Cogitator April 3, 2013

VISITING ROTARIANS

None.

GUESTS

Sue Dorne invited her friend April Pasco, who was celebrating her birthday today.

ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES

Happy Rotary anniversary wishes this week to three Rotarians.  Bill Winter and Meghan Kruger joined the club on April 4^th, 2012.  And, Past President Alan Flynn began his Rotary journey back on April 1^st, 1976.  Happy 37^th Alan, and happy 1^st Bill and Meghan!      

MILLION DOLLAR MEAL

Don’t forget…next week is our Million Dollar Meal!  We’ll meet at noon on the corner of Frenchtown and Tillinghast Roads, as we travel for lunch to Bob Merriam’s New England Wireless and Steam Museum.   

GREETINGS FROM NEW MEXICO

President Ken Colaluca read a nice note from former club member Betsy DePrimo.   Betsy’s doing great out West but misses her Rotary friends back in Rhody!  Betsy’s address, for those who’d like to drop a line: 136 Sunlit Drive West, Sante Fe, New Mexico, 87508. 

HUNGER CHALLENGE

Sue Dorne and Bonnie Sauer challenged each of us to fill up a big blue WalMart shopping bag.  They will be collecting various food items over the next few weeks.  Online cash donations are also welcomed.  Our goal this year--beating last year’s record of $825 dollars in food/cash-donations ‘points.’   

ZUMBA ANYONE?

 We call this multi-tasking.  Besides her efforts in this year’s Hunger Challenge, Sue Dorne is inviting the club to join her for a Zumba for Rotary fundraiser at Cole Middle School on Friday, May 3^rd.  Great exercise, great fun, and a great chance to help our Rotary Club—all for only $10 in advance, and $15 at the door.  Be there!  (For more info—contact Sue: zumbawithsue@gmail.com)

TASTE OF THE TOWN

Speaking of multi-tasking, Pat Lenihan, fresh off our 50^th Rotary Anniversary gala at Crowne Plaza, is ‘full steam ahead’ preparing for the Friday, May 17^th Taste of the Town which will be held at St. Francis de Sales Parish Center in North Kingstown.  Mark your calendars! 

SCOTT CARLSON MEMORIAL ALS 5K

Seth Wilson reported that the ALS 5K committee is grinding away with final preparations for this year’s Scott Carlson Memorial ALS 5K, to be held at Goddard Park on Saturday, April 20^th.  Seth is looking for volunteers on Friday the 19^th in the afternoon to put together gift bags, hang banners, and set up tables.  Seth also mentioned that while we’re behind last year’s record for sponsorships, we’re a bit ahead of last year’s pace for runner/walker registrations.

HAPPY BUCKS

-John Wolcott was happy to announce the birth of Leyla Ruth Wolcott, son of Matt Wolcott and wife.  Congratulations, Grandpa John (for the 7^th time now)!

-Judy Pratt was happy that Chub Clement, her ALS 5K t-shirt ‘chief,’ is home from the hospital.  Welcome home, Chubbie! 

-Bob Sloan congratulated Pat Lenihan for showcasing the club in a very favorable light to all guests at our 50^th Anniversary gala. 

-John Wolcott agreed with Bob, giving kudos to Pat for her outstanding organizational skills.

-Pat Lenihan gave a happy buck for her birthday last week, and, upon request, was properly serenaded.

-Bill TenEyck announced that Allison DeGerlia, Beth’s daughter, will be our second RYLA recipient this year. 

-Lou Lepry thanked the club for its generosity with this year’s Daffodil Days.  Lou gave special credit to his best customer, Judy Pratt, who surpassed the $1,000 mark this year! 

-Richard Waterman gave a happy ‘here-we-go-2013 Red Sox’ buck, and he, too, praised Pat for her 50^th Anniversary work. 

-Bob Miller was happy about Lou’s daffodils—‘they last forever!’

-Jodi Gladstone invited the club to a nice warm-up race for the Scott Carlson Memorial ALS 5K.  The Bunny Hop 5K, sponsored by the East Greenwich Track Club, will be held on Saturday, April 13^th, at Goddard Park. 

-Matt Bussey has accepted an offer with a Providence law firm, but was happy to announce that he’ll still be able to make our Wednesday Rotary meetings. 

SPEAKER/PROGRAM

Ann Burke, from the Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Fund

The Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Fund is a non-profit corporation and was founded to honor the life of Lindsay Ann Burke, a 23 year old Rhode Island College graduate from North Kingstown, R.I. Lindsay was a compassionate, honest and trusting young woman who cared deeply for others. She was trying to break the cycle of violence when she was murdered. Lindsay was an education major and came from a family of educators. We believe she would want us to break the silence and work towards ending relationship violence through education. As such, this fund will support the prevention of relationship violence primarily through the education of teens, parents, educators, and the public.

Lindsay Ann Burke’s mother, Ann Burke, spoke calmly yet passionately about her new mission—battling dating and relationship violence.  Her daughter Lindsay, a 23-year old Rhode Island College graduate, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2005. 

The Burke family

‘It’s a terribly sad subject, and terribly prominent in our society,’ said Ann.  Over the past 7 years, hundreds of victims from all walks of life have confided to Ann stories of violence. 

U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Coop declared in the 1980’s two ‘national epidemics:’ the first was AIDS; the second was dating and domestic violence.  Ann noted that his message about AIDS was well received in America, while the second seems to have been largely ignored. 

High school girls and young women, aged 16 to 24, experience the highest rate of partner violence.  One in five high school girls are physically or sexually hurt by a dating partner.  One in three have experienced ‘some kind of abuse.’  Nearly 45% of young women know someone forced into a sexual encounter.  Yet…only one third of those abused report their experiences, and, 80% of parents of the abused remain completely unaware of their daughters’ travails. 

Ann Burke has been on a crusade since her daughter’s death.  She has been on TV and radio.  She has met with politicians and educational leaders.  Her efforts were praised by Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education.  And, she has been to the White House on more than one occasion, championed by Vice President Biden who sponsored the original Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994.