Norwich Rotary Club
October 13th, 2021
Location-Bella Fiore
THE RONE
Presiding: President Andy Nollman
Invocation: Roz Etra & Joel Etra (Joel via Zoom)
Program: There was a shift in the order of today’s meeting to accommodate Assistant DG Kevin Reich who had to leave early to deliver dictionaries to 3rd grade students! Kevin introduced the Acting District Governor Rick Bassett who was making his official visit to our club. Kevin is filling in for District Governor Jeff Krause who has been in ill health but hopes to be back at the helm by January or early February. DG Kevin thanked the club for all it good work and reminded that most of all the god works of Rotary happens at the Club level. The District is there to help all the clubs accomplish their goals. This year due to Covid has been a year of rebuilding after a year of just preserving memberships and realizing modest growth. Most of the big District Fall gatherings will be done via ZOOM until it’s safe to gather in person. He’s hoping for winter and spring to start meetings to be in-person. The District Conference will take place on April 22nd “in-person” at the Mystic Marriott in Groton. PETS training in March for this year’s incoming presidents will be held online and hopefully will be back to in-person the following year. Also on April 9th the District will be holding a “Day of Service” where each individual Rotary Club will be doing a service project in their respective communities. It will be an opportunity to get good press about Rotary and encouraged us to keep the media aware of what we are doing.
Fellowship: Nancy Gentes filling in for Jen Granger
Birthdays: None
Anniversaries: None
Visiting Rotarians: Acting District Governor Rick Bassett (N. Haven) & Assistant DG Kevin Reich (East Hampton). The Rotary welcome song was sung for our Visiting Rotarians. It was sung in a key that was so low it sounded more like a Gregorian chant! Our visiting Rotarians liked it anyway!
Guests: None
Nancy gave a very detailed history of the Mashantucket Pequot Nation in honor of Native American Month coming up in November. Some of the highlights were that the Mashantucket’s have been around for 10,000 years in North America and their lands once encompassed 250 square miles. In 1636 the Pequot war took place with the European settlers and ended in 1638 with most of the tribe either being killed or taken as slaves. By 1774 there were only 154 members remaining of the tribe. In 1856 230 acres was given back for a reservation. In modern times the reservation is 1,250 acres and in 1992 Foxwoods was created when the tribe won federal recognition and the rest is history!
Announcements:
Andy had the following announcements:
The Annual Coat Project is now in full swing. Rodney Green is working with Mike Matera at his warehouse to do the layout and access what we have so far. A work party will most likely take place on the last Wednesday of this month for members to help separate the coats and deliver to where they need to be for distribution. Stay tuned.
Mike Cooney reported that the “No Show Gala” is now up to $2,350.00! Bill Champagne gave Mike his credit card on the spot to make his donation! Members who have not donated yet can do so online on the club’s website or pay in cash or check at any regular meeting!
The Liberty Bank Thanksgiving drive is now under way and Liberty Bank will match .25 cents on the dollar for all funds we raise. Again the Swartz Manor residents will be issued gift card to purchase food for their Thanksgiving food needs. This year there is a “TRIPLE Challenge” so if every member can donate the usual $20.00 plus $40.00 more we can knock it out of the park for Swartz Manor this year!
Kathryn Tracy’s mom died. A card was passed at the meeting. If you were not in attendance please send her your sympathies.
Happy Dollars: Nancy Gentes
Nancy Gentes started things off with a $20.00 for the Thanksgiving Challenge!
Barry Shead gave to welcome Rick Bassett and thanked him for all his help the year he served as President of the club. He also donated $40.00 to the Thanksgiving Challenge.
Mary Richardson had Turkey Legs to hand out for anyone willing to sell them for the Thanksgiving Challenge!
Jim Daly gave $60 to the Thanksgiving Challenge and for the Red Sox!
Mike Cooney had a bird migration fun fact! Did you know that the Blue Grouse takes all year to migrate! They walk and do not fly!
Andy Nollman gave $40.00 toward the Thanksgiving Challenge! He was also happy to report that following the meeting he was taking his parents to the airport to fly south for the winter! He was also excited to be attending the Patriots/Cowboys game in Foxboro this coming Sunday!
Rodney Green gave $60.00 for the Thanksgiving Challenge and reported that the golf tournament for the Chestnut Street Playhouse was very successful, the weather was great and enough money was raised to pay the mortgage for the year! He also said that Lucille has a new puppy!
Acting District Governor Rick Bassett gave $20.00 for the Thanksgiving Challenge and also donated $100.00 to the coat drive!! He also said they are in the process of picking the District Governor for the 2024-25 year and it’s time for someone from Norwich take up the torch!
Mike Matera gave to thank Rodney for his efforts in the Chestnut Street Playhouse Golf Tournament and also let Acting District Governor Rick know that he was a fellow graduate of the University of New Haven!
Susy Hurlbert gave $50.00 to the Thanksgiving Challenge!
Jen Granger gave $20.00 for the Thanksgiving Challenge. She also said she was away last week as her 90 year old mother fell and broke her hip and is in rehab now. She also bought a new car and said the process was not too hard as the selection on the dealership lot was only about 5 vehicles so the choice was a speedy one!
Auction: Jim Daly donated $20.00 to the effort. We don’t think poor Jim walked out of the meeting with any money left in his wallet!!
Lottery: Terry Congdon: Susy Hurlbert drew a card to no avail. Next was Bill Champagne drew the WINNER!! Rodney Green and Jim Daly both won the Cookies from Barry Shead and the amazing folks at ARC!
At 1:10pm Bob Reed led the club members in the 4 Way Test and the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Bob Reed – RONE Reporter