Both Fred and Eric were glued to their personal digital devices . . . March 6, 2014

ROTARY BULLETIN  March 6, 2014

                

Both Fred and Eric were glued to their personal digital devices, and at exactly 12:15 things got underway.  The pledge followed by Eric who could not resist taking a swipe at the powers that be for allowing the polar vortex to remain frozen in position.    Basking in the luxury of having the Sherman all to ourselves, we set about a leisurely repast as the numbers swelled to five tables. 

After welcoming everyone to Siberia (or did he mean Sochi?) Fred entered into the formalities. Introductions of guests included Bill Walbert's guest, Anthony Vogel, from the Boy Scouts of America.  Brock took ownership in introducing Kristi Ready, attached to the Highway Dept.  Leo Karl was with us, still holding his head up, and Mike Franco joined the ranks.  We next approached the rituals of upcoming events.  The Dictionary project is full steam ahead and Keith is reluctant to blurt out the club needs special funding to provide a very own dictionary for every third grader in the village.  You can just give a check to Tom Cronin.  You might even get credit for funding the New Canaan Rotary Foundation.  Now is also an ideal time to make your Every Rotarian Every Year donation (Rotary International  Foundation) as ADG Ben reminds us that $100 becomes $750 – it's magic, but the power of matching gifts.  Brock announced that the annual Classic Gold Putter Golf Outing will be held on May 6, 2014.  Fireman Fred has already excused himself from the Clean Your Mile event, but he has a replacement in mind and will inform us in due course as well as the date of the event.  There are ongoing discussions at the upper levels of our club regarding participation in a Foreign Student Exchange.  Very few remember how that project unfolded maybe thirty years ago.  After that, Victor Straberger launched us on a roll with the Austrian summer exchange, which is fondly recalled as one of our great projects.   Eric is zeroing in on the Allocations deliberations and we look forward to that April lunch.  Valerie has a skeleton crew and needs help for the Carriage Barn Wine Tasting event, cast in stone as Flag Day, June 14, 2014, running from 1800 to 2100 hours.  Jeff Barber of NC Wine Merchants does a good job at these ratings. 

                Sgt@Arms Scott provided a lesson in semantics, namely the difference between Wi-Fi and Wife.  You could tap either, if you knew what you were doing.     Valerie had happys for kudos bestowed on HTG.  Managing partner, Ton Gnuse, once gave a presentation for our benefit.  Scott lamented the Duke defeat, but said another day is coming. 

                We were thoroughly entertained and informed by our speaker duo, Tiger Mann of Public Works and Mose Saccary, superintendent at the Highway Dept.  We had a spirited give and take revolving around snow and leaves.  John Engel confessed his love for our new big toy, the $360,000 composter.  These boys have been busy this winter, as each snowstorm requires a three and a half hour road run before the snow and then eight hours of policing after the fall.  No sand anymore, just 250 pounds  of salt per road mile pre storm.    We could not be in better hands, and it was a delight to relate to the success of their methods.

                                                                        The Abominable