Tony Zino may have moved from Manhasset to St. Amelia Island in Florida but his spirit marches on through the Manhasset Rotary club. At least that's the way Manhasset Rotarian Dennis Klainberg sees it. Dennis met Tony and Don DeWitt of the Manhasset Rotary Club exactly 20 years ago when the two men volunteered time to work with Manhasset High School students in a program called Junior Achievement. Three years ago when Dennis moved back to Manhasset, Tony invited him to join Rotary, which he did. Dennis gives credit for his efforts for the victims of Hurricane Mitch to his two mentors.

On Nov. 11 of this year honoring Tony Zino, Rudy Auslander of the JFK Rotary, the club at the airport, informally suggested that they might coordinate a Honduras Relief effort as both gentlemen are specialists in the freight industry operating out of JFK.

As Dennis puts it, "Call it fate, but the very next day, Michael Butler, deputy director of business development for Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, whom he had met at JFK, called to ask what JFK was doing about helping Honduras and Nicaragua. He said his office would be most interested in canvassing the many Queens contractors and manufacturers for donations and in establishing a special construction materials container.

Rudy spent many hours trying to get through to Honduras and was successful in downloading information about various Rotary responses on the Rotary International web site. A formal mission statement was drawn up and Rudy and Dennis called Rotary District 7250 Governor Eileen Gentilcore to establish a meeting with the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey to procure warehouse space at JFK.

On Nov. 18, Dennis spoke to the Manhasset Rotary Club at lunch at Manhasset Bay Yacht Club and to JFK Rotary at dinner and both clubs agreed to dedicate funds and volunteers as needed. Dennis notes that his old mentor, Don DeWitt, made the first contribution.

The following day a meeting was held with Chuck Seliga, JFK General Manager, attended by Rudy, Dennis, Eileen and Eileen's "Rotarian Dream Team," consisting of William Metzendorf, John Capri, Peter Marshall, Rev. Allan Ramirez and Ed Minocozzi and with Huan Ham, a new Rotarian and a businessman with interests and connections in Honduras.

As a result of the meeting, space was arranged and the Port Authority representative agreed to try to procure containers and sea freight gratis, or at discount rates. Huan Ham and his wife, Carmen, formerly of Honduras, called the Consulate and arranged for special documentation to avoid any customs clearance procedures, delays or problems at Port Cortez.

On Nov. 25, Building 81 was opened and the operation was under way. Buzz Distribution, a trucker specializing in pier deliveries, was asked to handle the pickup of the container, delivery to JFK and re-delivery to the pier. Mr. Peter Winkler Sr. and Mr. Peter Winkler Jr., proprietors, donated their services (and agreed to join JFK Rotary). Blondet Trucking, a local trucker from Brooklyn, offered to provide pickup services and was dispatched to assist Pastor Ted Grant of the Hicksville Reform Lutheran Church.

Ed Minicozzi, past Rotary District governor, brought other Rotarians and members of his staff at General Utilities, to help with pickups and delivery, including the loading of the container. John Capri brought manpower from Allan Ramirez' church to pack the containers. Dennis Klainberg helped coordinate the building of the container. Rudy Auslander brought JAL boxes and helped with the packing and loading. Pastor Grant brought two truck loads and manpower. The container was closed and sealed and delivered to the pier for a Nov. 30 sailing with an estimated time of arrival of Dec. 9, 1998. Another container shipping is being planned for next week. According to District Governor Gentilcore, "We have a 40-foot container departing for Honduras by ocean freight. It's been an absolutely amazing response. I sent out a bulletin to Rotarians, the churches donated things, the Interact groups gave donations and individuals made donations.

"In all we have 20 tons collected. We are shipping 10 tons on Nov. 30 and the second 10 tons on Dec. 9," she said.

To make sure the supplies get where they are going, Governor Gentilcore has been in touch with Rotarians in Honduras. "When we did a water project and the Gift of Life program in Honduras, we got to know the people there. They will be the recipients of the food, water and clothing on the other end."

A medical team will be leaving for Honduras on Thursday, Dec. 3. The team is sponsored by Rotary's Rotacare Program and consists of John Williams, president of the Rotary Club of Lynbrook, Sister of Mercy Terry Graff, a nursing sister, Dr. Patrick McManus, Pat Giardano, a former Peace Corps worker who speaks Spanish and nurses Elizabeth Carsey and Ann Coady. The doctor and nurses are on the Mercy Hospital staff.