From The Board of Directors Meeting

Past president Walter hosted the meeting at this home. President Janet, in a brief report on her attendance at the RI Convention in Barcelona, said there will be a push for more funds for Polio Plus. Bill Gates will match the first $25 million raised by RI. A goal of $275 million has been set to eradicate polio worldwide by 2005, the 100^th birthday of RI. We must raise $80 million by June 30, 2003. UNICEF will also contribute funds. There is also a campaign to enroll Sustaining Members. It was voted to increase annual dues to $120 and weekly dinner fees to $15, $2 of which will go to the Sustaining Member Fund. The club will also try to have four Million Dollar dinners a year.

Ben Summers volunteered to be secretary and newsletter editor. He said it will be the last time he will volunteer to do so. (Jed Fitzgerald, the elected secretary, has resigned as a member.) Vice President, Jack Borror has agreed to be the president elect. Walter, is our webmaster. It was suggested that every member be a member of the Membership Committee. Each member is asked to bring in one new member by September 1^st of this year.

A list of items needed for the Pancake Breakfast on August 3^rd at St. Luke’s Church was presented and will be discussed at the July 17^th meeting. All members are urged to participate. Treasurer Sue Katz reported on money received. She also said there will be 141 ads in the 2002-2003 phone book, 29 of them are new. President Janet suggested a project to observe Rotary International’s centennial year; a Bike Trail along the MBTA’s Greenbush commuter line in conjunction with other chapters along the right of way. She will contact the other chapter presidents.

Guests at our meeting last week included Richard and Alice Davis of the Plymouth Chapter. And it was nice to see Joe Cerra again. Pat Henderson brought us up to date on the condition of her newest grandson who was born prematurely. He now weighs 2 pounds, 2 ½ ounces. Don Sladen is on vacation week. Happy Bucks also were donated by Joe Goodrow, Bart Nuboer, Sue Katz, Janet, Walter, Ben and Dietrich (for completing his first collection of Bucks.) Categories which are missing in our membership include: Banker, Educator, Fireman, Medical, Municipal, Retailer.

We are off to a great start of this Rotary Year. Your Board of Directors is enthusiastic and willing to make things happen! You all were great at the meeting last night and if you maintain that level of participation we will do great things this year.

My wish is for 100% participation in all club endeavors, some new members, and the opportunity to address club, community, vocational and international service. I am very excited coming back from the International Convention in Barcelona. Keep in mind, I had NO opportunity to sight see or experience authentic cuisine. We were busy hearing everything RI had to say for those days and passing out from the heat outside of the venues. But I felt fully fed and sated with what was on offer. Bart and I will be sharing more over the coming weeks.

This is a very busy month for the club. Phonebook ads are critical at this point. (Finally we are working for our profit.) This really is a lot of work for possibly little reward. Jack, I hope, will propose easier ways to raise money in the coming months. And then we immediately have the Pancake Breakfast. That too requires our energies to prepare and serve. I am new at it but eager to see what and how…And before that, we will acknowledge our scholarship winners in “the Rose Garden” and then join our immediate neighboring clubs for a Clam Bake. (This is so exciting being in Scituate for the summer!!)

I am concerned that members will not go to or do not know how to go to the web-site for information. I would really appreciate feedback regarding this. I want you to have weekly contact and maybe asking you to get it yourself if not fair. But it is cheaper for us as a club. And it is environmentally sound - no paper wasted. But maybe you just prefer the old ways. Please tell me. The web-site is needed. It connects us to our District, other clubs, RI and the community at large. It is a most efficient way to communicate. But not if it does not do the communicating with members as we wish. If you are not on the web you will receive everything we post via mail. If you are on the web but prefer mail, tell us! There will be pop-quizzes on the newletters and fines for not reading what we bother to send you.

I cannot expect you to read pages so will call it a week, or maybe a month. We shall see…

Scituate Rotary Calendar