The magnolias and forsythia are in full bloom . . . April 30, 2015

April 30, 2015

 

The magnolias and forsythia are in full bloom, the crocuses, daffodils and jonquils have bloomed, the temperature has turned balmy and President Eric is a short-timer.  A great day for a Rotary meeting!  As we approached the Roger we were greeted by a new pressed concrete sidewalk replacing its unsafe and unsightly deteriorating flagstone predecessor.  Realizing that we would not meet formally for two weeks [Golden Putter Golf Tournament at CCNC next week] a sizeable crowd showed up.

 

Four guests joined us.  Carolyn Clark brought Christina Blair for the second week, Leo lll brought Peter Beyarti, Bill Walbert brought Duncan Chisholm, and the piece de resistance, John Burns brought the godmother of Waveny LifeCare Network's Swinging For Seniors fund raising event, Barbara Burns. 

 

Rob Avery was bedridden recovering from overexertion after Saturday's Clean Your Mile effort.  It apparently was not the physical challenge that laid Rob low, but the emotional strain of providing leadership to a group of Rotarians, Ben Skrelunas, a couple of Boy Scouts [thank you Bemis family], Christina Blair and her son Christopher was just too stressful.  We wish him a speedy recovery.  An enthusiastic B.T. then waxed euphoric about the recent Darien meeting of Rotary Means Business and announced that the next gathering will occur at the Rotary Pavilion of the new YMCA in Westport on May 28.

 

Amy reported that she has recruited nine Rotarians to assist her in evaluating 28 applications for an aggregate $57,000 and then allocating the roughly $25,000 we have available in a way that makes the biggest positive impact in the coming year.  The volunteers will meet at the Methodist Church at 7:00 PM on May 11.  The results of their efforts will be revealed at our annual Allocations Luncheon on May 28.  Brock then announced that there is currently room for an additional five or six golfers and a requirement for more raffle items for next week's golf outing.  Help him add some contestants and put a subtle arm on your favorite restaurant, retailer or service provider to help make this year's event the most successful yet.  Remember that the proceeds go to the final push to eradicate polio from the planet – and we're this close! [My fingers are really close together].

 

Eric and John Bemis then gave a brief update on the District Conference which will be held on May 15, 16 and 17 at the Dolce Hotel and Resort in Norwalk.  John has been busy quarterbacking our contributions and participation in this important annual event.  He will send out an email dedicated to informing the membership of the schedule and  inspiring each of us to attend, thereby reinforcing the District's choice of venue in our neighborhood for the first time in memory.  Notify your spam filters to accept correspondence from John.

 

Keith and two volunteers distributed dictionaries to the enthusiastic and grateful third graders at the New Canaan Country School on Tuesday.  Future events are scheduled for East School on May 11 at 2:30, West School on May 14 at 2:50, and South School on May 15 at 2:00.  Pope Francis is still mulling the St. A's date and time.  To participate as one of Keith's elves contact him at [redacted] [don't overlook the 'e'].  As reported many times by previous participants, this is a really fun and rewarding activity.

 

Pastor Eric of the local Methodist Church then rose with his annual request for your pants!  His congregation will be making a Midnight Run to the homeless of New York City late in May and he is soliciting spring/summer weight pants and any extra shoes you may have lying around.  Actually any clothing items you think might be useful can be donated and, should they not be selected, they will be donated by him to Person To Person.

 

The Sergeant then rose and related a nuanced psychiatric anecdote.  Fines were volunteered by Fireman Fred on the occasion of his 39^th consecutive yearly climb up Mt. Washington; Amy for her daughter who is completing her third year of medical school before heading off to Wake Forest and Albert Einstein for her fourth year; Keith for a sense of the Town resolution that the movie theater building appearance not change whatever its eventual function; New Canaan Community Foundation Board Chair Leo for  yesterday's hugely successful and inspirational oversubscribed annual Spirit of New Canaan Luncheon; Fall Guy Bill Walbert in gratitude to all who contributed to and/or attended last week's Gridiron Club show; Gentle Ben for walking an initial nine holes while attempting to break the world record for a round of golf completed with the most spare body parts; B.T. for his talented 10 and 12 year old daughters' participation in a Ridgefield Theater production; Skip on the occasion of the 42^nd anniversary of his 39^th birthday; John Burns for a week in Paris without encountering any outraged Muslims; Mike Hobbs, Ken, Leo and Valerie for a wonderful Friendship Dinner evening with hosts Sandy and Mike Graf; and Scott for the transcendental experience of plucking garbage from the woods adjacent to Farm Road with Dr. John, Marty and Ben, and volunteers Christina and son Christopher Blair on Saturday.

 

For the second consecutive week Program Chair Ken rose and introduced a female graduate of Salve Regina College as our speaker.  This week it was Courtney Cotsonas Litowitz, a Victim Specialist with the New Haven FBI Office.  Twelve years ago the Bureau initiated the Victim Specialist concept with 11 trainees, four of whom remain among the 110 Bureau-wide today.  They work with victims of survivors of federal crimes such as bank robberies, shootings, terrorism, lone wolf attacks, large scale fraud, human trafficking, etc.  She has assisted in familiar situations in Sandy Hook, the Boston Marathon and Virginia Tech as well as less infamous cases.  The Bureau maintains a rapid deployment force for responding to the bigger events.  The idea is that, in addition to being the right thing to do, a well cared for witness will be more likely to be cooperative in building a case against, and convicting, a perpetrator.  She offers a helpful, supportive and sympathetic face to victims at their most vulnerable moments.  A well-delivered and informative presentation about a subject most of us had never heard of.

 

Agent Joe Rucci