High Gear, October 16, 2013
Today was one of those days when you could feel a change of weather coming. Overcast skies seemed to highlight the color of the autumn leaves. More than the recently usual number of Rotarians arrived in time to welcome Raffle Master Marc Glass back and scoot in the door in time for an Invocation by Larry Frazier. Being on time meant they received a second helping of Larry with a “how ‘bout that” story of a single good deed’s effect on history.
My favorite lunch was served: salad (not that), chicken pot pie (that!), and chocolate apple sauce cake (that! that!).
You know how your fellow Rotarians are always there for you? Well, forget it! President George, even though our only guest was our guest speaker, still made Gimp Glass
get up to lead the Welcome Song at the south end of the hall. And then, because his lack of sympathy wasn’t evident enough, the Prez pointed out that Yvette “Madonna” Roming was not too mobile either and so she could lead the song from the north end of the room.
Marc states he can still beat Neal Cunningham in a foot race. I’ll put a dollar on that.
We jumped right into Announcements and Caring Moments: 
Brian Liss was up to double duty again informing us that the deadline for registering to attend the Foundation Dinner on November 7th has been extended to October 31. Dinner costs $42, is at Chez Josef in Agawam, and is the night that Rick Lawrence from the Manchester Club will be recognized for the Guatemala Water Project. Brian then switched out his Rotary name tag for his YMCA one and reminded us that Dan and Betty Russell are hosting the kick-off fundraiser for the Y’s campaign on November 7th (same night). The YMCA is hoping to raise $40,000 on the first night. This is a good community partnership we Rotarians should consider supporting as individuals.
Past District Governor Dick Seidman is back in rehab due to a fall that injured his shoulder. He is not so good at emails these days, so please either call him or send a get well card to:
127Andabusia Way, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 (860-232-2232).
Other folks on the mend include Past President Sheryl O’Connor (unspecified surgery) and Rosemary Hogan Cunningham.
Brand new member Mike Costa is battling kidney stones. Get well soon, Mike. They say it’s like passing a watermelon.
Veterans’ Day is fast approaching. If you have time on Saturday, November 2nd, please show up at Hillside Cemetery at 8 a.m. to assist Chuck Clarke and the Patriotic Commission with placing flags on the graves of service people. All you need to bring is a long-handled screwdriver for digging the hole.
Paul Harris Fellows: please get this year’s nominations in to Jim Watts by November 6. The forms and a list of past P.H.’s are on our website. No nominations received as of this writing. You can nominate a Club member or someone from the community who exemplifies “Service Above Self”.
Sergeant-at-Arms Dan “Bean Counter” Firestone finally landed a Big One, Lionel Lessard. Lionel ante-ed up for a birthday and an anniversary - - a very lucrative catch by Mr. Firestone. Other “catches” included a 47 year Club anniversary for Larry Frazier, early birds, and late comers.
Tim Coppage (not Cooperage; not Cowpage, either Dan) contributed to the Sergeant’s bag to crow about a visit by his brand new granddaughter and two Chamber of Commerce events. October 29 at 5p.m. is a pre-auction party at City Steam in Hartford. Sounds like a good opportunity to attend a beer tasting. Then, on November 15 at 6 p.m., the Chamber is holding its annual fundraising auction with none other than Dan “Big Mouth Bass” Larson as the auctioneer. There will be wine, beer, and moonshine. Yee-haw! Present yourself at the Holiday Inn Hartford East for that event.
Thanks were extended by Greater Hartford Marathon Water Station Captain Neal Cunningham to the plethora of Rotarians and family members who helped out for the 20th year.
And then Gimp Glass, Raffle Master, who hasn’t been able to make a meeting in over a month, shows up and wins his own raffle. That should soothe the pain of leading the Welcome Song.
Our guest speaker was Neal Hagstrom of the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
Mr. Hagstrom holds a Master’s Degree in Aqua Culture and specializes in trout biology and management. His position at the State is focused on providing quality stream fisheries and fishing opportunities for everyone from seasoned anglers to families giving it a go for the first time. The State stocks our streams with 9,000 trout and ensures that these streams and rivers are a healthy environment for fish and a safe place to practice the sport for the public.
It was a very interesting presentation on the number and types of fish prevalent in our own Hockanum River (“kick ‘em, sock ‘em, throw ‘em in the Hockanum!” – East Hartford High fight song). It turns out there is good fishing in the Hock and its tributaries all the way from its beginning at Shenipsit Lake in Ellington right down to the Connecticut River. There’s Common Carp (State record is 43 lbs.), Small Mouth Bass, and Danny Larson, I mean, Big Mouth Bass. There’s Trout and River Herring, too. All of it is edible with the exception of fish caught in Union Pond due to its historical use of industrial chemicals. Bring on the tartar sauce!
Next week we may have as many as 30 guests for Youth Vocational Service Day. Come early to grab a seat!
Peace,
Empress of the World