Once that’s accomplished, Hokanson says she’d like to see the club do something on a regular basis about domestic violence. “I’m a survivor of domestic violence, so that is something that’s important to me. But it’s not something that we have consistently done anything about in Rotary. I’d like to see us do something ongoing; I don’t have a specific idea in mind right now, but I’d like to get feedback from Family of New Paltz and the shelters; I’d like to explore with them what things we might be able to do for them.”
What Rotary does
Local projects undertaken annually by the Rotary Club of New Paltz include purchasing more than 100 new winter coats to distribute to local children in need and making $6,500 in annual gifts to our area’s neediest families during the holidays. “Based on their needs and the number of people, we’ll give them gift certificates to [discount] or grocery stores, or some combination of those,” Hokanson says. “It’s done through the school district. And we are looking at increasing that amount to $10,000.”
The club raised $15,000 to renovate the back meeting room at Family of New Paltz this year; the goal was to raise $10,000 but they surpassed that, with the funds going to install HVAC units, roofing, siding, painting and some electrical work. The Healing Garden project started last year will be continued, where Rotarians brought wagons to local nursing homes and planted them with fragrant and colorful plants that can now be wheeled into the rooms of patients to enliven their surroundings. They sponsor the high school Interact Club, which is a junior version of Rotary, and participate in an international youth exchange program for high school students. “The reason why Rotary is involved in this, is because we believe that by doing this it makes the world smaller and that will lead toward peace. These kids get to see that now they have friends in other countries and it has a very lasting impression on them,” says Hokanson.
The Rotary Club of New Paltz raises money to support their projects through fundraising efforts like the annual Touch-a-Truck family event that raised $5,000 this year and the Win-a-Bundle silent and live auction that raises $7,000 to $10,000 annually, depending on the year.
The Rotary’s annual Photo With Santa event will be held this year on Friday, December 12 from 3-6 p.m. and Saturday, December 13 from noon to 3 p.m. at P&G’s. It costs $5 to have a picture taken with Santa and funds raised go to support the St. John Bosco Children and Family Services organization in New Paltz. “And Mike Beck [of P&G’s] always matches our funds and even goes beyond,” Hokanson says.
Among the international assistance and disaster relief Rotary offers is the “Shelter Box” program, where huge boxes that house ten people and contain cooking and eating utensils are dropped down into areas anywhere in the world where that help is needed. “We always budget to send at least two boxes each year,” says Hokanson. “There’s always a need somewhere.”
And then there’s the Rotary’s longtime emphasis on eradicating polio. According to a report Rotary International put out in conjunction with the recent World Polio Day (October 24), the annual number of polio cases worldwide has dropped from 350,000 in 1988 to 416 in 2013 and 222 so far this year, a decrease of 99 percent. UNICEF estimates that 1.5 million lives have been saved. Rotary has contributed more than $1.2 billion since 1979 toward that achievement and recently announced an additional $44.7 million to be donated in an effort to eradicate polio by 2018.
The road traveled
Hokanson was born in Mankato, Minnesota, but grew up in Newburgh. (Her Minnesotan father met her mom when he was stationed at Stewart Air Force Base; those Minnesota origins explain her being a “long-suffering, diehard Minnesota Vikings fan,” she says.) She moved to New Paltz in 1985 so her kids wouldn’t have to go through the Newburgh school system. Her youngest son still lives in the area, but her oldest son and her daughter and 13-year-old granddaughter live in Florida.
Hokanson says she’s always been involved in public service, beginning at age 17 as a volunteer with Planned Parenthood. “It’s definitely ingrained in my blood, that, even when I don’t have much, there’s always somebody who has less than me.” Hokanson went on to work for Planned Parenthood for 29 years, employed in pretty much every aspect of administration there and as an HIV and pregnancy counselor. “By the time I left there, I basically could do everything in the clinic except be a nurse practitioner.”
She served on the local Environmental Conservation Commission for four years and on the Planning Board in New Paltz for six years, three of those as chair. That was followed by two years on the Town Board after which she ran for supervisor and served three two-year terms. Her favorite job in town government was as chair on the Planning Board, she says. “I just loved it. Loved the planning, loved being able to influence how the properties are developed, and I’m very proud of how our Mobil on the Run looks and the renovations at Ulster Savings and Empire State Bank.” She ran for Town Board, she says, because she was frustrated with projects that the Planning Board worked on that “lost steam” when they made it to the Town Board and figured she’d just cut to the chase and work on the Town Board instead, where she acted as liaison to the Planning Board.
Hokanson is currently employed at C2G Environmental Consultants, LLC in New Paltz as director of marketing and training. And her reply when asked if she thinks she’ll ever run for town supervisor again?
“I’m not saying ‘yes,’ and I’m not saying ‘no,’ but I am saying ‘not right now.'”
For more information about the Rotary Club of New Paltz, visit www.newpaltzrotary.org.
