colors in jazz . . . April 23, 2015

New Canaan Rotary Club Bulletin                                                 April 23, 2015

 

President Eric got the meeting off on a good foot by praying for an increase in the outside temperature and acknowledging the response to last week's observation that more and more of the membership was migrating closer and closer to the buffet thereby precluding attention to the Blessing.  Most were able to hear this statement.

 

We had no Visiting Rotarians but Christina Blair, New Canaan resident and Norwalk-based commercial real estate broker, was a guest of Carolyn Clark.  Brock distributed sign-up sheets for golfers and auction item donations to each table.  The May 7 date is rapidly approaching, the event has proven enjoyable and successful in the past, and he is counting on maximum participation again this year.  Should you be unable or unwilling to golf, plan to attend the cocktail reception/raffle portion of the festivities commencing at 6:00 PM at the Country Club for the ludicrously low price of only $50.  B.T. will attempt to drum up more golfers from attendees at tonight's gathering of Rotary Means Business hosted by the Darien Club at 6:00 PM, 150 Post Road, Darien [HSBC offices].

 

Rob Avery announced that the YMCA has co-opted our usual Clean Your Mile territory on both sides of South Avenue from Farm Road to the Parkway.  Alternatively we have been assigned both sides of Farm Road from Waveny Care Center across South Avenue down to Main Street.  This necessitates a change in meeting venue from the Saxe Circle to the NCHS lower lot [There will be no excuse accepted that you could not find the meeting spot.  Look around!].  While Rob had the floor he thanked all the Rotarians who collaborated on the record-setting Gridiron Club presentation honoring our own Fall Guy, Bill Walbert, as well as those many Rotarian women and men who contributed to the attendance records of 134 women and 158 men.  Rob singled out the contribution of Teleprompter stand-in Ben Bilus who performed flawlessly [according to Ben], but who was not able to actually see either performance from his command bunker.

 

Librarian Lisa gave short notice that the Library is the beneficiary of this week's Celebrity Bartender series which will occur this evening at Barolo commencing at 6:00 PM with First Selectman Rob Mallozzi mixing Pink Squirrels for the assembled patrons.  A cut of the profits and all of the tips will benefit the Library, so Lisa encourages everyone to attend and drink to excess.  If you don't consider yourself a Pink Squirrel kind of guy/gal Lisa and her merry band of librarians have invented a concoction made of bourbon, lemon juice and maple syrup which she guarantees will increase your circulation.  Ben then allowed as how the Carriage Barn has mounted their new exhibit on car art titled Va-Va-Vroom, which will be on display for our wine and cheese [and beer] event on June 11.

 

John Marlow then expressed his appreciation to the team which has worked, and continues to work, so diligently to bring our rejuvenated Exchange Program to its current state of success with one short term outgoing student to Spain and one incoming long term student from Denmark.  Those he identified were Lisa, Alex, Ben, Ann, Eric and Treasurer Tom.  It is gratifying to see the important and immediate contributions of so many new members.

 

Keith has two distribution dates for third grade dictionaries:  April 28 at 1:30 at New Canaan Country School and May 11 at 2:30 at West.  Anyone wishing to assist Keith should contact him.  Just a reminder that everyone who has ever participated in one of these activities has rated it as an A-plus experience.

 

Sergeant Scott then gave a brief grammar lesson before passing among us.  His father had a happy for the inspiring edition of the TV program George To The Rescue featuring Hobbs, Inc. providing a hand up to a Port Chester family trying to play a tough hand [their son had a stroke which rendered the right half of his body pretty useless at birth] without whining; three fines as the result of the Rucci, Sr. Friendship Dinner – happy from Joe that his house had not been trashed and happies from John B. and F. Baker who apparently enjoyed the Irish/Italian hospitality of the host and hostess; Keith was happy that among the exotic cars on display at Sunday's Caffeine and Carburetors event the apparition of Fred on a tractor proved grounding; John B. a happy for his son being named a Wilburn Scholar in honor of revered former Presbyterian Minister Gary Wilburn for his essay "Colors In Jazz;" and Cynthia contributed the toll money she would have paid over the weekend if the Pay It Forward driver from the nation's heartland had not paid her toll for her.

 

Program Chair Ken then rose and gave another stirring extemporaneous introduction of Visiting Nurse and Hospice President CEO Sharon Bradley and her colleague Julia Bartholomew.  They enlightened us regarding the history and operation of their vital organization, its founders, growth and challenges in the restructuring world of healthcare.  VNH has grown to 200 employees caring for 400 patients each day with an $11,000,000 annual budget which comes from Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and private contributions [$500,000].  Their market area is primarily New Canaan and Wilton and they provide hospice care, home intravenous therapy, public health, wellness and safe-at-home education, as well as acting as Wilton's public health nursing resource.  While this past winter was tough on many, it was particularly hard on the nurses who were out visiting patients every day in spite of the elements.  They see their mission as helping people stay in their home.  They must be doing it well because they have received the prestigious Elite Home Care Award.  They punctuated their talk with a brief video which gave faces and emotions to the beneficiaries of their dedicated care.  Inspiring program!

 

Florence Nightingale