Presiding: President Mr. Jim
Invocation: Barry
Fellowship: Bob Farwell recommended seeing Peter Jackson’s WWI documentary film, They Shall Not Grow Old and shared Philip Larkin’s poem MCMXIV.
Those long uneven lines
Standing as patiently
As if they were stretched outside
The Oval or Villa Park,
The crowns of hats, the sun
On moustached archaic faces
Grinning as if it were all
An August Bank Holiday lark;
And the shut shops, the bleached
Established names on the sunblinds,
The farthings and sovereigns,
And dark-clothed children at play
Called after kings and queens,
The tin advertisements
For cocoa and twist, and the pubs
Wide open all day;
And the countryside not caring:
The place-names all hazed over
With flowering grasses, and fields
Shadowing Domesday lines
Under wheat’s restless silence;
The differently-dressed servants
With tiny rooms in huge houses,
The dust behind limousines;
Never such innocence,
Never before or since,
As changed itself to past
Without a word – the men
Leaving the gardens tidy,
The thousands of marriages,
Lasting a little while longer:
Never such innocence again.
Birthdays:
Not a one
Rotary Anniversaries:
Theresa and Joel, neither of whom knew which anniversary they are celebrating.
Rotarians with Guests:
- Erin brought Katrina Olender
- Bill Champagne brought Regan Miner.
Visiting Rotarians:
None
Announcements:
- Kyle reported that nominations have come in for Native Son/Daughter. The committee is meeting monthly.
- Jim thanked members who have supported the cannon restoration project and re
- Bonnie is home and up for visitors.
- The Happy Dollars Fund is available for needy recipients.
- To date, between $4,000 and $4,500 has been raised toward the coat drive’s $12,000 goal.
- Please contact Mary or Kevin with ideas for prospective speakers. We are looking for another flagpole sitter as our other one cancelled.
- The Carnival will be held at the viaduct in May.
- September 4th is the date for the golf tournament.
Happy Dollars:
Mike Gordon gave for Bob Farwell. After serving in WWI, Gummo Marx no longer entertained with his brothers.
Barry and Gary visited Bonnie. Michael Aliano sent an ambulance to Cleveland to transport Bonnie home to Norwich.
Gary with wishes for Bonnie.
Stan gave for Romer and Gary.
Theresa invited Rotarians to join her at Martin House’s Snowflake Dinner fundraiser on February 28th.
Joel gave for the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day during the March 6th meeting. The entertainment will be fabulous!
Auction:
$20 was donated in lieu of an item.
Lottery:
Jim picked for Mary, Paul picked for himself and Mary picked for Jim; they all missed.
Program:
Bill and Regan provided an update on the current activities of the Norwich Historical Society. Bill talked about the early days in 2001 when the Society was founded, the opening of the Visitor’s Center and the ten-panel Discover Norwich exhibit. Regan provided an update on Walk Norwich, a pedestrian advocacy movement in Norwich. The four Walk Norwich trails are Uncas Leap, Benedict Arnold, Millionaires Triangle and the Freedom Trail. Of the 16 stops on the Freedom Trail, the third is Lottie’s house.
Support for the Society comes from the Sachem Fund (Mohegan Tribe and Norwich) the Neighborhood Assistance Act, Norwich Rotary, Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors and other funding sources. The Society collaborates with the Society of the Founders of Norwich and other local organizations as well. The Historical Society hopes that its efforts promote the rich history of Norwich
will become more of an economic driver for the city.
Pres. Mr. Jim closed the meeting with an inspirational quote.
