Rotary Club of Needham
Minutes of Meeting Held
Tuesday:  May 17, 2016
 
Pledge of Allegiance: Ted Shaughnessy
Song:  God Bless America; Led By: Bob Cocks
Prayer: Led by: Karen Wetmore
Location: Wellesley (Room)
 
Guests: - Alissa Musto, Music Contest winner; Denise Garlick, State Representative and Amanda Bernard, Chief of Staff
 
Announcements:
 
. Ted announced the death of longtime Rotarian, Jack Marr.  Jack died at 95 in Newark, NJ.  Obituary can be seen online in the Boston Globe or Needham Times.  Services will be Friday, 5/20/2016 at 4:30-6:00 at Eaton’s.  Donations may be made to Needham Rotary.
. Reality Fair is next Monday, May 23rd at Needham High School from 8:30-12:00.  Please let Rich know when you can help.
. Alissa Musto, the Open Category winner of our Music Awards contest joined us to receive her plaque and check.  She entertained us with a couple of tunes which she will perform at the Miss Massachusetts pageant.  She will be participating as Miss Cambridge. She has graduated from Harvard and is planning to attend law school.
. We were well represented at Needham Plugged In last Friday by Bob Cocks and Andy Wining.  They were the only acoustic guitar group of the evening.  Thank you both for doing such a great job.  Be sure to come next Tuesday and hear them repeat their performance.
. We will have a float again this year in the 4th of July parade.  The truck is available.  Charles Haberl will bring some visitors from Russia to join us. 
. There will be a Leadership meeting in Peabody.
. Kathy is working on sponsoring an Alex’s Lemonade Stand at the NBA Street Fair on Saturday, June 4th.  If anyone has time to help from 8:00-3:00 on that day it would be greatly appreciated.
. Rich presented the check to the Subway Dwarfs last week.
. Our grant with India had a complication around sending the funds to India.  We now have the necessary documentation.  India only does Global grants.  Jim has already arranged for $500 from Waltham.  We are also going to be involved with the Neponset Valley-Engineers Without Boarders water project.  Ted also apologized for his exuberance last week.  We are lucky to have such an enthusiastic incoming leader.
. The next Board meeting will be June 9th at Ryan’s office, 105 Chestnut St., Needham.
. Lois’ picture of our Arbor Day project got into the Hometown Weekly.  Thank you, Lois, for following up on this.
. Ted reminded us that the Central Ave. bridge is being repaired and will be one way from 5/9-6/14; from 6/15 the bridge will be shut down.
.  The District Conference is this weekend.  Ted will bring our “Safety” basket silent auction donation down on Friday.  Thank you Kathy for putting this together.  There is still room if anyone else able to join us though the Hotel 1610 is fully booked there are several other hotels close by.
. Amadu has gone home.  Her surgery has been re-scheduled for tomorrow in the morning.  She will then be in the hospital for 2 weeks.  Marty asked for pictures which Ted will try to get from her mother.
. RYLA is being held from 6/24-26 at Fitchburg State.  They need volunteers during the weekend. Sunday at 3:00 the new District Governor will be installed.
. Wellesley Rotary requested at their Pancake Breakfast this Saturday.  Contact Ted is you are able to help.
 
Rotary moment: Marty read from this month’s “Rotarian” about an interview of 1 of 3 millennials.  He felt that Rotary has everything millennials want and they get to associate with people with more life experiences.  Millennials are curious and Rotarians have a lot to tell. 
 
Happy dollars: Ken was happy to see Denise and Amanda; Louise thought Bob and Andy were great at the Plugged In event; Kathy thanked Denise for being a great MC at the music event; several were happy to be here; Bill was happy for the Newton-Wellesley Hospital gala; Chuck was happy that his daughter; Michelle is now employed as a 3rd grade teacher in New Caanan, CT; many were happy for guests, music and Plugged In; Jim donated In Memory of Jack Marr and Denise donated to the competition – she belongs to the Needham  Exchange Club.
 
50/50 drawing: None today
 
Humor: Louise had fast humor about the office “walk in” – he has about 6” and quacked.  If you are curious he can be found on Facebook.  The office had a lot of fun for 2 hours while waiting for a contractor to collect him to bring him to the pond in the yard.
Guest speaker: Ted introduced our Denise Garlick, our State Representative.  She thanked Karen for the blessing which really touched her heart; thought Bob and Andy did a great job at Plugged In and congratulated Ron on receiving the Melick Award.  She is also inspired by Louise and her Valentine’s Day party going into its 29th year – talk about commitment.  Denise is in her 5th year of teaching at Pollard School - she goes 20 times a year to the different classes to teach a class on How a Bill Becomes Law.  She will also be speaking to AP history classes.  She also congratulated everyone in Rotary for their work.
Denise is the Chair of the Committee of Elder Affairs.  In 20 years a majority of MA residents will be 60 or over due to reverse migration.  The baby who will live to 150n has already been born.  Of the $3.5billion spent on elder services most of it going to the poorest and most ill.  She is very proud that the amount going to each elder her been increased from $9.00 to $10.00.  Needham is doing a survey for Seniors and transportation.  We need a social movement around aging – we are getting older in a different way than our parents.  She also commented that changes start with the individual leader.  They can all be reached on line and through our vote. 
 
Next meeting: Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 12:00 at Needham Sheraton