President Eric continues to occupy both the top temporal and religious offices . . . Aug 7, 2014

New Canaan Rotary Club Bulletin                               August 7, 2014

 

President Eric continues to occupy both the top temporal and religious offices in the Club as he cares for his flock.  He handled his administrative duties to perfection and invoked the name of Joe Rucci as well as Yahweh in his blessing.  The loaves and fishes were delicious.

 

Valerie had as her guest the firm intern, Union College student Jack Newton, rugby player, fraternity president, economics major and rabid fan of the National Champion hockey team.

 

Sergeant Scott, caught with nothin', made due with a vocabulary lesson, defining for us the word "ineptocracy."  Halfway through Scott's collection perambulation Jim Cole wondered aloud, "What's the joke?"  Jim then went back to sleep.  Frank Bernardo wore his birthday suit and paid a fine on the anniversary of his birth; Tom Lewis a major contribution for having returned safely from a Kenya safari which featured Rotary's presence in, and contributions to, that African nation; President John Adams paid for his anticipated appearance in front of the American Bar Association meeting in Boston; Dr. John coughed up a $100 for his anniversary, his birthday and the birth of a brand new granddaughter; and Andy chipped in for the birth of Lily Victoria who, by odd coincidence, is the same name as John's granddaughter.

 

As today was a Club Assembly, President Eric called on Lobsterfest Chairman Rob Avery for an update.  Rob's litany of concerns included picking up and paying for tickets, picking up and displaying posters, getting checks to him, and recruiting partners.  Fred then discussed recruiting business sponsors for not only the Lobsterfest, but for all Rotary events held during the year.  Apparently a work in progress.

 

John Marlow then led a discussion concerning Youth Exchange.  Our Club is committed to nominating a current high school sophomore student to be an outgoing representative next year and identifying three host families for an incoming student.  An important program featuring leaders and participants in the District Youth Exchange Program will be presented at our August 21 meeting.  Many details yet to be worked out, but former Youth Exchange participant John is the right guy to lead the effort.

 

Eric was nervous about reporting that we are rumored to be in surplus for 2013 in the absence of Treasurer Tom who is traveling with the checkbook.  Nonetheless he did report that allegation and stated that the Board had authorized a diminution of dues from $325 to $300 per quarter for the 2014 year.  To mitigate the euphoria this caused he added that the dues bill will look identical year over year with the difference [$25] going to our Every Rotarian Every Year $100 per member R. I. Foundation effort.

 

 

 

 

The President then reported that he had been reliably informed that the Roger Sherman Inn is back on the market.  He and several of his henchmen had recently approached Southend about hosting our weekly meetings in the event that a transaction occurs.  This is a viable possibility and Eric will continue to investigate other potential venues and communicate his progress to us.

 

Former Assistant District Governor Ben then reported on a current initiative under the auspices of R. I. called Rotary Means Business which is being developed by the Stamford Club, hopefully to include "the four clubs," one would assume Greenwich, Darien, NC.  Maybe Norwalk, Wilton?  One must be a current Rotarian to participate, but the purpose, contrary to the traditional Club, would be business networking.  More to come.

 

Finally Eric mentioned that the Newtown Rotary Club has issued the Newtown Challenge to raise funds to bring foreign children requiring cardiac surgery to the U.S. for their operations.  We expect to hear more on this initiative as well. 

 

With that, Mike Hobbs gave a brief version of the Masai version of the origin of the world and a glimpse into their nutritional sustenance.  The general impression appeared to be that this had been one announcement too many and the meeting adjourned.

 

Dr. Livingston