Weekly News/Highlights/Comments

The meeting opened with a rousing “God Bless America” with gusto and a special harmony from Bill Coulter and our waitress, Mary Barbara. It got our blood stirring, but shocked Paula who is not used to being a member of a singing club.

Happy/Sad Bucks: Judy gave $10 for one heck of a week, ending in a car accident, Carol Sladen for hurricane Isabel missing New England and her granddaughter’s wedding, from Jack for identifying Bud Collins in Donn Sladen’s face, Joe for his wife’s coming surgery, Beatrice for luck turning good, Walter sad for missing the CHIP event, Paula, Sue and Suzanne for the CHIP event, Ben for his wife’s cataract surgery, Bart for his new granddaughter and the success of recent Rotary events.

Special health wishes going out to Gail Goodrow for today’s surgery and Jed Fitzgerald who needs our prayers. Also, Janet’s mother in Baltimore is undergoing serious surgery this week and will have our support.

The Rotary Convention in Bermuda in 2005 has been cancelled due to hurricane Fabian. But Saturday at White’s for the membership meeting is still on--$20 for the meal, and let President Bart know.

Thanks to Suzanne’s diligence, the CHIP program at Jenkins School was a success. Ten Rotary people participated( Suzanne K, Sue K, Paula, Janet, Bart, Carol and Donn, Bill Coulter, Dietrich and Beatrice). 192 children were documented, the youngest being 6 weeks. But a lot more were unable to complete the dental and fingerprint records due to our scary dentists and policemen. Not really, ‘cause we had the nicest people working with us. What a wonderful community event and we received $60 in donations!

Sharon Smith and her son Matt joined us to speak about the Road to Responsibility organization. Sharon is CEO of the group that works with disabled adults from Braintree to Falmouth. They provide jobs, social events, group homes, but more important is the lifestyle skills that promote dignity, financial independence and self reliance. In fact, they’ve placed over 360 people in jobs over the last 4 years. Social integration has a tremendous impact on the behavior of the disabled, who in the past were institutionalized and isolated. RTR has 3 bookstores, an ice cream shop, a motel, and I urge you try the ice cream shop in Marshfield. (I can’t eat it all myself.)

President Bart asks that we all take time to think of opportunities for employment in our community that would help the organization.

Next week is a visit from Brad Parsons, an ex-member that we have the pleasure of seeing from time to time. He’s helping with our support of the Ankor project providing a Cambodian dentist’s income.