Cogitator Dec 14, 2011

Welcome to all North Kingstown Rotarians who joined us at Chianti's this week!

VISITING ROTARIANS

Russ Bertrand, Assistant District Governor and Wakefield Rotarian, was also present for our joint meeting.

GUESTS

Walter Monroe, manager of the new Bank of Newport branch in East Greenwich, was invited by Steve Lombardi.  President Mike Gemma invited three guests--local attorney Kevin McDonough, Matt D'Agenais who manages the new Pawtucket Credit Union branch, and Mike's good friend and fellow sports enthusiast Jeff Andreozzi.  And finally, Rhode Island State Fire Marshall Jack Chartier joined us.    

CLUB ANNIVERSARY

Past President Janet Essex was inducted into the Rotary Club of East Greenwich 19 years ago on December 15, 1992.  

CITRUS WRAP-UP

Bonnie Sauer had that 'thank goodness we made it' look of a project chairperson wrapping up a great campaign.  And what a job Bonnie did this year--over 850 cases sold, $25,000 in gross sales, and the East Greenwich Little League will get a huge $10,000 donation for the Cragan Field Lights.  Incredible.  She also noted what a great crowd of kids helped this year.  There were plenty of young faces helping out at Greene Industries on delivery day.  Ten high school volunteers were present, along with eighteen Cole Middle School kids.  Congratulations to Bonnie, President Mike, and the entire club...for such an extremely successful Citrus Drive. 

PHONES/DVD'S FOR MILITARY FAMILIES

President Mike thanked all who generously contributed their used cell phones and DVD's, which will be donated to local families of servicemen and servicewomen.   

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Past President Ed Neff chaired the Nominating Committee, and here is the slate his committee presented for Club Officers in the 2012-2013 Rotary year:

President, Ken Colaluca

President-Elect, Jodi Gladstone

Treasurer, Mike Balsamo

Assistant Treasurer, Dave Caldwell

Sergeant-at-Arms, Jim Essex

And the drum roll please...

Secretary, Ron Winde

***The club will hold its annual Election of Officers during the last meeting of the year, December 28th.  For those interested in raising money, campaigning, and/or challenging any of the above nominees for said positions, please feel free to contact Ed between now and the 28th.  Nominations can also be presented from the floor on Election Day.  (Haven't seen it happen yet, but hey, you never know.)

HAPPY BUCKS

Steve Lombardi made a very happy $50 donation to the East Greenwich Rotary Scholarship Fund, in thanks for Santa John Wolcott's great work with the Chamber of Commerce.  

Speaking of Santa John, yours truly gave a buck for little man Griffin's pilgrimage to EG Photo this year.  He was quite clear with Santa, passing on wishes for a Polar Express train under the Christmas tree.

George Popella congratulated Bonnie Sauer for her great Citrus work, and he thanked Julie Gemma for her hospitality at our recent Holiday Social.  

Bonnie Sauer thanked both hubby Chuck, for all of his back breaking efforts with Citrus this year, and Mike Gemma for all of his tireless support throughout the Citrus Drive.

Chub Clement gave a happy buck welcoming our North Kingstown friends.  

Chuck Sauer had an interesting week of post-Citrus pickups, with phone calls galore and constant streams of people picking up fruit.

Bob Sloan gave two happy bucks, one for his son Jamie's wife, Amy, who turned 30 this week, and one for the 'most fun, best run' Citrus Delivery Day ever.

Rona Mann, from North Kingstown, gave a 'thanks for the hospitality' buck and also got in a 'Go Syracuse Orangemen' plug. 

Alan Flynn thanked Chub (and Florence) Clement for feeding Citrus volunteers with the ever-traditional, and soon to be marketed at a store near you, Clements' Irish soda bread.

A fellow North Kingstown Rotarian reported that a passerby donated a few quarters for Salvation Army--right into Dave Meegan's Dunkin Donuts coffee cup.  Oops.

Vin Meola had another family reunion in the northern hills of New England, meeting cousins all the way from Manchester, England. 

John Wolcott spoke of the 'treasure and privilege' of being Santa every year, getting to listen to little ones trustingly beam (or scream) their wishes to him.  Santa John also has been doing extra duty this year with Newport' Polar Express train.  

Judy Pratt is thrilled to have her dental partner Jim McManus back in the office, after recuperating from recent surgery. 

Guest Kevin McDonough gave five happy bucks while thanking Pat Lenihan for taking care of his Citrus delivery.

Chub Clement gave a second buck for his chance opportunity, while making Citrus Day calls, of dialing up a long lost childhood friend from his Broad Street, Providence days. 

Mike Gemma's son and basketball star Brian scored 29 points in leading his East Greenwich squad to victory against Exeter last week.

SPEAKER/PROGRAM

Bill Giannini, Terrorism Coordinator for the RI Fire Academy

Our friend Rona Mann from North Kingstown introduced speaker Bill Giannini as a fellow gym member who she never would have imagined as working in the anti-terrorism field.  She also noted that he has nice legs and cleans up good.  And...there was also a yoga reference...that, not being a yoga person, I'm afraid I'll say incorrectly...so... 

Bill also happens to be an instructor for the State of Rhode Island Fire Academy and is its terrorism curriculum coordinator. He is a member of State Emergency Response Commission and is the chairman of its training committee.

Bill defined terrorism as a violent act, dangerous to human life, to intimidate a government or civilian population while pursuing political objectives.  International terrorism like the attacks of 9-11 and domestic terrorism like the Oklahoma City bombing were given as examples. 

Terrorism is hardly new.  In the 18th Century, Russia was known to catapult plague infected corpses into cities.  In the 19th Century, the Ku Klux Klan persecuted their various 'enemies,' while Catholic Churches were burned here in New England (including Rhode Island).  The 20th Century brought numerous airline hijackings, clinic bombings in the US, and US Senate and World Trade Center building bombings.  Those in charge of preventing attacks today list several potential attack dangers--chemical, biological, nuclear, radiological, and explosive.

Chemical attacks could come in the form of nerve agents like sarin, which can be dispersed in aerosol form.  The nerve agent 'VX' is so deadly that one drop could kill scores of people in a small room.  Blister agents like mustard, which saw significant military application in WWI, will blister the skin and cause muscles to dangerously contract.  If inhaled, it can also cause the lungs to inflame to the point of death.  

Biological weapons include deadly bacteria, toxins, and viruses.  Anthrax is an example of a biological agent which has been used in the recent past.  Anthrax is actually quite survivable once given antibiotics, but if inhaled it is far more deadly.  

Small pox, equine encephalitis, and ebola are being manufactured throughout the world, causing concern that if spread maliciously there could be a major viral outbreak.  Toxins like botulinum, ricin, and staphylococcus are also on the list of deadly substances which could cause catastrophic loss of lives if weaponized. 

Radiation and nuclear terrorism are of significant concern, given such great turmoil throughout the world.  While nuclear detonations do not top the list of 'most likely terrorism attacks,' 'dirty bombs' are considered more probable.  Dirty bombs are conventional bombs with radioactive isotopes, usually from nuclear and/or medical waste, which if detonated would poison a large area with radioactive, and thus deadly, material.      

Finally, explosive attacks are the most likely form of terrorism.  Explosives are easy for terrorists to steal, fabricate, and set off.  Improvised explosive devices (IED's), backpack bombs, and pipe bombs are commonly used by terrorists.  Law enforcement and military personnel must also be acutely aware of 'secondary devices' planted to go off as rescue responders arrive after a preliminary incident.