New Canaan Rotary Club Bulletin July 11, 2013

New Canaan Rotary Club Bulletin                                              July 11, 2013

Marty showed up bearing a bundle of New Canaan Rotary Club banners and seemed surprised to find that Fred had usurped his role as Club President.  It appeared that Marty’s position was that he was supposed to serve for 52 weeks and, since he had been absent for many weeks last year, his term had not officially expired.  Fred went to the head table and Marty slunk to the back and the crisis was averted.  The spirit of Les Miserables was present in the room as someone pointed out that, since he was notified that he “was being watched,”  Jean Valjean Bernardo has been incommunicado.  No one has seen either him or his dog for some weeks and the fear was that he has been spirited off to Guantanamo [or someplace] and left to rot.  To the barricades!!

President Fred, presiding over an ethnic sausage and peppers feast at his second official meeting, got the call for visiting Rotarians and guests right and was rewarded with Mike Hobbs introducing former NC Rotarian Bob Cruikshank as his guest.  While neither a visitor nor a guest, Roy Riggio’s presence attracted some notice.

In the absence of incoming Club Treasurer Tom Cronin, Rob Avery claimed to have sent out all dues bills and vowed to stay on the job until the audit was finalized.  Foundation Chair John Bemis then announced the welcome news that we qualify as an Every Rotarian Every Year Club during Marty’s year because of our 100% participation at the $100 dollar level.  This is an outstanding achievement and our Club should feel very proud of itself and grateful to John for his inspired leadership.  The R.I. Foundation is a wonderful steward of our philanthropic dollars and one of the world’s most efficient charities.

Lobster Czar Andy then announced that he would distribute 12 Lobsterfest tickets to each member at the close of the meeting.  There is no provision for returning unsold tickets to Andy after the event.  Sell ‘em or eat ‘em!  Partner organizations will receive half of the $30 face value for every ticket they sell.  Another pitched battle for sales supremacy between the Methodists and the Catholics is anticipated.

Sergeant Scott educated us about how some symptoms can lead to incorrect diagnoses.  Very interesting [and tasteful].  Notable fines were received from Long Tall Steve for the week he had just spent eating strawberries and cream at Wimbledon, Gerri Goerke for moving from the Red Cross to the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, and President Fred for a week in Maine.

That pesky police chief search once again caused Program Chair Jim Cole to fail in his Rotary responsibilities and so, rising phoenix-like from the past, Ken Campbell introduced our speaker, ex-physical therapist, ex-Red Cross development officer, and current Executive Director of the St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation, Lynn McCarthy.  She explained that the Foundation is the centralized fund raising arm for the disparate campuses and missions of the Behavioral Health Center, College and Hospital.  While there are numerous fund raisers throughout the year for breast cancer, first responders, and prostate, pancreatic and liver cancer research and treatment, the big effort is the 26^th edition of the Swim Across the Sound Marathon.  The swimmers, each matched to a boat with captain and EMT on board, are ferried to Port Jefferson on the Long Island side where they start the 25 kilometer [15.5 mile] swim and arrive at Bridgeport’s Captain”s Cove between 2:30 and 6:30.  The Swim raises approximately $2.6 million annually and helps more than 20,000 people each year.  Lyn recounted a number of heart-wrenching anecdotes about where the proceeds are spent.  Certainly an eye-opening presentation about yet another organization which has found a way to harness the human spirit to help those of our fellow citizens who find themselves in need.  Inspiring!

Mark Spitz