High Gear, October 2, 2013
Um, folks? Um, is anybody out there? Only asking because we had what I think is a record LOW attendance today. Twenty-nine, count ‘em, 29 stalwart Rotarians presented themselves for today’s meeting. So I guess I’ll have to tell you what you missed on a beautiful, not quite Indian Summer, afternoon.
With the gong of the bell by President George, a moving invocation was read by Dan Firestone. The phrase that stuck with me was, “reach beyond yourself to
others.”
We really saved some work for Krause’s servers since it was a help yourself buffet. The menu was bountiful: roast loin of pork, stuffed boneless chicken, sweet potatoes, roasted autumn veggies, cranberry sauce, and a very pretty tomato- with-mozzarella salad. Dessert was also help yourself: four kinds of cookies. Official confession here: I ate everything, I mean everything, and two cookies. But due to our meager number there was still plenty for seconds. Had to be rolled out to my car.
We got off to a slightly disorganized start due to missing members (we miss you, Marc Glass). Thanks to Bill Saunders for jumping in at the raffle station and to Bob Buettner for doing the same with the Sergeant-at-Arms duties. I guess the change of month took him by surprise but, what the hey, there weren’t too many of us to fine so all’s well that end’s well. Might as well tell you now that our raffle winner was Brian Gorman. Don’t spend it all in one place, Bri.
Sgt. Bob had collections from the usual late arriver (initials Steve Jacoby) and some early leavers. He also announced a donation from Bill Saunders in honor of his Pittsburgh Pirates making the playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
We had no guests beyond our guest speaker, State Atty. General George Jepsen, and his young staff person/driver, Robert Blanchard, but that didn’t stop President George from asking Anwar Hossain and Dan Larson to lead us in the “Welcome Song”. I love to watch the faces of unsuspecting guests when we launch into that serenade. It usually moves from mystification to bemusement.
Many announcements to report. Hope I got everything right as I ricocheted between Treasurer and High Gear duties: 
Gil Wishart has been asked to make an early decision on a date for attending a Spring 2014 Rock Cats game. Mark your calendar now. We convene at the stadium on lucky Friday, June 13 to watch a game against the Trenton Yankees. Doug Willett was heard to utter something about elevating the level of competition, or words to that effect. He gets to edit High Gear so who knows what this paragraph will read like in its final form! He’ll have plenty of time to make changes since his darling Stinkees are out of it. (Editor’s Note: “how sharper than a serpent’s tooth, it is to have…”.)
Our “Koats for Kids” program provided winter wear for 71 needy children at a cost to our Club of less than $3,000. We have been informed that 30 children could not be served this year through this effort with the Town of East Hartford’s Social Services Department and Burlington Coat Factory. Perhaps the Rotary Board will consider increasing our support next year. Let your wishes be known.
Jim Watts would like all past Paul Harris recognition recipients to go on our website to download the recommendation form for this year’s nominees. Paul Harris Fellows are asked to meet on the first Wednesday in November to vote. We traditionally announce recipients at the holiday party (hint, I overheard that the date this year will be December 18).
Golf Committee Members please report to the Ridge at 11:45am next Wednesday (the 9th) for the post mortem. Anyone with comments or suggestions is welcome to pass them along to Bill Saunders for presentation to the Committee.
Dan Russell let us all know that there will be a free concert at the East Hartford Community Cultural Center this weekend by the Yale “Whiffenpoofs”.
Peter Klock is running another fruit sale.
This year’s orders will not include apples but will feature pecans in addition to the grapefruit and oranges with which we are familiar. He will be taking sign-ups for the next two weeks. Delivery is planned in early December.
Peter also re-circulated up to the podium to give us a Rotary Foundation Moment. The humor of his introduction was much appreciated as was his attempt at hand signals to indicate how very close we are to eradicating Polio. The giving slogan is, “Every Rotarian, Every Year”. When you hear that we are 99.99% close to accomplishing our goal, and that our major Bookmobile donation this past year was made possible with the assistance of two clubs from India with matching District and Foundation grants, you can see how our contributions make a difference and come home to roost locally.
Thanks to our members stepping forward (that’s what we do), approximately 30 students will be able to job shadow working adults and join us for lunch on October 23rd. Steve Jacoby tells us we will also have 10 student advisors with us that day so plan on a full house. The caterer has been warned!
And last but not least in the realm of announcements: Neal Cunningham has championed our cause to register with the Marathon folks despite computer glitches. We will be running a Water Station on Saturday, October 12. More details on that will be available at next week’s meeting.
Our speaker, Attorney General George Jepsen, was introduced by Dan Firestone. The A.G. gave a very informative overview of his agency and handled our questions adeptly. Some fun facts: the A.G.’s Office has 210 lawyers on staff handling 54,000 cases per year. 
Almost 14,000 of these cases involve issues from the State of CT’s Department of Children and Families. Other areas include Consumer Protection, Public Safety, and the Office of Civil Rights. Their major function is to defend the State when sued or to look out for our interests in areas such as conspiracy to fix prices.
Two topics into which Mr. Jepsen delved more in-depth were a major mortgage foreclosure settlement case with 20 other states and an unfair trade practices case concerning Apple and five major publishing houses charged with price fixing e-books.
That office is responsible for a non-partisan approach to giving Connecticut citizens confidence that our government is working on their behalf. Nice to know how are tax dollars are spent in defense of our common good.
Before closing I’d like to let you all know that our District Governor, Mike Barnett, is scheduled to visit East Hartford next week on the 9th. Be sure to show up looking spiffy. Most of all, please show up!
Until next week,
The Empress (that’s Mary Martin to you rookies)