After the monthly board meeting, attended by board members and Ceil, our members at large gathered at our usual place.
Marc and Alex joined us via zoom. Attending in person were sixteen Rotarians and two guests from the E. Hartford School system, Michelle Texidor and Superintendent Thomas Anderson. As usual we took our seats at the u-shaped seating arrangement facing the podium and the screen. This arrangement, I feel, provides a feeling of togetherness compared to groups of individual tables.
Exactly at noon, President Rob, back from Florida with a tan, rang the bell. The Pledge of Allegiance was followed by the reading of the 4-Way Test. Your scribe delivered the invocation about Service Above Self, the Rotary Motto.
Our guests then led us to the lunch table consisting of Arugula salad with grilled chicken, Pasta with traditional sauce and meatballs, Pizza with eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and ricotta, Focaccia bread, Eggplant grinder (without cheese) and Diana’s salad. The remarkable improvements in our lunch menu have not gone unnoticed by our members. Let’s hope that our modest lunch money can sustain such variety and quality.
President Rob welcomed our guests. Superintendent Anderson reported that the East Hartford School system has hired two vendors who will assist in introducing AI in the middle and high school classes. AI can be a learning tool if used in an informed manner. He also indicated that the two senators from CT were able to secure a $730,000 grant to establish a state of the arts manufacturing lab.
Your scribe then introduced our guest speaker, Mariana Zeidler, joining us over zoom from Lincolnshire Morning Star Club, Lincolnshire, IL. The topic was Rotary global grants that fund projects all over the globe consisting of but not limited to clean water, sanitation, medical care and agriculture. With help from NGOs and other partner organizations, these projects have uplifted the physical, educational and social well being of people in many countries. Due to time constraints, we were unable to have a Q&A session. However, anyone interested in more information can contact her at rotarymari@yahoo.com
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Jim Watts provided an update about the Paul Harris Dinner event. All Award winners have been contacted and their availability has been confirmed. In lieu of our Club meeting that day, the event will take place on April 23rd at 6pm starting with cocktails and followed by dinner at 7:00 pm at Maneely's Catering in South Windsor at the Lodge. He will not charge for the facility and it will be a cash bar. Cost is $60 per person. Ceil will coordinate menu options, sign-ups and payments. Recipients would provide pictures and a brief bio to George to be included in the program. George/Peg will prepare the program sheet and will submit the paperwork to the District.
- Bob provided an update on the golf tournament. The date is June 9 at Topstone in South Windsor. So far two foursomes have signed up. A couple of tee signs are also in place. Bob will be sending out a Save the Date mailing on the 15th of this month to all past participants. Rob will also send out the announcement to people in his database. Cost will be $200 per person. George will send an electronic version to the Board members. Ray will assist Bob as the co-chair. Next golf committee meeting will be next Wednesday at 3 Pent Road at 10:45 AM.
CARING MOMENTS
- Bev is at home from her recent hospital stay.
- Herb Tischofer is in the Hospice Program and is not expected to last much longer.
- John Larson has recovered from the adverse reactions to a change inmedication and is out of the hospital.
Signing off for the week, your scribe for this month, Anwar Hossain. Wishing you all a good week.
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