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Cogitator April 10, 2013
Million Dollar Meal, at the New England Wireless and Steam Museum
MILLION DOLLAR MEAL, NEW ENGLAND WIRELESS AND STEAM MUSEUM
VISITING ROTARACTORS
New England Tech’s Rotaract Club officers President Daythan Newton and Secretary Carenique Turner joined us for lunch.
GUESTS
Polly Erickson, Andy Erickson’s better half, was with us for our Million Dollar Meal ‘field trip.’ It turns out that despite her decades in East Greenwich, Polly had never before visited the New England Wireless and Steam Museum on Frenchtown Road! Also joining us for lunch was George Popella’s longtime friend, Deb Pellegrino.
BIRTHDAYS
Happy birthday today, April 10th, to Bill Winter.
And, a sincere thanks to Bill for taking time on his birthday to assist Vin Meola in putting together our delicious lunch of Subway sandwiches at the Museum.
NEW MEMBER
Welcome, new member Juan Osorio! Membership Chair Janet Essex welcomed Juan, who officially comes into the Rotary Club of East Greenwich by way of a transfer from the Providence Sunrise Club. Juan is District Director of Boy Scouts of America’s Narragansett Council.
SCOTT CARLSON MEMORIAL ALS 5K
The big day nears for the 13th Annual Scott Carlson Memorial ALS 5K--Saturday, April 20th. Committee Chair Judy Pratt needs volunteers for both Friday afternoon’s set-up work and Saturday’s main event. Friday’s work—setting tables, organizing food and water stations, hanging banners, and putting together t-shirt gift bags--begins at 2pm on the 19th, at the carousel. On Saturday, volunteers are asked to show up at 8am, as race registration starts at 8:30am. We look forward to yet another successful event and a great Saturday morning, with the whole club chipping in as we battle the scourge of ALS, and, remember our dear friend, Scott Carlson.
FEINSTEIN HUNGER CHALLENGE
Bonnie Sauer hopes to wrap up this year’s Feinstein Hunger Challenge by next Wednesday, April 17th. So, please don’t forget to bring in your big blue WalMart bag, filled to the top with food, on the 17th!
Also, here is the website should you wish to simply ‘click’ and make a financial donation: http://egrotary.org/
ZUMBA, ZUMBA, ZUMBA
Sue Dorne invites one and all to her Rotary fundraiser at Cole Middle School on Friday, May 3rd. Exercise, dance, door prizes, and a great time—that’s what Sue promises as she prepares to lead a fun filled Zumba class that evening. The Zumba event will run from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets are only $10 in advance, and $15 that day, with all net proceeds going to the East Greenwich Rotary Charitable Fund.
BOARD MEETINGS
President Ken Colaluca announced two board meetings: the Rotary Club board meeting to be held on Thursday the 11th at the East Greenwich Methodist Church; and, the East Greenwich Rotary Scholarship Fund meeting on Friday the 12th, to be held at Re/Max Professionals.
HAPPY BUCKS
-Vin Meola thanked Bob and Nancy Merriam for once again inviting us to their fine museum. Vin also wondered why Dave Iannuccilli and Bob Miller missed the Million Dollar Meal, suggesting it may have been connected to the Red Sox being in first place after an opening week of baseball.
-Stan Allegra had a happy birthday wish of his own—to Allegra Printing, 23 years young this week.
-Andy Erickson was happy to have another Eagle Scout in our ranks, new member Juan Osorio.
-Janet Essex thanked Polly Erickson for being a great party planner.
-Polly Erickson was happy to have hosted a great pajama party.
-Michigan alumnus Jim Essex gave a happy buck for his NCAA basketball Wolverines, who battled valiantly in the national championship game against the Louisville Cardinals last Monday.
-Rotaract President Daythan Newton was proud to announce the achievement of his Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management at New England Tech.
-Sue Dorne gave a plug for wrapping up our Hunger Campaign strongly next week.
-George Popella was glad to be sitting at the ‘ladies table’ for lunch.
-Richard Waterman thanked our hosts, the Merriams, for their hospitality and for sharing with us their ‘labor of love,’ the New England Wireless and Steam Museum.
SPEAKER/PROGRAM
Bob and Nancy Merriam, Co-Directors of the New England Wireless and Steam Museum
Listening to Bob Merriam takes you back to a golden age of Rhode Island’s leadership in the nation’s Industrial Revolution. It was a time during which our little state led the country, inviting top engineers and scientists who would ultimately make great contributions in steam engine machinery and engineering breakthroughs.
People came from all around the country to participate in the business of improving engines and mechanical devices. They were creative. They were inventive. They sought to make a living, to be certain. But their interest was also very much centered on the excitement of improving the lives of their fellow man.
Bob Merriam noted that George Corliss (1817-1888) was one of those inventive scientists. Corliss hailed initially from New York, but he found his way to Rhode Island and settled here. This ‘real pioneer’ ended up in East Greenwich, and his Corliss steam engine was considered by some to be the best in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Henry_Corliss
Why were steam engines so important in the 1800’s? Bob offered, ‘Before Thomas Edison’s inventions and contributions to science and power, you needed either steam power or windmill power.’ Steam powered machines, of course, were far more practical back then and thus became so essential.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison
Bob and Nancy Merriam have a perfectly restored Corliss engine in their steam room. You can see it, and all of their other wonderful machines, in motion during the annual ‘Steam-Up’ on September 21st, 2013.
Nancy concluded with an admonition for America in the 21st Century, ‘We have got to train more engineers and scientists!’
She added that their little museum’s site is quite rich with history connecting East Greenwich and Rhode Island’s various families of those golden industrial days. ‘What amazing technological breakthroughs back then, and what prominence this area held in those days!’
Bob Merriam, discussing the museum's history and artifacts.
Nancy Merriam adding some interesting facts of her own.
Rotaract Club officers Carenique Turner and Daythan Newton.
These drawers include the original engineering plans for steam engines on site.
Note the quote on the wall: ‘Good engineering is by reason, and not by rule.’