High Gear - August 23, 2023

Noon – President Bob led the pledge.

Sue Klock ‘s invocation, encouraging Rotary’s efforts to achieve peace, even when peace remains far-off, was a poem by Emily Dickinson, ‘I Many Times Thought Peace Had Come’.

While awaiting lunch and dealing with Zoom challenges, President Bob reported on results from the special Board meeting immediately preceding the regular club meeting today.

Welcome Back Pat Gately

One of three membership proposals was acted upon, re-admitting Pat Gately to membership in our club without any delay caused by the regular membership review process. Pat is a long-time Rotarian who was a member of this club previously and left in good standing. The other two proposed members will be invited to info sessions in September and then will be introduced to the club.

The other item on the board’s agenda was the how to fund the cost of two benches proposed as an addition to the pollinator garden project in DePietro Park at the northeast corner of the intersection of Silver Lane and Forbes Street.

Previously approved funds for the project include $1000 for plants. The two benches will cost an additional $1200. The board approved designating the $500 raffle prize our club won at the recent district golf tournament, and though paying the balance from our charitable account, asking club members to consider personally donating toward a fund within our Charitable Account for the benches. Anyone wishing to contribute should send checks to our club treasurer, George Schoen, P.O. Box 380035, East Hartford, CT 06138-0035. Checks should be made out to The Charitable Fund of East Hartford Rotary Club, with a note on the check that the donation is intended to help pay for the benches at the pollinator garden.

Ceil mentioned she spent several hours last week helping to pack backpacks for East Hartford students and then helping hand them out on Thursday. Our club’s board previously approved donating $3000 from our charitable fund to support this project.

In Caring Moments, President Bob mentioned the passing of Mary Lou Kupchunos, wife of a former member of our club Walter Kupchunos. Her obituary was in Saturday’s Journal Inquirer.

Everyone present was happy to see Guy LaBella join us with several very large pizza boxes and other lunch items. Thanks to Guy for continuing to deliver lunches for our meetings at Goodwin, but a reminder to all the folks who enjoyed the lunch. You are asked to let Guy know IN ADVANCE, NO LATER THAN MIDDAY TUESDAY, THE DAY BEFORE THE MEETING, if you plan to eat lunch. Alert Guy by email, GLABELLA@GOODWIN.EDU, cell phone or text, (860) 604-0026.

Scholarship Recipient Looking Forward to UCONN

Immediately after lunch, with both Zoom and our Owl up and running, thanks to Goodwin IT staff, Connor Martin joined us to thank everyone who served on last year’s scholarship committee, and to introduce one of this year’s scholarship recipients, Victoria Silva-Soto. Victoria will be attending UConn, which she admitted was not her first choice, but it is a close second and she’s looking forward to moving into Northwest, one of the better freshman dorms (her words) this Friday. She plans to be an education major due to her enjoying working with youth. Victoria is delightful, and we owe Connor a huge thanks for arranging her visit with us.

The meeting ended at 12:50.

Next week our meeting will be in Room 311, the invocation will be delivered by Ray Maselek, Alex Wisz will write High Gear.

Also, next week. and for the foreseeable future, Zoom meeting access is--

ID. 87569712094. and PW. ehrc will be used to sign in.

Sue Klock, substituting for Alex Wisz