SCITUATE ROTARY NEWSLETTER  

JUNE 18, 2008

ATTENDING: Dietrich Lew, Bill, Walter, Joe, Judy, Bob S., Sandi, Ben, Lisa and Diane

GUESTS: Connie Mitchell, Joyce Coulter, Robert Jenks (visiting Rotarian from 
Washington, N. C.) and Julie Kenneally (prospective Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar)

President-Elect, Bob, stepping up to Captain Mike’s helm, (while Mike is at our LA Convention), opened Club Night. Bill led the Pledge and Ben offered the Invocation. We are grateful to be ready to begin a new Rotary year and to have a slate of new officers.

As we are on the verge of a new Rotary year, President-to-be, Bob gave us a preview of the dreams he foresees for the club:

• Encouraging attendance, volunteerism and contributions, while growing membership
• Balance of local, national and international projects, reflecting the interests of our members and existing projects
• Continued emphasis on the Phone Book improvements to organize earlier and increase advertisers
• Develop a strong and active Interact Club at SHS with emphasis on visits to the Middle School also
• Working with the energy of District 7959 and growing in SERVICE ABOVE SELF

Bill Coulter made a very special presentation to Connie Mitchell with Alden’s Rotary Badges that he had mounted and framed. Here are a few of his words to Connie:

“I know I speak for everyone in this room tonight when I say we miss him and we always will. Since R.I. chartered this Rotary Club, Alden’s whole life has been bound up in Rotary and everything it stands for. His attendance record is one every one of us should emulate. He always said: “Wednesday night is Rotary night and that’s where I’ll be.”

In the course of HAPPY and SAD BUCKS, we congratulated Lew on his 88th Birthday on this very day, and also recognized the 54th Wedding Anniversary of Bill and Joyce Coulter (belated from February).

The club moved the Board’s proposal to send $500 to Kisumu, Kenya to defray a part of the costs to allow Norman, a Capstone student of Patty and Dan Schmelzer, to undergo heart surgery to replace two valves.

We also allocated $100 to go to the town to participate in Chamber of Commerce signage for the town. It will put us on their website . The Rotary “Rotary” sign for the Roundabout is still in negotiation with the state. We hope for a favorable decision and soon!

Looking forward to a table of members in RI for the President’s Installation on June 23

Remember there is no meeting on June 25 and July 2!

So we’ll see everyone on July 9th for Club Night.

July 16 will be a glimpse at the stars, Mike’s report from LA Convention 

Submitted in Rotary,
Sandra Schipul, Secretary

===============================================

 JUNE 11, 2008

Click on the photo to view a larger image! 
(Use your browsers "back" button to return to this page.)  

Captain Mike presents Rotary Scholarships: Left - Abbey, Center - Heather, Right - Kimberly.

Members and friends celebrating Michael's successful year.

 
Soon to be President, Bob Schipul and Soon to be Past President Mike! 

PRESENT: Captain Mike, Dietrich, Bill C., Candace, Janice, Walter, Beatrice, Lew, Chris, Joe, Janet, Sandi, Bob S., Bob P., Diane, Ben and Lisa

GUESTS: Joe Cerra, Sue and Heather O’Brien, Jim and Betty Leslie, (friends of Captain Mike, from Ohio), Officer Art Wood, Dawn and Kimberly Wood, Scott and Abbey Newkirk and Stacey Hendrickson

It was a memorable evening as Captain Mike was at the helm for the last time. It has been a great voyage on the good ship Rotary and our club stood up to applaud his great navigation and innovation this past year. 

Janet gave us a words (or warnings) of encouragement to remember the ROTARY FOUNDATION with a minimum gift of $100 per member as we need to respond by July 1st. Remember the anagram - EREY – Every Year, Every Rotarian. Janet collected 3 checks immediately, Thank you!

With a reminder that our club gives the equivalent of $10,000 in aid and services at each one of our weekly meetings, Janet made a perfect segue into the Rotary Scholarship Awards.

Our first presentation was the Joseph Lind Memorial Scholarship for Nursing and it was awarded to Heather O’Brien who is a third year honor student at Curry College in 
training as a Pediatric Nurse.

The next two awards are also Club Scholarships given in honor and in memory of Jared E. Fitzgerald and Alden H. Mitchell.

Kimberly Wood, a Situate High School Senior, was given our Rotary Memorial Scholarship for her outstanding service. She will attend Nichols College and pursue Business as well as her volunteerism for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Abbey Newkirk is also awarded a Rotary Memorial Scholarship and will be attending Salve Regina College in the fall to study art and historic preservation. We invited all recipients to return next year to keep us in touch of their continued service to others.

As a note of interest, Officer Wood, who was also at the DARE graduation on Monday night, said that it was the persistent efforts of former Scituate Rotary President, Joe Cerra that made the DARE program a reality in 1999 along with the help of Town Police Chief, Tom Neileln. This club also gives yearly funds for books and teaching supplies to DARE.
It was wonderful to attend the graduation on Monday night with Maryanne Cohan (her son Derrick was a grad), Janet, Dietrich and Diane. We certainly got a round of applause for the Rotary help we give!

Outgoing Treasurer, Joe Kelley, shared with us the honors made in the memory of his and Karen’s son, SGT. Michael J. Kelley at the MA Army National Guard Tactical Training Base on June 7th. The Base now bears his name in gratitude for his “Service above Self”.

Captain Mike battened down the hatches five minutes ahead of schedule, so we could let down the life line to his dingy and release our leader to sail off into the sunset on a smooth sea. Everyone wishes him Bon Voyage as he embarks for Los Angeles.

Perhaps we will see fellow sailors on July 17th for the annual Harbor Dinner Cruise, sponsored by the Weymouth Club!

In the meantime, here is the new schedule for full steam ahead:
Wed. June 18 - DREAMS MADE REAL, a vision for the new Rotary year
Mon. June 23- PRESIDENTS INSTALLATION in R. I.
Wed. June 25- NO MEETING
Wed. July 2- NO MEETING
Wed. July 9- CLUB NIGHT

Respectfully submitted,
First Mate, Sandi

=====================================================

Meeting Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

Attending: Lew, Ben, Bob P., Walter, Candace, Diane, Beatrice, Bob S., Janet, Bart, Lisa, Dietrich, Loic, Captain Mike, Joe
Honorary: Connie Mitchell
Guest: Peter Cramer
Missed: Janice, Maryann, Bill, Eric, Mary, Suzanne (we know where she is!), Karen, Jim, Donna, Judy, Chris, Sandi (we know where you were-feel better!), Donn and Dennis

In the name of fellowship and to ensure retention, give someone “missed” a call this week!

My notes read that the meeting was opened in the regular way – but it wasn’t – Bart led the Pledge of Allegiance! Lots of happy bucks especially for Connie being with us. Thanks for coming, Connie. It is good for all of us…Dietrich, splendid effort on QOH…

• Bart reported a net income of $17,130 for the phonebook (that excludes 750 still owed us and 1300 not yet paid) but it gives us a good ballpark figure.

• Dietrich talked about the Cambodia Night on Sunday and its Water and Literacy project. He wants to combine our local water project with this one somehow and include the HS students. He proposes a personal water bottle filter be designed by the students. He even brought a diagramed prototype. Janet added that the Middletown Club has won a $300,000 matching grant from TRF for this project. That is OUR Foundation at work.

• FYI – Joe deposited $109 for Polio from our bucket collections (including about 20 from outside of the club). Well done us! I do not mean to beat you all for money. This is intended to be just a loose change exercise that adds up. And it is, adding up. So, only $99,000,891.00 to go!

• Bob S. has been talking with the town official who is in charge of new signs in town. The club is asked to participate with the Chamber of Commerce in adding 2 signs to the Harbor area. Then a discussion followed regarding signage in the Greenbush Rotary. Should we make it a Rotary Rotary, or not, and how? This discussion is about 3 years old and now awaits Walter getting a quote for a sign and Bob talking with Frank Hynes regarding State permission. If we act promptly we may manage to get the town to install our sign. There remain also issues of island care in Greenbush and where the money will come from as this is not a foundation exercise if a Rotary Logo is included.

• Mike recapped his year as our President – and a creative and productive year it was!

Thanks you (us) all!!
Senior Dinner with Governor Dave attending
Pancake Breakfast
Irish Immigration Project – with Candace and SS Arts Center
Cushing School Christmas Party at Barker Tavern
Making Eli IJordanopolis an honorary member
Bangkok Film Festival – expenses paid by club
Camp Bournedale – Lisa
Kisumu, Kenya – Dan and Patty Schmelzer, crisis support for civil war
Artist in Exile – with Candace and SS Arts Center
Water Project - with Suzanne & including Y program and HS curriculum addition
MMFC – Dennis Snyder – medical supplies container to Gitwe Hospital, Rwanda.
Our THANKS TO YOU, MICHAEL. YOU HAVE BEEN AN INSPIRING LEADER.

• Bart concluded Mike’s report with the fact that considering our fund-raising and gifting, we give away, on average, $700 per meeting. 
Bart continued his musing last night and recalculated our gifting and figured out that if we consider the value of our gifts that we actually give away $10,000 per meeting! – Holy Moly! That gives a whole new image to a weekly supper club, doesn’t it?

• The incoming President Bob says any budget requests should be submitted to him within 10 days for presentation to his new Board of Directors for consideration.

Meeting was adjourned without addressing the following:

• Club T-shirts We have found Navy T-shirts with a gold emblem on the front and ROTARIAN AT WORK on the back for $13 plus tax and shipping. So for $15 we can get everyone a shirt to wear for our service projects like breakfast, dinner, clean up campaigns, etc. Call or send your preferred size to Janet or Maryann ASAP as we want the shirts in time for the Pancake Breakfast. 

• July 17th we are invited to join the Quincy Club on a Harbor Supper Cruise. This is a fun club and a great idea. The price is $50 but that is for TRF donation. For details go to rotary7950.com or call Bob or Janet. Space will be limited, I am sure.

Sandi, we missed you but this has been fun writing again…,

Yours in Rotary Service,
Janet, PP, PAG (almost)

 Respectfully submitted,
Sandra Schipul, Secretary

Click Here to view archived newsletters.

Rev. Robert Schipul
President of the Scituate
Rotary Club 2008.