Rotary Club of Norwich
April 28th, 2021
Location-ZOOM Meeting
THE RONE
Presiding: President Mary Richardson
Invocation: Gary Young gave a very inspiring invocation that he will be giving for the National Day of Prayer next week.
Fellowship: Barry Shead
Birthdays: No Birthday’s
Anniversaries: Manny Kadish-28 years, Mike Gordon-38 years & Andy Grant-19 years
Visiting Rotarians: None
Guests: None
Barry gave an interesting fellowship starting with birthdays of 2 historic figures in history. On this day in 1908 Oskar Schindler was born. Schindler was a German industrialist and a member of the Nazi Party who is credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories in occupied Poland and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Also, born on this date in 1926, Harper Lee, an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird was born. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. Lee published only two books, yet she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007 for her contribution to literature. Barry then told some really corny jokes from the AARP and dedicated them to Nancy Gentes and Ray Baribeault.
Announcements:
*Mary Richardson had the following announcements:
*The Happy Dollars committee that awarded $1,000.00 to a needy family for the purchase of a washer/dryer has been completed and the appliances are now in place.
*Next week the club will be meeting in a “Hybrid” mode and in-person meetings will start at the Courtyard Marriott on May 5th. Members can also log on for ZOOM as well if they cannot attend the meeting at the Courtyard. For the time being meals will not be provided, so feel free to bring your own lunch if you like.
*If you know of anyone who would be a good speaker at one of our Rotary Meetings contact Bob Farwell or Kevin Wickless. Speakers can be done virtual (ZOOM) as well if needed.
*President Mary reminded members take up Susy Hurlbert’s challenge and invite guests to our meetings.
*Gary Young reminded us that the Rotary Golf Tournament will be on September 1st.
*The Madonna Place Trivia Challenge will take place on April 30th. Norwich Rotary has two teams entered, “The Nerds” and the “Know Nothing’s!”
*Jim Daly and his Nomination Committee will have a report soon.
*The $3,000.00 for the Diaper Project is now in and the first installment of 23,000 diapers will be distributed to Madonna Place and St. Vincent DePaul. The 2nd installment with a matching grant will go to TVCCA and Thames River Family Program.
*The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut Foundation sent the club $1,000.00 to go toward the coat project.
*The Annual Rotary Carnival is looking into fall to hold the carnival and hope to have it back at Brown Park in Downtown Norwich.
Happy Dollars: Rodney Green
*Susy Hurlbert was happy to report she closed on her new condo and will now be a resident of Eastern Connecticut. She is also looking for some strong bodies to help her move on Saturday morning!
*Rodney Green said he is very busy in his catering business supplying meals for the incinerator plant in Preston for the next few weeks. Lunch and mid-night meals.
*Erin Gizio had compliments for fellow Rotarian Mary Richardson and her landscaping company for doing such a great job on her friend’s back yard garden and patio.
*Mary Richardson thanked Erin for the complements and said the landscaping job was especially interesting and challenging as the client was legally blind and much of the plantings were chosen for their aroma.
*Gary Young reminded members that the Norwich Arts Council will be holding a tag sale on Saturday night at the Donald Oat Theatre from 9 to 11pm. He also said he was giving blood later in the afternoon and filled up on drinking water and eating steak! He also played tennis with fellow Rotarian Stan Lucas.
*Andy Nollman said his wife is an ICU nurse and that anyone who does not agree to get the Covid vaccine shots should “Stay the *****k home!” He gets his 2nd shot on Friday!
*Jim Daly is happy the club will be meeting in-person again next week!
*Bob Reed gave for former Rotarian Lloyd Hinchey and said that his funeral yesterday was a well done tribute to a great guy and lawyer. He also gave for his absentmindedness in thinking that yesterday was Rotary day and could not log on to the meeting. That usually happends when you have the wrong day!
Auction: Rodney Green auctioned off a delicious looking Strawberry Rhubarb pie. After some spirited bidding between Susy Hurlbert and Mary Richardson the pie was won by Susy for $25.00!
Lottery: Zoom lottery took place.
Program: No Program.
Mary Richardson lead the club with the 4-way test and adjourned the meeting at 12:45pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Bob Reed – RONE Reporter