High Gear, September 25, 2019

Posted by Sue Klock on Sep 25, 2019
 
Another beautiful day here at the Ridge.
 
Past President Bill Saunders did a great job filling in for Bob Buettner, ringing the bell promptly at 12:15.  Following the pledge, Bob Wood delivered a thoughtful invocation urging us all to work for peace and remember the Rotary motto Service Above Self.
 
Lunch was pizza and a mixed green salad with vinaigrette dressing.  We were cautioned to limit ourselves to one piece on the first pass by the buffet table to avoid running out.  Despite some mumbling and grumbling the group managed to stick to that, and Jack Sayre remains in charge of our lunch offerings.
 
Guests today were Dan Firestone’s wife, Hope, and our program presenter, Carolyn Brodginski.  George and Art led us in a creditable version of our welcome song.
 
Marc Glass served as Sergeant-at-Arms.  Great to welcome Marc back from a successful week at GETS (Governors-elect Training Seminar) and the Zone 24/32 Institute in Niagara Falls, Canada.  Marc reported on numerous, humorous comments about sports teams.  Wes Willett paid to celebrate successfully renting his home.  Peter Klock contributed so we all happily sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
 
Bill read a letter from our past member and past president Bill Flynn. He commented that he has been enjoying “reading in High Gear about all the great things [we] are doing.  This inspired him to make a $500 contribution to our charitable fund.  Past President Bill continued that he is thrilled that his daughter, Mary, a social worker and Director of Development for Hospice St. Francis of Brevard County (Florida) will be joining the Viera Rotary Club.  To a great extent this is a result of her having attended some of our club meetings with dad Bill when she was in High School here and then while attending college at “a small distinguished, liberal arts college in Maine.  Wonderful example of a Rotary membership success story!
 

We were reminded about Thursday’s anti-opioid effort at Intercommunity Health where President Bob and others will be handing out 50 kits capable of dissolving pills frequently found in households.  This will be between 4 and 6 PM.

 

Anwar is once again gathering a team of our members to help at the Food Bank in Bloomfield this Monday, September 30th.

Neal Cunningham reported he has 19 volunteers signed up to help at our water station for the Hartford Marathon.  Volunteers should arrive by 7 AM.

 

Peter Klock wanted to clarify the cause of the one case of polio in the Philippines; it was a vaccine-derived case rather than a case caused by the wild polio virus.  After some discussion about various vaccines – problems and effectiveness – we also talked a bit more about the problem of water issues at the heart of many childhood illnesses.  In Addition to the effort to eradicate polio worldwide remaining the primary effort of The Rotary Foundation, we also have clean water and sanitation as one of the Foundation’s Six Areas of Focus.  Doug Willett mentioned that he has been watching a three-part series on Netflix titled “Inside Bill Gates Brain.”  The second segment of the series focuses on polio.  Sounds like a documentary we should all watch.

 

Raffle winners:  regular raffle was won by Art Bradbury; the flower raffle was won by Neal Cunningham.

 

Anwar Hossain introduced our presenter today, Carolyn Brodginski, explaining that he met her while visiting his sister when she was a patient at St. Francis Hospital.  He saw Carolyn in the hallway with her dulcimer and asked what she was doing.  Turns out Carolyn is a licensed “Certified Music Practitioner” and works part time for the Integrated Medicine Department at St. Francis.  After learning quite a bit about her experiences and the effectiveness of music in a clinical setting, we were treated to her playing one of her original songs.  This was an informative and enjoyable program.  Thanks to Anwar for bringing it to us.

 

Submitted by Sue Klock, Rotarian