Meeting Highlights:

March 5, 2003 

You have a calendar from last week that has no new details so I will not use this space to repeat it.
Don’t forget Al Lind’s night next week!  All welcome.
The Board of Directors meets Monday morning at the James Landing office. All welcome.

At our meeting this week we missed Jack Borror (are you OK, Jack?), Pat (we thought you were back the 1st, Pat), Suzanne – home with the flu – so sorry, Paula, and Ben who is still traveling. But we did have Bill Coulter (I am so glad you are back with us Bill!), Carol Sladen, and our guest speaker, Mark Fenton.

Happy and Sad Bucks were added to by Mark. His wife Lisa sent one to say she missed us and had wanted to be present (she had to stay home with a sick daughter) and Mark could not be left out. He had 2 dollar-bills in his shirt picket, ready for the event! We really appreciate you participation, Mark and Lisa.  Bart and Janet had a great week in L.A. Several folks were remembering the senior dinner and thanking Judy and Bill for their contribution to the evening.

Fines were not so intense. Could it be our SAR is becoming ‘kinder and gentler?’ (Now I will be blamed for less polio income!) By the way, we forgot to ‘pass the hat’ so please be generous next week. If fines are decreased, we cannot forget the hat for goodness sake!

This and that:

Bill Coulter read us an article from the Austin, Texas newspaper about Rotary International. A very nice article. Thanks for that, Bill. Sue read some thank you notes she has received from seniors attending the dinner last week. Janet sold bumper stickers to offset the price of stickers needed for the St. P. Day parade. We came out $5 ahead and that will be added to the polio pot or at least toward additional expenses in spreading the word of Polio Eradication – Fulfilling our Promise. We have ordered posters to use in the parade and for when we collect at the Marketplace and at the dump in May. 

We talked briefly about our membership status. We are not meeting our 2002-03 challenge and are losing members as well as not growing. We are considering a breakfast meeting but admit that a suitable venue is a concern. How about moving the meeting to 5:30-7 so local business persons can get home earlier? There are some interested persons out there. If you want someone to contact anyone in particular, please call Janet or Dietrich A.S.A.P.

Does anyone know how much candy we have to have for the parade? Keep in mind that we will not be throwing the candy this year, but handing it out. I have about 20 lbs. of mini tootsie rolls. Do I need more?

Agenda for the Board Meeting to include:

  • How many posters should/can we purchase?/ How much candy do we need?

  • New trustee for Scituate Rotary Foundation 

  • Report on ChIP program – Dietrich

  • New mail

  • Treasure report

  • ‘Walk to School’ as a community project and Anniversary project

  • Parade plans

  • Club night activity-Janet

  • Your business/questions

 FEATURE PRESENTATION – ‘WALK TO SCHOOL’  - Mark Fenton

The incidence of obesity in America has doubled in the last 10 years. 20% of Americans are medically obese. That is one in five. Americans are less fit than ever! This is not a statistic that is related to ‘evolution.’ It is directly related to how we get around in our daily lives.  Or how we do not get around anymore. We have eliminated walking from our “activities of daily life,” and replaced it with car trips.

Obesity in adolescents has increased from 5 to 15% since 1974. And already we see type 2 diabetes/ adult onset diabetes in adolescents in America. This is unheard of! And the most striking of all statistics is that the number 2 killer of Americans (250,000 deaths per year), after tobacco (400,000), is obesity. Obesity inevitably leads to cardiovascular disease and or diabetes among other problems. This is a public health disaster that Medicare/aid will NEVER be able to handle in another 10 years.

And what can change the scenario?  Walking 20 minutes per day? How hard can that be?

Mark talked to us about a program to re-introduce walking in elementary school. He proposed that we can create a new mentality towards a healthier lifestyle, that we can create a pedestrian-friendly environment in our town. And he demonstrated the advantages and positive outcomes of doing both of those things. He proposed using the elderly and children in a town as a barometer of how healthy a community is. If you see elderly and children out on the street/sidewalks, it is a healthier place.

Mark described a network of footpaths, multi-use trails and sidewalks that facilitate physical activity and he looks at land use and creating neighborhoods again. He addressed safety concerns of parents and elders. He knows the need for civic commitment to this lifestyle. Concerns such as distance, traffic, and crime need to be heard and responded to. They can be addressed in realistic ways.

Mark introduced us to a national program called “Walk to School Day.” He is committed enough himself to run for the planning board in Scituate. He is calling on Rotary (our club) to jump on board and work with the schools and police and public works department to make Scituate a more healthy, walk-able community. 

What can we do? 1) Contact our legislators NOW urging them to pass the bill before them to legislate safe routes to school. That would be Hedlund and Hynes, folks.  2) Vote for Mark for Planning Board if you are a Scituate voter. 3) Work with the program to institute a spring “walk to school day” at one school in Scituate and maybe even one in Marshfield. This is not a short-term project but it is one that would be very positive to have Rotary’s name attached to. Be prepared to talk about this more on club night. Also, if you have more questions, Dietrich has extensive notes and Mark is very willing to share all he knows.

Your in Rotary and in Ben’s absence,

President Janet

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Scituate Rotary Calendar

March 12th –Club Night -We will honor long time member Al Lind this evening for his service to Scituate Rotary and the community. This is another souse Night. Please bring yours. Kathy McDonald from Fox Associates may join us.

March 16th – Chamber of Commerce sponsored St. Patrick’s Day Parade (from Gates School, First Parish Road to Front Street to Jericho Road to Town Landing. Scituate Rotary will participate and hand-out candy to watchers. Paula Lind’s vehicle will be decorated with Rotary logos. Members will mostly walk, hand out candy and advertise our Polio Eradication effort (we hope). More details at the March 5th meeting.

March 19th –Speaker from advocacy group in favor of the 2-1/2 Override vote to be taken at the town meeting/ election. Tax implications for opening and not opening Jenkins School. All welcome again.

March 26th – Kenneth Skinger – (we need a projection screen for this talk if someone has one) 

March 28-9 PETS; March 28th – Leadership Institute, N. Andover, MA (see Janet if interested)

April 4/6 –District Conference in Newport. Janet has more details if you have not received them or need duplicate information.  

April 6 –Cohasset 10K Road Race by the Sea to benefit Polio Eradication.

April 7 –BOD at Janet’s

April 9th –Million $$ Dinner at Judy Rego’s home in Marshfield.

April 16th –Joint meeting with Scituate, RI in Mansfield.  

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