High Gear, December 4, 2019

Posted by Anwar Hossain on Dec 04, 2019
Having just returned from a family Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, the sight of the high snowbanks, so early in the season, was a truly a surprise. It reminded me once again that we live in New England. Perhaps that explained the light turnout of 19 and one guest.
After the Rotary Song and the Pledge-of-Allegiance, Art Bradbury gave a thoughtful invocation about Rotary being the place for fellowship, comraderies, blessings and service to others.
Box lunches with a variety of meat choices, packets of chips and hermetically sealed chocolate brownies greeted us at the buffet table. Some folks went for the yellow gel-packs, most probably mustard, to enhance the taste of their choice of sandwiches. I must mention that our guest speaker today made an unsolicited comment about how good the lunch was compared to many other lunch meetings that she attends regularly.
CORRECTIONS:
Marc noted that the High Gear last week should have spelled “Salisbury” and “Randy Chappell.”  If I got it wrong, Bob Wood will be making the corrections next week when he returns to assume his position as the scribe for the month.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
  1. Board meeting is on Tuesday December 10. All are welcome.
  2. Rotary Builds Business is on December 10 at Hawk Ridge Winery, 28 Plungis Road, Watertown, CT.
  3. Mr. Xin is our guest speaker on December 11 and so is our Annual Meeting.
  4. Holiday Party is on December 18.
  5. No meetings on December 25, 2019 and January 1, 2020.
SEARGENT-AT-ARMS REPORT:
Jack Sayre indicated that his business today could be compared to today’s weather. President Bob paid for ????, Neal Cunningham for “just being here”, Larry Hangland for “wish me luck”, Bill Saunders for PA State Football and Jim Watts for the Phillies being in 2nd Place.
Jack Sayre also gave us the following pointers for the Bell Ringing starting this Saturday.
  1. He handed out a customized schedule to each volunteer with his or her name highlighted for the time(s) and day(s).
  2. Make sure that the designated student is there. If not, move the kettle to the Rotary location.
  3. Toilets are in the rear of Stop and Shop.
  4. The last Rotarian for the day is to collect kettles, aprons, signs and bells.
There were no caring moments.
Your scribe introduced Deborah M. Bain, who is the Founder and Managing Director of Prism Health Advocates. She is a retired trauma nurse with forty years of experience in health care. She gave a few pointers about how to navigate our complex healthcare system. She strongly recommended for everyone not to take anything at face value, advised us to ask pertinent questions and not leave the medical venues until the answer is clearly understood. “Take notes and keep it one place,” she said. For more information about the much-needed services that she provides, go to www.PrismHealthAdvocates.com
Anwar Hossain filling in for Bob Wood.