Norwich Rotary Club
September 11th, 2024
Location-Bella Fiore
THE RONE
Presiding: President Rodney Green
Invocation: Gary Young
FOR SOME OF US IT’S KIND OF A BUMMER
THAT WE’VE REACHED THE END OF ANOTHER SUMMER
SOON WE’LL BE OUT THERE SHOVELING SNOW
AND GIVING THE OIL MAN ALL OUR DOUGH
BUT DO NOT WORRY AND DO NO FRET
FOR ON THESE WORDS YOU CAN PLACE A BET
IF YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS ARE ALWAYS FAIR
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GIVE AND WILLING TO SHARE
IF YOUR LIFESTYLE REFLECTS GOD ABOVE
REPLACING HATE AND ANGER WITH LOVE
IF YOU’RE SEEKING TO ALWAYS MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO LISTEN TO THAT STILL SMALL VOICE
IF YOU TRUST ON GOD’S WORD AND TAKE IT TO HEART
THEN STAND BACK AND WATCH GOD DO HIS PART
FOR HE ALONE CARES LIKE NO OTHER
HE’S A FRIEND THAT STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
NOW LET US THANK GOD GOT THE USUAL STUFF
THE FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP-ALWAYS MORE THAN ENOUGH
AND UNTIL WE GET TOGETHER AGAIN
LET’S PRAISE THE LORD AND SAY AMEN!
Fellowship: Susy Hurlbert
Birthdays: No Birthdays
Anniversaries: No Anniversaries
Guests: No Guests
Visiting Rotarians: None
Susy’s fellowship started with a poem she created from AI about her childhood home in British Columbia, Canada. She followed with 2 very heart felt more poem’s about the tragedies of September 11th, 2001 across NYC, PA & Washington, DC.
Membership Minute: Molly Bruno gave updates on a couple events that will involve building and inviting prospective member’s, first one being the Rotary Talent Show that the club did a few years back that was a lot of fun and successful. Pat Marshall will be the chair of than event. Stay tuned for a date, time and venue. All Rotarians with a talent are invited to take part. Also, the Holiday Yankee Swap will take place again this year on December 11th at 5:30 in the evening at the home of Stan Lucas on Broadway in Norwich. It’s Pot Luck so bring a dish to share and a fun wrapped gift! Guests are welcome! More details to follow.
Announcements:
Please bring spare clean egg cartons and give them to Bonnie Johnson.
If you know of a speaker for one of our meetings, please contact Kevin Wickless or Alexis Kahn to get on the schedule.
If there is a Rotarian who is sick or going through a tough time let the Sunshine Committee know and contact Mary Richardson or Nancy Gentes.
Happy Dollars: Nancy Gentes
Nancy remembered the morning of the tragedies of September 11, 2001 being in a meeting for United Way and suspending procedure to watch events play out. She said remember the families affected.
Mike Matera gave $10.00 to thank members of the club who worked so hard on the Golf Tournament and the Celebrate Cultural Diversity events. His son Jonathan’s Soccer season has begun this past weekend and more matches to follow this Saturday and Sunday.
Roz Etra thanked everyone involved that made the Celebrate Cultural Diversity event so successful this year. She especially noted Carrie from the Sunrise Rotary and our own Margarida Martins-Querido.
Gary Young remembered being in Myrtle Beach during the morning of September 11th 2001 and said he was leaving to return there tomorrow. He also said that the garden he planted at his now home in Griswold does a ton better than the one he had in Norwich, so much so he brought some of his harvest to the meeting to give away to any takers.
Andy Nollman said he has been doing a lot of traveling lately. He just returned from a golf outing in Pennsylvania. The traffic was so bad on the return home that it took 3 hours to get from Danbury, CT to home. He hopped a ferry to a wedding with Jim Daly after that. His fantasy football is off to a 0-2 start and he hope week 3 will be better! He’s also traveling to Foxbourgh to see the Patriots this Sunday!
Bill Champagne said he and his wife are selling the family townhouse in Chautauqua, New York and it’s full of stuff they need to store. He gave thanks to Andy Grant and Ace Hardware for the rental van to move all the family things. While in Chautauqua he and his wife saw their first “Drone” fireworks show and it was quite impressive!
Barry Shead thanked everyone involved in the Celebrate Cultural Diversity and Golf Tournament events. He too remembered where he was during the morning of September 11th as he was closing a mortgage at that time and found a TV to watch event play out. That evening he heard a giant explosion outside his house and thought it might be related to the events of that day, but thankfully it was a transformer on a pole next to the house. He also said he has visited the 9/11 Memorial in NYC and encouraged any member who has not visited to do so.
Molly Bruno said she just returned from a visit to Myrtle Beach over the weekend.
Pat Marshall said she had a blast volunteering at the Golf Tournament with Paul Gaffney and Margarida Martins-Ouerido. The best part was riding in the golf carts and laughing so hard that they found it hard to stay in control. She was so happy to spend time with Paul and Margarida and get to know them better. Pat also remembered the morning of September 11th working at Norwichtown Convalescent and being asked to gather the residents together to make sure they stayed calm. So said that it actually worked the other way around as many of the residents went through the Depression and a few World Wars and it was they who calmed her down. She’s looking forward to directing the Talent Show.
Margarida Martins-Querido delivered a number of egg cartons that her husband collected. Her summer started out somewhat bad with some flooding at her home and her car being on its last legs. Ended good as she now is back in the house and with a new car no less! She enjoyed volunteering at the Golf Tournament and laughing with Pat so hard she could barely see! She was glad to see so many cultures together at the Cultural Diversity Event and said that are our nations strength. She also visited the Maritime Festival in New London over the weekend and said it was wonderful!
Jeff Brining gave $5.00 just because!
Auction: Kathryn Tracey has a couple of gift baskets left over from the Diversity Event and auctioned them off. First on being a basket full of Asian goodies and the Second being vanilla extract. Both baskets were won by Susy Hurlbert for $15.00 and $10.00 respectfully.
Lottery: Pat Marshall
Bill Champagne, Gary Young (for Jim Daly) and Barry Shead could not find the Ace of Spades. Barry’s ARC Cookies went to Kathryn Tracey
Program: No Program today, however President Rodney and Susy Hurlbert gave a brief update on the Rotary Clock Project. With most of the funds in place it was decided that the project will move forward. $28,000 has been pledged toward the project and about $10,000 more needs to be raised. A 50% down payment needs to be placed by the end of September to keep the original quote from 2 years ago in place. The balance must be paid by the end of the year. President Rodney said to stay tuned for project updates and materials that will be furnished to raise the rest of the money.
President Rodney called on Bonnie Johnson and she led the club with the 4-Way Test and the meeting was adjourned at 1:06pm.