Scituate Rotary - Member News

Attendance: Members President Dietrich, Jim Bl., Maryann, Walter, Beatrice, Suzanne, Alden, Bart, Judy, Donn and Ben; Family of Rotary Elisabeth Blanchard and Carol Sladen; visiting Rotarian and former member Mr. Joe Cerra, Dr. Michael Johnson and our speakers Bethany Murray, Beth Eromin, Jennifer Noonan, Jeff Keyes and Mrs. Maureen Keyes.

Our Meeting:After the Salute to the Flag by Donn and the Prayer by Beatrice, President Dietrich welcomed our family, our guests and our speakers. Bart gave the traditional “Words of Wisdom” and reported on the mail: A thank you letter from The Angkor Hospital thanking us for paying the salary of their dentist in August and an invitation for a “sock hop dance” on November 5 in the River Club for Donna Green’s “Project Courage”. He informed all that the Governor’s visit is moved to November 9 and that the District Disaster Committee Chair is Mr. Harold Lincoln of the Hingham Club. Finally our fundraiser: we are today at $42k, ended last year at $56k and still hope for $70k. As THE key to success is getting new ads our champions today remain Donn and Carol Sladen with 7 new ads! Follow up are Janet with 5, Bart with 3, Judith with 2 and Candace with 1. We must now call the 80 advertisers who have not yet renewed. He gave out the individual lists for those to call.

Then President Dietrich and Immediate Past Pres. Walter installed Dr. Michael Johnson (see picture below) as our newest member, # 21! Welcome Michael!

After that Jeff Keyes reported on his project to repair houses of poor people in Tennessee this summer, a project that our Club sponsored. He apparently did learn about repair jobs, but his lasting impression was the confrontation with poverty, often caused by teenage parenthood. This shocked him. His conclusion: Rich is better. Read Jeff's report in the right column.

Finally our 3 High School Juniors reported on their week in the International Seminar in Whitewater , Wisconsin where we sent them last June. There some 800 students from all over the world were taught about Globalisation and discussed this between them. Both Bethany and Jennifer read us a paper they had prepared and Beth improvised. All three will send us a statement about their impressions that will be posted on our website www.scituaterotary.org. I urge all readers to visit this site, which is up to date and interesting all in itself. For the speeches of these students were well worth listening to and promise interesting reading. This listener was especially impressed by Beth’s presentation when she confessed to have become real proud to be an American when confronted with all of these foreigners. For even when American policies have gone wrong in the real world, the intentions behind them have always been honorable and had they succeeded, would have lead to a better world even for those peoples who opposed them. The present situation in

Iraq

is no different. The writer hopes that all 4 students will find their way to our start up Interact Club, so that we will see more of them in the coming year. It was great to meet with these Juniors who are now becoming Seniors, handpicked by Principal Mrs. Nuzzo as representatives of our High School in the Wisconsin Seminar.

Dear Friends,

I wanted to let you know that Rotary is responding to the Katrina Disaster.

The Scituate Rotary Club will set up

Scituate, MA Rotary Disaster Relief, a separate account at the Rotary Club of Scituate into which you can place your contribution to help with the disaster relief in the hurricane affected areas. You will be able to make your contributions during our meetings or by sending a check made out to Scituate Rotary Disater Relief to Scituate Rotary Club, P.O. Box 831, Scituate, MA 02066

Out of this fund the Rotary Club of Scituate will make payments to Rotary sponsored initiatives in the area. The relief payments at this stage would be going to:

Rotary 5890 Charities, 121 E. 16th St., Houston, TX 77008.

This is an account set up under the control of Rotary district 5890 (Texas) which will allocate the funds within the region to sites and programs where it is needed. As you know, Texas is taking in many of the people displaced by the hurricane and its destruction.

You are obviously free to contribute directly to Rotary 5890 Charities or any other relief organization of your choice.

I wanted, however, to let you know that the Rotary Club of Scituate has set up its relief account into which you can make your tax deductible contribution.

Regards,

Dietrich

Attendance: Members President Dietrich, Bill, Walter, Beatrice, Loic, Jim Mc.Innes, Alden, Bart, Judy, Bob Schipul, Janet, Donn and Ben; Family of Rotary Connie Mitchell, Sandy Schipul and Carol Sladen; visiting Rotarian Mr. Lewis Burridge from Ripton, Vermont and our speaker Mr. Dave Ball.

Our Meeting:After the Salute to the Flag by Jim and the Prayer by Ben, President Dietrich welcomed our family, our guest and our speaker, Mr. Dave Ball, President of the Scituate Historical Society. Bill gave his “Words of Wisdom” and Secretary Bart reported on the mail: An invitation from a Rotary Club in New Delhi ,

India

to visit the Taj Mahal in connection with the polio inoculation effort on September 25. He also reported on the Charter Night of the new Plymouth Sunrise Club and gave its Clubbanner to President Dietrich. Finally our fundraiser: we are today at $37k and breaking even. We ended last year at $56k and we hope to get to $70k. As THE key to success is getting new ads our champions today remain Donn and Carol Sladen with 7 new ads! Follow up are Janet with 4, Bart with 3 and Judith with 1. As the official closing date was last Saturday we must now call the 90 advertisers who have not yet renewed. Janet gave out the individual lists for those to call.

Then President Dietrich and Vice Pres. Bill installed Jim McInnes as our newest Paul Harris Fellow. Jim was thanked for what he had done for The Rotary Foundation and all the programs it supports.

After that our member Pastor Bob Schipul, just back from Kenya, reported on his trip. Its purpose was to find out how the Lutheran churches in New England can best support the Lutheran church in Kenya which is growing fast and is in need of everything except members.

He was also able to visit the Rotary Club in Kisumu, Kenya. That club functions as a sort of clearing house for projects of clubs abroad who want to do something in Kenya. There are apparently very many of such projects and it is interesting to see Rotary at work from a different angle.

Finally Mr. David Ball gave a slide presentation about Scituate as it was in the past. We are one of the oldest towns in the

USA

and his pictures were absolutely fascinating. The different storms that have devastated parts of our town were mentioned and how the coastline has changed over time. There were pictures of ships stranded, the most spectacular of which was of course the liberty ship “Etrusco”. Questions were raised about the farm and gristmill of Mr. Mordechai Lincoln, great grandfather of President Abraham Lincoln in North Scituate . Its building is still there, but nothing is done with it and many in Scituate do not even know of its existence. While it could be a national treasure? It was long after our official closing time that President Dietrich closed the meeting and some of us went home. Others kept asking questions long after.

Attendance: Members President Dietrich, Bill, Walter, Alden, Bart, Janet and Donn; Family of Rotary Carol Sladen; guest Mrs. Candace Cramer; visiting Rotarian Mr. Lewis Burridge from Ripton, Vermont and our speaker Mrs. Shelley Sommer.

Our Meeting:
After the usual Salute to the Flag by Alden and the Prayer by Beatrice President Dietrich welcomed our speaker, local author Shelley Sommer, who has written a book for children age 10 – 14 about President John F. Kennedy. Bill gave his “Words of Wisdom” which now has become a tradition in our Club. Secretary Bart reported on the mail. There were thank you letters from Kassandra Babineau for her scholarship, from the Brockton Club for our participation in the Tsunami Relief Fund and from the Randolph Club President for our help with their motor bike raffle. And invitations from the District to join in the Group Study Exchange of next year to

Portugal

and from the Jamestown Rotary Club to join their bicycle race on October 10, Columbus Day. Finally he gave the state of our fundraiser: where we are today ($30k), where we break even ($37k), where we ended last year ($56k) and where we hope to get ($70k). As THE key to success is getting new ads our champions today remain Donn and Carol Sladen with 7 new ads! Follow up are Bart with 3 and Janet with 2. Where are you others? We WILL lose some 30 ads, we always do, and have to compensate those with 30 new ones to reach the same income as last year, let alone our goal of $70,000. So the 12 we have now does NOT make it. We all must make those calls and follow them up with visits and when you do any business at all with anybody who has not advertized with us, sell them an ad! If any of you need contracts or telephone books, call me and I will bring them to you.

Then our speaker Mrs. Shelley Sommer told us how she has come to write for young people. She worked for 10 years in the Kennedy Library and then moved on to her life calling of writing. She now holds a Master’s degree in young adult literature and by virtue of a homework assignment and her relationship with Caroline Kennedy, (the President’s daughter), successfully published a history of JFK that appeals to young readers. Interestingly, JFK wanted to be a history teacher but his dad had other plans for him. Shelley talked about the young reader as needing more background information than adult readers do and about the mystique of the Kennedy’s being connected to the emergence of TV’s in every home. Ms. Sommer’s topic for her first novel happened by chance because of her having worked at the Kennedy library. She did not intend to write this book when she submitted her homework at Simmons College . When she was encouraged to pursue her plan she suggested to Caroline that she find someone to do it. But Caroline suggested that they do it together and assured her access to a publisher. Her career is en route…

Attendance: Members President Dietrich, Maryann, Jack, Walter, Karen, Donn and Ben; Family of Rotary Carol Sladen; guest and speaker Mrs. Candace Cramer; and visiting Rotarians Mr. Lewis Burridge from Ripton , Vermont .

Our Meeting: Intimate setting today as we were only a table of ten at the meeting, however there was a full and interesting program.

Dietrich greeted the guest and speaker and gave a brief report on Tuesday’s board meeting as well as reminding everybody to stay on top of their telephone book fund raising assignments. In order to achieve goal, which will allow us to do all the things we have planned for the community and beyond, it is important that everybody puts in their real effort.

Walter reported on Donna Green and the great news for her that she will be part of the White House celebration at Christmas this year. Carol on behalf of Judith reported the results of the pancake breakfast, which raised over $2,600. A big hand and thank you to all those who contributed to this success!.

Ben saw us through happy and sad bucks and next was a big evening for Walter who finally received from President Dietrich his Past President Pin and was honored with a well deserved Plaque of Recognition for his dedicated services as our Centennial President.

Then it was Candace’s turn to speak to us about the South Shore Art Center . As a non profit organization established in 1955, its mission is to enrich the communities on the South Shore by fostering the understanding, appreciation and promotion of the visual arts. Its programs span many areas from exhibitions to programs especially designed for students to interact with artists. Programs like this need funding as their operating budget ads to $900,000. Membership dues and business support, as well as public and private grants contribute 1/3 to this number.. Thanks Candace for a very interesting presentation and you received the invitation to brainstorm how an organization like Rotary could be supportive of the Art Center as part of its cultural programs.

Candace was allowed to cherish applause only for a brief period, then was asked to take the floor again as it had emerged during the course of the evening that she was also involved with Donna Green’s foundation. Candace briefly outlined her involvement there with respect to the foundation and was invited to brainstorm also in connection with this program how collaboration with Rotary could be of benefit for the cause.

An interesting and enjoyable evening for all of us present. Many thanks to Candace.

Attendance: Members President Dietrich, Maryann, Bill, Walter, Karen, Jim McInnes, Alden, Bart, Bob Price, Judy, Janet, Donn and Ben; Family of Rotary Carol Sladen; Interactor Kerry Sorensen; guest Mrs. Candace Cramer; and visiting Rotarians Mr. Lewis Burridge from Ripton, Vermont and from the Duxbury Rotary Club Mrs. Razia Jan, President and Mr. Bruce Rudder, member.

Meeting back in “Pier 44” again the restaurant still had not gotten used to the new size of our Club and moving of tables proved necessary. Bill’s “Words of Wisdom” this time described dogs as the faithful creatures that they are. Then our Interactor Kerry Sorensen was offered a pile of the books that are obligatory reading this summer for High School students. Apparently there is a shortage of them in our Town which our Interactors had noticed and brought to our attention. So the Club has bought these books and Kerry was asked to get them to the Library for further distribution.

Next President Dietrich spoke to Mrs. Razia Jan, President of the Duxbury Rotary Club. He explained that we have now a fund in the name of Sgt. Michael J. Kelley, to support Rotary Projects in a country rebuilding after civil strife or natural disaster. So it is a good opportunity that our neighboring Club does this project in Kabul which we can support with $500. He then read us the poem he had made, which Karen said she wanted and Jim then offered to have framed for her. President Razia Jan, an Afghani herself, thanked us with the Persian saying that “each drop of water contributes to a mighty river”. She had just returned from Kabul where she had received 1000 m2 of land to build a library for women – teachers on the university campus. It is quite an enormous project and she is looking to raise $ 150,000. But it is obviously needed in a country where women have been held back for a generation. She said that since 9-11 so much has changed for the better in her country!

Then Judy gave all of us our marching orders for the Pancake Breakfast. It starts with picking blueberries on Thursday morning 0700. Then on Friday prebake all the bacon, obtain the food donated by The Life Care Center and The Village Market and pick up the grills. And the BE THERE in St. Luke’s on Saturday morning 0600 to prepare and serve pancakes from 07.30.

Finally the state of our own fundraiser was reported: where we are today ($23k), where we break even ($36k), where we ended last year ($56k) and where we hope to get ($70k). As the key to success is obtaining new ads our champions today remain Donn and Carol with 7 new ads! Follow up is Janet with 2. Where are you others? We WILL lose some 30 ads, we always do, and have to compensate those with new ones to reach the same level as last year. We already lost 2. We all must make those calls and follow them up with visits and when you do any business at all with anybody who has not advertized with us, sell them an ad! If any of you need contracts or telephone books, call me and I will bring them to you.