High Gear – Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Goodwin University, Admin Bldg. 417 Main St., East Hartford, CT
Opening
President Rob opened the meeting at 12 noon sharp. The room was packed, and we had to scurry to find a few extra seats. We began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by an invocation from Rob.
Lunch
Lunch featured the usual favorites—pasta, salad, and pizza.
Raffle
Due to the much-anticipated raffle, we went straight to the drawing. With only four cards left, excitement was high! The first number called belonged to Neal Cunningham. Four cards left—what are the odds? Sorry, Neal—no luck this week. Next week there will be just three cards remaining!
Trivia
Rob’s trivia focused on seeds this week. Marc, Jack, and Anwar had all the right answers.
Club Updates and Announcements
Pollinator Garden: Sue visited the pollinator garden and noted that EHRC donated the benches there. Currently, there is no signage recognizing our club’s contribution. The Lions Club has signage for their donation, so we’ll work to get recognition in place.
Marathon Water Station: Saturday’s water station was a success! Several Rotarians were on hand, filling cups as fast as they could.
Bomba Socks: Anwar reported that the shipment has been delayed again and is now expected by the end of October. When the 30 boxes arrive, quick pickup would be appreciated due to limited storage space.
Food Bank: The next volunteer date is Monday, October 21, at Food Share, 440 Adams Street, Manchester, from 1:00–3:30 PM. Questions can be directed to Anwar.
District Brunch: Sunday, November 2.
Club Schedule:
• No meeting on November 5.
• Speakers on November 12 and November 19.
• No meeting on November 26 (Thanksgiving week).
Polio Update: Peter shared a brief update on global polio eradication efforts. There have been 35 new cases reported this year—more than in recent years.
Paul Harris Nominations: Jim Watts is accepting nominations for Paul Harris Fellows. Please send your suggestions to him soon.
Holiday Party: The date is still to be determined, but members suggested joining a community event similar to last year’s.
Bell Ringing: Bell ringing for the Salvation Army will take place on the four Saturdays after Thanksgiving at Cabela’s (right next to the doughnuts!) from 9 AM to 5 PM. Jack will have signups soon. We plan to include high school volunteers again this year, provided they have a chaperone. Non-Rotarian adults (21 and over) are also welcome to help.
Closing
It’s a busy time of year for the club, but our spirit and enthusiasm remain strong!
Submitted by Bob, scribe for the week.
