Wednesday’s meeting was brimming with Rotarians. They were chatty and jovial. Perhaps the weather and some scheduled for golf had to do with the attitude. It was great to see as we milled about. And there he was—a sight that is rarely seen! Steve Jacoby was early. Now for those of you who don’t know, we collect every week from Steve for being late. This week someone said we should collect because he’s early. Fun and games at the Ridge.

Conversation went long and the bell finally rung. A song and pledge were nailed by the throng. Sue Klock gave an impromptu invocation that emphasized Rotarian spirit throughout the world. She held up her polio vial for all to see as a testament to the work we have done across the globe. Off to lunch. The food was adequate. Chicken with rice, mixed vegetables from a can and a nice salad. For those not fighting the last belt loop, the carrot cake was tasty. We sat and had adult conversations that filled the room. Again a nice crowd fully engaged.

President Dave made some announcements:

1.       Rotary International was picked as the Best Not For Profit in the world.

2.       September 29^th is a service day for an event Bob Buettner is working on. Stay tuned.

3.       June 20^th is the next Golf Committee meeting.

4.       Sargeant of Arms summer picnic will move to August 8^th. This is a change from a prior announcement.

5.       The Mystery ride is Saturday, June 2^nd at 5 PM sharp. Show up and hop on board as there is plenty of room. You may have to brown bag it though.

As there was no Sargeant of Arms today, it was decided to have “tiny” Marc Glass circle the tables and muscle the Rotarians for Happy Dollars. This was a success as the outpouring from pockets seemed substantial. I cannot list them all as my time is limited (writing this at 3:30 PM on Friday). To summarize:

1.       Yankee and Red Sox fans will always put their money where their mouth is.

2.       George Agnelli’s 39^th Birthday.

3.       That lacrosse team from Wesleyan (featuring Ned Lynch’s son and Steve Jacoby’s grandson) won the national championship in Foxboro—awesome!

4.       Neil Cunningham came home from France.

5.       Ceil and Frank Collins are off to Texas for a couple of weeks.

6.       The Klock’s will have a grandson visiting from France.

7.       President Dave’s grandson graduated from Harvard.

This writer pulled my Uncle Dick McCarthy’s ticket for the raffle. I think he did well, Aunt Jean, if you’re reading this.

We then were introduced to our speaker, Rick Lawrence, to talk about the Guatemala Water Project. I seem to remember doing High Gear last year when he spoke. The support by our own club, the district, and Rotary International has helped so many villages have clean water. In addition the funds help provide for sanitation, cooking and latrines for the natives. A very informative slide show complimented Rick’s remarks. A picture does tell a thousand words.

See you next week as we gather again.

Kevin Kickery