them, they are well crafted as is anything Bruderhoff does,” Marmo said. “Thank you Rob and Sandra and crew, you are all awesome.”

Pastor Arlene Dawber concluded the dedication ceremony, calling the new garden, “a place of comfort, a memorial, a place of rest and maybe even a place to sit and let our minds wander...God of us all, we pray that this park and the memorials placed here will be a space blessed by you. We pray that it will be a place where the connections of friends and new friends happen and a place of rest for those in need...As we take leave in such a time as this, we take a moment to ask of hope, strength and comfort for all of us who are affected in some way by covid-19 and the tension and inequality of our land. God grant us strength to live through troubled times, grace equal to every need, and God’s peace which passes all understanding, Amen.”

Lisa Cerniglia said this new garden, “really proves what a community is like and to be with all these great people in this little park here. It’s very touching and I love the rail trail; I am here all the time. Peter Cerniglia said after they lost their children, “This is a spot where they will always be remembered and is a great way to keep their memory alive. Lisa said the loss, “is always with us and at least I can come here and just be at peace.”
Debra Haab said the dedication of a tree to the memory of her recently deceased husband was very touching.

“I can’t thank the club enough,” she said. “Glenn loved this rail trail and we always had so much fun working with Rotary. He would always come and help, that was the kind of man he was. He enjoyed helping and doing and he was my right hand. He would be very pleased and he is very much missed.