 Susan RosenkoetterLyle Wadell and Holly Hardie have nominated Susan Rosenkoetter for December's Star of the Month. A graduate of the Lansing schools, she was the Salutatorian of the class of 1957. Retired from a successful career as a "Young Adult Librarian in the Rochester Library System, she is back in Lansing spreading the word about the joys and benefits of reading. She regularly donates books to the Town and school libraries. She is one of the most active volunteers at the library, spearheading programs and getting children to love reading. She is also involved in reading programs in the schools. Ms. Rosenkoetter is sponsoring award-winning author Gordon Korman's visit to the Lansing Schools this month, largely at her own expense. After retiring she established the Davis Rosenkoetter Memorial Fund in honor her mother, Dorothy Davis Rosenkoetter, to bring Lansing teachers to various national conferences on reading and literacy.  Susan RosenkoetterIn recent years she has brought teachers to Atlanta, Denver, Baltimore and San Francisco, where they met such luminaries as Judy Blume and Lois Lowry and saw presentations by Julie Andrews, Dave Barry and many popular authors of books for young adults. Some of the teachers who have gone on these trips are June Martin, Cathy Mosely, Denise Kaminsky, Lisa Peter, Jim Bedore, Judy Hinterliter and Brenda Meade. These teachers shared their experiences with their students, making their classes richer for the experience.
She is probably best known around town as "Miss Susan" as she shares her love of reading with the community's children. She starts with the Kindergarten children, making sure all their classes get to visit the library and during this visit the children get their first library card. She follows up with the older grades as the children progress through school.  Susan RosenkoetterHer bubbling enthusiasm is catching, and you can't help but want to see what reading is all about when you are with her. The Summer Reading Program was a big success this year with 118 local children reading over 1,000 books. While she was the first one to spread the credit for the program, all the others involved confided that she was the driving force.
Mr. Wadell writes, "We nominate Susan for Star of the Month because of her ongoing work with the youth of Lansing. She has organized the Summer Reading Program since the Lansing Library opened, participated in the Town of Lansing summer camp program, does book talks at Lansing Middle School and story times with Lansing elementary students. She also takes her turn with story time on Fridays at the library."  Susan RosenkoetterJoni Geiger reports that Ms. Rosenkoetter has been involved with the Rec Department summer camp for the two years she has been leading it, and for years before that. "Mrs. Rosenkoetter brings a bag full of books and does short book talks on each one," she says, "getting the children curious and excited about books. The children fill her with such joy as she interacts with them. I hope we have the opportunity to enjoy her visits with the children in our community for many years to come."
Former Town of Lansing Supervisor Harris B. Dates, a former classmate of Ms. Rosenkoetter, writes, "I remember Susan as an inquisitive intellectual student in the Lansing School. She was blessed with the love of books and reading. With her sparkling energy and personality it is no wonder that she had a very successful career in the Rochester Library System. The Town of Lansing is most fortunate that she has become a volunteer in the Lansing Library. With her effort, dedication and enthusiasm she is a real asset. This helps the community to become a better place in which to live, work and raise a family."  Susan RosenkoetterIf you have ever seen Ms. Rosenkoetter in action you can't help but be impressed. She adjusts her presentation to the age level she is addressing, involving the kids and getting them excited about reading, libraries and books. Mr. Wadell concludes, "Every year she works with teachers in the Lansing schools to have students visit the library. Susan is very enthusiastic and loves working with kids. She wants to motivate children of all ages to read and help them find the right books." |
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Ryszard JarmuszewskiEvery year Lansing's branch of the Rotary Club, The Ithaca-Cayuga Rotary, tries to host an exchange student, and to send one abroad. This year the club is hosting Ryszard Jarmuszewski of Torun, Poland, a 17 year old who is attending Lansing High School this year. He spent the first part of his stay with the Garnett family and will be moving in with Dennis Mogill's family this month. The Rotary club is looking for a third family, if they can find one, to house Richard for the last portion of his stay. "It's a wonderful program, says the Lansing club's president, AnnMarie Hautaniemi. 
The rare luxury of browsing through a bookstore, with no purchase or subject in mind, sometimes brings surprising results. For instances, I found many answers to a long pondered question "Is it just a creative surge or is it true spirituality I feel when doing any kind of fiber craft?" in two books by Susan Gordon Lydon. 
"Goodnight My Angel" is a story about love and endurance, and great personal tragedy. Set in 1950s Cortland, it tells about Italian/American Susan Deligrossi, who falls in love with an Irish boy that she is not allowed to marry. So they go their separate ways and each marry other people. Later she has a daughter who is born with a congenital heart defect. Facing challenge after challenge Susan struggles to piece together her life. 
