The dining room at the Ridge was filled this afternoon.  It was Job Shadow Day and approximately fifteen high school students learned first hand about different vocations by talking with Rotarians and following them as they worked.  Some East Hartford police, firefighters, and town hall employees also volunteered to be a part of the program.  I too was willing to participate but there were no students who aspired to be retired local church pastors.

 

               Chicken parm was served today and President Marc let all the high school students go first.  I was a little tense because a lot of teenagers eat even more than I do but our caterers made plenty and there were even enough cookies left for Ned Lynch to eat as many as he wanted.

 

               Brian Gorman introduced guest Collin Foote and Mary Martin introduced Christina Lessard, again sans Lionel. Christina will receive Rotary Information and then in two weeks become a member of the club, assuming she passes a 7 day comment period.  Recommending her will be Lionel.  He says the most important thing to know about Christina is that she will regularly attend meetings.

 

President Marc introduced Frank Collins as a Rotary big shot and Frank described for our guests a bit about who we are as Rotarians and what we do. He explained how Rotary began in Chicago 111 years ago and the first service project for that initial club was to provide a horse for a community doctor. Maybe we could provide a Cadillac for Tom Galvin.

 

               I guess President Marc wanted to show off for all our guests and so to lead us in the Welcome Song he asked Art Bradbury for his voice and George Schoen for his moves.

 

               Our periodic Sgt @ Arms this month, Neal Cunningham, put on the squeeze. He got Dick McCarthy for an anniversary, and Brian Gorman and Dave Amberg for birthdays.  Bob Wood paid in honor of Neal Cunningham’s return north and Nick Cecere put in a buck for his own going south. Dick McCarthy celebrated the birth of two great grand nieces and Ned Lynch made a contribution because he is starting the Pablo Sandoval diet.

 

               Dan Larson reported that Loren (Andy) Andreo is doing well and looking strong and would love to be back among us soon.  It would be great to see you again, Andy! Take care and get well and God bless!

 

               The students who participated in the club’s Job Shadow were a wonderful group of teenagers!  Once again I was impressed with the fact that East Hartford has some fantastic young people and the high school as well as the entire school district is a tremendous resource for the town. After hearing from our job shadow guests about how they benefited and what they learned through spending the morning with our club members, President Marc dismissed the students because their busses arrived. However, club members were required to remain behind, and President Marc said he had a joke, which statement received uproarious laughter from the club. The joke not so much. It was a sad tale, really, about cat food and tuna fish and President Marc, as a boy, getting them confused. Still, he grew to become President of East Hartford Rotary, which goes to show¾he may be sneaky, but not fishy.

 

               Have a fantastic week!

 

               Ted Mosebach