Even at noon time today there was a chill in the air. This entire week in CT has been under a deep freeze.
I am not sure if the weather was the reason for a lean attendance today. Ceil was our Treasurer filling in for George.
Ten of us, along with Marc joining us remotely, rose up at the opening bell and recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the 4-Way Test.
Invocation today was delivered by Charles. The theme was appropriate and timely. Since many of you were not present, I am copying it in the HG.
“Let us gather here today, open of mind and heart. Let us acknowledge the strength within ourselves and the interconnectedness of all beings. May we approach this gathering with respect, curiosity, and a spirit of open-mindedness. May we listen deeply to one another, and may our words be spoken with honesty and kindness. Let us strive for understanding and seek solutions that benefit all. Let us honor the wisdom of our experiences and the potential for growth that lies within each of us. And may this gathering be a source of inspiration and a catalyst for positive change.”
Our lunch today consisted of Pear salad with poached Anjou pears over baby spinach, goat cheese, candied spiced walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette, Penne with Alfredo sauce and grilled chicken, Eggplant rollatini, Margherita pizza, Focaccia bread and a cookie platter from Diana’s kitchen.
President Rob restarted the meeting, reminding us of the need to bring guests. He then got into the fun part of the meeting-weekly trivia. The questions were, obviously, about winter. Charles and Guy were the winners today.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Ceil indicated that we need to find an alternate location for the Holiday Party this year, since Minnelli requires a minimum of 75 guests.
- Paul Harris Recognition will be held on April 23, 2025 at Minnelli’s. Ceil will start the signup process in March.
- Bob had rescheduled the Golf Committee meeting to next Wednesday at 10:30, so Ray didn’t have any updates.
- Anwar reported that seven of us attended the FoodShare event on Monday and sorted well over two thousand pounds of fruits and vegetables.
- Ceil and Hope talked about having some kind of social event in April such as attending a comedy night or a play. Anwar reported that the Little Theatre of Manchester offers free admission to the final dress rehearsal on Thursday night before a show opens on Friday. The next show is 9-5 Musical and the final dress rehearsal will be on April 10, 2025 at 7:30 at Cheney Hall on Hartford Road in Manchester.
- Guy will attend the next meeting of the Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce. Our club will continue our membership with the chamber.
- Marc will be away at the next two meetings. President Rob will manage zoom in his absence.
- Charles will have his wife give a presentation on the shoe donation program that Rotary Club of Bridgeport sponsors. Our club might consider a similar program either in lieu of or in addition to the Koats-for-Kids program.
- Today's raffle winner was Ray who, sad to say, didn’t pull the Ace of Spades from the ever shrinking deck of cards. Be assured that Ceil has done an “independent” audit and confirmed that the Ace of Spades is indeed in the deck. The jackpot keeps getting bigger and bigger.
CARING MOMENTS
- Guy attended the funeral ceremony of Herb Tischofer and heard heartwarming eulogies from his family and friends.
- Ray stated that our congressman John Larson is recovering at home from his recent medical episode.
- President Rob asked us to send positive vibes and prayers to his wife who is having a follow up with her oncologist today. She is a cancer survivor. Our collective prayers and prayers are with her.
President Rob had invited two guests, Curtis Karivki and Dylan Culani from Sunday Energy, who showed up as we were wrapping up. However, they gave a brief presentation about a program in CT where qualified homeowners can get solar panels installed at no cost and will pay a reduced cost for the electricity consumption.
The meeting ended at 1:00.
Signing off for the week, your scribe for the month of February, Anwar Hossain
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