It is hard to imagine for us New Englanders that it is already March and we did not have much of a winter. Although the sun was out today, there was a chill in the air. So please hold off for just a while before you take out your shorts. President Marc's opening bell was impressive. So was his presidential style of leadership in leading us to the Rotary Song and the Pledge of Alligence. Ceil Collins, filling in for Ted Mosebach, gave the invocation that no matter how many times you have heard it, always sounds fresh and true to what Rotary is all about.
By now we are so conditioned to marching towards the buffet lunch that I do not even remember if President Marc said we could. Laid out for us at the buffet table were platters of mash potatoes, baby carrots, meatloaf, salad and bread followed by apple pie and vanilla ice cream. We had our usual challenge with the age old task of getting the dressing to come out of the bottle and landing where we wanted it. That is enough detail.
Steve Jacoby introduced Rev. Jean Taylor, our only guest besides the speaker. John and Sheryl O'Connor led the welcome song. Any Rotary rules against spouses singing together in a meeting? I guess not.
George Schoen, Sergeant At Arms for March was happy to report that business was really good because:
- Bill Saunders is happy that folks are taking interest in leadership roles.
- The O'Connors will be vacationing and deep sea diving in Curacao. Wonder what is lurking under the water?
- Kevin Kickery's son has been promoted to the position of Director at Epsilon.
- Birthdays for John O'Connor, Neal Cunningham and Bob Wood. You can imagine how the song went.
- No pin, later comers and early leavers.
Announcements and Reports:
- President Marc thanked Jim Watts for donating the podium and said how good he looks standing behind it.
- Peter Klock reported about the typhoon in the Fiji Islands and only two cases of Polio in Pakistan. A new injectible vaccine is being developed. We are so
close to eradicating this menace.
- Alex Wisz reported the commencement of planning for the Duck Race to take place on June 12, 2016.
- Bill Saunders reported that 22 out of 24 leadership positions have been filled. He appealed for volunteers for the Membership Committee.
- PETS Conference will take place next week.
- Paul Harris Dinner will be on April 13, 2016.
- President Marc, assisted by Sheryl O'Connor, presented the Paul Harris pin and certificate to none other than her partner in ....John O'Connor.
- Sheryl reported that the Scholarship Trust Fund is doing well and fulfilling its intended mission. She left a handout with more details on each table.
President Marc must have been so enamored by the effect of the new podium that he skipped the raffle and moved on the the introduction of our guest speaker. He then rewound the tape and allowed Ned Lynch, our last week's winner, to pull out #492 for Dan Firestone. Dan made a 180 as he was heading to the podium to introduce the speaker.
Lene Brunn from Denmark has been in the United States for a couple of years along with her husband who works for
Lego and her children.
Lene made an interesting presentation about a movement called "Cycling Without Age." Started in Denmark, the movement has now spread to many cities around the world including West Hartford. Volunteers pedal a power assisted rickshaw, giving slow rides to the residents of elderly care facilities to allow them to "Get Wind in their Hair." Most of these folks rarely get out of their facilities to experience the outdoors, share their stories, have an ice cream, smell the flowers, listen to the street noises, just to name a few. What a wonderful concept.
Lene will be returning to Denmark soon but our own Dan Firestone is a "pilot" licensed by this organization who can lead the movement.
